Radio daily (Oct-Dec 1937)

6 RADIO DAILY Thursday. October 7, 1937 "HOBBY LOBBY" Hudson Motor Car Co. WABC-CBS, Wednesdaijs, 7: 15-7:45 p.m. Brooke, Smith & French Inc. NOVELTY PROGRAM FEATURING PERSONS INDULGING IN UNUSUAL HOBBIES WILL CLICK IF HANDLED PROPERLY. Nationwide premiere last night of "Hobby Lobby" had Richard Byrd as featured guest, a university professor who played tunes on musical bones, a worm-caller, a debunker of proverbs and an old gentleman who aided underprivileged children. Program was interesting and held attention. Low part of program was Byrd lobbying for his hobby — world peace. If program can keep the unusual hobbies coming, success of the show is half completed. Show of this type needs and is a natural for plenty of exploitation and publicity. Sending one press ticket to each newspaper is a step in the wrong direction. Result: the press seats were empty. "Hobby Lobby," originated by Dave Elman, has been running on WOR as a sustainer for the past several months. There are more plugs for Elman during the half hour than for Hudson motor cars. Harry Salter and his orchestra provide the musical support to the show and it was the usual Salter performance — good. Russell Pratt does the commercials. Program originates in the Mutual Playhouse atop the Amsterdam Theater. Guest on next week's show will be Dale Carnegie. Oscar Wilde Cycle Radio Division of the WPA Federal Theater played the first of its Oscar Wilde cycle on Tuesday 9-10 p.m., on WQXR, and scheduled each week at the same time until four have been heard. For the first offering "The Importance of Being Earnest" proved an excellent example of Wilde's repertoire of wit and epigrammatic wares. Sparkling dialog of the farce was just as entertaining as though recently written, although as stated at the outset of the program, it would have been a sacrilege to attempt to bring the play up to date, even though written at the turn of the century. Thus all pretense at modernism as to production was done away with. Cast was on its toes and did ample justice to the radio version of the play. As a matter of fact not a few tricks could be gleaned by present day radio script writers from Wilde's clever construction. "Lady Windemere's Fan," is scheduled for next Alice Remsen's 10th Alice Remsen, NBC singer, will celebrate her tenth radio anniversary Oct. 18. She made her debut in 1927 as soloist on the Stromberg-Carlson Hour over WJZ. Tuesday, also to be directed and produced by Donald Macfarlane and Charles Crumpton, respectively. Same duo did the Ibsen series, hailed as having been highly successful. "Watch the Fun Go By" Last Tuesday was "Western Night" for the Al Pearce program on CBS, with Louise Massey and Her Westerners as the guest attraction. It was a highly entertaining show, helped considerably by the two periods of singing by Miss Massey and her group, who can certainly make the ballads of the open spaces pleasing to the ear. Arlene Harris and "Tizzie Merchandising Service Maurice Coleman, manager of WATL, Atlanta, has contracted for a merchandising service. Initial job was the distribution of 55,000 copies of a promotion piece to all white homes as well as to every principal retail store in Greater Atlanta. The promotional material tells about all of the facilities and services of the New and Greater Station, WATL. Announcement of this new merchandising service was sent to principal advertising agencies throughout the country. School Mailing A letter to all schools, colleges, and Parent-Teacher Ass'ns in its area has been mailed by WBIG, Greensboro, N. C. Piece calls attention to American School of the Air going to station through CBS, and offers manuals to those wishing to study through the course. Station also has printed complete national gridiron schedules, with advertising. Station's own copy stresses radio sports coverage. KANSAS CITY Carl Smith, recent U. of Kan. journalism graduate, is a new member of the WHB continuity staff. C. E. McBride, veteran K. C. Star sports editor, goes before the WDAF mike for the second year on behalf of Roi Tan cigars. Fred Weingarth, sports announcer, assists him. Some 500 members of American Radio Relay League meet in the Municipal Auditorium here Oct. 9-10. Jack Grogan, Les Jarvies and a company of WHB artists will play a series