Variety (Oct 1942)

88 RADIO Wednesday.'vPetober 28, 1942 Soiindefects Getting Big Workout As Substitute for Waxed Music American Federation of Musicians* ban on recordings is taxing the in- genuity of ad agency blurb writers and producers. Their problem is to And substitutes for music in the making of transcribed announce- ments, and the masterminding from this quarter is being centered on £ound effects. In their quest the agency men are haunting the sound effects depart- ments of transcription studios and networks. They listen to sound ef- fects records by the hundreds hop- ing to find something that will make an expedient replacement for music and will at the same time figure as a thematic association with the product. WOV BOASTS OF ANTI-FASaST STAFFERS Publicist of WOV, New York, pre- ceded program schedule this week by 'pointing with pride' to members of its Italian announcing staff as possessors of learned degrees and records as anti-fascists. They are: Paola Serene, Doctor of Economics. Arrifo ColDmbo, Doctor of Laws. Giallana Ctcrbi, Doctor of Econo- mics and described by WOV as the former 'Ted Husing of Italy.' Pietro Novaslo, Doctor of l,aws, ex-member of Italian parliament. Rcnzo NIssIm, described as a for- mer professor of law at a major Italian university. LOIS FROST TO WNEW AS MISS JUDIS' AIDE Lois Frost, of the Benton St Bowles radio department, starts Monday <2) as assistant to Bernice Judis, general manager of WNEW, New York. Before joining B. & B. she was with WMCA, New York, and prior to that with Ward Wheelock agency. Miss Frost was originally from Chicago, where she was employed by the Edward Petry office. AFRA ELECTIONS Actor and Announcera To Be Voted at Aslor Nov. S Nominees for the New York local board of the American Federation of Radio Artists have been named by the membership, and the election will be held at the annual meeting Nov. S at the Astor hotel, N. Y, Nine actors, five announcers and seven singers will be elected. Actor nominees Include Bill Adams, John Brown, Alan Bunce, Helen Claire, Lon Clarke, Phil Clarke. Ted de Corsia, Eric Dressier, Carl Eastman, Betty Garde, House Jameson, Frank Lovejoy, Arnold Moss, Minerva Pious, Alan Reed, Anne Seymour, Hester Sondergaard and Ned Wever. Announcers are Mel Allen, Ben Grauer, George F. Putnam, Jr., Ken Roberts, Warren Sweeney, Sid Wal- ton and Alun Williams. Singers are Gordon Cross, Phil Duey, Felix Knight, Eugene Lowenthol, Evelyn MacGregor, Alex McKee, Walter Preston and Claude Reese. Woman Does Six-Hour KQW Control Room Sesh After Own Daytime Chores Pittsburgh, Oct. 27. First woman operator to work full time on a standard station here is Margaret J. Bruce, who went into the control room at KQV last week after taking a training course at the station. She manages an advertising concern by day, taking up her six- hour shifts at Blue network outlet at 6:30 p.m. Another femme operator is Marie Wilk, but she only handles the FM programs broadcast by W47P, com- ponent of WWSW, town's single indie station. CONNOLLT HAKES A SPEECH Cincinnati, Oct. 27. Thomas D. Connolly, CBS director of program promotion, discussed ad- vertising in wartime at a meeting of the Cincinnati Ad Club, last week. He was introducejl by Fred H, Palmer, sales manager of WCKY local CBS afliliate. Representatives of all Cincy sta- tions attended the session. 'BONOWAGON' TALENT Douglaa, Levant, McGoIre, St. John For Tbia Saturday Melvyn Douglas, Oscar Levant and singer Marcy McGulre will guest on Saturday night's (31) Treasury De- partment 'Bondwagon' broadcast on WOR-Mutual, with Robert St. John present to make the bond-sale pitch at the close. Dramatic spot will probably be an addaptation from the current hit novel 'Hostages.' Tom Riley will direct on assignment by the Radio Directors Guild. Tentatively set for the Nov. 7 edition of the series are Gracie Fields and Deems Taylor, with either Helen Hayes or Helen Menken prob- ably reading the Kathleen Morris piece, 'Nation