Bowes collected many honorary titles in his life: his real title, "major," was often suspected of being a trump-up, but it was genuine enough-he had held that rank in the U.S. Army Reserve during World War I. In retrospect, the show produced few stars of the first magnitude {Beverly Sills, Frank Sinatra, and Robert Merrill were the best-known Amateur Hour winners}. "To be sure, minor talents have been discovered," Radio Guide conceded. "But even the best half-dozen performers who have moved up in the entertainment world through the Amateur Hour still are not averaging more than $100 a week. Compare this figure with Major Bowes' own income of something like $40,000 a week, and compare that with the $40–60 earned by players in his units. It's something to think about.
( John Dunning )
[ On the Air: The Encyclopedia ]
www.QuoteSweet.com