
Tex And Jinx 47-09-03 Guest - Nancy Walker
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Dan Seymour
Come on in. I'd like you to meet a couple of friends. Tex and Jinx. Bristol Myers, makers of Ipana toothpaste, for your smile of beauty. Present Tex McCrary, editor and commentator, and his wife, the all American girl, movie star, tennis star, cover girl, girl of both the Americas, Jinx Falkenberg.
Tex McCrary
Oh, thank you. Thank you, Danny Seymour, for the build up. But tonight, you know, I think tonight we'd better drop that line about my tennis because one of our guests tonight knows much too much about my game. But, Tex, how about your handling the fanfare?
Jinx Falkenberg
Okay? And I'll keep quiet about your game, too, Jinx. We've got a good lineup in the parade tonight. Up front again is Johnny Gueneri as Peter and his band. And next, a young lady who's learned that it pays to laugh at everything except a man. She's been a star in three great Broadway musicals. And in each one she's played the part of a girl who never, absolutely never, never gets her man. And her name is Nancy Walker.
Nancy Walker
Whisper her name.
Jinx Falkenberg
That was Nancy Walker. But she jumped the gun.
Tex McCrary
And talking about guns, another guest tonight is a beautiful Russian girl, a cross, I think, between Lily Pons and Lana Turner.
Jinx Falkenberg
She looks wonderful. And she sings.
Tex McCrary
And during the war, she used to be a mother, among other things, a sniper killing Germans. And her name, Kira Petrovskaya.
Nancy Walker
She shoots men. Send her home.
Jinx Falkenberg
And that was Nancy Walker. Again. Too Soon Again.
Tex McCrary
And our other guest tonight, spotlighted right now more than any other young man in America, the COVID man on Newsweek magazine two weeks ago, on the COVID of Time magazine this week, the champ with the greatest racket in the world.
Jinx Falkenberg
No puns tonight, Jinx.
Tex McCrary
Okay, we'll cut it short. We'll just say the king of the tennis world, Jack Kramer.
Jinx Falkenberg
That's the lineup. A setup for three success stories. But that's not the angle tonight. No success stories. Our theme tonight is hard luck.
Jack Kramer
Whoa, whoa.
Jinx Falkenberg
Nothing but woe and wailing. First, the sad saga of stout hearted, high purpose, Nancy Walker, whose dream in life was to see her name in lights as a great actress, a great singer, and Broadway will not soon forget her first audition. Producer George Abbott was listening to the young and talented Americans who came to try out for his great show. Best foot forward. He sat out there in the empty theater, and then Nancy walked out on the stage. There was a hush in the theater. Nancy leaned easily against the rehearsal piano, looked out over the empty seats and sang a song. Well, an audience would have sobbed aloud at the song.
Tex McCrary
Nancy, what was the song? That you sang that day.
Nancy Walker
Jinx. I believe that melody will be remembered as long as humans can sing a haunting, wistful ballad called Bounce Me, Brother. With a solid four.
Jinx Falkenberg
And solid is the word for Nancy. Okay, Nancy Walker, now you're on.
Nancy Walker
Hello, friends. With all that stuff about Kramer the COVID boy, you lower my morale. Kramer on the COVID of Newsweek first, and then you two, and now Kramer on the COVID of Time. The way you got things rigged, you're nothing if you can't get your face on a cover.
Tex McCrary
Well, Nancy, you must understand that you have to suffer before these things come to you. Now, have you suffered, Nancy?
Nancy Walker
Suffered? Suffer? Listen, my dear friends, nobody ever suffered like I did at that audition. You have just dug out of my memoirs, unpublished. I sing a tender love song like Bounce Me, Brother A wistful little thing. And what happens? People laugh. In about 10 minutes, the laughter dies. And Mr. Rogers says to me, Ms. Walker, would you please let us see how you would move across the stage? I oblige. Like this. And what happens? They laugh. No matter what I do, people laugh. Look at Jack Kramer over there. He's laughing. Oh, I love that man. And what is his reaction? He laughs.
Jinx Falkenberg
You know, Nancy, I believe I know what's wrong, why you have so much trouble landing a man.
Nancy Walker
Well, tell me, doctor. Come closer, do.
Jinx Falkenberg
No, I'm serious, Nancy. The trouble is you look too young. A bobby soxer who might swoon for Sinatra but you simply aren't the type to handle a part that would require understanding of a deep, dramatic feeling of love. Frankly, you're too young, Nancy.
