Radio doings (Dec 1930-Jun1932)

CHATTER For those thousands who like the old fashioned songs, those sweet melodies of days gone by, with perhaps here and there a modern one, KFAC is presenting Eleanor Autrey, the New Old-Fashioned Girl, in an hour of songs of the good old days. Eleanor's style and choice of songs is excellent, and she is gaining many friends on her Saturday night procram from eight to nine. • Harry Jackson, the "Keeper of the Pig," whose 5:30 to 6:00 program every evening except Sunday, is always eagerly awaited by the kiddies, has adopted a new wrinkle. Harry's "Whoa, Bill" Club, which encourages bravery and sportsmanship among children by inducing them to say "Whoa, Bill" after a hurt, and keep a stiff upper lip instead of crying, now invites several children who have joined the club to visit KFAC and relate their experiences to children listening in. Each child must relate the incident that occasioned his "Whoa, Bill" and his simultaneous admission to the club. • While most young ladies fancies turn to the harp, violin, voice and the gentler mediums of music, associated with feminity, Betty Ann Pope of KPO threw her maidenly inhibitions to the winds, and took up banjo playing. And, although but 18, she is fast making a name for herself among the other professional plink plink artists. She also plays the piano proficiently, the guitar, and wields a wicked toe in a tap and eccentric dance academy. Her hobbies are swimming, tennis, and basketball. • The Boswell Sisters, that classy girls' trio of radio from the West, who leaped into sudden national popularity, are now heard over the Columbia System at 4:45 p. m. Sundays, and every Friday evening from 6:00 to 6:15. • Bill Sanderson spent a year in Hollywood playing extra parts in the movies before he returned to his home town, San Francisco to embark on radio. And he says he never missed a meal! Bill is day announcer at KFWI now, and gives vent to his thespian yen by directing the studio dramatic company. ^ The eccentricities of the zither, that once popular and often joked about, instrument, are being studied by Dorothy Devine, petite mezzo-soprano of the KGA staff. This particular instrument, which is proving no easy matter to master, is an old-timer, and has been in the Devine family for yars and yars. After KTM opened its lavish new studio, with beautiful modcrnisitic furnishings and designing, it would naturally follow that everyone had to dress up to maintain the effect. Shirt-sleeves and plus-fours are not exactly in keeping with the formal, luxurious setting of the studio. So the entire staff arrays itself in its best bib and tucker before going on duty. The announcer is required to don tuxedo and boiled shirt, and no member of the staff is allowed in the studio without his coat and tie. And the boys are even beginning to enjoy it. As Dick License, KTM announcer remarked, "It gives a fellow more assurance, and he can really do a better job. In the East, formal attire is common in studios, and there's no reason why it shouldn't be in the West." • Hardy Gibson, who is "Doakes" in the KFRC team of "Doakes and Doakes," once had a vaudeville partner named Jimmie Wells, who was very proud of his (Well's) high tenor voice. One night Gibson slipped a new orchestration into the musicians' books with a high note two tones higher than high C. Wells had to screech to make it. But he walked off the stage remarking, "Everybody in that orchestra is playing bass." • Foster Rucker, man of all parts, on the staff of KFOX has developed a new hobby, that of collecting privately-printed and numbered editions of books, and as a result found it necessary to move to larger quarters, where his swiftly increasing library might have the advantage of comfortable standing room. • Everyone at KHJ is busy calling each other up on the telephone, just like a bunch of kids on Christmas morning. Because of difficulties surrounding the single main switchboard handling all of the telephone calls, both inter-office and outside, Don Lee has taken out the old checkbook and purchased a new $50,000 automatic telephone system. Now listeners, clients and even radio editors, can call KHJ and get any desired information or person without having to stand in line, so to speak. While of course, no partiality was outwardly shown, it is believed that the real reason for the installation was as a little extra service to radio editors. Of course, if an important sponsor called, it would be nice if he could get his party immediatelv, too. • KSL is building a "Dream House" in Salt Lake City. Of course, it is a clever advertising stunt, conducted by several firms in the city, but the idea is novel and is attracting much radio comment among KSL listeners. "Mary and John," a happily married pair, go on the air each night, with a little skit in which they discuss their plans for the new home, their "Dream Home," which will be opened for public inspection soon. Day by day, the home is added to with material furnished by the respective sponsors. "John and Mary" make personal appearances around town and took part in a public wedding recently. One night their personal appearance was required at the same time they were to go on the air. Station officials scurried Page Twenty-eight RADIO DOINGS