Inside facts of stage and screen (February 1, 1930)

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SATURDAY, FEB. 1, 1930 INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN PAGE THIRTEEN' BIS POPULARITY FOR FILM PEOPLE That the nation likes to listen to film people is proven by the tremendous audience attracted by the “Voices of Filmland’’ origi- nating in Hollywood studios every Monday and released over the Columbia network. It is said to be the biggest attraction that has ever been produced on the Paci- fic Coast for continent-wide air consumption. The Don Lee Filmland Or- chestra under Raymond Paige, and Earl Burtnett’s dance band and vocal trio furnish the musical setting. Billboard advertising all over the country directed initial atten- tion to the feature, and it is stated that this is the first national ad- vertising campaign ever launched in which radio has been the cen- tral attraction instead of a sup- plementary advertising stunt. He’s Got a FanLikeNo Other Could Be SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 29.— There have been fan letters and fan letters but the brass medal for the strangest one goes to Eddie Holden who, during working hours is “Frank Watanabe” over KFRC of the, Don Lee and Columbia chain. In Eddie’s mail the other day there came a letter signed by “Midnight” who, according to the letter, is a jet black dog owned by a local listener-in. Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 10 p. m. when Wa- tanabe comes on the air, “Mid- night” stands alert before the loudspeaker waiting for his favor- ite. When Watanabe’s Japanese brogue is heard the dog pricks up his ears, wags his tail and listens intently. And no other radio entertainer will do. MIKE FASHION SHOW Hollywood film fashions are to be broadcast every Wednesday evening over KHJ, and are to be described from actual gowns mod- elled in the same studio. Public is invited to the studio for an eye- full if an earfull is not enough. MERRYMAKERS SOLD “The Merrymakers,” hour of va- riety originated and developed by the KHJ staff as an experiment, has been sold to a gasoline com- pany and is set as a weekly Pacific Coast broadcast for a year. HERB KERN Organist-Master of Ceremonies FOX WEST COAST Long Beach, Calif, WM. (Billy) KNOX SOLO ORGANIST Fox Oakland Theatre . — J> FRANK HIPSLEY And His Personality Band Balconades Ballroom San Francisco Jay drower Master-of-Ceremonies FOX EL CAPITAN San Francisco Pickups & Viewpoint Broadcast executives are invited to study our cross-section of radio- land this week, taken last Satur- day afternoon. It provides food for a lot of thought on the part of those who are really anxious to increase their audiences. Do the programs invite the attention of workers who may want to sit around the house on their Satur- day afternoon holiday? Are they of a quality to sell advertisers on the attention-holding potency of radio? Would you listen to them yourselves? One might go on asking ques- tions, but the answer would be the same in ev.ery case. And no- body needs to be told what that answer is. * * * The Paramount - Publix hour broadcast over the Columbia net- work every Saturday night is noth- ing but a stage revue, using the stage and pit talent of the Para- mount Theatre in New York, and very little is done to promte the picture angle or the all-talk policy of the Publix houses. It makes one wonder if there is anything in the idea that the broadcast is used as a thermometer to determine just how much the public cares for that kind of entertainment, conclusions to be used in deciding whether or not to go heavier on stage shows in their theatres. * * * Lew Cody spilled himself all over the ether on last week’s M- G-M hour, reciting the poem “Fleurette.” His voice is not beau- tiful in quality, but he certainly went heavy on the histrionics. * * * Lionel Barrymore broadcast an appeal for a ten-year-old boy with a perfect English accent for a role in a Dickens picture, “Oliver Twist,” now casting, but so far the right one has not appeared. There are millions of actors in Hollywood, except the ones they want. * * st Oscar Strauss arrived in New York Sunday morning and was shoved on the NBC program of the Atwater Kent Co. that even- ing. His remarks were interest- ing. He said he had come to this country