of stage shows in six local theaters in connection with the sponsored campaign of Bentley Clothing Co. Cab Advertising Yellow Cabs of Jamestown, N. Y., will be equipped with special racks to carry message of WJTN. Each cab gets different angle, with whole group completing story. Lish" also were in great form, and Carl Hoff had the orchestra on its toes, while Pearce piloted the proceedings and did his customary lowpressure salesman bit in fine style. Ken Roberts is the show's announcer. World Series Best job of play-by-play description of the opening game of the World Series was done by the triumvirate including Dave Driscoll, Bob Elson and Johnny O'Hara, for WOR-Mutual. Their account was by far the most "descriptive", giving a lively word picture and catching the mood and excitement of the game. Success Stories A booklet of "success stories," featuring, by months, the sales successes of its clients, has just been printed by WSVA, Harrisonburg, Va. Calendar arrangement offers chance to illustrate seasonal usage of station. General mgr. Floyd Williams has signatured the booklet. Halftone Folders A neat, compelling promotion layout is a folder from WOAI, San Antonio, spreading fine halftone closeups of 15 programs before the station's microphone, with captions explaining stunt and sponsor. Inserted is cartoon story of an advertiser who "proved our own contentions." Dressed-Up Circularizing Uniformed carriers of the Crumbley Distributing Service have distributed 55,000 four-page tabloid circulars, stressing new hourly news broadcasts of WATL, Atlanta. SALT LAKE CITY Bobby Ketchum, KSL philosophizer and early bird broadcaster, recently celebrated his third year on the air and his birthday on same day. Earl J. Glade, managing director of KSL, recently addressed the State Teachers Institute, also the Advertising Club. Al Priddy, KDYL announcer, taking piano lessons. Floyd Farr of Farm and Home Hour has been asked to judge a cattle show. LINCOLN KFAB-KFOR studios, reaching for "names," are going after newspapermen, with John Bentley, Journal sports editor, signed to air six nights weekly for Clark's Clothes. Link Lyman, Nebraska's line coach, goes on KFOR nightly for Standard Oil. "Spotlight on Youth" Launched Monday at 8-8:30 p.m. over WNEW, with Commissioner of Correction Edward L. Mulrooney as the first guest speaker, this new weekly presented under supervision of W. P. Ainsworth of World Peaceways is very well handled. It shows, via dramatization, how young boys fall into a life of crime and how difficult it is for them to break away from a "gang" once they are in; and offers advice and suggestions on diverting the interest of youth to more desirable channels. Ted Cott directed the players who took part in the dramatized sequences. Briefly Guest appearances of Ben Bernie and Frank Fay, on the Packard Hour and Rinso-Lifebuoy programs, respectively, were reminders that both are standout entertainers on their own. Bernie as a laugh-getter, apart from his band, has proven himself on more than one occasion, but in the case of Packard's Hollywood Mardi Gras, (Tues. 9:30-10:30 p.m. NBC-Red) he followed such guests as the Marx brothers and Amos 'n' Andy, and there was no dearth of laughs. On the Jolson program (Tues. CBS 8:30-9 p.m. Fay's material was readily discernible and a reminder that he is always a potential program on his own. Rudy Vallee, as guest emcee on Sunday night's Chase & Sanborn Hour over NBC-Red, was as much at home as if he had been piloting his own show. He handled things very smoothly. The dramatizations of old songs, scripted by Ethel Park Richardson and presented Sundays at 10:30 a.m. over WJZ-NBC Blue, are swell heart interest stuff. It's hokum, but of the down to earth and disarming variety that hits a responsive chord. Last Sunday's dramatized song dealt with a little old lady rocking alone in a rocking chair. Cast was excellent, also incidental music and vocalizing. Short and Sweet Salt Lake City — Frank Austin, shunting between KDYL studio and the Arena, found he had only 30 seconds to get on the air. Just as he got near the rink with his mike. Bronco Nagurski shot out of his corner like an aeroplane and pinned his opponent to the mat. It was a third fall, and broadcast was over. Austin got in exactly 23 words. * PRCMCTICN *