Inside facts of stage and screen (August 23, 1930)

PAGE EIGHT INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN SATURDAY, AUGUST 23, 1930 Behind The ‘Mike’ With The Microphone Club By JACK PARKER It looks like the broadcasting biz is on the hummer, if one is to judge by the reports that came in to this writer during the week. Reports have it that three local stations are on the market to be sold at a great loss. We do know that you can lose your shirt in the game—but on the other hand I think that with the right man behind the door marked “PRIVATE,” the business will pay—and pay well. I don’t think a young girl should be given the responsibility of di- recting a radio station except when said young lady shows marked ability. I have in mind a certain local station that has left the im- portant job of meeting the adver- tisers, as well as the artists, to a young slip of a girl. * * * The Ray Sisters, radio team, has sailed for San Francisco to look over the field. They will return some time next month, according to a post card from the kids, show- ing the county jail of San Jose and written on the back as follows: “WISH YOU WERE HERE.” Ouch! * * * Eddie Vine, vaudeville and radio big shot, was M. C. last week on the frolic. Eddie knows the show business from A to Z, and I hope he will be back with us soon. Ed- die claims he was M. C. for John Booth—and still says his age is 26. * * * The _ HARMONETTES, a girl trio, who have only been on the air for six weeks, have been offered a long-term con- tract by a Chicago radio sta- tion. The trio is comoosed of Gladys Schacht, Eunice and Irma Newgard. * * * Walter Fett, Chicago song writer, will arrive in Hollywood next month to do radio work and to write songs for a new picture slated to go into production some time in November. * * * Will Rossiter, the Chicago publisher, writes he is going strong again. Will is one of the few independent publishers of music in the market today. Do you remember “MEET ME TONIGHT IN DREAM- LAND”? Well, that song was put on the map of songland by Will, himself. * * * Don Wilson of KFI is said to have asked “that certain party” to be MRS. WILSON. So I will say “CONGRATULATIONS, DON!” in big type. * Polly Grant Hall, of KFI, will not resign from the staff as reports had it. She would not be able to play for Jack Parker (this is not official), and Jack would never be able to sing without Polly. (This is official.) I want to thank Ravenelle of Hollywood Plaza Salon fame for the artists that will be fea- tured on the half-hour of bet- ter music presented by the Mike Club from KGFJ on Fri- Amos ‘n’ Andy have reached the top rung of fame’s ladder. But they have no exclusive patent on the process. Any other team can follow (not imitate), their footsteps. Here is the recipe: Talent and ma- terial. If you have the former and will risk some coin of the realm for the latter, let me hear from you. £ JAMES MADISON 465 South Detroit Street Los Angeles Phone ORegon 9407 day at 2:30 p. m. The following artists will appear before the mike on that date: Mme. Maria Gerdes, famous piano star from Europe; Carl Leser, vocal solo- ist and Atwater Kent prize winner; Bertha Leser, pianist, and others of national fame. Gene Clark will announce this program. * * * Herbie Pickford was the boy be- hind the piano on the Mike Club frolic last week and, according to the artists, Plerbie is one of the best accompanists they have ever worked with. Come back again, Herb. * * * Marie Perry, piano player de luxe from the wide-open spaces of Michigan, is in town, and they tell me she has about de- cided to send for her tooth brush and plant her tent in Hollywood. We dare you, Marie. Miss Perry was the girl who put the famous “Mis- souri Waltz” on the map. * * * I want to be one of the first to welcome Richard Cromwell, the new picture find of Harry Cohn’s, of Columbia Pictures, to the Mike. Richard’s real name is Roy Rada- bough. He hails from Long Beach and never saw the inside of a mo- tion picture studio until he asked for a test at Columbia. Richard will play “Tol’able David.” He won after Harry Cohn had made 172 tests ip r the part. * * * I also am glad to see Babe Kane, of Chicago, doing so well in pictures. Babe used to work for the writer in the Windy City. She came to Hollywood and made good at once. A good voice, like Babe’s, will take her up the ladder of fame. I am happy to write these few words in her praise. * * * Blanche Ballage, one of the di- rectors of the Mike Club, has taken to the air in more than one way. She flew to Chicago