Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-02-11

1natS our biggest problem,
said Miss Shore. I'VE use nine
songs a week on the air. Getting
good ones is not always easy.
But at that" she went on cheer
fully, we're better of than the
comedians. We have fellows like
Rogers and Hart and Hammer
stein and Berlin and a lot of
others writing for US. And we
can repeat a song a lot sooner
than a comedian can repeat a
comedy sketch"
Appearing regularly on tele-
vision, Miss Shore has discovered,
has brought her into completely
new relationship with her
audience.
Its a little hard to- explain, I"
she said. but it's entirely diff
ferent from radio. or pictures.
I guess it's because television is
so intimate, You're right there
in peoples homes. They're
friendly now.
II used to go in a store and
I'd see two people whispering
and looking at me- Now they
come right up and take me by
my arm as if they know me and
tell me what they thought Of
last nights show. People aren't
aloof on the street, any more,
either. They come right up and
say hello. It's wonderful.
And the letters they write"
she went on. They're so pos
sessive. Someone viii write, for
instance, 'Dinah, ! didn't like
the way you did your hair last
night: it was much more becorn-
ing on Tuesday Or they'll COM
ment on my, clothes or the things
I say. It can be some harmless
little thing, but someone may
write and tell me. That's not
for you, Dinah; let somebody elso
say those things
II love it."
Miss Shore, whose standing at
the head of her class is thing
of fairly general agreement, has
found television a rather stern
taskmaster. It and her record
ing dates keep her about as busy
as she wants to be.
There are music conferences
in advance to select songs and
lay a general plan. The day
before the show there is a dry
run and further details are ironed
out. On Tuesdays and Thurs
days there are further rehear-
sails, camera rehearsals, the dress
rehearsal and, Of course. the
telecaSt itself.
''We have it down to a routine
now. though" said Miss Shore.
st runs smoothly and there's
no strain" This, Of course, is
a great help in giving the IS
minute musical an informal,
friendly touch.
Another factor is that the
show is not done by script. The
director simply tells Miss Shore
how much time she has at a
given moment. She in return
tells him what will be the cue
words indicating that she is
through talking and ready to
sing.
This is the easy way, when
singer, TV director and music
director are in close rapport. In
the case of 1.-THE Dinah Shore
Show it works out fine.
Smoothly as the routine may
be working. it still does not allow
Miss Shore any time to think
about doing another picture
soon. Next summer during the
TV hiatus? Well, maybe.
The hope was expressed that
the next screenplay would be an
improvement over the last.
aaron Slick from Punkin Crick'
did get of course between origi-
nal idea and finished picture.
Miss Shore admitted.
But I hear it's cleaning up In
small towns all over the coun-
try" she added cheerfully.
Paul Winchel took over the
nearby stage at about this mo-
ment to rehearse the song he
and Jerry Mahoney were to sing
that night. Miss Shore paused
to listen.
isn't he great?" she said.
There were mods Of agreement.
"And what an actor" she said
firmly. as If mods weren't enough
enthusiasm. Have you seen
some of those things he's done
on his program? He's such q fine
actor"
It is fairly clear that what
Steve Allen phrased so aptly
once is only refrigeration Of Miss
Shores own outlook. when you
listen to Dinah sing" noted Mr..
Allen. you don't just like the
song, you like Dinah." Ii /,