Variety (May 1932)

56 VAKIETY A D I Tuesday, May 31, 1932 Chrysler May Drop Zieggy Report Agency Thinks Radio Doing Producer - More Good Than Advertiser Zlegfeld'3 return, to the radio,, at teast on behalf o£ Chrysler, is re- garded as doubtful ^hen the Z-C contract expires shortly. Reason la said to be Chrysler's advertising agency's belief that the ether ballyhbo has done more for Zieggy than for the motor firm. Thought Is that the publicity and everything- al)out the program has exploited the impresario and eclipsed the commercial sponsor, actually , to its detriment. This. attitude by the radio adver- tisers is not particularly new. It has ..been heretofore contended that some of the personalities become so big they outshine the very thing that serves as the. reason for the ether advertising. But the Zleggy-Chrysler thing is regarded as unusually significant in that in the few weeks that hour has been on the; air over CBS it Jumped Into first rank proinlnence. AIR GETTING EX-VAUDE WRITBtS ON REBOUND The' vaudeville author who turned to gagglng -for the films in the past is now knee deep In ether waves as the iiew salvation for the dialogi~ cian. Any number of comedy script- ers are now mixed up in radio. Ed Preble receives-$350 a week from Ed Wynn for his weekly chat- ter for the Texaco hour. Harry W. Conn.. Carroll Carroll, now with the ■j. Walter Thompson adv. agency; Eugene Conrad and Al Bbasberg ^service Burns and Allen, Andy Rice .Is contributing to Jack Pearl. William K. Wells, Joe Laurie, Jr], Da,rby Aaronsen, Lew Brown, et al., are others. Okay for Ukes The NBC -fs securing club and other bookings again for the NBC South Sea Islanders, . one of the oldest uke combos oii the air. The Hawaiian Massiie mese created a hiatus-in the S. S. I.'s professional activities. NAB PLANS LINE-TAX FIGHT IN CHI MEETING Maxwell's Double Switch Maxwell House Coftee's return to NBC after two months on CBS is definite. Account switches networks. July 1, same day that it . switches from the. Er'winiWasey agency, to .Benton & Bowles. Will keep the same program ag^ on CBS, Lanny Ross and Don Voor- hecs* orchestra. Chicago, May 30. Ways and means . of combating the proposed federal tax on tele- phone lines used by radio were formulated at a meeting of the boafd of directors of the National Association, of Bi-oadceisters here last week. NAB oflAcers >lso talked over the station copyright fee question preliminary to the get- together with a ASCAP's reps this week in New Torki Principal argument voiced against the line tax now up . before a sen- ate committee was that the added costs of carrying pickup sustain- ing programs . would eventually eliminate the broadct^tlng of com- munity events such as sports and church services. also claimed that it was unfair to levy their business and at the same time exempt newspapers from the line charge. NAB directors decided on St. Louis as the next spot for the as- sociation's coriv.ention, Nov. 14, IB and 16. Meeting here voted in 41 new members, which Included KDKA, Pittsburgh, owned by Westtnghouse. Latter's policy had previously been, against allying it- self with any trade association. KPO'S WOE Claims $577rO0O Loss Since '22- 'NBC Shift? - .San Francisco, May 30. , Ji W. Laughlin, manager of KPO, is in Washington, D. C., where he will tell the Federal Radio. Commis- sion KPO' has lost $577,000 for Its owners Hale Bros, and the 'CHrdn-; Icle' since 1922. iLaughlln will tell his tale Ih an effort to persuade , the commission to pefmit shifting ot KPO's license to NBC, currently , operating the station as a unit of its second western network. Hale Bros, and the /Chronicle' are willing to turn the station over to NBC for the amount th6y".hayS dropped In past 10 years. Since operating the KPO network, NBC has spent considerable money . on the unit which at the present time has only one Coast-originatlrig sponsored program over its entire gi'oup of stations, that a quarter hour once weekly. THEm IN THE RADIO BIZ, TOO Inside StiiIf--^Radio A secretary to an audition head, a younig girl, 1b frequently given au. thorlty to pass Judgment at tryouts.' Acts who have come In contact with her, and are turned dowii, rave', for days thereafter. ' Recently a Standard vaude performer, who has also yrorked In films and is a w. k. figure in the profession, gave an audition before tlie girl after she stated that her boss was tpo busy. 1?he comic did seven min« utes, but the young lady never cracked a smll^. At the finish she said- the actor wouldn't do. Maybe she's right, but the actor wantd a more authoritative verdict than that of a secretary. . Under the guise that they may receive commercial engagements, radio artists are besieged by requests to make gratis appearances at various conventions 'and meetings. . Compahitis hbldlng the. conventions phone the artists and ask them to entertain. Tbey' tell the performers that commercial execs will be there and may decide to use them on the air. In the majority of instances, of course, it's Just a gng to get Vadlo acta gratis. Microphoners fure getting wise and are refusing. Counting the words he has .delivered over the radio since he started his 'Playgoers' Hour' more than three; years ago, Wedgwood Nowell be- lieves thai he holds a, record for words on one continuous program-^ 4,100,000. NpweU talks threie .tinies a week on the current drama. He started his is minute period in 1929 over KNX, Los Angeles, later shifted to KFI and more recently has been broadcasting over KGFJ.