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THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, APRIL 19, 1958.
Now Cherokee Rainwater joins the bedlam boys
RECORD ROUND BY RAMSDEN GREIG JUST
UST when a fellow (with a sidelong glance at Wee Willie Harris's red-dyed hair) thinks he has seen everything. In comes a cable from Amorica telling me to ex- peat Mr Marvin Rainwater in Britain in person in April.
Mr Rainwater is a now I recommend to him The Night copies. But only devotees will name to add to the ranks of the Fourth (Capitol, 78). Les be happy with his treatment of of the guitar-bashing bed-ul, backed by the David Terry this one.
archestra,.gives il a lush render- lam boys. He is also a ing.. On the other side Paul is Cherokee Indian.
heard with one of his famous multi-guitar recordings of Be Furthermore, when he witched. performs his stage choren An advance sale
ROBERT PITMAN'S
book page
Biggles, the model hero, scores his half-century.
THE AUTHOR WHO MUSTN'T
66 JUST think of the things I am not allowed," exclaimed
No hard liquor. The only
time I made my chapa drink anything stronger than orange juico my sales fell by 10 per cent,"
had ever done any air fight- Ing. So I siarted a marzcino to boost Beitials Nylor.
In the elegant drawing-room of his elegant Queen Anne house Captain William Earle Johns, creator of Biggles, shifted his burly shoulders and sighed. He slap- Presenting the Gerry Mulu-ped a big hand on his burly knees. gan Sextet (Emarcy, 45) has two
He said: "Then, think of swear imeks of format but freebooting words. One publisher wouldn't West Coast jazz on either side let me use any expletives at all with Ane solos by Gerry Mulla Arst. But he relented and gan on baritone sax and Zoot agreed to 'Oh dear' and 'Good in April he will do eo Now you are buying gr choice: Nights at the Turntable, Air Forcq, mlad you.
Sine on tenor sax. Personal gracious. For stories about the dressed in Red Indian phone records before you even costume. Ho
thom tells me: hear
Tommy Steele's notable for the trumpet of Jon "This is no gimmick. It is latest, Nairobi (Decca, 78), Ind Eardley.
sole of 100,000 advance un just I am proud of my Cherokee blood."
I promised, free, to attend his first night in my kilt.
.
Meanwhile hear Mr Rain- Whole Lotta
on
water Woman (MGM 78). Heap i good record for those who feel like gyrating round a totem pole. What I like) about Mr Rainwater's re- cord is that you can make out the words,
Blue-eyed boys
RECORD
ROUND
-(London Express Service).
by RUDOLF
KLE/A
IT'S A RACE TO WOO THE OPERA LOVER-
THREE opera companies at Drury Lane, Covent Garden and Sudler's Wells-are currently competing for London audiences. But even more severe is the com-
petition among the recording companies.
A new version of a well- Callas who, on this showing, has known opera is Richard Strauss's litle to fear from her rival. (Columbia Mario del Monaco's tenor voice Der Rosenkavalier 33 CX 1492-G). Herbert Karajan, conducting the Philhar and as much subtlety. Condue
von has the power of a pile driver menla Orchestra, shows how tur: Strauca's opulent muste can be both luxurious made to sound and lucid.
Elizabeth
Gavazzeni,
New boom
An operatic composer whose
Schwarzkopf slugs
reputation has recently boomed Troyens Bt Covent Garden-is
"wanted some fiction about the First World War, but there wasn't any to buy.. So I wrote a story myself called The White . "Imagine a chop messing up Fukker. I called the hero a landing, nishing up in Bigglesworth, after on RAF damned tree, and then simply man with a rather similar saying 'Good gracious'! Well, name. Biggles for short, ot it's not lifelike, is it?"
course."
|---Captain_Johns_sighed_agajn. - Captain Johns stomped across to a large corner cup" board. He swung open the door and switched a light
But some would say he has not much cause to sigh. John hos just published his first piece
Queen Anne cupboard
The of full-length fiction for adults NO MOTIVE FOR became a cocktail bar, MURDER
(Hodder, 12. Gd.)--
a taut and really exciting thrill- er set in France.
1
He has also just published his 50th Biggles book BIGGLES PRESSES ON (Hodder, 81, 68.)
Like the 40 others it ig small masterpiece ol action without hard liquor. Like the others it will quietly Bek up sales figures far in excess
the average adult best-seller.
of
"The previous owner Axed this," said Johna the tallor's son,
chap called Lord Marchwood, Nice, eh?"
HE
FIRST STORY
E poured THE Ле generous whisky?' He said: "That first glory was about a fun who not the trick of waiting above our airfields and coming in be- hind our chapa as they landed
"Well, in 1916, that was re- garded as a really awinish thing even the bad things to do. My story told how Biggles which happen to the man acted as bait to catch the behind Blagles are the calam- fellow," ities of success.
