Variety (Aug 1940)

Weilucsdayy August 1940 Sydney, Aug. 13. A new edict just promulgated by Postma.ster-General Thprby of- :ders every Australian radio st horror seria^: crime gore and Sim Aiistraliaifi government: is thus rnaking cpriscioiis effort to brighten: the entertainment offered citizens:during th^ War period, ''' 'Bcstiricted' . sont list, a prime cause! .'or resentfnent . among broad- casters >vho. caiindt: understand the application of this exception ttor th&-rule . oti ASCAP^ ' numbers brought , a Teaction last week from Johni Royal, NBC pirogram v.p. He ordered NBG not to ,us;e any huni- ber ..appearing bri the ASCAP fe- stricted list for which, special okay was needed. NBd; wouldn't ask aiiy publisher for /favor', Qf. releasing a particular number, Royal ruled. •NBC production' depiartnient re- ported .immediate dispositipn of pubs ..to tembve' and forget the restric- tiohs'.:. REPRESENTS ASBURY-RED MNK Forjoe & Co. has .been named ex- clusive national representative for WGAP, Asbury ■ Park, N. J., and WBRB, Red Banici N. J. Time Will be sold on each..Station individUaily and on the two. in cortibinatipn. ■: : Thomas F. Burley, Jr:, of Radip; Industries Co., owner bC the statipns, made the apt>ointnient ^ Shortyav!^ Ra.dib Has!^ sipnal jFlaish^s of Kidding Which Americans -Apprer cialer-^Has Cohtiniied Un- dier Grijtn Conditions SPOOFS ENEMY Oil Ed WoirOffice Sdk For Wheatena (NBC) Wheateri;^ Playhbuse, origihaliy :<•aUed ^The. .Matinee Playhouse,' a^ daytime quarter-hour series offering adaptations of falmous books,, plaiys aind films, will make its bow late in September.. Schedule will be on the basis of five timies a week arid each script wilt, run around four weeks. First serial will.: b.e .'Dark : Victory,' which ■ has ' be^^^ into both Broadway j)lay and picture: ..: .John McMillan, of, Compton •gencjr; made the buy. ^Ed Wolf, of .Wolf Associates, wilt produce and Carlo De.Ahgelp will direct.,: Number of stations on NBC: red and tiriie to be dieter mined. JAM ON DlSCdVERir LANE Syracuse, Aug, 13; WFBL Js ir-ying; to find, an open' spot on Wednesday mornings so that It dan air locally a singer that, it discovered and fpeds to a CBS hPok- up. ■ She's Betty Kerb,. 16, who. grad- Tiated from a local high school last ■.■<lall.-.;-:. ■ The local CBS ally gave the girl ah audition: several weeks ; ago and was so limpressed by her talent that It sent transcription to . Columbia In New Yorki The network arranged to, have her. picked up from Syra- cuse Wednesdays from 9:30 to 9:45 WFBL has this period under com- nvercial commitmiBnt. ' : ■ Ex-NBCNowBBC Warren Irwin, . American news-, paperman who worked for a time, ir\ Berlin and npASr; works in London for the Rritish Brbadcastinjg Corp., is the target of some ■ Nazi abuse over" shortwave radid.: Some of ;Irwin's TOmmerits , over the air from Eng- la nd irlced the Germa;ns, who coun- tered by declaring oyer their pwh programs that Irwin was .' dis- credited' member iof the : American network, NBC,' Latter remark is .reported to have einbarrassed the National Broadcast- ing Co., which: oh the one hand wishes to be..neutral .and not handi- cap its regular personnel working und^r iNazi authority, and yet does not wish: to be a party to the state- mient that Irwin was: a 'discredited empipyee.'