Variety (Sep 1935)

68 VARIETY It 4 II I -J Wednesday^ September I8» 1935i RADIO SHOWMANSHIP Stunts, Novelties, Tie-Ups 4--- Outstanding Stunts OUTFITTING A GIRL WJJD. CHICAGO Outfitting a Girl Stunt Chicago. Grayson's, Chlcagp femme clothes :- ioi), pxivchased a ■ string; of Lime on' WJJD, the RAlph Atlass "stati6h7"f6r a'hew ly Herb Sherman, sales manager of the station. Under Sherman's plan the program will originate both In the store and on the State st. entrance of Grayson's to get the di- rect human touch. On the Monday 30-mlnute show Grayson's will pick up an employed girl while she is walking dbwn the street and tike, her into the store to demonstrate over, the station that the girl can be turned out In the height of fashion for only $25 for a complete outfit from heel to head. The entire process of costunr>lng the girl will be broadcast from the store. Wednesday's 30-mlnute will be known as the 'Window Shopper," with WJJD announcer and Gray- son's fashion expert .getting opin- ions from the femme passers-by on the dresses In the window. And finally the show on Friday is broadcast direct from the fashion show in the store, with professional manikins parading the various gowns. GEORGE GIVOT WORKING ON FOX LOT Bole UaDagement HERMAN BERNIB 1019 Broadway WREC Aeroplane Ballyhoo - ■• •M«mi>hls-. r- WREC used a real airplane to ballyhoo a mythical air Journey In- volving 155 towns within a radius of 150 niiles of Memphis. Some 30 of the . bigger towns were actually visited by the plane, vvhile the other cohmianit'ies- rc-celvad mention In- the Imaginary phases of the totir. Station placed during the period of the stunt 360 halt-hour programs in which 4^500 announcements were made and 1.525 locsJ -me';chants. were nientioned. j ....JP.rogr.ams;...contalned facts abbut each coinmuriity as. well" as musical entertainment. ing Contest Rochester, N. T. Everything but the smell of the barnyard was broadcast by WHAM in a 'milk parjor' pickup from the Rochester Exposition, featuring a milking contest between two public officials. Jack Lee of the station staff gave a description of a modern milk plant 'from cow to consumer' set up on the grounds. Climax was return to the good old-fashioned milking method dem- onstrated by Commissioner of Piiblic Works Thomas Morrison and Commlssiojier of Public Works Walter P. Cox. With the mike held near the palls, listeners could get all the sounds with a t ipoff on how good the offlclJils were at the job. ing Public Apathy Dubuque, la. . Inquiring reporter on the WKBB staff had a hard time getting people to go on the air in front of the Hartmann Furniture store mike. John Price, studio director, dug up an. old alarm clock, tfrhltened the face, and as It hangs In the win- dow during the 15-mlnute broadcast period patrons battle for a minute at a time before his barrage of ques- tions. For when the alarm rings whom- soever Is on the air gets a dollar. The Idea, In this sector Is a novel one and has been clicking plenty. BELASCO And His ORCHESTRA • . CONTD)EMTAI< OLCB, HOUXWOOD, CAUF. CBS NETWOBE Solo DirecUon, HER5IAN BEBNIE 1610 Broadway, New Torii GRACIE BARRIE OPENINQ IN Nin¥ "GEORGE WHITE'S SCANDALS" • Sole Direction. UGBSIAN BERME. leiO Brckadway. New Xork Music Library Acquired Cheaply Dubuque, la. WKBB, John Price, studio direc- tor, and Gib Forbes, pianist, have cluttered up the studio library with a mess ot old sheet music that is proving to be Invaluable as a part of the library. Came about through a stunt team put on. Requested all listeners to dl{; Into old piano benches and cab- inets for musty numbers. These are played, when brought in, on a spe- cially designed "Memory Lane' pro- gram. Donors get air mention for gifts. ing 'Em Up Indianapolis. Durward Klrby and the Chuck wagoii Boys made a personal ap pearance Thursday (5) at the Indl ana State Fair. Chuckwagon pro gram has been. aired over WFBM for more than eight months, and the youthful Klrby, with