Motion Picture Daily (July–Sept 1938)

10 RADIO MOTION PICTURE DAILY Friday, September 2 B anner LINES LONG apo Lucy Monroe established herself as a Metropolitan Opera, concert, and radio vocal favorite, but this week she set herself on a path that should lead her to — unless all current signs prove false — the Broadway musical stage. Appearing this week, and for the week to come, in the lead in "Meet My Sister" at the Chapel, summer theatre in Great Neck, Miss Monroe, by her performance to date, has aroused the enthusiasm of the Broadway show folks to an extent sufficient to place her seriously in the running for a role in an important musical now being cast, the title of which we are not at liberty to divulge. "Meet My Sister" is Miss Monroe's first attempt on the staare. and she's proved herself adept at light comedy. J. J. Shubert, to cite an instance, saw her perform the other evening and at the curtain expressed wonder at the short life the play had on Broadway a few seasons back. He's the same Mr. Shubert who produced "Meet My Sister" on Broadway. An enterprising cab driver stations his cab near the entrance to one of the various CBS Playhouses and waits until the studio doors close. Invariably there are a number of latecomers to the broadcasts, and when they are refused admission to the theatres, he tunes in his radio to the program the latecomers intended to see, and sets up a call inviting them to ride around in his cab and listen to the show. He picks up many a fat fare in this manner. Paul Douglas' baseball broadcasts for Chesterfield cigarettes are short-waved over W8XK, Pittsburgh. From Bahrain Islands, in the Persian Gulf, came a letter to Paul the other day from a listener named J. C. Reasover. He writes: "I have to get up at 1:45 A.M. and have a battle royal with Berlin and London to get the baseball games, but it's worth the battle." Nan Wynn, on her "Rhythm Rendezvous" program tomorrow night, will feature three numbers written by members of the band which accompanies her. The numbers are "Monday Morning," by Frankie Worrell, guitarist; "I'm in a Fog About You," by Walter Gross, pianist, and "Mm Mm Not That," by Buddy Sheppard, violinist and conductor of the orchestra on this program. — Jack Banner Varied Program Set For KMT A Sessions Kansas City, Sept. 1.— Among the subjects to be discussed at the annual convention of the Kansas-Missouri Theatres Association here Sept. 7 and 8 will be the music tax rate, non-theatrical competition, merchants' free shows, and specific grievances of individual exhibitors. FCC Charges WNAC With Political Bias Washington, Sept. 1. — A second John Sheppard radio station was placed on the defensive today by the Federal Communications Commission. After weeks of study, the Government bureau scheduled a hearing on the license application of WNAC, several weeks after similar action was taken in the case of WAAB. Political bias and violation of the anti-lottery clauses of the Communications Act are charged by the commission. Another hearing order was directed at KGGC, San Francisco, which already is in bad with the commission. Testimony will be taken on the request for permission to assign the station license to a new corporation, Golden Gate Broadcasting Corp. Other applications set down for hearing were : WJBL, Decatur, 111., for a power increase and frequency change and a time increase for WJBC, Bloomington, 111. Healy, Heatter in New Mutual Series Capt. Tim Healy has been signed to begin his "Stamp Club" series over the Mutual network starting Sept. 12. Kellogg Co. will sponsor the show Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridavs, from 6 :4S to 7 P. M. over WOR, and from 7:30 to 7:45 P.M. over WLW. N. W. Ayer & Son is the agency. Another new Mutual client will be R. B. Semler Co., which will sponsor Gabriel Heatter over WOR and WGN Tuesdays from 9:45 to 10 P. M. starting Oct. 4. Erwin Wasey & Co. is the agency. Although program details are not settled as yet, .Mutual is now devising a special network of stations to carry a program for the Bible Institute. The series is to be presented Sundays at 2 P. M. starting Sept. 25. Critchfield & Co. is the agency. KNX Unit Opens Sept. 16 Hollywood, Sept. 1. — After four weeks of tests, under the supervision of E. K. Cohan, CBS director of engineering, the new 50,000-watt KNX transmitter will be placed in operation Sept. 16. To mark the event CBS will tender a party in the form of an 800-plate dinner, at which CBS stars will entertain. The affair will be broadcast over the KNX-CBS Pacific Coast network. Welles Show to Continue Arrangements have been completed by CBS to continue into the fall and winter the one-hour weekly broadcasts by Orsen Welles and his "Mercury Theatre on the Air." The time of the program has been shifted from Monday nights to Sundav nights from 8 to 9 P.M. Ben Grauer Due Today Ben Grauer, the announcer, and his