Variety (Dec 1939)

t6 VARIETY RADIO REVIEWS Wedn.esday, December 6, 1939 United Fruit Sponsors 1st Shortwave Program from NBC N.Y., to Caribbean By BOB LANDRT (Reviewed jrom delayed disc) Starting last Friday (1) United Fruit began a seven-nights-a-week quarter hour out of New York City- beamed southward via shortwave (WNBI, 17780, and WRCA, 9670), and consisting entirely of Associated Press news in Spanish. United Fruit deals mostly in tropical fruit and, in sending a f)X program' down to the Caribbean zone, it certainly isn't try- ing to sell the Central Americans any bananas.. Rather it is selling them a dignified reminder of the company whose ships are a standard white sil- houette on the horizon down where the skies are really blue. Actually the rules of the Federal ' Communications Commission, iiiider which NBC made this inaugural deal, prohibit anything but the identifica- tion of the advertiser and the nature of his product or business. United Fruit (V/endell P. Collon agency) doesn't even mention its ships. Under the Spanish title, 'El Mund Al Dia' (roughly 'The World Up to Date'), the quarter-hour onened with a bit of Latin music, 'Pas Doble,' and then began a straight recital of A.P, dispatches delivered in rich Spanish syllables by a spieler with a mid- western-sounding name, John Alfred Barrett, who was born in Puerto Rico. He has a clear, crisp, he- mannish voice. The words 'United Fruit' and the capitals of . the cities from whence originate the news flashes are given in English. • Charles Carvajal, of NBC's Spanish division, is produc- tion man under the general super- vision of Guy Hickok. Because it was- the night of Dec. 1, 1939, there was a heavy studding of Helsinki datelines. "The program comprises world news in general. Items concerning South America are purposely kept to a general and per- conality sphere rather than a politi- cal or national selectivity. There was an item about Stokowski's pos- sible symphonic orchestra tour of Latin America. And a reference to a Chilean boxer going into training. This program is broadcast under the shadow of the unknown. Neither United Fruit nor NBC knows to what it may lead. It may be the start of an important new type of international radio. What follows may have terrific imisact in market- ing, in politics, in inter-American cultural relationships. It is' curious to recall that United Fruit, which has its own tropical radio system of communications, was one of the original forces behind the establish- ment of the Radio Cirp. of America after the war. Having no precedent to guide It In the sale of shortwave time, NBC has established $25,000 a '"ear (for seven quarter hours a week) as scratch. "This means United Fruit Js gambling $500 a week in good-will. It means, too, that NBC is depending strongly on 'the 'habit' factor. Cen- tral Americans (also Venezuelans and Colombians, on the northern coast of South America) will always get the news hot oft the A.P. griddle in Manhattan every night, including Sunday, at nine p.m. Sponsor and broadcaster alike will watch the fan mail. So, too, perhaps will the A.P., which has made this special deal be- cause of its cordial relations with the United Fruit radio system. Owing to the behavior of short' waves, which take a long skip at a sharp upward angle from the trans- mitter, this program can't be heard on New York City sets. Had to be reviewed from a special recording, an exception to Vabjety's fixed rule of getting 'em oft the air only. lUEET MR. WEEKS' Literature Talks Sustaining 30 Mins. Tuesday, 9:30 P.M. TVJZ-NBC, New York 'Meet Mr. Weeks,' 9:30-10 p.m., Tuesdays, is another 'public service feature' through which NBC blue is catering to cultural-educational broadcasts. Conductor being editor of Atlantic . Monthly (magazine is mentioned but not insistently), show is class rather than mass appeal. However, it has moments of more popular interest; even bits intriguing to youngsters—if they were out of bed. Examples of latter angle, in a program whose format makes brief description difficult, were noted on a salvo in which Bob Davis told of boyhood meetings, etc., with Sitting Bull. It is sort of a rambling program, combining the literary, expository, narrative, philosophical, anecdotal, historical and letter reading (from dialers). By ordinary standards, jointing Is not always