Variety (Feb 1938)

TTednesday, February 2, 1938 RADIO VARIETY 41 GA-GA GALS GOT GIMMES Clubwomen Buildihg Them- selves Into iStation Night- mare ~ C h i c a K o Works Out a Cute Stunt to Help 'Em Unburden MEOW STUFF that some of the tremendous pres- sure that the femmes have been ex- erting on the studios may, in a little way, be relieved. Stations have found that these femmes are the worst publicity seek- ers they have ever come up against, being more persistent than politicians or even chiropractors. What burns up Mrs. Algy P. McGohigie is not so much that the station has turned down Mrs. McGonigle's kind offer to go on the radio for 15 or 30 minutes to inform the breathless world why bridge tables should be painted pink instead of green or tan; but because the station did put that awful Mrs. Morton W. Wattlecough to mike to the listeners that South Bridgeport has more washing machines, per home than any town of equal: size in a radius of 45 miles. These femmes come from all sort."; ot clubs, from'.literary groups, par- ents and teachers associations, art groups, musical groups, all with a particular message that the world is waiting for, .ind. esfiecially; with, a burning-yen for publicity and an in- tense conviction that, they have a microphone voice and personality that needs only an opportunity to blossom into something slightly big- ger than Father Coughlin or Major Bowes. ' Gillin *Man of the Year' Omaha, Feb. 1. John J. Gillin, manager of WOW, last week received award of Junior Chamber of Commerce as Omaha's young man of the year. Award made yearly to man under 36 who is most active in civic and national affairs. Gillin is 32. &nil Cough's Radio Friends Urge Him For N.A.B. Prez; Others Bach Loucks Candidacy of Emil Gough, former- ly head of Hearst Radio, Inc., as the paid president of the National A.sso- ciation of Broadcasters is being fos- tered by his a.s.<sOciates on the nego- tiating committee of the Independent Radio Networks Atfijiates. Appoint- ment of a salaried prexy is. part of the proposed plan of reorganization which members of the association are slated to discuss, and adopt at the special convention in Washing- ton Feb.. 14. Gough was secretary of the committee which work*<i out and put in effect the plan of em- ployment settlement with the Aiiier- ican Federation of Musician."*. It is reported that scime menribers of - the committee designated to evolve the NAB plan of reorganiza- tion are urging that Philip Loiicks be put in a.s the association's paid president while the organization continues its hunt for a nationally known figure for thie job. Loucks was the NAB's managing director for severar years. Chicago, Feb. 1. Hollywood may have its 17-year- • oid beauty contest winners from Keokuk, pounding down the gates of Central Casting; Broadway may be loaded to the gunwales with 20-year- old- ingenues ready to show up Katharine Cornell and Helen Haye.s, but radio has its . 35- year - old, .45-year-old and 55-year-old club- women buttonholing its production managers for a chance to crack into the ether. These, clubwomen realize that they're a bit too far gone in calories and crows-feet to make good as baby - talking screen i;tai s or [ as stage sirens,, but they are all con- vinced that they have; (1) a voice that wiU sound like a mil- lion bucks over the mike. (2) that they have a message for their sister clubwomen and others and (3) that with a little publicity they.will be able to hold down a radio show as well as " Dorothy Thompson, Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt or Martha Deane, .- These club femmes are a big ache. They come to the stations armed with formidable letters of introduc- tion from cousins of advertisers, with imposing letterheads showing that they are socretai-y-treasurer of the Friendship Club of West M'oochviUe, Michigan, and with- thinly veiled threats of organizing a .li.<;teners boy^ cott against the station by 'members "oT'lh'e■■ Fr'ieti'3slTrp~Crut) )l sne jsn'i permitted time on the ether to ex- pound her personal theories of . life, .society and the Michigan style of hemstitching.' It has gotten .<o tbugh around these stations that the execs have begun to take serious consideration of the wild-eyed dames who come pounding at the studio door. Here in Chicago the Illinois Federation of Club Women has finally been forced to set up a regular audition session so that all Illinois clubwomen wish- ing for a crack at the ether may at least come up and let some steam oft" through a trial shot for huddled production men. This audition ses- Fion is under the supervision o[;Mrs. Ethel Winser, radio chairwoman of the Illinois Federation. Groups A'eto It will be a weekly affair so that these femmes can get iip and at least make a try at using their tonsils in fro.nt of a mike, and the producers can get out of .the thing with their necks intact by issuing a 'yea' or 'nay' as a group for each femme ap- plicant. In this w;iy, it is figured W COUNT MOST KGLO MASON CITY IOWA Supplying^ CBS Service to Northern Iowa WEED 6 CQfllPliny It mam vamt • €mt€00a\