Variety (Dec 1934)

38 VARIETY R A 91 a Tuesday, December 25, 1934 WILLIAM A. BRADY Remihiscericea ■. ^15 .Mins. ■Sfustaining- . WABC, N. Y. . W A, Bradjv oiib of-tlio. lead- ing producers In the' American theatre Is how airing' his wide-and coiorful/ experiences over the air. Kot alone in the Times Squato eei:- tbr has 'this producer flourished,, but In many other flelds, as well. This glance behind the scenes In- cludes highlights of political events, sport attractions . and prize. flghts also; All told iri a! straight-forwara Tnahner \vith the; speaker's, voice carrying'a. convincing note along with, the diverse subjects, • ,v Brady sketched (23>.-bapk :to an. eai-ly day ih ih'is career when the Coubett-Sullivan bbut was :staged in New Orleans. Many of the foibles of that^day, including the exclusion of' ladles irom the fights, were mentioned. : Development of Gentleman-Jlm a,lso hurried over in this Ihltiil program: On for IB miniites and those with a hankering for truthful pictures of bygone days will surely d lal 1 n regu larly here.. The wealth :of contacts stored-up In this man's life. ostabl ishes a desire to; listen In again right aT^ay. ; HEADLmES 6F 1934 '. Graham McN amee, John B. K<en nedy '.Drarria,'Talk , 30 MJnsi Sustaining V '.:-.-' ■■■■ WJZ, New York ■ ■ NBC took no chances tiiis year on. being beaten to the punch by Co- lumbia. With hardly ahy advance an- ■nouncemcnt, it shot into production and release its annual, revlew; of leading news events. In carrying out the thin g NBC made liberal use of the teclinliiU'e "associated- witii- 'The March of Time.' At its best moment, the NBC effort was still a weak Imitation of the original. , Like the weekly mag's affair, the NBC program last Thursday night. (20) was an intermixture of drama- tized bits, headline reading and edi- torial comment. The tempo of the NBC sample was bad,, showing either the lack of a crack direc- torial hand, or Insufficient, preparia- tlori, while, the niuslcal scoring couUlh't have been much worse. Among the news events that re- ceived some dramatic treatment dur- Ljhg:this'. notpourri were the birth of the Diono quintuplets; the arrest of Bruno Hauptmanii; the assassina- tions of King Alexander and Chan- cellor Egbert Dolfuss; the flight of Samuel Jhsull; the iSari ■■■ Francisco strike;, the Hitler purge; the burn- Inrr of the Morro Castle, and the shooting to death of Dilllnger. Best handled was the DolfUss attack, -whlle-the-slopplest-blt-was thej at -. tempt to re^ehact what happened aboard the burning vessel. Long: was credited by the editorial com- ment as being the most amazing character of 1934, In pointing out Why, the program was careful not • to say anything hat would really offend the senator. Odec, THE PAUSE THAT REFRESHES ON THE AIR Frank Black Band, Chorus : 30 Mins. COMMERCIAL WEAF, New York After an absence of two yeara from radio, Coca Cola is back wlt)i a Friday evening seission that, offers nothing original in program tech; hlque or distinctiveness In enter- tainment. • Prank, Black pUts a studio combo of 65 men and a mixed chorus of 25 voices through a lot of vibrations, but it all winds up as so niuch musical chop Buey. Black, who is general musical di- rector for: NBC, apparently listens to nd program other than his own. In the light of his remarks into the mike at the opening of his initial show for Coca Cola (21), and the Instrumental-chdral conglomeration that followed, this is an easily plausible deduction. Black declared that he was undertaking something that he had long desired, and that was the introduction of a musical form that blended the hunian voice with the instruments of the or- chestra. Over two years ago Phil Spitalny Introduced and made much use of this concept on his series for Nestle, and Andre. Kostelahetz fol- lowed suit for Pontlac over CBS after Spitalny departed from the Nestle niche. ■ Though it might not be stuff of an ;briglnal turn, Frank Black as a rule can be depended upon for n good orchestration, Iri his attempt to weave in what ho calls 'rhapsodic effects' here, Black does good neither to his