Hollywood Filmograph (Jan-Jul 1930)

HOLLYWOOD FILMO GRAPH 19 RADIO FLASHES ON AND OFF THE PAN A great deal has been written on the manner in which actors and musicians have been exploited to donate their services on every and all occasions. But very little has been said about the worst offender — the radio. True, a few good musicians and many of more doubtful value, make a good living under contract to radio broadcasting stations. But a painfully large proportion of radio time is supplied by "artists" who are induced to donate their services because they regard it as advertising. The result of this policy has been first to disgust a large section of the public with the radio as a mode of entertainment, and second, to refuse a livelihood to many professional people who would be employed instead of the aspiring, but generally unqualified, amateur. A radio broadcasting station that is unable or unwilling to pay each and every artist who appears over it, should not be allowed to function under the guise of public entertainment. Certainly it would 'be far more to the advantage of the station to produce good programs instead of poor ones, and where every artist is paid, the process of natural selection gives preference to the most capable. A radio station which asks money from its advertisers and then puts on punk programs is obtaining money under false pretenses. And a station which refuses able professional talent because they require a just remuneration for their services, to put in their room untrained and incapable amateurs, is deliberately contributing to a situation of unemployment and dissatisfaction. Certainly there would be many more radio listeners could they know that every number on the air was handled by a capable professional artist. And it would contribute to the advancement of music and drama were the standard of performance to be so greatly raised. But even worse than accepting the unskilled amateur, the radio stations blandly expect the professional artist to contribute his services freely until such time as the station may graciously condescend to offer a contract— if at all. And this on the basis that it is good advertising for the artist. Every professional appearance is only part of his pay. Using the same argument, one might ask his tailor to furnish a suit because of the advertisement given him by wearing it. A similar situation has been met and overcome on the stage by Equity, and the Musicians' Union has done much to protect its members on the radio. But the actor or singer who applies to a radio station is entirely at the station's mercy. And the station takes a full advantage of the situation. RICHARD D. SAUNDERS. ^5* <<5* *i5* Add to your Amos 'n' Andy notations the following: Mr. and Mrs. Freeman F. Gosden have selected the name Virginia Marie for their baby girl, born April 23. Gosden is better known as Amos, of the famous "check and double check" team. «<?» tt?* ^5* Last week this column mentioned Catherine Dale Owen's success in her initial broadcast on Paul Whiteman's Old Gold Hour program. Now it is our pleasure to report on the success of Marilyn Miller, star in the First National production of "Sweethearts"! Miss Miller and Walter Pidgeon were featured en the Del Monte Hour May 3. Since the Del Monte is one of the most popular hours on the Red Network of the National Broadcasting Company, this tie-up between First National studios and Del Monte is proving particularly happy. The film products of the former are being publicized constantly, and as each picture goes into production, it is the intention of First National to give its clever bits and its catchy tunes on the Del Monte Hour. The appearance of Miss Miller was particularly interesting in that it marked her debut as a radio star. It was the first publicity boost for "Sweethearts," the forthcoming play with music which Miss Miller is now making at First National. St Si St Theaters and a theatrical background have served as the training grounds of the Drews, the Barrymores, the Cohans, the Fred Stones and other theatrical families. But radio introduced Cornelia Otis Skinner to the public last week on the Eveready Hour. Miss Skinner is the daughter of Otis Skinner, one of the most appealing actors in the world. True to her paternal influence, Miss Skinner proved as engaging a speaker and as talented an entertainer as the world expected of the daughter of Otis Skinner. St St Si Vivienne Segal, remembered for her success in Broadway musical shows, and recently appearing as a motion picture singing ..star for Warner Bros., was heard in a thirty-minute radio version of her latest screen operetta, "Golden Dawn," over the NBC system May 10. Miss Segal was on the Del Monte program, mentioned above, in conjunction with the radio inaugural of Marilyn Miller the week before. St Si Si Ramon Novarro made his radio debut over an NBC network last Tuesday. Appearing as guest artist on the Sunuco Show, Novarro sang three songs from his repertoire: "The Pagan Love Song," "Into My Heart" (from the photoplay "In Gay Madrid"), and "The Mirror." •9* ^* 5^» Bert Lytell and his wife, Grace Mencken, spoke on the Breakfast Club program over KFWB. The stage player and Miss Mencken are in the stage production of "Brother," now playing at the El Capitan Theatre. «(?