Radio daily (July-Sept 1937)

6 RADIO DAILY Tuesday, August 17. 1937 VAOtycam Reviews and Comments GEORGIE PRICE Sustaining WOR-Mutual network, Sundays 7:30-8 p.m. COMEDIAN SINGER, SURROUNDED WITH GOOD TALENT. IN REVUE BUILT AROUND OLD MUSICAL COMEDY HITS. Several years ago Georgie Price was heard in an evening spot for Chase & Sanborn tea, and since then went into the brokerage biz. Ducked radio, he said at the time, because it was not compatible with putting on a good show if an artist had to double in vaude or pictures to make enough dough. Apparently he returns on a sustaining because the money angle doesn't bother him so much. With Price are Vivien Ruth, blues singer; Morton Gould conducting his orchestra, and the Key Men, male quartet. "Passing Show of the Air" is the official title. Basically the program is a series of well-built musical comedy hits of the past, with Price as emcee recalling the shows, dates, etc., and who sang them originally. Thus tunes from George White's "Scandals" productions, "Blackbirds of 1928" and other shows are used with clever arrangements and additional continuity and verses. Voices of all concerned are excellent, and of course Gould's ork, apart from a tendency to get too elaborate at times, is distinctive. Price does not make too serious an effort to do comedy, but the show moves along. At one point he had his better half on for a gag. A light entertainment, easy to listen to, and a somewhat different Georgie Price, for better or worse. Howard Phillips Young baritone heard throughout the week on CBS networks with an unbilled orchestra, shows a vast improvement over his former work. Friday 10:30-10:45 p.m., Phillips offered a pleasing series of ballads, revealing an unusual range for a baritone, and excellent voice quality. Most of his songs are of the difficult type to sing, such as "Softly As in a INDIANAPOLIS Harry Bason, WIRE musical director, back from vacation. Director Roy E. Blossom, WFBM, off to Chicago and New York for several days business. Gilbert Mershon, former staff member of WIRE, now in Chicago singing over WJJR and CBS, visited local station over week end. He is going to New York for screen test at Warner Bros. Bill Kiley, WFBM continuity writer, and Ed. Bingham of the sales staff off on vacation cruise. Henry S. Wood, WFBM's Farm Hour director, is up to his neck in preparations for annual Indiana State Fair. WFBM will broadcast from own studios on Fair Grounds. Morning Sunrise," in a tango tempo, I but this appears to be no drawback to Phillips. Versatile repertoire also included a Victor Herbert piece, as well as popular ballad of the day. Singer should be ripe for a commercial this fall. Orchestra sounds fairly good, but slips up occasionally on the accompaniments, with a tendency at times to let a singer down rather than help him. This did not deter from the program's value in so far as Phillips was concerned, but coupled with the fact that no leader is mentioned, it gives the impression of it being any kind of a studio pickup band. "Les Miserables" Fourth episode in the "Les Miserables" radio adaptation being presented over WOR-Mutual on Friday nights by Orson Welles was as gripping as the earlier passages. Welles, as adaptor, director, narrator and portrayer of the part of Jean Valjean, aided by first-rate supporting players, has been doing a remarkably fine job in fitting this massive work into the channels of radio. The latest episode was the chapter dealing with little Cosette, a role that was very appealingly portrayed by Estelle Levy, one of radio's most talented youngsters, who injected a bright human interest touch. Martin Gable, William Johnstone, Hiram Sherman, Agnes Moorehead and Ray Collins played the other roles. Again the chapter ended on a note of strong suspense that should bring listeners back to the dial for the next episode. "Vallee's Varieties" Miriam Hopkins, in a special playlet by Agnes Ridgeway, was a choice item in Rudy Vallee's program last Thursday night over NBC-Red. Miss Hopkins, a versatile and seasoned actress, provides fine radio listening. Doc Rockwell, in another return date, was the big noise on the comedy end. Also looks more and more as though Vallee has another good bet in DES MOINES J. O. Maland, WHO manager, returns Thursday from northern wilds with Mrs. Maland. Harold Fair, program director, in Chicago on business. Janice Sedgwick turned down a coast Little Theater offer to return to WHO Playhouse. Lyle Flanagan, continuity head, has four stitches in his face, result of auto accident. Ernie Sanders, announcer, spending two weeks at Fort Riley, Kas. He's in the Officers Reserve Corps. Dalton Norman, singing cowboy, added to WHO staff and will appear in a musical