NBC transmitter (Oct-Dec 1944)

December 1944 3 BOOSTING 6th WAR LOAN Top-Rank Stars and Top-Notch Promotional Ideas Combined in NBC Air Campaign for War Bond Sales NEW YORK. — Climaxed by a 90minute variety show, featuring most of the network’s top-rank talent. NBC and its program sponsors devoted a 19-hour salute to America’s war bond salesmen on Thanksgiving Day. in support of the Sixth War Loan Drive. NBC’s bond campaign opened officially on the eve of the drive, Sunday, November 19, with a special half-hour dramatization written by Robert E. Sherwood, distinguished playwright, and starring Ralph Bellamy, Will Geer, Les Tremayne and Sidney Blackmer. The program, titled “Mission Uncompleted,” followed the general theme of “Now7 Let’s Talk Turkey to Japan,” adopted as NBC’s slogan for the drive. A host of special events, public service and religious broadcasts throughout the month of the Sixth War Loan Drive was devoted to the campaign. All of NBC’s public service and religious programs participated. As a special feature, nine of the network's outstanding programs aided the bond drive w7ith appearances at Chicago's Navy Pier. They were Bob Hope. “Fibber McGee and Molly,” “Carnation Contented,” Kay Kyser’s “College of Musical Knowledge,” Bob Burns, “National Barn Dance,” Eddie Cantor. “Truth or Consequences” and “The Great Gildersleeve.” On Thanksgiving Day, designated as NBC’s Bond Day, the network once again saluted the nation’s War Bond salesmen w7ith tributes and bond messages by stars of stage, screen and radio, messages from service men and women here and abroad, interviews with bond salespeople, hourly broadcasts from shrines and liberated countries and special events pickups. A WIDE BOND ACTIVITY NBC affiliates throughout the nation were applying masterful showmanship towards boosting Uncle Sam’s Sixth War Loan Drive as this issue of The Transmitter went to press. These bond-selling activities will be reported on in detail in the January issue. CAPADEsI I WAR bond show TYPICAL STATION TIE-INS— Left photo shows how If TAM utilized signs on lamp posts to draw crowds to its War Bond. show. Right: Three technical experts of WKY, Oklahoma City, check to see that all equipment is in order before beginning the II KY Sixth War Loan television tour visiting 10 Oklahoma cities. L. to r.: H. J. Lovell, chief engineer; Lester Tucker, engineer, and Pixie McKee, technical advisor. part of every program on the air during the day honored the NBC theme of “Now Let’s Talk Turkey to Japan.” Messages from military leaders, read to their troops in battle, w7ere heard by America's listeners. Admiral Halsey, General Eisenhower, General Vandegrift wrere among those who spoke. Once every hour during NBC's Bond Day, the sound of a doorbell on the air signified that a bond sales person was broadcasting a message. And as the noon hour fell in the four time zones. Protestant. Catholic and Jewish chaplains delivered the traditional noon-day Thanksgiving grace. These messages were read to the fighting men as they sat down to Thanksgiving mess. Keyed to Thanksgiving, the day was also highlighted w ith the reading of President Roosevelt's proclamation and excerpts from the first Presidential proclamation of Thanksgiving Day by Abraham Lincoln. War plant pickups from Buffalo, Detroit. Hartford, and San Francisco. stressed the theme that workers bought bonds and continued their war work even on the holiday. The SMO sign— meaning service men only— was out at the special 90-minute variety show which concluded NBC’s davlong contribution. Gf’s only were admitted to the Hollywood studio for the star-studded hour-and-a-half program wdiich featured such stars as Bing Crosbv. Bob Hope. Jack Benny, Joan Davis, Jack Haley, (Jinny Simms, Rochester, Dinah Shore, Ed (Archie) Gardner, Kay Kyser, Dick Powell. John Charles Thomas, Eddie Cantor, Frank Morgan, Robert Young, Harold (Gildersleeve) Pearv. Cass Daley, Major Meredith Willson and the NBC Orchestra and the Ken Darby Chorus. Hope and Kyser were cut into the program from Chicago, where they were making War Bond appearances. Of especial interest was the news, which broke during this star-studded program, of the bombing of Tokyo by the gigantic B-29’s. Many NBC programs during the monthlong Sixth War Loan Drive contributed all or part of their air time to the campaign. Besides those that originated at Chicago’s Navy Pier, the cast of “Finders Keepers,” novelty variety show, led by Clarence L. Menser, vice-president in charge of programs, flew to Kansas City November 27 to appear at a gigantic bond rally in the Missouri metropolis. In the flying cast were Bob Sherry, Julie Conway. Milton Katirns, Ross Filion. and Marjorie Fisher, the writer. Special guests were Nan Merriman, Bob Merrill, and the comedy team of Block and Sully. Menser was principal speaker at a luncheon meeting of the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and local War Loan Drive officials greeted the New7 Yorkers at a party at Station WDAF, with Dean Fitzer. managing director, as host.