• ^* t&* Will H. Hays, president of the Motion Picture Producers and Dis tributors Association, was the principal speaker at a banquet Wednesday evening. May 7, at the Wardman Park Hotel in Washington during the spring meeting of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers. The entire banquet was broadcast en a Columbia system network, and other speakers on the air were J. I. Crabtree, president of the society; C. Francis Jenkins of Washington, famous inventor of motion picture and television equipment, and Hon. W. P. Connery, Jr., congressman from Massachusetts. Approximately 40 stations were used in the nationwide hook-up. e^* ^* ^9* RKO intorms us that its stars will do the entertaining at the annual banquet of the Radio Manufacturers' Association. The banquet is one of the main features of Trade Show Week at Atlantic City, N. J., the week of June 2. The dinner is scheduled for June 4, in the grand ballroom of the auditorium. When Roxy decided to interest New Yorkers in Paul Whiteman's "King of Jazz" revue, he boosted a program that was easily the most brilliant in radio history. Part of the program was transmitted direct from the stage of the Roxy Theatre in New York, in conjunction with the showings of "King of Jazz," the Universal musical extravaganza in which Paul Whiteman made his screen debut. The stage activities included performances by Paul Whiteman and his band and George Gershwin, America's foremost popular composer. Whiteman conducted his own band, together with the Roxy Symphony orchestra, aggregating a total of 125 musicians, the largest orchestra ever organized for an engagement! In addition to the combined forces of the two musical groups, Whiteman was aided by Viola Philo, Jose Santiago, Mildred Bailey and the Roxy chorus in some unusual stage offerings. George Gershwin was heard for the first time since his appearances at the Lewisohn Stadium with the Philharmonic last summer. He played his own "Concerto in F," a composition said to be his most serious effort in musical writing. Following the broadcast from the stage, the program from the studios consisted entirely of Italian music, with Dorothy Githens, Celia Branz, Dorothy Miller, David Drollet, Willie Robyn and the Roxy Chorus participating. St St St Forgetting for a moment that "Variety Is the Spice of Life," a group of vaudeville artists left the footlights for a brief period to appear before the microphone during the RKO Hour broadcast over the NBC network last Tuesday evening. Prominent among those who participated in the presentation were Peter Higgins, tenor; Margaret Schilling, soprano; Milton Schwarzwald's R-K Olians, and Graham McNamee, master of ceremonies. ^5* *^* t^w The Mother's Day program sponsored by the Paramount-Publix Hour on a Columbia Broadcasting system nation-wide tie-up was extremely successful. Paramount favorites heard during the program included: Marcia Freer, mezzo-soprano; Paul Ash with stage show; David Mendoza and the Paramount Orchestra; Foursome Quartette; Jesse Crawford, organist; Paul Small, tenor; Ada Twerdowski, pianist, and Vic Ince, trumpet soloist. (r5* ((?• t~w We mentioned in Radio Flashes last week that Mary Lewis was to be the guest artist on the Atwater Kent Hour of May 4, over WEAF and thirty-three other NBC stations in a coast-to-coast hook-up. Miss Lewis went on per schedule, but broke down soon after she started. We have learned, however, that shortly before the famous opera star was to go on the air, she received word that her father had just died in England. This was a shock to Miss Lewis, but she went on the air notwithstanding. And soon after she started she couldn't control her emotions, and as a result she found it impossible for her to continue. St St Si Radio entertainers, announcers, musicians, teams — send in news of your activities' on the air, what stations you broadcast from, and what hours you go before the microphone! Cutest and Cleverest of Little Girls Makes Her Bow in Filmland BILLEE MORLEY JUST FINISHED IN "NIGHT WORK" Starring Eddie Quillan PATHE PRODUCTION Phone HE. 1141