Variety (Apr 1939)

S6 •VABIETTW U>NnON OFFICB ■ St. HartlB's Place, TrafaUur Sqiuirt INTERNATIONAL RADia Oahle AddNMi VABIETY LONDON Telephone Temple Bar MMI-OMt Imitate U.Si. in Propaganda to SA', Nazi General s Indirect Puff for NBC NBC is chortling with pleasure at a recent bit of advice given Ger- many by a Nazi general, Fupel, who said the Reich should model its propaganda activities in South America after the campaign carried on by North America, meaning, of course, the United States. In NBC's opinion,; this is endorsement by-the supposed professional of the sup- posed amateur^ It proves that the American broadcasters have been leaders, not followers. In interna- tional shortwaving and refutes the impression often expressed that Uncle Sam has been muffing a big opportunity. Chart kept in the shortwave de- partment at NBC, New York, shows following count of mail received from foreign countries since Jan.' 1, 1939: < Spanish 2,487 Portuguese 922 French 2,020 German 1,358 lUlian 497 English 1,525 Meanwhile, with European events moving swiftly toward probable war, the department is acquiring special importance frbm a propa- ganda standpoint^ and as a means ' of getting news from democracies Into totalitarian countries. London Calling J. Waiter Thompson Co. new for- mula for the next program which Lux will put on the air, starting April 16 on Luxembourg and Nor- mandy. Called 'Sunday Afternoon at Diana Clare's,' it will be a non- stop entertainment of light music and- songs in a party atmosphere, and the idea is to have a large number of guests who will attend the reception. There will be no advance announcement of the guests, until they arrive and entertain. Copyrleht snags may stall radio version of 'One Night of Love,' same as they almost did with 'Monte Carlo,' but BBC New York office is currently dickering with a view of getting' clearance on story rights so that program can go over April 25 and 26 on schedule. XEAL Loses License sir Adrian Bonlt, BBC director of music, to conduct two concerts at the World Fair, New York, and will give first peiiormances of three works by British composers. Spotilswoode Dlicon te Hantlng asency renewed the Brooke Bond & Co. broadcasting contract for a further 52 weeks over Radio Nor- mandy. '■ Mexico City, April 11. Radio station XEAL, 1,000 watts, operated by the Compania Pan Americana de Radio, S. A., here, lost its franchise. Failed to give the number of daily broadcasts the government conces- sion demanded. Lnx Theatre ot Uie Air will be heard here soon via the canned route on one hour's coverage weekly. W. G. James, Controller of Music for Australian Broadcasting Com- mission, is visiting U. S. » ■ lUT THt ftHAPSODY IN ILUI PAUL WHITEMAN and his ALL-AMERICAN BAND Appeorlno In Concert * Eastman Theatre Roehaster, N. Y. April 14th * Lion's Qub Gloucester, Mass. April 16th * Symphony Hall Boiton April 16th Vernon Hariris' first major script- ing chore since joining BBC per- manent staff will be Van Phillips' Time to Laugh' series, which will have two orks and a lotta comedy. Marie Ney, Julien' Mitchell and other players from the London Mask Theatre production, have been de- tailed to play Bernard Shaw's 'Can- dida' for television. Harry Rowntrce, one of the con- tributors to the fourth edition of 'Country Home Hour' from Radio Normandy. -TCKE EN THE- CHESTERFIELD SHOW CBS Coaat^to-Coost ITedaeadare, 8:30 E.S.T. BOOKED EXCI.i;SITEI.T BT Artists Management, Inc. 17 East 45th St. New York MUrray Hill 2-1888 ' BOBmsoN's on. newscasts Montreal, April 11. British-American Oil has taken a six-day newscast over station CFCF, with Prescott (Peck) Robinson as spieler. Program goes' on Monday through Friday, twice daily, and one newscast on Sunday at 6:30 pjn. Sponsors will use Trans-Radio News •■ Service. No decision on French-language regional network for B. A. Oil as yet Fire QaBUgea CKGB Timmins, Ont, April 11. Fire did $20,000 damage here to Timmins Daily Press building, which also-houses CKGB. Station due for-l,00u watts.later, NEW BRITISH PROGRAMS 12 Famooi Post-War Plays t» Be Broadcast London, April 4. BBC has scheduled 12 famous post- war plays, 12 classics, 12 dramas from abroad, 12 classes, 12 dramas, subjects in. its summer program. It incorporates all four types which are basis of dept's activity. Post-war plays are designed to illustrate the history of the past 20 years of the London theatre, and include Noel Coward's 