Variety (Sep 1939)

24 VABIETY RADIO Wednesday, September 6, 1939 NeutraUty Impossible? Network executives declared Monday (4) that whatever resolves their organizations may have made to maintain neutrality in the talks of their domestic commentators, both commercial and sustaining, were seriously undermined by the torpedoing of the steamship Athenia off Scotland Sunday (3). The reactions and sentiments of the public, these execs pointed out, are bound to be reflected in the work of the com- menUtors, regardless of their underlying attempts at objectivity. As the networks see it, they have never been faced with a more ticklish dilemma. With opinion what it is in this country, the impo- sition of strict neutrality over its facilities would not only be gomg against the public grain, but subject the networks to severe backfire, with the word censorship proving but a mild term in the.JJRprobrium. The networks on the other hand feel that it is their duty to stem the spread of mob hatred and prevent being used to cement public opinion toward America's entry into the European conflict. ' Dorothy Thompson Cut Off St. Louis, Sept. 5. KWK, local affiliate of the NBC-blue, cut ofle the broadcast of Dorothy Thompson Thursday (31) in the midst of her discussion of Chancellor Hitler's address to the Reichstag. The station took her oft the air just after she had charged Hitler with thinking only of his own prestige and not the horror that might be caused his people by a general Europeain conflict. Robert Convey, head of KWK, denied that the station's action had even an implication of censorship. He said that it was KWK's 'belief that Miss Thompson was expressing some personal opinions' and that it 'does not seem, in view of the present tension in international af- fairs, that anything but rcpertorial matter would, be in the public interest.' London, Sept. 5. With theatres and every other form of amusement enterprise dark, the British Broadcasting Corp. has assumed the gigantic job of provid- ing the United Kingdom's only di- version. Even before hostilities were actu- ally declared on Sunday morning, the BBC began its task. It scrapped its existing program plans on Fri- day (1) night and emergency sched- ules immediately went into effect. They constituted news broadcasts Al Mitchell,'The Answer Man'on'the Metropolitan Opera Co. Is it!every hour, linked by continuous WOR, Weujark (Prouident Loan Co.;,'legal (can he sue me) for me tojprdgrams of light music and talks. MitcheD, The Answer Man' Gets Some Queries Hed Like Answered THE DOUGH RISES Occident Flour Co. Tncrcaocs Its Radio Appropriation Chicago, Sept 5. Occident Flour Company of Min- neapolis is spreading its radio ap- propriation for this season, following a click with announcements last year on a flock of small stations. This year it is upping to the more powerful outlets, including WCCO, Minneapolis, and WHO, Des Moines, on which the flour Arm will use a once-weekly show under the tag of 'Kitchen Quiz.' it also puts a 15- minute, three-a-week schedule on WNAXi Yankton, S. D. Latter show is labeled 'Royal Vikings,' an in- formal musical program. RADIO BRITONS' ONLY DIVERSION War News Slants Baukbaee Cancbt Short Decision to ship Hjalmar H. Baukhage, NBC Washington commentator, to Berlin to be on hand lor the blow.-oft resulted in a record in red tape- cutting by the State Department and various foreign embassies. Spieler was called at his home, around bedtime, 10 days ago, and asked if he wanted to go to Europe, via the Yankee Clipper, next day. After only one question, 'What about my commercial?' Baukhage accepted. Next day he camped 15 minutes on the State Department steps to re- ceive his passport, picked up French and Portugese visas and was sped to the clipper base at Port Washington, L. I., in a chartered amphibian plane. Somewhat let down when the Clipper was detained 24 hours by bad weather after all the rush. Baukage will.return after doing a two weeks' trick at the German cap- ital, stopping off. in Paris and London for a brief spell before sailing for New York. He Will resume his Washington assignment, whibh Includes- some commercials. Departure was so hasty that he carried but one piece of luggage and combined a white linen cap with, a topcoat as a going-away costume. has compiled another list of screw- ■ use his name? . , . .. .i Please tell me if I can get into the ball question* received, indicattvc o/ u. S. Navy if I have a tattoo on my the expanse of radio's lunatic fringe. ' Srm? Is Dixie Lee Crosby a blonde or a ' I am a high school graduate, dark brunet? . In many movie mage- Throughout high school I have de- zines her hair is very dark. If she; bates with alt my. science teachers. Is a blonde is her hair real blonde ' Many people have different ideas, or is it bleached? I Will you please give me the correct What do drea.my eyes l6ok ^i^ell^^^^ the reason for your Standing on the boardwalk in j Chinaman and Coney Island it looks like trees and i j^. u born' mountains are over there. Please j-h"«-f ^e born^^ ^^iU^'orplease'tlrme is there I ^^ich anything as an open enemy? ar^Xr^rth^^lharr:?:-^ - -e if it has any monetary ^',?f-'„ ^. o , Just a few lines to a friend who Will the flower of a potato plant k have not seen personally, asking, produce tomatoes? ' you in the name of the Lord for a ^How many famous Hollywood Please answer at once and stars have to wear glasses? \^^^.^ ^ ^ j \ !