for the open- ing of the Art Clubs of America meet in the Windy City, and will make an air tour of the leading cities of the United States before her return to Los Angeles. * * * Reports that Gene Clark, vice- president of the Microphone Club of America, had signed to appear in vaudeville in the east were de- nied this week by Mr. Clark’s sec- retary. Clark turned down a long- term contract to remain on the West Coast as vice-president in charge of programs for the club. * * * It was reported to “Inside JiMMIE ADAMS IN AUTO CRASH Jimmy Adams, better known as Lena, the negro cook of the KTM ranch, found himself in a rich di- lemma the other night, which is affording his associates more laughs than it does him. All dolled up his familiar black- face mammy outfit, he hopped into his rattler in a rush to reach West Washington and Eighth ave- nue where the broadcasting was taking place. In his anxiety to get there on time, he inadvertently crashed into a Packard with much destruction to the latter. Getting out of his car to see what happened, a crowd quickly gathered and he had to stand for quite considerable tongue-lashing and insults to his burnt cork color before he got a chance to apolo- gize and assure the irate owner that he was perfectly responsible and thoroughly sorry. When the crowd finally let Jimmy get away he carried in his wake a good-sized audience to the stamping ground. IS NEW FEATURE An interesting new feature on KTM is the Spanish half hour be- ing presented every afternoon from 3 to 3:30 o’clock. Artists are Enrigueta Moncayo, soprano; Miss Fiche Moneajo, pianist; Henry Avila, tenor; Manuel Navarro, pi- anist; Ignacio Guerra Bolanos, baritone; Miss Lucita Higuera, so- prano, and Mrs. De Monte, mez- zosoprano. MOREHOUSE CAST Bert Morehouse, who appeared in RKO Radio Pictures in “Con- spiracy” and “Leathernecking,” has been given a role in “Losing Game,” directed by Lowell Sher- man. Facts” this week that a well- known Hollywood radio sta- tion was for sale. Later they say that three stations are on the market. * * * A report has come to me that the Columbia Broadcasting System will tie up with another Los An- geles station for its second outlet in Southern California. * * * H. Albert Rice, former assistant editor of “Pleasure Magazine,” and at one time co-editor of “The Broadcast Listener” magazine, has joined the staff of the official or- gan of the National Radio Artists Association, Inc., “The Radio Forum.” * * * Harry Hall, director of programs for KFI-KECA, is on his vaca- tion in the mountain country of Northern California. Harry will be missing for the next two weeks. * * * Eva Tanguay has just signed contracts that will take her back East the first of September for a vaudeville tour that will run 15 weeks. KHJ WINS GRANT Application of KHJ to in- crease their power to 50,000 watts has been granted by Federal authorities. This will increase the potentiality of this station to the equal of any in the world. VARIETIES HAS NEW ANNOUNCER Bill Ayres, formerly with, Ra- dio Varieties, is now in charge of the daytime program of KGER in Long Beach, Gus Mack is vice- president of Radio Varieties. The Varieties have just signed a new announcer, Robert Irving. They report that their business in electrical transcriptions is flour- ishing, having just completed 26 records of Gillum and Attebury. K-H-J-ISMS June Parker and Nell Lerson have bought a horse for riding purposes. The milkman sold it to them by the pound at standard neighborhood butcher quotations. On the toss, Nell got the south end of the animal and June the north. A dotted line divides the animal fairly in half and each owner has to keep up her end of the brute. A disagreement in naming the horse developed and the follow- ing compromise was affected: June calls her half “Hale” and Nell names her’s “Farewell.” The ani- mal sags badly and ball bearing roller skates have been strapped to its tummy to give it standard 4-inch clearance. * * * Charles Forsythe, sound - effect technician, has been added to the KHJ staff to create storms, col- lisions, roaring motors, marching feet, the snap of false teeth, stock market crashes, morning at the zoo, etc. Forsythe has been in the sound-effect profession since the days of the lickelodeon. * * * Charles Frederick Lindsley, chief of the Department of Speech at Occidental College, is directing and announcing “Folgeria,” the serial comic opera which made its debut last week. * * * Wesley B. Tourtellotte, KHJ’s Midnight Organist, and Elvia All- man, the KHJ Surprise Package