Variety (Nov 1938)

RADIO REVIEWS Wednesday, November 30; 1938 'CENTRAL CITT' With Tom P#wert^ Viui Hefli% Elm- nor Phelpi,, Elspetti Ei:l«, Selena Boyle, Fr»nk WlIeo3^» Everett Sloftne, Myron MoCprmIck, John McBryde, Harry Bellsver 15 Mtns. PROCTER A GAMBLE Mon.-Frl., 10:45 a. m. WJZ»NBC» New York (Blackett'Sample-Hummert) Dramatic serial has replaced Ma Perkins Ave mornings a week over 11 NBC blue stations to plug Oxydol, Procter & Gamble's 'high-powered' laundry soap. Ma has been moved to the 3:15 slot dally over the red ribbon.i Although it's hardly gripping stuff for the sophisticates, 'Central City* is fairly adult material by normal day- time radio serial standards. Em- ploying a sort of Grand Hotel tech- nique, the show deals with the every- day lives and incidents of a repre- sentative group of people in a 'typ- ical American industrial city of about 50,000 population.' In expres- sive yet agreeably restrained terms it tells folksy yarn about the house- hold of a print shop owner, with the romantic complications of the daugh- ter having an integral part. Char- acters are clearly defined and there is an avoidance of too much hoke. So far, the yarn holds interest. Direction is deft and moving, while the playing is persuasive. On the stanza caught (29) Tom Powers played a sort of commentator-scene setter-philosopher, Eleanor Phelps was the daughter of the household, Van Heflin hex fiance, Myron McCor- mlck the rejected sweetheart, Selena Royle the mother, and Frank Wilcox the father. Others listed in the cred- its above appear from time to time as other characters. There are two commercials^ one ultra-windy one at the start and -a. shorter one at the finale. Announcer ignores the personality stuff and bears down on the high-pressure salesmanship. Uses a vocal mallet to found in a flock of claims that Oxy- dol will clean up just about any- thing but a smoking car story. Hobe. 'COUNTY SEAT' With Bay Collins, Cliff*rd Caryenter Serial 18 Mins. Sustaining Daiiyi 7 p. m. WABC-CB8, New York Aired at the same time and in competition to Amos 'n' Andy, and also Goodman and Jane Ace, '.County Seat' is scripted around a corner drug store character of any small town. Ray Collins, formerly of legit and later with CBS in its Columbia Workshop and Mercury Theatre of the Air programs among others, handles the lead. He was introduced to the listening audience for the initial broadcast by Orson Welles, who generously de- scribed him as one of the finest act- ors in radio. Getaway served to im- plant the aim of the series in the minds of listeners arid should pick up as its' goes along. It concerned a bit' of labor trouble between *Doc' Hackett (Collins) and his hireling, played by Clifford Carpenter; Method of settling the dispute solidl/ impressed the homey, under- standing theme of the leading part. Its Will Rogersesque- characteriza- tion and Collins would impress bet- ter if he .slowed his lines. "They were too staccato and sometimes harsh. 'HIGH SCAOOL REPORTER' with Emanuel Denby Talks 15 Mins.; Local ROYAL TYPEWRITER Daily, 5:15 pjn. WMCA, New Y«r|t, For high school aifdi^nce. Listen- ing interest .must come solely from high school teuds '(if kids w^t to hear' what theii^ enemies have to cay) or curiosity to hear what schoolmates- sound Uke. on the ra- dio—for laughs. Commercial is .dir reeled ri^t at juve minds. No other - group could stand. the wind and words. Eraianuel Denby (he's matriculated to college), conducts and is contact with preps for participants. Brings in boys for conflicting football pre- 'dictions among hi-schools and for little events in the. lives of little boys. Some of it seemied mentally lower than the commercial, espe- cially reporting of a 'guinea pig that escaped from a lab which scared all the girls.' Has 'contest* with giveaway. Cur- rently tied up with film, 'Dark Rap- ture/ at Globe theatre. Kids sub- mit compositions on last frontier, Congo, film's locale. All very ele- mentary, including "Prof.' Joe O'Brien's handling. Hurl. JACK CURRAN With Jaok Hoean*s Orchestra, Judy Heltman, At Dary Taxlety U Min»r—Local BOY FURNITURE