smooth, pace is leisurely, production is not pro fessionalized. Yet, program will please certain listeners. Unortho doxy of style will make no differ' ence, unless to heighten, its appeal to them. Weeks has cultured man- ner and dry hiimor (he drew studio laughs in New York). Guests, who mike twice during half-hour, too obviously read from scripts. Jaco, Fred Allen on Critics Fred Allen brought up a moot point on the subject of radio pro- gram criticism during his broad- cast of last Wednesday (29); It was during the preliminary chit- chat on the 'question of the week' item that Allen asked Ben Kaplan, radio editor of the Providence Journal and Bulletin, whether he thought radio pro- grams ought to be treated as severely as critics treat legiti- mate shows. After Kaplan had indicated an affirmative opinion,. Allen , said that he didn't agree. Whereas, he added, George Kaufman and. Moss Hart might take a year to write a play which runs oh and on, it is not to be expected that any great amount of time will be given to the preparation of a program which lasts but a few hiinutes. 'SO TOU THINK TOU KNOW MUSIC?' With Ted Colt, Leonard Llebllng, John Reed King Sustaining 25 Mins. WABC-CBS, New York 'So You Think You Know Music?' is a Columbia 'Information Please' confined to treble and bass. It's a creditable Sunday afternoon sus- tainer of the currentljr-emphasized 'educational' type. Brings to the mike four contestants for a quiz on the classics and their composers. Ted Cott is emcee; Critic Leonard Liebling is judge, and John Reed King is announcer. Its chief appeal naturally is to the musically initiated. However, may be sufficiently entertaining to hold attention of some dialers outside that class. An effort is made, and rather successfully, to steer broadcasts away from atmosphere of rapt awe in which the masters and their works are too often considered. Emcee was not above a certain flip- pancy. Nor were some contestants —notably Harry Levant, Oscar's brother and pit leader for 'Too Many Girls,* who clicked with stu- dio audience on one sample heard. Liebling is not usually ostentatious in his display of musical knowledge, although on one airing he was a bit didactic arid over-technical. Emcee called upon him somewhat too often for comment Contestants, who in- clude critics of metropolitan dailies and publishers or editors of music and ballet papers, generally know their classics. ' - One round of quiz is on a series of best questions sub mitted by a listener, with Harold Barlow orchestra records offered as a prize. Winner of 'So You Think' receives two Philharmonic tickets, book of opera librettos, etc. Other aspirants draw a book. Both emcee and King handle their assignments well. Bob Browning's name is mentioned—presumably he is producer. Jaco, PIPE DREAMS' With Teddy Bergman Comedy Sketches 5 Mins. BOND STREET TOBACCO Wednesday, 8:25 p.m. WJZ-NBC, New York (Milton Bioto) Philip Morris has clipped off the final five minutes of its 8-8:30 seg- ment on the blue, immediately fol- lowing the Johnny Green show, for a separate program plugging its Bond Street smoking mixture. It's apparently a device to get away from using transcriptions. From the viewpoint of entertain- ment this 'Pipe Dream* series seems to miss on all cylinders. The cen- tral character of this curious charade is tagged Willowby Fibbe, M. P. (Master Prevaricator), and he's played by Teddy Bergman in an ac- cent that suggests a mixture -of Brooklynese and Piccadilly Circus. This particular chip off the old- Baron Muenchhausen block starts off, for instance, with a lioast that he once succeeded in crossing a chicken with a parrot so that instead of cackling about'laying an egg it goes around saying, 'Where will I lay it, where will I lay it?* After that he recites some windy farfetched tale, with every interrup- tion of doubt by the interlocutor get- ting the refrain, 'That was the amaz- ing part of it." The figment that Bergman used on the program caught (15) was a lift of the An- drocles and the Lion plot. Bergman posed his grateful beast in the des- ert, but it was a bear instead of a lion. All the recital needed was the dialect and 'Wass You Dere, Sharlie?' to make it an echo of the Jack Pearl routine. The plug, which emphasizes the smoothness and mildness .of the blend, is well put Odec. 