Inside facts of stage and screen (February 22, 1930)

SATURDAY, FEB. 22, 1930 INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN PAGE ELEVEN REVIEWS COMMENT RADIOLAJVD By FRED YEATES CHATTER NEWS FOR THEIR FILMS The M-G-M Movie Club Hour, a Wednesday night feature of the Don Lee System, has been discon- tinued, only temporarily according to Metro and KHJ, but bound to be a disappointment to the large audience attracted by the entertainment provided by the picture people. Metro acknowledges a wide re- sponse to the program in the shape of fan mail and other re- actions, and probably profitable from the advertising angle as the programs were used to plug Metro pictures and personalities, and of late Fox Theatres were included. Letters received averaged be- tween 2000 and 2500 weekly from Pacific Coast points. Most of the picture studio of- ficials are thoroughly sold on radio broadcasting as a publicity vehi- cle. The national broadcast re- leased Monday afternoons over the Columbia and Don Lee sys- tems is to be continued, but it is limited to half an hour, and, although timed to reach the popu- lation centers of the East at the best time for big audiences, it is too early on the Pacific Coast for most effective coverage. There is every evidence, says an M-G-M official, that radio is one of the best advertising me- diums and justifies the large sums spent by them in providing orch- estras and talent for the pro- grams. Temporary discontinuance of the Wednesday night hour was due to exhaustion of the financial appropriation to cover it, and there is every expectation that it will be resumed in the very near fu- ture. Everything was being done to bring this about as soon as possible. Pickups & Viewpoint KHJ CHANGES Well known for some time as pianst over KHJ, Mona Content resigned this week. Also the team know as “The Four Boys’ has dissolved, Roy Ringwo-ld be- ing the only one of the group to remain with the Don Lee station. 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 Ask Your News Dealer for INSIDE FACTS On Sale at All News Stands Every Week CUKE FOR BETTER SN'T PROVE TO There is a big difference be- tween the Art of Speech, as scho- lastically taught, and the art of play-acting, and this is glaringly evident to people with real stage experience when they hear _ the dramatic efforts of Prof. Linds- ley over KHJ. Thursday evening, Feb. 13, _ the learned prof dramatized an inci- dent from Les Miserables. Words, words, words; perfectly enunci- ated so far as formation of syl- lables were concerned, but with- out character, color or flavor, bringing to the audience a blurry picture of the Bishop, impover- ished by his love for mankind, at least that was what was supposed to have been portrayed. The lady in support, Fleda Brigham, tried to play two roles by changing her voice, while Arthur Brady es- sayed to play the part of the con- vict, with amateur success. Present-day standards of the drama require that lines shall be spoken by the 'character rather than by the actor. We have heard man^ stage directors curse the scholastically taught thespian for the work they have had to undo. However, so long as the listeners accept these offerings as a form of entertainment and the actor- minded do not accept them as in- structional, the foundation of Thespia will remain unshaken, no doubt. * * * Alfred Hertz again brought his San Francisco Symphony orches- tra to us over the NBC last Thurs- day, and again was disappointing. His presentation of the London derry Air was a beautifully flow- ing thing, but there his inspira- tion seemed to end. Merry Wives of Windsor might be typically English in construction but it was not interpreted in the way most Englishmen would like to hear it. Papa Hertz made it sound like a pastoral, and al- though we have a passion for symphony we tuned out in favor of the Merrymakers. * * * Anent our interview last week with Carl Haverlin, in which he accused radio artists of not tak- ing their work seriously enough, a fan postcards, “Evidently some radio artists don’t practice what they screech.” * * * KFWB came through with a couple of hours of hot entertain- ment last Sunday night. They presented a new band, the South- landers, under Arthur Moranz, and its first appearance was most prepossessing. Selections ran all the way from current pops to the Nutcracker and all were handled with musicianship and good micro- phone showmanship. Assistance was lent by Buster Dees, with a nicely controlled tenor, and the three Boswell Sisters, who showed a pleasing improvement in vocal balance. A nice feature was a revival of Sally of My Dreams,” a song the musical worth of which justi- fied a wider popularity than it enjoyed when first introduced. Moranz played it for all its value. This program followed the regu lar First National hour, piloted by William Beaudine. Jane Green, of vaude fame, sold her songs in great style, and the California Crooners sang unaccompanied numbers in a way liable