Radio daily (Oct-Dec 1949)

4 RADIO DAILY Monday, October 31, 1949 CHICAGO By HAL TATE JOHN BALABAN, head of WBKB, was awarded the third annual Laurel Award by the Actor's Club of Chicago — local counterpart of the New York "Lamb's Club — at the 8th Street Theater Monday night. The placque was given Balaban "in recognition of his outstanding work as a pioneer in television in Chicago and his furthering of the ideal presentation of entertainment." Ed Voynow, Petry head in Chicago, breakfasting in the London House, reports that the new sales manager of WHAS, Louisville, is Neil Cline, who is leaving his post as commercial manager of KTBS, Shreveport, La., to accept the Louisville position. Cline at one time was on the sales staff of WHAS. NBC Notes: Eddie Cantor, star of NBC's "Take It Or Leave It" show for Eversharp, was in town to address the National Safety Council at the Stevens Hotel Wednesday night. . . . Visiting here is Ernest de la Ossa, director of the web's personnel. . . . Everett Mitchell will address the annual farmer-businessmen's banquet of Sioux City, S. D., Chamber of Commerce on November 22. Johnny Desmond's weekly 5-minute Ronson show on Mutual has been renewed again. Johnny finally found an apartment on North State Parkway near the Ambassador East Hotel. One way to succeed at WGN is to be a publicity man. Manager Frank Schreiber held that post. And now Bruce Dennis, publicity director before he became a Naval officer during the war, has been appointed program director in addition to his present duties as Frank's assistant. Present publicity director is Jim Hanlan. What's his next post at WGN? Dennis succeeds Walter J. Preston, who has resigned to enter the management end of the business. Anyone know of a good station for Walter? He's interested in buying one. Paul Brines, Schreiber's assistant, is still on leave of absence downstate. His father is still on the ailing list. Claude Kirschner's co op TV show on WNBQ called "Hi, Ladies," which originates at the Home Arts Guild, going over so well that it may expand to a five-time weekly deal. It's now televised from 3:45 to 4:15 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays. Local TV executives anxiously awaiting the next BMB Report which is reported to contain television surveys in addition to the radio research statistics. Out of town guests at the Chicago Radio Management Club luncheon held at the Tavern Club Wednesday included: Don Davis, WHB prexy; Bill Pirie, Jr., director of national sales for WFBR, Baltimore; and Ralph Weil, manager of WOV, New York. Mainly About Manhattan. . . • • • WEEK-END CUFF NOTES: Station reps are reported annoyed at the references Maurice Mitchell, director of Broadcast Advertising Bureau, makes about them in his radio sales pitch at the NAB district meetings Mitchell, who makes a forceful presentation of radio's shortcomings in getting their share of the advertising dollar, gives the station reps a light brush-off. The future of Broadcast Measurement Bureau will be one of the problems the NAB board will have to cope with at its Nov. 15th meeting. Staff of BMB in New York is reported to be on notice with the suggestion they find new jobs by Jan. 1st. . . . Rumors that ABC is interested in acquiring the Mutual web are treated lightly by execs oi both networks. . . . "The Fat Man" may head for the coast and wind up on video as well . . . Alan Young to get the kinescope treatment. Colgate's interested. . . . Lanny Ross returns to the air on Mutual today at 12:15-12:30 p.m. Hs first airing will be from Detroit where he's making personal appearances. . . . Paul Denis has an a.ticle in the Nov. Pageant tagged "Does TV Make You Gag?" Incidentally, his B'way column goes into 24 semi-weeklies of the Chicago North Side Newspapers Chain on Nov 15th. . . . Emilio Azcarraga of Mexico City and John Royal of NBC seen watching the fights at Madison Square Garden Friday night. ft' \ jx , ' ft ft • • • Martin Gosch, the "Tonight on B'way" TV producer, has good reason for his broad smile these days. The just-released Bernays report on the theater