Variety (Mar 1936)

50 VARIETY RADIO SHOWMANSHIP Stunts, Novelties, Tie-Ups Outstanding Stunts: PAftlS NEWS LETTER- WMCA, NEW YORK TRADEMARK CHANGE BALLYHOO FREE SHOW GULF GAS Donald Flamm Overseas Idea New York City. Jean de Lettre, French composer, will hereafter act as Paris- corre- spondent for Station WMCA, New York City. A stunt series by de Lettr'e is scheduled to start in April over the Manhattan station. Each week the Parisian will make a record in English digesting what's what, in theatrical, radio, artistic and general news in the French metropolis. This will be shipped to New York and. is intended by Don- ald Flamm for use on the entire Inter-City Group. Barnum Stuff in Buffalo Buffalo. Stooges without their stars , will appear in a free radio show here tonight (17). . Headliners are Beetle and Bottle of Phil Baker's troupe and Don Wilson of the .Jack Benny show. Show being staged in 174th Arm- ory here; tickets a giveaway, a,f Super-Hygrade gas stations. Whole thing is to help plug change-over of Hygrade distributors in this area from Shell to Gulf gas.•', Jack; Latham of Young & Rubicam here to handle advance publicity, radio tieups. Latter agency also handles Jello program. In addition to hour s broadcast over WGR, an evening of dancing will be given away. Talent lineup includes Harry McNaughton, Ward Wilson, Gertrude Lutzi, Jimmy Shields, Dave Cheskln's orchestra, the Buffalo Philharmonic orchestra, Art Leard's orchestra. Offi lurbs on Baseball Schenectady., Sychronized with the opening of the training season were the nrst of the 1936 releases sent out to radio stations the country over by the Press Bureau of the National Asso- ciation of Professional Baseball Leagues, the minor loops' governing bodv, headquartered at Durham, N. C. Leroy H. Addington, former baseball writer on papers in St. Louis and other Missouri cities, is secretary and p.a. of the orgsLnizia.- tion. In 1934 Addington began using radio as a supplementary outlet to newspapers and before. th.e_ season had ended about 100 trans- mitters were airing his stuff. The number increased last year. Sta- tions in cities, large and small* and in all sections of the country, ether- ize Addington's chatter about minor league players and clubs. .He, dis- continues it when football time rolls around arid resumes in March. "The Sporting News, so-called of- ficial paper of Organized Baseball, has been mailing- weekly releases to stations for four-or five years, This material is. accredited . to tfre St. Louis weekly. Sports, com- Sintators on commercial programs n use it. "New King of Syncopatl AND HIS ORCHESTRA. direction HAROLD F. OX.I.ET it E. 49th St. New Vorfc City Idea for Florist'* Prospects ChicagOi Herb Sherman, sales manager of WJJD, has sold .Allied Florists As- sociation of Chicago, a weekly pro- gram on the station which drama- tizes letters which florists have re- ceived- from the public. • Show will be tagged 'Romances of Flowers.' BulnbQtv ^| w Boom ~\ I Radio City 1 New York Wednesdays .COCA-C01.A ■days J^^^H Cliff Jones and Clinton Buehlmah moved their Friday, \ the 13th, broadcast, indoors to the lobby of the Rand building and aired, over WGR holding an open umbrella, .explaining it is supposed to be very bad luck to open ah umbrella in the house. First interviewee, a girl, said she would not be afraid to., break . a mirror. Buelhman handed her one, pocket size. .She threw it on tile floor—and. it didn't break. Second interviewee also tried to break mirror without success. Third pne,.a k man, broke-mirror, while two announcers hummed the funeral march. They also got a customer to light three on a match. Roger Baker, sports spieler, was EXCLUSIVE MANAGEMENT ROCK WELL-O'KEEFE INC. WILLIAM MORRIS AGENCY E X C I U 5 ■ V I