Variety (Sep 1939)

22 VARIETY RADIO Wednesday, September 6, 1939 JWG Huddle in N.Y. Today (Wed.) on Jurisdictional Dispute Heisch on Penner Conference between representa- tives of the American Federation of Radio Artists and the Radio Writers Guild will be held at noon today (Wednesday) to try and settle the jurisdictional dispute involving air Bcripters. AFRA spolcesmen will in- clude Mrs. Emily Holt, executive- secretary; George Heller, associate; Henry JafTe, attorney, and I. B. K rnblum, Coast representative. RWG reps will be Kenneth Webb, president; Luise Sillcox, executive- secretary, and Sidney Fleischer, at- torney. Coast Farley Hollywood, Sept. 5. Local offlcials of the American Federation of Radio Artists have ■worked out a proposal for settle- ment of the differences with the Radio Writers Guild and have au- thorized I. B. Kornblum, AFRA rep- resentative, to submit 'the plan at huddles with Guild heads in New York this week/ As broadly outlined, the idea vould be for RWG to have complete jurisdiction over all writers in the four major production centers. New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago, with AFRA represent- ing the field elsewhere. However, •11 persons who both write and per- form before the mike, even in the four major cities, would be required to have at least nominal membership in AFRA. Understood that was the general plan agreed to by AFRA and RWG reps in conferences here some pionths ago. Renew Hobby Lobby' 'Hobby Lobby' has been renewed by General Foods in behalf of Sanka ccffec through Young & Bubicam and the show goes into its new spot on CBS, Sundays, 5-5:30 p. m., Oct. 1. Dave Elman, the program's m.c, exercising a provision in his con- tract, approved the new period. TINNOCHIO'AIR SCRAP LOOMS ■Two radio versions of Carlo Col- lodi's 'Pinocchio' are due to be aired this fall. Sidney Strotz, NBC cen- tral division manager in Chicago, has been negotiating with Walt Dis- ney lor exclusive television and ra- dio rights. Deal is due to be signed this week. A rival program being marketed by Radio Attractions, Inc., of New York, headed by Herbert Ebenstein, also is scheduled to break over a number of radio stations this month. Series of thirty-nine IS-minute epi- sodes already have been completed for Radio Attractions, by Edward Sloman, former motion picture di- rector, on the Coast. 'Pinocchio' is considered In the public domain and, proceeding on that theory, Radio Attractions have used the Collodi story in its entirety and then added to it a new story created and adapted by Sloman. RWG LOOKING INTO WRITER 'SCHOOLS' Radio Writers Guild Is making a survey of the various writer 'labora- tories,' 'schools' and 'guilds' which are offering an assortment of courses in authorship to prospective, radio scripters. Move is the result of a nuinber of inquiries made by RWG members who have been solicited by the outfits. Several requests for similar information have been re- ceived by VABiETY. According to offlcials of the RWG, which is an affiliate of the Authors League of America, it does not con- duct or sponsor any school, labora- tory or course in radio writing. Or- ganization is strictly a membership proposition for the purpose of han- dling business and trade problems. RWG has received inquiries from Its members regarding an. outfit called Radio Writers Guild & Syn- dicate Service, of New York. Firm has been contacting RWG members by mail, announcing scripting con- tests and referring to various pro- grams which are 'soliciting' scripts. RWG officials have written the Guild Si Syndicate, wliich has office space with the Clarence A. Ryerson agency, requesting that it discon- tinue use of the Radio Writers Guild portion of its name." Matter is not entirely settled, but the firm has in- dicated it will make' the chanee when it exhausts its'present supply of printed stationery. Another company about which RWG offlcials have received in- quiries is the Radio Writers Labora- tory, in Lancaster. Pa. Offlcials have written