CO. Simiiayt 1:39 p. m. WFBL, Syracuse Half-hour variety show is in eighth jear on air. Cunran, of WFBL staff, 'Wtitea, produces, .directs and emcees •how.: Tenors a solo per show. Fast pei^py jnusic is specially ar- ranged by Hogan for 17-piece out itt; and clicko. Heltman, youthful torcher, Is now petmanent member of cast along' with- Al Dary, former Paul Whiteman Rhythm boy. Sextet fixesH tiiiu hat with- .tUt^e, girl^,. three oys and handle 'bops and classical numbers. Versatile group is high spot on show. Stage display of cast as they broad* cast from stage of RKO Keith's the- atre of Schine chain is ornate, and •mart adv. Whole show makes grade. <<MVSIC AND MUSINGS String Trio, Talk 15 Mlns/—Local Sustaining Friday, 10:45 a. m. WHEC, Rochester Offering a mixture of music and homespun philosophy, this is one of the better WH£C-pr<)duced air pro- frams. Theme 'Liebestraum' played y- organ, harp and 'cello opens, then lades into cheerful poeni, 'Smiling 'Through,' read by Ken French, - Plaintive quality ahd sweetness of stringed in»ruments stressed for strong appeal. Flayers are Arabella Sparnon, harp; J. (Gordon Baldwin, organ, and Vance Beach, 'cello. wtersperAed are timely talks and Quotations by Ken French, empha- sizing in the program caught thank- fulness for freedom in troubled times, plea for patriotism and op- portunity for happiness. Entire show runs smoothly and ef- fectively. Cord. CHRISTMAS PARTY With Bobby Hutsell Children's Program 15 Mins.—^Local BILL'S CONSOLIDATED Daily, 5:30 p. m. WHAS, Louisville. Back on the air, an old standby 30y's and girl's program, sponsored >y a chain of auto accessory stores m Kentudcy and Indiana, provides entertainment for the kiddies, and should interest the grown-ups as well.v Moppets who play parts on the show all handle their lines with as- surance, and pace the show without many lapses. They're all mike wise, and exhibit a freshness and spon- ■ aneity which makes for okay listen- ing. Toy orchestra directed by Bobby Hutsell, intersperses typical -Christ- mas and kiddie tunes throughout, and kids acquit themselves capably in the vocal department. Show is written and produced by Dudlev Musson, station's production head, and he has molded a smoothly mov- ing, bright 15 minutes. Capable local production. Hold. MARIE W. CLARK 'Slnr.Me a Song' ' Children's Program 16 Mins.—^Looal VERNON'S, HAIRDRESSER Monday, 5 p. m. WHAM, Rochester Mrs. Marie Whitbeck Clark, local socialite, has written a book of chil- dren's songs and - plugs it rather too persistently while presenting a- series of numbers from 'Uie opus, including nursery rhymes, such , as 'Miss Muf- fet* and ^Mistress Mary,' Mrs. Clark does the talking and plays the piano, but uses a stooge for the warblingiis Novelty of second show which, drew big local audience war air debiit pf Siddnie Goosens, 6, daughter of Eugene Goosens, former conductor of Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. Cord. Follow-Up Comment Buddy Clark's Sunday Supplement on CBS in late afternoon l>aid trib- ute to Cole Porter's closed show, 'You Never Know,' and the current hit; 'Leave It to Me.' Produced by Ira Ashley, Leith Stevens orchestra and Eijlith Dick, as Clark's vocal vis- a-vis, .proved excellent support. And those Porter lyrics!—they seehi to be getting better than ever. Ben Bernie's Sunday Half-and- Half show was in tribute to his 15 years on the air. .Ole maestro proved his veteranship by ease and general mike poise. This factor Is produc- tion asset to bolster material, as and when that becomes thin. .Mary Small' sold 'Cigaret Was Burning' in her usually adept vocal manner, and here again Bernie took advantage of the play on the word 'Cigaret' in the song title to plug the Half-and-H'alf pipe tobacco. Lew Lehr's post-Turkey Day-mor-- terns were fairish in their laff re- turns, Bobby Gibson, Bernie's top tenor; this year, made much of 'Two Sleepy People.' Wrist exeroise: Donald Flamm's statement on why.his station barred Father Coughlin from the WMCA microphone was a well put explana- tion. Anticipated the probability station-censorial attitude might