Radio daily (Jan-Mar 1938)

8 Thursday, January 27, 1938 PITTSBURGH Hal Kemp took his band and his Stanley Theater floor show to Bill Green’s to welcome Johnny Long’s Orchestra over WCAE and Mutual network. Kemp gave Long his first professional engagement. The report that KQV has a misunderstanding with the AFM has been contradicted. Station had no intention of using the WJAS staff, and there will be no penalty. A1 Trench, formerly with WWSW and WCAE, but now a radio salesman for Gulf Gasoline in Toledo, visited here recently. WWSW has added another account to its sport schedule — all the Pittsburgh Pirates’ basketball games at home. Nan Grayson (privately Mrs. Walter Framer) has a prominent part in "Spring Song” at the “Y” Playhouse. Maurice Spitalny, new bandleader at KDKA, has taken over the musical direction on “Pittsburgh Varieties,” Pittsburgh’s longest-run commercial program. WTAR, Norfolk Campbell Arnoux, general manager, attended the Norfolk Junior Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet and was presented with Plaque of Meritorious Service awarded to the station. John Peffer, assistant technical supervisor, is rated in ninth place in advance listings of the 8th Annual Short-wave contest being conducted by the American Radio Relay League. Peffer’s hobby is short-wave. Travis Barnes, singing salesman, has started a new series, “Morning Serenade,” for Virginia Meat Products Co. Show is aired to introduce scrapple, practically unknown in the South. Lee Chadwick is scripting and announcing. Vocal-Art Trio has been signed for a new weekly feature. Singers are from the Scherzo Club, local musical organization. Charles Pattee, Engineer is starting his fifth year with the Norfolk station. He recently was appointed control room supervisor. CNE MINUTE INTERVIEW MORTON BOWE "Radio, television or the talkies can never replace the stage. All this talk about the theater dying is nothing but poppycock. Radio, television and the talkies are fine artistic mediums but they will always lack the intimacy of the stage. The public will always want to see the stars they have glorified — IN PERSON. It's a natural, human urge to want to meet a person whose photograph you have seen often or about whom you've heard much. That's why the public will always flock to theaters when one of their idols is making a personal appearance." RADIO DAILY FRANK BLAIR, new member of the staff of WOL, Mutual station in Washington, though only 22 years old, has had quite a career in radio. He formerly was program director at WFBC. Greenville, S. C., but actually began in radio at WCSC, Charleston. S. C., in 1935. Blair also is married and has a son 15 months old. Lawson Zerbe has had his contract renewed for an additional 13 weeks on the “Hello Peggy” dramatic series over NBC-Red network. He portrays the role of Speedy. For the seventh consecutive year in Akron, the annual Hillbilly Jamboree and contests held by the National Fiddlers Association, under the able hand of Larry Sunbrock, drew capacity crowds to the Akron Armory on Sunday afternoon and night. Much of the credit for this splendid showing is given to station WJW, which had been carrying three programs a day of sample music to be heard at the Jamboree. Jean Dickenson, soprano, has been renewed for an additional 13 weeks on the “American Album of Familiar Music” program sponsored by Bayer Aspirin. Teddy Bergman, Arline Blackburn, Frank Provo, John Brown and Howard Smith will be in the cast of next Sunday’s “On Broadway” playlet over NBC-Blue at 3 p.m. They will do a farce titled “Cowboy on Broadway.” Jean Paul King announces the program. KGFF, Shawnee, Okla.. has changed its sign-off time Saturdays to 1 a.m. and Mondays to 12:30 a.m., so it can carry additional Mutual dance bands. Cowboy Tex Fletcher did a remote over WNLC, New London, Conn., from the bedside of little Ellison Saunders, at Niantic, whom he visited the other day. Tom Thomas, NBC’s baritone, is scheduled to make 26 recordings for the NBC Thesaurus. Booked by Charles Facer of NBC Artists Service. The Kidoodlers, musical quartet heard on NBC, have been signed by Max Fleischer studio to provide the >-hythmic background and sound effects for animated cartoons, including Betty Boop. Bunny Berigan, the “Miracle Man of Swing,” is recording swing