Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-01-03

@~eN W SAANN W SAR Va Ato ONA Ava
musical mixture served up
Monday by Montgomery (who
positively radiated good feeling)
could have been in the nature
of a showcase.
1t was certainly packaged and
produced with more attention
than the circumstances seemed
to warrant. In fact, there's a
general attitude in some quar-
ters-a not unreasonable one
that any production on a New
Years Eve show Is strictly
Isuperfiuous.
The program was built around
a sizeable orchestra directed by
Hugo Winterhalter. a musician
Iof considerable ability and ex-
cellent taste and the collection
Iof talent ran the opular mu-
steal gambit. not overlooking
rock n roll. The two examples
of this (by an energetic but not
overly endowed QUARTET, and
the singing of an awkward
young man with an Eddie Fisher
type voice. were among the few
Idisappointments. Teddy King
was not particularly impressive.
either. though ] might have en-
toyed her gimmicked jazz sing
ing a few drinks hence.
Winterhalter's orchestra and
the arrangements sparkled. how
ever, and Eddie Haywood-the
pianist-composer - could have
played all night. And II you
didn't like some OF the turns,
at least the director spun them
IN and out at q brisk clip.
The other musical merry-
makers lUere more familiar
Laurence Welk and Ray An
thony on WMAL-7 and Guy Re-
liable on WTOP-9. ANTHONY.
who iCds on the latest, shounded
Just dne.
$4,000 Fuss: The producers Of
the Challenge" show were de-
termined, as of yesterday. to
stick by Sundays decision
(WTOP-9) which gave S-year-
old Marjorie Garmise a draw"
in the Babe Ruth category. They
admitted they'd received numer-
Gus protests. but pointed out,
via a CHS aide. that there's
really no time limit" on an
swering q question.
Ralph Story explained after
the show that ne felt that
Marjorie knew the answer and
that If he hadn't given her a
chance. there would have been
many more protests.
/ dunno. 1t may have been
fair to Marjorie-but was 1t fair
to the other contestant who an
swered the question easily?
Did Marjorie get any help In
the extra time allotted her by the
tntuitiUe Mr.. Story?
When the programs fans start
asking questions like this (which
are from the mail received
here). the quizzer could be in
trouble. If they sense that the
show is favoring one person or
another. the disenchantment
has begun. 1t doesn't take much
for the next logical step-to
switch to another channel.
On the Run:
II the Linda McNaughton who
will sing the role of Sonia in
the 21a-hour production Of prok-
ofiev's opera. War and Peace"
on NBC-TV January Is. looks
familiar. you're right. She's
Linda Weisbrod. Miss Washing
ton Of 1854. who evidently put
the scholarship she won in the
Miss America contest to good
use. Linda is also due to 20
into the MY Fair Lady" COM
pany in a small part.
A word that shouldn't have
been there popped up in an item
In Tuesdays column that
changed the meaning somewhat.
-. To straighten it out, the
item recommended:
oblivion for all producers of
Mined comedy shows who say
that they could turn out pro-
grams . lot better than they do
but this Is what the public
wants."
The current engagement of
Inherit the Wind" at the Ma
tional recalls q significant mo-
ment in radio history. In
1928, radio station WGN paid