the outfit, but haven't re- ceived any information as yet. Sev- eral other similar organizations are also being contacted lor Information of theii* setup, activities, aims and so on. Wherever possible, RWG in- tends persuading such outfits to drop any similarities in name to the Authors League affiliate. Glan Heisch has been hired by Sherman K. Ellis, Inc., to produce the Joe Penner show (CBS) for Ward Bread. Series will originate from Hollywood. Heisch was formerly on the pro- duction staff of KFI-KECA, Los An- geles. Hornet' Gets 1st Buzz Before Studio Mob As P!ng for Ford Dealers Detroit, Sept. 5. First visual broadcasts of WXYZ's 'Green Hornet' mystery drama, aired twice weekly over indie hookup, are emanating from the Ford building at 90th annual Michigan State Fair here this week. Entire cast, plus techni- cians from WXYZ, will take part, presenting the drama five or six times daily throughout the 10 days of the fair, which opened Friday (1). Because presentations are being given under aegis of Ford dealers of Michigan, it's reported that the fair stunt is the stepping oft stone lor Ford dealers of Michigan to start bankroll- ing regular ether program of 'Hor- net' Latter hasn't a sponsor at pres- ent over WXYZ's Michigan network; moreover, N. W. Ayer & Son's local office, which set previous deal lor Detroit Creamery sponsorship of 'Hornet,' likewise handles advertis- ing for Ford dealers. Latter current- ly are bankrolling a thrice-weekly Farm Reporter program over WXYZ. Stage in Ford building at state lair has been transformed into an exact replica of regular ether shows, with special control booth lor engineers and technicians. Special scripts have been prepared by author Fran Striker and the exhibit will be han- dled by Charles Livingstone, dra- matic chief at WXYZ, and his chief assistant, Ted Robertson, who directs thn ether program. Everything wiU be just as In an actual broadcast, except one thing. When 'Hornet' and Kato, his valet, jump into their usuar'buzzing' car, they will actually leap into a sleek Lincoln-Zephyr placed on stage by Ford company. He Looked Important Ad agency producers rehearsing a major show last week in a CBS atudio noticed a stranger looking on intently from the control room. The agency boys occasionally gave the stranger a quick gander and exchanged quizzical glances between themselves, wondering what official this was from the sponsor-company. One producer even thought of going over and olTering a stop-watch to the visitor. After the rehearsal was over, the agency men cordially approached the stranger and asked him what he thought of the show. 'Huh?,' inquired the stranger, taken suddenly unawares by this at- tention. 'Why.' queried the agency man, 'aren't you with the Co.?' 'Naw,' replied the stranger. 'I just delivered some sandwiches here and I thought I'd look on awhile.' 129 Stations Set for World Series; 68 Are Mutual 43 NBC, 11 CBS Winston in Alaska Fairbanks, Alaska, Sept. S. KFAR, which resumes operations Oct. 1, has' named Jack Winston, who had previously worked in Cali- fornia for NBC and on his own ais a band leader, station manager. W. K. (Bud) Foster holds the title of assistant manager and sales di- rector. HEDDA HOPPER WANTS OUT ON NBC CONTRACT DE SALISBURY OUT OF NBC ARTISTS SERVICE Edward de Salisbury Is out as sales promotion manager of the NBC Artists Service. He had been with the organization for 10 years. Be- fore, he was assigned five years ago to set up a sales promotion depart- ment in the artists bureau, de Salis- bury did similar work for the sales department. De Salisbury got the news on his return from a two-weeks' vacation. No reason was given him for the move. SCREEN GUILD SIGNS 672 FOR GULF SERIES Hollywood, Sept. 5. Screen Guild Theatre announced signing of 672 stars, featured play- ers, writers and directors for '39-40 series lor Good Gulf. Robert Montgomery and several others have asked to be used more than once to aid Motion Picture Re- lief Fund building campaign. Bond Splits