Radio doings (Dec 1930-Jun1932)

et Dp by Dick Creedon It Is Estimated That Not Less Than 13,476,893 Slices of Toast Were Burned At Western Breakfast Tables in 1931 Because 47,568 Families Gathered in the Parlor To Listen to This Eight O'clock Program — And 18,743 Husbands Were Late To Work, For the Same Reason right ahead. A grouch is the inalienable right of every free-born citizen and the Hallelujah Hour wouldn't spoil one for the world. Now meet the gang — Hallelujahlulus! Ken Niles, announcer and master of ceremonies. He loves his wife. He loves his rabbits, his mallard ducks, his dogs, cats, fleas — and the Hallelujah Hour. The face and charm of a matinee ilod, with the heart of a Daniel Boone. Ken is from the cold country — from the wilds of Montana. He's going back some day and strangle grizzlies with his bare fists, and chase wolves over the plains 'till they swoon from sheer exhaustion, and snare giant salmon with a net. He still drives a flivver as if the nearest traffic were a herd of bison 20 miles away. A boulevard stop is merely another limb on an old pine tree to him. Fresh from the University of Washington, he takes life seriously. You would, too, if you had a wife and rabbits to support. The famous Niles smile reminds vou that watermelons are good to eat if you knowhow. He receives lots of purple tinted passion flower scented fan mail. He never reads it twice. It's an old story to the young man. Oh, well. Felix Mills: Composer, arranger, one of the sweetest saxaphone manipulators on the air, and director of the new Hallelujah orchestra. Another what-a-man from the wild and rowdy West. Played bass drum at the age of three in a Sunday School orchestra somewhere in Colorado. Had his own kids' band at the age of ten, and in it were "Jap" and Bill Hutchinson. "Jap" plaved in Rav Paige's orchestra for several vears; Rill married Helen Bliss. KHJ harpist, and makes animal noises at so much a noise on the KHJ whoopee program. The Three Cheers: Ken Allen, Travis Hale and Ernest Derry. This superb trio of he-male harmonists was the result of a fairlv recent scientific experiment bv Dr. Ravmond Paige. To the team of Hale and Derry. Paige added Ken Allen: the mixture was placed in a cool, dark room and allowed to sit undisturbed for several weeks. The RADIO DOINGS pure, melodic fluid resulting is now poured into the KHJ microphone on all major programs. Ken, the high-vaulting tenor, used to be a prodigious boy-soprano, and in New \ork was patted on the head by many well known musical rajahs. Studied at the University of Oregon, went to England, and came back to settle down at KHJ for a nice long radio career. Three Cheers minus Ken Allen equals Hale and Derry. These boys have been together since their high school days in Kansas City, Mo. They've radioed, vaudevilled and dance banded from edge to edge of the United States. Just two nicely-sophisticated young men-about-town with no place especially to go except on the air. Nell Larson — the Swede. What's more, we'll call her that to her face — and a pretty fine face. too. Well, she CLAIRE VOX NOSTRAND too was born, even as you and I, but at a different spot on the dial. If vou had turned in on Vancouver 25 vears ago you would have heard little Nell in her first broadcast of syncopated squalls. At the age of five, mother discovered Nell putting some good old swing bass into the standard hymns on the family organ. Good little children didn't use to do such things. Father said no good would come of it. and he ought to have known, being a regular devil on the hot fiddle and "accordeen." Nell left Vancouver at an early age, came to California, and played the organ in a small theatre until her debut at KHJ five years ago. Nell likes books, food and swimming. But her real [Turn to Page 38] Meet the gang! Left to right: Travis Hale. Ernest Derry, Ken Allen, (the Three Cheers); Felix Mills, sax; Don Hopkins. Cecil l\'oe, Dante Barsi and Frank Catalano, sitting; Eddie Schrivanek. guitar; Nell Larson, Ken Mies, and in the background, the Hallelujah Quartet— Chiles. Johnson. Clinkscale and Hughes.