Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-04-04
.azzled the viewers in

a whirlwind tour of Washington
yesterday on behalf Of the up
coming Tv production of his life
story Sunday. April 81, NBC--D
and stopped long enough to rem
inisce q few moments about
his stage appearances here for
the late John j. Payette at tlna
Metropolitan and Earle theaters.
The soft-spoken singer seems
genuinely delighted with his
"press-agent's" assignment and
thinks actor George Grizzard is
10 fine choice for the lead. Hes
better-looking than I was" he
says. but otherwise, he looks
right" Gene says his wife and
q friend who egged me on" got
him interested in the life-story
gambit and that the TV pro-
duction is the first step en- route
to a movie. Genes recording
again. too. He's got q new record
out for RCA and an album Is in
the works. IF you're going to do
something" he says. you've got
to do it all the way" He finds
1t much easier now. though. The
backing is SO much better and
the technical improvements
make 1t seem simple. II used to
have to do a lot Of trick singing, /"
he recalled.
On The Run:
Tonight's the night that Danny
Thomas introduces Marjorie Lord
to his TV audiences 20 to $50
pm, WMAL-D. Danny
wasn't sure Marjorie was the
right girl to play his new wife
on the series until he saw the
rushes Of this episode.
A friend of the writer whose
play about young love Studio
One" Monday night (WTOP-9)
was raped by the Stars re-
viewer, wants our IS. c." to
know that he isn't a middle
aged man and doesn't wear BIZ
locals. as she intimated
He's a young man. the father Of
two children. and teaches
psychology in college, SO there |!
ADD Cinderella notes: The
Walt Disney production returns
to RKO-Keith's later this month.
:. And on April 20. the Royal
Ballet of Great Britain for
merly Sadler's Wells) will pre-
sent Cinderella" on NBC-4
from s to $3.50 pm. Margot
Fonteyn and Michael Somes,
who danced the leads in Sleep
ing Beauty" will again star.
Variety's Herm Lowe aston
ished" by report in this column
that his review of the Radio TV
Correspondents dinner show
violated an "of the record"
Herm adds he's reviewed every
show offered to Presidents since
l943-and this isn't the first
time he's panned acts. Retir-
ing president Joe Mccartney con-
firms this by writing: II really
don't think anyone was unhappy
about the Variety review. After
all. we folks are always talking
about freedom Of the press. free
dom Of the air. freedom to
know
Well. some people were-and
that's all I was reporting.
Time magazine April 81 has
its lead TV piece on John Secon-
darts play. THE Commentator. ]"
iDhich CHS Cancelled from Studio
One because ut ipdS just not
good enough" Times re-
porter, doubling as a story editor.
challenges this uerdict fas match
does author Seconddri. non head
OF ABC's mems bureau here
The script sis better than many
and unique in coming to grips
NTH a problem OF bdckStdoe TV
at the topmoSt level." Time
asserts.
Harry Wismer's Sports Time
award goes to DR.. Shane Mac
Carthy. Of Washington. on Har-
rvs April 7 broadcast. GAS pm.
WGMS. DR.. MacCarthy,
executive director of the Presi-
dents Council on Youth Fitness.
is we'll known to Washington
viewers for his excellent Sunday
TV programs on behalf of the
Catholic archdiocese.