rep as a musician-ar- ranger nor, to the average ear which prefers its melody unmixed with contrapuntal .tricks. : • ■ What Black chooses to describe as a novel method of musical pre- sentation is the' repetitious inter- larding of four different refrains in single partment in writing. Dominion sta- "tlon at the bottom of the rumpus Is CFRB,: 10,000-watter at Toronto, which uses Canada's 690-kllocycle cleared channel. arrangement, with : the fomme voices warbling the lyrics and the male group setting up a tum-tum-tum obbligato. The com- bination of - tunes do anything, but project a coherent .theme, while his treatment of some of the melodies offers cause for a legit squawk from the writers concerned. The plug is nicely and briefly in- terpolated.: It contents itself with airing:the-drink's.slogan, ,'The pause that refreshes/ /and suggesting; & use associated with the season. On the debut program, the copy averi:ed that the wise shopper will find re- llef-from-the ■tiring-round--of stores^ and., counter by sitting down and Inhaling a glass of the beverage. Program is cleared- over the red (WEAF) web" ;and D'Arcy is the agency; Odec. PENTHOUSE SERENADE Don Mario. Charles Gaylord's or chestra, Dorothy Hamilton' - 30 Mins; —-—■- ~ COMMERCIAL -W^AF, M, Y, A standard compilation of dance music, singing and sales talk. No film chatter this time, though May- belline authorities mention Holly wood frequently as being the hot epot of the world when it come* to being make-up conscious. Charles Gaylord's music is quite good, hSv ^ng^a distinctive pliano which stands - out. A medley from 'Life Begins at 8:40' opened and a triple ar . rangement of . 'I Kiss Your Hand Madame' closed their part of the progi'am. Considerable buildrup on Don Mario, claiming that he Is the new romantic voice of the air. His best number at this hearing however was a Christmas, hymn whlcJi somehow managed to fit in with the re ntatmlui' of the modern stanzas Dorothy Hamilton who is up on all the latest beauty advice causes the middle break so she can put over the company's plugging. A fair . Sunday. p.m. prpgram shaving no apparent link with its penthouse label. MODERN HOME MAKER Participating ■ 60 Mins. COMMERCIAL KGW, PortlandrOre. ' Oho of the flret changes made by Larry Allen, newly appointed chief of KGW-KEX, was to change the Coo.king School of the Air to the : Modern Home Maker, Change was more than Just in name, program now embraces everything in the horn^, children care, care of pets . coloi", ■ furniture, patterns, short cuts on disagreeable jobs. In shott every thing except recipes, Allen's theory is that women are fed up with pro grams built around recipes. Van Fleming gives shopping siig gestlons In humorous style. _ bast to a 11 o'clock splash, effective dOnOdO V8* WJjW jDec. 80. Will 8tm run for one hour as usual, (Continued from page 31) • : . Rochester, Dec. 24. during daylight hours, and >vlll be WHECJ'b ainateur radio program, compelled to go doyrn to 60,00Q at copying vaude amateur nltes, was night. Tryinjgr to reach compromise, as bad as was to be expected. It commlsh has decided, however, that was put on without rehearsals or WjLW may continue with super-^ auditions, with the field open to all power at night providing directional comers. A whistle in the hands of antenna : is installed to remove three judges replaces the hook, source of Dominion, squawk. , Bight out of 15 numbers got the Canadian protest wa*- submitted whistle oh the- opening program, to eommunicatlohs bosses several Abbut two out of the IB were pass- weeks ago by Col. W. Arthur Steele; able; Whether the public .goes for member of the Canadian ; Radio this sort of thing remains to he seen Commisislon and to the State De- | Effort was made to get listeners to phone in thplr opinions Guhhar Wiig, baseball' announcer and general manager of WHEC, served as m. c, first admitting he was an amateur at the Job. There Madio Shoivworndn American industry members were I was, a chance for a bit of bright jolted by news of commission's ac- chatter and humor to help put tlon and readiness to yield to