versions of two old favorites, “Black Bottom” and “Trees,” for release soon by Victor. Lyn Murray’s seven-voice chorus again returns to next week’s A1 Pearce CBS show in a guest capacity. Murray’s chorus has already made eight guest appearances on Pearce’s program. Through arrangements completed by Fred D. Fleming, news editor at KLZ. journalism students enrolled in various educational institutions located in and near Denver will assist in production of KLZ newscasts one day each week for the next two months. Rose Paidar, young mezzo-soprano now on an extended concert tour of the Southwest, will be presented as guest artist by the Pepper Uppers over the Dr. Pepper-Dixie Network on Sunday at 5:30 CST. Buddy Clark will have speaking lines on all of the Ben Bernie broadcasts. In addition to this CBS series, Clark also is appearing in ET's for the same sponsor, U. S. Rubber. WCKY, Cincinnati Frank Zwygart, known as Rex Davis on the air, and a WCKY announcer for the past year, is recovering at Good Samaritan Hospital after two major operations. WCKY’s new trio, Johanna Grosse, organist; Ray Melder, singer-violinist, and Gershwin Cohan, pianist and accordionist, being heard on two programs, “Household Hour,” a morning show, and “Dinner Date,” evening broadcast. Lloyd G. Venard, director of sales and merchandising, is in Chicago this week. L. B. Wilson, president, is back in Cincinnati for a short stay. He will return to his winter home on San Marco Island, Miami, Feb. 2. WJR, Detroit Betty Hurston, hostess, has joined the station’s appendectomy class. She underwent an operation Monday at Providence hospital. Lorene Brockway. Charles Thornton and Eric Howlett, all of WJR, are still in as many hospitals, recovering from operations. “Party Line,” five a week for Dr. Caldwell’s Syrup of Pepsin, has been renewed for another year through the Crame-Krasselt Co., Milwaukee. Woman’s Home Companion has renewed two 15-minute programs. Jean Abbey does department store shopping news on Monday morning and Carolyn Pryce a food talk on Friday morning. Present contract runs to Feb. 22. Geyer, Cornell & Newell, New York, agency. SAN ANTONIO Bill McCabe, new head man at KABC, was at one time connected with Universal Pictures on the West Coast. The 3 Simpson Sisters, San Antonio’s home vocalists, are back on the air, this time via KONO. Charles Belfi and Johnny Sullivan of KABC are now handling the remote wrestling matches Wednesday nights from the Walkathon Arena. Layton Bailey’s ork journeys here from Dallas to play the President’s Birthday Ball at the Municipal Auditorium. Buddy Hancock’s ork is leaving to open an engagement near West Lake. La., next week. Dick Ketner is guitarist with the combo. WGAR, Cleveland Manager John F. Patt in New York. “Rhythm Rangers,” popular WGAR hillbilly band, goes commercial for Montana Flour Mills of Cleveland with three daytime quarter hours a week. New musicians on WGAR musical staff are: George Wisnewski, bass; Kenneth Romick. clarinet, flute and baritone sax; and Harold Coplin, guitar. Musical Director Walberg Brown has decided to reduce excess poundage and works out daily with local squash champ. Engineer Lloyd Wingard explains his limping gait to an accident which occurred on recent ice fishing trip. Having dug a hole through the ice for his line, he inadvertently stepped through it. Announcer Jack Paar renews acquaintance with Eddie Duchin, whom he announced through WCAE, when Duchin and his orchestra play Cleveland's Trianon Ballroom. Paar handles the feed to CBS. Ethel Hawes and Ben Levine are featuring interviews with food brokers on their popular afternoon program “Ethel and Ben,” a promotion tie-up with Cleveland Food Show. Sidney Andorn, who covers the town gossip on WGAR. interviewed Sonja Henie last Friday on his evening “Cleveland Column” program. Elmer Krause, auditor, is making plans for the yearly trek to Florida. WOPI, Bristol, Tenn.-Va. A newly inaugurated program is the Tennessee Ramblers, new addition to the artist staff, broadcasting popular songs every Monday evening. Other new additions to the artist staff are Harvey and Evada, singers, broadcast every Saturday at 7 a.m. Grf»p*inac from Radio Daily January 27 Benay Venuta Bernice Claire B. G De Sylva C. T. Hughes Jerome Kern Milton Rettenberg Harry Ruby