DEVILISH BUG
FOR
•
MENTION
SEX
Martier
Biggles has brought Johns "success.... he has also brought a £16,000 tax bill.
minded in Britain. I'd pald an R.A.F offeer who amid toggle when your chapa went one or two visits to Germany. he had escaped from a P.o.W. after me.' But I was tried at "Will Messerschmitt told me camp by deliberately employing" Strasbourg Gucl for bombing about his order bookwith methods he had learned from an undefended city. 3,000 109's down on it. Well, Biggles.
"I had an interpreter, but he I'm an Impérialist, I don't mind
found mybeit wonder- told me nothing about what saying. I've always believed in ing what could Biggies really was going on in the court until the Empir * was really teach about escoping? Johns the end when he sald simply: olarmed."
said:-
You have been sentenced
"You know I escaped from death."" the Germans myself In 1010.
We were bombing elties like* FARCICAL Mannheim under Trenchord.
IN LONG-HAND
JOHNS walked over to his dosk, Ho sald: "I start work here each morning. week-ends, at about pight. I write everything in long-hand. I, airfield. answer all my mall in long- hand too."
him.
10
"We didn't think much of JOHNS looked out ccross the
by the way. He knew
trees including nothing about it at all. Lived said:
• Nixa puts three of its blue-eyed boys and one of its blue-eyed girls on Hit Parade No. 8 (45). Gary Miller sings The Story of My Life: Lonnie Donegan, Jack O'Diamonds; Edmund Hockbridge; I'll Buy You a
Captain Johns took me up Star and Marion Ryan,
Such as the time when he stairs to his study. A Reid lay Love Me
Johns pulled over two trays Forever. Miss
piled high with letters. One Ryan's is the track I'll wear superbly as the Marshallin the
was I a few years back ("some below the window. Johns point devilish bug l'a picked up on ed: "That's the Royal Paddock. letter the trold ageing woman who gracefully
hoilday in North Africa:") Long I often see the Queen there with boy." Another was from
bogan: "I am - Zulu out first.
surrenders her youthful lover to 1 weak, unable to work,
Hector Derlioz,
Johne her children the lady on Always and a young girl.
the Queen boy in Malaya. In his lifetime
was handed in a demand for his Mother, right below this win- his works rarely achieved popu-previous year's taxes. The gure dow.
Another was from an Eston- Forever (Nixa, 78), her
I hear some fascinating ian giri refugee living in Swa- Jurity. But a successful excep on the bill-£16,000. latest.
tion was L'Enfance du Christ
things, I can tell you.
den; ft anid: "You can have no RCA RB 16081-2).
idea how much Biggles hus meant to me I was passionalet "I came down at a-village. in love with him.
near Biṛnsbourg, and the chap Johns cald: "After the war that got me.
The landed too. He camp. two young Norwegians called was Ernst Udet-one of the dropped the execution on me. They said that under decent Germans.
then, 1, esenped and wandered
awful. I was cold and hungry
Neglected
How has Johns, son of a Hert- for the sweet pain ford tailor, managed to come in of tax bils ike that?
he told me:
"One day the children were nearly kicked by a horse, and you should have heard · the Queen Mother ilsking off her daughter about it”
New names turn up in the
This brillant recording make: booming record business daily.
This oratorio on the subject I present the Four Jacks, four Covent Garden's long neglect of young matriots in Her Majesty's the opera even more inexpile of the flight of Mary and Joseph Royal Navy. Sheila Van Danan cule. Less surprising is the fact into Egypt has the some game them their first break in a that Ponchie La Gioconda dramatic Intensity as his operas. In the drawing-room at
(Decca LXT 5400-2) is never The music in simple and melodie. Hampton Court charity show. Now they have a
The music is It receives a moving perform-"This is the record contract with Decen, seen in London,
absolute truth. Their Brat disc, Prayer Of Love robust, the plot improbable, ance from the Boston Symphony When I began Diggles it wasn't (Decco, 78). could stand with a Anita Cerquetti who was Orchestra under Charles Munch, for the money. little more pollahing. But despite called in to substitute for Maria
"You see, in the early 1930's The outstanding singer is that, it sold 25,000 copies during Callas when the prima donna
I got rather irritated at all its_first_seven days ou the shop stumped out of the Home Opera Glorglo Tozzi, who takes three
the ale magazines.coming from counters.
House-sings the title role. Her parts und ùt one" sloge has to
America. You know what the voice is big and confident, but talk to himself.
Yanks are. Anyone would "My chief motive then lacks the tragic edge of Mme.
think that no other nation to
young boys
If anyone is still interested in how a guitar should be played
VIGNETTES OF LIFE
"WE'RE
CHANCING OFF
A MYSTERY
PRIZE –
AO, ONE
KNOWS
WHAT
IT IS!