^ Leo Relsman's announcements concerning song humbeirs on the Pond's, broadcasts, >TBC, are extemporaneous. Reisman declares the tunes as he sees fit, and the Fond reps, sitting In the control room, are plenty ner> vous eacii ;broadcast worrying over what Reisfnan will say. It's one of the few programs on the air for which a complete, continuity is not rehearsed 7in advance. ■ Though set to go .on the Columbia network this week, the Kelloge Foodtown Pops 'Pirate Club' program, out of Chicago, is grinding piit some 44 discs on two of the episodes. These are for salesmen on special auditions to the Pops dealers throughput.the midwest and eastern territory.. ABE L AND HIS CALIFORNIA ORCHESTRA Colombln BroadcaBtlnr System PHILLIP'S DENTAL MAGNESIA Taes., lliiirR., Sat. 8:1C (East) COAST-TO-COAST W AB CI DON PEDRO AND HIS ORCH. Now T.n Toar for kenNaway. inc. 04 W. Kandolph St.. CliicoKO Chicago, May 30. Radic's latent cycle parallel to the picture businiess is the entry Station operators of the advertiser's banker in his program production activities. Bankers In the midwest who are Inclined to lend a helping financial hand for advertising purposes make the intrusion of this same hand in the borrower's iether affairs a con- dition of the loan. Willingness of the money trading fraternity to shell it out for mer- chandise advertising indicates a new trend between the latter and the manufacturing business. Ten- dency until recently had been to refuse to give aid to the mjinu- facturer unless it was secured .by certified orders. Common procedure^ among the lending coterie when approached for the thing that it fakes to bank- roll a ballyliop campaign is to in- vestigate the applicant's business status and the possibilities of his product and then, ask for a detailed layout of the type of advertising the borrower lias in mind. In prac- tically all Instances the subniitted campaign Includes an appropriation for radio, and Invariably the banker singles out this phase upon which to pass expert opinion. Frequently he's found sitting in on auditions, giving his advice on the selection of talent and the makeup of a program and watch- ing its progress on the air. Out- standing case in point involves a food account on NBC, in wiiich the conimercial's banker helped start the program on Us local station career and impressed by his own success as. a showman put up some more wherewithal to give it chain release. Amer. Razor's New Plug Oh Sulliyan Broadcasts American Safety Razor starts Its new series of CBS broadcast^ with Ed Sullivan on June 6. This time the account will exploit the Gem razor instead of Eveready, as it Is currently doing with Jack Denny's or^h«stra and Belle Baker. American Safety is the holding corporation for both companies, but each is exploited, individually. Denny will remain with the new series. Sullivan, as previously re- ported, will feature stage, screen and sports 'guests' on each broad- cast. His opening line-up consists of Georges Carpentler, Irving Berlin and Sam Harris. XANGEE THRU WLW Chicago, May 30. ' WLW, Cincinnati, will furnish the entertainment for the 'Tangee. Mu- sical Dreams' program over NBC starting June 7. G. W. Lust com- pany, cosmetic confector, is behind this one. Session, scheduled for the basic blue link twp mornings a week, will carry a studio unit imdfer Bill Stbess, Ralph Simpson, warbler, and Walter Maher In driaihatic In- terludes. Contract with the net- work stipulates a minimum of 13 weeks. RAYMOND/ PAIGE Manlcal Director and Vrttgnm BlanaBer KHJ, Los Angales Don Lee Columbia Network AL WOODS TOP O' THE MORNING Hon. i* Sat. SlMplnp Late. Sundiy PEAnODY HOTEJL MEMPHIS, TENN. OKCHtSTI COFFEE CO.'S MtrSIC Washington CofCee will finish Its 'Sherlock Holmes' series of pro- grams Juno .23 and will remain on. the NBC network three tlnies a week with a. new series. On Mondays and Wednesdays the coffee accouht \vill feature Grahani Harris and a concert orchestra, on Thursdays Billy Artz and a dance band will be used, New series prevails for 14 Week.s, after which the coffee: account re^ turns to 'Sherlock Holmes.' Coast Letonts MacPhersori's Air Idea A : Nashville, May 30. Joseph MaqPherspn, the Na.shvllle basso who