Know-nothing presenters

[Rcartes]

I'm sure others can add lots to this, but here's one to start.

Today on Essential Classics, the presenter was listing those listeners who had correctly answered that day's puzzle, which concerned the Warsaw Concerto and its use in the film Dangerous Moonlight. One of these, mentioned with apparently a completely straight face, was one Anton Walbrook. A suffiicently unusual name, you'd think, to cause any normally inquisitive or alert presenter to question, but no: she was apparently unaware of the fact that the chief star in Dangerous Moonlight was .... Anton Walbrook - who, having died around 50 years ago, was unlikely to be phoning in any answers to quizzes. Doh!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Is this a stammer, or should it read "Know-nothing"?

[french frank]

the chief star in Dangerous Moonlight was .... Anton Walbrook - who, having died around 50 years ago, was unlikely to be phoning in any answers to quizzes. Doh!

Well, it was his grandson, probably - no wonder he knew the answer!

Just had an email telling me that the Radio 3 comment (unconfirmed) on Brahms 1 just now was: "You know, it's not half bad." Still, I suppose we have been asking for more critical musical analysis.

[Stanley Stewart]

Is this a stammer, or should it read "Know-nothing"?

Perhaps Rcartes was thinking of the Alice Faye number in The Gang's All Here',
(1943) - "No love, no nothing, no nothing till my baby comes home" - as this was written to discourage infidelity during WW2 when Americans in uniform were absent for some months, or even years, and promiscuity started to become rife!

[ahinton]

Well, it was his grandson, probably - no wonder he knew the answer!

Just had an email telling me that the Radio 3 comment (unconfirmed) on Brahms 1 just now was: "You know, it's not half bad."

...without, of course, revealing what fraction of bad it actually is.

Ahem...

[EdgeleyRob]

Well, it was his grandson, probably - no wonder he knew the answer!

Just had an email telling me that the Radio 3 comment (unconfirmed) on Brahms 1 just now was: "You know, it's not half bad." Still, I suppose we have been asking for more critical musical analysis.

Yes that's exactly what KD said and she also informed us that the Bach Magnificat is magnificent.

[cloughie]

Well, it was his grandson, probably - no wonder he knew the answer!

Just had an email telling me that the Radio 3 comment (unconfirmed) on Brahms 1 just now was: "You know, it's not half bad." Still, I suppose we have been asking for more critical musical analysis.

Well KD obviously thinks more of it than some boarders here recently who thought it a poor imitation of Beethoven's 9th - but the I suppose that depends on what your opinion of that is. I won't comment in case I invoke the wrath of a certain Liverpudlian Jayne.

[DaisyDog]

Yes that's exactly what KD said and she also informed us that the Bach Magnificat is magnificent.

That's the same Katie Derham that ended her presentation of the Brahms 'It's not half bad' 1st symphony with 'as played by the Concert Gebow Orchestra'. Two words. Half a brain.

[Richard Tarleton]

one Anton Walbrook. A suffiicently unusual name, you'd think, to cause any normally inquisitive or alert presenter to question, but no: she was apparently unaware of the fact that the chief star in Dangerous Moonlight was .... Anton Walbrook - who, having died around 50 years ago, was unlikely to be phoning in any answers to quizzes. Doh!

Starred in several of my favourite old movies - starting with Michael Strogoff (based on the Jules Verne novel) and including Gaslight, 49th Parallel, The Red Shoes....I'm afraid I never saw Dangerous Moonlight.

[ahinton]

Yes that's exactly what KD said and she also informed us that the Bach Magnificat is magnificent.

Marginally better than saying that Bruckner's Te Deum is tedious, I suppose - or that Jakob's leiter now that he's been on a diet...

I'd not realised until now that it was take her maid who had said this but, since someone did, this news surprises me not a jot.

In This Year of Grace, Noël Coward has a song containing the lines
Dance, dance, dance little lady
So obsessed with second best

It also includes the lines
But I know it's vain
Trying to explain
While there's this insane
Music in your brain

That he didn't try to persade the lady concerned to "present" instead of dance is perhaps clear evidence of his wisdom.

There's a moral in this story and a leaf to be taken out of a book here somewhere, methinks...

[ahinton]

That's the same Katie Derham that ended her presentation of the Brahms 'It's not half bad' 1st symphony with 'as played by the Concert Gebow Orchestra'. Two words. Half a brain.

Maybe she ws thinking of the conductor taking Gebow after the performance...

[Stanley Stewart]

Indeed, Richard, and I would add The Life & Death of Col Blimp, (1943), partnered by Roger Livesey in the title role. I met Anton Walbrook by sheer coincidence when I was walking down Frognal, early 1960s, towards Hampstead underground. He was on a short ladder cleaning his windows and a bit startled by my recognition. A charming man and we discussed his career for at least 15 mins. I must also add La Ronde, (1950), a stylish and subtle comedy, directed by Max Ophuls and Mr Walbrook hummed the Oscar Strauss theme song as I left. In later years, I seldom passed Highgate Cemetery without a nod towards Anton's grave, near the front gates -he died in 1967. Must give my video of La Ronde and outing tonight as a reminder of his natural elegance.

[Rcartes]

Is this a stammer, or should it read "Know-nothing"?

Of course it should, sheer carelessness on my part. Sorry!

[Richard Tarleton]

Indeed, Richard, and I would add The Life & Death of Col Blimp, (1943), partnered by Roger Livesey in the title role. I met Anton Walbrook by sheer coincidence when I was walking down Frognal, early 1960s, towards Hampstead underground. He was on a short ladder cleaning his windows and a bit startled by my recognition. A charming man and we discussed his career for at least 15 mins. I must also add La Ronde, (1950), a stylish and subtle comedy, directed by Max Ophuls and Mr Walbrook hummed the Oscar Strauss theme song as I left. In later years, I seldom passed Highgate Cemetery without a nod towards Anton's grave, near the front gates -he died in 1967. Must give my video of La Ronde and outing tonight as a reminder of his natural elegance.

, Stanley, thank you!

[Conchis]

From the early days of Classic FM. I forget the presenter, but it might have been Henry Kelly.

'That was Dawn from Benjamin Britten's Four Sea Interldues. Good job he didn't call her Sharon or Tracey!"