NBC Transmitter (Mar-Oct 1941)

MARCH. 1941 3 PRODUCTION^ CLARENCE L MENSER Realignment National Production Director A realignment of the NBC Program Department was announced by Sidney Strotz, vice president in charge of programs, in which separate managers were appointed for the Red and Blue Networks operated by the Company. Phillips Carlin, former sustaining program manager, was appointed to head the Red Network, and William Hillpot, formerly of the Artists Service, was appointed Blue Network program manager. This places both commercial and sustaining activities of each network under one head. Strotz also announced the creation of a new Program and Talent Sales Division of the Program Department which will include the personnel transferred to this new division from the NBC Artists Service. Miss Bertha Brainard, formerly manager of the Commercial Program Division of the Program Department, becomes manager of this new division. The New York Production Division has been expanded. Wilfred Roberts continues as manager and is responsible for the New York continuity, announcing and sound effects sections. Lewis Titterton, manager continuity section; Patrick Kelly, manager announcing section; and N. Ray Kelly, manager sound effects, report to Roberts. New York Production additions include William Wilgus who has been associated with outstanding orchestras and is a new popular music director. Charles Schenck, with radio since 1928, comes to us from Chicago, as does Bruce ( Prof. Kaltenmeyer) Kamman. Ray Buffem is from Oklahoma City. Jack Meakin from Frisco handles musical shows. Anton Leader, dramatic director, was Production Manager of WMCA. Eddie Dunham does the Tommy Dorsey and Firestone programs and spends the rest of his time in the Music Division. Mary Kennedy, secretary to the Production Manager, is leaving NBC to devote full time to her home. We wish her every happiness. Helen Sweeney, formerly secretary to Mr. Titterton, takes over her duties. Clarence L. Menser has become NBC’s first National Production Director supervising and coordinating the work of all network programs, including those at the division offices (New York, Chicago, Hollywood) and on M & O stations. Mr. Menser is not new to NBC, but in view of the importance of his work we think another look at the record is in order. Mr. Menser was Professor of Speech at the University of Utah and was closely associated with the work of the theatre there. He later went to Knox College and established one of the first Departments of Drama in an American College. The year 1929 he spent in Europe studying the theatre. PRODUCTION AT 711 When he returned to New York, John Royal brought him into Radio City as a dramatic director. In this position he launched a number of highly successful shows. Among the most interesting of his programs was the Miniature Theatre. One of the very first network half hour dramatic shows, it featured such prominent stage players as Otis Skinner and Basil Rathbone. He also supervised and collaborated in the original presentations of The Goldbergs. CHICAGO MANAGEMENT As a reward for his success in New York, Mr. Royal sent him to Ghicago to take charge of production in that division. The results were impressive. During the period that he served as Production Manager of the Gentral Division some of the finest radio players were developed, a considerable series of successful coast to coast shows were built and Chicago became more and more a vital contributor to the networks. Don Ameche, Raymond Edward Johnson, Allan Joslyn, Chicago Script Head Bill Cooper, writer Arch Oboler, and among programs Vic and Sade, Mary Marlin, Irene Rich and Lights Out are but a few of the names associated with Mr. Menser’s administration. As an experiment, in May of last year, Mr. Menser held a daily class in radio for the period of a month. It is ample testimony to his rating with his associates that many of the busiest and best established artists on the air made a point of enrolling and attending the class despite their exacting schedules. Before returning to Radio City in his present capacity, Mr. Menser was Manager of the Chicago office of the Gardner Advertising Gompany. He recently returned from a trip to Australia, New Zealand, Honolulu, Tahiti and the South Sea Islands. In the course of his travels he had occasion to meet all the important figures in radio in that part of the world. While in Australia he was entertained by Sir George Beebe, Chief Justice of the Australian Court of Arbitration. Mr. Menser’s work marks an interesting advance in the broadcasting industry. The overall planning and coordination of every production point is designed to produce smoother programming and greater benefits to the listening public. The problems of broadcasting in times of national emergency are and will continue to be demanding ones. The National Broadcasting Company is proving its fitness and ability to function under the most exacting conditions by lining up its divisions and departments into an efficient and responsive unit.