Variety (Jun 1934)

58 VARIETY RADIO «IFOBTS Tuesday, June 5, 1934 CLIMALENE CARNIVAL Gale Page, Jackie Heller, King's Jester*, Harold Stokes orchestra Musical , 30 Mine.. COMMERCIAL WMAQ, Chicago ' This is a morning show with eve- ning quality. For 30 minutes each Thursday morning and weary house- frati is invited, literally, to put away the mop and pail and take a rest while she listens to sweet popular music. It's a perfect tie-up for this soap water-softener. Talent is top, and their names are known, hot only through, this program but through others. They add a lustre and a rep. to this morn- ing show that makes it a standout Miss Page is a regular ether singer. Jackie Heller has been com- ing ahead fast for two years. The Jesters are a standard Chicago radio name and so is Harold Stokes It's a free-and-easy 30 minutes full of smooth rhythm and light touches of comedy. It fits in ex- cellently for the early morning housewife. It's a swell excuse for her to forget about the dishes for a few minutes. Plugging on the show is done art f-ily and with plenty of selling punch. All around, it's a playable, sellable program that should Win for' everybody concerned. G-O/ff; FFtED TANGEMAN Piano . m Sustain! IS Mins. WOWO, Fort Wayne' VOICE OF COLUMBIA' . WitH George J easel, Sylvia Froos, Gertrude Niesen, Evan Evans, Johnny Green, Freddy Rich, Mark Warnow 60 Mins. Sustaining WABC, New York CBS went to it Sunday night (3) from 8 to 9 p. m. with a conglomera- tion of about all the studio talent it could And as an important flU-in, The emphasis is probably due to the heavy Sunday night commercials on WEAF and a big sustaining outlay on WJZ. It is . Columbia's intention to make this a. weekly salvo in the same spot. Piloted by George„Jessel the inaugural attempt was well worth anybody's time. It's a cinch that most of those who tuned it in stuck until the finish. , e - An instrumentalrvocal-cpmedy 60 minutes, with JesSel Announcing about all the name orchestra lead- ers CBS commands, plus Sylvia Froos, Gertrude Niesen and Evan Evans for songs and himself for comedy; Nothing mote outstanding on the program than the orchestra- tions rendered, these renditions be- ing particularly .notable for not. be- ing over-orchestrated, but elaborate enough to give familiar tunes a. new Interest. Johnny Green, Freddie Rich and' Mark Warnow were her- aided as- batoning, and the studio band did well by all three. Jessel's pacing, was pert and to the point; using a supposed fum- bling family member as a foil and ringing in his phone qall to his mother next to closing. Being- among the few really well-versed perform- ers, this type of work is : in Jessel's lap,, and he should be able to re- CHICAGO WORLP'S FAIR With Rufus Dawes, Mayor E. J. Kelly, Jack Benny, Clara, Lu knd Em, James Melton, Joseph P«»*« r * naek, Morin Sisters, Anson Weeks, Fred Waring, Ted Weerns Special 60 Mins.. COMMERCIAL . WEAF, New York This IS one of a couple of full- hour programs co-operatively fi- nanced by participants in the second semester of the-Chicago exposition. Obviously it's a whooper-upper for tourists. And as promotional pub- licity on the grand r scale It unques- tionably will help, . Descriptions of the exposition grounds supposedly from an air- plane circling 1,500 feet overhead gives a clear picture of one model factory after another. Which /just possibly is not much of a spending Pianist on new summer quarter been identified with several name torthe> ale and avoid too vror bands, Ground country. .Hollywood rying through the week. He makes from the collegiate revue used as It enjoyable all the way. SSe^elbdy General program in* = Placing . the Misses Froos and eludes Variations on current popular Nieseh on the. same hour doesn't hits with an extra semi-classical figure to help Miss Niesen. Lat- piece added ter's forte is easily her lower regis- •Tartgemah plays on several com- Uer, for. when she starts to strive merclals on station, this being his. for volume her voice turns harsh first introduction to air as solo at- and her upper range is distinctly traction- Falls in line with pop-., nasal. ^Contrast throws MisS Froos ularlty of