'KATE HOPKINS, ANGEL OF MERCY' ^ „ With Helen Lewis, Margaret Mac- Donald, Bud Collyer, Tcmplelon Fox, Ned Weaver. Transcriptions 15 Mins. GENERAL FOODS Dally, 9:45 a.m. KTSA, San Antonio. (Benton & Bowles) Supplementing its regular network broadcasts with a daily series of transcribed programs, Maxwell House Cofifee is presenting a fast moving attention-getter in this dramatic bit. Story centers around a visiting nurse in a town called Forest Falls— a wom^n whose life is motivated by a desire to help other people.. .i.e. an angel of mercy. It's good hoke. Years ago, as the story goes, Kate Hopkins' husband was killed in a flre that swept Sleeping Elephant Mountain. Suddenly finding herself facing life with only her young son by her side, Kate becomes a visiting nurse. Now she is confronted with two problems. First, a young man who 'just can't get a start,' and sec- ond, a rapidly approaching crisis in her own work. Episode caught dealt with the son of Kate Hopkins, who has run away from that small community to Chi- cago without telling his mother or anyone. Through a friend his sweet- heart finds out where he is staying. She calls him long distance in the middle of the night and tells the son that she lovies him and that she wants to help him in every way pos- sible. The son refuses her help be- cause she is the daughter of the rich- est man in the town. After telling him that she plans to go to Chicago in the morning and to be sure and meet the train, she leaves for the station only to run into someone that she wants to avoid. Meanwhile Kate is battling her way through great odds in her fight to become Super- visor of the Visilin.? Nurses group in the community. Ain't it all exciting and tense at 9:45 a.m.? In several scenes where Kate Hop- kins is visiting with patients several hints on the welfare and care of babies can be gotten. Commercials are, as expected, long. Andy. TOASTCHEE TIME' Olga Vernon, Charley Oliver, Lance Glee Club, Bob Sylvester Orches- tra 30 Mins.—Local LANCE PACKING CO. Wednesday, Thursday, 10-10:30 p.m. WBT, CharJoUe, N. C. Toastchce Time, WBTs first at- tempt at a fairly big-scale musical program, is shaping up into a well- balanced, fast-moving half hour. Weaknesses notable in earlier air- ings have been eliminated and the program speeded up. Chief asset of the program is Olga Vernon, velvety vocalist billed as 'Soohisticated Lady of Song.' Miss Vernon contributes three vocals on the show heard, all with plenty of sock in a luxurious contralto. Her best contribution 'was novelty rendi- tion of 'Ain'tcha Comin* Out To- night?' done with the Lance Glee Club. Charley Oliver, nvale vocal' ist recently added to the show, de- livered pleasingly In his one time before the mike. The second portion of the orogram opens with a salute to two Southern schools, .scheduled to meet on. the football field the coming week-end, including telegrams from rival coaches stating prospects for game, followed by medley of school songs. In balance to the peppy college salute is 'Reminiscing in Music,' in which the band plays a three-song medley of old-timers. Band, which is an 11-piece combo composed of four reeds, four brass, and three rhythm instruments, plays pleasinRly, shuttling neatly from sweet to swing. Lance Glee club is one of standouts of show, contribu- tine one novelty number on each program. Trafton Robertson, announcer- nroducer. Is stoo-watching. Intro- duction and closing theme handled okay by Miss Vernon, with only drawback beinc similariiv to Jello .oiirn.nture in snellinc out T-O-A-S-T- C-H-E-E by glee club. Just. Noel Coward and Chevalier Co-Emcee Tun In France Sbow Heard on BBC Follow-Up Comment Ramon Armengad, a newcomer who has made a brace of appear- ances with the Guy Lombardo or- chestra for Lady Esther powder (which 'clings for four long happy hours'), is a singer of style and promise and. nice diction. His dis- play of 'Marcheta' was convincing proof of having a chance to get places. Fels-Naplha program, 'Hobby Lobby,' is a clever hodge-podge of oddities and few perhaps will know or care that some of the appearances have the odor of prearranged press- agentry, with an element of invented rather than spontaneous 'hobbies.' Show holds together well and often, as in the case of the piano-playing dog Sunday (3), has been solid with novelty. But— Sponsored radio programs are in dubious harmony