to make talking pictures and was happy to appear on the radio, as they were practically the same thing, many of them being glad to appear on radio programs for the mike experience, and many radio artists have talking pictures in the back of their minds. * * * The Philco hour of last Thurs- day featured Belle Baker. Pier voice miked well, especially when she talked her lyrics. She sang “Old-Fashioned Lady” and “Have a Little Faith In Me,” said she just loved her radio audience, and plugged for her picture “The Song of Love.” But it was stage stuff and had little appeal for listeners to whom her name meant nothing. AN EGOTIST is a person who cannot make his “I’s” behave. I am no egotist but never- theless insist that my services on a picture are a definite economy, whether they be utilized on plot construction, comedy relief or dia- logue. JAMES MADISON (An Author and a Showman) 465 South Detroit St. Los Angeles (Phone ORegon 9407) “Please tell the world we need no more uke players, pianists, so- pranos, tenors or juveniles,” says Florence Israel, program arranger for KFWB, “but we do want something unusual. “We give auditions every Thurs- day afternoon from two to four, putting them on our monitor sys- tem, and no previous appoint- ments are necessary. Performers who have something novel will be heartily welcomed.” IS MUSICAL DIRECTOR LONG BEACH, Cal., Jan. 30.— Dick Dixon, formerly organist at the Capitol Theatre, has been ap- pointed musical director of KGER along with being featured daily on the studio organ. Dick has se- cured several musical combina- tions and soloists for the air and if you should be an artist or want ] radio work get in touch with Dick Dixon. He’s looking for talent. INVENTS BEAT SCRIBES According to technicians at KFI and KECA, it is a waste of time for control men to read technical publications. Developments in im- provements and new gadgets come so fast, they say, that publications cannot keep up with them, and they believe it will be five years before they can hope to cover the field and catch up. BIG DOUGH IN KIDS Baron Keyes, who broadcasts a children’s program from KFI daily, is reported about to sign a new contract with his sponsor at a sal- ary of $25,000 a year. On The Air Happenings SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 29.— KFRC has many outstanding mike artists and one of its superior or- ganizations is the Modern Melo- dists, an excellent musical group directed by Mahlon Merrick. In their few short months of exist- ence this combination has built up nicely with its symphonic ar- rangements of popular hits. And while it hardly seems enough, the organization has among its mem- bers seven arrangers, all of whom contribute to the group. Personnel includes Merrick, di- rector; Walter Kelsey, violin and voice; A1 Zohn, trumpet; Richard McAffery, trumpet; Joe Zohn, trombone; Earl Eastman, Mickey Gillette and Meriam Worthington, reeds; Ray Jarnigan, piano; Tony Freeman, bass; Paul Worthington, banjo, and Bill Ames, drums. * * * To its daily schedule N. B. C. has added “Meet the Folks,” a program that is an innovation in radio entertainment. Through KGO listeners-in are introduced to mem- bers of the artist staff daily ex- cept Sunday from 9 to 9:30, with Madonna Todd, of the N. B. C. publicity department, interviewing the artists. * * * In a short time Cotton Bond has risen from the rank of a new- comer to KFRC to a valuable member of the artists’ staff, his latest achievement coming this week when the Custo company se- lected him for their programs over that station. Bond, with an assisting group of artists, will be heard Friday afternoons between 5:30 and 6. * * * Oh, Fred Yeates! You said something on your page last week about believing Doby and Lou to be in San Francisco. Well, you were right. They blew in from Seattle recently and have been do- ing some nice work at KjFRC. * * * Max Dolin, musical director on the coast for National Broadcast- ing Co., is featuring on his pro- grams a new instrument, the Theremin, played by simply mov- ing the hands in front of two metal antennae protruding from a wooden cabinet. One of these antennae controls tone, the other, volume. Program Reviews CROSS-SECTIONING RADIOLAND THUMBNAIL REVIEWS LOS ANGELES January 25 KMIC (12:50 p. m.) Hoarse voiced