TUESDAY

Radio Record, Volume XII, Issue 32, 20 January 1939, Page 12

TUESDAY

YOUNG Richard Farrell’s mother called to see mé’ this morning. She’s very bucked at the fact that her» talented young musician-son has been given a stage contract and will appear at the Wellington Regent in connection with Freddie Bartholomew’s new picture, ‘The Boy. From Barnado’s.’ ‘ Young Richard is very like Freddie in lots of ways. In fact, during the Christmas rush ina big Sydney store, -word went.round that: the boy in the reefer coat was . Freddie’ Bartholomew. And so Richard, rather to his ‘embarrassment, found himself suddenly surrounded by @ flock of admiring females and envious children, saw Lester Brown to-day for the first time in months. Lester-known from one end of New Zealand to the other as publicity manager of Twentieth Century-Fox Films-has just got over a bad illness and he’s still on a diet- which includes lots of tablets and raisins and excludes cigarettes and ‘‘spots.’’ One of the most efficient publicity men in New Zealand, Lester Brown has spent a lifetime in the theatre game. He was in New York with the Schuberts for a time, and has produced shows in many coun--tries, including Australia. In the heyday of the pantomime, Lester put on many shows in this country, and he has also produced one or two amateur

shows here. Unlike other ‘‘legitimate’’ men he was quick to see the possibilities of the new entertainment medium and he doesn’t regret stepping over into the film game.