smart piano music right, into relief for range and smooth now quality, although she doesn't neces- sarily read a lyric any better than Miss Niesen. Miss Froos delivered Noel Coward's 'Zigeuner' (from Bittersweet'), probably one .of the most difficult songs to sing ever written/ because of its range, and did it exceedingly well. EVah Evans offered a pop. aided -toy a quartejt. It's all In the popular vein,, with a fine instrumental background. In the contest for listeners CBS should Sing ringY/HenSra TtTrnknttearoma] P/ck up- quite a few with this par Is; Til order. Combination narrative] ticular effort and music carries forward, epi eodlcally, the mating instinct see ©*)SCH'S JEWELRY. . 'Ring of Romance* With Chic Far- mer, Jean Tolbert, Chester Strat ton, Leo Kahn Orch. IS Mins. COMMERCIAL WNEW, New York Credit Jeweler uses this IB mirt utea to sell engagement and wed BOdlcauy, tne mating "» a "»^ »^ KORBER LIMERICKS narlo. Gushing tenderness, fln® 1 ^ Senrv Blanc ' spun love-phrases, are expressed by J "« !l Kf"r He and She, They are dancing.] IomEIrc^l It is a beautiful summer cafe. The wwumbiiwai, RADIO ROD AND GUN CLUB Harold McCracken Talk. , 15 Mins. . COMMERCIAL WOR, Newark * In Macy's department store Harold McCracken has a niche all his own. He's the information bureau that comes as part of the store fishing tackle department. If the angler •Wants-to know what tackle arid bait is required to catch a certain specie of fish, McCracken is there to do the advising. Also where the good angling spots are to be found and what the game laws in divers pre- cincts has to say on the subject of fishing and hunting.: McCracken brings this informa- tive chatter to WOR Thursday nights, and makes a diverting 15 minutes of it. Besides McCracken the program offers a guest adven- turer of the wide and Open. Last week's (31) added contributor was inducement for many a vacationist Courtney Riley Cooper, who uh- more anxious to get away £rom re ele*d a sprightly mess of fish commerce than deeper into It. stories involving a John Bunyan of ! That plane trip is divided into two tne lme and taolt i e w ith hidden installments separated by a. half Canadian waters as his scenes of hour. First the plane is described piaca t 0 rial combat. Cooper is one as heading south, later as returning of tnose fellows who can wax north. Two announcers keep up a equally enthusiastic whether the synthetic enthusiasm that arouses momenta ry object be elephants, wonder as to what sort of capsules p 0ft t a> c i rC uses, fishing, hunting or innouncers feed themselves tokeep SO me . stories he's written. Cooper up that artificial pressure. Over- also . recounte d here an absorbing selling, over-dramatic, it may en " visit he paid to Macy's fishing yelop some mentalities with a sense tsuckle department. For the. true Of somethmg terrific, but to others it Wue angler the effercescent act may seem like patent medicine cooper put on; made it tough re- pitching at its worse: ' sistihg a similar visit.. Great stress is made upon the new j n Ug prosl . am McCracken also factories and attractions at the expo tipa off tVie bjg game nunters on this year. Mayor Kelly, ,Clara, ^.u wlld $tock conditions, in Canada, and Em, and others continually nam- Aa soon ag i the fishing season is mered the thought that It wasn t fully under way> Macy's. through expensive, that there' was plentyjjr ^ gtanza! wU1 put ^ a fishing cheap sleeping and eating available, tournament with prizes for out Mayor Kelly's remark about not landing catches. ' Otfec; having any traffic problems was a bit | > thick to those who visited the Fair last year. If there ever were traffic BOB HOPE problems. Chicago had 'em in 1933. Comedian Program credits G en *™}. Tire. COMMERC , AL Gillette Razof and Pepsodent com- I It is a beautiIwl ^ n % e ^l 1 ( r- KGW, Portland, Ore air is pungent with flowers, soitl ■ ' . ' musta sets the mood. * August 30 pi then exnlaias its proposl- Korber, Jeweler, ventured on the tion For 50?dow2and"ScTw** air.oyer station^GW with a unique •a nflnihim M* rta^zlea She with Program. An idea that many be- ™ »™r^ would not last even one SS%r;t«pini iside ana