man answering questions about the future and soliciting $2 for forecast. Followed by dance record program. KGER (.1:10 p. m.) Dance rec- ords. KFOX (1:30 p. m.) Cheerio Boys. This duo good entertain- ers of pop variety. Can sell a song. Plugging furniture store. Followed by Tom Mitchell sing- ing pop numbers. He plugs a healing institute and is heard over several stations. Is a consonant singer. KGFJ (2:00 p. m.) Dance mu- sic remote from the Orange Grove Cafe, Carol Londoner’s Orchestra. Announcements plug night show. KNX (2:30 p. m.) Regular Sat- urday afternoon feature, broadcast- ing complete opera from records, Eddie Albright telling the story between numbers. “Die Walkure” this time; great entertainment and has big audience. Always seem to be noises from this station, sometimes nerve-wracking. KFVD (4:45 p. m.) Dance rec- ords. Plugging radio store. KFWB (4:50 p. m.) Charlie Davis singing pop songs, uke ac- companiment. Even if the voice js not of conspicuous quality his words can be heard; not unpleas- ing. Ad plug for a gland food. Another ad plug for restaurant. Boswell Sisters, harmonizers. Girl carrying melody too strident, oth- ers can hardly be heard. One song, then three more ad plugs, one for furniture store, one for “Maker of successful men and wo- men,” then one for a finance com- pany selling repossessed cars. Rustling of announcer’s copy can be plainly heard. KFQZ (5:05 p. m. A woman interpreting vibrations and fore- casting events for inquiriers. Or- gan music background. KELW (5:15 p. m.-) Man talk- ing through his nose about as- trology, answering questions and selling an astronomical hour clock. Also bawling out what he called “hooey artists with Oriental names.” KMTR (5:30 p. m.) Announcer telling of ginger ale label contest, then plugging fried chicken place. Record, “Who,” then ad plug about blankets and another ad about free airplane rides. KECA (5:45 p. m.) “Mister” Williams in piano selections, “Don’t Want Your Kisses,” “Year From Today,” “Song I Love” and “Aren’t We All?” Good average, and sounded better than with a poor voice. If you like it at this time of day it takes the place of daughter playing in the parlor while mamma gets supper. KHJ (6 p. m.) “Nit-Wits” pro- gram over CBS from New York. Thirty minutes of goofy, burlesque by characters known as Gabriel, WEEKLY FROLIC 10 BE KFWB FEATURE A weekly radio frolic is to be featured by KFWB in the near future. The Jambonees, Merrymakers, Lion Tamers, and so on have rushed into enormous popularity with radio listeners, and the War- ner station is the newest to go after their share of this audience. The program is to include gags, skits and music, planned to a continuity, and a contest will be held for a suitable name, with cash prizes as an inducement. Gets Short History of These U. S.s Taking his cue from Calvin Coolidge’s assignment to write a history of the United States in 500 words, Jose Rodriguez has asked KFI listeners to try their hands at the pastime. The first received left 486 words unused. Grafton C. Allen, of Los Angeles, contributed th’e follow- ing: “Conceived in rebellion; pre- served by the brotherhood of man; destroyed by abuse of pow- er.” Which does not say much for the brotherhood of man. Maurice Chevalier is billed for radio appearance over the Don Lee chain, February 2, 7:30 to 8:30 p. m. Aphrodite-Godiva, Lord Ashcart, Mocha and Madame Odle-de-Pok- er, with Professor Succotash m. c.’ing. Subjects treated, “Making the Arm More Attractiv e,” “Three Musketeers” and “The Theatre in 1950.” Just goofy and too exaggerated to be humorous at first hearing; like a comic strip, something to be followed from week to week. Ad plug was sell- ing radio artists for personal ap- pearances. KFI (6:30 p. m.) Walter Dam- rosch and Orchestra on NBC from N. Y. Up to usual high standard, classic music. Damrosch’s com- ments always most interesting and well presented. TUNE IN ON DUD WILLIAMSON MASTER OF CEREMONIES and STAFF ARTIST KYA SAN FRANCISCO RUSS COLLER And His CELLAR SHAKERS Radio Station KFWB FOX WEST COAST THEATRES PRESENT PETER BRESCIA AND HIS CONCERT ORCHESTRA FOX T. & D. THEATRE OAKLAND, CALIF. WALTER KRAUSGRILL AND HIS MUSIC EL PATIO BALLROOM MARKET AT VAN NESS SAN FRANCISCO PETER PAUL LYONS AND HIS CONCERT ORCHESTRA LOEW’S WARFIELD SAN FRANCISCO