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Show q i if- ii Notes of a Bystander The First Nights: Nothing happened hap-pened In the theater last week, which Is another way of saying that Wra. Saroyan's 'Time of Your Life" was revived. This is the item that copped both prizes last season, Critics' Crit-ics' and Pulitzer, and proves that the critics needed only four years to start thinking like the Pulitzer committeemen. The notices on the revival were boosty, the boys simply ratifying their spring vote. Mr. Atkinson At-kinson found it "a boozy escapade"; John Anderson smellcd in it "the rankest sort of hokum"; John Mason Brown's tribute was that "Saroyan knows the value of claptrap"; clap-trap"; Mr. Mantle settled for "Saroyan hysteria"; and Mr. Kron-enberger Kron-enberger found out it was "mawkish "mawk-ish . . . alcoholic escapism." One thing about the N. Y. reviewers when they like something they come right out and say so . , . Eddie Cantor, envying Jolson and Wynn their B'way duties, confided to an interviewer that he is suffering a little from the "eight-thirty Itch," which is a gem of an expression for First-Night applause hunger. The Maglo Lanterns: The new flickers glorify the peasants. New Yorkers are sure to hug "City for Conquest," because the town plays the leading role. The film shows how N. Y. can hurt you or yes you, depending on the breaks. J. Cag-ney Cag-ney is aces as the flsticufTer licked in the ring and by the town, with A. Sheridan making the agonies easier eas-ier to take . . . "Wyoming" is more shirt sleeves stuff, with W. Beery and L. Carillo better than this routine rou-tine Western deserves . . . "Beyond Tomorrow" is pretty teejus going, putting Harry Carey up against it plenty . . . "The Howards of Virginia" Vir-ginia" is good cinema but terrible timing. The players wear lace in this one, and lose their tempers at Britain ... "I Married Adventure" shows Mrs. Martin Johnson versus the wart-hogs and hyenas Jungle Jitters . . . "Comin" Round the Mountain" Moun-tain" Is the kind of picture which shows all the comics with adenoids. In the Tavern one night this one convulsed some of us ... An elderly elder-ly man had a dog named Rover, which he loved dearly. He also had a son at college. The son got into trouble gambling and needed $500 to cover his debts. He wrote his Pop saying he'd found a professor who would teach the dog to talk, for five C-notes . . . The old fellow sent on the $500 and Rover. A few weeks later the wayward lad's sindlscretions had him writing father for another $500 as "Rover is getting on fine, he's learning to talk, but the prof says he can teach him to read for $500 more" . . . The check was sent at once . . . Then papa decided to pay the boy and Rover a visit by surprise. When he arrived he phoned his son, inviting him to bring Rover to the hotel. "Oh," said the wicked one, "Rover's "Ro-ver's not so good today. Pop. You know that long razor you gave me for my birthday? Well, I was shaving shav-ing with it and Rover was sitting alongside me reading Winchell's column. col-umn. I said: 'Rover, I wonder if you miss Daddy as much as I do,' and Rover said: 'Yes, but I was just wondering if your old man is still making love to that French maid at home?' Well, Dad, when I heard Rover say that about you I took the razor and slashed him, and do you know I think I killed him!" "FergossakesI" screamed the old boy, "aren't you sure?" The Wireless: When radio bosses stalled Linton Wells a couple of years ago, he went to Africa in disgust dis-gust The data he picked up on that holiday now makes him an authority on Dakar and adjacent battle spots . . . That was a likeable RAF kid who guested for Edw. Mur-row Mur-row on the late trick from London. The 21-year-old lad, giving a light once-over to the perilous job of bombing Germany, wound up: "That's all there is to a raid on Ber-. Ber-. lin." All he had to lose was his life . . . Wythe Williams predicted unhappy surprises in the Axis capitals capi-tals within a short time, and claimed miormation tnat Stalin is yelling to Adolf to stop treating him like a pal that is, somebody to clip . . . Mr. Bergen slipped through a blue one confabbing with Vera Vague, but the deadheads in the hall let it die. Incidentally, that program made J. Barrymore dull, which takes a genius . . . Eddie Cantor resumes Wednesday evening at 9 via WEAF after a 15-month absence too long. Dinah Shore is his gal star . . . Frances Langford and Kenny Baker's kiss-off, making way for Fred Allen, was a passel of swell songs. The Headliners: Said Bob Taylor: "I go to sleep on everyone's hands after a big dinner" . . On everyone's every-one's huh? . . . Frances Farmer revealed: "Press agents make things up" . . . How else could they find so many nice things to say about most Hollywooders? . . Said Ann Sothern: "I hate exhibitionists" exhibition-ists" ... I dunno. Clowr.s have made this world a happier place . . . Joan Crawford's remarkable remark: re-mark: "I love to eat" . . . Imagine that! . . . Marlene Dietrich's confession: con-fession: "I think knitting is silly." |