NBC Transmitter (Mar-Oct 1941)

14 NBC TRANSMITTER SAN FRANCISCO up a conference call on the switchboard and Madeline was greeted by six young ladies, when she picked up the phone, harmonizing “Happy Birthday.” Reed Browning, who joined the announcing staff in March, passed cigars April 6. Reason; Little Miss Wendy Laurel. Announcer Jimmy Mathews out eight weeks with a migratory streptococcus infection. Gladys Cronkhite, KPO’s “International Kitchen,” presented a p.a. description of a horse show at the Elmhurst Lions Club Picnic, June 8. She also exhibited two thoroughbred hunters. Jimmy Coffis left the Mail Room to work in the U. S. Mint, which is a good trick. Frank Olsson took Jimmy’s place. Claire Valpey, Script, christened a new submarine net tender and received a platinum-diamond wrist watch from the Navy officials. Sales Manager William Bernard “Bill” Ryan was elected president of the San Francisco Advertising Club. Temperance Smith, former editorial assistant of “Time”, replaced Ethel O’Kane in Continuity when Ethel resigned to become a happily married young lady. Marion Hansom, secretary to Chief Engineer Curtis Peck, resigned in June to join her husband in Southern California. She was replaced by Lola Camaches of Sales. TIME MARCHES ON! KGO’s A. E. “Shorty” Evans, engineer in charge of the KCO Transmitter, and his crew have hung up a brand new record. Out of 6,406 hours and 53 minutes of air time. Shorty and the boys lost only 31 seconds. For this bit of doing, they have received the annual plaque awarded by General Electric for the most nearly perfect record in the matter of time off the air in 1 940. 0. B. Hanson, vice-president and chief engineer of NBC and Joe Arnone, architectural engineer of NBC, were special guests at a luncheon broadcast celebrating Shorty Evans’ achievement. As a feature of the program. Producer Gene Clark presented the shortest dramatic skit in radio history. It was exactly 31 seconds in length. OLD HOME WEEK Four former San Francisco alumni, now with NBC at Radio City, threw a welcome party for Cliff Engle and Grant Pollack, both of whom have transferred to New York. Hosts were Announcers Bob Waldrop and Nelson Case, Producer Joe Thompson, who is now in the Army, and Sound Effects Man Jerry McKee. ROMANCE Announcer Floyd Farr and Jetta Baker knew each other in high school. Their school day romance resulted in a marriage May 4. Announcer Eddie King and Sally O’Connell followed suit May 10. The nuptials took place in Reno, of all places. Mary Milford, NBC dramatic actress, and Frank Schlessinger, manager of Allied Advertising, exchanged vows May 9. PERSONALITIES General Manager Al Nelson has been elected to the Board of Directors of the San Francisco Festival Association. Madeline Attabit, Traffic, had a birthday. Bessie Atkinson hooked Kay Barr GOING UP! All thoughts, words and deeds at KCO and KPO in San Francisco these days have to do with the new NBC Building, now well under way at Taylor and O’Farrell streets. April 16th, previous occupant started moving out and power shovel digging began May 1. Last walls of the old building crashed May 5. Exca' vation was finished and work I men started pouring concrete June 4. All the footings, by i June 10, had been poured up to I the basement floor levels. Special broadcasts from the site of the improvement, at least once a week, will increase as work progresses. A “Speechless Mass Meeting” of the Sidewalk Superintendent’s Club was held. The official Sidewalk Superintendent’s song was introduced as well as the official cheer of the club and it marked the first appearance of the Dainty Dozen, 12 pretty KCO-KPO girls in tricky costumes. War and weather permitting. General Manager Al Nelson intends to dedicate the new “Million Dollar Home of KCO and KPO” January 1 5, 1 942. Florence Larsen moved from Typing to Sales. Girls of the staff gave Marion Hanson a farewell luncheon at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel. General Manager Al Nelson has been elected honorary director of the California Rodeo, held annually at Salinas in July. Announcer Hal Wolf and Producer Dick Bertrandias led an NBC softball team that beat the network off a CBS outfit with a score estimated at 16 to 13. Three weeks later, the Actor’s Club dethroned the champs 16 to 13, all of which proves the boys got a lot of exercise. FOOTNOTE Addition of an Associated Press printer gives the KCO-KPO News Department all three of the news syndicate services, AP, UP and INS.