tend to "martyr' speaker. Stressed that almost every other script gets a sta- tion preview before going out on the kilocycles. Statement also empha* sized FCC Chairman McNinch's prin- ciples anent radio a^. a public trust, not to be 'haphazardly abused'. . . Benay Venuta has' a. coiisistenUy nifty half* hour' of variety on WOR Sunday afts, not the least of which is her charming manner of m.c.'ing and personal song salesmanship... Jimmy Walker's Visiting Hour for WMCA occurred twice this week, once on Thanksgiving Day,- and on Sunday, per usual. Henny Young- man was a. comedy outstander on the latter, even though he sounds like a road company of Milton Berle, more on delivery, rather than mate- rial. As for the latter, both undoubt- edly are- debtors, to divers sources ...Billy House's Wrigley half hour is another strong comedy interlude early Sunday i evenings. The chicle company is now considering, and wisely* <ti|ie idea, of using both House and the new Jesse Lasky program this winter. HISTORY %Ai>lE WHERE YOU LIVE' Wlth^ Radelllfe;.Hall 15 Mins.; Local TROY SAVINGS BANK Thursday, 6:45' p.m. WGY, Scheneetiady (HetJcnor). ' Three things^ ;l»nd out on this community'fbistor4cal program: Good scriptinff, production and restrained advertising; "Pfe time slpent in prep- eration—there is too litrle of such in area radio—pays off in a finished air pre{ientatIon.' Details like music cues are.given the-attention they deserve. . Opening episode dealt with settling of Hudson River valley by the Dutch under patroon system. An interest- ing story, despite the fact that it has been told many times in the Capital District. Joco: 'SOUTHWESTERN STARS' 30 Mins.—Local Snstalnlng Fridays, 8 p.m. WKY. Oklahoma City WKY shoots the works on this show with a talent line-up compris- ing practically .every studio hired hand and a few rung in from the outside now and then. Includes Ken Wright at the organ, Allen Clark and staff orch, Pancho (Lee Norton) and Ridgerunners, Edward McCurdy (warbler), John $hafer (sportscaster) and a varied assort- ment of other names. . Last Friday (16) show opened with McCurdy doing Through the Years' in tip-top fashion. . Pancho (Lee Norton), introduced as EI Caballo <the horse) and his Ridge- runners, Vocaled ^La Golandrina' singly and a couple of other Mexi- can ballads accompanied by Chl- quita. Allen Clark orch moved in with a swell arrangem of 'Vini Vini.' Telegram from Shafer, in Aimes, Iowa, for the Sooner-Cyclone game, was read, followed by Norton and Clark orch in 'Home on Range.' Wound up with 'When My Dream Boat Comes Home' with Clark orch and Ken Wright at organ. Best variety show heard on local station. LetoU. 'SAY IT WITH MUSIC With J(An Weigal Reoorda 15 Mins. Disc-r-Loeal RUDOLPH WURLITZER M-W-F; 5:30 p.m. WGN, Chloage (Schu^immer & Scott) Straight selling program for musi- cal instrument house. Instead of asking the listeners' to come in and buy an Instrument, they are told to signature for 10 lessons at $1.25 per, with an instrument delivered free- of-charge for use during this period. If, at the end of the 10-week lesson period; they wish to continue with the lessons they can then buy the instrument. Musical discs are chosen to point, up the individual instruments, and are thus sprinkled with piano, violin, xylophone,- etc., solos. Another angle is the spotting of the show immediately j>recedlng- 'Little Orphan Annie'-on this station, though the commersh spdel on this instru- mental period is strictly in adult, phrasing.