Radio daily (Feb-Mar 1937)

Wednesday, February 10, 1937 RADIO DAILY 7 'Hi/ fr*.\ ED HOLDEN, creator of the Pacific Coast's long time popular comic, Frank Watanabe, sold his Hollywood home, and left Friday for Chicago, to start new comic skit series five daye a week, starting Feb. 15 on NBC's Red network. Ernest Hix, Raymond Morgan Co. executive, is flying East for a series of conferences expected to put the popular Coast dramatized oddity feature, "Strange as it Seems" on as a sponsored, nationwide program. "Strange" was Morgan Company's first production, on the air for 209 weeks for Gilmore Oil. Gilmore gave it up to return its Gilmore Circus. NBC has broken off negotiations with Paramount for filming NBC's long popular serial, "One Man's Family," it was announced by Don Gilman, National's v.p. in charge on the Coast. Author Carlton E. Morse and Paramount execs couldn't agree on directors, type of story and similar details, Gilman said. Tavannes Watch, off the air since the pre-Christmas sales campaign, will come back in time for graduation gift sales, with a 15-minute weekly program over Columbia's Pacific Coast stations, with a 13-week contract. Program will be "Split Seconds of History," dramatic, originating in KNX studios, Gary Breckner. producing. There will be a contest, with watch prizes. Lucas Follows Jurgens In Chicago Mutual Spot Clyde Lucas and his orchestra will take over the bandstand in the Gold Coast Room at the Drake Hotel, Chicago, and their broadcasts will be heard nightly over WGN and the Mutual System beginning Friday. The Lucas orchestra will be heard on all of the broadcasts now occupied by Dick Jurgens and his orchestra which is currently heard on the Mutual chain. Lucas and his orchestra come to the Drake direct from New York, where Clyde and his boys have been playing for the past four years. 1 OOth for M a j . Bowes Major Edward Bowes will celebrate his 100th network show tomorrow night with a special show. The amateur hour first went coastto-coast March 25, 1935, sponsored by Chase and Sanborn. Present sponsors are the Chrysler motor group, with Ruthrauff & Ryan, the advertising agency. Major Bowes wil toast the city of Rochester on this anniversary show. Wff IN REVIEW "ONE MAN'S OPINION" Sustaining on WMCA (Inter-City Network), Nightly 12-12:15 CRITICISM OF BROADWAY OPEN INGS BEFORE THE CURTAIN FALLS DELIVERED WITH SPICY COMMENTS ON THE DAY'S HAPPENINGS. Harry Hershfield returned to his favorite spot "at the stroke of midnight" with the usual breezy review of Broadway shows he just left. Opening spot featured his praising of Martin Starr, who pinch-hitted for Harry, while the commentator was in Hollywood writing for Warner Bros. Greetings attended to, the critic proceeded to massacre the Theatre Guild show, "The Masque of Kings," authored by Maxwell Anderson. The listener would believe from the opening that the critic was being very decent to the offering, but as the minutes lagged on, Hershfield lambasted the play, forgetting that it was a Guild production. His continuity was subtle, yet delivered the necessary attack. The delivery was fresh and in the form of fireside chatting. Program will hereafter feature the humorous side of the day's happenings sandwiching the reviews of the shows opening on Broadway that night. "NEW SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA" Sustaining WABC (CBS Network), Saturday, Jan. 30, 12:30-1 p.m. IMPRESSIVE EURASIAN MUSICAL OFFERING BY JAPANESE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA THROUGH BROADCASTING CORPORATION OF JAPAN. A new piano concerto by Claude Lapham filtered over the Pacific from Japan on Jan. 30. The presence of Klaus Pringsheim in the role of batonist made the Entente Cordiale complete, musically speaking. The East-West concoction presented interestingly a technique of Occidental music based on Japanese musical idioms. A new note was struck by the presence of unnamed Japanese string instruments somewhere in the musical ensemble. Miss