Radio Digest (Nov 1930-Apr 1931)

32 Another Answer to the Beauty Challenge STATION managers, female artists and their sweetheaits are all in a pother these days . . . because of the Radio Digest Beauty Popularity Contest. With television coming on apace, it was thought the psychological moment for Radio broadcasters to come out in the open and show the public what they have to offer. Two popular stations have answered the challenge. In the February issue KROW of Oakland did a lot of krow-ing over their staff of pulchritudinous damsels. Then in our March issue, WMCA of New York presented as fair an aggregation of singers and Radiactresses as one could hope to cast one's eyes upon. Now out in the extreme west, KFWB and KGER seem to join hands in fraternal allegiance of some sort and pool their scintillating and dazzling array of pulchritude. KGER, located in Long Beach, and KFWB, out in Hollywood, have an interchange of talent by which the beach station sends three or four programs a day to Hollywood over remote lines. This is not in duplication, for while KGER itself may be broadcasting one studio program for itself it is staging another which is sent over the wire for release by KFWB. On the other hand, KFWB uses Bill Ray KFWB entrants in beauty contest ... (top row, first at left) Doris Jean Stone is the staff's youngest and smallest bit of femininity and does juvenile drama features. (top row, second) Nanette Vallon, musical comedy girl who specializes in Latin types calling for fiery emotional songs known as "hot stuff". (Top row, fourth) Ann Stone is both an actress and singer . . . likes naughty French girl parts and rolls a wicked accent. (Top row, fifth), Elinor Gail's deep dark past includes action with Roxy's gang but now she sings soprano over the air. (Picture on opposite page), Loyce Whiteman, the "girl with the wistful voice". (KGER manager) to announce over the Radio its premieres from various theatre forecourts and also releases to KGER once a week its Warner Brothers variety program. Thus any possible rivalry between the two broadcasters is purely of a friendly nature, and in this spirit they have pooled their display of beauty to issue a rebuttal to the photos already published from both east and west. In similar display of sportsmanship, KFWB has withheld pictures of famous stage and screen beauties who broadcast from the station and entered only regular staff entertainers. Both stations confidentially expect that, as soon as these pictures appear in print, they will be bombarded by a horde of male artists anxious and eager to work amid such bewitching surroundings. Line forms on the right. Other stations . . . here's your invitation to enter your fair entertainers in this nation-wide contest. Where are those far-famed beauties of the South with their peach bloom complexions? . . . Middle-western broadcasters, where are your corn-fed damsels with the come-hither eyes? And readers . . . what is your opinion in this battle of the beauties? Write the Editor, Radio Digest, 420 Lexington Avenue, New York. KGER pulchritudinous challengers ... (Top row, center), Laura Lee Berry, sole surviving soprano, who took first prize honors as the station's best looker. (Left side, reading downwards), Marie Waters, violinist, leads the girls' trio and spends a lot of time answering fan mail from anxious members of her audience. Edna Bond, pianologue girl, who uses her trained digits and educated tonsils for the entertainment of many. Elsie Montgomery, 'cellist, when at home makes fudge, but at the studio does solo work and numbers with a string trio. Helene Smith, dainty and demure pianist, who does all sorts of keyboard improvisations.