NBC Transmitter (Jan 1943-Sept 1944)

SEPTEMBER 1943 3 THE DISCOVERY SHOP Experts Cooper and Bennett Supervise the Busy New NBC Development Unit SHIRTSLEEVE ASSIGNMENT— Here s a typical huddle of the program development division at Radio City. Director Wyllis Cooper (left) and his assistant, Tom Bennett, go over an idea with Vice-President C. L. Menser (right). • NEW YORK.— “We re in the discovery business.” Thus does Wyllis Cooper, head of NBC’s young program development division, sum up his work. But that simple statement takes in a lot of ground. The program development division has to discover a lot of things. Its prime duty is to create new shows and put them on the air. To do that it has to find new talent, new ideas, and new programs. It is not an easy job. But it is the job of Wyllis Cooper, veteran writer, producer and director, who earned acclaim for his work on “The Army Hour.” His assistant is Tom Bennett, a young, capable composer, arranger and talent scout, who among other achievements is given credit for developing Dinah Shore to her star status. The two men were given their new assignments several months ago. Today progress can be reported. Both Cooper and Bennett are reluctant to talk about their work. “Nothing sensational will come out of this office,” they say flatly. “We’re just working hard to produce good, wholesome radio— not sensations,” says Cooper. Nevertheless, in its comparatively few weeks of existence the new department has already laid a very firm foundation for its future work. It has cleared the decks for action by developing a healthy working formula that consists of two main principles. The first is that the source of ideas for new radio programs is in radio itself. When the creation of the program development division was first announced, program ideas flooded in. Some were from professional idea men; others were definitely amateurish; a few were fantastic. Today the p.d.d. has decided that it will have to look for sound radio ideas from within NBC, or else think them up itself. “We’ve learned,” says Cooper, “that good program ideas are the result of professional work within the organization. Occasionally we’ll get a good suggestion from an outsider, but even then it requires so much work that you can hardly recognize the original idea by the time we get through with it.” Secondly the p.d.d. has devised a healthy method of actually developing a program idea to the broadcast stage. Cooper and Bennett, in collaboration with C. L. Menser, vice-president in charge of programs, sweat out the original idea. Then script writers and production men are called in from their respective departments. Finally the embyro show reaches a test transcription stage. Everyone concerned listens to it carefully, and tears it apart. More conferences, criticisms, suggestions, and revamping. Finally the p.d.d. pronounces it a mature radio show, and after that the program is on its own. “In other words,” says Cooper, “we’re shouldering the problem of developing new shows, which used to be handled by script and production. We are leaving the working departments free to carry on with their work of every day broadcast • 99 mg. The value of this system. Cooper points out, is that the same men who help develop the new show will handle it when it takes to the air rather than have a group of theorists arbitrarily shape up a new show and then dump it in the laps of the production and script departments to worry about it as best they may. But although the p.d.d. insists on talking in terms of cold operational theory, their achievements are not without drama —even in so short a time. For instance the outside world will know little about the discovery of Tommy Taylor, new NBC singing personality. Tommy has sung with such topnotch bands as Benny Goodman’s and Teddy Powell’s. But like many a band vocalist he grew so sick of road tours and onenight stands that he finally quit, refusing many a handsome offer from other “name” bands. Tom Bennett found Taylor working in a milk plant heaving heavy cases of bottles. Tommy had taken that job, rather than return to a life of road tours. Bennett pointed out that radio offered him a chance to use his talents, and still lead a normal life. The argument worked. Taylor went through the usual auditions: convinced all concerned that he had at least a Grade A voice. He is now heard on the network four times a week. But try to get Cooper or Bennett to reveal this story of their discovery— and the story would remain untold. (Continued on page 15)