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Show STAGESCREENxJMDIO I Released by Western Newspaper Union. By VIRGINIA VALE ttTTARVEST of Stars" is II undoubtedly the best program of its type on the air. Other programs may come and go, but here's hoping i1 goes on forever. James Mel-tan, Mel-tan, its star, threw away two careers to become a first-rate singer; sing-er; he was tops as a popular singei more than a decade ago, then wenl Into pictures. But he wanted to sing ! in opera and to have just the sort oi radio assignment he has now. H says that both times he abandoned I JAMES MELTON one career to take a chance on .another .an-other his wife, Marjorie, encouraged him to go right ahead. When he landed in New York he had just $160 and a lot of ambition, plus the voice that's landed him where he is now. Bob Hope ("My Favorite Brunette" Bru-nette" is his new picture) thought he was used to everything in the way of audiences ; apparently everybody ev-erybody who visits Hollywood wants to see his radio show. But even Bob was startled when four detectives from the New York District Attorney's Attor-ney's office appeared. They'd come out to pick up a prisoner; couldn't leave him, so they brought him along! m Loretta Young had to acquire a Swedish accent for her co-starring role in the RKO "The Farmer's Daughter." So she took lessons from Ruth Roberts, the diction expert ex-pert who has been "de-accentlzing" Ingrid Bergman these last few years. Loretta plays a Swedish farm girl who's thrown Into the political arena and eventually Into congress. She shares stellar honors with Joseph Cotten and Ethel Bar-rymore. Bar-rymore. Composer-musician Sigmund Romberg Rom-berg will replace Red Skelton on the air on NBC June 10, with "Evenings "Eve-nings with Romberg." Late next summer he'll be in Hollywood again, writing additional music for "Up in Central Park" and "Sunny River." Twentieth Century - Fox's "Captain "Cap-tain From Castile" company, on location in Mexico, found itself in competition with Paricutin, the baby volcano which sprung up about four years ago. The troupe had to have a dry-cleaning unit on hand, working like mad to remove the volcanic ash which settled on the fancy and authentic costumes of Aztecs and Conquistadors alike. You'll see Maureen O'Sullivan again in "The Bier Clock." with Rav Milland and Charles Laugh ton; her husband, John Farrow, directs. She's been in retirement from the screen for some years long enough to have four children, ' William Cagney, testing actors for "The Time of Your Life," has set up a film library of tests of available screen talent for the fu-l fu-l ture. First tests are of his sister Jeanne (whose last film was "Yankee "Yan-kee Doodle Dandy," with brother Jim; since then she's been making a name on the stage and in radio) and of her husband, Kim Spalding, who's been playing leads on Broadway Broad-way and in stock companies. The sneak preview of "Copaca-bana" "Copaca-bana" held in Pasadena brought Steve Cochran his greatest thrill since he joined the ranks of Hollywood's Holly-wood's actors. Following the picture pic-ture three policemen had to hold back the fans mobbing Steve, as a new star. Fanny Brice, Hanley Stafford and the "Baby Snooks Show" have been signed by their sponsor for three more years; the contracts were renewed re-newed as Miss Brice celebrated "Baby Snooks' " 26th birthday and "Daddy Higgins" began his nth year. ODDS AND ENDS The Mutual network's planning a special broadcast to air "Babe Ruth Day" proceeding from the ball parks on April 27. . . . Ralph Dumke's auditioning a new series se-ries for NBC which will present expectant ex-pectant fathers on the aircalled "For Fathers Only." . . , RobeTt MerriU knows a smger who accidentally left bis favortte good luck piece borne, and ave the worst performance of his car reet , so Memll won't carry any kind of talisman. . . chase scene fof The Imperfect Udy Teresa Wri ht "tudh ran two miles, before the du r'ctor got 'ust &e takes he wanted. |