tagged Gosch's telestanza, which brings actual scenes from the B'way shows into your parlor, as one of the best remedies for the box-office slump around Shubert Alley. Result is that many legit producers who originally hesitated at permitting him to telecast highlights from their plays are now co-operating fully. ft ft ft ft • • • just about a year ago Kathi Norris brought her "Television Shopper" stanza to WABD-DuMont as a half-hour sustainer. Practically everybody (with the exception of her producer-husband, Wilbur Stark, natch) were skeptical as to how a daytime video show would latch on to the busy house-wives at that hour. But the series did click and big, as a look at the record books will show you. The program was increased to a daily hour recently and now, on her first ann'y, Kathi Norris' "Television Shopper" is the only daytime participating TV series completely sold out — not to mention a waiting list of five or so sponsors. ft ft ft ft • • • OUR HAT'S OFF DEP'T: Milton Douglas' talented production job for Stanton B. Fisher, Inc., on the Jack Carter Sat. nite TV series, "Cavalcade of Stars." . . . Bob Poole's lively Mutual series, "Poole's Paradise," produced by Larry Dorn. . . . Maria Neglia's sensational violin at the Persian Room. . . . The showstopping of crooner Ralph Young in the Strand's "Make Mine Manhattan" revue. . . . Ted Steele's Columbia platter of "Down the Old Green River." . . . Peter Donald's first kiddie record album, "Chummy," out this week. ft ft ft ft • • • SMALL TALK: After 12 years of radio writing, Irv Tunick has been invited to appear on CBS' "You and Hobbies' to talk about his pet hobby — stamp collecting. . . . Elliott Lewis, top radio actor, will produce and direct "Broadway's My Beat" starting on CBS Nov. 5th. . . . Ted Green at the Beth El hosp. in Bklyn for minor surgery. . . . The success of ventriloquists on radio and TV simply proves that a wood to the wise is sufficient, points out songstress Valaida Snow. . . . Morey Amsterdam had a sandwich named after him at Arnold Reuben's. A ham sandwich, natch. AGENCIES GEORGE L. MILLER, (Aesop Glim), vice-president, R. T. O'Connell Company, will speak before the Advertising and Selling Course, conducted by the Advertising Club of New York today, October 31st. His subject will be "Fundamental Appeals and Principles in Copy Writing.' The meeting will be held at the Engineering Societies Building, 29 West 39th Street at 6: 15 p.m. THE ANAHIST COMPANY has engaged Foote, Cone & Belding as its advertising agency. National magazines, newspapers and radio will be used for the nationwide promotion of the first anti-histamine for treatment of colds and hay fever to be made available to the public without a prescription. The new product will be called Anahist. MILLER ADVERTISING AGENCY, INC. has been appointed by the Renault selling branch to handle all promotion and public relations for the Renault automobile in North America. ALLEN DUCOVNY has joined the radio production staff of Kenyon & E^khardt, Inc. He was formerly with Robert Maxwell Associates and Superman, Inc. ROBERT W. BUCKLEY has resigned as business manager of Benton & Bowles' radio and television department, effective Nov. 15, to join the Ludlow Typograph Co., Chicago. THE NAT M. KOLKER ADVERTISING AGENCY, Philadelphia, has been appointed by Pride, Inc., makers of dog and cat food. DONALD SCANDLIN has joined Ted Bates & Co. as media buyer. He was formerly with Owen & Chappell, & BBD&O. FRANK KIERNAN & CO. has moved to 92 Liberty St., New York. TRACY, KENT & CO., INC. has been named by Excelsior Quick Frozen Meat Products for its quickfrozen steaks. Television will be used. CARL REIMERS CO., INC. has resigned the Firth Carpet account. HICKEY-MURPHY-ST. GEORGE, INC., New York, has moved to larger quarters at 216 E. 45th St. KASTOR, FARRELL, CHESLEY & CLIFFORD, INC. has been named by the Marlboro Shirt Co., Baltimore. LENHART ADVERTISING, York, Pa., has been named by Herb's Keystone Brewery for New York Pilsener Beer. EILEEN NOLAN, formerly with Grey Advertising, has joined Robert W. Orr & Associates.