Variety (Sep 1933)

54 VARIETY RADIO iTuesday, September'5, I933 WInle in Chicago (or Worlfs Fair, Saps Try for Radio Auditions Coast Know-AO Chicagro, Sept. 4. It's not just tho sightseers who drive local radio stations batty; It's the home town talent using the Fair as an excuse to come here to try and crash the ether, NBC and CBS headquarters are jammed with gals and boys from Crazy Corners Who have ambitions for the air, al- ways wanted to come to Chicago to grab an audition but who some- how never got away from the home town. They're all here for the Fair but they are 100% in using the op- portunity to show their talent to the networks. Many of them are Instrumental- ists and wear out the hostesses tell- ing tearful stories of how much trouble they went to lug the bass horn thousands of miles on crowded excursion trains just, to tootle for the studios. Letters of introduc- tion from small station managers and home town mayors are more numerous than ever, a concession to the belief that some 'in' Is essen- tial. Timetable Life Saver Impossible for either NBC or CBS to take care of the literal thousands who are dally asking for a chance to recite, sing or give Imi- tations. Studios have found that hy letting the audition-seekers wait an hour or so they automatically eliminate themselves since many of them rush away because they've come on an excursion ticket and hAVe to grab the rattler for home. In fact, most of 'em 4se .that ex- cursion reason for a request to see the artists' bureau manager as soon aiB possible, since they've only got an hour or so before train time. Panel Glass Curtain In New NBC Studios When NBC moves to Radio City it will give up Its Times Square studio atop the New Amsterdam theatre. NBC will have -its o^m large capacity auditorium for the big hour shows and" has also In- stalled a glass curtain to comply with advertisers' demands. First objection was that the glass curtain, to cut off the audience from the stage, meant killing ofC two flocJrs Jtbove, but NBC engineers got around it having the curtain close fiom the sides towards the middle. Instead of lowering and raising In olio fashion. CHI SPECIAL REP CO. ADDS PROGRAM DEPT. STUDEBAKER'S 6 IN WK. WITH TALENT ARRAY Studebaker has taken six consec- utive broadcasts on CBS extending .from Sept. 23 to 28, inclusive, to ballyhoo its fall models. First five spots are for 16 minutes each and will be allocated for soloing to Bing Crosby, Cthel Barrymore, - Morton Downey, Willie and Eugene How- ard and Ruth Etting, while the final progrram will run 30 minutes and bring together all five people. Miss Etting and Crosby will be picked up from Los Angeles and have the Raymond Paige band in support. Jacques Renard will fur- nish the music for the proerrams originating from New York. 2 Chi Wrens In Chicago, Sept. 4. Two local warblers are in for the build-up process through a couple of stations. Adele Starr has been taken under the KYW wing. At WBBM, Aurl ole Craven comes in after having been in vaude with her husband, Ted Leary. Miss Craven starts on a weekly 30-minute program over CBS, with the Frank Westphal or chestra. Chicago, Sept. 4. Girard Ellis was last week ap- pointed program director for the Free & Slelnlnger firm of special station representatives. Ellis had been in the station rep field himself for several years, but is giving up this work to concentrate on pro- grams and production. With the Ellis appolntpient, the Free & Slelninger company becomes the first Chicago special repre- sentation outfit to establish a pro- gram department and service, and to offer more than the purely com- mercial business time service for agency and station. Company station list now includes WGR - WKBW, Buffalo'; WGAR, Cleveland; WOC-WHO, Davenport and Des Moines; WJR, Detroit; WDAY, Fargo; WHB, Kansas City; KSTP, St. Paul; WMCA, New York; WMBD, Peoria; WCAB, Pittsburgh; and the recently added WCKY, Cin- cinnati, and WSYR, Syracuse. Separate Code Idea Peeves Coast Waxers Los Angeles, Sept. 4. Suggestion of a separate recovery code for radio disc makers Isn't sit- ting too well With Coast waxers. They are hollering that the move