“Riding the Airwaves with Richard K. Bellamy”
Danny Kaye in Beer Picture, Maybe
The Milwaukee Journal – Jul. 6, 1944
By: Richard K. Bellamy
The word from Hollywood has it that Danny Kaye, who is considered the hottest prospect among the younger comics, has been signed as the star of a new radio series sponsored by that famous Milwaukee brewery that features 2 blue ribbons on the bottle. Officials of the brewery here were unable to confirm the report Thursday. However, it was known that the executive who handles their radio business was away from Chicago on a flying trip to Hollywood. That might add weight to the report, which appeared in Variety.
The young, blond Mr. Kaye would go to work Jan. 6, 1945, replacing the program now headed by a representative of an older school of comedy, the sinister Groucho Marx. Marx would not return to the program in the fall, the story goes on. Kenny Baker and the present musical setup would continue till Kaye started work. No word of dissatisfaction with Marx has been heard, however, the sponsor stating recently that Groucho’s Crossley rating of 14 was good enough for most anybody.
Mr. Kaye has been heard to some extent as a radio guest. He put on a show with Jack Benny a few weeks ago that was unusually fine. He has been much ballyhooed for his work in the picture “Up in Arms,” his first, which opens in downtown Milwaukee Friday.
One other thing—Variety says Mr. Kaye and his business manager are to get $16,000 a week for the series. This would place it among the 10 most costly radio shows—and confidentially, some folks think Variety’s figure is a bit on the high side. It could be. It’s happened before.