Girl, fled to San Bernardino on a velocipede and were thoroughly married. * * * Helen Bliss, KHJ staff harpist, married Bill Hutchinson, KHJ dog-bark and cackle expert, this week. Helen is very fond of men and dogs and believes that, in Bill, she has the best elements of both. * * * Dale Stoddard, KHJ arranger and saxophonist, walks the plank in a few days. The lucky lady’s name is not available at this writing. * * * Bob Bradford, KHJ staff bari- tone, and Jeanette Rogers, former KHJ flutist, were married several months ago, and the same story is told of Eddie Skrivanek, KHJ arranger and banjo-guitarist. * * * KHJ has entered June Parker in the annual contest for radio queen at the national radio show, New York City. HALL IN “THIRD ALARM” James Hall has been chosen by Tiffany for the leading masculine role in “The Third Alarm.” Anita Louise has the chief feminine role. HAVE YOU HEARD BILLY VAN? At KFWB, Hollywood KENNETH RUNDQUIST Baritone LEIGHTON’S CAFETERIA Market at Powell San Francisco LOCAL COLOR HELPS SKETCH IN POPULARITY Officials of the National Broad- casting Company are conducting a survey of their chain of radio sta- tions to find out the reason for the popularity of dramatic sketches. They believe that a “love of lo- cal color” is an answer to the new interest of radio audiences. Whether or not “local color” has played a part in the success of Amos ’n’ Andy is problematical; but never- theless, it is a huge factor, officials declare. The two comedians un- deniably know their characters and dialect, having had much con- tact with southern negroes. Another popular radio serial is “The Rise of the Goldbergs.” Mrs. Gertrude Berg, author of the script, takes her material from ob- servations of the east Side New York “cloak and suit” district. She knows the speech, habits, and traditions of the New York Jew- ish people and applies them with delicate humor. In analyzing the situation, offi- cials believe that fans are enthus- iastic over the sketches because they have a sympathetic interest in the “unknown neighbor,” his dilemmas and rejoicings. The Columbia Broadcasting System is also trying an experi- ment with a serial musical comedy which is being given in half-hour episodes every Thursday evening at 9 over KHJ. It is entitled “Fol- geria,” advertising Folger’s coffee, and the plot is laid in a mythical country in South America on a coffee plantation. The music is being written by numerous com- posers and each week’s unit will be complete in itself. The entire tale will require 52 weeks to un- fold. The first segment was received with much approbation last week and it is anticipated that the offer- ing will evoke as much interest as is being elicited by the dramatic serials. Radio Sparks By The Tattler Gin and radio cannot work hand in hand. That is why we write this line or two for the very popular young radio star who is not adverse to drinking plenty every day before he goes on the air. We advise every young man or woman in the game to lay off the fire water while on duty at least. * * * Did you know that about 75 per cent of the local radio stars are free talent as far as the radio sta- tions are concerned? And that as far as the station program man- agers are concerned they will re- main so? Who will pay for talent as long as they can get the poor saps to work for NIX? * * * A certain program manager of a well-known local station is doing his best to make things hard for certain radio artists. We can see nothing but the FADE-OUT for this man and I can say that many persons in the game will welcome the EXIT. * * * We wonder if the big I AM who makes a visit to the studios each week and tells that he is western director of a well known eastern chain thinks that he is fooling standard radio artists in this town. This same man was working as a bell boy for a na- tional chain last year in the New York studios, and now he is try- ing to pick up some change from the easy-ito-take-in-radio artists, but we will see that the BIG SHOT is given free publicity every place the TATTLER goes. WARNERS OPEN RITZ Warner Bros, added another house in their expansion program when they opened the Ritz in San Bernardino with Joe E. Brown in “Top Speed.” Tommy Harris Singing Over KFRC SAN FRANCISCO Direction: AL PEARCE STAGE AND SCREEN EMPLOYEES—LEARN JANE COWLE’S SYSTEM OF SUPER-SPEED WRITING IN 5 WEEKS A SHORT SHORT SHORTHAND—Easy to Learn—Easy to Pay This Ad Entitles You to a FREE Lesson PHONE FOR APPOINTMENT JANE COWLE SECRETARIAL STUDIOS 735 South Grand Avenue Phone TUcker 9186 Los Angeles