 Welcome to The Big Show. Everybody, this is Jimmy Wallington welcoming you to The Big Show. A star studded extravaganza set your way with the best wishes of each and every top name on the show. And here is your hostess for the next half hour, the glamorous, unpredictable Tallulah Bankhead. I've decided I simply must cut down expenses. From now on I'm skipping breakfast. I'm going to combine breakfast and lunch. It's called brunch. Now, instead of cocktails at five and dinner at six, I'm going to combine those and call it a brunch. And now for his first appearance on The Big Show, I call upon a very talented young man who created quite a stern record circle with several top sellers. I refer, of course, to Clark Dennis. Clark is going to sing for us tonight the lovely ballad, The Moon was Yellow. Mary, darling, would you please? The Moon is Yellow, and the North... Don't laugh. I have a beautiful apartment in Brooklyn. I walk up one flight and I'm in the subway. Of course, I'm not used to this weather anymore. I've been appearing at a Thunderbird Hotel in Las Vegas. What a place. What hospitality. What a hotel. I have a six dollar room. That's with two slot machines. No bed. Just slot machines. Have you ever tried to sleep on a beauty rest slot machine? Boy, they give you a full day and night there. What an appetite on my wife. She ain't like the Russians who are already in flushing. I want to tell you my wife is really something. But everything's gambling in Las Vegas. Las Vegas. Las Vegas. Even marriage. Even marriage. I saw a couple get married and the preacher said I now pronounce you two. The hard way. My brother Lester lives out there. What a racket he has. He paints buttons on the chest of the guys who lose their shirts. I never met so many people desperate for money. One fellow walked up to me and said, stick them up. I said, stick what up? Don't make me up. This is my first job. One fellow kept pestering me money outside the door. I said, aren't you ashamed to ask for money on the street? He said, what do you want me to do? Open up an office? I don't know. Everybody sings out there. All day long they sing. The cowboy sings songs something like this. Give me a home where the buffalo roam, where the deer and the antelope play. This guy don't want a home. He wants a sort of a zoo. Well, some of the songs today are really silly. Here's one. It goes like this. Just let a smile be your umbrella. I tried that. I got a mouthful of rain. They always play fast. I'll be down again. Do you want a taxi, honey? Be ready. But have I said, yada, yada, honey, don't be late. Tomorrow night the doctor's running for all. Now what's the hurry to dance to tomorrow night? There's some nice songs in the Pixie Call of Las Vegas story. You know, that's the new trend in Hollywood, ladies and gentlemen. They've been making life stories of different people. They made the life story of Al Jolson, of Al Riley, called Porter, ready, canter. Wanted to make the story of my life. I might have lived. Give me some water to drink, Meredith, please. I came a very poor family. They couldn't afford to have children, so our neighbor had me. When I was a baby, no talking about it. We had 11 kids in our family, 11 kids. We were so poor we had to wear each other's clothing. It wasn't funny. I had 10 sisters. My father was never home. He was always drunk somewhere. Drunk. Day and night, drunk, drunk. He only drank a little of steady himself. Sometimes he gets so steady it couldn't move. I didn't know what to get him for Christmas. I didn't know how to wrap up a saloon. I tried to get him away from drinking. I took him to Miami Beach. He looked at the ocean and he said, oh boy, what a chase of that would make. My father used to talk to me. He'd say, listen, stupid. He always told me, listen. He told me about the birds and the bees. Until I was 21, I was going steady with a sparrow. I started to grow up. I met my first girl. Her name was Sally. Her name was Sally, not Dinah. Sally, was that a girl? Was that a girl? That's what people kept asking. Was that a girl? Every girl has the right to be ugly, but she abused a privilege. When I got drunk, they saw her. Plastic doctor couldn't help her. You know that time before and after, she looked like Dory. She used to wear a snood. On the back, she looked like she was throwing a mackerel. On the front, she looked like she caught it. I was in love, gentlemen. I was in love. It's the old story. She wanted fur as diamonds since then. I went broke. I didn't have a penny left in my name, so I changed my name. Sometimes I get so lonesome. Sometimes I wish I'd come back. Sally, come back, you fool you! Sally, you're a fool, I tell you! She's a little deaf. Sally! Sally, you're a fool, I tell you! Sally, don't you remember our school days? You were so