Radio doings (Dec 1930-Jun1932)

More Chatter — For those who enjoy the marvelous music of the G-E circle, here is a schedule of operatic stars appearing for the next month. February 14, Geraldine Farrar; February 21. Beniamino Gigli; February 28, Grace Moore; March 6. Giovanni Martinelli; March 13, Claudia Muzio; March 20. Reginald Werrenrath; March 27. Rosa Ponselle. Here's a new one! John P. Medbury. Master of Ceremonies on the Demi-Tassi Revue, has a new idea about autographed photos. Instead of sending his own to those who write in. he asks his hearers to autograph their own picture and send it to him! So far, he has some 200 photographs of listeners. Many of them were accompanied by dinner invitations. Alex Gray, prior to radio and picture work, has been in advertising, teaching, engineering, selling, stoking and farming. S It's not a habit of ours to have a "Birthday Greetings" department, but this one is worthy of a little back-slapping. February 11, Nick Harris, who narrates thrilling true-life detective stories over KFI, celebrated. It wasn't his own birthday, but marked the starting of eleven consecutive years of once-a-week broadcasting of a detective story program from KFI. Eleven years is a long time, and we're not afraid to bet that Nick Harris can claim this as a world's record. I.on McAdams, Columbia bass singer, used to be a telephone operator. Carol Deis, NBC soprano and member of the Philadelphia Opera Company, locks her hands behind her head when singing into the mike. Oddity of the month. A young blind girl wrote to the Southernaires, NBC colored singers, asking for a picture. "Please send me one," she wrote. "I get a great joy in just knowing I have pictures." • Little Jack Little is one of the few who are born with the gift of •'natural" pitch. He is able to name each note of a musical selection as he hears it being sung or played by an orchestra. "Please send me all information on George Washington," a listener wrote to NBC following a recent broadcast in which the father of his country was mentioned. Another literary effort was addressed simply "Banjo Eyes," with no other information save the line, "I would like a photograph of our next president." The letter was delivered promptly to Eddie Cantor. Walter Winchell, Broadway columnist and radio master of ceremonies, started his career as a singing usher in an uptown New York theater. There were two other ushers in the house— Eddie Cantor and George Jessel. Prof. Lucifer Butts, America's most prolific inventor, has a worthy competitor in Colonel Stoopnagle, of Columbia. The Colonel's latest contribution to Man's comfort is a horizontal elevator — one that transports you to your office after the vertical elevator has brought you to your floor. Haven't heard much of Moran and Mack lately, until the other day the word went "round that Charlie Mack, of the "Two Black Crows." was scheduled to head a cast in a new Mack Sennett picture which probably will also include Clara Bow, Lupe Velez, Jean Harlow, Edmund Lowe, Roscoe Ates. W. C. Fields, and Andy Clyde. It will be a 15-reel road show comedy. • Aileen Clark, NBC soprano, says the thought of the number of persons listening to her over the air gives her stage fright. So she sings to the chief engineer and production men, trying to forget the radio audience. Did you know that Morton Downey played the piano? Even if you did, bet you didn't know that he can only play the sharps anil flats — never touches the natural keys if he can help it. Alexander Gray's favorite sports are swimming and golf. He used to be crazy about horses until after a scene in the movie "Desert Song" which called for some rough riding. Gray, after hurdling an obstacle, bounced high in the saddle and came down on his hand with such force that he broke his finger. Never knew that the old tune "Turkey in the Straw" even had an author until the other day. It has. and Dave Guion, cowboy composer of NBC, is it. He also wrote "Arkansas Traveler" and others. You can hear him from 7:30 to 8:00 p. m. every Wednesday over the NBC-KGO network. • A man in Ohio claims to be the world's champion fan letter writer, having written some 1700 letters to radio stars during 1931. That's about five letters a day. // ever a great artist deserved the homage of an appreciative following, Madame Ernestine Schumann-Heink is that artist. A great singer, a great woman, and a great mother, on the eve of her tumultous life, she has brought beauty into millions of hearts through her voice and personality. Page Thirty RADIO DOINGS