for a record document, distinct from that of radio, Is an eastern scheme to take business from this end. Suggestion is for a minimum charge per disc of $150. If becom Ing operative this would take busl ness from the coast, especially Hollywood, as much of the bus! ness coming here Is due to. the low er charges than in the east, the lo- cals say. Currently thQ local Independent waxers are charging about half the eastern prices. Hollywood, Sept. 4. If there's anything you want to know, call up your favorite radio station. It's a new 'ask Mr. Fos- ter* gag being used by KMPC, Bev- erly Hills. Station promises to give the right answer to any question asked. Harry Pearson, on the World War "Veterans' program, is being plugged as the know-all man with stations guaranteeing he'll answer all queries either by mail or over the ether. jotsoN^AirroR AND THE PRESS RadiD Hot for Fim Celebs Chansre Broadcasting Locale to Hollywood for Air Purposes Par May Try Chain Air Once Monthly Paramount personalities on the air once a. month from Hollywood are a possibility for the fall. Success* ' with Its half-hour broadcasts each Monday night from backstage at the Paramount, New York, over WOR, and includ- ing talent on current stage shows, Boris Morros may talce an hour's time on NBC for a coast-to-coast broadcast once a month, NBC has approached him oh the Idea and interest Is expressed. The •Monday night WOR backstage air programs would continue as builder upper for the NY Par's shows. Field on Air Copy A new procedure In the writing and treatment of ether advertising copy on commercial programs will be instituted at CBS by Julian Field. He is leaving the Lennen & Mitchell agency to go with the network. Field, with L. & M. for years, is one of the crack copy writers and slogan men of the ad field. He has not had radio connections, but CBS figures his copy writing ability in the straight commercial line can be adapted to ether product plugging Ik BAKER ADDS 13 Chicago, Sept, 4, Talent renewal on Phil Baker gives the comedian 13 more weeks on the Armour program. The extra time starts Sept. 15. Thin figures as talent added time only tVie Armour company, through the N. W. Ayer agency, having al- ready signatured for 52 more weeks on NP.C It is singular that two of the best known names in. the amusement field, Eddie Cantor and Al Jolson, should respectively experience the same difficulties with the news- paper radio commentators and chatter writers under more or less similar circumstances. Cantor made no bones about calling this press group 'journalistic rackeeters' and Jolson entertains similar ideas. That both are outstanding lumina- ries on stage and screen, and have found a new meter via the ether, lends more than casual credence to anything they may say on the subject for their press rela- tions In the past have been most cordial. The 'journalistic', racketeering' to which Cantor referred involves a cordiale entente existing in New York between certain self-appoint- ed radio press squarers, or front men, and the radio press. These front men. are self-styled radio p.a.'s whose principal stock, in tirade is the liason they maintain with the various radio editors on the daily papers, and concerning which relationship these press agents have a squawk In one form or an- other. The p.a.'s pan the radio col- umnists for being either uppity or chiseling, or that they must kow- tow to them like prima donnas, yet recognizing that without such an affiliation the radio p.a.'s business just ain't. Reaction On Jolson The repurcussions of Jolson's now famous sock at Winchell have been various. The metropolitan news bunch, with due regard to the numbei* of Winchell bank books Winchell has made notorious, have been defending their fellow scribe. So much so that Mike Porter, in open confession in a weekly radio guide, admitted that he logrolled ]|Is journalistic confrere, Winchell, at the expense of Jolson; but, upon discovering that Jolson Wasn't such • a bad egg, was com- pelled to change his stance. This from a radio columnist who was generally regarded more or less above par, for 'Aircaster' (Porter) on the New York 