Inside facts of stage and screen (February 15, 1930)

SATURDAY, FEB. 15, 1930 INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN PAGE ELEVEN REVIEWS COMMENT RADIOLAMD By FRED YEATES CHATTER NEWS A lot of radio artists are cooking their own goose by refusing to take their work seriously enough. “Pleasing the public is hard enough, but in the present scheme of things more than the general listener must be satisfied,” said Carl Haverlin. commercial manager of KFI and KECA, when inter- viewed on the subject. “The man or organization who pays the artists’ salaries,” con- tinued Haverlin, “the sponsor, or advertiser, watches his programs sharply. His money is invested in it; he expects to benefit from it commercially, and he feels that its quality should reflect the quality of the goods or service he purveys. If it does not he fears that not only will his money be wasted but that his business interests might even suffer. “In newspaper or magazine ad- vertising he has a chance to ap- prove his copy in all its features before it is published. On a radio program he is at the mercy of the performer for, although in some cases he may specify the nature of the entertainment he cannot do anything about its performance. “We in the studio do everything we can, for the sake of the sta- tion’s reputation, to insure quality of program and its performance by the best available talent. We ask of the artist only that he concen- trate all his abilities on the func- tion of broadcasting. Ours is the commercial battle for sponsors, the selling of radio time for revenue, the competitive strife with the out- side world. “We need more trouping on the air, not only on KFI and KECA, but on all stations. It is surpris- ing and disappointing to see how quickly a performer will get care- less, dash into the studio direct from dinner or from the beach or a card game and step cold before the mike. The cheapest ham on the boards will do something about warming up before stepping out before his audience, but today nine- tenths of the radio artists act as though they expect their actual work before the mike to keep them in shape. It can’t be done. Your masters of the concert platform work hours upon hours, every day. Your circus performer will warm up his muscles regularly. Your singers will vocalize. Yet the mike artist expects to disregard all the laws and still knock his audience for a goal. “A lot has been said about im- proving broadcast material, and justly so. But now let the per- formers themselves start from the inside, take their work in all seri- ousness, and the improvement will be notable.” “POP” GOES DICK A severe case of stage-fright was suffered by Dick Creedon, di- rector of features for KHJ, og the occasion of his first personal appearance before the mike last Saturday night, but he rallied and delivered his stuff in good shape. His assignment was the difficult task of making a sound like the "pop” of a champagne bottle. TO BE IN CHARGE Jack and Jackie Archer are leav- ing next week to take charge of the Witmark office in San Fran- cisco. Jackie’s big radio following here, gained over KFI and KECA, may possibly hear her over the NBC one of these days. Pickups & Viewpoint George Nickson Invites You to Join the Happy Family of KYA Listeners TENOR SOLOIST KYA - SAN FRANCISCO TUNE IN ON DUD WILLIAMSON master of ceremonies and STAFF ARTIST KYA SAN FRANCISCO One? good way for a would-be radio performer to find out what radio studios want is to listen re- ligiously to what they now offer and then figure, out something different. Not that they are always dis- satisfied with what they are pre- senting. The angle is that they are always looking for something new and the chances of selling a novelty are good, when something standard is hard to sell because it must be considerably better than they already have to make an im- pression on them. A staff soprano may sing “I Love You Truly” some night, and for the next three weeks candi- date sopranos will appear for an audition, dragging along a copy of I Love You Truly.” By what process of reasoning can the tyro hope to gain consideration from an ever hopeful but almost hope- less program manager when such unintelligent amateur tactics are used? Yet it happens in every studio every day. If you cannot entertain your auditor he will not believe that you can entertain his audience. * * * The symphony concerts given especially for radio every Thurs- day night alternately by the Los Angeles and San Francisco Sym- phony Orchestras are in danger of losing their power. The programs are leaning more and more towards a lighter quality, including popular overtures and ballet music. This sort of material has its entertain- ment value, of course, but it is offered daily by radio orchestras both locally and on the networks. Keen disappointment is being ex- pressed in many quarters. For a great many this hour was the high spot of the week, when they could turn the dial and gain surcease from the average and dwell a brief while in the realms of the highest form of music, both new and old. No doubt some popularizing in- fluences have been at work. When Stokowski appeared on the air with his Philadelphia orchestra last autumn he announced he would play the best or none and he was justified by the response. Many thousands of listeners in Southern California hope for his reappear- ance. * * * The Philco hour, which formerly introduced Stokowski to the air, is next to broadcast a basketball game over the jiation. From the sublime to the athletic. * * * The various radio editors of this region, for