Radio daily (Feb-Mar 1937)

6 RADIO DAILY Friday. March 26. 1937 PAUL CONLAN, script writer for Ed Wynn, is fast becoming one of the outstanding writers of the present day. Besides the Wynn show he is turning out some "snorts" for Educational pictures, and in his "spare time" is writing special material for several of radio's leading comedians. The Martinez Brothers, who recently brought their romantic Mexican tunes to the U. S. from the Rio Grande territory, are so determined to sing in English that they are now studying the language at the Berlitz School of Languages. Georgia Orwig is a new addition to the talent staff of WSOC, Charlotte. Each Friday morning at 11:45, Miss Orwig, an interesting concert pianist, gives her recital. She has appeared in concert in northern cities and was formerly a featured soloist at KDKA. In private life she is the wife of Dick Faulkner, WSOC's newscaster and special events announcer. George A. Hazlewood, general manager of Hazlewood, Inc., operating WJNO, West Palm Beach, finds a very responsive audience in the Palm Beaches where "the holders of the nation's purse strings" hold forth. Though only seven months on the air, WJNO is doing a man-size job for its advertisers. Herb Hollister, manager of KANS, Wichita, Kas., recently back from a New York trip, promises an "important announcement" soon. Meanwhile he's advising advertisers to "play a hunch and place an order at present low rates." Incidentally, folks in this section are still talking about the enterprise displayed by KANS in obtaining the recent Joe Louis boxing exhibition here, despite advance reports that the promoters would not permit the match to go on the air. KANS made a public issue of it, obtained a choice of sponsors, and had Don Evans with his mike at the ringside. Tom Fizdale, Chicago publicist, was in Cleveland this week in the interests of Fibber McGee and Molly, who switch to a new time April 12 over NBC's Red. Fizdale is driving through the east as far as Boston and New York spreading good will among the radio scribes. B March 26-27-28 Greetings from Radio DailyjJ to Arthur Boran Arnold Van Leer; Hal Kemp Claude Morris Paul Whiteman Ferde Grofe' 1 Sedley Brown' I Bertram Lebhar Jr. J Lilian Largay, pianist at WTMJ, Milwaukee, recently sprained her ankle and has been making her way around with a cane. Woods Dreyfus, WISN, Milwaukee, singing announcer, is now presenting his programs on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:45 p.m., instead of on Mondays and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m., C.S.T. M. R. Schoenfeld of NBC, Chicago, recently addressed the Women's Advertising Club of Milwaukee on "Radio As An Advertising Media." Harold B. McCarty, program director of WHA, Madison, Wis., in an address before the discussion group of the A.A.U.W., declared that systematic education through radio is impractical as long as time is valuable for commercial programs. Sponsors want programs to entertain, not educate, he declared. Beverly Brown has been assigned to announce and produce the "Buster Brown" shoe programs at WWL, New Orleans. Sponsored by a local firm, the program is a half hour weekly period. Grady Cole, WBT's news commentator at WBT, Charlotte, has been assigned an office in the WBT suite. Jane Bartlett, pianist, violinist and singer, Marie Davenport, organist, and Martha Dulin, interpolator and announcer, are being heard in a "Morning Melodies," new show over WBT, Charlotte. 'Out of the Hat," the Easter fantasy written by Ed Cleland of WINS to be produced over the station this afternoon, will feature Elizabeth Morgan, Leonard J. Bickford, Beatrice Allen and Henry Townsend. A special musical score has been written for the play by Louis Katzman. Jack Webb is the early morning announcer, featured as "Farmer in the Dell" on the new agricultural program over WPG, Atlantic City. Webb was formerly featured on his own "Hill Billy" Hour, and fans recalling his vocal gifts and skill as a guitarist are urging him to add the role of entertainer to his new assignment. His program is a station opener at 7:30 daily. WPG Talent Contests, broadcast from the stage of the Hollywood Theater, Atlantic City, will continue for at least six more weeks. Next Moriday, city and county employees are competing, with a great deal of rivalry already manifested between IV 111 me Shaw & Lee Greensboro, N. C. — WBIG has a feminine team, Virginia Davis and Virginia Wilson McKinney. doing double-talk a la Shaw & Lee of the Jack Oakie show. They appear with Fred Kent and the Boys on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. under the billing of Nip and Tuck. The girls were promoted from the WBIG office