Radio showmanship (Sept 1940-May 1941)

!PellIt A quiz program presided over by a bona fide judge — that's PDQ Quiz Court — a "showmanized" question and answer show that's pulling in listeners and upping gasoline sales for its sponsor, The Petrol Corporation and its independent service stations in Southern California. Judge of the Los Angeles Municipal Court, Leroy Dawson, wields the gavel that calls PDQ Quiz Court to order for half-an-hour every Thursday evening at nine over KFI, Los Angeles, from the stage of the Paramount Theater in that city. Five defendants and twelve jurors are selected from the theater audience. Each defendant is given ten dollars at the outset of the program. As the show moves along, he may be fined a maximum of two dollars for a wrong answer; a minimum of ten cents for "contempt of court" — at the discretion of Judge Dawson. All fines go into a court treasury. At the end of the broadcast, one defendant chosen as best by the jury wins the "jackpot." While the jurors deliberate, Clerk of Court Gary Brecknei goes down into the theater audience with a movable microphone, asking questions of individuals who volunteer to answer. Cash and PDQ Petrol gasoline are given for right answers. Tickets to the Paramount Theater are given tO those who fail to answer. Jurors and defendants all receive five gallons of PDQ Petrol gasoline tor participating in the show. That's the itory in brief. Now, let's go into the details that make it outstand \> much as possible, ;( (rue courtroom mosphere is supplied. The judge, wearing his robes, demands to lee each contestant's opei ator's License. When, as in one case, i young A New Gasoline, A New Air Show That's Just Part of the Record chap was sure he had his driver's license and produced his father's instead, the Judge gave him a thorough and sincere reprimanding. Particular emphasis is given to questions pertaining to traffic safety. This is especially appropriate from the standpoint of gasoline promotion and because it justifies Judge Dawson's participation on the program. The Judge is a recognized authority on traffic problems. At the start of the series, over a year ago, 80% of the contestants missed traffic questions, which count heavily in the prize awards. Today, not more than 10% miss them. As is typical of most quiz shows, listeners submit questions, receive cash rewards. They are required to get official blanks from stations distributing PDQ Gasoline. Created by Los Angeles ad executive Chet Crank, PDQ Quiz Court has been one of the prime advertising media responsible for the rapid growth of PDQ Petrol Gasoline. The gasoline was first introduced just five months prior to the premiere broadcast of the quiz show (May, 1939). Since that time, over 800 independent gasoline retailers in Southern California (seven counties) have purchased dealer rights. Radio, at first, received only a 25% share of the expenditure set aside for advertising. Today, radio has become much more important, claiming about 40% of the appropriation. According to ad-man Crank, "The gasoline dealers like the show because they like to listen to it and because it brings people into their stations for blanks and to buy PDQ l'i TROl •" Naturally, not all people who take the trouble to no to a station for an entry blank actually semi their questions tO the station for Consideration* In spite of this, an average oi 2,500 letter are received by sponsor and station each week. Public interest in PDQ Quiz Court has been at a high level almost from the pro -ram's inception. About 500 unsolicited letters are received each month, just Commenting 134 RADIO SHOWMANSHIP