proud of me. You were bold like it. I was not needed. You said you had to smell the word ox. A beautiful set of tooth. You had braces on your teeth. I had braces on my teeth. I used to love to kiss you in the dark and watch the sparks fly. You had patriotic eyes. Blue with red whites. The way it turned up, then down, then sideways. I love the way your hair came halfway down your back. Too bad it wasn't on your head. I've never seen you again. You are your twin. It was so hard to tell you both apart. There was only one way. He didn't have a muster. A song by Connie Boswell. Connie should have been on the big show a long time ago. And now that she's here, let's settle back and listen to her latest hit, Believe It, Beloved. As only Connie Boswell can sing it. Marry, darling, if you please. Believe It, Beloved. Because it's true. You're all that I want you to be. You're a darling, adorable. I doubt someone who looks like me. First, it was your eyes that said it. And your arms took credit. Your lips said, please take care. Then there was a gentle murmur that grew much firmer. And I lost my heart right there. Believe It, Beloved. Because it's true. You're all that I want you to be. Because it's true. You're all that I want you to be. You're a darling, adorable. I doubt someone who looks like me. First, it was your eyes that said it. And your arms took credit. Your lips said, please take care. Then there was a gentle murmur that grew much firmer. And in your delirium just see what your loves done to me. They love it because it's true. You're all that I want you to be. The big show belongs to one mutual friend, the Harrison's. We are delighted to present Miss Lily Palmer and Mr. Rex Harrison in the dramatic version of a famous story by a celebrity contemporary in the area, Friedrich Gestacca. Our tale is a strange one told by an English artist who walked in and out of the way places in the Germany of nearly past century seeking inspiration for his sketchbook. This is the story called The Enchanted Villages. There are enchanted villages, you know. Villages of quaint streets and gingerbread houses and odd costume villagers and curious customs. But I'm getting ahead of myself. A story must begin at the beginning. I had wandered aimlessly walking through Bavaria pausing to sketch or paint whatever my fancy would dictate. One late afternoon in a remote and untraveled part of the country I had lost my way. I took off my pack and leaned against a lilac tree. Almost at once I became conscious of how utterly quiet the valley was. And then I saw her. A radiantly beautiful girl. Oh, I'm sorry. I'm not sure. Were you expecting someone? Yes. I must say I envy him. I was hoping to meet someone but you need not be envious. He's probably forgotten all about me. Now that I cannot believe he must be ill or broken his leg but not forgotten you. Maybe he's dead. Oh, you've not heard from him then? No. All this long, long but now I cannot wait any longer as I have to be home. And where is your home? Straight down this valley. There's the bell. They're just coming out of church. I can't see any town. Only thick mist down in the valley. But you hear the bell. Yes, it's quite a bell. The most mournful discordant sound, isn't it? Yes. Yes, it has not a pleasant sound and should have been recast long ago but we're always short of money and time. But what does it matter? We know it all right and we know what it means when it rings. So even though it's cracked it serves its purpose. And what is the name of your town? Garmel's. Can I get to victim from there? Quite easily by the footpath. Hardly takes half an hour. Then may I go with you through the town? I will show you the way. No, wait. Yes? Your face in that light near the lilac tree. I'd like to sketch you. You are an artist? I work at it. I should very much like to take a reminder of you with me in my sketchbook. A reminder of me? I wonder if that's possible. Perhaps you will find it difficult to sketch my likeness. Well, we'll see. I'm usually quite quick at this sort of thing. If you're an artist you could set to work and touch up the pictures in Garmel's church. They look so very poor and shabby. Yes, I'd be delighted. By the way, you haven't told me your name. Gerda. Gerda. Yes, it's just right for you. I will take you straight home. You can discuss with my father the matter of the pictures. He's the mayor. Oh, the picture in the church. Of course. We must go now. One moment. Just a line. A bit of shadow here. There. Have I caught your likeness? I did not think it possible that you could have sketched my likeness. But it is. It is myself. You're exquisitely beautiful self. But so sad. Why so sad? I caught that last fleeting expression. Tell me, what were you thinking? No, please. I must go. Don't detain me. And you better not come