NBC Transmitter (Jan-Dec 1938)

FEBRUARY, 1938 7 KDKA PITTSBURGH by Kay Barr Spitalny's Debut: No question about it, the big news of the past month at KDKA was the debut of Maurice Spitalny, eminent maestro of Cleveland, as director of music for the Pittsburgh NBC and Westinghouse station. Brother Phil and his all-girl singing orchestra headlined a brilliant two-hour greeting program on the stage of the Stanley Theater. KDKA broadcast the entire show and thirty minutes of it were carried by the NBC-Blue Network as well as the stations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Coast-to-coast across two countries! And if that isn’t news, look at the newspaper clippings. From New England to North Dakota and Texas, with a few out on the West Coast. H. Leopold Spitalny, director of music personnel for NBC, opened the network part of the program with a salute by the NBC Symphony Orchestra from New York. The KDKA Players presented a twenty-minute dramatization. Dot and Pat, Jean Hoff, a new contralto on the KDKA staff; and Billy Sherman, who has sung with Maurice’s orchestras in Cleveland, were among the vocalists. Flood-lights illuminated the gay exterior of the theater. Searchlight beams sent their shafts sweeping over the sky. Huge banners proclaimed Maurice Spitalny in a manner befitting his musical ability. KDKA sent out invitations and reserved 600 seats to take care of the acceptances. This reserved section was enlarged by 200 and then the station had to buy more than 100 additional chairs in that portion of the house assigned to the box office. Before the doors opened a line of people, standing four abreast, extended two blocks from the theater. For two hours the packed house sat without the least sign of nervousness or impatience. It was the first broadcast most of them had seen. It was a great show. They were fascinated. And all but a dozen of them stayed another hour and a half to see the feature film. This climax of weeks of hard work was a definite suc cess and one of the most spectacular events of its kind in KDKA’s history. Maurice beamed. Manager A. E. Nelson was radiant. It was a high spot in the musician’s career, no question about that. But it was also an achievement for the station and for the man responsible for it all. Mr. Nelson conceived the plan from start to finish. A loyal staff helped him carry out the details. Hundreds of notables accepted his invitation to the theater party. Millions of listeners enjoyed the broadcast. Hundreds of telegrams poured in, congratulating Mr. Nelson and Maestro Spitalny. Beautiful baskets of flowers also were received. To get the right pick-up of the Spitalny broadcast from the stage of the Stanley Theater January 13th, KDKA engineers used ten microphones. Chief Engineer Joe Baudino took personal charge of the job. Ted Kenny rode the dials. Glenn Luther assisted. 1 i i Dick Powell, Oliva de Haviland and Errol Flynn were among the scores who sent telegrams congratulating both Maurice and KDKA for “getting together.” In private conversation Brother Phil paid this most significant and sincere tribute to the youngest of the three famous boys: “Maurice is the most talented member of the Spitalny family.” i i i Incidentally little Mary Ann Bock, a Pittsburgh youngster and a KDKA discovery, walked away with Phil’s part of the entertainment. She has a sort of throat whistle around which Phil built a special arrangement of Johnny One Note, i i i Some day Maurice hopes to be able to do nothing else but compose music — and go fishing. But his musical masterpieces will not have more feeling and his tallest fish story will not bring a bigger smile than Maurice displayed as he autographed his baton after the debut broadcast and presented the souvenir to Mr. Nelson. i i i Here and There: Janet Ross directs the KDKA Style and Shopping programs. Bob Saudek writes continuity for the station. But as sidelines both have blossomed out in the oratorical field recently, filling speaking engagements for Pittsburgh organizations. ill Her files were already filled to flood stage. Then the new director of music, Maurice Spitalny, began hauling his music from Cleveland to KDKA, an auto trailer load at a time. So Librarian Betty Eisley had to have one grand and glorious house cleaning to make room for the $40, 000-library of the new maestro. ill Foreign countries have made many requests for KDKA program schedules since the new 718-foot antenna was put into operation October 30. South American points, particularly Brazil and the Argentine, are receiving the signal as clearly as those of their local stations. i i i Glenn Riggs, KDKA’s senior announcer, recently appeared on the screens of movie houses in and around Pittsburgh in a trailer that told the people of the city of the coming to KDKA of Maurice Spitalny as the station’s new musical director. It wouldn’t surprise us a bit to see talent scouts around here any day now. NBC officials welcome two of t lie famous Spitalny’s to Pittsburgh. L. to R. — Maurice Spitalny, KDKA’s new musical director; Phil Spitalny, director of the All-Girl Orchestra; A. H. Morton, manager of NBC owned and operated stations; and A. E. Nelson, manager of KDKA.