staff. the police and fire department, and other municipal and county organizations. On the following Monday, the students representing the various schools of South Jersey, will compete for highest honors, according to Charles E. Seel, who is conducting the talent search. Start New WSMB Towers New Orleans — Construction of new towers and generators for WSMB will begin here this week, according to station manager Harold Wheelahan. The new work, which will involve an outlay of $45,000, will be carried on the opposite side of the Mississippi River at Algiers, within one mile of the present tower sites at the Naval station. The tower will be by Truscan, while Western Electric will furnish the 1 kilowatt transmitter. Work will be under supervision of H. G. Nebe, WSMB engineer, and Paul Godley, consulting engineer from Washington, D. C. NBC Baseball Broadcasts NBC will broadcast the opening baseball games in Washington and New York on April 19 and 20, respectively. Graham McNamee and Tom Manning will do the announcing. NBC will carry the play-byplay account of the Senators vs. Phillies over the Blue network starting at 2:45 p.m. President Roosevelt is scheduled to throw the first ball. Yankees vs. Washington will be heard from New York on WJZ and WMAL with the same announcer team. Mayor La Guardia will toss the first ball here. Kraft Staging Big Talent Program Kraft Music Hall will stage its biggest talent program April 1 with aviatrix Amelia Earhart, who just crashed in Hawaii on her attempted world flight, and John Barrymore doing a Shakespearean bit as two of Bing Crosby's guests, both last minute additions to the program originally scheduled which will also feature the movie actress, June Travis, the Chicago White Sox and the Chicago Cubs baseball clubs as previously announced. Miss Travis's father is the owner of the White Sox. Dedicate New Transmitter Seattle — New KOMO-KJR transmitting facilities, erected at a cost of $223,000 and dedicated this week, are enabling the combined stations to give much better programs here, with NBC features. The equipment includes two new RCA 5,000-watt high fidelity transmitters and a 570-ft. Truscon self-supporting vertical radiator, said to be the tallest self-supporting tower in the U. S. STAR THOMPSON, CBS day supervisor, back at his desk after tussle with flu. Don Gordon is the new announcer for "Gold Medal Feature Time" on the WBBM-CBS. He was formerly free lancer in Milwaukee and St. Louis. Emil Waeltis, engineer of PoeticMelodies on WBBM, is the daddy of a new seven pound boy. Gene Arnold will be interlocutor on the NBC Minstrels which will be aired beginning April 7 over NBCBlue net at 9:30 a.m. CST each Wednesday. Others in the show cast will be Bill Zeck, Bill Thompson, Harold Peary and Shorty Carson. A male chorus of 10 men, Clark Dennis, tenor and Robert Gately, baritone, round out the talent. The Manuel and Williamson Harpsichord Ensemble, reported to be the first organization of its kind in radio, will be featured each Wednesday at 9:15 p.n>. CST. over the NBC-Blue net starting March 31. Details for the new 60 minute-Variety show slated to hit the airwaves each Tuesday at 10: 15 p.m. over NBC are not quite completed but present plans include a new type variety rnuncal production with several new twists. Illinois Bell Telephone to sponsor an evening weather report sevendays-a-week starting over WMAQ April 5. N. W. Ayer & Son agenting. Mar-O-Oil show, with Henry Busse band, previously heard each Wednesday at 3 p.m. CST. over the NBCRed net, changes its time to 3: 15 p.m. CST., beginning April 28. Emmons Carlson, NBC Chi sales promotion manager, and Carl Webster of local net sales staff off to coast for three-week vacash. Royal Lace Paper Co. here wiil sponsor five-minute transcribed announcements on WMAQ beginning April 5. Edna Means, monologist, has begun a series of quarter hour radio sketches and readings over WCFL on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. CST. Mary Small headlining in vaude here next week. Bob Elson returning to his broadcast duties here on April 1 after trip to west coast baseball camps. "Romance Melodies," Sunday afternoon program with Gale Page and Charles Sears and Roy Shield's ork, moves from NBC-Blue to NBC-Red net with new time of 3 p.m. CST. on Easter Sunday. Al Vierra and his Hawaiians hit tne NBC net from the Glass Hat Room of the Congress here beginning today. Maurie Sherman dance band being aired now from Casino Parisienne over NBC. Carleton Smith, musical commentator, off to Florida and Nassau, where he will deliver a lecture on Caucasian folk music before group of guests of Sir Bede and Lady Clifford. Sir Bede is governor of the Bahamas.