Nancy Walker
Young. Johnny, a little music, please. This man must be straightened out. What do you think I am, just a baby? What do you think I am, just a child? What do you think I go around with men for? And who do you think I've got that little yen for? Oh, why do you think of me as your sister? Couldn't you just for once be a man? I'm getting older I'm starting to smolder all my heart needs is a show what do you think I am? I'm in love what do you think I am just a baby now what do you think I am? I am just a brat what do you think that twinkles in my eye for? And who do you think I sigh that little sigh for? Oh, why do you think of me as just your sister? Say, couldn't you just for once be a man? Now I'm getting older I'm starting to smolder all my heart needs is a show what do you think I am?
Jack Kramer
I'm in love.
Jinx Falkenberg
Okay, Nancy, you win. You are grown up. And you sang that song very well. But I'm afraid you'll never get Jack Kramer or any other man with that kind of a song.
Tex McCrary
Oh, Texas, right. Nancy, if you're going to run after a man, you've got to be more subtle.
Nancy Walker
Well, running after a man isn't my problem. The trouble problem starts when I catch up with him.
Tex McCrary
Oh, that's when you're to act subtle, Nancy. Be shy and reserved and smile prettily at everything he says.
Kira Petrovskaya
Why, sure.
Dan Seymour
Nancy, you've got a pretty smile. Make the most of it.
Nancy Walker
Do you mind repeating that, Danny?
Dan Seymour
I said you've got a pretty smile.
Jinx Falkenberg
And, Nancy, don't text.
Nancy Walker
Go away. A man said I had a pretty smile. This is a moment I want to share with me. Danny, my boy, since my teeth don't light up and spell out I Panna when I smile, I consider your words a compliment.
Unknown
Thank you.
Dan Seymour
Oh, thank you. It's true, too, that a lovely smile can help you in so many ways.
Tex McCrary
True also that I panna can help you in so many ways, too. Why, I panna can help your teeth as well as your smile, to a brightness and loveliness that you never thought possible.
Dan Seymour
And so easily, too. Just brush your teeth regularly with I Panna toothpaste. And then with a fingertip, gently massage the gums along the line where they meet the teeth. Now, this gum line is important because we all need firm, healthy gums as well as bright teeth to keep our smiles lovely. So get Ipana, it's available again from coast to coast in all sizes. Try I Panna for your smile of beauty.
Jinx Falkenberg
And now, Nancy Walker, it's time to meet your dream man. Man of the hour, King of the tennis court, US Singles champion, Wimbledon winner, number one, Davis Cupper, greatest living tennis player, Jack Kramer.
Kira Petrovskaya
Hello, jinx. Hi, Tex.
Nancy Walker
Mr. Kramer, my name is Nancy Walker. I'm a junior. Junior champion. So you haven't heard of me yet, but I'd be glad to whip up a little mixed doubles. We could sort of. Well, you know. Well, I could sort of, well, warm you up for the finals.
Kira Petrovskaya
Well, thanks, Nancy. I'd like to play with you. But you see, I don't play tennis with girls. I don't learn anything, so I can't waste the time anymore.
Nancy Walker
Oh, you don't learn anything from girls.
Unknown
Oh.
Nancy Walker
Oh, I see. I'm sorry.
Jinx Falkenberg
Seriously, Jack, what is the story about the war between the sexes when boy meets girl on the tennis court? Could the number one woman tennis player ever beat, say, the 10th ranking man player?
Kira Petrovskaya
He'd murder her. Maybe she'd get a couple of games if he is polite, but he'd murder in a match.
Tex McCrary
And I'm afraid he's right, Tex, because I remember when Jack was just starting as a boy wonder at the Los Angeles Tennis Club. Alice Marble was the top tennis queen and Jack was then only 15. And he beat Alice Marble then without too much trouble.
Nancy Walker
Well, now, Mr. Kramer, what you say interests me very strangely. Exactly what is it that makes females so feeble at tennis, I would like to know.
Kira Petrovskaya
Well, Nancy, it's very simple. Girls can't get around fast enough. They lack power and speed and they get tired so quickly.
Nancy Walker
Well, I guess you have that summed up advantage, Kramer. He leads 30 love.
Tex McCrary
Well, the cards seem to be stacked against us, but at least girls are better natured, so we don't take the game quite as seriously.
