Variety (Mar 1936)

Vednesday, March 18, 1936 RABI O VARIETY 15 Knoxyille, March 17. East Tennessee's broadcasting hill billies carried their feuds to WNOX Jast week, causing station officials, to give the k.o. punch to its Number One drawing card, the Crazy Tennesseeans, 12 strong. Trouble began when station sent the Tennessee Ramblers, an- other hill billy outfit, to aid at regular noon broadcast at mldtown municipal market hall. Crazy Tennesseeans went temperamental, stalled through their opening numbers, twanged their instruments during commercial announcements, and threatened a walkout unless the Ramblers were yanked. Ramblers, outnumbered two to one, put down their fiddles and put up their sleeves. Minor flsfic disturbances were quieted by WNOX pfflcials wlio rushed to hall with police escort. Rapid Fire Joe Epstein, local sports commentator, also rqshed to scene to give bldw-by-bi6w account of the affair. Station settled the mixup by giving the Crazy Tennesseeans the air and hiring the Ramblers. 'For once they lived up to their name,' he said, in firing the Crazy Tennesseeans. Ramblers now put on regular hill billy show, using costumes. Spot now has 10 commer- cial accounts^ with a long waiting list. Rival station WRQL. has signed up Crazy .group for a competitive noontime 6how. G-MAN HOOVE DENIES 'SECRECY' ORDER; HOTEL WILLARD CASE STILL F. C.C GHOST Esso News Continues Standard of New Jersey (Esso) has renewed its newscasts for. another 13. weeks on six -NBC owned and managed stations and 11 outlets in. the south. Renewal makes It 39 weeks alto gether.. Inside Stuff-Radio It took a jury before Justice Bernard L. Shlentag In N. T. Supreme Court Thursday (12) five hours to decide that Ed Wynn, stage and radio star, should: pay his. aunt, Mrs, Ruth Greenberg $1,000. for having cared for the comic|s wife, Mrs. Hilda Keenan Wyrih over a period of several months. The jury decided that Wy'nn's uncle, Samuel Greenberg, who also sued the actor, was entitled to nothing. Mrs. Greenberg had sued, for $100,000, while her husband claimed- $16,000 for alleged expenses. Both claimed they had an oral agree- ment with the comedian to pee that Mrs. Wynn did not 'annoy of attack' Wynn while' -he was* in the midst of writing 'Simple Simon' and also to prevent her from disturbing "the actor at the various- theatres in which he appeared. For this .service, the Greenbergs" claimed, Wynn promised to make them 'rich fof life.' Sidney Wlttner, counsel for the. Greenbergs,- moved to set aside the Verdict as insufficient and inconsistent. Denying the motion, Justice Shlentag said: 'If it weire up to the court.,to decide I would have found. ;• in favor of tike, defendant.' Wynn was hot in court When the verdict was rendered. He-had left a short time before for a hurried rehearsal of his radio broadcast which was scheduled for 9:3d p. m. Listeners to the Wynn program at that time recognized jubilance in the comedian's voice. In fact he jokingly made it known to the^ air audience that be had virtually won the legal 3Bstisie:v"i":.-:; r^'"" : " ~ ■ ...... .— Praising the Federal. Communications Commission, for reaking new ground in the regulation of telephones and telegraphs,' Anning S. Prall ' last week began his second year as commish chairman. Prall asked that 'in appraising the work of the Federal Communications Commission it should be kept in mind that, except for radio, the com- mission has undertaken an. entirely new work,'.and pointed out that, work in ttie telephone and telegraph divisions had been slow and arduous be- cause 'the commission Was desirous of avoiding mistakes that might result from undue haste.' Apparently referring to recent internal disturbances at the' F. C. C- the commish chairman added that 'the commission has not been infal- lible. It may have made errors of judgment but, l am confident, if it has made any they are inherent in the functioning of any new organization and it will profit by them in its future work/ Dick Voynow at WLW , , Cincinnati, March 17. Richard Voynow, formerly with Brunswick and Decca, assumed po- sition of production manager of Crosley's WLW-WSAI last week. Lewis Clay, another newcomer to ihV^tUfrtJTMTOTl^^ appointed program preparation manager. Clay came on from. Los Angeles, where he was with RKO studio. Raymond Butke added to staff as stu ip technician and Charlie Ham- ilton advanced from set-up boy to student technician. All deals for baseball time and broadcasts for General Mills will be handled by the Knox Reeve$ agency of Minneapolis instead of through Blackett-Sample-Hummert agency. This shift in baseball contracts sends some $400,000 worth of the flour company's annual ether billing to the Reeves organization. Up to this time the Reeves agency has been handling only General .Mills trade and dealer advertising biz. B-S-H retains the rest of the General Mills consumer advertising schedule, which is estimated set -to reach a new high for 1936-37. The switch to Reeves will facilitate the handling of the baseball contracts and permit the concentration by the B-S-H group on the regular General Mills ether and print schedules, especially with the Mills company preparing to embark on a daily 60-xnInute stretch across the Columbia system board late this spring. . Important film and radio name now broadcasting from Hollywood is building himself in with his air sponsor but not making any friends among his thesplc colleagues by sudden desire to protect his employer's bankroll. His contract stipulating that he select the supporting cast on his broadcasts, he took it