to make people actually like crooning. Jean Cowan’s dependable talents and Leo Forbstein’s Vitaphone orch- estra filled out a bill that was the best yet heard on this hour. Bill Beaudine as master-of-ceremonies, convinced us that he is no doubt a pretty good movie director. * * * They say that when Pietro Gen- tile first appeared on KHJ in an excerpt from “The Rogue Song” he was actually singing for his life, as he had been trying to get on M-G-M’s payroll. They say, also, that he had hardly finished before the studio phoned to cor- ner him and not let anybody get to him until they had him signed. Anyway, he has not been singing with the same fire since. He’d better watch out for that tremolo, too. * * * “Good News” will be old news BE THAT 11 ALL A smart salesman thought of a smart idea one day when in a lo- cal radio station. He heard the click of typewriters in the busi- ness office and watched the door to the broadcasting studio open fre- quently to admit announcers and employees while artists were work- ing before the mike. The station owner happened to be a man whose hobby was per- fect broadcasting, so when Mr. Salesman pointed out the assault on art that would be incurred if, while a coloratura was singing gaily of spring or a philosopher was invoking universal peace, the studio door should suddenly be opened to admit a wave of ma- chine gun staccato. The salesman walked away with an order for a battery of sound- less typewriters and with the com- missions put himself in the class of the “man who owns one.” But when Gabe toots his big bull sax and that bird comes up for judg- ment he’ll wish he never got that comish, because he’ll find black marks in the record charging him with sending several human souls to perdition. The machines are quiet enough, but the personnel is not used to them 'and when the studio door opens now the wave that hits the mike is a chorus of frenzied profanity from the typ- ists. Program Reviews MURPHY PLAYERS KFWB, LOS ANGELES (Reviewed February 11.) The ten-minute playlet “Death Says, It Isn’t So,” offered by the Murphy Players wins a permanent rave from this reviewer. Broad- cast as from a hospital room it presented a semi-humorous view of the episode of passing from this life that undoubtedly struck a. glad note in the hearts of many listen- ers. It was billed as a satire, but we thought it an inspiration, un- usually well written and well acted. Preceding the above was a sketch “A Faithful Admirer,” the story of a barber who worshiped a stage star, and the manner of his dis- illusioning. This also was delight- fully rendered, marked by splendid enunciation of lines and admirable inflections. We desire to comment on the players individually in this review, but the opening announcement of cast was missed and it was not repeated at the close, and the tele- phone girl at the studio was un- able to answer our request for in- formation. F, SYMPHOHY MAKES IIS BOW The California Symphony Or- chestra made its first public ap- pearance Wednesday of this week over KHJ, under the direction of ■Hans S. Linne; Julius Bierlick, concert master. This is an aggregation of fifty pieces sponsored by the Musicians union, which has been rehearsing for the past eight months. The object is to create concert enter- tainment in Southern California for those unable to patronize the Phil- harmonic, to furnish a high grade free-lance radio feature, and also to furnish work for some of the musicians now out of employment. The work is to be rotated among the good-standing members of the union. HURST IN ‘GOOSE’ Paul Hurst has been signed for a part in “Cooking Her Goose,” at RKO studios. before M-G-M gets it filmed, even in the sticks where the stage pro- duction was not shown. The num bers are being plugged to death on the air. * * * Barks from the Office Dog: Lindsay MacHarrie and Dick Creedon up at sunrise to hunt rabbits ... by sundown one cottontail had bitten the dust . . . run over by auto . . . Glen Dolberg rusty on his Roman eti quette . . . thumbs up but he meant NG . . . Elvin Allman in new flaming dress . . . also wear- ing a solitaire . . . any signifi- cance? . . . June Parker singing between sneezes these days Leigh Harlene looking more stu- dious every day . . . Ray Paige with a volunteer secretary Gene Byrnes missing signals nearly spoiled the cocktail Roland Foss exercising his pea- nut habit ... it runs in the fam- ily .. . KFI gallery of celebrities democratic dishabille . . . the studio walls are being painted . Jose Rodriguez free and unfet tered again . . . 