BILLY BUNTER ON THE AIR!

New Zealand Listener, Volume 3, Issue 66, 27 September 1940, Page 11

BILLY BUNTER ON THE AIR!

Greyfriars Schoolboys In Radio Serial

OOD news, you "Magnet" fans: Bunter, Wharton and Co., the boys of Greyfriars School, are not dead yet! They've been yarumphing around in the Fifth Remove for nearly half a century, and we'd all thought the wartime demise of the "Magnet" Magazine had finally despatched them. Then came reassuring news that publication of the "Magnet" was only deferred for the duration. Now comes better news still: They're all going on the air in a radio serial which starts on October 28, from 2YD Wellington. It will run for 13 weeks, two sessions weekly, each Monday and Wednesday at 7.35 p.m. They are the same fellows the "Magnet" has immortalised. There is the same talk of "you chaps" and "fathead" and the same plaintive Bunter, unwilling partner of Wharton and Co, in a

thousand escapades. But Bunter on the) air is, if possible, even better than Bunter in print. Instead of reading about his squeaky voice, you hear it. The first episode discovers the chaps making preparations for an Atlantic crossing. The Easter hols. are coming, y'know, and Vernon-Smith’s pater has just bought a ranch. It’s the Kicking Cayuse Ranch, in Texas, of course, and the fellows are eagerly anticipating the Wild West, with six-guns and howling cowboys wearing leather pants and wide hats. It’s going to be great, what ho! But there’s a catch. There would be. Vernon-Smith receives word that Buckskin Bill (William Buck to you), is in England and will travel with them. Vernon-Smith is a bit anxious about this piece of news, and consults the Famous Five. They decide they will have to put up with it. Buckskin Bill is expected at the school any minute. This will make Greyfriars sit up, by Jove! Bunter is in Trouble Meanwhile, Bunter has been in trouble. Skinner and Snoop are at the bottom of it. Skinner has deceived Bunter; and Bunter, unusually angry, summons enough courage from his rage to dot Skinner’s eye. It turns a beautiful blue-green-black. Before Skinner can recover, Bunter comes to his senses and scuttles into hiding. He chooses the visitors’ room, because no one would think of looking for him in this sanctum. He is looking fearfully through a crack in the door when he hears footsteps along the passage. He dives behind a desk, "Oh! Oh dear!" Enter the Head: "Well, my good man, and what can we do for you?" The visitor: "Y’ gotta a guy here name of Voinon Smit’?" "That is the name of one of my pupils." So it goes on. The visitor turns out to be Two-Gun Saunders, from way-out-west, masquerading as Buckskin Bill. Vernon-Smith is summoned to the room. Two-Gun Saunders attempts to frighten him into deferring his visit to Kicking Cayuse Ranch, Smith, interested by evidence of dirty work, decides that the Famous Five simply must go, and says as much, at the risk of "getting the daylight let into him" by the heavily-armed stranger. Smith, by the way, has recognised him for an impersonator. Saunders starts talking tough. " Keep cleara dat boig, see?" But Smith will have none of this. He refuses. Saunders is about to strike him over the head with the butt of his shooter when Bunter ("This is awful") comes to light. And then-but wait and listen...