with public inter- est convenience and necessity when they give nourishment and impetus to sheer superstition. The pointless and meandering talk on 'voodoo' was an example of using a network to foster the cheapest kind of thought- less pandering to the sub-zero of human I. Q. Educators, among whom are many of radio's critics, could easily swoop down on an example like this. It actually tended to give circulation and endorsement to the mumbo-jumbo of the most ignorant savages, who, as is well known, can- not relate facts to consequences in a rational order. The man whom Dave Elman brought in to discuss voodoo spoke of a native who was told by a jungle medicine man that he would die in 10 days. And sure enough he did. Where, when, who, all the data of science and authenticity were omitted. Again there was a mennie who beat his wife. The wile's brother fashioned a straw man and beat the same as a hex and the meanie staggered in after three days all bruised and bloody from the sorcery. 'But' said Elman. not to be too easily convinced, 'are these stories all true?' 'Oh, yes,' vows the interviewee, 'all true.* 'Have you any further personal evidence?' 'Yes, I think voodoo killed my wife's father.' (Applause from studio audience!) London, Nov. 20. First broadcast over the U. K. web of a camp concert for troops in (he front line, 'somewhere in France,' had points of Interest as a link lie- tween the khaki-clads and those re- maining on the home front, but also had some darned good entertainment. A rollicking show (Sunday at 6:15 p.m.) which gave Its stars generous air time (an hour) it presented as well several excellent examples of army talent and only criticism was that British Broadcasting Corps commentator butted in unnecessarily and overlaid the performance with dull gab. Coward and Chevalier rose eflec- tivcly to the occasion, and if former was at times slightly over the heads of his audience with his cynical . satire, notably 'Don't put your daughter on the stage, Mr.s. Worth- ington.' He also introduced nuances which in peacetime would certainly never be- permitted over the chaste BBC. As audience was partly com- posed of poilus, he raised many laughs by attempts to outline in French the substance of songs he sang in English. Chevalier's repertoire included both English and French numbers, among them the evergreen 'Louise' and Rhythm of the Raindrops,' latter be- ing demanded by the troops as an encore. Both stars acted a's joint emcees, but amateur numbers included well rendered baritone songs, a first rate fiddle solo by one of the poiUis, and a concerted medley of songs from the war of 1914-18. Unrehearsed aside.s, such as when the curtain failed to function, and enthusiasm of the fight- ing lads added useful atmosphere to a show which swung briskly along. Effect was to suggest there are com- pensations about joining the army, 3ecause program was way ahead of many presented on the home front. LANDT TRIO 30 Mins.—^Local BRESLAW BROS. Dally, 8 a.m. WGY, Schenectady , (Net0ht6n & Nelson) WGY's oldest continuous sponsor brought in this trio from New York City for early-morning salvos. Thus a standard act replaces transcribed dance music. Landts work with a professional smoothness and dis- tinctive style seldom heard in this neck of broadcasting woods. Pro- gram they are doing, however, could probably be improved: tightened, ac- celerated, diversified. Actually, half hour is a rather long block for a vocal threesome, especially every day. Would be easier to make a sock impression in 15 minutes. There are evidences here of spreading entertainment fare with bits of rhyming, business and chatter that do not stand up. On sessions heard, there were few new pops and swihgy stuff. In- creased soloing, with pianist Curly Mahy included, \t;ould help. Advertising, with emphasis on bargains, is whacked across by Richard Gordon (nom de radio). Jaco. Maureen O'Hara guested on the Chase & Sanborn program -last Sun day night (3) from the Coa.st, play ing the lead in a romantic dramatic sketch with a supernatural twist Young Irish actress who- was recent- ly brought to the U. S. by Charles Laughton after making her filrh debut in 'Jamaica Inn' in England got through the stint without mishap but the material was somewhat opaque and she was not a sufficiently experienced trouper to pump dra- matic interest