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10
FILM AND RADIO GUIDE
Volume XII, No. 6
Jeonette MacDonald, Marta Wilkerson ("G.l. Jill" to servicemen), Maureen O'Sullivan, and Robert Walker chat while waiting for their cues at "Request Performance," radio show in which the public does the casting (Sundays at 9:00 EST over CBS).
its option on desirable time, and so other agencies may buy options for many years, so as to remain on the waiting list for a particular time spot.
After the program had been sold to Campbell, wheels were set into motion. Many sponsors like to keep their own announcers under contract. Del Sharbutt, one of radio’s top announcers, has been under contract to Campbell for many years to handle their shows exclusively. Naturally, he was selected to announce Request Performance. Ads on the radio and in newspapers urged people to write letters to CBS, telling what stars they want to hear and what they want the stars to do. All these letters are
promptly forwarded to the Ward Wheelock agency. The public, loving its role of “producer,” swamps them with 5,000 letters a week. For easy reference they’ve been divided into several groups.
The “challengers” are those who dare them to do something almost impossible. One such letter challenged them to make up a dramatic skit using only names from the telephone directory. It was done with great success, starring Rita Hayworth.
The “casting directors” ask for their favorite stars in favorite plays, or reading poetry, such as Fredric March reading Oscar Wilde’s Ballad of Reading Gaol.
The “humorous” ones ask for Jack Benny and Fred Allen play
ing the “friendship scene from Damon and Pythias,” or Wallace Beery and Marjorie Main playing Romeo and Juliet.
Th e “sentimentalists” are those who expect a dear one home from service on a certain date and would like to have his favorite song played or poem read the first Sunday night he is home.
Once a week a conference is held in the office of Diana Bourbon, head of the Ward Wheelock office in Los Angeles, at which are present Richard Diggs, also of the Wheelock agency; Bill Robson, director of the show; two staff writers, Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee; and Nat Wolff, the casting director.
Mr. Wolff lines up all the act