Radio daily (Oct-Dec 1937)

6 RADIO DAILY Wednesday. October 6, 1937 ¥ * * EXECUTIVES EVERYWHERE TELL US.... THEY KEEP. . UP WITH . . . WHAT'S . . . WHAT. . . . IN RADIO . . . BY READING RADIO DAILY FIRST THING EVERY MORNING... I AI M PERSONALITIES • One of a Series of Who's Who in the Industry. • JOSEPH LOPEZ JOSEPH LOPEZ, station supervisor of WICC. Bridgeport. Conn., entered the radio iield in the sales department of WNAC. Boston, alter graduation with high honors as a concert baritone irom the New England Conservatory ol Music. Returning irom war service with the YD division, severely ill, he defeated doctor's diagnosis of never using his voice again by successful study and concert appearances in the Boston area. By a proverbial last minute substitution. Lopez became an announcer — connected with WBZA and WNAC in Boston from 1926 to 1931. As chief announcer, his varied routines included the broadcasting of operas, ball games, symphonic programs and network shows, continuing his concert work throughout New England. In 1931 he was assigned a manager of the southern Connecticut outlet for the Yankee web, WICC effecting in his career a continued successful growth of the station including construction of new studios and transmitter, advancement of service and educational programs, increasing of power and CBS affiliation, to a point where, as a basic member of the NBC-Blue network, WICC holds an enviable position in the radio field. He is widely known throughout the WICC coverage area as the "Memory Song Man" for the production of a three-year-old series of commercial program featuring old-time melodies and for his varied air and theatrical productions and appearances. Statistics: Lives in Fairfield, Conn.; married, six feet tall, gray-black hair, brown eyes; likes fishing, swimming, bowling; known to a thousand Connecticut friends as "Joe." Fooled the doctors on his return from war.. * * * BOSTON Kenneth V. Curtis, WEEI control engineer, is engaged to Elizabeth Meader of Lynn. Edward B. Hall's "The News Behind Tomorrow's Headlines" is now being presented by North American Accident Insurance Co. each Sunday at 6:45, over WBZ-WBZA. Frank Gallup, former WEEI announcer now with CBS, in town for a few days. Gordon B. "Babe" Norris of WBZ sales is confined to his home with a bad cold. The staff at WEEI presented Roy Marks, sales manager, with a beautiful Seth Thomas clock on learning that he had been secretly married a few months ago. Mrs. Marks is the former Mary Ann Nelson. Mildred Carlson has added a new account, Elizabeth's Lima Beans, to her Home Forum on WBZ-WBZA. Bill Cunningham will broadcast his regular Friday program over WNAC and Yankee network on Oct. 15 from WBAL, Baltimore, where he will be on the eve of the HarvardNavy game, which he will cover next day. Edward B. Hall has a new commercial series on WBZ-WBZA, "What it Takes to Get the News." Charles Phelan, sales manager at Yankee network, has bought another racehorse. WBZ's Arthur Feldman off on vacation motor trip to Washington and Chicago and back to Boston. Keyes Perrin will take over the special events assignment. Don Stanier of the WBZ transmitter staff at Millis has returned from a two-week cruise. KANSAS CITY Zerlina Nash, vocalist on the WHB artist staff, eloped last week with Lloyd Hansuld, singer and guitar player, whose hillbilly unit was featured at WHB some years ago. They are now honeymooning in Chicago. Paul Sells, KMBC entertainer who has been confined to Research Hospital since undergoing an emergency appendectomy early in September, is back with the Texas Rangers. Larry Sherwood, KCMO station manager, is back from Washington, after attending the FCC hearing on his station's application for a power increase. A. L. Frasier, WDAF technician, back from vacation, and Karlton Marquard finally takes his. George E. Halley, KMBC director of national program sales, returns to Chicago today after a brief visit here. Ivan Flannery has been signed by KCMO to handle weekly football broadcasts. Bob Davis, KCKN announcer, has developed a sponsored specialty along the order of Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy. He calls his dummy Little Johnny Walker. INDIANAPOLIS Ben Wilbur, newly acquired staff announcer at WFBM, joins the list of newlyweds Saturday, when he returns to Columbus to be married to Lillian Ziegfeld, cousin of the late Flo Ziegfeld. Jack Stilwell, WIRE announcer, leaves for Chicago to join WLS. Morris Hicks, WIRE sport-slants announcer, returned to the air after a month's vacation. ORCHESTRAS MUSIC RICHARD HIMBER and his Essex House Orchestra have been signed by Lou Diamond of Paramount Pictures for a three-reel musical short to be made at the Paramount-Astoria studios during the week of October 17. In addition to his orchestra, Himber will present Stuart Allen, baritone; the Adrian Rollini Trio, novelty instrumentalists, and Himber's newest singing protege, 18 year old Peg Newton, who will make her professional debut as a songstress in this picture. Fred Robbins. Frances E. Fishman and Robert H. Calvert have resigned jrom Radio Orchestra Corp., it is announced by Norman E. Campbell, general manager. When Lou Breese and his French Casino orchestra play at the National Horse Show, Madison Square Garden, Nov. 3-10. military music will be supplanted by modern tempoed rhythms. Andy Jacobson and his orchestra are being heard three mornings weekly on WICC, Bridgeport. Ditto Bobby Norris, violinist. The Blue Danube String is now alternating with Jeno Bartal's orchestra in the Georgian Room of the Hotel Piccadilly. It is featured after the regular dance sessions, and plays the latest in Continental music exclusively. The Biltmore Boys have left the Commodore Perry Hotel, Toledo, where they were heard over the NBC network, on Sept. 30, making way for Lang Thompson's orchestra. Sammy Kay will play at the Senior Prom. Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pa., Oct. 22. CNE MINUTE INTERVIEW HUGH STUDEBAKER "On the air, drama has been entirely shorn of the obtrusive personality of the actor and what remains is an almost pure dramatic distillate. In radio the play's the thing. The attention of the audience isn't diverted or distracted by the appearance, gestures or mannerisms of the actor, but is wholly absorbed by the play itself, its plot and characters. There is no obviously artificial stage set that, at best, can create only an imperfect illusion of reality. Instead the radio listeners are transported in imagination to the place and time in which the story is laid."