Variety (Dec 1939)

WeJntMluy, Decfiiibfr 13, 1939 RADIO REVIEWS VARIETY 35 SKV BLAZERS Col. Kosroe Turner, Gene Austin, r'hlllips H. Lord prsma, Talk 81 MIns. WONDKR BREAD Saturday, 7:S0 p.m. WABC-CBS, New York (.Benton & Bowles) Phillips H. Lord (Seth Parker), who did no small job in makine the kid listeners cangsler conscious, has now turned his office's atten- tion toward imbuing the same gene- ration with an admiration for the men- and women who have done daring things in aviation. The in- troductory in.slallment (9) had . all the earmarks of a carbon "Howie Wing.' Lord's version has but one ouUtanding advantage over its many predecessors and that is the personality he has oickcd to m.c. the series, namely Col. Roscoe Turner, one of America's greatest figures in aviation. After a few broadcasUs Col. Ros- coe may ease up and harness him- ■elf in the Uncle Don requirements of the medium. He'll have to exude a thicker oil if he's going to con- tinue dishing the plug. The colonel serves not only as the show's in- terlocutor but it's his job to tell the kiddies that Wonder Bread is the one best bread there is, even if he doesn't say so himself, and he wouldn't say so, if he hadn't eaten it himself. This iddy-biddy (low must have brought a chuckle from EOme of the colonel's fellow bird- men and choked the colonel him- self. But that's radio. To be held up as an idol or model isn't sufficient. The idol must gush over the prod- uct. The subject of the initial pro- gram's exploit recital was Gene Au- stin, an ex-stunt man in films and a parachute jumper. Col. Turner's Interview with the stunt pilot was frequently interpolated with drama- tized bits of his most exciting ex- ploits. The writing, acting and pro- duction of these dramatized se- quences didn't account for much sus- tained excitement. There was a cute moment or two after the adventure recital was over when Col. Turner interviewed Au- stin's five-year-old son. Just before the fadeout a couple of voices vie With each other in speeding through a list of definitions of aviation terms. Lord's part on the program was limited to introducing Col. Turner and injecting a little hoopla toward the end. Latter was the reading of congratulatory telegrams to the colonel. Odcc. 'MV CHILDREN' Rogers, Lclah McNaIr, Max West, Grace Holtby. Serial IS MIns.—Regional SPERRY WHEATIIEARTS (General Mills) Daily, 8:4R a.m. KSFO-CBS, San Francisco (Westco) A five-a-week dramatic .skit of the family type, with the family in plenty trouble during episode caught (8) Mr. and Mrs. Gilman (Mary Parker and Sydney Rogers), are hav- ing financial trouble because of a phoney stock investment. Opening action takes place in auto as she drives the breadwinner to work, all the time persuading him not to do anything rash.- The man responsible for the bum stock is a high exec in his company and may have him fired if he doesn't soft pedal his vitupera- tion, she tells him. Next scene, the office. An argu- ment between Gilman and Singleton, (Max West). Episode ends with Gil- man being flred, leaving everything looking very, very black indeed for the parents of 'My, Children' arid the bewildered oflspring. But comes then the announcer with a ray of hope; 'Will Mr. Gilman lose his job? Can Singleton fire him? What will happen tomorrow? Be sure to lis- ten.' Script, written by C. C. Thomas of the Knox-Reeves agency seems plausible additions to an already- crowded day of radio weepers. Outstanding, and most unusual for a Westco Agency show, is the sur- prising briefness of the commercials; only about two minutes for both. Also comment-inspiring was the su- perior acting of Mary Parker in the role, of Mrs. Gilman, around whom the .show revolves. The Gilman chil- dren, of whom there are three, were not included in this episode. Pro- duction is smooth, as is organ signa- ture music, played by KSFO orch leader Dick Aurandt, This show is evidence that Fri.sco radio dramatic talent, which was once high in quality and quantity, is still okay in quality. ■TRAFFIC TRAGEDIES' With Charles Shaw, Frank Slewart, Jack Mitchell 15 Min.s.—Local Sustaining Tuesday, 9 p.m. KTSA, San Antonio In co-operation with the local Junior Chamber of Commerce station KTSA is offering this dramatization of fatal traffic accidents in this vicinity in the endless fight to teach the public Safely First. The series is written by Charles C. Shaw, news editor of the station, and are pre- sented under the direction of Frank Stewart. Each epi.sode is based on actual traffic accidents with a slight fiction touch added. Each deals with a tlifferent traffic menace such as reck- less driving, drunken driving, fault- ily equipped autos,' jaywalking, speeding, failure to obey traffic regu- lations and the like. Episode caught dealt with the bicycle rider, of which there are a great many in tjiis city. Andy.- ■RECESS TIME' With Mildred Chambers, Birice PeU erson, Harry Bolwick Kid Show 30 Mins.—Local Saturday, 10:30 A.M^ WCSH, Portland, Me. One of the few non-web, non-plat- ter radio shows in this era. (Com- bines spelling bee, community sing, juvenile amateurs and- (entering its third year) is a business builder for the State theatre from the stage of which it emanates and a goodwill stunt for WCSH. Backbone of program is the spell- ing conte.st, with cash handed out after each successful try, plus the tendering of 'consolation' prizes in the form of roller skates and foot- balls to kids who happen to be at the mike when a prop alarm clock sounds. In addition, house has tie- up with eight local business outfits whereby a bicycle is given away to holder of lucky ticket. Besides opportunity for participat- ing in an innocent fling at wheel of fortune, kids may excercise their tonsils, listen to the organ, see what a theatre manager looks like, and thereaftere, if. so disposed, settle down for three or four hours of film entertainment. An elephant gun is not perhaps the correct weapon for this sparrow, but it might be pointed out that Parent- Teachers groups and other protect- ors of the young usually frown on juvenile participation in games of chance ."