- - Gold. GERRY MORFIT With . Alien Anthony, Betty Barrett, Gene Babbitt, Coyita- Bunch and Al Barti's .Orch. Variety 6$ Mlns^Local Sustaining Daily, 3 p.m. KWK. Si. Levis A pot pourri of gags, orchestra music, warbling, skits, double talk, etc., is an attention getter here. More work for Betty Barrett, a 13- year-old song bird, and Gene Bab- bitt, another warbler, would help program. Batibltt, In addition to his swell Warbling of 'I Won't Tell a Soul' and a duet, *A11 Ashore,' with' Coylta Bunch, nossesses a 'Kenny Baker' style that scored in several skits the burden of which is carried in o.k. style by Morflt and Anthony. The first of these, the expedition, of Christopher Columbus in his quest for a short route to India gave Mor- flt and Anthony an opportunity to switch to the Negro dialect which they do satisfactorily. Morflt, a recent addition to the sta- iton' t talent staff, ad Ubs in this and another built around the eouctln' of a Tenn^ee mountaineer for his sweetheart of the hills that furnish laughs a3 the cast reverts to the talk of- the backwoods folk. ALBERTA HUNTER Songs, Band 15 Mins. Sustaining Ptl*fty, 9:19 m. m. WJ2, New York It's the second try for Alberta Hunter on NBC. Network had her on for a fairly considerable stretch a couple seasons ago, introducing her as 'the colored singing, sensation of England and the Continent.' She failed to cut much of a swath and to Europe she went to flll a row of nitery and theatre dates. Currently she's doubling from the sustaining series into Tony's, one of 52d Street's manifold hot spots. Miss Hunter makes pleasant listen- ing. She has a keen sense of rhythm mic values, proving an equally effec- tive saleswoman with either the slow torch or the fast rhythm ditty. Sly shifts in mood, as far as the reper- toire is concerned indicate some smart production steering. When caught her program included 'Mary LOu in its original French. Her in- terpretation gave the impression that the soft, slow-moving sentimental tune was her best bet. Odec. SCHENECTADY TOWN MEETING With Michael D. Hanna 30 Min8.>-Lo«aI Sunday, 3:?e p, m. WCrY, Schenectady A local and milder version of NBC's Town HaU of the Air. Pro- gram is presented by Capital District Forum, a project of the U, S. Office of Education, with flrst half of an hour-long discussion in Union Col- lege chapel broadcast. This part- radio setup does not make for the most telling reception; lack of a definite air format further hurts. On some'broadcasts time element has not been given sufficient consideration. Quiz section is seldom as brisk as radio demandsb 'Unfortunately^ teefa- nical facilities are inadequatertor;the smoothest broadcasting. No. para- bolic mike. Hanna turns in a generally com- petent job as chairman. He might exercise firmer control at times. Jacp. 'THIS DAY IS OURS' WHh Jay Jostyn and Templeion Fox Dramatic Serial 15 Mins. CRISCO Daily, 1:45 p. m. WABC-CBS, New YOrk (Compton) - With war-torn China as a back- ground, this dramatic pish-tosh is 10 minutes of dialog and Ave minutes of commercials aimed strictly at the housewives. Chiefly in its favor Is the - crispness of the script, with the male- lead (Jay Jos^n) given the tough type of gab identified with Clark Gable in films. Templeton Fox plays the sweet young thing, daughter of a -mission- ary, who has disappieared along with the wrecklhg. of his mission. A third clerical character, identified as Paul, is the third corner of the triangle and trier to Wean the girl away from the adventurous Jostyn and his mys- terious Chinese- pal, who are helping her look for the old man. At this catching. (11), the romance was just about catching on. Commercial is murder by daylight. Runs nearly- five minutes at the fin- ish with a- box-top contest come-on. It's a bath in words. Scho. Ralph Wiel's Position Ralph Wiel has been named man- ager of the Chicago office* of Inter- national Radio Sales. He quit his post as commercial manager of WISN, Milwaukee, to take this as- signment. Wiel's successor has not been picked. I Washington Lobby I Carl Stanton and production aide, Mickey Lusk, back in Hollywood from Denver where they put on Colorado's Hour for the state's chain stores. E. £. Hill Heads WTAG Edward E. Hill succeeds the late John J. Storey as director of WTAG, Worcester, Mass. Hill takes over Dec. 1. He came with WTAG in 1930. Hill has been in the business for 1.1 years as announcer, salesman, studio he&d and station manager. LES FAKEUF ON B. OF E. Buffalo, Nov. 29. Leston P. Faneuf, WKBW news commentator, has been appointed to the Buffalo Board of Education to fill a vacancy caused by death. Faneuf, former teacher and news- paperman, was appointed secretary to Mayor Holling on Jan. 1. A couple