Variety (Apr 1939)

•VABIETW LONDON OFHOB • St Msrtlii'a riatt, Trafalsmr SqoaM INTERMATIONAL RADIO Cable AddnMl TABIBTT LONDON Telephone Tenple Bar mi-S04Z 87 New British Programs Spring Schedule Includes Various New akid Revived Items on BBC London, March 24. Band shows are again the big .bet ct BBC's prograiri set-up tor spring period, and in April-June tiiere will te around haU a dozen regular se- ries of the type. Several shows move oft the air, about IQ new ones arc in preparation and certain dis- tinctive individual dates have been penciled in by Variety Department's director John Watt Among latter will be Watt's own ipecialty—reproduction of Disiiey cartoons for radio. He did a series of these several .years back and lis- tener pressure has persuaded him to revive the technique. Films will provide the inspiration for -at least one other individual date when an ether version of Columbia's •One Night of Love' goes on the wavebands. Recent broadcasts of •Mr. Deeds,' IHbhte Carlo,' 'This Man Is News' and other screen material have proved the suitability of such shows for radio adaptation.. Chief items on the bowing out list ere 'Band Wagon,' which closed this month; 'In Town Tonight,' which dies with its 200th performance May 27, followed by 'Monday Night at 7' two days later, though both the lat- ter may be revived,In the fall. To be continued are 'Lucky Dip' maga- zine shows; 'For You, Madam,' com- posite weekly program with femme appeal; monthly 'Birthday Party,' introducing celebs who have anni- versaries to record; 'Afternoon Revue' nursery show for budding tal- ent; Louis liCvy's fortnightly 'Music From the Movies'; fortnightly re- mote broadcasts of gypsy music from the Hungaria. Among new series top place goes to 'Roundabout' shows, occupying Wed. nite spot formerly held by •Band Wagon.' All BBC regions will cooperate on this program, - which will feature Syd Walker, 'radio's wandering junk man,' and its air spot is l>eing kept warm by 'Fol de Kols' concert party, now doing six dates on tiie same evening. 'Gentle- men,- You May Smoke* will be given fortnightly with strong masculine ap- (Continued on page 55) BRITISH SWING IT Jamming Bnneh on'BBC—Also Does Luxeraboorc Series tor Kraft London, March-24. British Broadcasting Corp. going jitterbug in earnest New combo, 'Heralds of Swing,' comprising mostly, key men from Ambrose, Jack Hylton and Lew Stone bands, agented by Leslie Maedonnell, Rock- well-O'Keefe's English representa- tive, have been signed as a weekly program, playing solely swing music for BBC. Swingers have also been signa- tured for series of Kraft Cheese pro- grams by J. Walter l^ompson Co. on Radio Luxembourg, which has been done on the air by Billy Cotton in the last three years. First program to be ethered April 5. There .is also likelihood of a series of an interchange of broad- casts with Artie Shaw. New at GKLW Detroit, April 4. Recent additions .at CKLW Include Jack Spencer hillbillies, of Chicago, to replace Hal' O'Halloran's hill- billies, who've trekked to WLW, Cincy. Frank Crombie, 'Tall Texan' warbler from WBEN, BufiTalo, is do- ing a morning stint Buelah Clark, of YMCA, who's conducting reducing classes as re- placement for Wallace shows (Gen- eral Mills). LondoD CaDhig .'Mansion of Melody, broadcast from Radio Normandy, Is a new method of program presentation for British audiences. It was adopted by IBC to boost Mansion Polish. Henry Hall, former BBC maestro,, taking over dance music arrange-, ments at the Mayfair hotel from AprU 17, Three men and a gtri are to spend three weeks in the wilds of Afghan- istan, where they will film a number of scenes for a travelog.' A car will be fitted out as a mobile film unit Lord A Thomas* radio department placed a new contract with IBC for Quaker Oats and Quaker Flakes for another year on Radio Normandy, making third year in succession. Big Bill Campbell is to do UK ra- dio, first western serial, starting AprU 18. Being caUed 'Cabin in the Hills,' and will have cowboy ari^ and what have you, with Big Bill addlqg an installment of his.own life story of the west to the broadcast Wright's Coal Tar Soap has booked a series of twice weekly radio Nor- mandy afternoon quarter hours with IBC through their agents. Service Advertising Co. Bernard Shaw's 'Arms . and the Man' is too much of a mouthful for BBC to tackle in the lump, so they're having three bites at it, April 14, 18, 21. John Richmond producers and Peggy Ashcroft and Barry Jones will be in the cast. Armbands of Different Hues Regulate Nearness of Approach to Royalty Mnzak Gets Renault First sponsor has been lined up tor the new Muzar Sponsored Program service which' feeds music, news, time signals, etc., to some 135 New York bars and grills. Buyer is Re- nault Wines'Co., which came in for 16 time signals a ddy for 13 weeks with options to 52 'weeks, starting Monday (10). Harold Stretch, former time sales- man for WNEW and WHN, N. Y., was taken on last month as a special sales rep by Muzak. It was he who corraled Renault LINE OKAY IS STILL UNCLEAR Montreal, April 