Variety (Dec 1941)

Wednesday, Deccwibcr 31, 1941 RADIO 25 WOODS, KOBAK HEAD BLUE HAPPILY DIVORCED ? The lineup of personnel for the new, separate Blu« network will be read and discussed throughout radioland with great in- terest. It places Mark Woods and Edgar Kobak in |h« top positions as president and executive vice-president, r«spectively,' rewards that had been anticipated and of who4» logic there is no cliallenpe. Because these two appointmentg were so gen- erally anticipated, they may occasion less attention as items of human interest than some of the other jobs. E. P. H. James, who came from England over a decade ago, notably comes into his own under the new dispensation. In this rewarding of a veteran, who was sometimes neglected in past staff shufflings, and in elevating old-timer Ed Boroff to the Chicago general managership, the Blue should stimulate organizational morale. Tills has not always been good at NBC, to indulge in a bit of British understatement. The reality of competition between two networks, each enjoy- ing the prestige of Radio City, should break through under the new setup. Partial separations in the past never went far enough and it's hardly going to startle anybody at NBC to be informed that even now there will be skepticism. But that the Blue hereafter will be far more self-assertive and will de- velop its own organizational personality seems a reasonable prognostication, even while Red and Blue continue to share the same landlord and overlord.- Well-wishers of NBG and radio generally, since NBC is so prominent a part of radio, may well hope that the separation of the two RCA units and the re-definition of personal authorities in both divisions will reduce the career politics that hag cursed NBC for years, like a blood taint. - . CBaM6S,NBC Morale Show Saturday, 7 P.M. NBC, Columbia and Mutual have agreed on a weekly halt-hour period which l3 to be turned , over to the U.S. government for a morale-bulld- Ing chow. It's the 7 to 7.30 p.m. pe- - rlod' Saturday-nlghts."The~Bei1es^sn't ■lated to start until Feb. 14. It hasn't been made clear to the webt as to what will be contained in the program or who is to pay for it. The details so far have been han- dled between CBS and Steve Early, the President's secretary. Man Conrtney Back As WOV,N.Y, Disc Jockey, Bdova Adjusts Payoff Alan Courtney resumed jockeying records on WOV, New York, last night (Tues.) after ironing out his contractual or payoff difficulties with Arde Bulova, outlet's owner.. In returning, Courtney's time was extended a half hour—it was 6:05 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., but now runs 6-9 p.m. Eight of 14 sponsors Courtney formerly had come back with him. Courtney stepped cut of WOV Just • month ago and the sponsors that underwrote his time dropped off witli him as their contracts expired. STREET & FINNEY LOSES BUok-Qoble Snbtvuta Part of Carter's Pllla From Agency Stack-Goble agency now has part Of the Gaiter's LltUe Liver Pills ac- oount, heretofore with Street & Finn- ey. Move brings the Inner Sanctum Mysteries' (NBC-Blue) under S-G's direction. Option on Al Jolson Sherman St Marquette agency is reported as taking an option on Al Joison's radio services, with the pro- gram, if It goes through, to start in early April. Among- the agency's ac- are Colgate and Quaker Oats. Music Corp. of America Is doing "ic Jolson agenting. Seek International Flavor (Our Allies) for Quiz On Mutual Network 'Double or Nothing,' quiz show on Mutual for Feenamlnt, will be slightly revised la format to Include an international angle, effective with the Jan. .11 broadcast. Idea is to have n{ime competitors, natives of one of the Allied nations, on the series. Different countries wlU be featured various weeks. First show under the new policy will feature-England- end efforts'arr being made to get Gertrude Law- rence, Edmund Oweim and other English stars for that edition. Jan. 29 stanza will be Australian, with John Bowniee, of the Met opera,, be- ing sought for the spot Subsequent shows will be dedicated to the Netherlands, Russia, China, Poland, Norway, etc. Seattle — Bob Lewis, from San Diego, now announcing at KIRO, Seattle. L.P.yKLL AS TREASURER Sales Berths to Fred ThroW' er and Georga Benson- Phil C a r I i n in Program Post — Wide Supervision Concentrated in E. P. H. James—BorofF in Chicago CALL IN AFFILIATES While the designation-of the execu- tives that will head up the various departments is still .under discussion, NBG has issued a call for its Blue Network affiliates to meet in Chicago Jan. 16 in connection with the pro- posed operation of the Blue as a sep- arate entity. The Drake hotel will be the site for the gathering at, which the affiliates will be Informed as to the new name of the divorced network (in which the' word 'Blue' will be -retained), the official and executive roster of the new setup, program and sales policies and other details.. Some of the executive posts, espe- cially 'those concerning the Holly- wood division, are yet being mulled. There are indications that the fol- lowing are set: President—Mark Woods EzecntlTe v.p. and general manager —Edgar Kobak Treasurer and v.p. — Lunsford P. -Yanden Sales Manager—Fred Thrower Eastern Sales Manager — George Benson