Variety (Jan 1940)

Wednesday, January 3, 1940 Thirty-fourth VARIETY Anniversary RADIO 87 AD AGENCY SHOWMANSHIP IN 1939 lASS spectacular hits and less spectacular flops—reflecting generally keener critical sense—marked the history of advertising agencies in network programming during 1939. There were quite a number of banana peel upsets but only one program, 'The Circle,' went down with a crushing bud- getary weight in its portfolio. J. M. Mathes agency In New York enjoyed the prestige of picking, in 'Information, Please," a resounding success. In Chicago the Russel M. Seeds agency came forward with several low-cost programs for Brown & Williamson. Lord & Thomas brought in Bob Hope as a challenger for the comedy leadership of Jack Benny. But on the whole, agency showmanship avoided the extremes and left few mementos to put a red ring around the year 1939 for future student? of radio advertising. Df passing note is the loss of thei hour show dominance by J. Walter Thompson. With the beginning "of the year agency had five 60-minute stanzas on the fire but at the end "of the year there were two, Kraft and Lux, or the same number of that description handled by Young fit Rubicam, Lord fit Thomas and RuthrauflE fit Ryan. Review of impiressions along showmanship lines made by the ad agencies during 1939 follows: Aubrey, Moore Ss Wallace; Has geared the Campagna perennial, "The First Nighter,' to the point where it's become ah easy weekly habit, and with the result that this same account has been encouraged to bring back 'Grand Hotel' for another whirl. N. W. Ayer: Still responsible for a topnotch hour of class musical entertainment, the Ford Symphony. Weaned the Dole radio account back with Al Pcarce as the bait The merchandising of the product merits a special nod. Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn: Major effort was the Ethyl session in which Walter O'Kccfe was first paired with Andre KostelaneU and then Tony Martin shared billing with Kostelanetz, but the clicksome spark seemed missing in both Instances. It scored with the General Electric-Phil Spitalhy program, made listeners fairly Royal Crown Cola conscious through Bob Ripley and, for a time, kept DuPont's 'Caval- cade of America' in an institutional^ class of its own. (Pro- gram has just Returned). Benton & Bowles: Didn't fare so happily with its comedy shows and had trouble with Maxwell House's 'Good News' following the exit of Metro. The three comics who wound up pretty much as test campaigns were Joe Penner, Jack Haley and Joe E. Brown. Agency showed a far better flair with daytime serials and gangster dramas. Brought back Wayne King (Cashmere Soap) but felt it necessary to add diamond rings as an inducement for femme attention. Berrafngham, Castleman te Fierce: Invested the Hal Kemp stanza (Griffin AU-Wite) with ah ingratiatingly intimate touch. Blow Co.: Sticks to the same old rote; either a moderately powered dance combination with vocalists or a quiz-a-ma- gig. Outsmarted itself with 'Where Are We?' Substituted to save coin for 'What's My Name?' Faded in record time. Played around with dramatic interpolations, comedy vig- nettes, poetry recitals and what not, to successively doubt- ful results. Blackett-Sample-Hummert: Radio's No. 1 serial mill, with the master pattern unchanged since the early '30s. Same applies to its two Sunday evening musical sessions, 'Man- hattan Merry-Go-Round' and 'Album of Familiar Music' Agency projects one ray of big time sunshine. It's 'Easy Aces.' Bowman & Columbia: Contributed another chapter to the daytime dramaturgy on co-cd medicine, 'Joyce Jordan-Girl Interne,' and without the slightest deviation from the estab- lished forrhula. . Buchanan & Co.: 'Texaco Star Theatre' had ups and downs _(3iuring the past two seasons. Ken Murray formula finally ~ seems straightened out. Campbell-Ewald: Though in theory, or on paper, the show was of the promising sort, '99 Men