'Vortex'; Somerset Maughan's 'Sheppey'; Priestley's 'Dangerous Corner'; Ed- gar Wallace's 'On the Spot,' and 'Richard of Bordeaux,' First of the classic section will be The Persians,' by Aeschylus, and Thomas Hardy and Ibsen will also contribute. Next serial is 'Prisoner of Zenda,' with Roljert Douglas. Milton Rosmer and Thea Holme featured, which starts Sunday (2); and other plays include "Behold the Judge,' 'King Lear' and The Seagull.' Radio plays from abroad are aimed to give listeners a comparison between local drama and that of France, Norway, etc ■ In Australia , Colgate-Palmolive will come back this winter with a bigger flesh- blood show tlian last season for playing over the Albert-Doyle net- work. Shell Oil also set for com- mercial chain with a talent lineup of home players, with imported guest artists spotted from time to time through a deal with vaude and legit operators. Australian Broadcasting Commis- sion has published an illustrated magazine covering every sphere of radio. Sells at 30 cents and will come out yearly. George Edwards, radio player for 2 UW, Sydney, will oresent a new show shortly titled. The Crazy Fam- ily.' Extra-Curriculum Notes . Louisville, April 11. Credo Harris, radio director of WHAS, has written a play, 'This Is the Hour,' which will be tried out April 18 by a cast of local amateurs at the Louisville Woman's Club. He has authored sever.-.l other plays which "have been produced locally. Nate Lord, manager of ^AVE, teamed in a badminton matc'a with Noel Radford, professional of Van- couver, last Friday (7) at the Jeffer- son Armory here, losing 15-10 to the pick-up combo consisting of Bill Markham, New York pro, and Thurston Morton, local player. Rad- ford and Markham were playing an exhibition here. Phillips .Carlin checked up on the Hollywood sustaining setup at NBC. Cascade of Sarcasm Philadelphia, April 11. Following evidence of overwhelming generosity was hung on bulle- tin boards.at WIP by Murray Arpold, p.a.: NOTICE All papers, brochures and maga2ines are in the lower right-hand drawer of my desk. These, of course, are for the use of the entire station. If you feel so inclined you may return these. If not, it is just as well to leave them in any office or studio you prefer. The scissors will be found in the upper right-hand drawer of my desk. This, too, pf course, is for the use of the entire staff and may or may not be returned', depending upon the feeling of the taker. A large gluepot is located atop my desk for everyone's use. If you feel it is too much for you to take it to your own office for use, why —just bring in whatever you have to do right here in my office and feel free to use my desk ^or whatever you will at all times. Film tickets can be secured to any theatre, downtown or neighbor-. hood; however, please let me know at least 15 minutes in advance of when you wish to go; also, the more tickets you ask for the easier they are to get. Likewise, the downtown Warner theatres are only too happy to give out sets of passes and your uncle's niece might appreciate them, so even if you. don't want them for yourself, don't let that stop you. ... Also, for the use of the entire staff are my special pencils (middle drawer), fountain pen (same drawer), letter opener (same), my tele- phone, dictograph, radio, loud speaker, topcoat and anything else my desk might contain. AFTER ALL, THE PUBLICITY DEPARTMENT IS A SERVICE DEPARTMENT. GOLD MIKES FOR KING Radio JSplelers to Stndy Protocol for Royally Montreal, April 11. Four specially constructed gold- plated microphones will be used whenever' the King and Queen of England wiU speak over the radio on their forthcoming visit to Canada. These mikes will be limited for use by Their Majesties'^only. Broadcasting Corp. is holding au- ditions in various parts of Canada to select commentators for the royal tour. Those commentators chosen will attend special lectures at Ot- tawa by naval and military authori- ties and others familiar with the technical terms and formalities con- cerning the royal visit. Date of Canada's premier horse race, the King's Plate, Toronto, has beep changed to- May 22 this year to coincide with the visit of the King and' Queen. Understanding is that King George will make the presenta- tion. Buff Sans Radio Comment Buffalo, April 11. Departure of Rod Reed as radio commentator ' from The Evening News leaves Buffalo dailies prac- tically without radio comment. The Times