weijt from this city to the Metropbiltan O'liera company, plans to turn to radio. \ He was . ampng the' 28 singers dropped from the Met roster. San Francisco, May 30, Flock of letouts last week at NBC's two local network headquar ters, KGO and KPO. Happened just before Don Gilman, v. p., and J. W. Ijaughlln, KPO manager, headed for New-York. ■ ■ . ■ ; Out of KGO are Mahlon Merrick, orchestra, director there for two years, and three of the production dept.,. Earl Hodglns;' Monrpe Upton and Stanley MacLewee. Upton re turns to his old stand, KFRC. Sev- ieral pfllce employes also got blue envelopes. KPO has abandoned the im promptu 'Whp Cares' hour, dally chain feat re, letting out iti^ m. c. Bob Bence, and eight staff peopie Fund's Radio Idea Drop Harriet Lee Edge worth drops Harriet Lee from Its NBC brcadcasts June 15 aiid switches to, mother style. New programs will be called 'Corn Cob Pipe Club Bam Dance.' Chicago, Ma>; 30.. TTaking a tip from tl>e profitable \yLS weekly radio bariidancd at the ISlghth St. theatre, the local Mill; Fund may go for the same idoa. Plan is to take a loop legit spot for one night weekly for an in-per son radio show at 25c. and 50c., kid ' and adult prices, two shows nigluty I The producer wiil draw i a straijjht 'salary for setting the show each I week^ while the Fund pays the ex- J peases. Funnyboners, a CBS act^- is being booked In vaude with Henry Burbig through Paddy Schwartz, agent. Burbig isn't under CBS contract and requested the Funnyboners for vaude, so that he could play with the turn. , Network okayed the Idea and Burbig tiirned the act over to Schwartz, his own-agent. Grafting proclivities of some, far west station execs, who. had a habit of borrowing money from artists, and, in return, spotting their financiers on well, paying programs, while letting other staff members out In the cold, resulted in the dismissar of one of thiese bosses last week. More incidents of the kind are expected to follow. Boswells Hop-Skipping F^r 2 Days from Boston BPswell Sisters, who opened Fri- day (27) at the Metrppplltan, Bos- ton, for Publlx, missed two shows yesterday (Monday) and will do the same Thursday (2). Paul Ross,, of the CBS artists bu- reau and Who booked the trio, ar- ranged for them to play only the first two performances on these days, so thiey could hop back to New York for their commercial broad- casts. No other act will sub for the girls on the shows they will miss. Commercial account \.ron't permit the Boswells to broadcast from out of town. Rabbi on Network Columbus, May 30. Rabbi Jacob Tarshlsh, who re- cently resigned his rabbinate here at the request of his .congregation, due to his broadcasting activities, is to go on the air from this city over the CBS network in the fall from WCAH. He will. Speak from the stage of the Hartman theatre, according to present plans, before an audience. The rabbi Tarshish at present is tied up with several commercial programs Ipcally and intends, also, tp head a new church here; Am ACTS WUBCATTING Los Angeles, May 30. Four acts from the defunct 'Hit the Air' are -wlldcatting locally for bookings, playing outlying picture houses on percentage deals. Callr ing themselves 'Hits From "Hit the Air'!,' Happy Chappies, Ken and Sally, Three Loose Screws and Charlie Lung played the Man- chester last week for four days. Previously played the Golden Gate on Whittler boulevard. Leo LeBlanc managing the unit. DOYLE EEPLACES VIC MOORE Buddy Doyle replaces Victor Moore on the Nestle NBC periods thiH Friday (3). Ddyle is under a 13 weeks con- tract to the chocolate acco.unt:! » ■M.rtore'a contract was for four weeks. CBS FOLLOWS NBC IN RAISING TME RATES CBS's announced raise in rates, for its New York outlet, WABO, from $650 to $800 p|er liour at night; effective after June 16, is a follow- up on the .NBC raise for its New York stations, which became ef- fective during the past month. . NBC jacked up the rates for both WEAP and .WJZ $160 .each, from $750 per hour to $900 per hour^ nights. Raise In' rates came as somewhat pf a surprise inasmuch as both net- works are losing accounts. Net- works^^contend that aa additiohal $150 Pn a'bill for chain broadcast* wilt not bother the advertisers. htci RUSH WLW COMMERCIAL BROADCASTIMO, OLD MAN SUNSHINE PROGRABIS With TOY BAND 6 P.M. Dnily, B.S.T. BENNY KYTE And His Golden Tower Orchestr* N.B.C. Network—WJR Detroit—M'cd. 18:30-1 P.M.. K.D.S.t. Hl-Speed Qasollne. Loose wile Biscuit Co. R. O. DtfNN CIOA^ FredLJESKE LA onarch Sponsored by. MONARCH FOODS Mm., mm., Fri„ 9 P. M., C.O.8.T. WGN—Cbiuiie Wme MATNMS STATiOH. WtH 3 EENEW American KUchcn, Laras BrolhpiH and Socony Morning: .Kliow, wiibse contract't with N1>C o.xpiro in June, have been renewed. ' ' Pond's, Nc.sllc .anil Scliuorfor Pen renewed With NEC during May. SEGEJR ELLIS I HAL BECKEH ORGANIST Fox, Brooklyn, New York INDEFINITELY