Stumpers Across the Sea

A grown-up quiz program outgrew the lonely forenoon and joined the busy night air last week. A rising chorus of fan mail persuaded BBC and the Blue network to shift their Transatlantic Quiz from Saturday mornings to 10 p.m. Tuesdays (E.W.T.), and to boost the show from 15 minutes to a solid half hour. In its new spot Transatlantic will compete with Bob Hope--but the audience appeal is hardly the same.

For ten months Manhattan's tweedy jack-of-all letters, Christopher Morley and Britain's critic-historian (and authority on U.S. matters), Denis Brogan, with a partner apiece, have pitched "stumpers" at each other by short wave. The questions are designed to determine "who knows most about the other's country." The show's aim: to promote Anglo-American understanding with geniality instead of gags, and without benefit of cash awards.

Author Morley's current team mate is veteran comedian Frank Fay (Harvey); last week Professor Brogan's was Banker H. W. Auburn. Asked by Morley on what date U.S. citizens set off firecrackers, Auburn ventured: "I should say that would be on this day when all the children come 'round and turn out your dustbins." Cracked Fay: "Rubbish." Brogan knew it was the Fourth of July; the British team also knew that cherry pie was eaten on George Washington's birthday, that trees were planted on Arbor Day.

Neither Morley nor Fay knew what famous British agitator (John Wilkes) was half of an American city (WilkesBarre) and two-thirds of an American murderer (John Wilkes Booth). But the U.S. team correctly identified "The Tate" (London art gallery), "The Reform" (political club), and "Bart's" (St. Bartholomew's Hospital).

"If a cracker with soup," queried Morley across the roaring Atlantic, "took some kale and landed in stir, what was going on?" Banker Auburn knew that a cracker was a Georgian, knew that kale was cash, and that stir was jail, but guessed that soup was also money. Corrected Professor Brogan happily: "High explosive for opening banks."

The cumulative score for 1944 (including credits for "brave tries"): U.S. 354, Britain 341.

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