w A N A G L M l N r ROCKWELL ■ O'KEEFE INC. 4- 5- i. i FREDDY MACK Conductor and M.C. ROXY THEATRE S5£««' "YOUNG IDEAS" RADIO cornered by them and gave pro- gram a« Interesting lift, recounting superstitions of baseball, •■ basket- ball and hockey playei-s. Baker would not break talrror.:. Stunt drew a crowd, of 75 In small lobby. Nearly everyone Interviewed said he had no supersltion — and then admitted to the habit of knocking on wood. Atlanta, Frankie and Johnny, the Side- walk Snoopers, had collected a step- ladder and a number of mirrors, and made arrangements to obtain two black cats for their Friday, the 13th, sidewalk stunt broadcast Over WGST when they read- in last week's Vametz that WBKW, Buf- falo, had the same Idea. . They went ahead with their plan; result was that practically all per- sons- accosted willingly walked under the ladder,, broke mirrors and stroked the cats.. Very few, how- ever, would consent to light three on a match. Wednesday, March 18, 1936 ' Draws Thanks Macon, Ga.. Thanks for /helping to capture bank robbers were received by WMAZ, Macon, from. L, S. Leach cashier of the State Bank of Coch- ran in a recent letter. Letter. was_ 'Within less than 16 minutes after the robbery,' Mr. Leach wrote, 'your station was broadcasting' an accu- rate description of the men, the car and the correct tag number. As you know these men were apprehended within a short length of time. Your station played a most important part in their capture.' Cochran is 40 miles from Macon. WKRC'a Baseball School Cincinnati. , In starting a "baseball school of the a,ir. on. WKRC, Dick Bray,, sta- tion's sportscaster, mailed notices to 2,500 amateur players in Greater Cincy. Obtained names from Public Recreation commish. Ether classes occupy 10-minute periods Tuesday and Friday evenings. : When weather breaks, pupils, will be given practi- cal, lessons on a suburban diamond by Bray and Tony Comello; man- ager of local simon-pure teams. enlng to remove lines; staff going wild from inability to do work with telephone calls all day* too much mail, and peeve of listeners who could not get requests in. Lines were jammed every night of broad- cast and-communication over wide city area disrupted an automatic system* Come-on was number of free taxi rides for requests Dave Mills, the 'Melody Man,' could not play. Pro- gram replaced by one where audi- ence must guess what he plays, iness Convention Norfolk, Va. lggest local radio stunt pulled lately was aired by WTAR's trans- mitter Tuesday (March 10) when advertising execs of Standard Oil Company and their agency Mai?- schalk and Pratt gathered in annual convention at Cavalier Hotel, Vir- ginia Beach. After biz meeting in a. m. WTAR went on air with a quarter of hour salute as they assembled for after- noon session. Value of Standard Oil to community stressed by Associa- tion, of Commerce speakers A. B. Schwarzkopf, president and Francis E. Turin, mgr and board. Greetings were extended to Esso adv. men headed by C. A. Snyder, assistant ad director; Harry Mar- schalTc~ prexy ~ of"" Marschalk—and Pratt, and Curt Peterson, radio director tor firm. Last minute announcement of winners of golf contest also broad- cast. Goodwill show" in celebration of event was fathered by Campbell Arnoux, manager of the station, and Ralph Hatcher, sales promotion director. Script was written and handled by Lee. Chadwick, WTAR staff. programs for two hours. Result was a-swarm of offers at both the hospital and station. Several don- ors with the right kind of blood, a rare type, were obtained in time and the girl is still living. Plenty of good words for the sta- tion around town, with front page' newspaper stuff. 