Radio doings (Dec 1930-Jun1932)

CHATTER by Raul Rodriquez THE Spring moving fever has struck a couple of our most prominent broadcasting plants. KMTR, movie-struck, has migrated to the United Artists studio, where broadcasting will be done on a grand scale, with palatial offices, shiny equipment and so on. KMCS, which used to be KMIC, has joined forces with KMTR. KHJ is doing a lot of moving in the same place. Carpenters and bricklayers have been allowed to run amuck, and dust and shavings mingle with cadenzas and arias in the turbid air of the place. The object of KHJ's ruckus is to increase studio space, and to make a sizeable little auditorium, where as many as 500 fans can come up and watch their favorites do their stuff, while listening through loudspeakers. Television, you see, is already here, if you only knew where to go for it. Joan Bennett — Televison Bet JOALLEN, of the KTM writing staff, is one poet who is a glutton for work. Every day he dashes off hundreds of lines of Shakesperian blank verse for a station skit called Hamlet and Ophelia. The gag is that Hamlet and his girl friend have been brought back to earth by an enterprising movie producer, who wants to film the play with the original cast. However, they get lost in Hollywood, and every night, over KTM's mikes, they swap impressions of modern life, all in iambic pentameter, and using "thou" instead of "youse." THEY tell me that Loyce Whiteman, who has crooned her way into the iron hearts of microphones all over Southern California, is now featured with no less a person than Abe Lyman. To anybody who knows Loyce, it's good news that the little gal has got a big break. Even if her voice didn't deserve it — which it does — she's such a sweet girl you just love to see her get along. GOD'S gift to yearning manhood has arrived at KHJ. It's Helen Stone Partial catalogue of her virtues follows: Big, clear blue eyes; chestnut hair; 5 feet 9 inches of slender, queenly stature; delicate, sensitive features; teeth like matched pearls; soft, caressing contralto voice, which she uses to croon blues over the radio. She also plays cello, arranges music and conducts a women's instrumental trio. She is a part of the bigger and better early-morning Hallelujah Hour, which includes Jimmy Bittick's all-string Town House dance band, Don Abbott, the "three cheers" and Ken Niles. A BOOK could be written about the different atmospheres of different radio stations. "This station belongs to the public," says KHJ. "Anybody's welcome to come up and listen." "Positively no visitors allowed" reads a sign on the elevator that goes up to KECA. It's not uppishness that prompts this exclusiveness, but crowded conditions in KECA's present quarters. KTM operates so smoothly and silently that you hardly know there's anybody in the place. KNX is very Hollywood, being next door to Paramount. When you want to see any of the studio executives— among whom they include the press-agent — you must give your name and your business to a very beautiful duchess at the counter. She asks you to wait in the lobby until the required executive is located and produced. Does anybody ever listen to tap dancing over the air? Personally, I would rather listen to a silent movie. I think one is about as good broadcasting material as the other. Some day, I suppose an enterprising chain will broadcast a chess game. At least, there would be time for a full dance program, besides the nine Beethoven symphonies and the Ring operas, between PK4 and Mate. A new game has been discovered by Irene, the Caliente-conscious night operator at KMCS. She can't get away to go across the line, so she plays roulette on her telephone dial. Every time a susceptible-looking gent walks in, she crooks a brilliantly rouged finger-nail at him and coaxes, "Come lay a dollar on the Red." It usually goes in the red. MARRIED: Evelyn Pickrell, veteran radio violinist, to Dr. Cilmore Walter Cray, who claims no connection with radio. We wish the bride all sorts of joy, at the same time regretting the retirement from circulation of one of the most beautiful girls in radio. WOULD Efrem Zimbalist be insulted if he knew that one of his relatives is a harmonica player3