eivtns WEAF, N,w Y.rk the World's Fair program right-of- Bob Hope has made a number of way between 9:30-10:30 p. m. (Cen- guest appearances for Rudy Vallee. tral) Friday night (1). Ample His easy-going, underplayed style is credits of a commercial and adver- as likeable ph the air as upon the Using nature were sprinkled through rostrum of a variety or. legit , house, the whole-prograin. His. jokes are aged, -but his delivery Effectiveness of the program prob- and general approach to humor -is aibly hinges upon the reaction of modern. multitudes of people to a money- Seems no reason why Hope could spending appeal premised upon the not do well on a regular commer- fasdnation of the processes of in- cial assignment. Perhaps it may be dustrialism glorified In special argued he has no catch phrases or buildings. Just what, it may be distinctive identification, and this asked is the average American's may be valid cause 1 for caution up idea of a good time on his annual ] to^a. point. f«rtnisrht of Hberty and does the But he wears well, his knack of ^tlfJl n ?\ hi oJn«- n^int i Dicturer«elf-joshing and unabashed realiza- SSl^^1^iP& ^^ ! «on \t his own darihg is calculated ■««n™ It'a anvbody'a guess no doubt, to please where more perspiring Ss^&^S^Tto Pr0 ^ Wy and h ene 3 rva f te gettine laUgh9 «e n s ible that CoSle of clever stooees assist of last vear O 1 went back to their native ^p*** 3 / him ° uple ° C Cleve ' r » to °sesassiBt ^-i*"^^-' ."j spread the cynical viewpoint.^ mm. L,ana. Against this, of course, were hun- SOCIALIST CONVENTION With Norman.Thomas, Daniel 30 Mins. Sustaining , WABC, New York Democratic and Republican con- ventions get 16 hours a day when the excitement is high. . But 30 minutes is allotted the Socialists, and probably Norman Thomas la appropriately grateful to get that. It's a. break for the Socialists to have a national hook-up, it Only for 10 minutes. Norman Thomas has a splendid voice, resonant, firm, melodious. Before he took up the fight for the Socialist ideal he was a clergyman. So he knows how to talk. And he speaks, rapidly so that in 15 min- utes he said more than most poli- ticians manage to say in much longer. Daniel Hoan followed and was also pithy. As party propaganda it had the advantage of a good/hour, 8 :30 p.m. ' Thursday, a,lthough that's, right in the middle of the Rudy Vallee hour bri the. NBC web. Still, all in all,' the Socialists probably got more' than they expected: Land. FRIENDLY ENEMIES Jaok Conway and Joseph K. Watson' Comedy,. Songs 15 Mins. Sustaining WMCA, New York It's their old vaudeville act that, Jack Conway and Joseph IC: Wat-, son have brought to WMCA for a Thursday evening airing. They're/ still exchanging Gaelic and Hebo ■ dialects and nifties anent the sur.i periority of the Irish over the Jews and visa versa. Like the general, nature of their turn, the boys' nifties, are'aged in the brine, but it's' doubtful whether this type of stuff' will have, a salty effect on the listeners' sense .of humor. As vaudo entertainment this good-natured crossfire' between the two races passed but of vogue years ago, and there is no reason to believe that radio can revive it. Watson, one of the standard comics of'his day in vaudeville, does the Hebe dlalecting. When not en- gaged in nood-natured raillery over racial advantages the pair assail the mike with Irish and Yiddish melodies. Over the foots this cater- wauling might get by, but emerging from the loudspeaker it's a strain on the tympani. Gene Garvell's orchestra assists in the warbling interlude*. 