Radio daily (Feb-Mar 1937)

Tuesday, March 16, 1937 RADIO DAILY 7 COMMENT/ ON CURRENT P£ CORAM/ Spelling Bees Among the angles of entertainment for radio listeners in spelling bees is the amazing amount of bad spelling that exists, even among college students. In Saturday's NBC-Red network set-to between Princeton and the U. of Chicago, one word was tackled by seven men before one of them finally got it right. It would seem that, to make these contests fair, when a word is mis-spelled, the next contestant should be given a different word. Otherwise the second man enjoys the equivalent of having two chances at the word — while the sixth man to get a crack at the same word has the advantage of knowing five ways that it isn't spelled and thus has a better chance at guessing the right way. For genuine spelling bee entertainment, however, the program conducted by Dr. Harry Hagen for Chase & Sanborn over WMCA on Saturday evenings is recommended. Dr. Hagen relieves the spelling routine by engaging each of the young contestants in a little amusing conversation about their ambitions, behavior, etc. He does a fine job. Rines Orchestra For bright and merry entertainment in the Sunday a.m. hours, the Rines Orchestra program aired for Iodent via WJZ at 11:30-12 is hard to beat. It's supposed to be a peek behind the scenes of radio, the witnessing of a rehearsal, but it runs off far too smoothly to be in the rehearsal class. Plenty of good items, too, in the show. Joe Rines, as m.c, sets a lively pace. Morton Bowe, the prolific and rising tenor, vocalizes very pleasingly. Mabel Albertson and Pinky Lee do well by the comedy. And the comedy material caught last Sunday, incidentally, would do credit to any major program. Jack Benny — Fred Allen It was a case of when "wit means wit" on Sunday night when Fred Allen broke into the Jack Benny show, just as Benny was trying to sing, or "coughing to music" as Allen termed it. Allen did to Benny's show what Benny did to Ben Bernie's program just before the Jell-o comedian left Promotions at KFYR Bismarck, N. D. — Recent changes in KFYR staff brings Dick Burris a promotion to program director and Roy H. Brant to join announcing staff to handle news director's post. "Dub" Everly and Ivan Lorenzen go on duty at the transmitter, while Dick Kaiser takes relief operator's and remote engineer's assignment. CBS Easter Broadcasts CBS has set 12 special pre-Easter musical broadcasts, starting with the Swarthmore College Glee Club on the air at 4:15-4:30 today and winding up with the Guilford College A Capello Choir at 4:15-4:30 p.m., March 29. the coast for New York recently. Which is to say that Allen stopped the performance. In fact, he did more than that. He nearly wrecked it with rapid fire quips. And he did it despite a cold. It was the most terrific exchange of satirical shafts, the biggest duel of wits, that the airwaves have had the pleasure of conveying these many years. Schlepperman also did his very helpful share, while Mary Livingston was in good form and Abe Lyman contributed his share. All in all, some program! "Magic Key" — Robert Irwin RCA's Sunday afternoon stanza on the NBC-Blue maintains its high, even tempoed style of entertainment, always with plenty of variety and worth-while fare. Newcomer Robert Irwin, introduced by John MacCormack as his first protege, one to whom he actually wrote a fan letter when he himself first heard him, seems to be a baritone of parts, and sung as though he were the young John MacCormack of some years ago. Voice is of fine timbre and range, diction is good, and there is no straining for flashy effect. Just good honest singing. Georges Enesco, Rumanian composer-conductor, was also heard to advantage, likewise Helen Jepson, and Dudley Digges and Sara Allgood in a scene from "The Whiteheaded Boy." Frank Black conducted the big symphony orchestra in varied selections. "Show Is On" In view of what was to be expected from Broadway's chief musical hit, the half-hour Sunday broadcast of "The Show Is On" over the NBC-Blue network was a decided disappointment. The skits and other material, with the exception of a couple of hit songs, seemed well below the standard of original radio stuff. Reginald Gardner displayed a fine singing voice, but Bert Lahr's comedy was a bit drawn out, and even Beatrice Lillie was less amusing than she usually is on the air. Rippling Rhythm Revue This variety program, shifted Sunday to the 9 p.m. spot on the NBC Awards Boost Listeners Cleveland — WTAM has two commercials using awards, which are building up the listening audiences. Spang Bakery sponsors a Junior Safety Club. Each week some young hero in the vicinity of Cleveland is cited for bravery. Leisy Beer has a 15-minute sports shot with Tom Manning. Once a week this WTAM program honors some amateur athlete in this vicinity with a sports award. New Engineer at KFKR Oklahoma City— Tom Banks Jr. is appointed chief engineer of KFKR, to succeed Horace Marrinan, resigned. Dean Hiatt succeeds Frank Goodson j as assistant engineer. Red network, is in need of jacking up. It particularly cries for a master of ceremonies of some weight to pilot the proceedings. The musical background by Shep Fields and his musicians is good, Frank Parker's singing is always enjoyable, and the Canovas can be depended upon to deliver if they have the lines and the pace. But somehow last Sunday's show was a far cry from the bills that were put on when Paul Whiteman headed the program. "Pepper Young's Family" This grand little stock company of the networks has been pursuing the even tenor of its way for about four years, originally being an evening program as "Red Davis." Procter & Gamble, in the interest of Camay soap, has a double strip across the board, same show both a.m. and p.m., latter at 3-3:15. Elaine Stern Carrington has managed to maintain a very steady type of script, always carrying interest and consistently switching to avoid dullness. Currently, the new contest started by P. & G., giving away 25 trailers, Ford cars and 1,000 gallons of gasoline is burdening the show with almost unprecedented long commercials, even to the extent of having it woven into the script in one spot. Announcer follows up with the details and at the finish of the show caught, actually held forth for no less than the closing four minutes. Announcer ought to get a Ford, trailer and load of gas himself; he earns it. Cast of "Pepper Young's Family" comprises Jack Roseleigh, as Mr. Young; Marion Barney, as the mother; Curtis Arno as Pepper, and Elizabeth Wragge, as Peggy, the daughter. Latter has virtually grown up with the program. Other characters are written in from time to time such as Biff, played by Laddie Seeman and his pa, played by Ed R. Wolfe. It is superfluous to mention the smooth legit job of the cast, individually and as a company. MOTION PICTURE LIGHTING & EQUIPMENT CORPORATION Everything Electrical for Studios In addition to being the largest distributor of lighting equipment for motion picture studios in the east we are also manufacturers and designers of equipment for . . . RADIO STATION! AUDITORIUM! DISPLAY! Also a complete line of electrical supplies including Mazda bulbs. 244-250 West 49th Street Telephone New York, N. Y. CHickering 4-2074-2075