Radio daily (Oct-Dec 1949)

4 RADIO DAILY Friday. October 21, 1949 CHICAGO By HAL TATE JOHN McCORMICK, pilot of WBBM's "Matinee at Midnight," made a recent personal appearance at the Hudson-Ross radio stores from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. He is hoping for a quick recovery from the kink in his arm — caused by the two rigorous hours of hand-shaking and autograph-scribbling! Tatham-Laird has a new time buyer in Paul Schlesinger, formerly sales service manager at WBBM for the past two and a half years. As a result of the recent Polio Marathon broadcast over WCFL's new all-night show emceed by Marty Hogan, $25,000 will be turned over to the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis. All "bigname" stars in Chicago participated in the program. WCFL's bid for the all-night audience has been labelled "The Outer Drive." Don McCarty, formerly affiliated with WBOW, Terre Haute, Indiana, is the "traffic commissioner" from midnight through 6:00 a.m. Rush Hughes is dickering for a few TV shows to originate in neighboring key cities. Congratulations to t WIND disc jockey Eddie Hubbard on the birth of a daughter, Laura Jacqueline. Although Eddie is one of Chesterfield's top salesmen, the occasion definitely calls for a cigar! Mrs. Hubbard was formerly with Mercury Records. The number of television receivers installed and in use in the Chicago area (50 mile radius) as of August 31, 1949 is 185,275; this figure is based on the totals reported by manufacturers and distributors, and was announced by the Electric Association of Chicago. Jack Thoma, Wayne King press agent, taking bows for the recent article in "Time" Magazine about the "Waltz King." And it didn't hurt in publicizing Wayne's new TV weekly show over NBC for Standard Oil Co. Clipp Sees TV Income Topping AM Gross By '51 (Continued from Page 1) will have taken the lead as an income factor in spite of radio's continued greater circulation." He added, however, that the amortization of television's high costs will be a long-term project, and that much of the TV revenue will go toward further video development. WFIL-TV currently lists 101 sponsors; the station had a total of eight advertisers during its first week on the air in September, 1947. Since that time, the station has stepped up its program schedule from 23 V2 hours to 42 hours weekly. On Nov. 15 the evening hourly rate will be increased from $550 to $700, and the cost of a spot announcement from $70 to $100. Clipp foresees a basic evening hourly rate of $2000 for WFIL-TV in "two or three years." Mainly About Manhattan. . . ! • • • IT SEZ HERE: Several midwestern stations have begun to cut down on their disc jockey staiis. . . . Mary Pickiord has rejected a iabulous oiier to co-star with her hubby. Buddy Rogers, in a new type of Mr. & Missus airer. . . . International Boxing Club reconsidering its ban on TV with idea of selling telecasts for direct screening to theaters. . . . Bob Crosby, signed as a regular on the Pet Milk show, will shift his family east. . . . Todd Russell, meanwhile, is setting up house in Los Angeles where he's lined up several shows. . . . Rob't Montgomery being paged for his own comment column by one of the syndicates. . . . Nate Blumberg, U.A. prexy, huddling with realtor Walter Shirley on establishing Eastern U.A. studios at Mastic Acres. L. I. . . . Fran Warren signed for the Henry Morgan show starting Nov. 4th. . . . Cathy Mastice being screen-tested by Metro. . . . Leonard Hole, who recently resigned as director of operations at DuMont. off for a month's vacation in Cuba and Jamaica. . . . Guy Lebow, who's shown tremendous strides as a sportscaster lately, negotiating with MGM for a 3-a-week sports radio quiz . . . Carl King up for the emcee role in a video moppet show, which should be right up his alley. (Or should we say right up King's row?) . . . Johnny Thompson sez he knows a guy whose wife is a born radio star. Whenever he stays out late, she starts asking him Twenty Questions. ft ft ft ft • • • OUR OWN PERSONAL QUIZ (with no reward for answers) : Editorial staffers on what local sheet are being given vacations without pay which may be the beginning of the end? ... Is Ed Kobak gonna tie up with one of the bigger radio reps? . . . NBC going in for ad copy on laxatives? . . . Is Paul Kesten aiding CBS in its color TV presentation? ft ft ft ft • • • Most touching video bit we've caught in a long while was Bill Robinson's "adopting" of a young orphan lad who danced his way to the voters' choice on Ted Mack's Amateur Hour the other night. The lad, who ironically enough comes from Robinson's own home town, had idolized Bill all his life and Mack had arranged for Bill to appear on the show and meet him. The kid, thrilled beyond words at meeting his idol in the flesh, broke out in tears and Robinson himself wasn't exactly dry-eyed at the display of worship. Bill gave him some solid advise on how to continue on his career and wound up by getting him set with Paramount Pictures and promising him to guide him on the way. ft ft ft ft • • • SHORT STORY: In 1935 Robert L. Welch was producer-director of the Kate Smith show. He hired a gal named Dorothy Kirsten (then an opera student) to sing in the chorus. Now Bob has hired her once more to play opposite Bing Crosby in "Mr. Music" which he's producing for Paramount. ft ft ft ft • • • The Protestant Radio Commission's series. "Some One You Know," on ABC, has drawn rave notices from the critics — rare for a religious show. Especially appealing is Morris Mamorsky's musical contribution to the show. Latter is making a rep for himself in radioreligious circles because in addition to his work on this series he also writes the music and conducts "Eternal Light." ft ft ft ft • • • AROUND TOWN: Roberta Quinlan moves into the star spot on the Mohawk TV series Dec. 12th when Morton Downey departs the show. . . . "Mr. & Mrs. North," the radio series, is one of the better Mystery and Mrs. programs. . . . Harvey Stone sez a lotta comics think that when color TV comes along it'll permit blue material. AGENCIES ALICE ROSS, formerly in the media departments of the Lawrence C. Gumbinner and Franklin Bruck advertising agencies, has been appointed time and space buyer for the New York office of The Joseph Katz Company. DON WEILL, formerly account executive with Grant & Wadsworth, Inc., and previously advertising and sales promotion manager of Clairol, Inc., has joined Benton & Bowles as a member of The Procter & Gamble drug division account group. ANDERSON, DAVIS & PLATTE announce that Jane Scriven has joined the agency as executive in the public relations department. Miss Scriven, whose home was originally in Chicago, has an extensive home furnishings background. In New York she was with Macy's and Lord & Taylor, and most recently an associate editor of Home Furnishing Trends for the J. M. Biow Co. NORMAN KNIGHT has resigned as eastern station relations manager of Mutual Broadcasting System to become vice-president in charge of advertising of Sponsor Publications Inc., New York. Prior to his affiliation with Mutual Knight was general manager of WAJR, Morgantown, West Va. October 21 Tommy Riggs Richard Nicholls Louis Sobol Frances Scully lack Holden lack McElnoy Richard F. Goggin Joe Kaselow October 22 Powell Clark Noel Mills Frank Danzig Parker Fennelly Roger De Koven Allen Stuart Charles A. Nobles October 23 Frederic A. Willis Ford Bond Charlie Capps Colleen Ward Lucy Monroe Margaret Speaks Martha Rountree October 24 Regina Schuebel Elinor Sherry Russell Willis Paul Lindsay Radie Harris Louise King October 25 Wallace Butterworth Dan Landt Vera Barton Fanny Brice Richard Gordon Anne Dall October 26 Estelle Brenner Pat Barnes Charlie Barnet Raymond Caddell October 27 Jack Kilmartin Bob Becker Kathryn Cravens Jack Carson Mignon Schrieber