1 Oidec. a new ring; which must be seen to \ be appreciated. Above average indie station pro- gram. Land. MARGARET ANGLIN With Judith Anderson Dramatic COMMERCIAL WEAF, New York Margaret Anglln's voice is not at- tractive on the air, While, her style seems ponderous and Old genera tiohish. She was outshone as a microphone personality, by Judith Anderson. Possibly because seem Ingly the latter"Ichbws radio" from experience and Miss Anglin did not. It is perhaps unkind to make con- trasts, yet . they "are Inevitable when two legitimate theatre actresses play together, and hence, it must be recorded that the . Anderson tones were crisp and sure while the Anglin interpretation was less vivid. Ladies from the drama are smit- ten with Queen Elizabeth and Mary of Scots since this year's success of the Theatre Guild play. Various versions of the two queens' meet- ings have been heard. ort the air. This is an older vehicle by Schiller. It sums up as one of the less memorable. excerpts offered on the Fieischmanh programs. Land, It's a three-times weekly program of limericks. Henry BlanC. KGW staff-announcer, undertook to recite the limericks and accompanying them with—rhythm music on the piano. Program has been and still Is tremendously popular, with a constant , stream of letters pouring into the station with contributions At first it was thought that the continuity department would run out of limericks, but it wasn't long until contributions from listeners began coming in. Typical of ma- terial used: No mater how grouchy you're feeling," .. _ _ .__ : ^ You'll find a smile more or less healing. It grows in a Wreath' Around the front teeth Thus preserving the face from con^> gealing. Averaging six limericks to every five minutes, 624 have, been used thus far-^and theytre still coming in. tfreds of thousands of truly awed CARLILE : and LONDON and pleased tourists. How, again, • do these pros and cons balance. pian(> ■ d s Trf themselves? Obviously the expo 1$ 1g M1ns . tajjdng no chances, The radio pro- Sustaining As to the program gotten together After airing for many seasons via for the occasion, it relied chiefly on this outlet, Columbia has grabbed Jack Benny (General Tires) and off talent for a night spot every Fred Waring (Ford) for its name 1 Sunday at 7:15. Piano duo of Car- streneth It was a good show most 1 Hie and London have been leading ftf the 'time but pretty shy on \ Ivory pounders of the local ether laughs and overboard on commercial for years, and the Warwicks prob plugs. Few 60-mlnute revues on the. ably rate as the best female har air attempt to jam so much selling monlzers in PhiUy LAUREN BELL Songs 15 Mins Sustaining WGY, Schenectady This young baritone has been dis- playing, his vocal wares on an early- afternoon, once-weekly program over WGY for the post six months. It is probable listeners will find them adequate although not un- usual. . Bell's voice Is higher than that at many baritones, but it is less ro-: bust. Bell shows evidences pf care- ful coaching, albeit he has not yet attained the maturity and authority necessary to qualify as an outstand- ing concert-radio singen .He. does standard numbers. Bell should strive to develop more variety in his vocal style. At pres- ent ..there is a suggestion of same- ness about the manner in which he interprets all selections, Jaco. •ANAESTHETIC AND CEREBEL LUM' Van Fleming and Eddi 15 min. COMMERCIAL KGW. Portland, Ore. 'Anaesthetic and Cerebellum' is ^n6t i =the^.titIe^df^a^pre-medicL=.text ■The names, for no ffpparent reason are the title of a new blackface har mdny team now on KGW for 15 min utes three times a Week. Eddie King, staff announcer and pianist, and Van Fleming* contin uity specialist, do this presumably amusing sketch in some sort of southern dialect, and harmonize to the accompaniment of Eddie's piano and Van's guitar. Both Van and Ed- die are cpnfldent the act is superior. They get off some rather good gags across. Land. MUSICAL CLOCK Lee Everett. ' One Hour Sustaining WBT, Charlotte, N. C. This spot was a drab playing of one recording after another, just to while away the first hour of the day's broadcasting, waiting for everybody to get fully awake—un- til Program Director *Lee Everett decided it had possibilities, and took it over, personally. Now, judging by the mail, It Is quite popular. When he took on the program and called it his, own .o ne-m a n .show . Everett, did many things to it, most Important of all he injected plenty of informality. Along with the occasional re cordings and frequent announce ments of the time, the spot carries a birthday*club, greetings to the sick, recitations, scrap book mate- rial, and always frequent and spicy t chatter of Everett. There is the constant introduc- tion of stunts, such