Variety (Dec 1942)

so RADIO Wednesday, Decemlwr 2, 1942 "Bond Wagon' StiO RoOs on WOR-MBS; Freelancers to Contribnte Scrqits The Treasury Department's 'Bond Wagon' scries Saturday nights on WOR-Mutual is slated to continue Irdennitely, despite the withdrawal last week of the Writers War Board and the Radio Directors Guild from participation in its production. Carlo De Angelo is now directing the show reguarly, with Cecil Sccrest assist- ing. Scripts are to be contributed by freelancers. Under the original setup, the Writers War Board assigned the s^.ipting for each week's show, while members jf the Radio Directors Guild turns directing. Both organ- izations withdrew after continued friction with Treasury radio repre- sentatives. Factor in the situation was the start of 'Over Here,' a new Treasury Department series on th Blue Net- work, also Saturday nights. Gikhrest in Na?y Washington, Dec. 1. Charles J. Gilchrest, head of the radio division of the War Savings Staff, has been appointed a lieuten- ant in the Naval Reserves. He re- ports for duty in Hollywood, FU., Dec. 15. Gilchrest joined the Treasury's itafT April, 1941, as assistant to Vin- cent Callahan-. He was formerly news and special events director of WBZ, Boston, and was for 10 years radio editor of the Chicago News. Expanding 'News' Chicago, Dee. 1. Miles Laboratories, Tnc, through th'.- Wade Advertising Agency here, has expanded its Monday, Wednes- day and Friday 'News of the World' network to 126 NBC stations, which more than quadruples the former lineup of 31 stations. The Tuesday and "Thursday broadcasts continue to be heard on 31 stations only. 'News of the World' features John Vandercook as commentator, plus the various NBC overseas corre- spondents. COCA-COLA PRODUCTION POST TO YASHA FRANK Yasha Frank has been appointed executive producer of the Andre Kostelanetz-Coca-Cola show Sunday afternoons on CBS. George Zach- ary continues to direct the series and Gilbert Seldes remains continuity writer. Ted Cott has replaced Al- bert Spalding as m. c. D'Arcy is the agency. For the last three years Frank has been with the CBS production staff and, as consultant to the Joint Army and" Navy Committee on War- fare and Recreation, has been work- ing on a plan for self-entertainment by the armed forces. JOSEPHINE HOUSTON THE SINGING STAR Guesting with FRED ALLEN Dec. 6, Sunday Night. 9:30—WABC On "We The People." Dec. 13 Sunday—WABC. 7:30-8 P.M. Introducing "DRUMMER BOY," her own war song, adopted by the Arnny War College. •f -f + + Co-starring on Blue Network with WILBUR EVANS "Stars From The Blue"—WJZ—Satur- day Evenings, 7£)0,-7:30 and Sunday Eveping, 7:15-7:30. ■f -f -f + Pertomd Management GALE, Inc. 48 West 48th Street, New, Y«rk ■ Frank Parker EnlisU Frank Parkar anlisted In tha Mar- chant Marina yeiterday (Tuetdajr) and will probably report for acttTC dutr at the end of next week, Geyer, Cornell & Newell agency Is auditioning singers to replace blm oj star of tha Squibb program Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays on CBS. Eleanor Larson directs the show. KATE SMITH LEADS DAY SHOWS Hooper's Novemt)er report credits the 'Kate Smith Speaks' stanza with leading the weekday daytime pro- gram list for that period. Her rating of 8.4 was, however, less than that obtained for two Sunday afternoon programs on CBS, William L. Shirer (12.3) and World News Today (8.7). The top 10 weekly day timers were as follows: 'Kate Smith Speaks' 8.4 'Big Sister' 83 'When A Girl Marries' 8.1 Road of Life* 7.4 'SteUa Dallas' 7.1 "Right to Happiness' 7.1 'Young Widder Brown' 7.0 6ur Gal, Sunday' 7.0 "Romance of Helen Trent' 7.0 Portia Faces Life' 6.8 Milw. Journal Stations' Shakeop Ousts Benning As Musical Director Milwaukee, Dec. 1. Dissension In the executive di- rection of WTMJ and W55M re- sulted Friday (27) in the departure of William