Radio stars (Dec 1938)

THE MODERNAIRES Radio's best quartet is the outfit which graces the Paul Whiteman program — the ifodemaires. Their harmonies started back in Buffalo when Bill Conway and Chuck Goldstein shared the driver's seat of a pie-wagon. Then they wanted a three-handed bridge ?ame and added Harold Dickinson. But instead of playing bridge they played a record of the old Rhythm Boys and learned how to imitate them. They turned into a quartet when a sponsor said be didn't want a trio but could use a foursome. After Ralph Brewster, of Kansas, joined them they didn't get the job — but it wasn't Brewster's fault. The sponsor wanted an octet or something. Using an odd assortment of names, they've worked for practically everybody in radio. With Ozzie Nelson they were known as the Wizards of Oz. You might remember them, too, as the Collegians. They finally settled on Modcrnaircs. Both Whiteman and the boys are well satisfied with their new job. The oddest part of their connection with Paul, though, is that he auditioned them in Buffalo eight jears ago and refused to hire them. DRUM SCOUT Drummer Johnny Williams of the Raymond Seott Quintet is well known for the eerie effects lie gets on the skins. Particularly effective is the unusual drum passage in Scott's Egyptian Barn Dance. Investigation reveals that Johnny's work RADIO STARS Herman F. Krausser, NBC's piano tuner, works six nights a week from 1 :00 to 7:30 a.m. tuning 38 grand pianos. is no black magic — it's just the special drum he uses on those occasions. He picked it up in a Boy Scout shop. "Scout Model No. so-and-so — designed especially for drum and fife corps." EXPERT Andre Kostelanetz, returned from his South American trip, decided to clean out his office files during one of his few leisure moments. He came across a telegram dated in the early part of 1935. It was addressed to Boake Carter, who at that time was suggesting programs for his listeners to turn to. The wire read: "IF YOU WANT TO HEAR THE WORLDS GREATEST TROMBONIST LISTEN TO THE CHESTERFIELD PROGRAM TONIGHT STOP HIS NAME IS TOMMY DORSEY ANDRE KOSTELANETZ" ONCE OVER LIGHTLY The bands are up to their old tricks of horse-trading again. Trumpeters Yank Lawson and Charlie Spivak of Bob Crosby's crew have switched to Tommy Dorsey —making Tommy's brass section close to perfect. Pee Wee Erwin, the ex-Dorsey No. 1 trumpeter, is now working for Raymond Warnow Scott. . . . Pretty Texan Louise Tobin vocalizes with Bobby Hackett — one of the better swing outfits. Louise took the job because she was tired of staying home by herself in the evenings. Her husband works nights. He is Harry James — Benny Goodman's first trumpeter. Jimmy Shields came up to NBC to audition for the Eddy Duchin program. Eddy looked at him with a faint gleam of recognition in his eyes — -"Don't I know you?" He did — Jimmy won third place in the national talent audition Duchin held two years ago. Shields, incidentally, is now featured vocalist on Eddy's program. . . . Chick Webb and Ella Fitzgerald rate high among the jittery-bugs. Ella is one of those gals who is everybody's friend. When the band played at a Harlem theatre, Ella spent her intermissions playing soft-ball with the kids who flocked to greet her at the stage door. STOPS HIM IN HIS TRACKS! "BLIZZARDS ROUGHEN A1Y SKIN? NO? / PROTECT MY SK/M WITH POND'S VAAJ/SH/A/G CREAM. /T KEEPS MY SK/AJ A//CE AA/OSOET/A/SP/TE OP SA/OtVAA/O IA//A/D" CORONATION -YEAR DEB — DAUGHTER OF THE FAMOUS ROUMANIAN DIPLOMAT, AND GRANDDAUGHTER OF THE COUNTESS OF OXFORD AND ASQUITH "Pond's Vanishing Creo away little roughnesses the extra 'skin-vitamin' i always v brings to i as grand for smooth .y skin." NOW BRINGS EXTRA "SKIN -VITAMIN TO HER SKIN* Now Pond's Vanishing Cream brings to its many users this extra beauty care — it contains Vitamin A, the "skin-vitamin." This vitamin is necessary to skin health — and skin that lacks it becomes rough and dry. But once "skin-vitamin" is restored, it helps skin become smooth again. Now you tan smooth some of this necessary vitamin into your skin with every Pond's creaming! Same jars. Same labels. Same prices. * Statements concerning the effects of the "aldnvitamin" applied t<> iln <kin an based upon medical literature and testa on the ^kin of animals following an accepted laboratory method. Tune in on "THOSE WE LOVE," Pond's Program, Mondays, 8:30 P.M., N.Y. Time, N.B.C. 57