upon himself to also stipulate salaries, although the coin is aside from the $3;000 he draws weekly. English stage actress turned him down cold on a $75 offer, insisting that the job was worth $250. His next overture to a film player was met with tnever mind the $75, just send me a box of candy.' She went on with "the star but declined the coin, but not without a .few sarcastic remarks, Star is now stumped, doesn't know how to square himself and figures the candy gag would stir up no end of ridicule. , Competition for American Telephone & Telegraph Co.'s proposed coaxial cable was seen last week In authbrizatitfn for Radio Corporation of America, papa of National Broadcasting Co., to launch television experiments between New York and Philadelphia. • Invading -the precise area scheduled for the wired picture experiments, K. C. A. received permission from Federal Communications Commission to lay the groundwork for an eventual chain between New York and Washington, the heaviest revenue producing section for both telegraph and telephone business. Present,service will not be commercial, since commish authorization Was for only experimental operation and additional consent will be required before facsimile service can be used as a revenue-producer. . Women's National Radio Committee has sent 5,000 ballots to leaders of organizations affiliated with it for voting on the second annual.pro- Kram awards. Results to be announced at a luncheon in New York on April 22. Change in the categories of awards is to be made this year. Instead 9* giving two honors in sustaining and two in commercial programs, five awards will be made for light musicals, non-musicals, educational pro- grams, serious musicals, and children's programs. Howard Associates, launching:a songwriting contest series over WMCA, "New York, is a tradename for a group consisting of Billy Jackson, vet- wan RKO agent; Dolph Singer, gag man, and Joseph E. Howard, the cpmposer. Deal also involves the Edward B. Marks Co., which will pub- lish the winning song's. Program (sustaining) will be on Sundays from. 1:30 to 2:30 p. m. Win- (Contlnued on page 51) Hockey Draws Sponsors in Western Canada Playoffs Regina, Sask., March 17. Hockey playdowns In western Can- ada are currently on almost every Saskatchewan station bankrolled by everything from coal companies to tobacco stores. CKBI, Prince Al- bert, send E. G. Jordan, sports an- nounce^ with senior hockey team to Weyburn, 350 miles south, to broad- cast provincial championship battle won by Prince Albert. Also present; were Wilf Woodlll, CJRM, Regina- Moose Jaw. sports, announcer, • and Jack Keriip, CHWC, Regina. Game also fed to CKCK, Regina. CJRM has already signed Im- perial Tobacco Co. lor western play- downs at Calgary, Alta., and Win- nipeg, Man. WestiAghouse's Local Atlanta, March 17. Dan Hornsby, who's been airing over various stations here for the past 10 years, with nine commercial shows under his belt, has been signed by Westinghouse for a tWo- a-week series oyer WGST. First shoW. started Monday (16). Stanzas hit the 9:15 p. m. spot on Monday and Thursday. Gen. Foods' New Cereals General Foods has brought out two new cereals for marketing, and given the accounts to Benton & Bowles. Are called 'Huskies' and 'Post-O.' Initial advertising plans not com- pletely set yet. Congressional Critics Keep Up Unremitting Effort to Force Investigation of Commission Washington, March 17. Further repercussions from the 'Willard hotel incident,' centering around charges of bribery in ad- ministration of radio cases, caused members of the Federal Communi- cations Commission to squirm un- easily today. . Subjected to continued fire from Congressional critics, the commish found the major prop pulled from its hush-hush policy as the D&r partment of Justice announced it has no objections to publication of 400-Foot Radiator Set for CJRM, Regina-Moose Jaw Regina, Sask,, March 17, First in Canada west of Toronto, a $20,00.0, 400-fopt-high vertical ra- diator antennae is to be. ei-ected this summer at the . Belle Plaine trans- mitter of CJRM; Regina-Mobse Jaw l,000rWatter. James Richardson & Sons, grain merchants, the owners, also planning a 35.0-foot high verti- cal' for CJRC, Winnipeg, Man. Firm recently purchased - CJGX, Yprkton, Sask., 1.Q0O watter, to get its wavelength and transfer it and transmitter to CJRC. The Winni- peg station's 100-watt equipment was put-into Yorktdn. Dignified WHAS Herbie Kay and his orchestra ap- pearing at the General. Motors Show at the Jefferson County Armory currently in Louisville, was on the program listings as Herbert Kay. WHAS program management, stick- lers for formality, set the precedent when also ordering Herbie Koch, organist, to be announced at all times as Herbert Koch, Feel that the less dignified cog- nomen is not in keeping with the station's policy. Lady Esther on WLW Cincinnti, March 17. Lady Esther Company starts oh WLW Sunday (22), filling 5:30 to C p.m. spot just vacated by Fashion Frocks, Inc. Woodbury Company will take over Sunday and Monday nights 10 to 10:30 periods to be vacated end of this month by Mennen for its 'Famous Jury Trials' series. Latter, originating at WLW, is piped to WGN, Chicago, and CKLW, Wind- sor, Ont., of the Mutual net. More French Radio-News Alliances Active Attitude of Big Interests in Future Advertising Factor Paris, March 8. Stimulated by increasing influence of. Radio Cite, outlet operated by Instransigeant, Paris evening paper, the rival sheet, Paris Soir, is work- ing its Way Into the radio business. By a sort of goodwill pact, Paris Soir has tied up'with Poste Paris- ien, now the leading, privately operated, station in the country. Newspaper and outlet will co- operate both in advertising and news fields, Poste Parlslcn was founded by Petit Pari.sien, morning daily of large circulation, but latter is now dropping out of the radio picture. At the same time Paris .