Shizuyocho Miyauchi, Japanese Jessica Dragonette, did nobly in several characteristic Nipponese ditties. An original choral was sung effectively by the Ueno Choral Academy, — the composer, Nobutoki. Clear-as-a-bell pickup did much to help along an interesting musical event. Rogers Majestic Net Up Montreal, Que. — Rogers Majestic Corp., radio manufacturers, announce earnings for nine months ending Dec. 31, 1936, were approximately 60 cents a share after all charges, compared to 1.7 cents a share fiscal year ending March 31, 1936, and 0.8 cents per share in previous year. As a deficit of $111,045 stood at end of fiscal year March 31, 1936, there would not be sufficient surplus carried forward to warrant a dividend this year. Charlotte Radio Shop Moves Talley Electric Co., Charlotte, has moved into new quarters at 510 South Tryon Street. This firm has been serving radio owners for three years from one of the most completely equipped service shops in Charlotte. Charlotte G. E. Meeting Charlotte, N. C. — R. M. Johannesen, branch manager of General Electric Supply corporation's Charlotte branch, has announced a sales convention of dealers and salesmen of his territory to be held Feb. 11. An exhibition of various types of radios and a dinner meeting at night will feature the convention. Would Ban Auto Radios Salt Lake City— The Idaho senate has passed a bill to ban the use of radios in automobiles in operation on the highways of the state. The measure, which now goes to the House, exempted police cars only from its provisions. The vote was 22 to 21. Hedges Moving Family William Hedges, who recently left NBC to become vice-president of WLW, Cincinnati, left yesterday for the Ohio city after arranging to move his family out there. While in New York, Hedges also conferred with Mutual officials. Oil Burner Program Harvey-Whipple Oil Burner Co. to sponsor Castles of Romance show over NBC-WJZ every Tuesday from 6:30 to 6:45 p.m. starting March 9. Contract calls for eight weeks and will feature George Griffith, baritone. Arriga Joins WBNX Arno Arriga, orchestra leader and composer, formerly of the Metropolitan Opera House, and one-time director of orchestras on WJZ and WEAF, has been appointed new musical director of station WBNX, New York. FREDDIE MARTIN and his band, with swing singer Terry Shand and tenor Elmer Feldkamp, round out a full year on the WOR-Mutual net, coming from Chicago's Aragon Ballroom. HUGO MARIANI'S tango-rhumba orchestra is broadcasting via WGNMutiial. They replaced Al Kavelin's band al the Blackstone Hotel in Chi. GLADYS SWARTHOUT'S musical theme on her fireside concert series will be "Could I Be In Love," written especially for her by the late William M. Daly, an old friend. PAUL ASH, Dean of the Maestros, returned to baton-wielding last night at the French Casino in N. Y. BOB CROSBY and ork return to the air Feb. 26 via the Congress Hotel in Chicago. They'll be aired 12 times a week, four to be national hookups, over the NBC. EDDIE PROVOST replaces Miriam Hoffman at Areola Inn, N. J., on Friday. FREDDIE MARTIN is celebrating his first anniversary on Mutual and at the Aragon Ball Room. ARNOLD JOHNSON and his boys have just had their contract renewed. That means an additional thirteen weeks on the "Feenamint" program. HENRY BUSSE will wave the baton for another eight weeks on the Mar-o-Oil Shampoo program. Time has been cut from one-half hour to fifteen minutes. HUGO MARIANI and ork will follow Al Kavelin at the Blackstone, Chicago. SHEP FIELDS and his "Rippling Rhythmers" take over at the Normandie on Feb. 21. LENNIE HAYTON'S orchestra has been re-signed for an additional three weeks at the Hollywood Restaurant aloyig with his featured stars, Paul Barry, baritone ana the Rhythm Kings, vocal trio. Off to Coronation Paul White. CBS director of special events, and Bob Trout. CBS special events announcer, will sail for England April 12 aboard the Georgic and will arrange for the CBS-BBC broadcasts covering the coronation of King George VI.