NBC Transmitter (Jan-Dec 1938)

2 NBC TRANSMITTER WGY SCHENECTADY by W. T. Meenam Dedication of New Studios WGY Entertains NBC Engineers THE STAGECRAFTERS PRESENT JUNE MOON In the studios of the world’s greatest broadcasting center footlights and spotlights will shine for the first time on a legitimate dramatic production. The Stagecrafters, newly formed NBC employe group, is turning one of the largest studios in Radio City into a theatre for the presentation of the rollicking comedy about song-pluggers, June Moon. Two performances will be given in Studio 8G; the first on July 19, in the evening and the second on July 21. Because of the limited capacity of the studio, Dorothy Allred, president of The Stagecrafters, has announced that admission will be by invitation only. June Moon is considered an ideal vehicle for the group’s initial presentation. Written jointly by Ring Lardner and George S. Kaufman, the comedy opened on Broadway in October of 1929 and ran for 273 performances. One well-known critic referred to it as a “three-act circus with song-pluggers as the ring masters.” If the director and the cast give the production a professional touch, there will be a reason. Nearly the entire cast has had experience behind the footlights. The director. Gilbert Ralston of the production staff of Electrical Transcription Service, has directed his own stock company for the past four years and was associated with the Barter Theater in Abingdon, Virginia, as production manager during the summer of 1935. Before coming to NBC he appeared on Broadway as an actor in four plays, including the whimsical fan( Continued on Page 13) DONNA ADAMS of Stenographic and HUBERT V. CHAIN of Electrical Transcription Service who are playing the leading roles in June Moon, the forthcoming production of The Stagecrafters, newly formed NBC employe group. At this writing the WGV staff is moving from its outgrown quarters to take possession of the spacious and beautifully appointed studio building which will have been officially dedicated when this is read. While Manager Kolin Hager grapples with the infinite detail of the transfer and prepares to welcome officialdom, the program staff is arranging nearly two weeks of high lighted and distinctive programs that should make the dedication memorable for every listener. The engineers too are familiarizing themselves with the new and handsome control system. Mayor Robert Baxter of Schenectady has issued a proclamation making Saturday, July 9, “WGY Day” in recognition of the dedication of the new building and the station’s sixteen years of service. The Schenectady Chamber of Commerce, also in tribute to WGY, has organized a Carnival Parade of children for Dedication Day. Preliminary plans indicate there will be four musical units, three of them junior groups, 500 Boy Scouts, 200 Girl Scouts, large units from each of the city’s playgrounds, groups in the native costumes of Czecho-Slovakia, Italy. Germany and Poland, clowns, acrobats and twenty-four gigantic papier mache caricature figures. > > * Special Dedicatory Programs The children’s parade, which will be described on the air during its programs, will be scheduled to conclude at the new building in time for a feature broadcast — the transmission of the letter “S” from Rome. Italy, by Giulio Marconi, son of Senator Guglielmo Marconi. This transmission will detonate sixteen powerful bombs, one for each year of WGY’s life. In the evening NBC and G-E officialdom, augmented by state and city officials, prominent educators, publishers and leading Schenectady officials, will participate in the dedication reception and dinner at the Hotel Van Curler. At 10:00 p.m.. a program originating at the Hotel, will be fed to Red Network stations. Speakers will include Mr. Lohr and Owen D. Young, chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Broadcasting Co. Dr. Frank Black will direct the orchestra. Other program features will be selections by Thomas Thomas, baritone, Doris Doe, soprano, the Tune Twisters and a dramalogue IP GY Through the Years, produced by Radcliffe Hall and Waldo Pooler. NBC engineers, after a serious session in New York, came to Schenectady as the guests of the General Electric Company. Chester H. Lang and Boyd Bullock of G-E, aided by WGY’s chief engineer, W. J. Purcell, entertained the group which consisted of George McElrath, operating engineer; G. O. Milne, Eastern Division engineer; both of New York; A. E. Johnson, engineer in charge of NBC-Washington outlets; S. E. Leonard, engineer in charge of WTAM in Cleveland; H. C. Luttgens, Central Division engineer, Chicago; C. A. Peregrine, engineer in charge at KOA, Denver and A. H. Saxton. Western Division engineer, Hollywood, California. The men visited the Research Laboratory and some of the factory buildings. There was a luncheon at the Mohawk Golf Club and later the attractiveness of the beautiful greens and smooth fairways overcame the resistance of several of the visitors who happened to have brought their clubs along with them, and they made a thorough investigation of the terrain, traps, bunkers, rough, ponds and wooded areas. > > > WGY Outing The entire staff of WGY, including artists and orchestra, enjoyed the first outing of the 1938 season, June 8 at White’s Bathing Beach on the northern end of Bailston Lake. It was an afternoon of soft ball and swimming, and an evening of dinner and dancing. A team of softballers captained by Howard Tupper succumbed to the batting prowess of the engineering crew led by Albert Knapp. During the dinner. Mr. and Mrs. A. O. Coggeshall were presented with a handsome silver gift in recognition of their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. Personal Notes Alan Taylor of WGY’s Sales Staff recently was elected President of the Schenectady Advertising Club. i i i A. O. Coggeshall traveled to Manlius recently, to attend the graduation ceremonies at Manlius Military Academy, where his son Robert was among the graduates. ill Horton Mosher of the Control Staff is back at the gain controls after a lengthy absence due to serious illness.