Gambling With General MiHs Bond Clothing Stores has bought John Gambling's 'Gym Classes' show on WOR, New York, lor airing three days per week lor a straight 52 weeks beginning Sept. 18. Gen- eral Mills sponsors the same pro- gram. Tuesday, Thursday and Satur- day and will continue, while Bond piclcs up the Monday, Wednesday and Friday shows at 7:15 to 8 a.m. Set through Neff-Rogow, N. Y. Gambling's show has been on WOR daily lor past 14 years. Bond re- cently bought a news spot on WPB On Sunday afternoon, 12:45-1 p.m. Hollywood, Sept. 5. Feud of long standing between Hedda Hopper and NBC Artists Service was brought to a head by columnist-actress-narrator with an- nouncement that she would take legal action to terminate her man- agement contract. Network bureau is holding her to pact, although her only radio job at present is In 'Brenthouse,' NBC sustainer. Miss Hopper charges that the art- ists bureau has done nothing to further her interests on the air. She is scheduled to go commercial for Sunkist Oranges starting late in October on a CBS hookup. Vinson-Hopldns Join Carl Wester in Cbi WFBR, Balto, Ties Up Preakness for 5 Yrs. Baltimore, Sept. 5. WFBR. which has had the exclu- sive broadcasting rights to the his- toric Preakness race at Pimlico, tied up the event this week lor a period of five more years. New deal also calls lor airing other leature races of the track, including the Dixie and Pimlico. Station local outlet lor NBC Red, has previously led the event to that web. No announcement yet ol com- mercial sponsor lor the Preakness, although the American Oil Co., through Joe Katz Ad Agency, has had it exclusively in past Some talk again ol splitting sponsorship, with Amoco taking the eastern coast Irom Maine to Florida, and the rest ol the country to be sold to another account." Chicago, Sept. 5. Carl Wester, program agency, has added Owen Vinson and wile, Paul- ine Hopkins, to staff. Vinson, who was lormerly program director lor WLW, Cincinnati, will produce 'Woman in White' and 'Road ol Lile.' Pauline Hopkins, who is authoring Procter & Gamble"? (NBC) 'Mid- stream,* will collaborate with Irma Phillips on strip shows. WKRC-MUTUAL TIEUP DUE SEPT. 24 Cincinnati, Sept. 5. WKRC, it's reported, will Join the Mutual network Sept 24, when its ownership switches Irom CBS to the Times-Star and L, B. Wilson's WCKY becomes Columbia's Cincy outlet Hulbert Talt Jr., son ol the paper's editor, will be manager ol the sta- tion. WKRC's Mutual alflliation was flrst mentioned several weeks ago, when Wilson announced his transler from NBC to CBS and bef -e Columbia reached a sale agreement lor WKRC with the T-S. Young Tail's part in the radio set-up came to light over the weekend with notice that he is to depart from the Times-Star's rep- ertorial end by Oct 1, although his luture service was not named. Bill Schudt, general manager of WKRC for the past year or so, and Bill Williamson, sales manager of the station, are slated for other CBS posts, as yet not disclosed. Assump- tion among local broadcasters is that Schudt will move to St Louis and Williamson to Radio Sales' Chicago division. Most of the present WKRC pro- gram and technical staff is expected to be retained by the newspaper management Ross MulhoUand, an announcer on the station for the past year, left Fri- day (1) to join WXYZ, Detroit. Law- rence Trexler, newscaster, during the past couple of years with WCPO, Scripps-Howard Cincy link, last week joined WKRC for a temporary spclL WCPO, Cincy, Moves Up Smith, Carlon, McCarthy Cincinnati, Sept. 5. WCPO executive appointments, made effective today (5) by Morti- mer C. Watters, general manager, include: John P. Smith, commercial man- ager and second in charge of the station; Andre Carlon, program di- rector; Tom McCarthy, news editor. All have been with the Scripps- Howard Cincy outlet for some time. Enna Jettick Ups Net 'Enna Jettick Melodies,' Sunday show on NBC-WEAF network, which started with 83 stations, has increased to 91 stations. Nan Dorland is Rosamond