. Actually, NBG explains that; Irwin's work was. very satisfac: tory so far as' NBC was concerned. He wa.s: hired on- a temporairy basis and did special sissignments for sevr eral mbnths in Norway: and other countries. He worked utider Max| Jordori, NBC's long-tihie rep, ;out;of ■ Berlin..' ■■: . ^,.' ■■,. •• Irw.in' .wa.s. .for; 13 years ■ a' New York Times man in Switzerland. Germany iis apparently miffed that olie who .has b^eh inside Germany and German-conquered lands should now.be a propagandist for the Brit- ■ish;. ■ " ■■ ' ': Elevator Jams as Nelson Escorts Trammell, Mullen On NBG Frisco Tour liito Eabh OtherV Mkil . Minneapolis, Aug. 13- Because ^ . i^^^ liisteners-ih ^ ap- parently have been Unable to; keep: straight th? idi^ntUies of Rpllie John .s6n, WGCp sjjbrts -newsca^t^r.r a Charlie Johnsorij, Star-journal spoi-ta ■editor, who • also jarbadcasts pvel* vWCCO; and the t'wp hiaye been get- ting each other's' mail, they decided to dp something about it.; •'.; . . Cbhsequently:, this week they will , cbnibine • their - shows, ihtb', A s w gI e .half-hour prpgrain, with pleiUy pf: /time put on the initial br'oadeast for introductions: aild ideritificationii. . l4al Tate to .; Chicago, Aug, 13. ./ Hal ■ Tat and his :'Radio,-Mpvie Tattler^ prbfji-aim tp move to WMBD; :' : Peoria CBS affiliate, for weekly ;}0- minute airings as a quiz shpw. • . . ; Br6adcaist will be from stage of .Palape theatre: and include audience participation.; .- Sari Fran ... .Nile.s Trammeil got. first hand dem-. ohstralion of pre-sieiit iiicpnVenient conditioii.s at; ' NBC,, headqtiarters when CL-pwded ^cleyatpr stuck be- tween floors / during tour of offices last week.. ■ At. ;Nerspn/lpcal:.mariageT,.^w^^ coVting .npvv. . web :prexy, .-, attending recent ..!n.'A.B'. coii.yeritioni through ■cjtu)rto.r^ 'vvhi.ch; are ..scattered";.f rom; ^ieeond 'to .22nd- floor^ l>iJriVig. lift hop jyetween levels;—aii.d- i'n midst\.of Nelr . .sortV cxpiariatiori; of need: for new , bij ild irig^elcyatbr; :]amrned.- .. '• • -'Hbw. niiicli did .tivis..dcmpnst.rat,ion j: St :y()U?' :'qaii:)ped; NBG - ge!iei:al: '.niaiiagor\F^aitk MiillerL/wlip: -was iii; !pai;ly.v- ■ ■ V .■•' ■''■'' TOT OF GOLD' ON 96 - J j 'Pot of: Gold" adds, four .stations in ' the :Floiida:.gi-pup... tb its NBC bliic /WJZ t iio'oJtup Thursday nights,, bei- girining Oct,: 3. Brings, the total,out- iet,s; tb 96. New stations are. ^fifJllPl Jacksonville; WMFJ. Daytoiia; Beach; WKATi Miami;. B.each, -. and WT^.MG. Ocala!' ;■■. : ■ :v-' : ^^[iewis-Hp^ye; .Co.;.bankrplls^ tlie se- ' ries tb Plug Turns; Stack-Gpble i:f the agency.. ,-. :■ .. . By ROBERT J. JLANDB^Y v i . Nevys, from Europe may riead in Amei:icanvne\yspaper lieadlinies like one : long hightmaice, but there isi none of- this moaning^ arid ..hand- wringing in either, the /yoices or tbe. phrases:, used by British, radio, an-r nbuncers ias heard bri shortwaiye ipro- grams \h the United States, i lnsiead, the British; sense of. hiimior shines, through,: Facing .the greatest dan- gers overhsi.rtging a besieged nation in modern times, the iiews bulletins and corhni.entatiphs of the BBC regu-:; iars are rriarked by .witticisms, dry observations andpicture^i^e plurases. In a quiet, unstressed, casual W this strain : of j British huirior and pharactei:: has already made many friends, even grudging ones, on this side, .of the soup. Indeed some Yin-, kecis. who. used to entertain the il- lusion that the British wiere, slow on comedy touches have, with the war, reyised their ideas. Yankees in par- ticular like the cbpl nerve and sturdy sanity that grins ■ and wisecracks through. the wreckage of bon^bs? and the nerve, strain of being :coristantly on guard. ... Not that humor i$ anything more than ah pyertbhe and a by-play. to the BBC news services^ But it is the one thing that marks therti apart in the minds :of many American lis- teners to shortwave prbgrams and it it> of :cburse, unique with, the Britons, A,/ prize quip referred to a sea- shorfe bbardirtg . hoiise 'with V large, bright rpoms: facing the enemy.'