!o an occasional 'essay con- test' or the fu-esentation of a set of encyclopedias to the school who.se representatives most frequently win in the spelling duels might air-con- dition a more safely 'wholesome' at- mosphere. Musical items in show caught were of good daytime standard but didn't .seem to belong in kid program. 'Lamp Is Low' type of ballad, drip- pingly rendered, creates a weird ef- fect when sung in early a.m. to be- rompered audience. Harry Botwick, house manager, handles the m.c. chore well. Don. 'HOME TOWN, IININCORPO- RATED* With Virginia Verrill, Wayne Van Dyne, Marlin Hurt, CHIT Soubler, Bob Trendler'a Orchestra, Louis Rowen 30 Mins.—Regional BROWN & WILLIAMSON Sunday, 9:30 p.m. WBAP-NBC, Fort Worth (Rtisset M. Seeds) In the interests of Raleigh cigar- ettes this program originates in the Chicago NBC studios and is fed to a group of 19 Southern station;;. Fictional locale of the broadcasts is a hamlet with a population of 498 persons. Each Sunday night the townspeople gather at the local hotel where a 'shindig' is prepared for them by the hotel's owner, Capt. Barney Barnett, played by Cliff Soubier. Show is fast moving,, full of music, hokey comedy, tidbits of drama. Commercials happily are in.serted at the beginning and end, with only a short dramatized commercial in the show proper which is easy to take. (Commercials stress the fact that there is a coupon in every pack of Raleighs with a premium value.) Show caught t3) opened with theme signature sung by the chorus that there is a silver lining in the dark clouds of doubt and care. Or- chestra then tossed off 'Beautiful Ohio.' Bob Ballantine wove in a hot harmonica solo. Warm, too, was band's guitarist with 'Little Rock Getaway.' The show's comedy is handled by Marlin Hurt, who doubles as Lucifer Hicks and Beulah, maid of all work. It's not literary comedy. Romantic touch is added by Virginia Verrill (the new .school teacher) and Wayne Van Dyne. These two also carry the modern touch with their songs of today. Best was Miss Verrill with 'I Can Dream, Can't I?' and Dyne with the chorus culling 'em from 'Hit the Deck.' Louis Rowen handles the spiels as well as bringing in the refreshments for the townfolks with the compli- ments of the Brown & Williamson Tobacco Co. Andy. 'RADIO THAT HITLER FEARS' Dramatic Serial FORD PILLS Twice-Weekly IS Mins. 2 UE, Sydney Enacted by an unnamed cast, serial is built around the secret DX sta- tion operating so strongly against the Hitler regime. Producer, also un- named, makes it a gripping story. At this time it should sell a lot of pills. From fade-in to fade-out the pace is swift. > Riclc. ■BIG NAMES OF KANSAS CITY' Visits to Industrial Plants Local, 15 Mins. BERGER-BAIRD ENGRAVING CO. Sunday, 1:45 p.m. WHB, Kansas City Radio time is being used by this engraving house to garner prestige and to influence buyers rather than to secure orders immediately. Uses the method of bragging about the other fellow, not neccs.<iarily a pros- pect. Station sends out its mobile imit to visit larger commercial organiza- tions in town (title of program re- fers to companies, not individuals). This particular trip handled by Jack Grogan, announcer, was at Allies Motors, Inc., local Chrysler distrib. Covered new cars, repairs, parts, used cars, finance department and various other aspects of auto busi- ness via platter for delayed broad- cast. Material was on the dry side; it should locally find a following. Scene or two of diramatization were not carried off as well as might be, and program suffers in lack of pacing and speaking ability which it necessarily encounters among the business execs interviewed. This fault is a virtue, however, in spon- taneity and authenticity. Quin. ■THAT YEAR. ..1908' With Hoyt Andres, Carruih Palmer, Emilia Caccres orchestra 30 Mins.—Local SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY Monday, 9:3« P.M. WOAL San Antonio Seeking a new program formula to revitalize its air campaign, the San Antonio utility company has dipped into the book of memory.' Dwight Bourn's scripts exploit the 'remem- ber when?' sort of thing. What was new, hot or popular in the year 1908 was the theme of the first of the series. Most of the way the atmosphere is provided by the simple production device of ■captions.' Each name is supDosed.to be a mental stimulant. I.<:adore Duncan, Eddie Foy, Mischa Elman—they spell 1908. Then the .songs that were sung. Utility seemed to mi.ss a swell bet in not getting Jack Norworth, in town at the time, to appear on the getaway. Probably wouldn't pony up. Utility adverti.s- ing budgets are invariably rigid, which handicaps the showmanship. On the whole the pattern serves .sati.«facforily to tie together the ele- ments of a WOAI studio production. Andy. ^^^^^^^^^ THROUGHOUT THE YEARS AHEAD The De I.ime Cnpthart Automatic Phonograph- Radio is acknowledged to be the worlil'H finrst in- iilriinicnt for musical re production. No other inslru- mrnt no perfeclly reproduces the music you want . .. ii/irii you ■(vant it. The Cipehart brings you both fiindamrnt.'ils and harmonics of the musical scale in all their color and shadings. Truly, it Is a life- time gift of inspiring music. 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