NBC transmitter (Jan-Dec 1940)

14 NBC TRANSMITTER Kay Barr SAN FRANCISCO It was almost an NBC wedding when George Fuerst, traffic chief, married Mary Ellen Coody. The party picture shows, from the left. Engineer Dan Williams, usher; Nancy McCarthy; Fuerst; the bride; Producer Bob Dwan, usher; Sales Promotion Chief Bob McAndrews, who was best man; Eileen Connolly; and Engineer Proctor “Buddy” Sugg, usher. Wedding was in St. Paul’s Church, October 19. For nine hours Election afternoon and night, KCO and KPO were on the air from the news room of the San Francisco Chronicle. Orchestra and entertainers, engineers, announcers and newsmen moved in to handle the bulletin business until there was no longer any doubt of the results. NBC Chef George Mardikian, of Omar Khayyams, served a buffet supper with roast turkeys as the main dish. Public address systems at two important downtown points and sound trucks at other locations helped spread the returns and entertainment. Tremendous success, of course. Bob McAndrews, head of sales promotion, has been transferred to Hollywood to replace Charley Brown who went to New York on a similar promotion. Gene Clark, of production, stepped over into McAndrews’ empty shoes. Salesman Ed Barker has been transferred from KCOKPO to Hollywood. Stan Smith, head of the page staff at KCO and KPO, leaves that job December 1 to join an auditing concern. He has been with NBC four years. Seven San Francisco stations, including KCO and KPO joined in a Community Chest broadcast November 10. The benefit originated in KCO-KPO studios and was piped to KSFO, KFRC, KYA, KjBS and KSAN. Jim Pool, publicity, has written a song. Not his first but it’s the maiden effort to receive public performance. Paul Martin and His Music program presented it on two network broadcasts November 27 and December 1. Title: “Blue Sea, Blue Sky,” and Jim says it’s a little bluer than blue. Songbusters sang it and it clicked. “The Loud Speaker,” KCO-KPO house organ, formerly put out by Sales Promotion, has been turned over to the Mail and Guest Relations staff, jack McDermott was named editor-in-chief. His staff includes jack Ulrich, Neil Shaver, Bill Emery, joe West, Bob Cray and Harry Mayhorn. It comes out semimonthly. Production Chief Bob Seal has been elected president of the NBC Athletic Association, vice Supervisor “Buddy” Sugg, has volun teered for service in the U. S. Navy. “Tad” Fullaway, engineer, also went Navy and three other members of the technical staff are on the naval communications reserve officers list. They are Chief Engineer Curtis Peck, Edward C. Callahan and James W. Summers. There was a buffet supper party and dance for the KCO-KPO outfit, at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel, October 1 8. Pretty, too. Centerpiece of the festive board was a huge ice vase, “jo” Elletson and Lois Reedy, had a lot of fun placing the posies in this rigid, frigid receptacle. Phil Hanna of the Three Cheers singing trio, passed the cigars September 18 to celebrate the arrival of little Miss Lynne Hanna. Jennings Pierce, director of educational and agricultural programs for the western division, was master of ceremonies at the Los Angeles County Fair in Pomona, September 1 3-29. Engineer Frank Barron and Malcolm Johnson, were boyhood friends in Vicksburg, Michigan. World War No. 1 separated them. Malcolm now Dr. Malcolm Johnson, oculist, saw Barron’s picture in a KCO-KPO display window, looked up his old friend and the reunion has developed into a protracted meeting. They had been working within four blocks of each other for years and never knew it. Press Department of KCO and KPO worked out a novel but efficient plan for handling all the telephone calls about political broadcasts during the national campaign. These were listed on a large blackboard, visible from the entire department. Answers were easy and Jim Pool, left, and Edward Pickett, saw to it that the listings were accurate and up to date all the time. Cleone Pottenger has resigned as secretary to Alex Haas, head of artist service at KCO and KPO, to take a position with S. Hurok, booking agency in New York. Ethel Campbell transferred from auditing to fill Cleone’s place. Betty Milligan went from typing to auditing (CONTINUED ON FIFTEEN)