Evening star., 1953-07-09

more OF This nonsense Cne an
nouncer got the audience to con-
fess that it was playing Follow
the Leader" and Miss Vague got
down to business.
4 X \
It turned out to be drab busi-
ness. Miss Vague performed a
bit of pantomime about packing
for a weekend trip and a girl
from the audience tried to do
the same, hindered ny collapsing
props. Miss Vague did a bit about
private eye and a man who
said he was selling British candy
tried to ape her, also hindered
by collapsing props. Miss Vague
did an Apache dance with a
dummy and a girl from the audi
ence did the same. discovering
after hitting the dummy over
the head with q bottle that it
was no dummy but a live actor.
This lull on Tuesday nights
emanates from Hollywood, there
by proving beyond all shadow of
doubt that those old California
secessionists were dead wrong.
They wanted to leave the Union
because the Capital was too far
from California. Well, it's much
too close, if anything, and COM
munication between California
and Washington, D. c., is much
too good. It could stand some
sabotaging. Any volunteers for
a microwave relay station-burn-
ing?
That other major TV origina-
ton point, New York, is not
innocent. either. One of its re-
cent contributions is Name
That Tune" (WNBW-Monday,
8 PM. This one was dreamed
up by Harry Salter. an orchestra
leader obsessed from POT O.
Gold" through Stop the Music"
with the notion that people must
be paid to listen to music.
Name That Tune" pits two
contestants at a time in race
toward a jackpot medley. These
two carefree people are first
seated at one side of the stage
to listen to music. When they
think they can identify a song
they race wildly across the stage
to ring a gong. The one who
rings the first gong gets a chance
to name that tune. If he Is
wrong, the other gets a chance.
The one who fares best in this
preliminary round wins a chance
at the jackpot.
It is virtually impossible to
lose during this first portion of
the competition. The announcer
comes equipped with clues for
the aid of faltering contestants.
One of these was looking baffled
Monday as the orchestra played
the can-can dance from Offen-
bach'S "Gaite Parisienne" score.
This song has two cans in the
title" the announcer cried. Can,
can?" said the contestant hesi-
tantly. you're absolutely right"
shouted the announcer.
On the other hand there was
the case of two subteen children
who turned up on stage, learn
ing early the broadcaSters' lesson
that you don't have to work,
just come down and get the
money. The youngsters got along
fine with songs children might
know, but there was a Stymie
between them and the jackpot.
1t was that old air made
famous by a soft-drink maker
to announce that his product
hits the spot. You don't know
that?" asked the announcer, as
if appalled,. That's too bad.
That's 'D'Ya Ken John Peel?'"
D'ya ken John Peel, indeed.
One feature Of Name That
Tune" is the Disgusting Of some
songs by singing them in various
languages and sundry tribal dia-
lects. There may be the germ Of
an idea for an amusing show
here. There is no telling what
might be done for Crazy, Man,
Crazy" by singing it in Hun
garian.
WINNER-Elaine Snyder, 16-
year-old Coolidge High School
senior, was named winner of the
talent hunt conducted on
WNBW's Ladies Choice" at the
finals this week. Her prize: A
trip to Hollywood, accompanied
by her mother. by Inga Rund-
void. who conducts the program,
and by Bob knight, Ladies
Choice" guitarist.