Inside facts of stage and screen (Aug 16, 1930)

PAGE EIGHT INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN SATURDAY, AUGUST 16. 1930 REVIEWS COMMENT BALANCE IS NEED OF PROGRAM DECLARES BROADC AST EXPERT By ARTHUR GARBETT SAN FRANCISCO, Aug:. 14.—One of the hardest things in the radio world is to obtain "balance" in a radio program. When somebody says: "I tuned in on XQU the other night for an orchestra concert, and the way they played Rubin- stein's 'Kamennoi-Ostrow' was terrible, and' it's one of my favorites, too," I have doubts about-f the playing being "terrible." More probably "Karfiennoi-Os trow" was played about as usual, but was in the wrong place on the program. It is slow music, long drawn out, and in a major key. If it followed a previous slow number, long drawn out and in a major key, the listener was tired of that kind of music before "Kamennoi-Ostrow" began. Or even if the previous music was bright and quick it may have been too much so, and created a light and flippant mood. The listener was all pepped up when along came a semi-religious blurb that gave him the blues. The program was "out of bal- ance." This is a common fault with radio programs which fail to hold interest, and the program- builder should not be blamed un- duly. The building of a musical radio program nowadays demands an al- most encyclopedic knowledge of music if the program verges to- ward the classics. Yet many things besides music are involved, and the program-builder must have those also at his finger-ends. It "has been my privilege to 'build programs for many sym- phony orchestras for over six years. Whatever success I have had has been due partly to an ex- tensive musical memory, and even more to the ability to "read score." That is, to look at a page of mu- sic and know how it sounds with- out having to have the orchestra play it first, or even to run over it on the piano. By this means, it is possible to get the music together, glance over the contents, and see to it that the program has variety and proportion from start to finish. Proportion is a matter of length, usually. The public likes short numbers, but too many short numbers gives the program a scrappj-^ character. They should lead to a longer, more impressive work that comes as a climax, from -which to start again and mount to another climax. Most program-builders know that, even though they sometimes contrive climaxes that for some reason do not quite come off. In that case, the trouble is usu- ally one of "variety." Here is ■where "score-reading" helps. A glance at the score will show, per- haps, that one number ("Laidow's Musical SnufF-Box," for instance) lies high in pitch and uses a lot of woodwind effects. It is light and gay. Something fairly bright with warmer coloring, louver in pitch, might follow. But there is a dramatic overture ahead, and after the second number we must begin to mount again toward the overture. Perhaps a sustained melody for strings alone is needed, somewhat serious in mood, to pre- pare the way for the excitement of drama. In short, the program-builder must know in advance what the program is going to sound like. If he fails he may well be forgiven, for even the most experienced mu- sic masters sometimes fall down. Recently I went to a summer symphony concert which irritated me ^vithout my knowing why at first. Analysis showed that a somewhat bombasti c symphony dealing with man's struggle with fate had been followed by a Liszt tone-poem dealing with the same theme in much the same strepitous way. For the life of me I could not brood twice in one evening on man's struggle with fate. This was hitting twice on the same spot, and the program was "out of balance." Behind The Mike With The Microphone Club Constructive! My monthly compendium of stage humor, THE COMEDIAN, it an upbuilding medium for every professional entertainer who earns his living by making folks giggle, titter, guffaw and roar. It contains NEW laughs and NEW laughs only, and costs $1 per copy. The first 3 issues are ready. It is small but good—in fact, the highest- priced printed matter in the world. But so certain is the publisher it will satisfy, that in any instance where it fails to do so, he will at once refund the purchase price. Send or- ders to WALTER LONDON p. O. Box 139, Vine St. Station HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. Eddie Vine and Joe Morrrison, the silver voiced tenors, of New York and Chicago, radio fame, are to be featured during the next few weeks on the programs of the Mike Club. The boys are slated to work in a big talking picture pro- duction, Avhich will be produced at a local motion picture studio. * * * "Moonlight on the Colorado" was tuned in from seven stations the other night. It looks like this tune is bound for th^ hit roster, * * ♦ Eva Tanguay, the international stage star, was 'featured on the Microphone Club frolic last Wed- nesday night from KGFJ. Miss Tanguay has just completed a tour of the eastern vaudeville houses. « >tc :(t Gertrude Gussell, in the short time that she has been on the air, has become one of the most popu- lar young singers on K'FI and KECA. Gertrude is also listed on most of the Mike Club programs. « * ♦ Plans are being completed for remote control studios in the Hol- lywood Plaza Hotel Club rooms of the Mike Club, where all pro- grams of the Microphone Club, now presented at the main stu- dios of KGFJ, will be broadcast. * * * Olive Day, New York stage and radio star, is to be married about November 1 to Billie Cantor, pro- duction manager, of- the General Broadcasting Association one of the organizers of the Microphone Club. * * * Did you know that Carl Lamont, the big sheet music man of the west coast, was formerly a mu- sical director in grand opera. (Proof on file in this office.) * * * Mr. J. Field Norton, formerly of the Metropolitan Grand Opera Co. o'f New York, was on our last week's program, and if we judge by the number of requests for Mr. Norton to appear on our next program he will be with us a long time. * * * Jimmie Steiger, well known song writer, whffse hits include that favorite of a few years ago, "I'm Looking at the World Thru Rose Colored Glasses," passed away in New York City a few days ago. Jimmie Avas well liked by every- one and his many friends through- out the country will miss him we know. * * * Milton Prince, recording tenor and late of the Spring and Sum- mer Revue, was a visitor at the Mike Club this week, and Milton tells us that in New York the Teach Stems By Radiocast Jane Cowle, who conducts a sec- retarial school in Los Angeles, has invented a system of super- speed writing, which she claims can be taught over the radio in five weeks of about 20 minutes a day. It is a principle of utilizing let- ter symbols intsead of "pot hooks" and heiroglyphics, and can be readily learned by business men as well as stenographers and students. One of the large radio stations is now negotiating with Miss Cowle for its exclusive broadcast- ing rights and it is to be the first of a series of educational features to be inaugurated shortly. AUEN WEISS IS NEW HEAD FOR DON LEE Lewis Allen Weiss became man- ager of KHJ, the Don Lee sta- tion in Los Angeles, last week, Glenn Dolberg, former manager, has transferred his activities to the commercial department. Raymond Paige will continue in the dual capacity of musical di- rector and program manager. "MAN ABOUT TOWN" Denison Clift, well-known Para- mount writer-director and play- right, has just completed an orig- inal story of diplomatic Washing- ton, "Man About Town," which will shortly be scheduled for pro- duction. Seattle downtown theatre man- agers will celebrate inauguration of Greater Talkie Season by giv- ing all Seattle a free street car ride to the business district to take part in the festivities on the opening daj'. Many special entertainment events will be presented by lead- ing theatres during the four weeks' celebration. U. ENGAGES TREACY Universal has engaged Emerson Treacy to appear in a series of eight two-reel talking comedies, the first of which is "One Day to Live." Albert Kelley is directing. Sam Freedman is supervising this series. boys are making plans to come to Los Angeles and Hollywood this winter (even if they go with- out coffee and—.) * * * Talk about the rich radio artists —we met a chap last week that is rated as a big shot on local programs—and that same chap asked the writer if he knew where he could get a job so that he could send for his wife who is back East. Now the rub is this, this young man is rated in the station publicity as a big salary man, but he don't earn carfare, and the publicity manager knows it. The station is rich in money but very—very poor in fairness. * * * Bill Sharpies and His Gang of KTM have been invited by the Chamber of Commerce of Bloom- ington to open their Watermelon Festival on the night of August 22nd. The purpose of this festival at Bloomington is to raise funds for the Boy Scouts, and since Bill is an honorary member of the Boy Scouts of American Home Gardens troop, he has been se- lected as the logical person to open the festival. Bill and the Gang will leave KTM in a Pacific Grayhound par- lor car de luxe at 3 o'clock Fri- day afternoon, August 22nd, ar- riving in San Bernardino in time to put on a program over KFXM at 6 o'clock. They will be the dinner guests of Mrs. Stolt at the California Hotel, San Bernardino, leaving immediately after dinner in their private parlor car for Bloomington and the Watermelon Festival. San Francisco Radio Notes SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 14.