™ TJr^l i poor condition. I haven't 11. would like to know if you could I inform me as to who I could con- either on regular discs or special re cordings. While the programs of the first two days were not. conspicuously successful, routine has now been ad- justed to provide reai entertainment Orchestras, organists and other en- tertainers are being mobilized for studio broadcasts. Yesterday (Mon- day) a special issue of Radio Times carried a complete new program log for the forthcoming week, running from 7 a.m. until past midnight each day, All BBC transmitters, except the Scottish and North Regional stations, were closed down Friday night and national coverage was maintained by these two only. Other national transmitters were being employed for Government work, including propaganda to Germany. Lawyer's Leg Work Dither in which broadcast stations ifound themselves In attempting to cover all angles of the Washington war reaction resulted in reshuffling of assignments among the staff. Paul A. Porter, CBS Washington counsel, dropped lawyering temporarily and became a leg man on the State De- partment beat Nothing novel about the chore, as Porter was formerly a newspaperman. Kaltenborn's Flrccrack«r H. V. Kaltenborn's final corhmcnt from London on Tuesday (29) for. Pure Oil was, as always, trenchant and personal. Conclusion to the spiel, however, was one of the most.remarkable heard to date. For it left the indelible impression that Kaltenborn was deeply impressed by the English and their attitude of forbearance.' While other commentators have stated similar feelings, Kaltenborn got his couched in such semi-philosophical iangiiage that it definitely seemed as if he had gone several Steps beyond the usual self-imposed limits of commentators. Several of his remarks about the crisis bringing out admirable qualities., in the English smattered of that ill-fated crack Ray Lyman Wilbur (Sec- retary of the Interior under Hoover) made about the depression: that it had one virtue in keeping people at home and enhancing family life. Kaltenborn's remarks about the crisis vs. virtue had all the earmarks of the boomerang that flew back at Wilbur. Also doubtful whether a build-up of the British in such glowing terms is long-range smartness. Fellows who .did the same thing during 1914-1917 later got a shower of dead cats, and were pointedly reminded that the British never did settle up what they owed the U. S. for. the last war. lii this Kaltenborn instance it wasn't so much the words he used, as the feel- ing and. circumstances in which they were delivered. It definitely was going a step further than any of his colleagues in the matter of personal comment. tell, me if skunks make their female! helpers work for them and if this is .intelligence or natural instinct? . Was the horse that Paul Revere rode when he went on his famous ride to warn the Minute Men a male or a female? If a resident of New York, N. Y., has triplets born to them does the cityj state or government award i them anything? I How many baseba]l players are in the major leagues'today that do not speak English? Can you be married before getting engaged? Can anyone be buried at sea and Sf so, what is the cost and how would one go about arranging for a sea burial? What is the difference in tonnage i between morning and night sweep- ings in the subway stations? How many hot dogs are sold in am in a any work children. Will you kindly in the nanie of Our Lord send to me the numbers that will come out Thurs- day, Friday and Saturday? It will be a God-sent blessing to me. This is between you and me and God. Does Hitler sleep in pajamas, night shirt or nothing? WAR NEWS UPS OKLA. CITY BIZ Oklahoma- City, Sept. 5. Sales staffs have noticed a pick-up spot announcement business the bar and grill on the south' side | of 42nd street just off 7th avenue? i around the war news broadcasts. Does the mandrake, a plant, scream when It is pulled? Has the silver dollar that Wash- ington threw across the Rappahan- nock ever been found? How did money come? Is it true that warts come from frogs? Is it true that in some parts of Practically-every established news '; broadcast period on state stations j has been sold, and sponsors are crowding opportunities for spots around these times. Result—busi- ness is good. However, continuity staffs have only in a few scattered instances tied-in on \yar news. Policies of Live Talent, Production Spurt in Richmond, Va. Richmond, "Va., Sept 5. With WRVA adding three new local live-talent shows to . roster, number of such shows currently aired in this area hits an all-time high. Extent of production spurt is seen in fact that WRVA alone has created seven new localers within recent weeks. Among them are two narration- dramatization half-hour shows call- ing for special scripts and produc- tion efforts. While not reaching the WRVA number of new airers, WRNL, WMBG and WRTD have already in- creased total of their production ef- forts, \j>r have plans for such in- creases. In addition to competitive angle, possibility of advertising agencies buying more local live- talent shows this season is advanced as a factor in local production spurt Massachusetts you are not allowed stations have been to relay news to walk in the street with your shoes I only and keep war fever at a mini- untied? j mum. A few larger stations have Is Mars the moon? \ aired important personages as com- Tums-Vitalis Switch Ends iPhillips' Squawk NBC has got itself out of the ticlclish spot created by the' protest ol Phillips Milk of Magnesia against having another similar medicinal ac- count Turns, following it on the red Is it really true that therfe ■ is a mentators on the situation, among l'"!