all of our pre-eminence in picture production and our grow- ing eminence in the legitimate field, evidently are not proud of the local radio output, as they seem to lose no opportunity to ballyhoo a chain broadcast over local offer- ings. This was especially notice- able when Don Lee began releas- ing more CBS programs recently. If it’s imported it’s important. * * * An Irish tenor by the name of Max Goldberg! He was actually born in Dublin, is blind, and will appear on local radio very soon. * * * “Chasing the Blues” last Satur- day over the Don Lee chain, was a spicy dish, with Charlie Wellman as m. c. "Doctor” Foley, who fixes radio and domestic troubles over the mike, exhibited about the most delicious sense of humor yet heard on the air. * * * Barks by the Office Dog: Dick Creedon bragging about never hav- ing a cold. . . sneezed his head off next day . . . Jose Rodriguez can’t keep the crystal in his watch- lighter . . . Carl Haverlin breaks out into a novel . . . gets it pub- lished, too ... in a friend’s paper . . Kenneth Frogley gets a radio set in his office . . . need never go home now . . . should use his- fliv- ver as an aerial . . . catches plenty of sound . . . Jerry Kay ordered before harbor board . . . charged with navigating a ship without pilot’s license . . . breakers ahead . . . Berton Bennett’s new nick- name, “Et Al” . . . Here’s a silly wisecrack . . . “Watanabe suit. . . cheap at the price . . . how much did you pay for it?” . . . Reception- ist at KFI is known as Cactus Kate . . . can’t be sat on , , , Eva IS JAZZ FADING? IS IT, SAYS PAIGE “Is Jazz actually less popular now than it was?” This question, was put by Inside Facts to Ray- mond Paige, musical director for the Don Lee chain. “Put your finger on Jazz,” he laughed in reply, “and perhaps I can answer. What is Jazz? “Many people have told me they did not like jazz on the ra- dio, and when I have asked them what they meant by jazz they have stumbled around and failed to explain. “Is it cheap, popular music? We have always had that kind. Is it dance music? If so, we will always have it, just as long as we have young people who thrill to the rhythm of a dance band. Dance hall music does not make good radio entertainment, it has another purpose entirely. “The term jazz is probably meant to apply to an eccentric mode of musical expression. Yet an eccentric arrangement of a popular ballad is no longer jazz, but ‘symphonic.’ “The answer to your question is Yes and No. Jazz is the pep- per to your musical dish. Pepper is popular in its place, but is quite unpopular when blown into a room full of people by the small boy of the family. The small boys of radioland make jazz un- popular with a good many, no doubt.” SEATTLE, Feb. 13.—A report emanating from San Francisco to the effect that Adolph Linden, former major domo of the Ameri- can Broadcatsing Company which failed last August leaving a holo- caust of about $500,000 worth of creditors, was to return to the coast and try to re-establish a chain of stations, caused a furore in radio circles here. The story, which was carried in Inside Facts from San Fran- cisco, said that Linden was going to try to rehabilitate himself by rebuilding a chain of stations from Mexico to Canada, which chain was to include stations KYA, San Francisco; KEX, Portland; KGA, Spokane, and KJR, Seattle, sta- tions formerly under his manage- ment. These stations are at present the property of and are under the management of the Northwest Broadcasting Service of which Ahira E. Pierce is vice-president. Pierce flatly and emphatically de- nies that Linden has any connec- tion with the stations mentioned or that they contemplate or would entertain any negotiations with Linden in which their radio prop- ties would in any way be involved. They state that the rumor was without foundation so far as they were concerned. Linden, who is still in the east, did not confirm or deny the re- ports other than to express an ambition to rehabitate himself in western coast radio doings. BOOKING OFFICIALS Harry Hall has been placed in charge of KFI bookings, and Jerry Kilgore handles those for KECA, under a new arrange- ment just placed in effect. Both will operate under the general supervision of Robert Hurd, pro- gram director. Bob & Monte, well-known mi- crophone team, have cancelled their bookings on KFI but have made no arrangement as yet of any new connection in this ter- ritory. Program Reviews “WHAT DOES THE PUBLIC WANT?” KMTR, HOLLYWOOD (Reviewed Jan. 28) An hour of varied offerings in an effort, according to announce- ment, to discover what the public wants. Opened with jazz band playing Sweeter. Than Sweet.” Bill Sharp- ies, m. c., and Yale Whitney, an- nouncer, piloted the bill and, ap- parently in an informal atmos- phere, pleaded with listeners to tell the studio and the sponsor what they wanted in radio enter- tainment. Trio sang “I’m Following You” a la Biltmore, and “Chant of the Jungle.” Exceptionally good voices, well balanced, sang the numbers in excellent dynamics and with more color than usually heard. Next, Music of the • Old Type. A one-step jig-fiddler, monotonous. Negro quartet: “Golden Slip- pers,” just fair. “Are You From Dixie,” pitched too high, rotten, positively. “Wong Wing,” supposedly Chi- nese boy, staged as butting-in on the program, promised to appear later and tell a story. Orchestra, playing “Kiss Me Again,” with a soprano. She was too close to the mike so that the voice appeared colorless; only oc- casionally appeared real vocal quality; her opening measures not well phrased but improved