'Better Program' Month Syracuse. Month of March promotion going over with a bang at WFBL, Syra- cuse. Promotion plugged radio peak during March and tied, in newspaper,- window display and air. Newspaper started month with double page ad and. page of pub- licity accenting better programs during March, success story of sta- tion, and artist personality stuff. Daily plugs on : the air in two programs, 'Life Begins at 7:30' and 'On the Air,' gives bios of radio stars and tie-in with window dis- play.. Window display consists of pic- tures of all commercial and a few highlight sustalners. First week of month featured Sunday and Mon- day programs, second week, Tues- day and Wednesday, etc. The dis- play panels are to be used in dealer establishments af their present use. Superstitions Horieshoe-Pitching Stunt Charlotte. N. C. I WBT is laying plans fOr a horse- ^fiJhrowin^p^njjKe^a^ the champion 'barn yard player' of the Carolinas will, be selected. This follows the station's success at ,broadcasting finals in a Caro- linas checker tournament. Future plans call for a similar stunt with lawn croquet. Horse shoe pitching is the great community store game of the Caro- linas where there are thousands of addicts. isplay Windows Help Salt Lake City* ' Since installation two years ago, the display windows In the corridors and reception rooms of KDYL have been a" cynosure, not only with ad- vertisers using time but with the public visiting Studio. Windows are -attractively, lighted and displays in "each window are changed at frequent intervals giv- ing each advertiser opportunity to ballyhoo products plugged on air. Walla-Walla Rah-Rah Walla Walla, Wash. Colleges In and around here being , aJLlotteji _a^half hour on Sunday H"£ternoons overTK. U J~to~ stage""pro - grams of their . own manufacture, Series is a regular weekly' feature. So'Tar Whitman and Walla Walla have had opportunities. Students provide entertainment, and the faculty Indulges in learned slants. Cotton Carnival Ballyhoo Memphis, Tenri. With Memphis* big annual joyfest —the Cotton Carnival—approaching .(it comes off in May), all the city's stations last Saturday got going on puffing for the event (7). WNBR, WMCj WREC, and WHBQ broad- cast a half hour of music by various bands with greetings and welcomes from carnival officials interspersed, During ensuing weeks all stations will, allot generous advance, bally- hoo, to the . event.. Last year WNBR, for instance, gave about 25 hours to airing of the carnival itself, aside from advance buildup. Too Much Response Regina, Saslc. CHWC, Regina, had to ask Checker Cab Co., sponsor of 15- minute piano request program Mon- days at 9 p. m., to take it off' the air. Too much response from listen- ers had telephone company threat- Savinfl-A-Life Wilmington, Del. WDEL grabbed Off a mess of goodwill with an emergency broad- cast requested by the Wilmington General Hospital Wednesday to ob- tain a blood donor when doctors had to perform a transfusion to save the life of a seven-year-old girl. Station snapped to it with ap- peals every five minutes through all THERE IS ONLY ONE Booked Exclusively Through WSM Artists Service Nashville; Tennessee ..V. (Showmanship being, largely dependent A on stunts,. iie,~ups{Letv.;* iit.:conitex±ian' with established^ holidays hn^ events, Variety h^rdwith-i presents: d. calendar af events for the month^of 'April: This* calendar is pub- lished monthly from material copyrighted by the :Na- ■' tional Retail Dry Goods Assn.) . SPECIAL WEEKS DURI April 1 to 7: Conservation Week-, sponsored* an- nually iii a number of - states , -by the- NatidnalvLife 1 .Conservation Society, located 'at 2239. Tiebaut Ave.,- The Bronx,' New • York. President • is '■■ Mrs: Charles- Marshall. April T to 6: National Display Week, sponsored by the International Association, of Display Men, De