'Eve. Journal,' enjoys a pretty* good rep In the radio biz and among the ad agen- cies having radio contacts. Assuming that an hour which in- cludes Jolson and Whiteman and an elaborate supporting revue rates with the outstanders on the air, it Is significant to Jolson—^not be- cause he Is being slighted—that the omissions of his show from the highlights of Thursday night must be inspired by a pecular column- istic fraternalism. Ad agencies and network men concur with the artists on the journalistic evil, although their general attitude has been very in- souciant as regards any newspaper or other attacks in the fan or kin- dred press. The main idea with the ether merchandisers is that all that matters is that their shows go over with the masses and that tlie sales reaction be in propor- tion. 1 CBS and 2 NBC Spots In Interstate Combo Cincinnati, Sept. 4. A linking of one CBS and two NBC affiliates, named' the Center of Population Network, has been formed by WCKY, Covington, Ky., opposite Clncy; WHAS, Louisville, and WSM, Nashville. The three stations will have a permanent phone hookup and ex- change sustaining proerrams, be- sides carrying similar commercials. WCKY, a 5,000- watfaer, is on the NBC blue net; WHAS, 26,000 watts, is Columbia outlet, and 'the Nash- ville station, with 60,000 watts. Is on the NBC red web. First commercial over the new setup starts Sept. 16 for the Early & Daniel Co., hay, grain and feed dealers. It has smiling Ed Mc- Cbnnell and will be broadcast thrice weekly on 16-minute morn- ing spots.. Crazy Water Crystals will use the three stations for six morning pro- grams per week commencing not later than Oct. 9. ATLANTA 'JOURNAL'S' NICHT OF DEDICATION Atlanta, Sept. 4. At 9 p.m., EST, Saturday (9) WSB, second oldest newspaper- owned station, will dedicate Its new 50,000-watt transmitter under the general direction of Lambdin Kay, its general manager, and one of the first to make a profession of an- nouncing. WSB has been on the air since 1922; Kay has been with it almost from the start. Claimed on his be- half that he was the first to give a station a slogan, using 'The Voice of the South,' and also the first to use chimes to supplement the call letters as identification. Station selected Saturday as an off night when there will be few strong counter attractions on the ether and purposes making it a big air event. Aside from very brief talks by Merlin H. Aylesworth, Judge Sykes of the F.R.C., and MaJ. John S. Cohen, owner of the At- lanta 'Journal,' which owns and operates the station, the program will be chiefly musical with stress on the Georgia slant. It will Include the Pickens sisters, Atlanta girls, and James Melton, who got his start on WSB. January and Mo- lasses win also come In, both At- lanteans. Other talent will include Roxy, the Revellers, Vaughn De Leath, Jones and Hare, Breen and De Rose, Johnny Marvin, Borah Minnevitch, Joe Parsons, Vic and Sade, Gene and Glenn, Ben Bemie, Vincent Lo- pez and Joseph Littau's orchestra, Other music will be contributed by local bands. Show is being put together by NBC, which uses the station. Malto-Meal Back With 'Steamboat Biir Spots Chicago, Sept. 4. After a summer's lay-off Camp- bell Cereal is returning to the ether for Its Malto-Meal. product. Will .still use 'Steamboat Bill' for the kids starting Sept. 11, Goes out as a spot job, each stu- dio .supplying the local talent to take the part of 'Steamboat Bill.' It'.s a 10-minnte epi.sodc daily ex- cept Sundays, according to individ- ual station arrangements. Script being writton in the offices of the agoncy; Rogors and Smith, C'hicago. Leo R^isman Set for 2; Al Go'^T»an Another lico Roigman has been set by Ben David for both the Phillip Morris and None-Such-Mincemeat air pro- grams starting in October. With contracts for 13 weeks on options, Reisman goes on the Mor- ris clg hour for three 15-minute periods beginning Oct. 6 and on the mincemeat broadcast a half hour once weekly. Each program goes over the NBC network. David also obtained renewal for 17 weeks for Al Goodman, on the Gulf Oil progr.im for three nights weekly. liencwai starts currently. Australian B Chain