4. British-American Oil Co. is re- ported angling for a regional French network for- a new program here. Question is whether the private French-language stations will be able to get permission from the CBC to use telephone lines. Alternative would be for British-American to take the CBiC regional network. Understood that negotiations ate held up pending clarification of line problem, as B-A would prefer to use selected private stations. NBC^s Engineer Tried To Smooth Cuban Jam But Deal Was Protested Havana, April 4. Efforts of NBC and two of its af- filiates, WMC, Memphis, and WTAR, Norfolk, to induce CMQ to* move to another wavelength or make its di- rectional antenna, effectual have struck a snag temporarily. The sit- \iBtion looked aa though it were on the way to a mutually satisfactory solutioh when the Cuban Broadcast- ers Association suddenly called a protest meeting. The rumor that agi- tated the local operators was that NBC, in combination with certain Cuban government officials, had framed a decree to remove all Cuban stations from tho trequenciea be- tween 550 k. c. and 1,000 k. c. Charles W. Horn, . NBC engineer- ing executive, came to -Havana sev- eral weA s ag o In company with WMC and WTAB representatives, to work out something with CMQ, which like them is on 780 k. c. Both American stations had some time ago been boosted to 5,000 watts nights to overcome CMQ's interference, but the trouble remained imsolved. Also named in the alleged plot which stirred up the Cuban broad- casters were Augusto Mencla (who has since resigned) and Nick Men- doza, members of the Cuban delega- AL DONAHUE and HIS ORCHESTRA JVotc Playing Palace Theatre, YoimgstowD, 0. Vocation Records Direction: ROCKWELL-O'KEEFE GENERAL AMUSEMENT CORP. tion to the Interamerican Radio Con- vention of December, 1937, and Sen- ator Wifredo Albanes, who was the convention's president. The man- euver, it is reported, was opposed by Major Asensio,. chief of the Cuban army's signal corp, even before the broadcasters got wind of it Horn later assured the local broadcasters that he knew nothing of the alleged plot and at a subsequent meeting of the association a statement from him on this score' was. read to it It is understood that Horn tried to get CMK, which is on 720 k. c. to switch wavelengjCbs with CMQ but this proposition fell through when the former outlet wanted $5,000 for the favor. Horn declared at his Radio City office last week that the excitement which his visit to Cuba had encount- ered was puzzling to him since it had had no foundation in fact He said that he still felt that the situation would be solved by cooperative me- thods. Saskatoon, Sask., April 4. Because a battery of mikes causes him 'to stammer, only two micro- phones—both gold plated—will be allowed in front of King George VI on any of the five occasions he will broadcast during royal tour of Can- ada In May-June, Winnipeg on Em- pjire Day, May 24, will be only place His Majesty will speak during prairie tour. Two mikes wUl feed CBC network, secondary or standby network, pub- lic address system and also newsreel cameras. A score of latter expected. Elaborate precautions being taken to insure King's safety, especially along parade routes in various cities where stops are to be made. All ra- dio men working on broadcasts will have to wear armbands, carry cre- dential cards and special buttons- same goes for press and photogs. Color of armband will indicate how close wearer can get to royal party. All broadcosts will be directed by CBC, even kical stuff. Station staffs in every city must co-operate is fact emphasized by CBC advance agents in charge of programming who are. now touring country. These include T. O. Wililund, Bob Bowman and Dick ClarlngbuU. Radio broadcast crews cannot move from any overhead spots until pa- rade passes, or trouble with police may result Ball mikes, if used, must be held In hand with armband on, or holder may find self shot by over vigilant police. C:BC will provide all commentators for broadcasts, local announcers in each city to act as alternates or as- sistants. Estimated 2,000 radio men in Canada will be Issued special arm- bands for tour. WAAW RETAGGED KOWH Vernon Smith From Lawrence, Kan- sas, b Manager Omaha, April 4. Station WAAW, operating under new caU letters KOWH, went on the air Saturday (1) under the owner- ship of Omaha World-Herald. Eit- change operated it for past IT years. Vernon H. Smith, formerly at WREN, Lawrence, Kan., has been named manager. Operates day time only. WOW, top station here, gave a 30- mlnute salute to KOWH Saturday night as a gesture. JOAN EDWARDS Celebrating my first anniversary today with Paul Wbiteman and the ^esterfield Program. Wednesdays from Coast - to - Coast over C«B>S« I am (deeply grateful to my radio friends and Chesterfield smokers for their loyalty and support. My everlasting grati- tude to Paul Whitemqn, Phil Cohan; Douglas Coulter, Donald-Longon and the Liggett & Myers Tobacco Co, for making this engagement so' enjoyable Pcrmonal Management: HENRY H. DACAND Radio City, Naw York City