THEATRE

The Most Happy Fella is generally pretty cheerful after the Boston critics' reception earlier this week. Cracked ecstatic Eleanor, "It should make everyone connected with it the most happy fellas for a long time to come." But Frank Loesser's new musical has originality, stars Robert Weede, and features several pre-Hit Parade songs. At the Shubert, this afternoon at 2:30 p.m. and tonight at 8:30 p.m.

Two post-Broadway hits still linger for the benefit of provincials. Can-Can, by Cole Porter, isn't offensively risque from the second balcony of the Opera House. Today at 2:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Bus Stop is a comedy of delicate curves with Peggy Ann Garner. Today at 2:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. at the Colonial.

Death of a Salesman gets a distinguished treatment by director Steve Aaron and a cast headed by Dean Gitter, Pat Hess, and Colgate Salisbury. Sanders at 8:30 p.m.

Love Rides the Rails to intoxication in a delightful bit of absurdity which well meets Hasty Pudding standards. At the Clubhouse at 8:30 p.m.

MUSIC

Symphony tonight will include Beethoven's Overture to Collin's drama "Coriolan," dances from "The Three Cornered Hat" by Falla (not to be confused with ecstatic Eleanor's Fellas), Dvorak's violin concerto in B minor, and Bohuslav Martinu's Sixth Symphony, which gets its premiere. Leonard Rose, soloist. 8:30 p.m.

Vienna Choir Boys are getting to know Boston and the Borscht circuit better than Vienna. Tomorrow at Symphony Hall at 3:30 p.m.

LECTURES

Arthur C. Twomey has a talkie machine which will show, among other wonders, "strange air plants, mountain tops bathed in mist, rare butterfly orchids and a view from the acropolis at Copan." Massachusetts Audubon Nature Series, New England Mutual Hall, today at 10:30 a.m.

Donald H. Menzel, director of the College Observatory, and Fred L. Whipple, professor of Astronomy, debate whether or not the conquest of space is fact or fiction. Free for all at Jordan Hall tomorrow at 8 p.m.

TELEVISION

The Taming of the Shrew by you-know-who is the whoop-dee-doo on channel 4 but not 2. Sunday 4 p.m.

CINEMA

Mr. Blandings' Dream House was evidently not the Brattle Theatre. Gentleman's Agreement, one notes, is more gentile, and is a happy replacement. At 5:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 9:30 p.m.

The Man With the Golden Arm is fixed for six dreamy days at the U.T. Frank Sinatra, Kim Novak, Eleanor Parker. At 2:45 p.m., 6:12 p.m., and 9:40 p.m.