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Show ifi'J Poking at BOLLYffOflBl T) ADIO has become the established -springboard for a graceful dive into the Hollywood swim. Before the death of vaudeville the three-a-day circuit was the training ground for most of the early st2rs of stage and, later, screen. Now soap operas and nightly variety shows are proving to be a cushy school for future screen stars. The jump from radio to screen is easier for the unknown actor than it is for a head- liner. The little-known little-known performer has an opportunity opportuni-ty to portray and gain valuable experience ex-perience in many types of roles. X Wj; ' ' ' " I 1 Jane Powell Fred Brady is the newest screen discovery. Following Fol-lowing his coast-to coast-to - coast shows, i talent scouts contacted con-tacted Brady for Frank Sinatra a screen test. He scripted the test himself and was signed to a long-term M.G.M. acting contract. The Younger Set Jane Powell is another sensation direct from the ether. The 15-year- j old Portland singer appeared for I one performance on "Hollywood Showcase," then sat back and took I her pick of studio contracts. She was a hit in her first screen role and is being starred in her second fllmusical, "High Among the Stars." From announcer to dramatic actor act-or sums up the quick film success of likable Bill Goodwin. Bill's voice , is recognizable to thousands of lis teners. Soon they'll hear Bill's voice and be able to see him in scenes with Ingrid Bergman in "The House of Dr. Edwardes." John Bodiak is still another new Hollywood star whose voice was heard long before his face was seen in "Lifeboat." In contrast, air headliners have a more difficult time than unknowns in establishing themselves as movie stars. You unconsciously build up i your own mental picture of the face behind the voice. If the actor's personality per-sonality doesn't project from the ' screen in accord with .the mental picture created by the air waves ft's a quick curtain on the Hollywood Holly-wood career. Rudy Vallee was a Hollywood casualty. The Connecticut crooner, experienced an early version of the (Sinatra landslide. He was forced into films by his fans. After a series of Unfortunate pictures, which I must ndmit were pretty terrible, he re-; turned to the air lanes. However, just before his induction into the United States coast guard he finished fin-ished two highly successful screen roles as a comedian, mainly because be-cause a bright young writer and director di-rector named Preston Sturges decided de-cided to make an asset of Vallee's ' liabilities. The Voice Came Through Remembering the Vallee fiasco, film producers were cautious when the bobby sock brigade flooded Hollywood studios with letters demanding de-manding that they see "the Voice" on the screen. For Sinatra's debut RKO gave the crooner hit tunes, a not too dramatic role, a good cast, then released the picture and held their breath. The fans swooned and asked for Frankie again and again. Two other famous voices to successfully suc-cessfully travel the same route were Edgar Bergen and Qharlie McCarthy. McCar-thy. Through the puppeteering mastery mas-tery of Bergen and careful photography photog-raphy the one-man show became a starring screen team. Amos and Andy donned burnt cork and ' stepped before the movie -lenses, with but slight success. But Abbott and Costcllo acted out their routines in front of a Universal camera and the gold rush was on and still is. Two Heads-Better Than One Olsen and Johnson now make one picture a year. Lorn and Abner signed a long-term RKO contract and expect to balance their career between air and screen. Following the trend, Fibber and Molly McGee were finally roped into the Hollywood Holly-wood corral. The list goes on unendingly. What television will do after it makes its debut-at war's end no one can as yet foresee. But I predict the results will be as startling and far-reaching as when sound came to the movies. On the Bandwagon When Abbott and Costcllo were introduced at a dinner given recently recent-ly the toastmasler went overboard with, "I now give you the most successful suc-cessful team of modern time Abbott Ab-bott and Costello." Bud stood up and said. "Whatever happened to that team Eisenhower and Montgomery?" Mont-gomery?" . . . Grouclio Marx, looking look-ing at his daughter Marian's new hat, which had a big bird silting on it, said, "I don't mind tile hat. but why did you have to buy one I'll have tc feed?" j |