NBC Transmitter (Jan-Dec 1939)

16 NBC TRANSMITTER ROVING REPORTER Nine proud pappas and mammas have just blossomed out in the Script Division. The strange part of the story is that all nine are the parents of the same small boy, and most amazing of all, although they have just recently assumed the duties of parenthood, their son is all of nine years old. It seems they have adopted this boy, Victor Garcia de la Calle, as part of the “Foster Parents’ Plan for Spanish Children” through which a Spanish war orphan can be cared for by American sponsors through contributing nine dollars a month for his support and supplying personal relationship between the youngster and the foster parent. The Script foster parents, led by Carl Bottume, who has been appointed secretary by the group, are Natalie Baker, Mary Elson, Stockton Helffrich, Richard McDonagh, Marion Pullar, Kirk Quinn, Helen Sweeny, and Elizabeth Todd. The boy has ambitions to be a sailor, so the parents followed their first correspondence, a joint fatherlymotherly letter, by sending him a new sailor suit, and have every intention of encouraging the boy’s ambition. Our congratulations go to Vic for having acquired some good parental possibilities. With a little patience he should be able to make real parents of them. At the same time, though, remembering how tough on us it was having just two parents feeding us our spinach, we tremble at the thought of how effective nine of them would be. Incidentally, if anyone would like to know more about the plan, just contact Carl Bottume of Script. As secretary of the group, he can tell you all about it. AAA For sheer diligence and patience, with a touch of brilliance verging on genius, our hats are off to those men who figure out the destinations of those weirdly addressed envelopes which pop up every once in a while. Not long ago, for instance, George Nelson of Personnel received a letter from Canada addressed simply, if rather cryptically: G.M.N. WJZ NBC RCA N.Y.C. U.S.A. And the amazing part of the whole story is that it was delivered without delay. Proving, though it isn’t our fault, that the mails do go through regardless. AAA NBC has for years produced individual champions in many Keith “Blue fields. Our latest claimant to highest honors in his chosen pastime is big Herman Dayton of our guide staff, whose achievements in Bingo have been little short of phenomenal. Recently Herm was lured into one of our down-town theaters by one of those “double-feature-as-advertised plus Bingo” nights, and true to the preferred NBC tradition “asked no quarter and gave none” until his final triumphant cry of “Bingo” rang out in token of victory. Before the smoke of battle had cleared, Herm had not only been declared the winner, but he had also walked off with the jack-pot which totaled — (sorry it’s an NBC policy not to mention monetary figures when speaking in tours or of guides). Sufficient to say, with the first three figures ignored, the total ended up with $.42. His winnings found a very ready home, however, so Herm is still speaking to the rest of us. If you approach him on the subject, he may even be prevailed upon to drop some pointers on the system of a successful champion. AAA This item comes under the heading of the prize gag gift of the month. We’re all familiar with the news that Keith Kiggins has been appointed director of the Blue Network, but few of us know of the farewell present from Station Relations tendered him by plotters from that and various other departments. The plotters, led by John Kucera of Sales Traffic, conceived the idea that, as Blue Network leader, Mr. Kiggins should find definite inspiration in that blue-blood leader of all the blues, that masterpiece of John Gainsborough — the Blue Boy. The germ of an idea was born, and the machinery of NBC began to grind. Station Relations, Press, Sales Traffic, Sales, and the Drafting Room all had a hand, and when the final product was presented. it was a masterpiece which Mr. Gainsborough himself could hardly recognize, for in place of the fair innocence of the original aristocrat Blue Boy, we find the face of our number one Blue Networker. We don’t know where the original youngster won his title as champion of the blue, but we feel pretty sure that his successor will defend those blue laurels in a way to make Blue Boy the First proud of him. AAA Your new Roving Reporter joins the editor in asking every NBCite to remember that the Transmitter’s success depends Boy” Kiggins upon employe contributions. Victor Garcia de la Calle de Scripto NATIONAL BROADCASTING COMPANY tar.