Kira Petrovskaya
That's true. The girls do have better temperaments, but.
Nancy Walker
No, but the score is deuce.
Kira Petrovskaya
Well, I was just going to admit that we do take the game pretty seriously. We have to. We train for a match as carefully as Joe Lewis trains for a title fight. I practice every day. I study the guys I'm going to have to play. And I know where they're weak, and I figure out how to take advantage of it. A top player can win at least one game out of every set before he goes on the court. Just by studying the psychology of the man he's got to play.
Jinx Falkenberg
Well, Jack, I've heard about that in football, but how does it work in tennis?
Kira Petrovskaya
Well, take a tip I learned from my old coach, Cliff Roach, many years ago. If you're going to meet a man who's going to fight to win that first set and it turns out to be a long, even set, then you know it's human nature to let down a little at the start of the second set. Okay, that's the time to bear down. Get the jump on him in the first two games. Break his service early.
Nancy Walker
Boy, maybe if I studied psychology, I wouldn't let so many men get away. Now, let's see. When they let down. You bear down. Hmm.
Tex McCrary
Well, Nancy, Nancy, you'll learn that strategy and psychology are very important in tennis. For instance, on a passing shot, don't drive one down the alley if you're against the sidelines because it gives the other fellow too many angles for a cross court return.
Nancy Walker
Hmm. Passing shots drive one down the alley. Cross court returns. Mm. Listen, all I ask from exercise is to lose weight. I don't want to wind up with a Ph.D.
Tex McCrary
Well, Nancy, you can do that too. In tennis, you can lose weight. How about it, Jack?
Kira Petrovskaya
That's right, Jenks. In an average match, I'll drop around five pounds. And in one five set playoff one afternoon, I lost 12 pounds.
Nancy Walker
Well, now it is obvious, Mr. Kramer, you have suffered. I think you've earned your way onto the COVID of time.
Jinx Falkenberg
Nancy, you aren't kidding. Jack Kramer has suffered. He's had so much hard luck in his career that I think his name should be Jinx instead of Jack.
Tex McCrary
Well, he really has had tough luck. When he was all legs and 16 years old, he was already knocking off players like Vines and Stofen and Perry whenever they let down even a little. And he held the national boys title. And in 1942, when he was 21, he dreamed of whipping all the men for the big crown.
Jinx Falkenberg
That's when hard luck really unloaded on Jack Kramer. Because the day before an important match, he was laid low with appendicitis.
Tex McCrary
And then the next year, 1943, in the middle of the nationals, he doubled up from eating clams. And he got clam poisoning. I think he must have had a malted milk with those clams, too.
Jinx Falkenberg
Probably did.
Tex McCrary
He just finished two right here.
Jinx Falkenberg
And then, like a lot of guys, he wound up in uniform out in the Pacific. Five landings in the Pacific, but no tennis in 13 months, except for a few pickup matches on coral beaches and bomber strips.
Tex McCrary
And then when he got out of uniform, he lost his touch and lost his confidence. But he did win the title last year. And next week, even though my brother Bob will probably meet him in the quarterfinals, Jack Kramer, I'm afraid, is the best bet to take the title again.
Kira Petrovskaya
Jinx, don't put the Indian sign on me. But listen, you were talking about what happens to a tennis player in the army and Navy. You know, that's the answer to a lot of. To that question about what happened to the British players. They were on top of the game with the French for so many long years.
Jinx Falkenberg
Yeah, Jack, what did happen to the British players?
Kira Petrovskaya
Well, the answer is that while Britain was at war for so long, the kids who might have been learning how to handle a racket were flying Spitfires or learning to sleep four in a foxhole instead. And Britain still is at war, at least at the dinner table, where the rations are even slimmer today than during wartime. Over at Wimbledon, we saw how those things really are in Britain today. It shows up in tennis in a Way you can see and understand.
Jinx Falkenberg
Well, Jack, how do you explain the way that American players seem to have sort of monopolized tennis these days?
Kira Petrovskaya
Our country is on top in tennis because we're on top in everything else. But that's something to be thankful for, not to brag about.
Jinx Falkenberg
You're so right there, Jack.
Kira Petrovskaya
But there's another thing I think American sports fans have learned. How to be winners. Americans still cheer for the underdog. It was a funny feeling in the Davis cup matches against Australia to hear the Americans in the stands rooting for the Australians. We understood, so we didn't mind.
