Radio doings (Dec 1930-Jun1932)

There Are No Frowns When This GloomDispensing Program of Song, Comedy, Ad-Libbing and Tree-Tor-All Tun Goes On the Air, Nightly — And Here's Your Chance To Meet the Interesting Gang in Person. And Besides, There Are Guest Artists Galore, Trom Other Stations, the Stage and the Movies George Taylor, the handsome master of ceremonies in "On With the Show," lias engineered many colorful programs, and is responsible for much of the famous array of guest artists appearing on the KYA frolic. Ever hear him sing? ality Plus I Burian and Abe (Pep Personified) Bloom. Each is a featured soloist on KYA, and they were thrown together quite by accident. A little "ad libbed" monkeyshines one night developed that they were a made to order comedy pair. Each is a finished soloist and, in addition to her "straight" singing. Adele's impersonations of Marlene Dietrich, et al., have won more than passing comment. Born in Austria of musical parents — her father was a composer and her mother an opera singer — she learned to sing and play the classics when a mere child. She had a taste of bread lines during the war and came to America in 1921. entering a convent in New York. She later came to California and was graduated from Notre Dame at Belmont, where she took degrees in vocal culture, the violin and organ. A few years ago Bob Allen, also a KYA artists, discovered she had "boop-poop-adoop" possibilities, and induced her to appear on the air with him. Now. instead of a famed opera singer, as was her early ambition, she is fast rising to the heights as a crooner. Another up and coming group on KYA is the "Harmonettes." also an accidental discovery, composed of Adele Burian. Virginia Spencer, the staff pianist who surprised everyone, including herself, bv turning crooner, and Emily Eilers, whose radio experience had been limited to the KYA Players. Another blues singer bearing the phonetic name of "Lois St. Lois." Strange to relate, her favorite and best numbe is the old daddy of the blues — "St. Louis Blues." Lois is the real "moanin' low" type of singer, and her fan mail adds considerably to the mailman's daily burden. Injecting an occasional serious note into the proceedings, George Nickson, the "silver voiced" tenor, never fails to cause a few feminine hearts to pal VIRGINIA SPENCER pitate noticeably as he sings a sentimental Irving Berlin ballad. For a particularly "highbrow" audience, Sydney Dixon, the former grand opera tenor, is drafted to render a bit from the classics. For character comedy, Harry Bechtel belies the time-honored legend that Britishers have no sense of humor. He was for years a master of ceremonies and comedian in Canadian musical comedy, and his jovial personality, aided by his roly-poly appearance, never fails to "get a rise" out of the audience. He has the added attribute of being able to hold the vast air audience with a song or story, and at the same time send the studio guests into roars of laughter with pantimime. In addition, Hary, variously known as "Happy Harry," "Handsome Harry," and "Hard-Working Harry," plays leads — often two or three of them at a time, with the KYA Players, as well as filling the duties of chief announcer. Verily, a handy man to have around is Harry Bechtel. No story on "On With the Show" would be complete without mention of Virginia Spencer, who takes some kind of a prize for hard work and all around ability. Virginia is listed as staff pianist, but that doesn't tell the half of it. She sings, she plays, she arranges, she composes, she directs . . . and if you asked her to milk a cow she could probably do it. During the absence of Lew Reynolds, director of the "On With the Show" orchestra, Virginia took over his job, making her probably the only feminine radio orchestra leader in the city. And did the boys play their heads off for her! Wednesday nights are always looked forward to by even the staff members. Wednesday might be called Liar's night. It is then that Williams S. Clifford trots out his KYA Players and presents another chapter of "History That Never Happened." The above mentioned are in reality but a few of those who help to make "On With the Show" a bright spot on the dial between 8 and 9 P. M. each evening. Guest artists galore, including talent from radio stations of the city, from Honolulu. Seattle, and points north, south, east and west — the Kibitzer's Chorus — little Chappie Packard, the five-year-old policeman — and even the hard-working, much-abused publicity man are all called on to lend a hand. "So up with the curtain, And on with the Show, And on — and on — -and on — " RADIO DOINGS Page Twenty-three