a sub-cel lar voice, donned a black broadcloth coat, black ten-gallon hat, string tie, gray Wig, White mustache and goatee for the occasion,' while the cowboys appeared in full western regalia. Event was heavily plugg'ed on the air prior to appearance at the Fair grovinds and area in front of broad- casting booth was jammed to the guards with fans who came for a personal glimpse of the performers. STATION PORTRAIT KTWB, HOLLYWOOD Human Interest in Dallas Dallas. On impulse, a WBAA announcer in- terviewing shoppers at a department store sale on the spot, asked the Negro maid for hei* reaction. 'Lawsy, I caln't even b6gin to keep the rest room clean,' was her first statement for the mike. Laughing, the announcer allowed the maid to go into details of extra work in the ladies' room, caused by the heavy crowds. "LITTLE" JACKIE HEiIiLEiR The t>!e Maeotro's Radio Sentiatlun NBC NETWORKS Uon., Toes., Wed., FrI. and Sat, (Red and Bluo Chahiit) THIS WEEK (Se]>t. 13) LOEW'S^FOX, WASHINGTON D Sole Direction HERMAN BEBNIE | 1010 nfroodwiiy. New York I VAUGHN DE LEATH flION.. TIIUR.S.. FRI., »:3a-3i4.'5 P.M. WJZ—>-UC COAST-TO-COAST Porsonnl Met HERMAN nKRME Patriotism Charlotte, N. C. 'That was the hardest work I ever did in my life,' Charles Crutchfield, program director for WBT, said after he had ad llbed through a ten minute downpour of rain while American Legion junior baseball covering a baseball, game in the 'little world series,' played at Gas- tonia. « The tropical shower came, the players scampered off the field, but Crutchfield carried on for the listeners until the game was re- sumed. After the game he had to stick by his hotel room until his clothes wfere dried and pressed. ize Newspaper's Serial Spartanburg, S. C. WFBC is. broRdcaatins a drania- tlzed ver.slon of 'The Blue Door,' new serial carried by the Greenville Pledmonl, eyenln.i? paper, with the caat consisting pf local Little The- atre talent. Dally comes off the press around 4 p.m. and thrpo and a half hour.s later the day's published install- ment Is enacted over the air. Possibly no local station has a- more - colorful -hlstorj'- than--■ this frequency, owned and op- erated by Warner Brothers. Taking to the air March 4, 192B, as purely an exploitation adjunct for WB pictures It haa •grstdually-f»pg-ed to the forO'». front as an Important stoj) oh the home dials. It was shortly after the KFWB transmitter reared Its ribs that talking pictures came ihtS being. Ask any ot the Warners" and " they'll" lell 'you " the Inspiration and practical workings for the gabby flickers came out of these selfsame control rooms.' Prideful finger next points to a roster of names .to conjure with In radio, names that sprang from nonenltie."? through the tender nurturing of Jerry King, station boss. In this list Is to be found BIng Crosby, Donald No vis, Charllia Hamp, The Bos'fvells, Vera Van, The King's Men, Leon Belasco, Russ Columbo, Sterling HoUiway, Gogo DeLys and Nelsbn Case. Quite an Imposing array -ot talent to blossom from one spot. Unless ali signs: fall names of Sons of the Pioneers and . Al Oaar will be added to the scroll. At least that's King's forecast and he hasn't gone amiss on niany. When station assumed a commercial status and time was for sale,. spot perked lip and under King's guidance be- came a factor In the broadcast-? Ing of local events. Frequency played a big part In rounding up the $50,000 reward for the arrest of Killer HIckma,h. Lines were run In and out ot court rooms and the technicians were on their toes all the time. Jack Joy is productjon boss, and KFWB has.no worries in that department. Others who have eriven the station staff onie of the highest ratings locally are Chet Mlttendorf, commercial manager; Don Allen, assistant production manager; Les Hew- itt, chief engineer; Jefe O'Con- nor, station contact, and George Fischer, press. For a station with an audi- ence radius of only 60 miles, KFWB has achieved two