Variety (Dec 1941)

'Wednesday, December 3, 1941 RADIO 41 Inside Stuff-Radio Trans-ocean shortwave and CBS network broadcast of Ethel Barrymore jn a flrst-annlversary 'Corn Is Green" program was cancelled last week at the last minute. Half-hour show was to have been'aired after the play's birthday performance Wednesday night (26) at the Roy ale, N. Y. According to plans, Emlyn Williams, the play's author and creator of flie leading male role In the original London production, was to have participated from England, with Miss Barrymore and others of the Broad- way cast from this end. It was also intended to have Alexander WooUcott, who has written a number of enthusiastic plugs for the legiter. CBS had scheduled the program and assigned Earl McGill to direct It, but then Williams was unable to' take part because of rehearsals for a new play in London and WooUcott's presence was uncertain, as he was on the ocean en route from Lisbon to. New York. So Miss Barrymore and Herman Shumlin, the proc^ucer of 'Corn,' called oft the broadcast for fear it would be inferior with only a few of the intended participants available. 'Corn' had previously received two potent radio plugs. One was a trans-ocean program, with Williams and his wife, Miss Barrymore and others, via Mutual. The other was on the occasion of Miss Barrymore's 40th anniversary of stardom. Actress' brothers Lionel and John par- ticipated in that show, from Hollywood. Of the 20 leading shows on the networks as tabulated by the Co- operative Analysis of Broadcasting five of them (Jack Benny, Aldrich Family, Kate Smith, Eddie Cantor and Burns and Allen) are attached to the Yoyng fit Rubicam agency, while four (Charlie McCarthy), Lux The- atre, One Man's Family and Kraft Music Hall) are credited_to J.. Walter Thompson. No agency is represented in the first 20 by three shows, but Lord fit Thomas accounts for two (Bob Hope and Kay Kyser). The agencies with one e^ach are Needham, Louis fic Brorby (Fibber McGee and Molly), Benton fic Bowles (Frank Morgan-Baby Snooks), Ruthrauff fic Ryan (Major Edward Bowes), Lennen & Mitchell (Walter Winchell), L. W. Ramsey (Fitch Bandwagon), Buchanan (Fred Allen) and Pedlar & Ryan ('Mr. District Attorney'). A breakdown by network allots 14 of top 20 to the NBC-Red, four to Columbia and two to the NBC-Blue., Retention of Charles Evans Hughes, Jr., by Columbia as 'trial attorney' in the fight against FCC antimonopoly reforms has an Interesting angle— though not important, as far as the campaign is concerned, ^on of the retired Supreme Court Chief Justice- was both a fraternity brother and roommate at Brown University of FCC member Norman S. Case. Tlirough- out the Internal rowing over the drastic regulations, Case fought strenu- ously to convince the New Deal majority that only Congress has the right to J>ass judgment on several ot the issues and argued uncompromisingly, as CBS he; done, that the commish lacks jurisdiction. Some observers consider Columbia has been convinced that putting ex-New Deal office- holders in charge of defenses against Federal agencies is politically un- wise and Hughes will take the sting out of John Burns' presence in the courtroom. Bob Hope was voted the leading personality, as well as best comedian in the 1S41 radio poll conducted by Robert S. Stephan, radio editor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. - Other selections of Plain Dealer readers were Ford Hour as the top broadcast; Bing Crosby as both m.c. and male pop vocalist; Kate Smith, femme pop vocalist; Richard Crooks, male classical vocalist; Margaret Speaks, femnve classical vocalist; Lux 'Radio Theatre,' best dramatic show; Ford Hour, ^est symphonic program; Andre Kostelanetz-Coca-Cola, best light musical; Guy Lombardo, best dance band, Kraft "Music Hall,' best variety stanza; 'Information, Please,' best quiz; Chicago 'Round Table,' best educational, and Lowell Thomas, best news broadcaster. Young &' Rubicam's radio department Is working on a plan to devote the 'Bright-Horizon' serial (CBS) to plugging several Lever Bros, products after the first of the year. Product currently to the program Is Lever's Silver Dust. . , The serial's hookups will be so divided that It will plug Continental Soup in one section of the country, Lipton Tea in another, and Swan Soap In a third section. Radio Splendide of Buenos Aires, is the key station of a new Argentine network, as the result ot which its position is expected to be strengthened and, secondarily, NBC will eventually benefit. KBC ;Etrung along with Splendide, although under no illusions that it ran behind Belgrano and Mundo. CBS' hitest 'success story' booklet Is a cleverly simple set-up illustrated one-half in simulation of pencil drawings and one-half in simulation of pen sketches, > cute tie-up with the itwnsor'i two items. Hie account ia Eyersharp, whose sales are reported 100% higher than a year ago. program has a greater audience than that of any one of 4 popular shows on major New York stations at the same time*. Proof, indeed, that this recently streamlined half-hour packs a more penetrating impact than ever before. *"'WOR Continuing Study of Radio Litttning in Greater'New York", prepared by Crossley, Inc. A PROGRAM TO BE FOUND NOWHERE ELSE . . . MADE TO MAKE SALES, AND HERE, GENTLEMEN- SOME SALES IT HAS MADE A certain BANK has used Uncle Don year after year for the past 10 years. Since the beginning, more than 20,000 children have opened accounts at the bank. That, we suppose. Is good. But, listen—not only have they opened accounts, but Uncle Don has deftly prompted 250,000 of them to sit down, write, ask for savings banks. And requests continue to roll in at 40,000 a year! • A maker of a POWDER to brush teeth with had Uncle Don ask the tots to send for a sample. 7,796 wrote In in less than four weeks. A couple of weeks • later he (Uncle Don, that Is) asked them to.send in a proof of purchase. In less than a week 1,837 sent in boxtops. Again, in less than two weeks. Uncle Don tent 7,415 children into stores to look for the product.