later. Loren Powell’s symphonic or- chestra in “Dance of the Hours.” Did nobly with their apparently small numbers; greatly reminiscent of the silent movie house days when small orchestras endeavored to give large effects. Two or three more instruments would make a big difference. Mixed quartette and piano, “Awake My Child, the Dawn Is Here.” Effect was sedative. “Nice.” Three harmony girls, “If I Had a Talking Picture.” Eccentric ar- rangement not particularly, beau- tiful. Louise Howatt singing “If I Were You I’d Fall in Love With Me”; not so bad; so-so. Dramatic playlet, plot—suicide pact in a N. Y. rooming house. Lots of room for improvement in direction. Timing bad, destroying a lot of the dramatic effect; sounded amateurish, and a poorly handled anti-climax spoiled what was left. Skit—Chester and Casper on a trip to Hell, introducing “Turn on the Heat.” O. K. as an interlude. Seventy-five-year-old lady play- ing the piano. She got mixed up some, but held interest because of her announced age. Selection was a typical old-time parlor piece. Jazz band played “Tain’t No Sin”; vocal refrain, ragged. Huskin’ Bee dance; short, thanks. Wong Wing appeared to tell his story. What was it all about? He should talk to the mike instead of the people in the studio. Pagan fadeout, invoking the peace of Allah. Does the public want any of that? Whatever the listeners like best, it should be go6d or they won’t want it anyway. Sponsors, of course, feel they must consider cost, but the cost of putting show- manship into a bill like that is small, and it certainly lacked showmanship, particularly on the m. c. end. A well written con- tinuity would have added hun- dreds of dollars in value. NOT L A., CALIF. OR YOU’LL GET The lordly dignity of Los An- geles, world city, has been of- fended, and radio announcers are the offenders. They will insist on declaring that Los Angeles is in the State of California. The proud citizens of this metropolis proclaim that Los Angeles is in a state of world dignity and is not confined to California, and they feel so strong- ly about it that they are writing letters of protest direct to the announcers, in that spirit of direct action that inspired the pioneers to eliminate the Indians and lay the foundations for our present greatness. So the announcers had better look out. “When you announce your sta- tion,” says one letter, “it is not necessary to add California when you say Los Angeles. Everybody knows where the city is and yet you identify it as though it were a hick town.” “There is only one other Los Angeles,” says another, “and that is just a wide place in the road somewhere in Texas or Arizona. Why compliment such a village by distinguishing our city from it by the state identification?” And so on. But they play the game, these critics. They com- mend those announcers of large vision and wide horizon who just say “This is so-and-so, Los An- geles,” and let it go at that. Lind- say MacHarrie and Bob Swan, over at KHJ, have both received letters of praise, and KFI has come in for a special bouquet for its uniform policy of adequate recog- nition for the preeminence of our city. Olivotti still a cripple . . . Latest Pryor Moore crack i . . “I mean the flute player there, sitting on the empty chair.” . . . Sam Wine- land should join the Liontamers.. . . Bert Butterworth’s latest stunt is materializing thought . . , don’t concentrate too much on Gilmore, Bert , . . Ho, hum, it’s a dog’s life. SIGNS WITH KFWB Arthur Moranz has signed a six months contract with KFWB to broadcast programs daily with an orchestra of twelve men, beginning February 16. Moranz comes from Detroit, where he was at the Mich- igan, State and Capitol theatres for a total of four years. He was also featured at the Addison Hotel there. as did the music of Leo For- bestein’s orchestra and the dance band of George Olsen, cut in from the Roosevelt Blossom Room. Douglas revealed an interesting, pleasing voice. Miss Claire’s voice was up to standard in quality, but her enunciation was quite poor. Miss Segal’s voice came over with a thick, throaty quality and a tre- molo. Rickard’s was a light tenor of the pop variety, giving out the impression that he was a reformed crooner. He had his moments, but did not impress as being light opera quality. Jean Cowan was in very good voice. An an entertainment, the pro- gram lacked continuity. The an- nouncer also gave birth to a new word: “in-dentified,” which he used, or misused, several times. FIRST NATIONAL HOUR KFWB, LOS ANGELES (Reviewed February 9) By remote control from F. N. Studios, Burbank. Announced as a Romberg-Ham- merstein program, many tuned in expecting to hear personally from these dignitaries, knowing they were in Hollywood. How- ever, program turned out to be a string of orchestral numbers from the works of these men. includ- ing “Desert Song,” “New Moon,” “Student Prince” and “Blossom- time,” whose well-worn themes were vocalized by Bernice Claire, Alexander Gray, Milton Douglas.' Jean Cowan. Vernon Rickard and Vivian Segal. The voices broadcast very well, Hardly ever a comedy picture, whether feature or ‘short,’ that doesn’t select anywhere from one to a dozen jokes and gags out of MADI- SON’S BUDGET. The author of MADISON’S BUDGET is now located in Hollywood, and al- though Thanksgiving Day is a long way olf, is ready to talk ‘turkey’ to some big motion pic- ture concern that desires a writer who really knows his laughs. So DIAL for DIALogue and other comedy require- ments to JAMES MAD- ISON, ORegon 9407, the address being 465 South Detroit St., Los Angeles