with me into the town. Not now. I have changed my mind. It's not good for you to come with me into the town. I should not have let you sketch me. Gerda. Look at. Let me look at you. Please let me go. I'm not usually affected emotionally by what I draw or paint. But now, this time, I feel strange as if we'd known each other before. You must not say it. I don't pretend to understand. It's so strange a feeling so warm and deep within me. That sad sweet expression I caught in the sketch. Tell me, who was it you were waiting for? I waited so long. So long. I hoped you would come. Why does that bell ring so often? It's late. They're waiting for me. I must follow you wherever you go. Then give me your hand. Now you can see better through the mists in the valley below. Can't you? I don't understand any of this. All I know is that where you go, I must go too. Come. Please, hurry. There's so little time. How could I have missed such a village as this? I've never seen or heard of such quaint houses. But, Gerda, the people, the quiet, why is it they only smile at us? Why does no one ever speak? Perhaps you do not understand the speech. I'm not deaf. They say nothing, no one talks. No sound is heard. Is the moor or forest on fire hear abouts? Where does this smoky fog come from? It's earth vapor. Surely you remember the mists? I remember nothing but that I'm with you, Gerda. But this village, there's no fruit on the fruit trees. No birds. I suppose it's the strange atmosphere of the mists. It's only a little way further. We're almost there. Are we leaving the village? No, just beyond the wall. Here. In here. A graveyard? Yes. I must visit the grave of my mother on this day. Give me only a moment for a brief prayer. Your mother? It looks so very ancient. Did she die long ago? Yes. Very long ago. It's sad enough to be parted from one's mother. And yet, perhaps, it was well, very well that she was suffered to go to God beforehand. But, Gerda, you've got to tell me what all this means. Shhh! The bell. We've only time to get back. We've only time for the dancing. The dancing? Yes. We must hurry. No last precious moment can be wasted. It's time we join the people for the wine and for the dancing. Come. It's time for the dancing. Dance faster. Faster! Hold me closer. Closer. Only a few more minutes. Oh, my darling, it's a bear to leave you. Leave me. Drink deeply. Drink as I drink. Yes. Give me the cup. We'll drink and dance the night away. Love me enough to stay forever with me here in Garmel's? Forever and a day. Speak carefully, my love. Would you stay if we could be together for only one day each hundred years? One day each hundred years? No, my darling. I want you every day, every hour, every minute. You should not have said that. But now it's too late. When you caught my likeness in your sketch this afternoon, I knew you were the one for whom I waited so long, so long. Now you too must wait and love and suffer. But I do love you. Is my love not enough? My darling, the time has come, but first kiss me this once, this last, this forever time. No, we can't stop here. We've got to get out of this mist. Come here. It couldn't be much further. Gerda. Gerda, where are you? Gerda, take my hand. I cannot leave you. I cannot leave you. Gerda, I cannot leave you like this in the dark. Keep me close to you. Keep me close to your heart. My darling, farewell. Gerda, no! Come back, Gerda! Come back! And a sorry sight you are. We have been hunting you all night in the swamp. What happened to you? You take the wrong road and blunder into the bark in the dark. I've been trying to find the village. Village? Here? Garmels. God have mercy on us. They say it used to stand there where the swamp is. But how many fathoms down below the earth that bewitched town lies God alone knows. Nor is it any business of ours. Village? Bewitched? Sunk away hundreds of years ago. And so goes the tale it is bound to reappear each hundred years upon a certain day and for only a day. Me, I just assume not be around when that happens. Oh, hold on, sir. You can't go that way. It leads right into the worst of the swamp. Gerda! Gerda! I've never found her. But each year I go back. I search the forest and the swamp always seeking, always hoping, always praying that God will one day grant again his miracles and I will find again the enchanted village that I will be united once again and forever with my love. May the good Lord bless and keep you until we meet again. Good night, darlings. And God speed to our armed forces all over the world who hear these broadcasts each week. The big show with Kalula Bankhead and an all-star cast comes to you each week at the same time here of Armed Forces Radio Los Angeles, USA. This is Jimmy Wallington speaking. The big show is brought to you by the Armed Forces Radio Service.