*oir is tying up with Radio Toulouse, pri- vate outlet in the south of France, on a similar goodwill contact. Radio Toulouse operates as subsidiary Radio Vitus, small station in the Paris district, which is owned by the P-the-Natan film company but leased to the southern radio station until 1937. This gives Paris Soir a tleup with three transmitters. Re/il bone of contention would seem to be Radio Vitus, which re- mains the only outlet in Paris dis- trict whos future Is not fully de- termined. It's the spot uirough which newcomers in the radio field will have to work, and is one of the coveted, assets of Pathe-Xatan, for which .divers industrial banking and political interests are fighting, In fact, Paris Soir's radio ambi- tions may have a lot to do with the action of the Credit du Xord, bank which lent money to errtard Natan, in trying to convert this clal into an interest in the picture Mr The connection is this: one of the prin- cipal owners of Paris Soir, a sugar magnale, Is also a director of the Credit tin 'Nurd, nnd Kadlo Vitus may be the key to the interlocking directorate. A certain Am?rlcan inu rest in these rows Is inevitable, now that Lord & Thomas- Is tailing the lead jn French-co mcrclnl broadcasting It looUs as though radio advertising in this country wnuld develop tn connection with newspaper i Iver- tising. Not only dp French- adver- tisers find lh:iL to cover Die market hoth kin.Is of piihli.-liy arc neces- sary. Vint now the newspapers ' getting active in the radio lie) reports by sleuths. who delved into corruption accusations. Simultane- ously there were renewed demands from Capitol Hill for a peek at voluminous records upon which the commish decided none of its mern^ bers is guilty of offside play. The commish was put exactly in the middle when J. Edgar Hoover, director of the Bureau of Investi- gation, denied, he had asked that reports turned in by. his snoopers be put under lock and key." This sur- prising move placed all responsi- bility for the secrecy stand squarely at the F. C. C. doorstep. The unexpected Hoover state- ment caught several commish mem- bers unawares and provoked sur- prise from some who had agreed to withhold the evidence only after being told Hoover wanted hi agents' reports withheld, Word of Hoover's position reached the com- mish Monday (16) after the G-man learned he was. being blamed for hiding the documents on which the commish decided corruption charges were' unfounded. The principal effect the new development was to catapult Com- missioner Irvln Stewart a,rid Chair-, man Anning S, Prall into a de- cidedly uncomfortable position in view of demands fromi. Capitol Hill that the documents be revealed. Other members signified they Will go along on the idea of publishing the voluminous record, now' that the principal reason for secrecy has litical spotlight since they, as spokesmen for the commish; had countered requests for the data with the answer that the D. J. insisted on secrecy. Prall and Stewart were left.with- out any defense for their insistence on the gag, while the chairman, was further embarrassed by disclosure that he has refused to make the papers available to Congressman William P. Connery, although the info has been submitted to the Sen T ate interstate Commerce Committee. Latest request for the record was sent to Prall last week by-Connery. leading advocate of a congressional inquiry into commish activities, Connery wrote the chairman he was Informed 'that your committee has voted to forward the papers, testi- mony, evidence and reports, gath- ered by or for your commission in the so-called Hotel Willard incident to any member of Congress for their- personal use' and asked that the papers be forwarded immediately. Calls Connery Misinformed Two days later, PralJ, in his ca- pacity as chairman, told Connery he had been 'misinformed' and declared he was not authorized by his col- leagues 'to forward these papers to members of Congress lor their per- sonal use.' Almost at the same time, it was learned, the documents were being submitted confidentially to the sen- ate committee in a move to head off the spreading desire for a senate probe into commish affairs. Senator James Couzens of Michigan, who two weeks ago Introduced a reso- lution demanding the papers, im- mediately refused., to look at the documents as long as there was any confidential tag-attached. In addition to its mounting radio troubles, the commish currently Is in hot water because of'Us part in seizure of millions of private tele- grams for use by the Black senate committee Investigating lobbyists. After considerable backroom wran- gling over responsibility, the com- mish Monday (1G) drafted a re- sponse to a senate .resolution calling for information about what part K. (.'. <.'. employees took in raiding files or Western t'nion and in copy- ing personal messages. Commish furthermore w-.s made defendant in a court action by Wil- liam Randolph Hearst, who is .striv- ing to prf-vent disclosure, of instruc- tions sent his agents by telegram during the heat of the 1035 fight over regulation of holding com- panies. Hearst applied to the local courts for an injunction preventing the cotnmlsh from revealing any of his correspondence.