Program Manager—^Phll Carlin Station Relations Manager — Keith - Kigglns Director of Pobllelty, Advertising, Prom«tlon and Research—E. P. H. James Manager of the Press Department —Earl MulIin": Program Acoeptance — Dorothy Kemble Chicago Division General Manager—Edward Boroff Program Manager—James L. Stir- ton The corporate name of the separate Blue will probably be decided tomorrow (Thursday). The heads of the network are still working o;-. the idea of taking over the third floor of (Continued on page 30) Radio Writers Organize^ Own War Effort; WiU Systematize Assignment Of Authors for Patriotic Shows ELGIN WATCH MAY GO ON Completes Special Poor Week Bon With Shirley Temple Elgin Watch Co., which just com- pleted a four-week series with Slur ley Temple, may go in for a regular run on CBS. Account has until the end of next week to act on a t^alf- hour option. William Esty is the agency. Ilka Chase Program Is Continuing as Sustainer With Reynolds, Laval Ilka Chase, . whose 'Penthouse Party' is being dropped by Camel cigarets with tonight's (Wednesday) stanza after a ride of nearly two years, will return to its original format and continue as a sustainer Saturdays, 12:30-1 p.m. on NBC-Red (WEAF). It will switch title to 'Luncheon Date With Ilka Chase.' First edition under the new setup will air Jan. 10. Originally packaged by the WlU liam Morris agency, the program will.continue to be produced by that office, with Jack Meakin, NBC staff director, handling it as wel] as con- tinuing with the Xavier Cugat series for Camel. New cast for lunckeon is tentatively slated to Include Brad Reynolds, Paul Laval's orchestra and three guests. When the show debuted in Febru- ary, 1940, for Camel, it was tagged 'Luncheon at the Waldorf,' and aired Saturdays on NBC-Blue (WJZ). It was subsequently moved to Friday n!l.'t?i?..9n.-CBSi., re.yUcd^^'Pen^^ Pafty-'- and revlsetT a3~more" of a stralglit variety stanza. This fall It moved again to Wednesday nights on NBC-Blue, opposite Fred Allen. When Its rating tumbled in that spot, various changes were tried, but without ever regaining the program's former Individuality or popularity. Radio Writers' War Effort Com- mittee has been set up to act as a clearing house for Government on radio scripts, speeches, etc. Group will attempt to coordinate such re- quests, assign suitable authors for the various types of shows and avoid duplication of assignments or over- loading of individual writers. General meeting -of all radio, scripters, with Bernard C. Schoen- feld, chief of the radio division of the Office, of Emergency Manage- ment, as principal speaker, will be held Tuesday night (8) in the . lASCAP board room in the RCA' building. New York. Effort will be made at that time to explain the committee's function and outline plans for its work. Henry Fisk Carlton, national president- of' the Radio Writers Guild, is chairman of the commit- tee, which was appointed at the reg- ular, council meeting of the Guild's New York chapter last night (Tues- day). New York branch of the com- mittee tentatively includes Katha- rine Seymour, Kenneth Webb, Erik Barnouw, Elaine Sterne Carrington. Norman Corwin, Clifford Goldsmith, Gertrude -Berg, Sandra Michael and Carl Bixby. Coast branch includes John Boylan, Paul Franklin, True Boardman, Don Quinn, Jerry' Schwartz, Hector Chevigny and Carl-' ton E, Morse. Chicago branch may be selected by Irna Phillips. Schoen. feld and Carlton will go to Chicago shortly to confer with her. Edmund Gwenn reprising the New Year's address by King George V (done last' year)' on Stella Un- ger's 'Hollywood Newsglrl' NBC pro- gram' today. (Wed.). NEXT WEEK-JAN. 7 ISSUE 36th ANNIVERSARY NUMBER of LAST CALL—Advertising Forms Close Friday, Jan. 2 Rush Copy to Any Variety Office NEW YORK 154 W. 46th St HOUYWOOD CHICAGO LONDON 1708 No, Vine St: 54 W, Randolph J5L. 8 St Martin's PL lots of Food In U.S.,: Pet s Slant Witt the Intent of offsetting any shortage rumors Pet Milk Is includ- ing in its programs an assurance that there Is a sufficient supply of milk sdurces in this country to take care of any and all needs. It Is expected- that other victualers will/adopt ■ similar policy of combating what has been termed the 'Fifth Column tech- nique of spreading food shortage fears as the result of huge shipments being made to Allies.' The Pet Milk commercial stated. There is enough milk in this coun- try despite that we are fllllng War and Navy orders and lend-lease or- ders. And there is enough milk within the foreseeable future.' Pet has a musical half-hour on CBS Sat- urday. Also a daytime food-kitchen series on the same network. Charles Smith Hollywood Head for National Bnrean; Alex Robb Stays NBC Hollywood, Dec. 29. Charles Smith will head the Holly- wood office of National Concert and Artists. Corp., recently formed by- A. H, Morton and three NBC col- leagues following purchase of old NBC Artists Bureau. He's b'4en on staff past five years. Alex. Robb, former manager of Artists Bureau, will remain with net- work in another capacity. Vick Drops Women's News 'Vick Chemical is dropping Iti sponsorship of the 'News for Women* series on CBS (3.15-3.30) this Frl- day (26). ' j If win "have been 26" weeks since the account attached Its tag to the period. ^ \