'the line forms to the right . . . Robt. Hurd back from S. F. with a black hat . . all he needs now is long hair . . Carl Haverlin with a, sore throat, . . . Piano trouble around KECA . . . good tone but stiff action . . . this does not apply to the pianists . . . Glenhall Taylor go ing Grey . . . Freeman Lang in one-act play . . . “love’s labor lost” . . . Ho hum . . . it’s a dog life CROSS-SECTIONING RADIOLAND THUMBNAIL REVIEWS LOS ANGELES (Reviewed February 14.) KFWB (7:30 p.m.). “Journeys of a Jilted Girl,” by Kay Van Riper, an episodic playlet musically interpreted by Ray Martinez or- chestra, name part taken by the authoress. She read her lines ex- cellently and made her adventures interesting. Adding to general hu- mor was a crooner singing “My Soup-pressed Desire.” No ad plug. KTM (8:00 p.m.). Evening Ranch Hour; comment asked for; formerly a morning program. Fi- nance Co. ad plug. “Cheyenne” sung by male voices, “Soldier’s Joy,” violin and guitar jig, “Cow- bo 3 r ’s Lament,” vocal duet and gui- tar; decidedly rural flavor and ex- ceptionally well done. A delightful feature. KMTR (8:15 p.m.). “. . . keep those 3 billion 500 million cells of which your body is constructed vibrating with abounding vigor and health . . .” In other words be a best seller. A health talk for busi- ness men. Followed by orchestra and soprano, who has a nice voice, then male voices in “Musketeers.” Program turned out to be tag end of “Magic Lands” hour. KHJ (8:30 p.m.). Orchestra and vocal ensemble in “Tea for Two;" Ray Paige orchestra “Charming; Carl Omeron, tenor, and orches- tra in “My Love Parade,” came in humming and then vocalized chor- us; high grade in every depart- ment. Auto ad plug. , KFVD (8:45 p.m.). Tom and Wash, another Amos and Andy team, running for office as dog catcher in order to get into poli- tics. Just a lot of words; no hu- mor detectable. KECA (9:00 p.m.). William MacDougal, Scotch “comedian.” We would be interested in know- ing who encouraged him. Songs “Come Back Nanny” and “We Par-r-rted on the Shore” were of- fered. Were there any takers? No voice, no originality and no ex- cuse. KNX (9:10 p.m.). The Lion- tamers. Bert Butterworth in ac- tion again. Side shows, jazz bands, calliopes and general uproar, with funnv gag lines. Gasoline ad plug. KEJK (9:30 p.m.). Opening fes- tivities at Maddux Beverly Hills airplane salon; lesson on flying by Lieut. Tomlinson, Freeman Lang, M.C., intensely interesting. Musi- cal interludes by Roy Gill dance band. Lindberg and wife and Amelia Earheart were cornered in an office by Lang, but they re- fused even a word over the mike. Our American Royal Family can- not be soiled by contact with the common herd. Honk-honk! What makes life most interest- ing for a chief announcer? In the case of Lindsay MacHar- rie, at KHJ, it is not preparing the milk bottles for fledgling an- nouncers, granting personal audi- ences to thrilled feminine fans or opening perfumed envelopes. The excitement in his life is preparing the program for the Merrymakers, the Thursday night frolic hour produced here for Coastwide re- lease. “We set a program half a dozen times during the week, only to change it. Why? Oh, just because something better pops up. On Sunday we sit by the fireside, smoking our pipe, and all kinds of funny things occur to us, things that send us into paroxysms of silent mirth. We can’t laugh out loud on Sunday, you know, for fear of disturbing the quiet of the Los Angeles Sabbath. “But in the gray light of Mon- day morning the gags and lines that seemed so funny on Sunday don’t seem a bit funny. Perhaps we laughed too much and ex- tracted all the humor. Anyway, they are flat and lifeless. But later on in the day we are bright- ened by the appearance of the radio editors in person and we be- come inspired to go on to greater things. “On Tuesday we commit the folly of showing our program to somebody, who immediately takes the joy out of life by saying, ‘Aw, that gag’s been done to death— get sumpun new!’ This spoils our whole continuity. By Wednesday we have a new one, and then some of the talent we have hired gets a job in pictures and leaves us flat. “Thursday morning, however, we have everything set, and then Thursday night we go on the air with something entirely different. “For the chief announcer of a radio station, Life Is Just Like That.” CARTOONIST ON AIR A radio cartoonist in the person of Bob Wildhack, ex-newspaper pictorial humorist, goes on the air next week over KHJ. His broad- cast material was popular two years ago but was discontinued be- cause of Wildhack’s illness. He achieves his cartoons by means of sound effects. HURD IN S. F. Robert Hurd, program director of stations KFI and KECA, Los Angeles, is spending a week at the Pacific Coast headquarters of the NBC in San Francisco, ob- ject: swapping of ideas to mutual advantage. TWENTY CONCERTS CBS has booked the New York Philharmonic Symphony Orches- tra for a series of 20 Sunday after- noon concerts for next season. ANNOUNCE SWITCHES Following numerous complaints, it has now become the rule on the Anthony stations that when a net- work program is switched from its accustomed station to another, announcement of the substitution will be broadcast immediately pre- ceding the program. 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- t hough Thanksgiving Day is a long way off, 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