The Radio Set

Trumpet-voiced Benay Venuta (real name: Benvenuta Crooke) had come a long way from the San Francisco wharfside where she sang in the '20s. She has had a Broadway career (as a sort of second-run Ethel Merman) and a few big scenes in the movies. This week, at 36, Benay will step up to a microphone and a new career in radio as quizzer on a parents v. children stunt called Keeping Up with the Kids (Sat. 8:30 p.m. E.S.T., Mutual). The show calls for no singing, but that's all right with Benay. "I hope to grow into old character woman parts," she explains.

Canada Lee, one of Broadway's top ranking Negro actors (Native Son, The Tempest), turned disc jockey for Manhattan's WNEW. But he wasn't saying why: "One doesn't admit that one would like to make money."

Lean, velvet-voiced Eric Sevareid quit as CBS's Washington bureau chief to give full time to newscasting, and tossed a few hard words over his shoulder: "Radio reporting is superficial [and] sloppy. The stream runs purer than in newspaper reporting but not so deep. Radio reporters . . . know that they won't be able to use more than a few lines in most stories [so] they quit digging. I think I'd be happier writing for print."

Wit-Snapper Arthur ("Too Fat") Godfrey, CBS's earlybird disc jockey, spotted an unexplained washing machine in his studio one morning last week, casually gave it away to a woman in the studio audience. CBS's Winner Take All, which had been storing the washer in the studio, promptly cried thief. Grumped Godfrey: "That'll teach 'em to keep their junk off my show."

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