Radio Digest (June 1932-Mar 1933)

9 Wednesday broadcasts. Short stories by leading American authors are dramatized and presented by a company of celebrated stage and radio players over a WJZ-NBC network at 7:30 P. M. every Wednesday. Each week, the author of the story of the evening steps before the microphone for a personal address. Light music comes on Thursday evening in the light opera presentations under the direction of Milton Aborn. His company is heard from a Columbia network every Thursday at 10 P. M. The week's series comes to an exciting conclusion every Friday evening with an episode from the engrossing and mysterious career of Charlie Chan, the Chinese detective of fiction. Impersonated by Walter Connolly, the Broadway star, Charlie Chan goes on the air over a WJZ-NBC network Fridays at 7:30 P. M. From the moment of their first appearance at the WJZ headquarters, the Marx Brothers have been turning a studio into hilarious chaos on every one of their rehearsal days. These programs are their first radio appearances, but even a debut before the formidable microphones did not sober the prankish Marx spirits. While Groucho was running through the very important first sketch, he noticed Arthur Sheekman, one of the authors of "Beagle, Shyster & Beagle," come into the room. In the midst of one of his speeches, the astonished ears of the men in the control room heard, "This goes for Art Sheekman — you whimpering bounder, you." Sophie Kerr, another Five Star Theatre celebrity, introduced to the radio audience. The broadcasts present Groucho Marx as Mr. Beagle of "Beagle, Shyster & Beagle," and Chico as his blundering assistant, Ravelli. Every week there is a Groucho and Chico Marx who made their first bow to the radio audience on the first performance of the galaxy programs. new example of the astounding amount of foolishness that has lain hidden in the law profession during all the cen Josef Bonime, who leads the symphony orchestra as one of the classical features over the CBS fork of the series. turies before the Marx Brothers entered it. A more sedate atmosphere, of course, accompanies the programs of Josef Bonime's Symphony orchestra. Mr. Bonime's name is a familiar one to radio listeners. Since the early days of symphonic radio broadcasts, the baton of this director has been guiding orchestras and smaller ensembles through programs. His latest orchestra, however, is the most imposing he has directed. One of the rehearsal kibitzers who happened to have a pencil with him calculated that there were just about a million dollars worth of orchestral instru ments in the Bonime broadcasts. The estimate was surprisingly large, but it is approximately correct. For example, nearly every one of the violinists uses either a Stradivarius or Guarnerius instrument, with an average value of $20,000. The chair of the concertmaster in this orchestra is shared by Jacques Gordon and Michael Gusikoff, who formerly occupied the same position in, respectively, the Chicago and Philadelphia Symphony orchestras. Probably no other radio program ever has been graced with such a set of literary notables as the Wednesday short story dramatizations are presenting. In the first three weeks, the authors were Rex Beach, Fannie Hurst and Sophie Kerr. It is announced that the programs will continue through the season with writers of the same standing. The Milton Aborn light operas bring to culmination a project that has been begun several times. Mr. Aborn's long career in both grand opera and operetta staging made him an obvious choice as the director of a light opera radio program. Repeatedly he has begun work on such a program, but in every instance he has withdrawn because he felt that the works were not being presented in a manner that would do them justice. This time he has been given a free hand. Mr. Aborn has assembled a company including Gladys Baxter and Vivian Hart, sopranos ; Roy Cropper, tenor ; Edward Nell, baritone: and William Philbrick and Hal Forde, comedian: H. Cooper Cliffe, James S. Murray. Eric Titus and Laura Ferguson. The versions of the light operas were prepared by Mr. Aborn himself, permitting of their presentation without the interruption of announcers. The orchestra conductor is Louis Kroll. The programs began December 1 with "The Merry Widow" and continued through the month with "The (Continued on page 47)