Inside facts of stage and screen (May 23, 1931)

Saturday, May 23, 1931 INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN Page Nine HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE ON THE AIR S. F. Rambles By Harold BocJc SAN FRANCISCO, May 22.— An international hookup brought the Pope to Coast radio listeners last week and the broadcast drew a record number of listeners. However, NBC had a little trouble with its lines and found it necessary to fill in several times \fith extemporaneous pro- grams. Last fill in was a very informal NBC program utilizing lots of noise and merriment. Announcer, reading the sign- off continuity, said *'This little bit of nonsense comes to you from the San Francisco studios of Na- tional Broadcasting Co." And im- mediately the phones started ringing while irate listeners de- manded an explanation of what was meant by callng the Pope's broadcast a "little bit of non- sense." Execs went into a conference about it but there was nothing to be done. But the letters are still com- ing in. Speed is the thing that counts. There's nothing worse than long waits on or between radio pro- grams. . ^ fact that was driven home by an unexplained five- minute wait between the Town Crier and Who Cares hour on KPO last Tuesday. It's not the first time that station has had such long lapses. Jimmy Hatlo, Call-Bulletin car- toonist, gave birth to a clever brain child called the Interna- tional Kennel Club, formed for those husbands who are continu- ally in the dog house. Hatlo's idea has found its way to KFRC where Dick Rickard is holding club meetings on the Sunshine hour every Sunday afternoon, 1 to 2 o'clock. Ruby Adams (Mrs. Coffee Dan) has arranged a series of kid pro- grams for KJBS during the sum- mer months. Under her direc- tion a flock of kid entertainers will take to the air from time to time. Johnnie Zunino, KLX accordion- ist, was married this week to Eva Grondona, non-pro, and the pair is honeymooning in South- ern California. - Harry Bechtel and Adele Buri- an have teamed for a half hour Saturday night program over KYA doing songs and gags. The KYA gang is wondering whether the gags are to kill time between songs. . .or, vice versa. At any rate, it ought to be good, the ro- The HARMONIZERS RECORDING TRIO KPO SAN FRANCISCO T. RAWLS PIANO ACCORDION ARTIST Open lor Radio and Club Dates Call Inside Facts for Information Report Orpheum To Be Television Lab Despite denial by David Sarnoflf during his recent visit to the coast that his trip was for the purpose of establishing a television broad- casting station in Hollywood, re- ports persist that the Radio people are going in for heavy experimen- tation in this field shortly. Local advices have it that the L. A. Orpheum is going to be used as a television testing spot during the summer, with a prospect that the RKO Studios lot will be a site for an RKO broadcasting station this fall, provided the Orpheum testing-out warrants the establish- ment of such a plant. Economic as well as scientific considerations will govern the RKO television projects, it is un- derstood, the Radio people holding this development as an ace-in-the- hole if their present investments fail to bolster up for hefty nets. That is, provided television can be got into shape for broadcasting by the tim« hoped for. Reviews KFI 9:00-10:00 A. M. An hour made interesting by a fast-moving variety program. The commercial angle seemed to be an integral part of the entertainment, as it was neatly presented under the mask of the educational lec- ture. Recipes were read to a pleas- ing score of music; dental talks were made interesting by helpful suggestions, and with all an abun- dance of instrumental and vocal music was supplied to keep the listener contented with this spot on the dial. This one hour included songs, educational talks, violin, piano, or- gan and tenor vocal solos—variety indeed. tund Bechtel having a varied ca- reer in the theatre to his credit and Miss Burian likewise display- ing a lot of talent in her par- ticular line. Another radio team is that of Benay Venuta and Paul Lingle on KPO. It's every Wednesday, 10 to 10:30 a. m., and Miss Venuta sings while Lingle pianos. And it's a swell combination, if you ask me. Jack Plumelet is