NBC Transmitter (Mar-Oct 1941)

14 NBC TRANSMITTER SAN FRANCISCO BUILDING UP San Francisco people are referring to it as “Our new NBC Building.” Taxi drivers are already pointing it out as one of the show places of the Bay City. The whole town is conscious that something is happening to the community and that radio is responsible. Of course, the builders are just pouring the concrete on the third floor as this is written. There is much work to be done. But the pace is good and Al Nelson, general manager of KCO and KPO, is aiming at next January 15 as Dedication Day. PICNIC It was all-out for KGO-KPO personnel August 5, the day of the annual staff picnic. Bob Seal, president of the NBC Athletic Club, planned the day but had to have a lot of help in the handling of all the races, games and other contests. Harry Mayhorn, treasurer, collector of the wampum, was a very important aide. As usual, the day was spent at the Beresford Country Club. Golf, swimming, tennis, badminton, softball, ping pong and other daylight activities brought trophies to the winners. Dinner and a ribbing, roasting. Gridiron Glub sort of pro gram ended the fun festival. FAIR One of the features of the California State Fair, in Sacramento, was the dedication of a new Radio and Press Building, August 30. More than 60 radio folk from stations in the San Francisco area made the trip as guests of the Fair Association. Those from KCO and KPO were Jim Pool, Helen Stenson, A. E. “Shorty” Evans, Reola Jamison, Neil Lyons, Kathleen Moore, Mr. and Mrs. Byron Mills, Beth Gardner, Neal Shafer, Jack Ulrich, Mr. and Mrs. Syd Dorais, Edwarda Pickett, Jo Elletson and Florida Edwards. RODEO It required a fleet of private cars, in addition to a big Greyhound bus, to carry the San Francisco radio crowd to Salinas, California, for the annual Radio Day at the California Rodeo. Talent presented informal programs after the noonday luncheon and the evening dinner. The parade, the rodec and a cocktail party filled the afternoon and a carnival wound up the evening. Larry Keating em-ceed the luncheon program, presenting the following NBC artists: Gladys Simpson, Camilla Romo, Elizabeth Russell, Sonia Shaw, Ruth Sprague, Florida Edwards and Yvonne Peattie. Others from KGO-KPO were Mrs. Keating, John Wolfe, Jack Edwards, Jr., Caren Puente and Juan Trasvina. SUPER MARKET One of the greatest promotion jobs in the history of Oakland, California, was the joint effort of KCO and the 22 Lucky Store Super Markets. Although it was strictly a commercial activity all the way, the Big Show in the Civic Auditorium not only attracted more than 30,000 people but won a wealth of good-will for the promoters. There were 12,500 in the main auditorium, another 2,500 in the opera house section of the huge building. Rain did not drive 7,500 away from the speakers outside but did discourage some 10,000 who were unable to get into the place. Prime movers were Charles Crouch, manager of the Lucky Stores, and Al Nelson, general manager of KGO and KPO. Bob Kay Barr Seal prepared and produced the two-hour program, half of which was broadcast. Ricardo had an augmented orchestra of 40 pieces and the parade of talent was most impressive. NOTES Jack Bennett, formerly of the KGO-KPO production department, has been made announcer in charge of programs going out over the Asia beam from the General Electric short wave station KGEI. Sonia Shaw, native of Russia, popular singer at KGO-KPO, became a citizen of the United States in August. Frank Mason, Vice-President in charge of Information, and A. A. Schechter, Director of News and Special Events, NBC New York, visited San Francisco in August. Fred Schilplin, editor and publisher of the St. Cloud (Minn.) Daily Times, which operates KFAM, visited the San Francisco NBC stations in June and attended the Speechless Mass Meeting at the new NBC Building. Three clowns, including Felix Adler, a wild animal trainer, a slack wire performer and the keeper of Gargantua, the giant gorilla, all from the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Gircus, put on a free show and broadcast from the new NBC Building Monday, September 8. William Kingstone Emery, head of KGO-KPO Guest Relations, married Lucy Ellen Grofoot of Porterville, Galifornia, August 31. Upton Glose, NBC analyst of news from the Far East, was honor guest of the San Francisco Press Club, August 29. George Mardikian, president of the S. F. Sidewalk Superintendents’ Glub, was speaker at the Oakland Advertising Glub luncheon, September 2. Announcer Larry Keating was transferred from KGO-KPO to the NBG staff in Hollywood and was replaced by Douglas Gourlay of KDYL, Salt Lake City Gene Grant, KGO-KPO Sales, was seriously hurt in an auto crash when he turned out to avoid a head-on collision and smashed into a tree. Improving.