nota- ble performances. One is that they've spent more coin for live talent than any regional spot In the nation. Secondly, two of their periods, Coronets and Jink::', at one time, led the Crossley ratings locally. Station Is now experlnrient- Ing with sound-on-film-on-alr, an admitted Improvement over the present transcriptions. When the price of an Installa- tion can be trimmed from 300 it is expected that many stations throughout the coun- try will turn in their turntables. Stations runs 60% commercial. control, with thousands of collfge students, pla.vers, alumni, others listening In. Some 12 regional college games, to be played on fields from Dur- ham, N. C, to Athens, Ga., on WFBC's direct 'broadcast list, with news tle-iip with Greenville (S.C.) News, morning, and Greenville Piedmont, evening, Jlmmle Thomp- sort, WFBC 6ii6na auciiofity ■ "afid announcer, will headline mike staf! for the series. Begins Sept, 21 and ends Nov. -28. it for Remotes .. -Charlotte, .M. -.. WBT engineering staff has just completed construction of a battery remote receiving set that will sup- plement the station's present equip- ment for handling remote profirrams, vJ^l.'s new *et glvR.s "'itftTJlt"r° ,*"'n circuits^ in>.tead.. o^^ ...O.n.e. _frQin...lh.^ point of remotie pickup, a radio as well as a telephone connection. This new equipment will help 'to monitor the station when on remote, will speed pickups, and give a double check against anything happening to a line. WFBG Gets Burial Fund Altoona, Pa. WFBG, Altoona, provided a total of 1139 for the funeral expenses of a 12-year-oid hoy who was drowned in rescuing a companion in a local ore hole. Making the appeal for con- tributions during the weekly 'Buggy Ride' birthday program, ordinarily an hour in length, the station ex- tended the program over two and a half hours and on the' day of the broadcast received $81 with the bal- ance received on the following day. Largest individual cohtributioii was $5, while many pennies were re- ceived from children. Just a Sideline Charlotte, N. C. Recent riddles that have been put to Loree Peacock, Helen Suttle and Jack Phlpps, chief phone- answerers at WBT, have Included questions on: where is a good place to get a pair of shoes stretched, where can I get a piano tuned, etc. And then there was the woman who called, In the nildst of pre- serves making. She had heard the recipe over the radio and was sure she had forgotten one item. Jack Phlpps, who professes not to study very closely the home-making pro- grams, asked a few questions land then suggested that perhaps what she needed was a dash of lenioh. It was, she recalled with a start, the Tery thing. 'What Would You Dor Salt Lake City. Salt Lake Telegram, evening sheet. Is taking time on KDYL to exploit its features. Radio program is In nature of a dramatic presenta- tion, based on fundamental emo- tional reactions and giving each listener an opportunity to supply the correct answer. Quarter-hour spot Is called Tniat Would Tou Do?' and talent culled from local theatrical circles. Paper's publicity staff produces a drama per ^v:eek and utilizes station's sound and effects. Spotted on Wednesday night, with plugs Inyltlng listeners to supply answers. Cash prizes given for correct solutions. How to Get Fan Mail Buffalo. Jack and Gil (Robert Schmidt and John Elsenberger) have been pull- ing mall for WKBW here without a I giveaway. . Use dare psychology to lure scribblers. Duo defies any- one to name a song they can't sing. They open letters before mike and in three broadcasts and more than 100 letters, have had to acknowledge defeat only three times. If they can't sing the song they give the name of writer who stumped them. Launching Football Series Spartanburg, S, C. Launching Coca-Cola sponsored seasonal football play by play broadcasts, WFBC assembled re- gional college coaches, players. Dr. Ben E. Geer, prexy Furman Uni- versity, McCravey trio, and other athletic