out of KYA. KPO's Who Cares hour is grad- ually gettng the axe liaving been trimmed until it is now on but two days weekly. That station's pop orchestra is also through within the next two weeks during the summer months. Van and Don's contract with Quaker Oats for an NBS broad- cast is about due to expire. When it was announced that they prob- ably would stop broadcasting soon NBC received several thousand letters requesting the 7:30 a. m. hour to continue. Art Kales, general manager of KFI-KECA, ij in Los Angeles to conier with Don Oilman on a lot of technical matters. KCER 8:00-8:30 P. M. Dolan and Crary are a snappy pair putting individual pep into this thirty minutes of old and new favorite numbers. The pair work together in the perfect harmony of teamwork, yet give that excep- tional effect of extemporaneous interpretation. The numbers used included ^'Drifting and Dreaming,*' "Ho Hum!" ''Springtime in the Rockies," "When You and I Were Seventeen" and "Our Bungalow of Dreams." This swiftly moving program succeeded in maintaining popular dial interest to th every end. KELW 11:00 A. M. Thege boys, "The'Texas Long Horns," got olf to a good start by pulling gags about Ned's funny hat, etc., which instilled in the list- ener a feeling of familiarity. They ai'e one of the more genuine gi-oups of entertaining cowboys which reach paramount popularity on the west coast. 23,230 Hours On Air Brings Party KGFJ, the 24-hour station, will celebrate 23,230 continuous hours of broadcasting with a whoopee party in the Fifteenth and Figue- roa Street Studios Sunday evening (May 24). Station members in charge of the affair promise plenty of frolic as the new world's record Js cele- brated. Ben S. McGlashan, the youthful owner of the station, is further celebrating by making additions to his announcing staff, recent aug- mentation being Al Weinert, by revamping his type of program, and installation of a new produc- tion department. The affair Sunday evening is a closed proposition for the station staff, artists and newspapermen who handle radio. A buffet sup- per "vvill be served.- The event will be broadcast from 10 p. m. until a future hour not yet set. FINK WITH KCER Adolph Fink, internationally known composer and director, has joined KCER where he is prepar- ing a treat for radio listeners in the form of new operatic and classic style entertainment which is expected to supply a new and welcome classical balance to the present popular broadcasts. SEATTLE, May 22.—The Mel- ody Team, featured nightly over station KFQW, is a request pro- gram that comes in for much favorable comment. Team con- sists of Dave Blumenthal, volin- ist, and Joe Lyman, pianist. In- cidentally Dave is also the sta- tion program manager. L. A. Rambles .By The Dialer COMBINE PROGRAMS KELW's Texas Longhorns combine with the California Pi»^e Band in concert on June 10 for the benefit of the Belvedere Kil- ties of the Brotherhood of Amer- ican Yeomen relief fund. SEATTLE, May 22. — Three boys calling themselves "Eighteen Feet of Harmony" are a recent and worthwhile addition to the KJR staff. Their rendition of the pop tunes of the day are good and the boys are worthy of notice. WRANGLERS AT BARD*S Seeing the near-capacity busi- ness pulled to the Fox-Palace by the Hillbillies during the week, Bard's Eighth Street booked the Wranglers for following week. Sadie Halperin Theatrical Agency GIRL REVUES — SINGERS — DANCERS VAUDE ACTS FOR ALL OCCASIONS 808 Warner Bros. Downtown Bldg. Telephone VAndike 3234 KFOX 12:00 M.-12:30 P. M. The Rodeo Boys succeed in hold- ing the air in a 30-minute broad- cast from Belmont Park. The program held a surprise in the departure trom the regular cov/boy chants to the vocal presen- tation of old Irish numbers. ''How Ireland Got 1^^ Name" sounded a big hand from their flesh audience. COOKIE KFWB 2-2:15 P.M. This personality girl with that ultra-blues voice that stands 'em still at her station number, had a pleasing array of popular numbers on tap at this hour. Outstanding among her offerings for the pe- riod was the new Gene Johnston song, "Only a Good Time Girl/' a number that she sold for its full value—and it has lots of it. An- other was Sherman Clay's Im Burning Your Old Love Letters, another nifty