into it. Titled 'Ren- dezvous with Tomorrow,' the piece by Hilda Lawrence dealt with a girl who's visited by her long-dead sweetheart That kind of subject matter seems to be a fetish with radio scripters at the moment but it has to be skillfully handled to reg ister. Arthur Treacher, al.so guesting on the show, teamed with Rudy Vallee in a faintly ludicrous skit about swing music phraseology. The come dian posed as a swing-crazy fan and peppered Vallee with jive lingo. All pretty determined and not too ef- fective, particularly as a vehicle for someone of Treacher's standing. Film comic and Miss O'Hara later joined Vallcfe, Charlie McCarthy, Robert Armbruster, Donald Dickson, etc., in a burlesque of 'Jamaica Inn,' with Vallee getting the best lines. Mc- Carthy's usual session with Bergen was loaded with laughs-. Chase & Sanborn's commercials, stressing new type of grinding, are now being read by a new spieler, the idea ap- parently being to avoid the profes- sional announcer flavor. A! Pearce did the expected the night'before Thanksgiving: he made a Thanksgiving dinner the back- ground for most of the occasion's comedy pother. ' The effect on the funny bone was from good to the other extreme. Material petered out badly toward the end, with Billy House put to the dubiously comical device of an outside telephone call to disperse a mob from around the dinner table so that he and Pearce could have the turkey all to them selves. Another high point . in Pearce's script was the gag about the boob that gets mixed up with bank robbers and sells what he thinks to be play $l,000-bills for a nickel a piece until the cops nab him. Arlene Harris, as usual, came through with a monolog that was both bright and diverting. The plugs for Dole were effectively inter- polated, even though Shakespeare at one point was sacrificed in the pro- cess. JACK BUCHANAN With Margaret Eaves, John Walt, Chorus, Orchestra Songs and Gags 30 Mins. Thursday, 8 p.m. BBC, London Never frequent on radio. Jack Buchanan always brings to the mike the assurance and suavity of tech- nique of the experienced enter- tainer. All he was called on to put over was half an liour of tunes from .some of his musical comedy hits. Performer invested It with gaiety and spontaneity which forced the listener to keep his ears pinned back to catch the full flavor. Many BBC wartime programs have gone de- cidedly off-key, but if it took a war to get Buchanan back at the mike, it's something to offset the income tax. Musical comedy fans were able to wallow in dreams of days gone by, with the star in good voice to recall many of his principal successes—not forgetting the Lubitsch film "Monte Carlo,' In which Margaret Eaves .spiritedly sang the Jeannelte Mac- donald hit, 'Beyond the Blue Hori- zon.' Gal was also the butt of gen- tle Impromptu gags from Buchanan, who linked up the entire 30 mins. with almost non-stop patter with John Watt who emceed. Subject of his jibes -was secrecy surrounding location of BBC variety camp, and he even denied both his own and John Watt*s identity. Also went slightly off the record when he took time out to sing a parodied version of the new Noel Gav nonsen.se hit, 'Run. Rabbit Run,'substituting Adolf Hitler for the furry creature. Buchanan at this time is engaged in serving up entertainment for the khaki-clads. If this was typical of the fare, he'll have an impossible task to get away from the camps— and that'll be a pity, because radio could do -with-more. Maybe they'll .sneak uo on him with a mike at on» of his tent shows. Jolo. XAFF 'N' SWING' With Manrle Amsterdam, Mabtl Todd, Tony Romano 30 Mins.; Local Sustaining Sunday, 9 p.m. won,. New York After 30 minutes of sell-identified comedy offered by Mauriie Amster- dam and Mabel Todd, the train hadn't left the depot. Program pre- viously aired on the Coast,, this be- ing its first try East. In the first half Amsterdam made a short spiel and finished it with a crack' that could have easily been applied to the laugh content of the entire half hour. He said, 'that fills up 35 sec- onds.' Mabel Todd vocals as well as de- livering comedy lines that could show her to advantage if they were better written and more pointed. She did an okay job on 'Gianin;i Mia.' Tony Romano handled "Oh You Crazy Moon' in neat vocal fash- ion as well as directing band. An unfortunate start