brother Alvin, advertising executive of the Gimbel Department Stores, return today from a two-week trip to Guatemala. Miss Colbert on "Hotel" Claudette Colbert will be the guest on the inaugural broadcast of the new "Hollywood Hotel" which begins its fifth year on CBS Sept. 9. She will play opposite Herbert Marshall in a dramatization of "Dark Angel." More Good News M-G-M returned its "Good News" program to the air last night after a summer's absence. The offering is basically the same as it was last season. Robert Young, Fanny Brice, Charles Morgan and Meredith Willson's orchestra comprise the regular cast. The guest stars last night were Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney, who contributed excerpts from "Boys Town," and Alice Faye. Louis B. Mayer spoke in behalf of the program and of the Motion Pictures' Greatest Year drive. After paying tribute to the film, "Boys Town," he introduced Rev. E. J. Flanagan, founder of Boys Town, who stated that the picture fulfilled all of his ideals. A full review of the "Good News" program will appear in a forthcoming issue of Motion Picture Daily. Two CBS Programs Renewed for a Year American Home Products, Inc., has signed renewals for two of its daytime shows on CBS, "Romance of Helen Trent" and "Our Gal Sunday." The renewals are for one year each, through the Blackett-Sample-Hummert agency. "Romance of Helen Trent" is broadcast Mondays through Fridays, 12 :30 to 12:45 P. M., and "Our Gal Sunday" follows it on the air. Another renewal just signed at CBS is for the "Prof. Quiz" show, which will be sponsored by the Noxzema Co. at 8 :30 P. M. Saturdays, beginning Oct. 1. The agency on this is Ruthrauff & Ryan. Currently the quiz program is sponsored by Nash Motor Co. Oklahoma College to Get New Transmitter Stillwater, Okla., Sept. 1. — W5YJ, Oklahoma A-. & M. College amateur radio station, will be one of the finest in the state when the new engineering building is completed on the campus. Two 110-foot towers are being erected on the new building to support what will be the highest amateur antenna in the state. In addition to the towers, a specially designed radio room is included as part of the building. A new and powerful transmitter is part of the new equipment for the A. & M. operators. It will be capable of one kilowatt power, the maximum allowed such stations. Heidt to Have Guests Horace Heidt will begin a guest artist policy on his Sunday night broadcast commercial, with the business details being handled by Art Thorsen, in the New York office of the Biltmore, looking for talent. Three Resign from KLZ Denver, Sept. 1. — Frank Quinn, commercial manager, Charles Lang, announcer, and George Luck, merchandising manager of KLZ, have resigned. Around the , Country Chicago Quin A. Ryan, MBS-WGN i tive, is on the hay fever list . . . ■ Behmiller and Betty Caine ge Chicago commuters' prize for tr the longest distance daily for t casts . . . Joe Emerson is do\ North Carolina attending to his orchards during his vacation . . . liam Nevins is the stage name o Weaver, NBC traffic page. H> won several singing contests this nom-de-plume . . . The Na Barn Dance units are making a of appearances at varous state h + Oklahoma City Dick Daniels, sports announce WCAE, Pittsburgh, was in town on his vacation and visited the 1 studios. . . . Bob Knisely, conim manager of KGFF, Shawnee, has resigned to become secreta the Wetumka, Okla., Chambi Commerce. Mr. Knisely has bee gaged in the newspaper and business for the past 10 years. "The Whistling Kid," a new w< serial, has started on WKY Naiph Abodaher of the WKY tinuity department, writing the .' + St. Louis Another solo .flight or two Jimmy Burke, chief engineer of K will be ready for his examinatic a private pilot's license. . . . Kemper, publicity agent and a tising director of KWK, is back a combination vacation and bu trip to Boston, New York, Detro Chicago. ... Ed Schutz, sales ager ; Bill Durney, announcer ; Slattery, publicity director ; Peters, auditor, and Ted White, representative, are all on vac from WIL. . . . Mrs. Allan Ant wife of KWK's chief announce cently underwent an operatic Deaconess Hospital. Dual Features Debai "Single Features vs Double tures" will be discussed on WM. "American Forum" Sept. 6 at 10 " Those who will champion single tures will be Filmore Hyde, edit Cue, and William Hartley, edit Screen Book. Upholding double tures will be Bernard Brandt, president of the Brandt Theatre cuit and a group of movie chosen from the audience. WKRC Adds Annoum Cincinnati, Sept. 1. — Three announcers have been added tc WKRC staff. The new "mike" are Ross Mulholland, John Rej and Don Paevey, and their affil with WKRC augments the annou staff to nine men. Keplinger to KOMO-l Seattle, Sept. 1. — Richard linger has been appointed put director of KOMO and KJR, outlets here. He succeeds R Ackerly, who is moving to Ca nia to assume new radio connec