-{London Express Service),
a
of Busby Park Ho Then I made my first in a chateau miles from the attempt at escape. I was wear- ing German striped prison dress, "Well, one day in Septem- but on American prisoner in. ber I had to turn back from the exercise yard suggested wo rald because my plane had should have a
go at getting been hit and my cockyli was out through the bars of the full of petrol. I looked down lavatory window." and there waa A SWARM ́ of "I got stuck, and a guard Hans. I went like a bat out outside started swiping at me of hell, but they were new with his bayonet. So I was Fokker D.7's and just shot me trying to squeers back and the tó pleoca
American was pushing me on, It was really farofval.-—— "Later
I went to a prison Germana had idea
›WDD
the Germans they had crossed "He walked up to my plant, about for live daya. It was the border Into Sweden at saluted: my gynner who› night in order to get 'Biggles dead and, then saluted me. He books to read."
got the local doctor to patch mo I looked through the affection- up. Then the sald
ate admiring letters.
Wo looked at the long rows of Biggles books. Johns sald: "They didn't make me much money at first. You see,
the Oxford University Press you couldn't have royalties for children's books.
make
The Benefit
SOME PEOPLE CAN SELL, AND' OTHERS
WILL BUY, CHANCES ON ANYTHING.
"YOU OWE ME FOR THREE BOOKS
OF CHANCES 1 SOLD-
IT GOT MIXED UP WITH MY
HOUSE
MONEY!
COMMITTEE MEETING: '
THE CLAMBAKE FACTION,
HAVING BEEN SENT TO THE SHOWERS, IT BOILS DOWA TO A
SQUABBLE BETWEEN THE MUSICALE. CLIQUE'
AND THE
SAUERKRAUT SUPPER SET.
YOU HAVE TO TAKE CHANCES ON ALL SORTS OF THINGS — DONE BY THEIR OWA - FAIR HANDS —
ALL YOU
CAN DO. IS
PRAY YOU |DON'T WIA ANYTHING.
OH WELL, ITS FOR A
GOOD CAUSE.
"WHO'S
THE BIG- SHOT?
DOPI, 1947 BY BINDIAL PEATURES
CORP. THE WORLD LIBATEN ABSAAVED, 32-4
"HE'S A 'BATZON —HE
JUST LENDS HIS NAME. TO GRACE THE AFFAIR- OUTSIDE OF THAT IT
DOESN'T COST HIM
A THING.*
at the beginning of November... I think I was glad when n other Germans former with a shotgun finally got at me. They wanted to caught me in his orchard." you may know what I had done-with-my...............
bomb.
"MODEST," LQYAL
I asked:Have children of your own??
Johns shook his head. Then "All I could Say WAG: air. he said: "I also had a visit from don't know. I just pulled the THEN are the adventures
WAS
By Harry Weinert
"LET'S GIVE A BENEFIT DANCE →
THEN WE ALL BENEFIT {“
FOR ONCE, ALL.IS SERENE
IN THE SORORITY.
THE TALENTED AMATEURS ARE ON
HAND- EAGER TO MAKE THINGS
A SUCCESS..
"ONLY FIFTY DOLLARS
IN THE REP Į LAST YEAR.
IT WAS TWO. HUNDRED /:
FIGURING UP THE PROPTE
IF ANY.
Biggles based on the adventures-of-Johns?-Johns-ex--- plained: "Biggles.in the quiet sort of Briten I really admire. Modest, loyal. Much braver than me. I used to get really scared."
Downstairs Mrs Johns called us to afternoon tea.
As I left, lights' were glim- mering BCTOSS the road in Hampton Court Palace.
Earlier, when I arrived, I had smiled at the contrast of Johns, the prosperous Biggles man, and the imperial ghosts of Hampton, I smiled no longer.
I thought of those letters up- stare, from the Zulu boy, from children all over-the world. I thought of the simple British Ideals William Johns puts into print.
I realised that this burly ex- Birman has really earned his slately Hampton home.
As a propagandist he may be achieving more for Britain than all the lecturers of the British Council put together.
IN BRIEF
THE MAPMAKER, by Frank G. Slaughter.
eng.
There are few more intrigu- ing Agures in the world of books than American author Slaughter. Undaunted by surname, he began his living as surgeon. Then 10 years ago ho took to writing' instead. For Slaughter, the change has pald off. Although his books rarely get any reviews in Britala they always get thousands of reade
Across the Channel---In France, Spain Itally-he„seems to sell. You cazi always' getin Slaughter at an" aliport „book- etall on the Continent, VIE What Is Slaughter's secret? Perhaps it is the "triple-thanco scheine of writing - which runn "through"his”20′′150}#"
First he writes A Biblicol novel, Sample: The Scarlet Cord, based
tho broadly on
story of Rahab, the harlot of Jericho,(Jaroids,... 168.).
the -wo
Then comes amurgery novel. Samplo; Sword and Scalpel- bringing you blood and romance tromi the Korean, J. War. (Jarrolda, 158), 1/
And now, to complete regular Slaughter cycle, have The Mapmaker, an his torical romance rich in detail, and not among the slave galloys," the explorers, and the polion. ors: of the Aficenth century.To all-lovers: Vof history fetion I warmly recommend (Jarrolda, 25%),