. An- pther that caii.sed Yankee g:rins was the BBC; quotation about the recent Mediterranean • rpeeting of Italian and' British naval Units, viz: 'Italy won the bbat-race.' . Recalled is . ah intervie.w; with. Royal Air Fprce.lads who a*. time were dropping^ propaganda leaflets in Germany. . One'said he simply dropped his bundle, where'- upoh ; a v/ag chirp^id , |n 'why; you might have hurt someone,' Againi an aviator \yhb .was^a late returner, said he was delayed because he had stopped in; G"Srmany 'to - stuff / thie leaflets Under their doors * . Apropos the netwbrk of baUbohs anchored In the ski.e.s above Lbndprt, there was the Cockney quoted aS saying 'there isn't rpPrh for i hum- ming bird to get through.' When the Germans were reticent On a certain point, the BBC commehtatpr spoke f>t 'an explosion of silence.' An argur merit ; advanced in. Berlin : was summed, up as,'acrobatic;' ' ;; Appears ActorV Union Hbpts to Benefit by Timing NeW':''Gode8' '.^'' British Commentators ; Under ...recent reyision of the BBC; com menta tor series f rbiri • 8:30 .New York time every night bri lis, 25 ;br 31: fnetersi . the foi« . lowing; schedule of speaikets pre-? .Vails:. .'". , ". ;•'•.:.:.''■:::."•'"'.";.'■■,::,.■:'■ J, B. Priestley (Tues,., Thurs;,' • Sun). •■ , Wickharii Steed (Fridiay), . ' Leslie Howard , (Monday ). Alter hates Sir. Hugh MVaipbie, Harold Laski, Noel Baker, Clemerice baine, Somerset Miaughani. .. .' ' Marshall Field, • behalf of his United States Committee for the Care bif Eiiropiean'Children held, a^^ gathering Monday (12) afternobri at his Park Avenue apartriient in New "York. Present, with members of the radio: trade press,, were Don. Fran- ciscb^^of Lord & Thomas, John L, Anderson of. MQCann-Ericksori, Ken^-. neth Larson of Young iSc 'Rubicam, Kirby Hawkes of Benton-& Bo\vles. Comniitteie is anxious to haye its work favorably understood by; the country arid will ask radio stations to carry publicity designed, to stimiu- late financial: cpntributions and also to open American hpmes to refugee children. Committee will send ma- terial to local stations for inclusion lin their/statipn news or general pro- grams..;/ ■ j^ ' ■ . Jerry Crbwley who formerly was virith the Philadelphia agency, Crowi ley,;La Bruri, is ^h^ndling the pub- licity assignnient for the committee. ■ . With-ari;agTeement .apparently si .a ibrig way off,. the American Ftid-, ei^atiori of Radio Artists and thie ra^ dip networks havie extended fPr an-: other rhbnth :the present-code, cpv^ ering sustaining ::broadcasts. n / is also probable that the:agreemeht;-will" be extended still , aripther month be- fore: the new expiration date^ Sept; 12, is past.- : With converitiPn scheduled fpr lat^ this, nrionth ia beriyer,. the^ important iis:T sues of the hegotiationis with the net- works wiil almost . certainly be sub- mitted; tp the membership. ; Understppd: the NBG, CBS and Mutual representatiyes. haye bffertjd:: extensive concessions for ai new siisr t.aining contract.: Ho.weyer, several new ; cbmplicationis . haiyt. ariseri tp Stymie an agreement. AFRA's rie-: gbti^tibns with' the transcription makers, rietwoirks and agencies for i code , gbverning recbrdings is .one complicating angle. : AFRA is rfeT' luctarit to sign Prie code Withbut the ptheip, figuring it can get a: better deal pn. each by withhblding agree- ment, on both. . Alsp, with the. coirn- mercial' code expiring next Jariuary, AFRA heads likewise believie 4hey will have an additional bargaining weapon at that time. In addition, there is the matter of the rietwprkis' artist bureaus. ;AFRA may make Goncessions bri that front in rieturn for advantages regarding the suistainirig and : transcriptibri codes, sb that is: also hanging fire. Also; with the networks already iri an Uncertain . pbsitiori ^with the mu- siffiaris becatUse pf the fact that their agireeriient with the; Ameiricari; Fed- eration of Musicians is Irierely going; along on the old basis. pending re- sumption of nsgotiations, it maiy. be that