Jinx Falkenberg
I suppose, Jack, there's only one big country that doesn't go in for tennis very much.
Kira Petrovskaya
Yes, Russia. I don't remember ever seeing a Russian in an international match.
Tex McCrary
That's right, Jack. There are no Russians in the Davis cup matches. But maybe our next guest can tell us something about the Russians. Tex, will you handle the fanfare?
Jinx Falkenberg
Okay. Okay, in this corner, our next guest is one of the Russian girls who married Americans during the war. And then somehow she got permission to leave the Soviet and come to America as a war bride. Only five Russian war brides managed to wangle that precious passport out of Russia from Mr. Molotov. She's going to be an American citizen next year. She's married now to the director of All American Red Cross in Russia during the War. Now she lives on a farm in Pennsylvania, but she's working on a dream that she's had since she was 10 years old. Back in the days when she saved 10 rubles then worth $1. She went to a railroad station and tried to buy a ticket to the usa. She wanted to be an actress in America, but the cops caught her and she was publicly spanked and sent home. But now she's grown up, she's blonde and beautiful. She has 10 years of stardom in Russian theaters behind her as an actress and singer. And she's got her eye on Broadway.
Tex McCrary
And what she gets her eye on, she usually gets because during the war she was a sniper, a sharpshooter.
Jinx Falkenberg
And now here she is for her American debut, Kira Petrovskaya. What's that? I beg your pardon?
Unknown
How are you?
Jinx Falkenberg
Oh, how are you, Kira?
Tex McCrary
This is your first appearance, isn't it?
Unknown
Yes, it is my first time on an American stage. Very nervous, but very happy.
Jinx Falkenberg
Well, Kira, we hope the song you sing tonight will help you land on the right stages here in New York.
Nancy Walker
Listen, comrade, before we get on to the future, I'm kind of more interested in your past. Now, let me get this straight. Am I to understand that you went around shooting men?
Unknown
Well, during the war it was the thing we needed to shoot and kill the Germans who were besieged Leningrad. I was a sharpshooter with medals in my school. So of course I trained to be a sniper. When an experienced sniper took me out to train me for three weeks, I was alright with my lessons. My teacher had killed 104 Germans and he said I would kill many also.
Tex McCrary
And you liked the idea of being a sniper at first, Kira?
Unknown
Well, you see, as an actress, I helped to propagandize the kill a German campaign. So it was necessary that I learned to do it myself.
Jinx Falkenberg
And then you did go out on a job?
Tex McCrary
Of course.
Unknown
When I finished my training, I was in an old ragged house with an experienced sniper by my by my side. I found a German about 500 yards from us and I took very careful aim. Well, and I killed him.
Jinx Falkenberg
Then what happened?
Unknown
Well, and then I got very sick. Oh, my companion was very angry with me. He called me Baba, which means old woman. Well, I suppose I wasn't a very good sniper.
Tex McCrary
Gosh, we do get on some strange subjects. But Kyra, you know, we really meant to talk to you about singing and being an actress in Russia. So let's talk about that. Tell us, when did you get your start? And when did you know that you wanted to be on the stage?
Unknown
Oh, a long time ago. I read American Movie Magazine and began to use lipstick when I was very young. You know, in Russia, girls don't use lipstick until they are 19 or 20. But I did when I was 16 and people began to mistake me for an actress. It was very pleasant to be mistaken for an actress.
Jinx Falkenberg
Yes, Kira, but you weren't mistaken for an actress. Very long I've been checking up on you. You played Shakespeare in Russia? All over Russia, in repertory. You were the American secretary in the famous Soviet satire Mr. Perkins goes to Moscow. And you spent the war entertaining, singing to the troops all up and down the Russian front.
Tex McCrary
And what kind of songs did you sing for the Russian troops?
Unknown
Well, there was one song, an American song that the Russians loved. It was sort of sad. I wonder if you recognize it the way I sing it.
Jack Kramer
Someday he'll come along the man I love and he'll be big and strong the man I love and when he comes my way I'll do my best to make him hate he'll look at me and smile I'll understand and in a little while he'll take my hand and though it seems Absurd I know we both won't say a word maybe I shall meet him someday maybe Monday maybe not till I'm sure to meet him one day maybe Tuesday will be my good news Today he'll build a little home Just meant for tombs from which I'll never run who would would you and sorrow taboo I'm waiting for the man I love.