and a Girl,' with Ray- ' mond Paige, failed to make the grade. Agency didn't give up trying to snap the program out of the listening doldrums to the very end of the series, 20 weeks. Cecil & Presbrcy: Nurtured 'Uncle Jim's Question Bee' (Bill Slater) to moderate results. G. Washington Coffee has put the quiz in mothballs temporarily. Compton: Procter 5c Gamble buys 'em for the daytime trade and this agency is the servicing go-between, besides writing the blurbs that go with the serials. Also on its list Is 'Hilda Hope, M.D.' (Wheatena), something that NBC first cultivated on a sustaining basis. Sherman K. Ellis: Tagged one of the most promising shows of the season, 'Stop Me, If You've Heard This One,' but had to give it up with the Quaker pufCed goods business to Ruthrauff fit Ryan. Recruited Joe Penner for Ward Bread with moderate results, but missed out in its efTorts to make 'Dick Tracy' a successful nighttime gangbuster. Erwin, Wasey & Co.: From the 'Voice of Experience' to Carson Robinson and his Buckeroos was the range of this agency's programming efforts. Vaughn DeLeath took up where the 'Voice' left off in Lydia Pinkham's behalf. William Esty & Co.: Bought an established package In Bums and Allen > for Hinds Honey fit Almond Cream and since George Burns runs things his own way or else, this one doesn't count. .But the Esty brain trust came out right on 'Blpndie,' in keeping-the program close to its film coun- terpart in imbecilic characterizations and screwball vacuity. In catering to the jitterbug element the agency buys 'top- mounter names and strives to find the key to substantial audiences, but with Intermittent success. It even went far afield from swing for guest personalities to bolster the Benny Goodman show, thereby providing for some odd combina- tions. Finally came Mildred Bailey and just as it seemed that the right Ingredient had been found for the Goodman stanza it was decided to Crop hinv and merge Miss Bailey with Bob Crosby s unit. Ciosby-Bailcy combination, i£ properly nur- tured, should deliver the goods. Gale & Plelsch: Had that early Suiidaj" evening dramatic tidbit, 'A Tale of Today' on NBC unTiV April for Princess Pat. Series dated back to January, 1934, but the spring had run down long before the fadecut. Gardner: 'The Inside Story' cRalsion), a hybrid of 'We, the People' and 'True Confe.<;5ions,' didn't liivn out so well, mostly because o£ faulty produclioii, but the asjency is slill doing a slick piece of shownianly pcr.suasion wiUi the Pet Milk musical session on' CBS Saturday niahls. 'Tom Mix Straight Shooters' also germinates from this ayency. Grady & Wajncr: Only claim to fame is that il'.<; the agency for Emerson Radioi which gave EllioU Roosevelt to the country's loudspeakers. Henri, Ilurst & McDonald: One of radio's pioneer agen- cies sticking by a. couple pioneer mikers, namely Smilin' Ed McConnell (Acme Paint) and Bob Becker, canine biog- rapher (Red. Star Dog Food). E. W. Hellwig: Delivered an outside-produced serial, 'So- ciety Girl,' to Coin Products, and thereby vouchsafing the housewife another peek into the drawing rooms ol Park avenue. Frances Hooper: Intermediary for Phil Wriglcy on Jesse Lasky's 'Gateway to Hollywood.' Leslie Atlass, CBS' Chicago v.p., picks the shows and the F.H. agency signs the pay- checks, among other details. Lasky show ran its course and off. Wriglcy had previously abandoned promising Billy House half-hour. Hutchinson: The Pillsbury Mills contact on 'The Woman in White,' one of the more popular daytime dialog cascades. ivcy & ElllDgton: Introduced Sam Baiter, glib and incisive sports commentator, to midwest and eastern audiences; with Bayuk cigar paying the bills. Agency stuck by Baiter when Mutual, seeking to censor him, raised the spectre of con- troversial issues. H. W. Kastor & Sons: Maintained the Irene Rich program and the Jimmy Fidler chatteroo on even keel, but floundered badly when