J. Benning, who has been musical director of the Mil- waukee Journal stations for the last 14 years. He was replaced by Mau- rice Kipen, former concert master of the organization, who a few months ago was elevated to as- sistant musical director prior to moving from the old downtown stu- dios to the new Radio City. Benning,, one of Milwaukee's best known leaders, was a vaudeville conductor here tor about 12 years before leaving the Riverside thea- tre to go to WTMJ. He originated the station's ace profit producer— Heinie and His Grenadiers. Ben- ning will retire to a farm he bought some years ago. FLANAGAN, MAYO LEAVE WOR FOR U. S. NAVY Alvin Flanagan, staff director at WOR, N. Y., left Saturday (28) for Marine officers' training srhoot He was formerly with WRUF, Gaines- ville, Fla. He Is succeeded by Sher- man A, ('Jock') MacGregor, former actor and NBC director, and brother of Kenneth MacGregor, program manager of WGN, Chicago. Bob Mayo. WOR account executive, leaves this week to take a commis- ion as lieutenant (jg), and will re- port for training at the Quonset (R. I.) Naval air base. He is suc- ceeded as account executive by John Nell, formerly executive for retail accounts. Latter's place will be taken by Bill Crawford, of the station's promotion department. Pomted Message PhlUdelphla, Dec. 1. December 7—'Pearl Harbor Day' —will be marked by WFIL In a program titled 'Revengefully Yours* and addressed to Tojo, Hitler and Mussolini. Theme of the show will be war production of Philly area, particu- larly the Lukena Steel Co., with dramatizations of weapons forged with Philly steel in action. Program was .written by Edward C. Obrist, WFIL program director, and is be- ing piVlmM'by Don Martin, pro- duction manager. Coast Gas Rafioniiig Poses IVoblem, How to Get Aodieiices to Studios Bob StepWt PoD Cleveland, Dec. 1. Blng Crosby and his Music Hall program held a 3-1 margin over all comers In tha annual Plain Dealer Radio PoIL' The htmdreds of votes received, according to Robert Stc- phan, radio editor, came from over 71 towns besides Cleveland and many neighboring stat^. Following Crosby were programs starring Kate Smith, Lionel Barry- more, Red Skelton, Don Ameche, Paul Barbour, Fibber McGee, Fred Allen, Edgar Bergen, Bob Hope and Joan Davis. Hope took first place among comedians; Radio Theatres, dramas; Army. Hour, war efforts; Vivian Delia Chiesa, feminine vocalists; New York Philharmonic, symphonic groups; Bing Crosby, men singers; Andre Kostelanetz, lighter and semi- classics; Guy Lombardo, dance band; Chicago University Forum, forums; Information, Please, quizzes, and Lo- well Thomas, news commentators. Berlin Favors Rex Stout Widi Sneer on DX Rex Stout, chairman of tha Writ- ers War Board and conductor of Our Secret Weapon* for Philco (CBS) drew ilre last week from the Naizls in Berlin. The following sneer- ing Item on shortwave radio was monitored In the U. S. A.: (Copy) Item 13: *A Swedish paper re- ports that a new propaganda or- ganization has been set up in Washington recently, announcing this as comprising some 3,500 United States writers, headed by Rex Stout, well known detective story and pulp magazine writer. Rex Stout himself is reported to have cut his own production in detective stories from four to one a year and to be devoting the en- tire balance of his time, to writ- ing official war propaganda. 'Many of his colleagues from the pulp magazine profession are said to be following suit. Now we have the explanation why so many of the war stories, released in Wash- ington, have so strong a flavor of Chicago gangsterism and why we have so extremely difTicult a time to tie up iYKse tales with tiie ac- tual happening.*;. 'Washington propasniida is once again up to the old World War tricK of producing its war tales in the relative safety of Greenwich Village and Tin Pan Alley, in- stead of at the front. More power to the imagination of Mr. Roose- velt's actlonitea.