months ago he left that post to Join the public relations department of the Marine Trust Co. He'll continue with the Marine and on the air, the school board job be- ing a part-timer. Stcmmler's Sidelines Syracuse, Nov. 29. First announcer, then program di- rector and more recently in charge of special sports broadcasts, Nick Stemmler has been named merchan- dising manager of WSYR. H« succeeds Gardner Smith who Joins thtt'sales- staff. Washington, Nov. 29. Bewildered industry representa- tives are frying to determine exact attitude of FCC chairman Frank R. McNinch toward broadcasters. Con- flicting tenor of remarks at the re- cent Fourth District NAB conclave White Sulphur Springs, increases ap- prehension. Delegates from District of Columbia reported on their return last week that the FCC steerer in an 'off the record' talk at a convention luncheon $eemed friendly and sym- pathetic and considered his evening speech, aired via CBS, indicated a tough attitude for appeasement of the public and of critical groups. But which set of remarks repre- sented his real feeling is a conun- drum. With Father Coughlin feuding with WMCA, New York, over his Sunday talks, politicians were aghast at the Detroit priets's written denunciation of President Roosevelt'^ secretary, Stephen T: Early and charge that Administration .'hatchet-men' were throttling news commentators criti- cal of the New Deal. Comment oc- casioned by the Nov. 21 issue of 'Social Justice', the padre's weekly mag. which caused accusation that stations which allowed their facili- ties' to be used by unfriendly spielers 'would be taken care of . Finger was ^ut directly on Early, with a grim cartoon showing him carrying a wicked machete. yiThat the FCC intends to do about the widely-publicized Mars broad- cast is becoming one of the town's outstanding mysteries. Since. the secret auditioning of the CBS record- ing two weeks ago, not a peep has been heard which would indicate whether alf is forgiven or the regu- lators are still toying -with the idea of spanking the web and affiliates which aired the H. G. Wells thriller. Most of the members who listened appeared inclined to drop the matter, but the network has not been in- formed if that is the feeling of the majority. Capital rumor-factory again at -work on probable successor for FCC Chairman McNinch when, and If, McNinch leaves his present po9t Cranked by local news' writers, guessing-machine mentioned three New Dealers who were left behind in the late-lamented elections. Rep. W. D. McFarlane, Texas Democrat, who missed the boat in the primaries, and Otha D. Wearin, Iowa Congress- man who slipped when he attemt>ted to climb from the Housfe to the Sen- ate, named as coming close ta Ad- ministration desires to put in at chairman an Individual coming from west of the Mississippi River. Rep. David J. liewis—another House member who lost his seat by com- peting, with an Administration-op- posed Senator—^also reported under consideration, although he hails from Maryland. While McFarlane was mentioned as a possibility, it was indicated' that his chances were not as good as those of Wearin or 'Little Davey' Lewis. Lux Bans Audience For 'Snow White* Airer Hollywood, Nov. 29. For the first time. Lux broadcast Dec. 2ftwill.be aired without benefit of studio audience. Show will be 'Snow White and the Seven DWarfs.* No-audience edict was deemed es- sential to preserve the Illusions. Banks' Human Toucb Milwaukee,. Nov. 29. New half-hour 13-wfeek series labeled 'Musical Moments' will preem over WTMJ Saturday (3). Bob Heiss will m.c. and program features Larry Straches orch. Mil- waukee Bankers association to spon- sor. .- Idea Is to present interviews with bank employes and discuss banking problems from a humanized stand- point. Vaughn de Leath on WICC Bridgeport, Nov. 29". Vaughn de Leath, pioneer NBC singer who has i home in Easton, Conn., fitting a local WICC three-a- weeker into her schedule. Chore i» a breakfast item, with songs and commercial announcements, Songstresi is also femme half of team of Joe and totta Cobb, credited with current 'Teach Me to Forget.'