— The audience of KJBS has in- creased more than 50 per cent, ac- cording to Ralph Brunton, station manager, since the all night pro- gram was started. The midnight to sunset sked was inaugurated several months ago, primarily as an aid to the police and fire de- partments for emergency purposes. * * * KTAB has a new one called Noonday Musical Notes which is composed of a combination includ- ing organ, harp and voice. With Alice Blue at the console and Peg O'Moore at the harp and a differ- ent voice each day there's some nice entertainment in this period. Popular ballads and solos are pre- sented. * * * Cy Trobbe presents one of ra- dio's most interesting programs in his Scrap Book emanating from KPO. Since Cy was a boy he has collected anecdotes and inci- dents in the lives of great com- posers. Each Thursday he builds a program around one of these composers. In addition to the Scrap Book Trobbe also directs the Masters of Music and KPO Salon Orchestra daily. * * * Meredith Willson, KFRC musi- cal director, shoves off soon for New York for a vacation, on which his wife will accompany him. Enroute he will stop off at Mason City, Iowa, where, believe it or not, he was born, * * * NBC Studios in San Francisco now are releasing through the Pa- cific NBC network 237 programs weekly. Of this number, 157 are produced in the West and the re- mainder are New York presenta- tions through the Coast-to-Coast hookuf). SIGN WALLACES CHATTER NEWS DONALD FLAMM NOW ON COAST; MAY BUY HERE Donald Flamm. president of a chain of stations in New York, in- cluding WMCA and WPCH, is in Hollywood on an extended vaca- tion with his family. Flamm is reported radio's young- est owner and executive, and in making his first trip to the coast is said to be looking the local situa- tion over. He is impressed with the radio situation here from a commercial standpoint, and will undoubtedly interest himself financially in cer- tain quarters, with an ultimate view of establishing a similar chain in Los Angeles and other parts of Southern (California. DUNN BEAUTY Earlene and Wilma Wallace, known professionally as The Wal- lace Sisters, first protegies of Earle Wallace, have just been signed to be featured in their third New York musical comedy pro- duction, "Fine and Dandy," which is being produced by Morris Green and Lewis Gensier for the Erlanger office. The book is by Donald Ogden Stewart and the music and lyrics by Kay Swift and Paul James. FLYING EASTWARD Ivy Mertons, well-known lead and the third or fourth wife of Richard Wilbur, is flying back to New York. THEY WANT PEGGY Peggy Wallace, a member of the "Oh, Judge" company, which closed last Saturday, has been made a flattering offer for pictures. KELSEY TO LEAVE Carlton Kelsey, orchestra leader of Warner Brothers' Downtown Theatre, leaves for New York in about two weeks. RETAIN HOT TITLE Warners have decided to pro- duce "Ex-Mistress," from the novel of the same name, under that title instead of "One Hour of Love" as previously announced. Neil Hamilton has been signed to play the male lead. FIRE FILM STARTS With the signing of Harry Bowen for a leading^ole in "The Fourth Alarm," production started on Monday at the Darmour Stu- dios. Nick Stuart and Ann Chris- tie are the featured players and, in addition to Bowen, other play- ers include Thomas Santschi and Ralph Lewis. Philip Whitman is directing, from a story by Scott Littleton, and it is being produced by Continental Talking Plays, Inc. RAMBEAU SIGNED Marjorie Rambeau will play the role of "Bella," mother of the hero- ine in "Dark Star," which Metro- Goldwyn-Mayer will produce. Jeanne Dunn, secretary to the radio department head of Piatt Music Co., and entertainer of the air, rated one of the best looking kids in the local broadcast coterie. Someone said she ought to be named for the New York radio show beauty contest. GETS NEW NAME J, W, Sterne, famous lecturer upon prison conditions and crimi- nology, has undergone a change of name. He will henceforth be known as "Punty Wales," taken from the name of the Welsh town in which he was born. MURRAY, SIDNEY BACK Charles Murray and George Sid- ney are back at work at Universal studios under the direction of Al Ray. SHOW SKED SHIFT SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 14.— Capitol, Warren Irons' burlesque house, has shifted from four to three shows daily. Waher Bunker, KFRC an- nouncer, has returned to the sta- tion after two weeks spent in the Bohemian Grove. SACRAMENTO, August 14.— The annual California state fair is due to open here August 30, run- ning until September 7. KEFNETH RUNDQUIST Baritone LEIGHTON'S CAFETERIA Market at Powell San Francisco WM. DON ENGLISH COMEDIAN Creator of the Famous Character, "Dr. Oojah" National Broadcasting Co. San Francisco HAVE YOU HEARD BILLY VAN? At KFWB, Hollywood B.B.B. Says: Irene Taylor down on to San Francisco for Publix. Watta bet for Holljrwood. Didja get a load of Nancy Kelly—ouch I Herman Faley in with his Mis. Marjorie White's kid sister sings — and good too. Hank Carson does Jimmy Durante to perfection. Champion Maxie Bosenbloom sings a la Rich- mond. My trombone in tune.— B. B. B. P. S. — The CELLAR is at Cosmo Street aJid Hollywood Boulevard . . . between Vine and Cahuenga . . . the phone numbers are ORanlte 3 3 8 2 and Hollywood 9 15 9 . . . Parking is free at the lot across from the CELLAR . . . The CHRYSLER and SAM- SONS are there. Thank You.