Tex McCrary
Oh, I'll bet Russia misses you, Kira, that was lovely. And the expression in your face when you sang. Well, you looked as pretty as a picture. Didn't she, Tex?
Jinx Falkenberg
What?
Tex McCrary
Yeah, I said that Kira looks as pretty as a picture.
Nancy Walker
Mm.
Jinx Falkenberg
Nice frame, too.
Unknown
Oh, Danny.
Tex McCrary
Danny, look at. I only said that Kira looked as pretty as a picture, and you know what happened?
Dan Seymour
Oh, I'd put her in my living room anytime.
Tex McCrary
Oh, fine. Both of them, Kira. You've bewitched both of them.
Unknown
Oh, they're only fooling with you, Jinx.
Jinx Falkenberg
Sure, Jinx. You know, you're still my number one babushka. And Danny still loves his wife, too.
Dan Seymour
Yeah, I love my wife, but. Oh, you, Kira.
Tex McCrary
Well, I can understand it, Kira. You've got everything it takes to be beautiful, including the smile. And I have a slight suspicion that is what Danny was driving at. He just loves to talk about an Ipana smile.
Unknown
An Ipana smile?
Dan Seymour
In this country, it's the smile of beauty, Kira. And if you don't mind the tip, use I panna and let it guard that beautiful smile of yours. It's really a wonderful toothpaste.
Jinx Falkenberg
And maybe that's why dentists themselves prefer Ipana for their own personal use. Two to one over any other toothpaste or tooth powder, according to a nationwide survey.
Dan Seymour
So, friends, why don't you try I Pana yourself and see why it's so popular with dentists? See how I panna can help keep the loveliness in your own smile. Brush your teeth regularly with I panna. And then with the fingertip, gently massage the gums along the line where they meet the teeth. This gum line is important because we all need firm, healthy gums as well as bright teeth to keep our smiles lovely. So between regular visits to the dentist, help guard your smile this special way. Get I panna for your smile of beauty.
Jinx Falkenberg
Kira, we're back with you again. You know, I don't suppose you talk about things like I found on Russian radio, do you?
Unknown
No. In Russia, there's only one brand of everything and never enough of anything, so it's no need to advertise.
Tex McCrary
Well, how about things from America, Kira? Movies, for instance. Do the Russians like American movies.
Unknown
Oh, yes, very much. I sang a song at several concerts from one of your American movies. You know, it was Rita Havers.
Tex McCrary
Who?
Unknown
Rita Havers.
Tex McCrary
Oh, Rita Hayworth.
Unknown
Well, I say Rita Havers.
Jinx Falkenberg
Right.
Tex McCrary
I'm sorry. Yes. Rita Hayworth.
Unknown
Well, but you see, I couldn't sing it as she did because I couldn't do the movements like Rita Hayworth. You know, in Russia, sex is not permitted on the stage.
Jinx Falkenberg
I. I see what you. I see what you mean. But, Kira, we've made you sing an American song tonight. A. A sad one. How about. How about a Russian song of gay one? There. There are gay songs. I remember when we were based for a while in the Ukraine, at Poltava during the war. Every night the Russians used to serenade us. And. And many of the songs I remember were full of fun.
Unknown
Oh, yes, there's much love to it now. So.
Nancy Walker
Boy, I wish they'd give me happy songs and shows. I'm always being cast wrong. That's my trouble. Producers don't understand my type.
Jinx Falkenberg
Miscast and barefoot boy with cheek. Now, Nancy, you were a campus communist.
Nancy Walker
That's right. Yet a samovar by name.
Tex McCrary
And what happens to you in the next show, Nancy Walker?
Nancy Walker
Well, in this next one for George Abbott two, I will dance ballet. I'm a rich gal like Doris Duke with Doe, but no husband. Yet the ballet is my love, and I am the sponsor, so I dance.
Jinx Falkenberg
Well, you do the dancing. But maybe you need a singer. Kira. They ought to be a part for you and Nancy's new show.
Unknown
Oh, do you think so? Well, but my American husband is very particular about the part I take in a play.
Tex McCrary
Why, what's the matter, Kira?
Unknown
Well, you see, he says I can only be in a play where nobody kisses me.
Nancy Walker
Comrade, this is outrageous. I will organize a picket.