Can- across the program, but it didn't ada, and, despite any personal tiffs, I materialize. > are 100% behind Crosleyvin prepar- Foir variety was obtained as be- ing for a showdown. They see In tween singers* Instrumentalists and this tangle a highly important issue alleged humorists, but the radio ef- over whether United States progress fort lacks the lusty sport engen- is to be retarded and geared to Can- I dcred by the vaude protoype. ada, , or • whether this country is going to stand for its rights. CanadlaurAmerican agreement on allpcation of facilities does not stipulate, any power, limitations on, .. , „„„ cleared channels, and consequently - (Continued from page 33) American broadcasters feel there is is guided by an ideal, 'We want a no reason for U. S. to give in and person 12 years old to fully under- decllne to protect facilities granted stand what we're saylng.Ms how she exclusively to this country under Puts it, International pact : When. she creates a program she «■ •'• ' - :.. ■. -, ■ strives to build a strip that .will hit No American Complaints the masses all over the country, that Since no American stations on touches- the fundamental human channels nedr WLW'B assignmeht emotions. If it's a dramatic pro- have complained of interference, it gram 1**8 concerned with happiness la felt that Canada has shown up and sorrow, how to get into trouble her own failure to regulate her own and out again. If it's a musical pro- broadc'aster s. Boys in the know gram it's music with simple nielody, say that Canadian transmitters havei '^^f' things • people understahd, 'TRe been allowed to deteirlorate because things they know. Beautiful melo of uncertainty over the type of con- i *'es that have the feeling of fa scaring them to 4eatb, without making the little children nervoua wrecks. Skippy always has an adult with hiv when he's In actual dahger, because that makes the kiddles feel salTer, more secure. : And Mrs. Ashenhurst permits no terrorizing, juat as the script goes off the air, such as leaving the small hero trapped In a fire. Children are very impressionable, she realizes. They believe everything. When she was working on the Wbeatles program, Mrs. Aishenhurst remembers how, mothers used to write In asking them to 'please stop,, the children are Just gorg- ihg themselves with Wheaties.' : Mrs. Ashenhurst finds that women don't like to listen to women announcers in the night time, they'll accept them only during the day; that the hardest voice to cast is that of 'the male ingenue, the young hero, for his voice must make him sound very attractive looking and. he must- be : capable of delivering love lines well'; that radio script titles do well to have simple names they can easily remer; iber; that the characters should be very real and sincere: that the eastern accent is the most acceptable to the masses; that 'broad A's' and • affections Of speech are objectionable, antagon- , Ize the listeners and get yoU a turn-oft.' trol which the Dominion will exer- cise in the future^ and that trouble could be cleared up if CFRB ■ had up-to-the-minute equipment. If Crosley Jumps into court, at- tack probably win be founded on al- legation that commlsh deprived II- mlliarlty, . Real Showmanship Mrs, Ashenhuirst has found pro- grams go over best that have a defi- nite idea behind them, that are not. 'just thrown together,' 'For In- stance, Broadway Varieties, with of rights in an arbitrary, ca- Everett M a r s h a 11-Blsodol-has prlclous manner, and without grant, showmanship, the way you get it on ing opportunity for a l>e^r jig. the. stage. It's supposed to-happen Question ^ould Involve any possible L^ ^ theatre, and it really does. The difterences ^-rhetween ^cond tiohal .^^^^.^ J^illaTSru^c grants of authority and regular ^11- -Bayer Asplrin-the old songs, cens«!S, : with ^Industry expecting Manhattan Merry-Go-Round-^Dr. courts to hpld that Crosley's special Lyon Toothpaste-it takes you from place to place In New York. People want to know what's going on in ENGLISH CORONETS With Kay Van Riper, Gail Gordon Historical : ■ , ^:. ■ 30 Mins. . . ■., :-:; Sustaining WMCA, New York Long a favorite on tiie west coast, Kay Van Riper Is reviving her historical series in the east', over ABS web. She has been one of the few. to be able to lift historical drama out of the thick .books and Inject some life and vitality into the rather stilted conversation of -the-dark 'ages. —-- -:-: : ^ . .