Radio daily (Oct-Dec 1949)

Wednesday, November 2. 1949 RADIO DAILY SOUTHWEST KFJZ, Fort Worth, and the Texas State Network joined to present the week's outstanding public service schedule in Texas. Programs, carried on full TSN net, were: live remote from "Wheel Chair Chapel" on grounds of Warm Springs Foundation, Gonzales, Texas, featuring Lions Club Ochestra from Midland; halfnhour United Nations broadcast prepared by Radio House, University of Texas, and Goliad State Park program, with Gov. Allan Shivers and Brig. Ainsworth, from this shrine of Texas history. United Nations and Goliad programs were tape recorded. KTFS, Texarkana, has renewed and extended its contract for use of the World Library, according to Dave Segal, owner of the Texarkana Mutual affiliate and WGVM, Greenville, Mississippi. The WFAA, Dallas, "Early Birds," the oldest live talent breakfast variety show in radio, as far as this department knows, hung up a new record in contest mail pull with a total response of over 30,500 entries in only three weeks. Contest involved naming a pig that was a recent gift to the "Early Birds" comic character, "Little Willie" from Texas Swine Breeders Association. First prize will be a new Chevrolet sedan with 175 other merchandise prizes going to aspiring pig namers. Bill Ring, featured in "Bill Ring Time" programs for Taystee Bread, was guest on "Hoffman's Hayloft" popular television program from the studios ofN WBAP-TV, Fort Worth. Ring's regular AM stint is heard on WRAP regularly and he made a flying trip from Houston, where his program originates in the studios of KXYZ, to make the guest shot on WBAP-TV. What was the most unusual merchandising display seen in these parts for many a moon, has just been dismantled by WFAA, Dallas, where it was on display at the Texas State Fair. Exhibit followed the new ultra-arty art form of "mobile sculpture" in which multiple shapes, planes and figures are suspended in motion. The WFAA "mobile" displayed a total of 130 products advertised on the Dallas NBC-ABC outlet, each product in motion but never touching its neighbor. Complicated machinery weighing 150 lbs and containing 487 moving parts —all suspended from a single point, was designed and executed by Ray Huffer of the WFAA promotion department. ATTENTION: AGENCIES Top Flight Radio Producer-director with 12 years' experience seeks staff affiliation with agency radio department. All details on request to: RADIO DAILY, Box #282 1501 Broadway New York City Mainly About Manhattan. . . .' • • • Metropolitan station in a Sunday Times classified ad ottered to "risk time, talent and facilities" and "for one year guarantee daily publicity to product or service that has merit." Station's call letters were omitted from the ad, with blind box number inserted. . . . With all the furor over color TV. postcards Alan Sands, one shade the nets would like to see go is red — right off their books. . . . Les Mitchel. producer-host of new CBS series, "Skippy H'wood Theater," off for London to record six programs for the series starring top British actors, including John Mills, Clive Brook, Margaret Lockwood and lean Simmons. . . . Walt Framer, who started in this biz some 21 years ago as a quizmaster and sidewalk interviewer and has since gone on to producing and packaging his own shows, returns to his first love as emcee of a TV quizzer. "Flashbacks." . . . Jim Boles believes in supplying his own competition. At 9 p.m. tonight he'U be playing a killer on Kraft Television Theater. Opposite him at the same hour will be his bride, Athena Lorde, also playing a killer on DuMont's "Plainclothes Man." . . . Boris Karloff being set for a B'way musical — and Bill Bertolotti wonders if it'll be titled "Call Me Monster." ft it ft it • • • Harry Hershfield, the most beloved guy in show biz so far as we're concerned, knows a joke when he comes across one — especially if he originated it himself. Which is by way of saying that that wonderful crack attributed to Groucho Marx (about his resigning from the Friars Club because he wouldn't belong to any club that would accept him as a member) appeared in Harry's "Abe Kabibble" strip 28 years ago. ft ft it it • • • Zendon C. (less) Barnes, former veepee and sales manager at Mutual, will be associated with Calkins & Holden ad agency as of Jan. 1st. He joins the agency as a full partner along with J. Sherwood Smith, Rene Clarke and R. P. Clayberger. Prior to his service at Mutual, he was veepee of Gen'l Outdoor Advertising Co., and during his seven years at the network sales rose in an all-time peak. . . . Success of Mutual's Sunday afternoon operations can be largely attributed to him. Calkins & Holden, who number among their clients such firms as Gulf Oil, Oakite Products, etc., haven't centered their activities too widely on radio in the past, but it's fairly certain that with the acquisition of Jess Barnes, the radio and television dep't will be swiftly expanded. it it it it • • • NBC simulcast series of Ted Granik's "American Forum of the Air" got off to a lively start with Sunday's preem. The debate between Sec'y of Labor Maurice J. Tobin and U. S. Chamber of Commerce prexy Herman W. Steinkraus on the steel strike broke the front pages all over the country as well as radio newscasts the following day. it it it ft • • • THAWTS WHILE THINKING: One of the greatest little shows on big time radio is Maggy Fisher's delightful "Piano Playhouse" sessions. It's celebrating its 6th ann'y on ABC this month with its co-op line strongly on the up-curve. . . . Sid Shalit doing a terrific job of radio coverage with Ben Gross vacationing for a month. . . . Frank Gallop, Radio Row's best-dressed gent, no doubt eyeing Paul Douglas' fabulous screen success with a jaundiced eye, took a flyer on "H'wood Screen Test" the other night and emerged as a combination Herbert Marshall and Otto Kruger. Hollywood — open up those golden gates. Here comes the new Frankie. ft ft ft ft By HAL TATE S KELLY OIL COMPANY is considering using spot announcements in a limited number of markets. Account is handled by Henri, Hurst & McDonald, Chicago. American Bakers Institute is mulling over the idea of starting a network show. The idea would be to promote the sale of bakery goods nationally. Foote, Cone & Belding, Chicago, handles the account. Marty Hogan emceed a half-hour show at the opening of Chicago's newest theater — the Telenews at Rush and Oak Streets. Program went out over WCFL. Producing the show were Bob Piatt, Frank McGiveran and Lee Petrillo. Celebrities on the show included movie star James Dunn, here for the starring role in "The Golden Gloves Story" which is being made in Chicago by movie producer Carl Kreuger. Latter was also interviewed together with State Senator Abe Marovitz, Federal Judge Michael Igoe, Alderman Dorsey Crowe, Realty king Arthur Rubloff, Jim Thompson, prexy of the Chicago Hornets pro football team, and Telenews executives Herbert Sheftel, Alfred G. Burger and Sylvan Goldfinger. Chicagoans are mourning the death of the former AFRA treasurer Al Stracke, who passed away last week in Seattle, Wash. His brother, Win Stracke, is well-known in local radio circles. An original three-act play called "The Peanut Whistle" and dealing with life and experiences of the personnel of a 250-watt station will be presented by the nationally known little theater group, The Peoria Players next Monday night (Nov. 7). Charles E. Barnhart of the group's board of directors has invited trade papers and New York drama critics to view this satire of a small-station operation. Out of the five national winners in the Army's contest to choose a theme song for that branch of service two were Chicagoans. They were Thomas J. Filas, who won 2nd prize with his song "It's the Army" and Mrs. Iola Nancy Warren who won 4th prize for her "Three Cheers for the Army." Band leader Vaughn Monroe copped top honors for his "Men of the Army." 1906 I»48 FRENCH RESTAURANT LUNCHEON from $2.00 DINNER from $3.00 COCKTAIL BAR JamouAjkench Candied 15 East 52 nd St. AIR CONDITIONED J