Jinx Falkenberg
Nancy, I think you should be very careful about picketing men. You should do nothing to antagonize the opposite sex.
Nancy Walker
Oh, don't worry about me. I've got my campaign all figured out. I got myself a map. A man map. All the territory marked out where there are men to spare. And there's nothing around New York, I might add.
Tex McCrary
Well, Nancy, wait a minute. You said a man map. What do you mean?
Nancy Walker
Well, consider the situation in the Empire State at New York. There are a hundred men for every 93 I'm a. Well, swell. There are a hundred women, which makes it worse. For every 93 males, and that's not good. Yes, whereas in the state of Nevada. Nevada?
Unknown
Yes.
Tex McCrary
How about Nevada?
Nancy Walker
Well, in Nevada, there are 200 men for every 100 women. Maybe they only have 300 people out there. But the boys outnumber the girls two to one. And that's the place for girl to meet boy. Nevada. Oh, is that for me? Carrie, you should have had a look at Nevada before you settled down.
Unknown
Oh, Nancy, you must understand. We are very happy, my husband and I. And I have found a play in which everything is fine. You see, I play the part of a girl who is very sick. And in the last scene, my lover bends low and kisses me.
Jinx Falkenberg
But, Chiara, how about your husband? How about his rule? You can be in a play, but no kissing.
Unknown
Well, you see, in the play I am kissed, but I die before I can return the kiss. So everything is fine. Okay? As you say.
Jinx Falkenberg
Oh, a happy ending.
Nancy Walker
I don't like it. I still don't like it. But what am I doing? Worrying about your man. Before we leave tonight, I'd like to work on a serenade for my man, that Kramer.
Jinx Falkenberg
Who?
Kira Petrovskaya
Me?
Jinx Falkenberg
Jinx, you better explain.
Tex McCrary
Oh, yes, Nancy. I don't think it would be right to upset Jack Kramer this week. You see, he's really concentrating on Forest Hills and he's training hard for the nationals.
Nancy Walker
You take me for a fool, Jinx? I know what a man needs from a woman in time of crisis. Inspiration. Let him know you're interested in what he's doing down at the office. Serenade him with a fight song.
Jinx Falkenberg
A fight song, Nash?
Nancy Walker
Sure, a fight song. Something that'll make him know I'm right out there with him, rooting, singing all for him. Buckle down, Jack Kramer, buckle down. You can win Jack Kramer if you knuckle down. If you break their necks, if you make them wrecked, you can break your hex or buck down. Make him yell, Jack Kramer, make him yell. You can win Jack Kramer if you make em yell. If you don't give him take it on the chin, you are bound to win if you will only knuckle down. If you fight, you'll chuckle at defeat. If you fight, your luck will not retreat. Knuckle down, Jack Kramer. Knuckle down. You can win that title. If you knuckle down, you mow them down. If you go to town, you can wear the crown. If you will only buckle down.
Tex McCrary
Well, good luck, Nancy Walker. And good luck. And thank you, Jack Kramer. We're really knuckling down for you.
Jinx Falkenberg
And good luck to you on Broadway. Kira Petrovskaya.
Unknown
And Nancy, let me tell you. Learn a lesson from Annie Oakley, you'll never get a feller with a gun.
Jinx Falkenberg
Not even in Nevada. And not so long until next Wednesday night when our guest will be the singing star of the hit parade of 1947, Joan Edwards, and the greatest woman.
Tex McCrary
In baseball, Mrs. Lou Gehrig. A double hit parade. So long. And don't forget Ipenna.
Jinx Falkenberg
Sure, pal.
Unknown
I know what you say, but what does your public say? You say shaving is too uncomfortable, but your public, it says you've got to keep your face smooth and clean shaven, regardless. What's the answer? Ingram, of course. Ingram Shaving Cream. You see, that rich Ingram lather helps condition your face for the razor. And that means close shaves in cool, soothing comfort. Remember, comfort means coolness. Coolness means Ingram. I N G R A M Ingram. The cooler shaving cream. Next time, get Ingram.
Dan Seymour
Until next Wednesday, then. This is Dan Seymour reminding you that Tex and Jinx are brought to you by Bristol Myers, who also presents Mr. District Attorney, which follows immediately over most of these stations.
Unknown
This is NBC, the national broadcasting Company.
