The New Movie Magazine (Jul-Dec 1932)

Radio Rambles AT last authors of reputation arc being recruited /\ by radio clients. That the majority of the I \. writing names have proved their mettle on the aii has given the sponsor renewed courage to sign up such bi^-time newspaper men as Heywood Broun and Edwin ('. Hill, and such writing names as Albert Payson Terhune, John Erskine, Sax Rohmer and Lowell Thomas for personal appearances on the ether. Now at last one radio client has gone the whole way, and is presenting an original radio series by the beloved dean of American letters — Booth Tarkington, himself. And one of the big radio hits of months is Elaine Sterne Carrington's Sunday night series, over NBC, "Red Adams." How The Leasebreakers Functioned ANOTHER gentleman from the Hoosier state — "^Aurora, Indiana, to be exact — now directing his pen at the loudspeakers is the sartorially and linguistically gifted Edwin C. Hill. His news broadcasts over CBS have created a sensation among radio listeners. For years Mr. Hill has been a towering figure in journalism. Not so much because he has covered everything from a magistrate's court to the World War, nor because he was one of the brightest stars in the old days of the New York Sun, but primarily since he was a charter member of a society known as "The Leasebreakers." We are told that in many cases Mr. Hill was an innocent bystander in the pranks of this organization, which included in its membership Frank Ward O'Malley, now residing on the Riviera, and Tom J. Geraghty of Hollywood. As Tom Geraghty explained it to us, the purpose of this small but energetic group, representing the cream of the Fourth Estate, was to assist friends unable to meet the monthly requirements of the avaricious landlord. This they accomplished, in most instances, by staging in</<? woiH The Boswell sisters in their home. 46 Ethelynd Holt, steno in "Meyer the Buyer," WABC. Her dog is the wire-haired terrier, "Skippy." a violent all-night demonstration in the apartment of the lessee, at the conclusion of which he would invariably be invited by his landlord to leave at once. So great was the success of "The Leasebreakers" that soon they had exhausted the entire field of friends in rental difficulties. It seemed to them a crying pity that such an eminently successful and established technic should go to waste, so the society set out in search of virgin fields to conquer. For reasons which the members do not attempt to explain, their interest was suddenly captured by a somewhat stodgy and serious-minded playwright of their acquaintance. One night the entire organization of Leasebreakers visited him quite unexpectedly in his apartment. The shouting, noise and laughter which continued far into the night met with the customary reception by the landlord on the following day, and the innocent dramatist was asked forthwith to move. His next stopping place was a quiet family hotel near Central Park West. Upon discovering the playwright's new abode the Leasebi'eakers met quickly and decided on a new course of' action. They telephoned a brewery in the man's name and ordered five kegs of beer sent to his room. That afternoon the truck drove up and the driver proceeded to roll the five barrels, through the lobby of the family hotel and up to the unwitting playwright's room. The management protested. "Sorry, sir, but it's orders," the truckman insisted. Again the solemn playwright was requested to depart at once. After this experience it was some time before the The New Movie Magazine, December, 1932