There'll Be Some Changes

Until this year, television's friends & foes had generally agreed that radio's soap operas would not lend themselves successfully to the TV screen. As is often the case with expert guessers on television, they were wrong. Headed by the successful The Goldbergs, soap operas will surely widen their TV beachhead this autumn. But there are snags, nevertheless, for both soap operas and other radio serials. Some of the shows promised or projected, and their problems:

The Aldrich Family. Ezra Stone has long been radio's Henry Aldrich, a callow, voice-cracking adolescent. Since Stone (a master sergeant in World War II) is now fat, 32 and balding, he says: "On TV it will have to be a different show, with a new Henry. Our radio technique of abrupt sequences and staccato action will change to quieter, more restrained comedy."

Vic & Sade. Only Sade (Bernadine Flynn) will go over to TV. Frank Dane will substitute for the radio Vic (Art Van Harvey), whose health is not up to the TV ordeal. Dick Conan replaces the aging (29) Billy Idelson as Vic & Sade's son, Rush.

Amos 'n' Andy. For the past 21 years, Charles Correll and Freeman Gosden have played the title roles and most of the other parts of their radio classic. They will not go with the show to television. Still undecided: whether the cast shall be white or Negro, or both.

The Life of Riley. Moose-jawed Cinemactor William Bendix, who has been Riley for four seasons, has Hollywood movie work to do, will be replaced when the show moves to TV.

Fibber McGee & Molly. The McGees (Jim & Marian Jordan) got their start in vaudeville, but now, Jordan says: "We're not sure we even know how to make an entrance any more. Maybe we old people can't adapt successfully to video." But they will try out for TV in October.

Dr. Christian. Veteran Jean Hersholt feels that the public would tire of kindly Dr. Christian if they had to look at him on TV week after week. He will do television, but on film, and no more than once or twice a month.

Li'l Abner. A newcomer to the air, this program, based on Al Capp's comic strip, typifies the casting problems faced by TV directors who, in this case, must search for reasonably accurate facsimiles of Dogpatch denizens. The show would be easy to cast for radio. For television, more than 4,544 actors have been interviewed for the title role and for Daisy Mae, but no one has been definitely decided on.

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