NBC transmitter (Jan-Dec 1940)

12 NBC TRANSMITTER HOLLYWOOD NBC really took over the parade which marked the opening of Hollywood’s famous Santa Claus Lane this year. Every year a star has been the feature of the parade. This year when the matter came up, Joe Alvin, who usually does a job when he sets his cap to put over a publicity stunt, decided not to stop at having one NBC star in the parade, but to turn out everybody on the two networks. Here’s the gang he had lined up on the parking lot the night the Lane was thrown open; Irene Rich, who broke the tape and threw the switch which flooded the Lane with light, and then led the procession astride a white horse. Bob Hope and jerry Colonna, with their two glamour gals, Brenda and Cobina, in the back seat of a car driven by none other than Yehoodi. Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Fanny Brice, Hanley Stafford, Mary Martin and Meredith Willson in a Maxwell House float. Fibber McGee and Molly and a Wistful Villa float. Bob Burns in a wagon drawn by eight horses and driven by little Connie Boswell. George Burns and Grade Allen, with all of Grade’s screwy relatives following. Charles McCarthy and his boss, Edgar Bergen. One Man’s Family, jack Benny in a Maxwell driven by Rochester, with Don Wilson astride his Palomino pulling the car. In the huge float at the end of the parade were Dorothy Lamour and Rudy Vallee, and in the next seat, sitting next to Santa Claus, was none other than John Barrymore, the Great Profile himself. Someone pointed out that there were two or three other Hollywood stars who were missing in the parade, but joe said he wasn’t interested because they had no connection with NBC. The social event of the preChristmas season was Edgar Bergen’s party. By way of a fancy dress ball, everybody came costumed in accordance with their childhood ambitions. All the Hollywood celebs were there, and a representative group from NBC. Don E. Gilman, Vice President, came as a highway patrolman. The breeches, incidentally, were the same ones he wore years ago in the Army. Mrs. Gilman was dressed as a Brown Derby waitress, the outfit being complete with the high balloon skirt customarily worn by the young ladies in Bob Cobb’s famous restaurant. John Swallow, Program Director, was a doctor; Mrs. Swallow a fortune teller; Mrs. Hal Bock was outfitted as a cowgirl, and the Press Director himself, showed up in the full regalia of a knight of the road. Noel Corbett Because we have no time to write letters, we’re utilizing this spot to say “hello” to a couple of NBCers in New York — Taylor Craves of Sound Effects, and joe Thompson of Program. The latter is the young man who owns the greatest selection of Victor Recording we’ve ever heard about. QUICK PIX . . . Myron A. Elges, new Blue Sales Rep., and E. L. (Ed) Barker in same capacity on Coast Red . . . Bob McAndres, new Sales Prom. Manager, transferred from San Francisco when Charlie Brown went east . . . Director Marvin Young was just made a Major in the U. S. Army . . . Ted Sherdeman. Director, on month’s leave to write a play . . . Don Gilman was principal speaker at recent Women’s Radio Conference in Hollywood . . . Lew Frost, Mr. Gilman’s Assistant, talked at the Santa Barbara Ad Club . . . Andy Love told the ladies all about radio at the Hollywood Women’s Press Club . . . Alec Petry of the Music Division and Mary Hunter will be married in January . . . Les Culley now Recording Sup . . . Move makes C. E. Pickett Control Sup, and j. H. Brown, Control Relief Engineer . . . A. R. Brearley and j. C. Riekeberg new Studio Engineers . . . Fred Bryant, Auditing, passed the smokes October 1 9. A boy . . . Charlie Smith, Artists Service, and joe Parker, Director, had appendix yanked . . . Charlie lost fifty pounds and is doing everything he can to keep them lost . . . New members of Press are Ben Byers, formerly of Radio Guide, and Phyllis Murphy from Typing . . . After seeing NBC Hollywood’s beach party pictures, the Transmitter staff at Radio City decided to petition Mr. Rockefeller to install some sand and a palm or two in the sunken plaza. Swallow and his boys scooping rival coast networks on local and regional returns. Left to right, Jim and Marian Jordan (Fibber McGee and Molly) , Swallow (sitting) , with Hal (jibney at mike. In shirtsleeves, “Buddy” Twiss, talking to Ted Hediger, with Walter Bunker looking on.