Soto Hotel, St;. Louis, Mo. Object is to foster better deco- rated window displays, with prizes offered in various places to those who'tidy up. April 4 ta ll: National Baseball Week, sponsored by the Sporting Goods Dealer, trade mag located in St. Louis. Celebration marks the advent of the' base- ball season. April 13 to 18: National Foot Health Week, spon- sored by the Boot and Shoe Recorder, trade mag, located at 239 W. 39th St., New York City. Shoe merchants use the event to plug sale of better fitting shoes. R. E. Andruss, of the mag, in charge of things. April 19 to 25: Be-Kind-to-Animals Anniversary, sponsored by the American Humane Association, 80 Howard St., Albany, N. Y. April 19 to 25; National Garden Week, sponsored by the General Federation of Women's Clubs, 1734 N St., N.W.. Washington, D. C. April 25 to ay 2: National Fishermen's Weelc, second wosk this month to be sponsored by the Sport- ing Goods Dealer of St. Louis. Will feature contests and events for the sporting public. April 26 to May 2: National Baby Week, sponsored by the Eainshaw Publications, 71 W.' 35th St., New York City. April 26 to May 2: National Better Homes Week, sponsored by the Purdue Research Foundation, Pur- due University, I.afoyeite. Ind. April 26 to ay 2: United States-Canada Week, sponsored by ihe Khvaiiis International, C20 N. Michi- gan Ave., Chicago, 111. 1792,' 1917; . (Two. other 'events , of Interest in and -around New ■York'* City:■• mainly, are:- • circus at Madison Square Garden, April 8 to'"- May 2.;. and the American Toy Fair, April 20* to May 2, at which time there is a con- vention-of toy buyers and manufacturers, plus vari- ous exhibits, etc.) SPECIAL'DAYS DURING APRIL (1) ,ApriJ Fool's Day. . (2> .Establishment .of the- first-. U.. S. -mint, -.-Hans. Christian.-Anderson born; 1805. (5) Palm- Sunday. (6) Army Day; U. S.' entered World' War, Robert E. Peary discovered North Pole, 1909. (7) First day of Jewish Passover (Nisan 15, 5696; begins at sunset previous day). (8) Second day of Jewish Passover (Nisan 16, 5696; begins at sunset previous day); Louisiana joined Union, 1812. (9) Maundy, or Holy Thursday. (10) Good Friday. (12) Easter Sunday. (13) Thomas Jefferson born, Jewish Passover (NMsan 21, previous day). (14) Abraham Lincoln assassinated, 1865; last day of Jewish Passover (Nisan 22, 5696; begins at sun- set previous day). (15) Steamer Titanic disaster, 1912. (19) Patriot's. Day in Maine and Massachusetts; Paul Revere's ride, 1775; Humane Sunday. (21) Beginning of Spanish American war, 1898, (22) Birthday of J. Sterling Morton, founder of 'arbor day.' (24) First American newspaper, 'Boston News Let- ter,' published, 1704. (26) Daylight saving time begins: Confederate Me- morial Day in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and Missis- sippi; also World War Memorial Day in Florida. (27) Gen. U. S. Grant born, 1822; Samuel B. Morse, inventor of telegraph, born, 1791; J. J. Audubon, nat- uralist, born, 1780. (28) Maryland entered U.nlon, 17S8. (30) Fast Day in New Hampshire; Navy depart- ment created, 17.98; George Washington inaugurated, 1739* —..o-^i—. i.... ■ seventh day of begins at sunset TED REID Melvin Castleberry on SHEFFIELD FARMS' BILLY & BETTY Hecently with BOSES & DRUMS IRENE RICJI PROGRAM HOME SWEET HOME THE AMERICAN' SCHOOL OF THE AIR NBC SISTAINERS 414 West 120th Street NEW l'ORK CITV "KING OF TRUMPET" and HIS ORCHESTRA with LUIS RUSSELL and SONNY WOODS This Week • March 13 METROPOLITAN, BOSTON Pergonal Mgr. JOE GLASER Dir. ROCKWELL - O'KEEFE In association with COLUMBIA ARTIST'S BUREAU LEON BELASCO And His ORCHESTRA Returning to the LOWRY HOTE St. Paul, Minn., March 2t Dir., Muslo Corp. of America. Pr. Mgr., HERMAN BERNIE EMERSON GILL ORCHESTRA < EN ROUTE MCA Direction