Indivisible.' No di- rector is set for this broadcast. Democrats Use Special New York Election Webs Schenectady, N. Y., Oct. 27. Leighton & Nelson, appointed as the agency placing broadcasts ,under the auspices of the Democratic State Committee and on behalf of the Democratic ticket, has arranged a special 17-station hookup. This is in addition to the use of the State Blue network, the State Columbia web, WMCA, WABC, WEAF, WQXR, WHOM and WBYN. The schedule, to which several additions were made last week. Is one of the most extensive in recent years. A total of 15 half-hour evening blocks have been bought on each of the 17 special-loop outlets. The 9:30-10 spot is the one on which the addresses are usually broadcast, al- though some stations, with other commitments for that time, make wax playbacks for turntabling later in the night. Leighton & Nelson worked with the New York Tele- phone Company in setting up the special circuit. Its lines are: WHN, New York; WKIP. Poughkeepsie; WKNY, King- ston: WABY, Albany; WTRY, Troy; WSNY, Schenectady; WMFF, PlatU- burgh; WIBX, Utica; WAGE, Syra- cuse; WSAY, .Rochester; WGR, Buf- falo; WJTN, Jamestown; WHDL, Olean; WENY, Elmira; WMBO, Au- burn; WNBF, BInghamton; WWNY, Watertown; WBTA, Batavia; WSLB, Ogdensburg. The programs have originated in different cities, stari- ng at Jam.estown. moving Eastward to Albany and Troy, and going into Greater New York. The final of five broadcasts from New York boroughs will be in Manhattan on Oct. 31. For that date, a Saturday, two evening blocks have been purchased on the State blue web: 9 to 9:30 and 10 to 10:15. Stations carrying these broadcasts: from Carnegie Hall, will be: WJZ, New York; WHAM, Rochester; WAGE, WEBR, WTRY, WMFF, WKIP, WJTN, WHDL and WSNY (the last nnmed by special arrangement with the Blue skein). The Columbia State web will be used from 10:45 to 11 on the eve of election. Inside Stuff-Radio In connection with the recent controversy about when Elsie Janis made her radio debut, Ted Maxwell, author of the 'Bright Horizon' serial for Lever Bros, recalls directing a program starring her about 1930. Broadcast was sponsored by Union OH to ballyhoo the fact it was supplying the Southern Cross plane in which Sir Charles Kingsford- Smith was flying the Pacific. Miss Janis, playing an engagement at that time at the Orpheum, San Francisco, was flown to Los Angeles for the broadcast, which originated at KFI (that was before the station had studios in Hollywood) and was heard on NBC. Also participating in the program were Don Francisco, then radio director of Union Oil, and Anthony Fokker, the plane de- signer and manufacturer. Maxwell recalls that Miss Janis was paid $8,000 for the all-night broadcast, her assignment being songs and comedy patter at intervals throughout' the night. Maxwell was at that time western division production manager of NBC. Ralph Edwards u.sed a contestant on the repeat show of his 'Truth or Consequences' program to sell $107,360 worth of War Bonds Saturday (24). As penalty for missing the question fed her, Mrs. Jeanette Brenner, an AWVS worker from New York, was told to deliver ad lib a 30-minute spiel to sell at least $10,000 worth of bonds. Response from listeners to the 22 stations, the repeat rides west of Denver, totaled the above figure. Mrs. Brenner's winnings for the job amounted to a phone call to Hawaii to a son in service and a trip to Camp Shelby, Miss., to visit another in training, in addition to a complete outflt. A talking film on television, prepared for presentation at schools, serv- ice clubs and other audiences which might be interested in iconocsoping, has been made by General Electric. GE produced it in the fornv of a 20-minute show over its Schenectady television station, WGRB, giving a complete backstage picture of how a television program is presented. One of the most interested 'spectators' was Robert S. Peare, manager of broadcasting for GE. Peare was ill at home and until he gave his