^ Friday night!;. The Turns' Pot 'star' in the sky made by the Edison them WKY here, which has been | show with Horace Heidt is Company? I airing daily evening summaries and I now set to fill the Tuesday 8:30-9 My friend says a wasp stings with j analysis of what's going on behind P ""- span on the red link, Its mouth. I say Its stinger is on the back. Which is correct? What size shoes, stockings, dresses, hats, coats, gloves and skirts does Sonja Henie wear? Which state has the most jitter- bugs, and which two are second and third? I hope to become a singer and my name is too short for my voice. I ■ mean I would like my name to have a touch of Italian in it to At my coloratura soprano voice. I have chosen Azucena Gatti-CazezZa for my operatic name, I the scenes by Walter M. Harrison, managing editor of the Oklahoma City Times and Daily Oklahoman, who recently did an Assqciated Press trick in Europe to acquire background experience. Bandwagon on Coast .IJolIywood, Sept 5. Fitch Bandwagon will pick up four bands here for Coaist origina--. tion of'the program, Skinnay Ennis leads off Sept. 10, know that i followed by Harry Sosnlk, Jimmy Gattl-Cazazza .was once manager of Grier an^ Phil Harris. The Friday 9:30-10 p.m; period on the red which had previously been assigned to Tums will not be taken over by the 'Vitalis session, 'For Men Only.'''- Phillips is on the red Fri- days from 9 to 9:30 p.m. Chicago, Sept S Tums 'Quicksilver' program on the NBC Blue will Increase from 15 minutes to a half hour on Nov. I Show, based on riddles, is han. died by the Kastor agency here and is worked by Ransom Sherman and Bob Brown, of the local NBC art- ists staff. CBS Plugs BBC British broadcasting Corp. and British Post Office were the recipients of a gracefully-worded tribute for their 24-hour service and high effi- ciency during a CBS broadcast from London early Sunday morning (3). It was both a nice and a smart gesture on the part of Columbia mil<er-r apparently Edward R. Murrow, although there was no identification on either end. It came in the midst of frequent bulletins and transatlantics on Prime Minister Chamtjerlain's announcement of a state of war with Germany and subsequent developments in England. Mikeman devoted several minutes to praise of BBC and BPO. He said that when the lull story of their cooperation 'with us' was revealed, it would make a high- Ught. Incidentally, miker said he was broadcasting from BBC's cellar because of an air raid warning, but before signing off he received word from up- stairs that 'all was clear.' Unidentified plane proved to be a friendly one. NBC's 2d Recording In Its History For the second time in its history, NBC on Sunday (3) broadcast a recording over a hookup. Latter departure from policy concerned the speech of -Premier Chamberlain to' the British Empire. 'The talk reached this side at 6:15 a.m., and NBC deemed it of such transcendental import as to repeat it by way of disc at 12 noon EDST. Previous deviation from this policy occurred in May, 1937, when NBC broadcast twice a recorded description of the Zeppelin Hindenburg's destruction by fire at Lakewood, N. J. Mutual Bows to NBC Practice of th^^jK'ess association's and newspapers giving the networks credit for news bulletins has been common since the start of the European crisis, but for the. first time one network gave another credit for news information when Mutual late Sunday night (3) quoted NBC as the source for the news about the torpedoing of the steamship Athenia. Mutual Accepts Rap Mutual quickly pulled away the German government's reproving finger from CBS' direction late Saturday night (2) after_^a Nazi broadcaster, in a shortwave news broadcast accused Columbia of airing a statement that had originated from the other network. The German broadcaster, ap- parently fed from a New York source on this particular item, denounced a statement 'broadcast by the Columbia Broadcasting System and printed by the N. Y.'Journal-American,' declaring that German airmen had bombed a children's sanitarium in Poland. Mutual's staff happened to pick up the item while tuned in on German shortwave, and one of them immediately phoned the German consul in New York to advise him that the statement had been made in a broadcast by its Warsaw commentator, Patrick Maitland, and that the statement checked with a story in the N. Y. Times. The Journal-American had credited WOR with the story and the German government's N. Y. source had apparently jumped to the conclusion that this was a Columbia outlet BBC Suspends Listings British Broadcasting Co. notified' its shortwave listeners Saturday night (2) that it:has temporarily discontinued all its overseas publications. Latter contained the listing of British Empire programs and chatter. Baxter Program Director For Youngstpwn's WFMJ ■Youngstown, O., Sept 5. John Holt Baxter, of New York, has been appointed program director for Youngstown's new station, WFMJ. 'He was assistant promotion manager with NBC, N. Y. In that capacity he worked with the NBC artists bureau. New Host for Holtz Lou Holtz to do a guester on the Alka-Seltzer show from Chicago Oct 2. He winds up on the Rudy 'Vallee stanza Sept. 26. Set by William Morris office. lOVE' TO TAKE UP HALF . OF RUDY YALLEE TIME Script show, 'Those We Love,' will fill the second portion of the hour which will be left blank when Rudy Vallee exits the Standard Brands commercial at the end of this month. 'Love' was formerly on the air for Pond's, but has been off for 26 week?. Scripted by Ann Ridgway it will continue in the same formula as be- fore and with substantially the same cast 'One Man's Family' will fill the- first 30 minutes of the SB-sponsored hour.