it came to drama. Latter two flops were 'The Golden Theatre' and "The Knickerbocker Playhouse.' From 'The Golden Theatre' Lewis-Howe dived into The Pot o' Gold.' Kastor this season brought in Professor Quiz for P.ficG.'s Teel dentifrice and the results have been con- sistently good. Joseph Katz: Edwin C. Hill in "The Human Side of the News' has been this agency's speed the past year. American Oil is the moneybag. il. M. Klesewetter: Has (ficveloped for Mennen a low- priced but effective audience participation novelty, 'Quixie Doodle Contest.' Bob Hawk got the thing off nicely and when he quit for another program. Colonel Stoopnagle took hold, and with sparkling affect. Artbur Kudner: Played around with a revival of the 'Mary and Bob' figments (True Story) for a while. Later Macfadcl$n substituted Himself and Fulton Our.sler, until their controversial slants got too hot for NBC. Agency is still connected with the U.S. Tobacco incident which features Tom Howard and George Shclton, as successors to Pic and Pat. Lambert & Feasley: Bought 'Grand Central Station' from a program contractor in 1937 and kept switching the pro- gram's network and time imtil it settled down next to an established click, 'First Nighter,' and collected some of the reflected glory. Same agency has the "True Detective Mys- teries' on Mutual. Lennen & Mitchell: Experienced extremely mixed results during the year. Built 'The Woodbury Playhouse' into a solid entertainment structure. Via Charles Boyer, Herbert Marshall and the combination of Jim Anieche and Gale Page. Got itself into a wracking headache with Artie Shaw, and when the combination of Bob Behchley and Jimwiy Durante started showing signs of meshing. Old Gold decided that there wouldn't be any more. Got moderate results for Sensation cigarels through Larry Clinton, and picked a good possi- bility in 'The Parker Family.' Has Walter Winchell still doing a marathon for Jurgens. Lord Si Thomas: Came through the year with Bob Hope in the upper brackets of both popularity and sock radio en- tertainment and with Kay Kyser also on the crest. Lent a showmanly and alert mind to the career of the 'Hit Parade.' Put Sophie Tucker on for Roi Tan (outside New 'York), but the alliance was of short duration. Kept grooming 'District Attorney' diligently and enlisted Hedda Hopper to make listeners Sunkist fruit conscious by the film chatter method. McCann-Erlckson: Invested 'Dr. Christian' this season with a good assortment of experienced troupers and more expert production, and the outlook is far more promising. Also con- tinues to jog along with that perennial, 20-Mule Team Borax's 'Death Valley Days.' Marschalk & Pratt: Had D'Artcga on for a short spi-int in Enna Jettick Shoes' behalf. It was one of those off-the- elbow musical quarter hours, even though the orchestral in- terludes were deftly styled. J. M. Mathes: Inactive In radio for a long time, this agency lifted itself into the class of click-pickers by tagging 'In- formation, Please' for Canada Dry. Consensus of opinion in the trade was of the dubious complexion at the time the deal was made. Agency has not only cooperated with the progi'am famously but performed a standout merchandis- ing job. Maxon: Did well by Gillette Razor in handling the mer- chandising and other details on the World's Series broadcasts. Morse International: Dusted off 'Seth Parker' (Phillips Lord) for Vick but found that as far as the listeners were concerned he could have been left on the shelf. Progr.nm rated as among the most macabre ever unveiled in radio. Needbam, Louis & Brorby: Continues to hit the bull's-eye (or Johnson Floorwax. After nursing "Fibber McGce and Molly" to the upper rungs, this agency recruited Alec Tcri- pleloii as pinchhitter for the comedy team last summer and the \v;iy lie clicked made him a natural for a re;,'u!ar spot. Alka-Scluer iWadc) is the sequel. Ncwcll-Emmctt: Chestei'fiel.c[ is this one"s major concei;n. Account t;ikcs an exceptionally active part in pulling the (in^'cr on what it want.s. It became impressed with the idea of u.