celebs for main spla.sh. Feature was ringing of old bell In ancient Furman University tower, tones being picked up by remote 'It's a RackeV Philadelphia. Titled 'It's a Racket,' new series handled over WIP by Better Busi- ness Bureau will explain petty grafts, thievery and shake-downs and ways to combat them. Candid—Not Too—Camera San Antonio. Series of candid camera shots of staff and artists of WFAA, Dallas, caught at work and play, to be used In various media plugging the sta- tion. Blues warblers, announcers, production men and practically everyone in station personnel and artist roster caught by the prying lens.. 'Production' for Phonograph Discs Berkeley, Cal. KRE,- 100-w.att Berkeley station, has inaugurated a program that has a waiting list of retail advertisers. Called the Albany All-Star Review, station tied up with the Chamber of Commerce of Albany, a neighbor- ing village, and put on a half hour program daily of records inter- spersed with spot announcements: Program Is presented in floor- show fashion, opening with swing number by band, then a vocal spe- cialty, etc. Sponsors limited to five and after first broadcast, • two mer- .chants called up and asked for time. New York City. Adult Education Project of State Board of Education, which has been pre.senting a series of Negro plays over WBNX, Bronx, is next to give an air version of a 'rent party,' scheduled for Thursday at 8 p.m., EDST. 'Muddy Waters' is the label of the series, and an all-colored cast Is u.sed. Atmosphere counts a lot in these presentations, and the 'rent' session is to carry all of the trim- mings. Station-Newspaper Joint Stunts Rochester. New tleup of WHAM with the Democrat and Chronicle being used for series of on-the-scene broad- casts of news events. Legion State Convention first big one with Jack Lee of the station staff covering the event two days from Inside Conven- tion Hall. Noise, music arid parts of addresses by principal speakers included. Sportcaster Lowell MacMUlan and Truman Brizee are broadcasting the New York State horseshoe tournament this week froni the Ex:- positioji Grounds. Tying In with the newspaper's traffic safety campaign, MacMlllan and Lee set up a mike at a busy traffic corner and Interviewed pedestrians on traffic dangers and how to avoid them as well as opin- ions of careless motorists. IL'S Rodeo Pick-Up Omaha. Station KOIL went In again this year for its annual outdoor show- manship effort" to bring tlie Sidney, Iowa, rodeo to listeners last week. For second year In succession Paul Luther handled, the. twice dally half hour bursts direct from the grand- sta-nd; HelgiitWjM'thfe" dfesbrlptloha this year by bringing some of star performers to the mike. Al Batesj chief operator, Itor-thft- Omaha studios of KOIL-KFAB, set In the extensive system of remote i.lnf!-"?! .M?JElt..3vaa a. four-day.-affair this year and planned to be same next year with KOIL also figuring to catch it again. 'Vofcft cr torn Likker WMCA'^"]^ewest hill blily program is labeled Voice of Corn Likker, get- ting Its Inspiration direct from the hill country down south. It's aJj Inter-city presentation on Friday nights, with James A. Douglas, na- tive of Kentucky, In charge. Material is drafted mostly front the remote locales whei-o the folk boll down their ovni likker, however any lusty drinking on the part of principals is pencilled out In the continuity. Station wants to. get away from the usual mountaineer stuff In Its latest one. Dwight butcher, the Lonesonie Pine Singer on the sustalner. No _ RAINBOwX r ROOM 1 B«dU Clly, Net* York ' 08T J^^H EXCLUSIVE MAN AGEMENT ROCK WELL-O'KEEFE INC. WILLIAM MORRIS AGENCY EXCLUSIVE A '\' -\ E \| T ROCKWELL -0 KEEFE INC. E.XCLUSIVE MANAGEMENT -ROCKWELL-OKEEFE INc! Sixty-Bccond VTeek ^P. A G. Camayl "DREAMS COME TRUE" WEAF-NBC 3:«-4 P.M.. EDST Tues., Wed., Thuri. E X'C L U 5 I V e M A N A G F M E N' T ROCKWELL - O KEEFE -INC, Exclusive .management" ROCKWELL - O'KEEFE INC. "