and Courier have abandoned entirely any attempt at radio columns while the News continues the former Reed column, now being de- voted mostly to News-controlled WBEN and WEBR plugs and regu- lation network publicity releases. Jean Paul King easy-staging north after wintering in Florida. Mere Sponsor Identification Fails To Appease Canadian Beer Brewers Montreal, April 11. - Three of the most important beer- sponsored radio programs are sched- uled to be discontinued April 20 due tu the recent limitation imposed by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. on beer commercials whereby only sponsor-identification is' permitted. It is estimated that from 75 to 100 THEO'NBILLS -A\E WES" NOW RADIO S MOST POPULAR FAMILY BRINGS YOU MORE _AUGHTER JeaRS ^no [-| EART-THR03S yerfcii TWICE lil9IEI^ NBC Red IN.. CBS - DAILY Network, 12:16 to 12:30 P.M. EST WABC^ 2:16 to 2:30 P.M. EST COAST TO COAST r sir. COHFTON ADVERTIBINO AOENCT MGT. ED WOLF—RKO BLDG, NEW YORK CITY performers, musicians and script writers will be affected. {Sponsors such as National Brew- eries, who have been plugging 'Black Horse Ale,' find that under the hew CBC ruling the commercial plug would have no significance, since the name of the ale cannot be men- tioned.- Among those programs to be taken off are Tonight at Eight,' represent- ing an outlay of about $l,20p week- ly in talent alone. Best known French-language comic, Fridolin, and a group of stock players in dra- matic and musical sketches entitled 'Les Amours de Petit Joe,' are out These programs were originally scheduled to run until May 12, when they were to be discontinued for the summer months only, with sponsor renewals undertaken in advance for the fall. Under the circumstances no re- newals are planned and programs will be taken off April 20. Although the National Breweries had the op- tion of cancelling' shows on April 1, performer s were gi ven a bou t three weeks of elclra "playing time despite that the advertising value to the breweries of current plugs is prac- tically nil. News Casts Go On The original stand against the pro- posal of the CBC to ban beer-spon- sored programs was taken in order to save jobs tor performers. The CBC modified the ban and agreed to permit beer programs providing commercials are limited to sponsor- identification. And while breweries using name newscasters such as.Chris Ellis continue an the air, sponsor identification is considered almost worthless as a plug in musical shows such as 'Tonight at Eight' It is understood that Gladstone Murray has taken under considera- tion a plea from musicians and ar- tists that the CBC grant breweries a little more leeway in commercial copy. But any further action will ]>e dela'yed until the next meeting of the Board of Governors of the CBC. This may not take place for several months. RADIO MAN GETS BID TO TONY MEET Montreal, April 11. Christopher Ellis, news commen- tator for Molson's Ale over station CPeF^-has-be en invited to Tep ly to the toast To England' at the St George's Society ball at the Windsor hotel April 22. St George's annual shindig is the siXotiest ulta-blueblood social event of the season. Believed first time that a professional radio commenta- tor has been asked to speak as an honored guest on such an occasion. GORDON HTITENMARK SPIELS 'GEHING JOBS' Washington, April 11. Gordon Hittenmark, WRC an> nouncer, gone to New Orleans to ad- dress the International Association of Public Employment Services dur- ing three-day convention starting Wednesday (12). Hittenmark, who has been conducting a local program bringing unemployed in contact with prospective employers; will talk on Radio Broadcasting As a Means of Publicizing Employment Services.' Will also present Gov. Richard W. Leche of Louisiana to the Associa- tion and will be heard over WDSU and WSMB. Joe Chambers at WCKY Cincinnati, April 11. Joe Chambers, of the McNary & Chambers consulting engineers' firm in Washington, inspected installation work on WCKY's new 50,000-watt transmitter last week. Under hif guidance the job is being handled by Charles Topmiller, WCKY engineer, Terry Clyne, of the NYC office of Free & Peters, sales reps of the It. B. Wilson station, also visited her* last week. SOOO'S^? JOHN BLAIR fcCO, lOOO NIGHT TO COTEB GREAT BRITAIN TOr UDBT VSB RADIO NORMANDY Fall PartlcDlara ot Air Time aod Talent from International Broadcasting Company, Ltd. 37, Portland Place, London, W.I. W0AL