Radio daily (Jan-Mar 1938)

4 Thursday, March 24, 1938 OTTO KLEMPERER and the Los Angeles Philharmonic will do a special broadcast over KNX-CBS Pacific Coast tonight at 10-10:30, as the opening gun in the annual campaign for funds to support the organization. Conrad Nagel will do a guest appearance on Union Oil’s “Thrills” on Wednesday, March 30. Frederick Dahlquis president of American Radio Features, producers of the program, announces that the show will continue under the present set-up at least until April 27, contract renewal time. Harry Witt, sales manager at KNX, became the father of a second son with the birth of an 8 pounds-2 ounces boy to Mrs. Witt at St. Vincent’s Hospital Friday night, March 18. The Automobile Club of Southern California duly labeled the northwest corner of Sunset and Gower with a “Columbia Square” marker last Friday. CBS starlets Mary Lou Cook, Gay Seabrook, Lurene Tuttle, Rosemary DeCamp and Mary Rosetti participated in the ceremonies. Oldtimers in Hollywood will recall that the corner was the site of one of the earliest of the film studios, David Horsley’s, and still later housed Christie comedies. Sid Goodwin, NBC producer on the “Gilmore Circus” for Gilmore Oil on the Coast, as well as various sustainers for the net, has resigned to go into radio program production on his own. Gian Heisch has been renewed as scripter on the Mickey Mouse show for Pepsodent. H. H. Swanson agency set the new deal. Jack Dempsey, well known to old time vaudevillians in the heyday of Keith-Albee, has been appointed sales manager for the Otto K. Olesen recording studios. Dempsey left MetroGoldwyn-Mayer, where he has been a talent scout under Billy Grady, another Keith veteran, to align himself with the Olesen organization. Harrison Holliway, general manager of KFI-KECA, dug up a transcription of the first broadcast made by Amos and Andy under those monikers, following the switch from “Sam and Henry,” and re-broadcast the 1928 program over KFI Monday night, with appropriate comment. Holliway released the original series through KFRC, San Francisco, while he was manager of that station. LISTEN TONITE TO DORIS RHODES 6:45 P. M. WABC-CBS Network MANAGEMENT COLUMBIA ARTISTS, INC. RADIO DAILY • • • A Reporter With A Conscience! .... Jack Pearl, just returned irom Hollywood with Wini — and learning how to shag at the Stork Club now, related this sidelight on the coast Hoods — which wasn't a thing to kid about .... However, with truth reported to be stranger than iiction — it could also be just as humorous .... Phil Baker had taken lack and Wini to view his new home, just completed and to be occupied within a few days. Pearl envied his good fortune and beauty of the home. This inspired Baker to invite the Pearls to the official opening two days later. . . . With arms filled with gifts the Pearls arrived at the Baker home — to find it washed away! .... Last week we itemed here that Russ Morgan was sporting a "shiner" due to a misjudged handball. .. .The other nite we stepped into Dave's Blue Room, where there's a photo of Morgan pasted against the wall .... Around the eye we noticed — some wag had penciled a duplicate of Russ' "shiner"! .... Eddie Cantor's new series for Camel's will sound odd sans the glibbing voice of Jimmy Wallington. • • • Committeemen of a certain organization made inquiry this week on the possibility of getting 15 minutes of air time on WOV-WBIL — so that one of their “distinguished members” might talk on “More Jobs by the Elimination of Women From Business” ... Everything, we understand, went along smoothly until the committee was introduced to the general manager of IBC, operators of these stations. . . .The general manager happens to be Miss Hyla Kiczales — one of “those women in business” .... At Phillip H. Lord’s party for his press agent the other night, newspapermen had to pass through picket lines so as to partake in the drinks offered ... .The pickets were not boycotting Lord — but resented the fact that the club didn’t employ entertainers — though they have two bands and a coupla very pretty singers! • • • Baseball fans in and around NY will begin hearing baseball results shortly via WMCA sponsored by Straus Stores.... Of course, this isn't anything to merit a stick of type here or elsewhere — but this does: . . . .Signed to wordsling for 15 minutes, 7 nites weekly on this sponsored series, is Bert Lee, who at one time, we stated, wasn't so good. Later we discovered that Bert Lee was the air-monicker for Bertram Lebhar, general manager for the station and Inter-City network. This still didn't alter our original criticism of his voice!. . . .However, a number of sponsors, having been given the cream of the wordslingers for their shows by the station — discovered that Bert Lee was the best salesman around.... Lebhar who doesn't want this work — would rather pay others to do it — must broadcast this series and others on threats of losing the clients.... The home of Murray Rosenberg, radio editor of the Brooklyn Citizen was visited by a thief who tip-toed over to a cupboard where he found $14 (in a newspaperman's home?). ... Murray's 5-year-old boy, Richard Martin, was at play in the kitchen where the thief stopped just long enough to threaten the youngster to keep still. Mrs. Rosenberg was in another room while all this was taking place .... Later, when cross-examined by a burly detective on what had happened the kid shook his head saying, "I don't know and I don't want to talk." • • • This is rather interesting, we think ... .Caskie Norvell, Jr., newscaster on the WBIG, Greensboro, N. C., “Cavalcade of News,” late evening news period, has been featuring the European war situation, with exclusive background information as well as flash news. .. .And few are better equipped for this, as his mother was formerly Princess Nanon Petrovic, of the Jugoslavian royal family . . . .However, she is now a good Tar Heel, being Mrs. Caskie Norvell, Sr. When Norvell, a University of Virginia graduate, gets stuck on the pronounciation of names he has but to call his mother, the Princess, and get correct names and background! GEORGE a. BOLAS, formerly with Swift & Co., Defiance, Ohio, has been added to Chicago NBC Sales promotion staff. Vic and Sade and Rush (Art Van Harvey, Bernardine Flynn and Billy Idelson) are making a theater tour through Indiana the next fortnight. Barbara Luddy, dramatic headliner of Margot of Castlewood and First Nighter, has turned singer and is lifting her voice in song on the former show. Doris Keane, manager of WHIP and WWAE, going to Indianapolis this week-end to handle special broadcast of State basketball finals. Epes Sargent has taken up his new duties as assistant to Frank Rand, director of press relations for NBC. NBC threw a party Monday afternoon for Boris Karloff, here to do a series for “Lights Out”. Wrigley show featuring Andrews Sisters, Jack Fulton Jr. and Carl Hohengarten’s music had its name changed once more before it got on the air Monday evening. Last shift was from “Sing and Swing” to “Just Entertainment”. Neisser Meyerhoff agency has the account. CBS threw a party for press Monday in connection with first show. E. H. Scott, manufacturer of de luxe radios, described his new robot receiver in an interview over WGN by Martha Crane and Helen Joyce on Tuesday, March 22. Cornelius Peeples, 18-year-old juvenile of Betty and Bob, is swanking around in a new car. He is a veteran of about 10 years’ work on the air. Bill Irvin (Don Foster) radio editor of the Daily Times had his office radio put out of commission other day when some of the news room boys plugged it into the wall direct instead of through converter. Photographer doused the flames that resulted with pail of water and now Irvin is listening at home pending repairs. Yank Taylor, former radio editor of the Times, is back from two years of orange culture in Florida and has rejoined Times staff as night rewrite man. Harry Richman will open at Chez Paree on April 1, with Lou Breese’s orchestra providing the music. Jimmy Durante scheduled to follow a month later.