AFRA may be able to taike id- vantage of the multiple network headaches. Besides that, the riet- work-ASCAP tussle is due for showdown Jan, 1, sb the broadcaster*" wbuld- 'presUniably find- actors eyeri more essential if they iricrease the ; ratio of dramatic programs to mu- sical'ones;" '■■ DEATH ENDS 'BRADCASTS' 1VWJ Newscaster One of First ih industry—Started In 1925 ; Detroit, Aug. 13, Func'ral services were held here Friday for C. C. Bradner, pi, brte of 'America'.s first newscasters at WWJ here, who" died last Wednesday Y7) follbwing a short illries.s. He' had prepared to leave on a vacation. Aug. 3 vi/hen he collapsed, . With the Detroit News bperatihg WWJ, Briadricr in 1925 became its first regular newscaster, a post he held to his death.. His twice dail^ prpgrams (spori.spi'ed^ were known as 'Biadcasts' and rated highly in .this area. '• .v -■ iSu'^ytved by ia daughter and a .son,; John Ilradner. ■ ■ AHIA Members for Free To Aid Army Buiidup In WM(^ DramaHaafo^^ se ions JAMES V. McCONNELL i SEK 3 Alffiit RE^ ■.' Jame.s V, McC!!onnetl,- .manager .of national ;!>pot, 'ahd local sales for NBG.- ha.s ma;d.e three more .lales ap- pbintrheriIs in the field; . Dpnald;' ;G. Strattpn ; ta.kes oyer, the.' Cleveland district; which includes the. Detroit artd.^ Pittsburgh terrilorieji; Elmer Ketteli will bperate in the New Eng- land' State.^ out of >Boaton. and J. S. DeRussy will : cover. Newark, and Philadelphia but of the New; York office..::- . : ^,';.,; ;.-"':!'^ :: Strattbn has been with NBC since 1932, while KelteU comes from KYW, Philadelphia. -. London, .July .26. ^ - With ■ the :• cancellation o( ./Radio's Nprmandie, Luxernbpurg; Lyon when war was. declared, . iarge'..quahtity of Gottiriiercial . pi^ogram. recprdirigs were ' left ;■' the: ■.•shoif,- ythose; are ribw-being taken, down arid carefully dusted; - a,t. . instigatioii: . pf ... IBritish Bi'oadcastirig;Corp. y / ;' ..Prpgrams made for Black Mag'P; chocolates, : Ilorlicks. by; J. Walter Thompson; Luxv .by; Liri.tas.;' .Qxy^ .(the ; Carson. Rpbison 'series), . '.by ErwirirWaisey; ahd Syriiingtpn Soyps, by. Mather & .Crpwther, are being closeiy examined, with the BBC to pick"those suitable for thiemr These will, be used in ca.se of in- vasipii, ir raids: or. other, emefgeo- cies, in. case of difTicu 1 tics In trans-; pprtation. Threc-a-week 30-miriute dramatic serial built around the training p^riencbs of a U. S. Army Air Serv- ice cadet, acted by AFRA meriibers; ;wprking . cufFo, will, begin: over WMCA, New York, next Monday (19) It will air at 7:3b p m., Mon- days, Wednesdays . and . Fridays thereafter arid wiji; run fbr a year, . ;para]lcJing the regular 12-mo.nths' training cpursie for arniy aviation recruits.- Series is as yet;.untitled. Bob Slpari, director pf the iBetty arid Bob' : recbrded ; serial for the 1 C, D; Mbi'ris' pjflice, .will; script arid diiiect the .' service vshpw under the supervisiori of Lt. Jphri J,-Dberr, j of the Mitchell Field t.'ainirig base. I All talent v/ijl be AFRA members, j^loari. and the actors will ^ wprk j gratia arid the slalibri will.cpntribule ! the time, . Idea is / 'ip ~ dratilaitize, ^ rafhe'r than .glamprize'. the air 'sery- I ice and; as. far ag possible, typical [cpriditibris and; experiences wilt; be j desbribedv it!s' statc:d.;: .. ■' ■ , ;_ 1: N0WHASl«.1f;BRM ;• .:..■■:: /- , .Alba!iiyv>f.^Y.,.:Aug: 13. \ C van t Advertising, IricV with hiiiad- ; qutrrler.s in Dajlasi TeJc., now niziuv;' tains/an ofTice fbi: the of/a . gerierai advertising busiriess/in New- York State, in : -RC'A Building, N. Y. C. Claude R. . Milter is: listed a.s vice-president and.; capital .stock at $20,000, $10 par value, in pafjers filed , ■ with Secretary of Stats in Albany. '; ' Claiidfe . R. , Miller of Dallas ftilied statement. ■ : ■ ■ I i 1^