ap- proval of the picture it could not be released. Nellie Revell has been quoted twice recently in the 'Ladies Home Jour- nal' and once in 'Reader's Digest,' all three quotes being 19 years late from her 'Right Off the Chest,' published in 1923 as a book and based, in turn, on her weekly pieces for 'Variety.' Fern Pearson, lead of 'Helpmate,' made a special trip from Chicago to be interviewed Saturday on Miss Revell's program on the Blue. She returned immediately to Chicago. Alan Lipscott, vet vaude and radio gag writer, is author of 'Stooging for the Stars,' a piece about radio stooges, in current issue of The Family Circle mag, 2c pub distribbed through A&P stores. He credits the foils with large contribution to success of many stars, but also the stars re- cently with having good sense to frequently reverse roles and play straight to the stooge. 'The O'Neils,' serial CBS for Standard Brands, is owned by Jane West, with Ed Wolf managing it and owning an interest. Miss West supervises the scripting of David Victor and Herbert Little, Jr. She aU:o plays the part of Trudie Bailey, which she created. James Tansey, one of the leads, also has an interest. of leMt SHOSTAKOVICH'S 7TH IN BUENOS AmES NOV. 7 Dmitri Shostakovich's '.Seventh Symphony,' will have Its South American premiere in Buenos Aires on Nov. 7 on a broadcast sponsored by the Pal Razor Blade Co. Understood that the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs was in strumental in clearing the music and copyright. LUi Valenty's Role Editor, 'Variety': JThe enthusiastic reception which the entire pres.s—and the radio au- diences—have given to the 'Murder of Lidice.' was extremely happyfy ing to all of us who were part of it. You will understand how sad- dened I was to find that 'Variety did not properly credit me. I played the Mother, and I am Litl Valenty (not Margrit Hyler!) Lili Valentv. Welcome Lewis starts new 'Singo' show Thursday (20) on WJZ, New York. Hazel Flynn, managing. Canadian Broadcasting Corp. will carry National Hockey League games from Toronto Saturday nights. Half-hour commentary by Foster Hewitt will be short waved to Britain during the games, recorded in London by BBC and re-broadcast to the Canadian troops there each Sunday after the games. Jim Tranter, 40, who commuted between New York and Buffalo last Spring, appearing in the NBC 'Mr. District Attorney' series and directing WBEN dramas, has enlisted in the Army. With brother, Don, now Buffalo Courier-Express radio editor, he formed a two-piano team over WOR a decade ago. He's now at Ft. Niagara. Tenor Jan Pecrce being absent the weeks of Nov. 4 and 11 on a con- cert tour, the Celanese radio program, 'Greater Moments in Music' will substitute Mario Berini and Charles Kullman In that order. Coca-Cola Uses Herb Lewis Boston, Oct. 27. Herb Lewis and the Melodeers, directed by Rakov, started a new Refreshment-Time' series over WBZ yesterday to be heard Ave mornings weekly. Mondays through Fridays at eight. Sponsored by Coca-Cola. More La France Satina La France Satina starch is expand- ing its spot campaign with the inter- est being mainly in women's partici- pation..Staojps. Young & Rubicam is the agency. Popaiar '^nie^CIassies with a Blend of the Modern . . and NEWS" will iroadcartt WMklyt 43 hour* of fh* but liked itml-cltiile «nd claufe mtlediM . . « feafurina OUTSTANDING ARTISTS AND COMPOSERS. 19 hourt of faverif* muiieal comedy • molten picture funoi ond toft-iw«*t rhytlimi — familtar muile by LEAD> IN& ORCHESTRAiS and SIN6ERS. 4 hours of oporoHa and epcro prtionl- Ing GREAT VOICES. 6 hourt of novelty mui'ic, t hourt of UNLTEO PRESS NEWS, And here's DEFINITE EVIDENCE tlief WLIB-listeners buy WLIMDVERTISED ' preduels And '<ervleos> Urt month, , WLIB'S fifth the otr, wo reeetved / ever 16,000 ,\\i>n from listeners, 40% contetning j. )of of purchase. V :i\v And HtmtmlMr WUB it tlUI molnfttlnliia Me Lowest HATE FOR COVCRAQe Of TH[ NtW YOM MAKKBT. OPPICES: RKO BUILt^lNG. Now Y«rk City