^ Her method of development Is sl iarp and minute In the matter Of aetau, i<'or a naii-nours run, lots of Incident has to be skipped over and It is done, here quite skillfully; Court Intrigue with its mysterious- trysts and such: filteria through m ost of-the-draraatlc^poTflohsT"""^":" A page from the turbulent life of Henry VIII and, one of hi^ harem, Anne Boleyn was given here. Gall Gorden also brought cast with the series plays the other leading part Rest of the cast is drafted from the studio's list ; While the separate programs are definite' by themselves, there Is a connecting link with each week's presentation, Sunday night hour carries a certain dignity and Is fiuent enough In its style to build along the seaboard states. Title is catchy., authorization .was no different from | the typical form of license. Then question would arise whether Cohi- i jj^^ York City. Abe Lymah—Phillips mish is Justified lit revoking the Magnesia—everybody loves waltzes, grant without a hearing ip^bsence Hammersteln's Music Hall—.Hill's -of findlng-of-fact that-WLW-falled-hjsro^D-f55^-the old songsTlhe" old to operate in the public interest. things again. Mrs, Ashenhurst, for American : authorities , attitude Is one, knows who the sponsors are attributed to general reluctance of Mrs. Ashenhurst believes, too, in U. »S; to fight for. principles with making the show flt the product, other nations, but other factors are Her Helen Trent show, for Edna cited to account for the F.C.C. back- Wallace Hopper's facial masks and DEDICATORY PROGRAM Fred Schmitt's Ore, Josephine. Neri 30 Mins. ■ Sustaining KOA, Denver - First program to go over tlie air from the new downtown studio of KOA was one of those things it is hard,- to get away from, : 'Three speeches were, made, one by Gov Ed Johnson, one by Mayor GeOrge Begole, ■ arid the last by George Norlln, president of the University of Colorado, Norlln was also present when the first studios of KOA were opened, ten years ago But the men realized the limitation of time, and: made their remarks short and to the point. Fred Schmitt, probably the best known orchestra director in the Rocky Mountain region, directed the orchestra, which put out the first music froni the new studio, jOYed directed his 26-piece group thru 'Overtures on Parade,' doing It in authoritative mannfir. - . Boat, 2d Dep't Store for WBBM , . Chicago, Dec. 24. Fair sto^e Is lining up a show for " Jikely. January .starting .on WBBM, . the locar Columbia station. Scrib- bled by Leonard Cox, it's a six times a week program titled 'Fair View,'- which is a sequel to the 'Main Street' program which CoX formerly had in the east. Current plans call for a late evening shot just-^preceding-'Myrt-and-Marge;'^ If and when the Fair starts it will mean two department stores oh tho WBBM wires, Marshall Field noW haying an 120-minute morninv mu^lcai clock program going. rejuvenation cream, is 'the story of a girl over 36 deserted by her hus- band.' So she has herself beautified, and a lovely new life begins, for 'her, which shows : women that with creams they caii win. back the thrills and iromances of youth. Younger Ing down act. Political consldera tlons are important in this wrangle, since U. S. is trying to obtain fa- vors from Canada In the way. of re- vision of the St. Lawrence seaway treaty,- reciprocal-trade agreements; and other concessions. American authermea-eee-radio-tifT-as merely ^women.want to know how to become one part of a complicated problem more alluring, they have great faith in international relations, and feel the 'French touch.' thus 'Marie, that by giving Dominion a break on the Little French Princess.' for the. broadcasttng_dispute.U.. S^^nay. j,ouis-PhlllIpe-Ltpst win compensating privileges In the