* AFRA'S 5TH FROUC HELD IN CHICAGO Chicago, Dec. 1. Over 2,000 persons attended the recent 5th Annual AFRA Frolics and Ball held at the Sherman Hotel. Bob Brown, NBC announcer, arvd Ben Bernle, acted as master of cere- monies of the floor show which con- sisted of the King Sisters, Bert Wheeler and Hank Ladd, Billie Hol- liday, Jeannette, Milton Carroll and Glen Vernon. Phil Levant's orchestra furnished the dance music. Murray Arnold Into Army; Wallis Gets WIP Spot Philadelphia, Dec. 1. Murray Arnold, program director of WIP, leaves this week for Army induction. His spot will be filled by Edward Wallis, assistant program director and publicity chief. Sam Serota, production manager, will be upped to take Wallis' place. Erie, Pa.—Tom Flemming has be4n promoted to chief announcer, and his staff now Includes Alan Cans and Stan Rogers. Hollywood, Dec. 1. Mebba It'a too brash to predict that agendea and networks may have to give away dishes to get an audience for a comedy show, but tha lads are really worried, now that gas rationing has been slapped on thU city of distances. No me- tropolis has such a wide spread of population as this so-called City of Angels and' Its cinematic pur- lieu. Biggest buyers of aspirin are those connected with network shows which take the early haul east. That means a few hundred must be rounded up around 4 or 5 o'clock, which is betwixt and between. It's too early for servicemen on leave from nearby concentrations, and taking long streetcar or bus jumps isn't exactly recompensed by 23 minutes of buffoonery. It's a stand- off which is hurt the most—NBC or Columbia, Latter has the big- gest audience studios, but NBC has the laugh shows, which, for some unexplalnable reason, can't seem to get along without the howlers out front. Abbott and Costello recently had t« have an audience tor a Ave- minute cut-In', which prompted NBC to accommodate a CBS program— because It had a leftover crowd from a preceding program. Recorded laughs and giggles are out, say the network because, as of bj. (before rationing). Giveaways are also frowned on, even though Luckles seem to do alright with the dggla handouts. Latter, however, looks like the best bet, but what are the coffee shows going to do? Suggestions are In order and some- one Is going to have to come up with the right answer if the comics are to have their Indispensable live auditors out front to pace the laughs for the home dialers. RCA MAY USE RADIO ADS AGAIN Now that Westlnghouse is going on the air, RCA has become more sym- pathetic to the idea of returning to NBC or the Blue Network with an institutional show of Its own. It is reported that RCA might be inter- ested in a 'Cavalcade of America' format, providing it Is of sui>er di- mensions. Any program for RC.\ must be acceptable to the. various communications and manufacturing omponent)) In the corporation. Lord & Thomas is the agency (or the combine. INTERNATIONAL SAVER GOES ALL-MAGAZINE International Silver Co. is Aiviiig up radio to go magazines. "The ac- count terminates its sponsorship of Edward Murrow's Sunday report from London (6-6:15 p.m.) as of Dec. 27. The manufacturer might have con- tinued if Columbia could have fur- nished the adjacent quarter-hour and thereby restored to International Silver Its old half hour. ISC had considered the Idea of resuming the 'Silver Theatre' format. CBS could- n't oblige. Welch Grape Juice occu- pies the 6:15-6:30 segment and likes it THE $64 QUESTION Wktt latlM «!■« ntr if NadM H blvef I' rM ku t* «i>h iiw fMi iidy y—'*,*' bin iltg, /AMES MADISON, umady wriltr »ltk • kwtimiiid. Srik lUyt dMiwad. Th«ra m two wm tl tittlx lauglii: "liltlni than" (ff tlw *lr ar aandlni II far my o» SAG aHCET. P.O. Bm 124. 8rn< Cantral Amu, M. V, (Watch for a new gag every week) SEE PAGE 321