-in,:; a band in an evening spot across the b.iard and b.iu^lu Fred Waring, and the listener response hns bten steadily upward. Within this same camp occurre.l one of the most curious incidents of the past ydar. No sooner had the ci-; roller decided to replace Paul Whiteman with Glenn Miller than Whileman's rating began to shoot upward in a biK way, indicating that the .spot on the schedule had bceh . pretty much to blame. For a long while Whiteman was competing ag.Tin.'t Tommy Dor.sey. Feillar 4: Ilyan: Has performed a neat .steering job with Guy Lonibavdo for Lady Ehlher, but its efforts with 'For Men Only" have been of hit and miss calibre. L. W. Kamsey Co.: 'Fitch Band Wagon' is the program and .since it comes between Jack Benny and Ch,-.rlie Mc- Carthy on the NBC-rod the trade regards it as getting the richest free ride in radio. Knox-Rceves: Allernalc go-between for General Mills, with strictly daytime tendencies. Latest pick is the Phillips Lord office's 'By Kathleen Norris' series. Agency's average for skillful grooving of such daytime .stuff is pretty high. Kiithraun & Ryan: Even though it stumbled badly on the Lifebuoy inning, the agency wound up the year with a good record for variable showmanship. Lifebuoy structure started crumbling because of an internal cast-executive situation that got out of control and Walter O'Keefe's clambake debut Also, such competitive items as 'Pot o' Gold' and 'Information, Please' combined to put the finishing touches to it On the credit side for the agency there's the continued smart hand- ling of 'Big Town'; the experimenting with a name singer (Lanny Ross) in a morning spot and the way it surprised the trade by cashing in substantially on the Tommy Riggs brand of corn. Quaker Oats tossed 'Stop Me, It You Have Heard This One" into RfitR's laps, and after a wayward start, the show veered closer to its archetype, 'Information, Plea.se,' with the crossfire of the experts overbalancing the diversion derived from the mail contributions. So, the outlook for the program became much brighter. Russel M. Seeds: Has largely intrenched itself with Brown 5c Williamson through the process of furnishing extremely low-priced shows that can snare a goodly sized chunk of the cornstalk traded If one doesn't pan out after an ample trial, there's another of similar economic and audience-level de-* scription always i-cady for submis.sion to the account Stack-Goble: Progenitor of the second of two cycles that have done much the past two years to depreciate the show business end of radio. The first cycle, which likewise placed a cash premium on listening, was the quiz or audience par- ticipation show. This agency's innovation was the radio bank night or "Pot o' Gold.' Nothing has caused agency men to speculate so miich over probable trends in programming as Tum's big money giveaway and the show's ri.se in listening popularity. Stack-Goble has done well in again dramatizing 'Sherlock Holmes' via Basil Rathbone and reaped nice returns with 'The Battle of the Sexes,' in which quiz Frank Crumit and Julia Sanderson prove more folksier than ever. J. IValter Thompson: Fared pretty badly in 1939 in more than one way. In addition to registering the No. 1 program debacle of the season, namely, 'The Circle,' this agSncy was deprived of its oldest, if not its proudest child, the Rudy Vallee hour, and had its Chase fit Sanborn show shorn to a half hour. Another rap was Lever Bros.' folding of the 'Dr. Susan" serial. The agency which set the pace and the style in big things radio Is still up there with the selfsame CfitS stanza, 'Lux Theatre,' Kraft Music Hall (Bing Crosby-Bob Burns) and 'One Man's Family.' Trade opinion is that the turn of the graphline illustrates what can happen when too many eggs are carried in one basket