Sydney, Aug. 10. Frank Albert, milltonaire music publisher; Stuart Doyle, general manager of Union Theatres, and Sir Ben and John Fuller of Fuller's theatres, are acquiring some 'B' ra- dio stations in Australia. They are also after choicer 'A stations to build up an Australasian network. '1st Nighter' Switch Chicago, Sept. 4. Campagna campaign for the coming season has the 'First Night er,' on for years now, switching from the Blue to the Red network NBC, on Sept. 29. Two days later, the new Cam- pagna program, replacing the Fu Manchu scries, gets underway on the I^lue. Hagerman Out of McJunkin's Chicago, Sept. 4. McJunkin agency is about the only major advertising office In town now without a specific radio department, following the departure of TjOu Hagerman as manager of the radio department. Radio needs names, it realizes, and the next biggest names to thoso In radio are the film celebs. Be- cause radio can't get the Hollywood stars east. It's making a bid for the coast talent by moving* its biggest variety hour—the Vallee-Fleisch- mann Yeast program—to the coast, as a means to pick up guest stars from the cinema capital. When and If the idea of big sock names for the fall season gets started, Vallee will be picked up from Hollywood Sept. 28. While there he has bids to double into the Paramount, L. A., for Panchon & Marco at $6,000 guarantee plus 50- 50 over the house average. The. J. Walter Thompson agency has been decidedly partial to film names. As an Instance, when Frank Fay disappointed on this past Fleischmann program, the agency flew Lew Cody In froni Hollywood tp < substitute. Cody returns west this week to resume picture work. Fleischmann.figures that the Val- lee variety show will be given a punchy send-off for the fall by the inclusion of the celluloid satelllte.4, and deems it worth-while to ship the entire Vallee organization to the coast foi? the air shows. Vallee at the same time will make somo shorts for Columbia. Thus, if plana materialize, he'll set back some bookings under consideration with Loew's. Jimmie Durante and Ruth Etting are other film names which are go- ing Thompson agency, for Chase & Sanborn coffee, through Eddie Can- tor being unable to start in time owing to his Goldwyn-UA film be- ing stilt in production. KOIL WTTH KFAB, KFOR, NUCLEUS OF NETWORK Lincoln, Neb., Sept, 4. Union Holding Co. here has ac- quired a long time lease on station KOIL, according to announcement here by Lee Dirks, manager of the KFAB Broadcasting Co.' With the purchase ot this lease, which followed the acquisition of ownership, and operation of stations KFAB and KFOR, here. It is re- ported the Union Holding Co. plana to organize a midwesterh networlc KOIL, according to announcement, will continue to carry the blue net NBC programs. DISC FOR 184 STATIOWS United Drug Takes Record for Most Outlets at One Time on Air United Drug starts in a couple of weeks an air campaign involving the largest number of stations ever used by a single commercial at one time. Lined up for the splurge are 184 outlets with each set to ^road- cast a 16-minute musical disc^onco weekly for five weeks. Series will plug the annual Ic sale in the Lig- gett stores. Recording job will bring the Music Publishers' Protective Association the largest royalty payment re- ceived from a cominerclal at ono time. MPPA collection comes to $1,785. Ohman and Arden, piano team, have the top billing spots in the series. No Doubling Sock San Francisco, Sept. 4. A rule put into effect last year, prohibiting network execs from doubling as mike performers, was a sock in the purse this weelc to Helen O'Neill, NBC production woman. Conducting audition."* for a vroa- pective .sponsor, the producer in- troduced a number of candidates for the reading jobs. When all the auditionors were through, sponsor chose the m.c.'ing Miss O'Neill, But she had to pass it by. PLATE'S $50,000 SPOTS Cliicagi', Sept. 4. Community I'late ha? been set for eight weeks of daily spot announce- ments starting Oct. 1. Will go on in the a. m. , Agented through Paul Cornell (New York), and understood to have $60,000 to di.stribute among stations for this stunt.