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L to R, the Factfinder, producer Eddie Halbert, and man who asks questions, announcer Vern Hanson.
Ellen Wadley digs out elusive fact for Factfinder
jell Weil-Known Products
Until recently the Factfinder was Claus Bogel, a venerable actor who appeared with Sara Bernhardt and many great stage personalities. When he retired from the show a few months ago he was 78, radio's oldest regular male performer.
Today the Factfinder, Maurice Jarvis, is also a veteran actor. In 1910 he played the world's first performance of Shakespeare in Esperanto, the universal language.
The program was originally sponsored by Wilkins Coffee, a local brand, from January, 1945, through April, 1948.
"We have been tremendously pleased with the way you have conducted 'The Factfinder' programs, and we feel that it has been one of the most worth-while advertising mediums that we have ever used," wrote Mr. John H. Wilkins, Jr.
A complete re-organization of their advertising, with emphasis on other approaches, caused the lay-off, they said.
Since that time The Factfinder has been participating — two one-minutes daily. Currently, Chesapeake and Potomac Tele
DECEMBER, 1949
phone Company, MGM (motion picture), Washington Post, and Ivory Bar Soap are using the show.
Others have included Silver Dust, Colgate Dental Cream, Continental Baking Co., Supersuds, United Fruit, Embassy Cigarettes, Ladies Home Journal, Vel, Collier's, Pall Mall, Dodge, Rayve Home Permanent, Hudson Motor Car, Colonial Fuel Oil Co., and Silver Spring Auto Show . . .
WTOP staff people, riding home on streetcars, have overheard school children settling arguments with the conclusive fact, "Well, the Factfinder said so last night."
No questions are answered by mail, which means the mail count, in a city notorious for poor mail showings, is not high. But it indicates an amazingly wide variety of young, old, intelligent and notso-intelligent listeners.
And one listener had reached the end of his rope. "Where can I find an apartment?" he wrote.
That was one question that stumped the Factfinder.