Wade: Swerved away from its hillbilly addiction for Alka- Seltzer to no small degree when It brought Alec Templeton into .the ranks. National Barn Dance and 'Uncle Ezra' re- main this agency's major rcspon.sibillties. . Warwick & Legler: For the first time in six years this agency was without its Warden Lawes. It's still doing a, suave job with the Metropolitan Opera Auditions of the Air.'' Its results with the quiz, 'Youth vs. Age' (Vince and Sloan't Liniment), have been just .so-so.. Ward Wheelock Co.: Has failed to get a substantial reac- tion with Orson Welles as competition to Charlie McCarthy, Probably due in most part to a loss of interest in Welles' technique. Agency also put Amos 'n' Andy on Campbell'* payroll. Young & Rubicam: Had but one serious casualty, the Phil Baker-Dole Pineapple show. Fred Allen stanza started off on its left foot this fall but in a few. weeks caught its bal- ance. Gulf's Screen Guild has proved somewhat of a problem child off and on. Agency's only new one during the past year, besides the Dole incident, was "The Aldrich Family' and it has with diligent and deft treatment succeeded in raising this serial to the click class. Continued to steer 'We, the People' alpng slick .showmanly lines and to make 'The Silver Theatre' one of the smoothest dramatic packages coming out of Hpllyvood. Also on the spotlight side with Jack B(;nny, Kate Smith, and Dave Elman's 'Hobby Lobby'. Comstock's $18,000 Suit Vs. Pearce Settled Out Of Court for $8^50 nrnRuth Rubin, assignee of WUham H. Comstock, against Al I'earee for $18,000 on alleged breach "'contract, was discontinued and settled out of the N. Y. supreme coyrt Thursday (28) for $8,250 to be paid to the plaintiff. Suit alleged that Comstock was «i Pearce for 39 weeks at «000 weekly, beginning Oct. 10, J»J8. to present his character, 'Tizzie Lish,' on the air. The plaintiff claims he was dis- charged March 14, 1939, when he had 16 weeks to go on the contract. It was also said that Comstock was not paid for the weeks of Jan. 2 and March 13. WIL Safety Plaque St Louis, Jan. 1. Plaque for outstanding service in the field of child safely fo> ^13 years was awarded last week to WIL by PoSl A, St Louis unit of the Travel- er.s' Protective Assn. Occasion marked the thirteenth anniversary of the 'Birthday Bells' program, heard daily, which stresses safety rules. Award made by John M. Bag- gott, national safety chairman, to Ed- gar P. Schutz, business and commer- cial manager of the station. Power -Company Dramas Re-Signed on KMOX St Louis, Jan. 1. : For the fourth consecutive year, 'The Land We Live In,' a weekly half-hour series dramatizing the his- tory of Greater St Louis, sponsored by the Union Electric Co., of Mis- souri, resumes over KMOX, Sunday (7). First episode deals with founding and development of the St. Louis symph orch which, this year, is celebrating its COth anni- versary. Arthur J. Casey will produce. Shirley Seifert, native author of ■Land of Tomorrow,'"Oie Wayfarer' and other novels, is scripting. Harry Johnson Picks Up Omaha, Jan. 1. Harry John.son, KOIL sporlscaster who was in a local hospital inter- mittently since last Jiily, expects to resume his twice-daily sports broad- cast from,his home. Johnsoii 'Is iiow home after hav- ing had 17 blood transfusions to com- bat a blood disorder. WLVA, WBTM Hookup Lynchburg, Jan. 1. WLVA here and WBTM, Danville, inaugurated their new hookup to- day (1) by carrying coast-to-coast Rose Bowl football game. Local unit recently bought 49% of WBMT Lever Bros. Continues Spry Chainbreaks For '40; Starts Lipton Biz Contracts on Lipton Tea's cam- paign of daytime chainbreak an- nouncements have been distributed, with immediate starting dates. The Spry chainbreak announcement cam- paign, bill for evening placement, has been renewed, effective Jan. 1, Young fit Rubicam handled tht Lipton account, while the Spry busi- ness comes out of Ruthrauff fit Ryan,