story of a French princess in other directions. Which makes the disguise married to aii American broadcasting Industry In general, | business man arid Crosley in particular, Just an other pawn in the game of Interna- tional relations. Amateur Cycle (Continued from page 33) agent will alao contact stations her Knows What Kids Like ; The kiddles' programs htiye their own set of rules. Mrs. Ashenhurst has talked to many' eriilnent child psychologists, seeking '.' guidance, but finds that they don't agree amongst themselves as to what la I good for a child on the: radio. Soriie advocate the child should be com- pletely protected; oth ftra hnM^ ^|th forehand to see that everything is I np protection at all. So Mrs. Ash In ship-shape style, ; enhurst tries to strike a happy Ben bollne.-, m.d at a chain of hiedlurii between the two schools, six Bronx theaters. Is putting up In Skippy she strlvea for .thrilling cash •awa -s.ls for contest -winners- In advcntute, and, asks"in return that a new radio amateur series which the children brush their teeth with starts this week. Those coming out Phillips Dental Magnesia. , This ahead go over WBNX'on Saturday alone proves that radio realizes Its afternoons. ' responsibility toward children, she . Main Idea is to discover aome ff y?;,,/*. risk of antagonizing neighborhood talent. Houses In- "f: followers, -the Skippy pro eluded in the stunt are: Freeman, te^ l"^^ n^i.,^i. T.M« T«*«.. iTonWav o«ri }f^}K Sklppy does hot t-ll them to Deluxe, Lido, Tower, Fenway ' arid Star. buy candy bars. It tells them to _ . . . , , , brush their teeth. That's how sin WNEW, New York to. going In merely radio regards the children', for an amateur contest program, welfare today. Why, the Jack Arm Harry T^llson down to act as m.c, strong Wheaties program, which for .a new Radio Round-Up on Sat- originates In Blackett - Sample- urday afternoons at 8 p, m. Those Hummert's Cblcigo office, has its out to try for. air honors on. this salestalk approved by the Amerl program,. have to contact Wilson | can Medical Assoclfitlori! or H. J. Butler, Newark manager of | the station. ; WMCA'S Amateur Night in Har- lenl shifts from ft- midnight broad-' Wholesome Thrills To continue with' Skippy, he gives them tkrllling ftdventur(> Vrlth6ut Gov. Cox's Air Staff WHIO; Dayton,- O. (formerly WLBW, Erie, Pa.), will take to the air as • an affiliate of the Dayton Dally News and NBC around Feb. 1. Outlet will broadcast 18^ hours ,$i day on 1,280 k.c.,,'at 1,000 watts, day arid night; ' Former Gov. .lames . Cox has or* ganlzed—the-i-MIami Valley - Broad- casting Corp. as holding company for the outlet. Amorig those named to operate WHIO are B. K. Stelner, gen. mgr.; J. L. Relnach, formerly with WLS,: Chicago, commercial mgr.; R. .H. Lingle Jr., chief engi- neer, and Charles E. Gay,; publicity. Kay Foster at NBC NBC has taken Into Its fold un- der ah exclusive contract a Texai. soprano, unknown to radio, who ha« Just be^n started off rin r auataln- Ing program of 16 minutes three: times weekly. She's Kay Foster ahd featured on t he 1 5-mlnute s ustalner ov er W EAg ■from" "New York. ~[ Okay WOR Delay WOR, Newark, has been granted permission by the Federal Commu- nications Commission to extend th* completion date of the station's 60,- 000-watt transmitter to Feb. li: New transmitter will be located in Carteret, N; J. tellers Service Agency of Chicago and Columbia negotiating for re- turn of Hexin's 'Wings of Dawn* script show late in January. .' H.. R.: McCann takes 13 weeks over WEVD, New York, for a serial drama, Lola Monti-Gorsey heads the cast of 'The Cantor's Daughter* which the firm is sponsoring. McCann is distributor for ' Bosch radios. On Sundays at 2:16. : Procter A Gamble believes that: 'The Gibson Family* would fare better on the listening percentage if the show were moved from Satur- day night to a week day spot, iand has asked NBC to give it the flrat crack at the next hour ispan that becomes available. • Fletcher A Ellis igts designated Richard Barrett as manager of the agenojr'fl Chlo&go offlee. ' ■ r. -1-1-1 •» I - 'I . ; ; . .-. ••• '