Evening star., 1954-12-19
On the Air

NJ, GOE al oE1 SCA oh1IA DAA46
Crosby, Of all the bigtime ra-
dio stars, have most stubbornly
resisted television temptation.
They have continued to be
radio regulars and their ven-
lures into the new medium
have been few.
From. all reports Crosby
doesn't feel television is worth
the effort. It's hard work and
he just doesn't have any room
left to store the money.
Bergen is a picker and a
chooser in teleyision. He Sc
lects his roles, he spaces his
appearances and he believes in
variety. Recently he took part
in one of the big musical re-,
vues telecast in color. koS too
long ago he left Charlie Nc
Carthy. in the trunk while he
played "A Connecticut YAM
kee" On TV for his radio
/ sponsor.
Most of Bergen's energy this
season has been devoted to
his radio program over CHS
every Sunday night. 1t is the
only major entertainment pro-
gram on radio emanating from
Washington. With his pro-
ducer In New York and his
writer in Hollywood, the shows
star has been one of our buster
temporary residents here Of
late.
He Sees q Trend
Next season. he was saying
the other day, he probably
will step his televiSion up from
eight shows to IL. In some,
he's likely to use Charlie, Nor
timer Snerd and other mem
bers of his private cast, in
others there will be no ven-
triloquism.
He hopes to take advantage
Of what he sees as a trend
toward a better brand Of tele-
vision comedy.
'"I think gentle comedy Is
gaining favor" he said, land
that loud comedy has had its
day. The standup comic who
fires rapid gags at you one
after another just seems old
fashioned somehow. You don't
need gags that fast"
Symptomatic of the trend
Il the great enthusiasm with
which the television audience
greeted George Gobel's ap-
pearance on the scene as q
regular entertainer. Bergen.
however, does not intend to
let happen to him what is
happening to Gobel and Jackie
Gleason right now.
Considered their hottest
properties" by NBC and CHS
respectively. Gobel and Glea-
son are being spread thin in
guest appearances of one sort
and another. The object
seems to be squeeze as much
audience lure as possible out
of them while they're hot.
What it will do about wearing
out their welcome Is q question
about which nobody seems
worried yet.
TeIevision's Tragedy
There's the great tragedy
Of this business" said Bergen.
"This George Gobel is a vastly
talented man. He's immensely
popular and he deserves to be.
He's won all these awards and
he's on top Now there's no
place for him to go. He can't
60 ahead because he is ahead.
From now on, he cam only
struggle against retrogression.
"The pressure Is tremen-
dous." Bergen went on. "a
young man starts out in this
business. is a success, then in
q few weeks discovers he can't
do it alone. He hires writer's,
then discovers that writer's
can't go on being fresh week
after week. In about four
years he's used UP.
II don't know why we insist
on making the entertainers we
like appear so often. Nobody
can last. It used to be that
we'd see some fine performer
twice, maybe three times q
year. 1t was always q treat to
see him and we never got tired
\ OF him."
With these and kindred
thoughts in his mind. II is not
surprising that Bergen feels
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