as breaking a record before a mike, where it can be heard by listeners, when too LILLIAN MESS1NGER Motion Picture Talk 10 Mins, Sustaining WGY, Schenectady 7 T.alk by Miss Messlnger of .RKO on 'Scouting for Screen Prospects' proved as interesting as any yet heard in the weekly series which femme film executives are broad - Sasting over the NBC red network s guest on the 'Woman's Radio Re- view,' Chat, with 1 Its Information on the manner in which. picture concerns scout talent, the requirements for. and the chances of, obtaining a camera test, . and, the intimate glimpses Miss Messinger . gave of various stars, was right down the alley for dialing.screen fans. Inasmuch as a test costs the com- pany between $400 and $500, Miss Messinger said that- the talent scout first interviews the prospect care- fully, to get a line on his or her looks arid voice, personality, intel- ligence; and adaptability to direc- tion. Speaker, paid tribute to Katharine Hepburn—denying the story that =Miss=Hepburn-rebels-at=direction»-" to a male star of 'Flying Down to Rio,' and to Mrs. Patrick Campbell. She tabbed John Beal and Barbara Robbins in. the coming release; 'Hat, Coat and Glove.' ~> — Mis:j Messinger is a first-rate talker, With a chatty manner and the mike aplomb of a veteran. Jaco. Show has neat fast pace, that travels without a let-down. Song turns are divided between the two pianos and the trio, while Marie Carlile leaves the bench for a solo backed up by the warbling girls. Program manages to sustain be- tiause—of the variety of talent in the quintet that completely elimi- nates any possibility of monotony. Warwick Sisters do yeoman work with the two featured spots, with harmony and arrangements that rival the best of the chains. Thing in the show's favor is the.compact- ness of the combination.- Has ex- cellent commercial possibilities. each, broadcast, written by Van- or at least copied: by Van. Their voices L many complaints come in on a par Wend exceptionally well. * f ticular number. Gwen rt/lcCleary, head of the con- tinuity department, KSO, Des Moines, succeeding Geo. Lampman, who leacis KSO June 8, GALAXY OF STARS Edna Odell and Phil Porterfield Music 15 Mins. COMMERCIAL WMAQ, Chicago Red Star Yeast is paying for this thrice weekly morning broadcast over an NBC wire. There has. come into radio a certain sm°°th type of program that doesn't necessarily rate a number one program of the air, gets no long raves from the critics, and its performers never rate big money, yet the show rates as a genuine all-around home pro^ rgrltffi^thm^raft^ fends nobody and pleases a good many. Such a show is 'Galaxy b£ Stars.' A man and woman singing popular songs in a popular way. No tor rifle wallop, no socking punch, but enough simple entertainment to please the wife who wants a little music with her morning, chores. Such, a show must be okay. Yeast company is malting use of a dram- atized plug ,in the center of the session. Usually uses two women since, the show primarily appeals to the housewife. Gold. WSGN'S 'School' Birmingham, June 4. With the summer months Just around £he corner, bringing the usual flood of high school and col- ege musicians seefcTng audiiidhs, WSGN is opening, a radio school to train would-be radio performers. A fee will be charged for the eight weeks' course. Sessions will be held' three nights a week. Announcing, production and busi- ness staffs will act as instructors; WGAL 13 Hrs. a Day Lancaster, Pa., June 4. WGAL went to full-time opera- tion last Friday (1), establishing a program service oC aWeast 13 hours a day. With its boost to an all-day and. all-night outlet WGAL underwent a shift of channels. From i.ilO kilo- cycles, with it shared with WRAW, Reading, WGAL moved to 1.500 Jdlocycles. Time increase will allow WGAL to add around 20 hours of ^progra ms a_ ..wee k to the^ old schedule. CARLISLE JOINS KMTE Hollywood, June 4. David Carlisle is the new program director at KMT It, succeeding David 13allou, resigned. Carlisle has been chieC announcer at the station, and,before that wan under contract to Metro as art actor. I To tils') sing« at the station under the name of John Page.