program with the Four Dons, sponsored by Brown & Williamson. Tommy Riggs, trick voice comedy artist. Nathan Fleisher With the foreign-speaking population coming in for more attention on the part of radio advertisers, there ought to be quite a radio career ahead of Nathan Fleisher, Yiddish commentator sponsored by Sears-Roebuck over WDAS, Philadelphia. Fleisher has been an editorial writer on the Philadelphia Jewish World for some 20 years, his daily articles having a wide following, and he brings to the mike an erudition, understanding and experience which, combined with a vibrant radio voice, make his talks unusually interesting and helpful. Fleisher goes in for current news comment as well as for a bit of philosophical observation, interpreting events of the day, giving sound advice, etc., in a manner that endears him to his listeners. "Shakespeare a la Carte" WNEW rides the Shakespearean wave with another angle on the amateur type of show, not altogether new, but somewhat different in the selection of the talent. Local schools, settlement houses, etc., are encouraged to send in individuals or groups taking part in amateur theatricals, who are invited to try their hand at reading Shakespeare. Emcee has a talk with the amateur along the usual lines, asking personal questions, and on at least one occasion this proved much too long. Majority of the talent is naturally not good, but the chief purpose served perhaps is listener interest among schools where pupils or friends are known to have been selected for a tryout. Program is heard 8:15-8:45 p.m. Saturdays. Last week's readers included a Diesel engineer who did an excerpt from "Julius Caesar" and a femme director of an east side settlement whose kids took a fling at "Macbeth." Soap Box Derby Annual Soap Box Derby is taking COLUMBUS Bud Sweeney, WHKC announcer, is emcee for "Columbus on Parade," broadcast from Olentangy Park with microphone interviews of local notables. David Penn, WCOL news commentator, having tonsils removed. Wally Link and Bill Wallace, chief announcer, pinch-hitting. WBNS vacationers: Tom DeVore of continuity department and Geer Parkinson, organist. Returned to duty: Ed Bronson, WCOL program director. Bob Seal, WCOL announcer, is slated to handle the new "Kay's Gem Amateur Hour," from the Women's Club with a studio audience. on the aspect of as much importance practically as any national sporting event, from a championship fight down to the Indianapolis Speedway races. In fact, the kids probably got more time on the air than the major auto daredevils. CBS gave it a halfhour 2:30-3 p.m. Sunday, with Ted Husing being heard principally, and again at 6:30-7 p.m. NBC on the Blue gave it a full hour 6-7 p.m., with Graham McNamee and Tom Manning doing the chores. Afternoon stanza had Husing giving full background on the races which have been held the past four years in one Ohio town or another; also the inception of the races by the Dayton Daily News. Regional tryouts and eliminations are held by local dailies and grand national and international finals this year were held in Akron, under auspices of Akron Beacon Journal. First prize is a four-year educational course at any college or university and lesser prizes are many. Chevrolet got a plug on both webs as being interested in the races. Audience present was estimated at between 60,000 and 100,000 while a possible 400,000 boys throughout the world are interested in the non-metal little cars. "The Movie Pilot" Hudson River Day Line's "Movie Pilot," which concluded its WEAF series last week, brought out some good mike talent from the New York movie critics' circle. Of the three film scribes who alternated on the programs, Frank S. Nugent of the Times gave the impression of having distinct radio commentating potentialities. He has a natural style of talking, a voice that is easy on the ears, and, what is more important, an intelligently analytical mind which makes him an entertaining as well as a provocative talker. Howard Barnes of the Herald-Tribune and Rose Pelswick of the Journal also did capable duty on the program. NEW ORLEANS Combined radio and newspaper advertising hoisted its paint sales over 400 per cent for June and July compared with the same months last year, Carey & Helwick, hardware store owners said here this week. The radio advertising was confined to spots. Auggie Schellang and his Rhythm Kings go into the Casino at Pontchartrain Beach for the rest of the season, with Velma Raye furnishing vocalizing. Broadcasting over WDSU. Vito, whose orchestra was there before Schellang, is planning to go into the Absinthe House, at present without music. Leon Prima and his orchestra set for the Hotel Heidelberg at Baton Rouge for the next four weeks.