ballad-type song. Cookie never fails to sell heav- ily, adding a rare appealing voice to absolute sagacity in selection. ANOTHER KOA BABY DENVER, May 22, — For the second time in less than thi-ee weeks, staff members at KOA, Denver, are munching free choco- lates or smoking free cigars. An- other of their fellow NBC em- ployes has just become a father. The proud Papa this time is Rob- ert H. Owfen, engineer in charge of technical operations. Barbara Lee Owen was born May 11. MAY CHANGE LOCATION KELW has negotiations under way to run a line from the present Burbank transmitter to a promi- nent spot in Hollywood which would be more convenient for the station employees and talent. This merely means that the studios, but not the transmitter itself, would change locations. SEATTLE. May 22. — Tommy Smart is back at KFQW as part owner. Has been back for two weeks after resigning as general manager for the Northwest Broadcasting System. Had been with NBS for a year and a half SEATTLE, May 22.—Dialers tuning in to radio KFQW any night at 9 p. m., are due for a real treat. It is none other than Charle Wellman, the original "Prince of Pep/* Requests on this half hour broadcast for S. & W. pour in at an average bet- ter than three a minute. "Only a Good Time Girl/' a new number bf^in-^'- Published by Gene Johnston, at out over the air this week on the pro- grams of the various radio sta- tions. Among artists featuring it were Cookie at KFWB, Johnny Murray, also of K F W B, Gus Mack, official announcer at KFWB, Harry Geise at KMTR, Bud Averill at KFI-KECA, and Jack Dunn and his orches- tra, broadcasting from the El Patio ballroom. Reports from all spots were that the number im- mediately "took hold" in a big way, and it looks set to crash into the Ten Best class before long. Tom Breneman, recently added to the staff of KNX, has been appointed feature director of the station according to an announce- ment made by Vice President Naylor Rogers. Owen Bartlett has been ap- pointed chief jazz and dance con- ductor of KFI-KECA. Judge Alfred Paonessa, who presides over the traffic division of the Los Angeles municipal court, will inaugurate a series of radio talks over KFI, with the double objective of curbing traf- fic accidents and bringing the traffic police and the citizenry to- gether in a concerted effort to end traffic fatalities. Broadcast will take place on Thursdays at 5:30 p. m. A new dance orchestra is now heard at KFI, daily except Mon- days at 10 P. m. The organiza- tion broadcasts from George 01- sen's club and consists of Edward Hoagland's band with Joe Lewis as master of ceremonies. After July 8, George Olsen himself will replace Mr. Lewis as master of ceremonies. This program cancels the St. Francis orchestra which was broadcast by KFI from San Francisco on the same schedule. Noel Archer, KFI-KECA vet- eran pianist and production man who left the Loa Angeles stations two years ago to work for Anne Nichols in her New York pro- ductions, is back at^ his old desk. Noel was re-engaged by the An- thony stations in his old capac- ity. SEATTLE, May 22. — K JR's "Mardi Gras" hour is increasing- ly popular. Requests pour in and Ward Ireland is kept more than ))usy filling them. The greatest part of the staff is on the program. Another celebrity of the stage has been added to the staff of KNX. He is Glen Ellison, who is said to have made more phono- grai^h recordings than any other individual for any one company. Leitza Taus Ve, numerologist and philosopher, has been incor- porated to the program staff of KFI-KECA, Los Angeles. She will be heard Mondays. Wednes- days and Fridays at 9 p. m. Direct from the largest radio station in Honolulu (KGMB) come the Kylua Rhythm Boys, a genuine Hawaiian musical orpa- nization, to local station KELW on Monday, Wednesday and Fri- day of each week at 10 to 10:30 p. m. Mountain View Sanatorium HIGH AND DRY — NO FOG Beneficial to Asthma Rest Home Beautiful Convalescent and Preferred Nervous Case» Nurse in Attendance H. Rodenmayer, Supt. C. M. Van Orden, Bus. Mgr. 469 NORTH AVENUE 52 Phone CLeveland 61202 THAT SONG YOUR PROGRAM NEEDED "ONLY A GOOD TIME NOW ON THE AIR — AND HOW Professional Copies Can Be Obtained From GENE JOHNSTON MAJESTIC THEATRE BUILDING GIRL 99 LOS ANGELES