Podcast Summary: Harold's Old Time Radio – Tex And Jinx 47-09-03 Guest - Nancy Walker
Release Date: January 22, 2025
Host: Jinx Falkenberg
Guests: Nancy Walker, Kira Petrovskaya, Jack Kramer
In this captivating episode of Harold's Old Time Radio, hosts Tex McCrary and Jinx Falkenberg delve into a heartfelt exploration of "hard luck" stories from the Golden Age of Radio. Featuring special guests Nancy Walker and Kira Petrovskaya, alongside insights about the renowned tennis champion Jack Kramer, the episode intertwines personal struggles with professional aspirations, painting a vivid picture of resilience and ambition in post-war America.
Nancy Walker, a prominent Broadway actress and singer, opens up about her tumultuous journey in the entertainment industry. Despite her undeniable talent, Nancy faces continuous setbacks that hinder her success.
Audition Heartbreak: Nancy recounts her nerve-wracking audition for producer George Abbott, where her heartfelt performance of "Bounce Me, Brother" met with unexpected laughter from the audience.
[02:56] Nancy Walker: "...I sing a tender love song like 'Bounce Me, Brother.'... But what happens? People laugh."
Typecasting and Misunderstanding: Nancy expresses frustration over being miscast and misunderstood by producers, limiting her roles and stifling her potential.
[16:15] Nancy Walker: "I no like it. I still don't like it. But what am I doing? Worrying about your man."
Kira Petrovskaya, a Russian war bride and former sniper, shares her remarkable transition from a life intertwined with conflict to aspiring dreams in American theater.
War Experience: Kira details her brief yet impactful stint as a sniper during the war, highlighting the challenges and emotional toll it took on her.
[16:15] Kira Petrovskaya: "...I trained to be a sniper. When an experienced sniper took me out to train me for three weeks, I was alright with my lessons."
Cultural Adjustment: Moving to America as a war bride, Kira grapples with adapting to a new culture while pursuing her passion for acting.
[17:32] Kira Petrovskaya: "I read American Movie Magazine and began to use lipstick when I was very young."
Jack Kramer, celebrated as one of the greatest tennis players, serves as a backdrop to discuss the relentless nature of professional sports and the personal hardships that accompany fame.
Early Success and Setbacks: Tex and Jinx discuss Kramer’s meteoric rise in tennis, juxtaposed with the unfortunate incidents that plagued his career, such as appendicitis and clam poisoning.
[12:13] Jinx Falkenberg: "That's when hard luck really unloaded on Jack Kramer."
Military Service Impact: Kramer's time in the military disrupted his training and confidence, yet his determination saw him reclaim the national title post-service.
[12:31] Jinx Falkenberg: "And then, like a lot of guys, he wound up in uniform out in the Pacific."
The dynamic interactions between hosts Tex McCrary and Jinx Falkenberg with their guests bring depth to the episode, combining humor with poignant reflections on perseverance.
Humorous Exchanges: Nancy’s playful banter about her romantic struggles and Kira’s candid recounting of her war experiences add a lighthearted touch.
[06:23] Jinx Falkenberg: "I believe I know what's wrong, why you have so much trouble landing a man."
Strategic Conversations: Discussions about tennis strategies with Jack Kramer offer listeners both entertainment and informative insights into the sport.
[10:05] Kira Petrovskaya: "...break his service early."
Nancy Walker on Resilience:
[03:35] Nancy Walker: "Nobody ever suffered like I did at that audition."
Kira Petrovskaya on Her War Role:
[16:37] Kira Petrovskaya: "I was a sharpshooter with medals in my school."
Jinx Falkenberg on American Sportsmanship:
[13:50] Jinx Falkenberg: "Americans still cheer for the underdog."
The episode masterfully weaves the tales of Nancy Walker and Kira Petrovskaya with the legacy of Jack Kramer, underscoring themes of ambition, resilience, and the pursuit of dreams amidst adversity. Listeners are left with a profound appreciation for the tenacity required to overcome personal and professional hardships, whether in the spotlight of Broadway or the intense courts of tennis.
As the show wraps up, the hosts extend well-wishes to their guests, reinforcing the supportive community celebrated in the Golden Age of Radio. The episode not only entertains but also inspires, reminding us that behind every success story lies a series of challenges that shape us.
Note: Advertisements and promotional segments, including endorsements for Ipana toothpaste and Ingram shaving cream, were omitted to maintain focus on the episode’s core content.