RADIO VOICES

New Zealand Listener, Volume 11, Issue 272, 8 September 1944, Page 7

RADIO VOICES

Sir,-While I always enjoy the "Listening While I Work" columns, and agree with "Materfamilias" in much of what she writes, I don’t agree with her contention that radio actors’ voices become "typed" and too -familiar to listeners. While admitting that there is always room for new talent on the air, as well as on the Stage and screen, I maintain that the top-ranking radio Stars are fully as versatile, with their one medium, as the artists we can see. In my opinion the two finest artists on the air to-day are Nell Stirling and George Edwards, and after hearing them in a wide variety of roles#I do not think that either of them could be accused of becoming "typed." The Listener announced that George Edwards played five parts in the recent production of The Convenient Marriage, but I wonder how many listeners could recognise his voice in all of them. And listening to Nell Stirling as the gay, little’ stammering Countess in this same feature, could listeners, without knowing. the casts of the various plays, identify her with the fiery German, Nita Von Kiel, in Passport to Danger, or the slum girl, Tess O’Brien, in The Lady? And in the cases where we do recognise the voices of various artists, I think many listeners have their favourites on the air as well as on the stage and creen. Many of us choose plays and more because of the proven ability of the players than the often misleading titles and advertising matter, and the same now applies to radio entertainment. If the field is to be curtailed because the voices become familiar, it is we, the listeners, who will be the noorer

LEONIE

(Wanganui).