Ames, the fashion ' expert who comments each week on the show. AFRA NIXES WNEW'S B'WAY SHOW IDEA WNEW, New York, program idea, which-was to have aired cast, music, etc., of Broadway shows when they hit the century mark in perform- ances, was nixed la.st week by Amer- ican Federation of Radio Artists. Union insisted that any actors be- ing used as WNEW intended to use them would have to become AFRA members. It okayed Interviews, however. Program was to have started next week with the 100th performance of 'Streets of Paris.' IfHRANSA'S lEBUEB Carmen Miranda, who has been on the Rudy Vallee Standard Brands show for the past eight weeks, was set Friday (1) to continue with It until it leaves the air with the Sept 28 broadcast. Warbler doubles from 'Streets of Paris,' Broadhurst, N. Y. Of the 129 stations that, have okayed the taking of the World Series broadcasts (Gillette Razor) from Mutual, 43 are affiliated with NBC and II are also on the CBS list The exclusively Mutual stations in this lineup numbers 68, while seven are without any regular affiliation. Among those still on the fence ere WBAL, Baltimore, and WLW, Cin- cinnati. CBS Stations WMT, Cedar Rapids; WKBW- WGR, Buffalo; WRVA. Richmond; WNBF, Binghamton; WCHS. Charle.?- ton; WMAZ, Macon; KTOK. Okla- homa City; WIBX. Utica; WNAX, Yankton; KGMB, Honolulu; KHBC, Hilo, H. I. NBC Afflllates WHK, Cleveland; KCA. Spokane; WSYR, Syracuse; WALA. Mobile, Ala.; KWK, St Louis; KMA. Shen- andoah, la.; WIRE. Indianapolis; KSO. Des Moines; WABY. Albany; KOIL, Omaha; WFIL, Philadelphia; WICC, Bridgeport; WFEA, Manches- ter, N. H.; WLBZ, Bangor, Me.; WRDO, Augusta, Me.; WEAN. Provi- dence; WMPS. Memphis; WKBO. Harrisburg; KOB, Albuquerque; WJAX, Jacksonville: WSPD. Toledo; WIS, Columbia. S. C; WJDX. Jack- son. Miss.; WCSC, Charleston. S. C; KTOK, Oklahoma City: WIOD, Miami; WFLA. Tampa; WSUN. St Petersburg, Fla.; KANS. Wichita; KIDO, Boise, Idaho; KGBX. Spring- field. Mo.: KOAM, Pittsburgh. Kans.; KGHL, Billings, Morit.; WSGN, Bir- mingham: WSMB, New Orleans; KTBS, Shreveport. La,; KTHS, Hot Springs, Ark.; KUTA, Salt Lake City; KLO. Ogden. Utah; KGIR. Butte, Mont; WEBC, Duluth; KTAR. Phoe- nix, Ariz.; KVOA. Tucson. Ariz. Mutnal Exclnslvely WOR, Newark; WGN, Chicago; CKLW, Detroit-Wind.sor; KHJ. Los Angeles; KDB. Santa Barbara: KGB, San Diego; KXO, El Centro; KVOE, Santa Ana; KFXM. San Bernardino; KPMC, Bakersfield; KDON, Monte- rey, Cal.; KVEC. San Luis Obispo; KTKC, Visalia, Cal.: KYOS. Merced, Cal.; KFRC. San Francisco: KQW. San Jose, Cal.; KIEM. Eureka, Cal.; KHSL, Chico. Cal.; KVCV, Redding, Cat; KOOS, Marshfleld, Ore.; KRNR. Roseburg, Ore.; KORE. Eugene, Ore.; KSLM. Salem, Ore.; KALE, Portland, Ore ; KMO, Tacoma, Wash.; KOL, Seattle, Wash.; KELA, Centralia, Wash.; KGY, Olympia, Wash.; KRKO, Everett, Wash.: KXRO, Aberdeen. Wash.: KVOS. Bellingham, Wash.; KPQ, Wenatchee, Wash.; KIT. Yakima, Wash.; KWLK, Loncview, Wash.; WOL, Washington; WBAX, Wilkes-Barre; WHB, Kansas City; KFEL, Denver; KFKA. Greeley, Colo.; WHKC. Columbus; KFOR. Lincoln; WDGY, Minneapolis; WHBF, Rock Island; WTHT. Hart- ford; WATR. Waterbury; WSPH, Springfield; WAAB. Boston: WLNH, Laconia, N. H.: WNLC, New London; WLLH, Lowell; WSAR. Fall River; WNBH. New Bedford; WHAI. Green- field. Mass.; WCOU. Lewiston. Me.; WBRK, Pittsfleld; WSYB, Rutland; WGRC, Louisville; WLAP. Lexing- ton; WSIX, Nashville: WAIR. Win- ston-Salem, N. C: WRAL. Raleigh; WSOC. Charlotte, N. C: WCMI. Ash- land, Ky.; KADA, Ada, OUla.; KCRC, Enid, Okla.; KOME. Tulsa: KBIX, Muskogee, Okla.; KGFF, Shawnee, Okla. No Network Afflllatinn WSAY, Rochester; KQV, Pitts- burgh; WHJB, Greenburg. Pa.; KABR, Aberdeen. S. D.; WAPO, Chattanooga; WBLK, Clarksburg, W, Va.; KMMJ, Clay Center, Neb. Monroe Vice Witten With Bucbanan Co. Paul Monroe has replaced Louis A. Witten as radio director of the Bu- chanan Co. Witten had been with this agency and its predecessor, Hanff-Metzger, for eight years. Monroe's previous connections In- clude CBS and Transamcrican Broad- casting & Television Corp.