Variety (Sep 1943)

36 RADIO Wednesday, September 1, 1913 » ♦ < « » « » ♦■»■» ♦ ♦ Philly Bulletin Expands Radio Promotion Setup ♦ ♦♦♦♦♦♦-»«♦«♦«♦ « > 4♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ ' ♦♦ ♦ ■ ♦♦♦•♦■•♦■■»■»♦•♦ Philadelphia, Aug. 31. The conservative Evening Bulletin, once the • "daily which ' was ] most 1 i'lleVfiic"lo radio., last week added lo RadclifT Hull ha,resigned asannouncer of (he lllldo« ( iidr-R a lei«lvshow j j' s «l'ea<^^nnbilwis radio ; p..omo- i thai, he win devote fhe' time to a how scries, 'T1m- Clods Are Atiiiist; vH'"' - 0 ' ,:.,' , '-.. .1' '1 , ,.,' - . ■ _- _ . The pa - which claims the larg- est evening paper, circulation in the. f/V /VEJF YORK CITY U.. S..' already has a live-hour 'news- and-inusic' program ticup wirivWfl'L/i The new shows. also_ : on WFIL. will W/ ; 'thA»^„'15-iniriiile;i«iluiJib' .shoes' weekly. ■./- so eorinccri.' •' t-jie■ British Information Service. .. /Irene Beasley has just returned from a railroad jaunt of 22 day,-4 thfoiluli the' south-. . . .Cha/rlic Schc'rick. Jr./..Is directing 'ilas'teii the Day' for the OCD..',. Axel Clrueii.- berg has j.esigncd:'-fi , brir''' , C6untor Spy' to- direct the Gertrude Lawrencij- Rcvlon series lue). ' '.-. ■ ' .." C .- Henry Bin-pig. dfaleel" comedian, who three years, ago joined CBS as assistant director,- has' returned io- t he fold; after a leavev.;-. .Robert .Kania, CBS technician, lakes a stopwatch; to become aii : assistant diVceto'r.-for same outfit.... WMCA press-publicity, head, Leoir Goldstein; who taught . his know-how' at the ./:U: Radio Workshop spring session.] doe's a repeat for. NYU' regular .semester: .. .Albert Gvobe. WQXR ; announcer chief, who has been .freelancing'.him-.narration,. had four shorts reeling .simulranebusly in. different, film. theatres/downtown.; . .Chick jiiccnt; .'Pepper Young : s Family' producer, who puts 'Foreign' ssifinment.' the. Frank Phares. thriller; through it's Saturday paces for the Spu.vainc office ! between AFRA and seven broadcast Court Gives Flamm 2d Try .ColliImiea from paje 30 , TO APPROVES 10% PAY HIKE BY AFRA ■ Washington. Aug. 31, ; WLB lias okayed, deal worked-oul over Mutual, has just finished directing a series of K.T:'s,. 'Heroes of the Navy..' by Stanley '--Wolfe, arid prbduced by Bcrriie kisser. going' oh Blue Sept. ... Edgar, A. Mpwrer and Max ticrnor lo. pinch hit'for Samuel 'Grafton 1 WOR > onia/tler/s i0ui>wcck vacash starling Sept. 5'.., .Arthur Va/n Horn, WOR newscaster, enters Army Sept. 10. .'. .John B. Hughes. Mutual's Coast commentator, 'portrays 'himself' in coming'Warner ..Bros, life of George Gershwin/filiii... ./Arthur. Fefdmah. I BBC).. goes'-' to .Blue's London'news office Sept. t to assist George Hicks.; ' '.I.ohii DeW ill,' former 'David Harum' scripter np'w with the Navy, in town on leave. :. -.Peggy O'Dohpell succeeded Timmie Hy ler in the Amanda of Honeymoon Hill' serial. Miss Hyler going out of. town for-."the tryout of the hew Elmer Rice ■legi.tciV 'A New Life'; ... .Waller Lurie, 'formerly with the OWI. has joined the radio department of Fodle. Cone &t fielding; ' as eastern rep on the Lockheed series.,, .During Ed Fleming's vacation George Ansbro is .announcing. 'Front Page Far.rell' v. ...Casting: Rupert LaBetlo, -Paul .McGrath X'Front-Page-Farrell'); ve Condon ('Just Plain Bill'); Cliff Cai-penleiv Robert Haag- ('Mr. Keeii");. Raymond Edward John- son. Alan Devitt'. Jean McCoy: ('Our Gal: Sunday'); Bill '.Adams VSiella Dallas').. " : - ' Bob Hawk has, instructed . agency arid network .. refer to him as. 'quipmaster.'. instead' of quizmaster:'..:Herb Moss has' worked- put .a new agreement -with Ralph Edwards, giving him freelance status as director of ■•■Truth or .'Consequences,-' and has also signed to direct the new Ed; Sul- livan .series' for Mennen.: s.have cream.. . . Arthur Henley Sdded; to. the script slaft for Sammy. Kaye's Old Gold show; besides continuing.''Black. Castle' and 1 'Everything Goes'...;. .Ralph Gteasoh, jiye-cohscious .former,. .CBS publicity -man, writes.from London that-he's located spine West End joints, where the British he'peats gather for jam session's and jilter-bug- ging.:: .Bill Ramsey, Procter .& Gamble radio' head, ' due '■ the week of Sept. -13 for his next; New : York trip..; ...Boh Curiiow, an announcer, fprinerly with .the Rocky Mountain Radio Council, iDenver, has : shifted to New York. - companies prpyi ihg'lor a 10^;, raise for actors, /singers • and; anhouhcei's oir commercial programs.-.'■. Action was ..iihahimous. with . : iiicrcases retroactive to March .8. • Companies involved arc : NBC. CBS: v Blue. WOR Program Service, Don Lee chain, WCiN. Inc.. and Agri- culluVal Broadcasliiig :System, The agreement .covers those working' in the production studios in New Yor , Chicago, Lbs .Angeles, San Francisco and'Hollywood. IN CHICAGO . Jane Green, who has been on such shows-here.'as 'Painted' Dreams,' 'Hot Copy' and 'Author's Playhouse,'.,has been signed, by' Metro and departs for .'Culver City, Calif.! next week. A ringer: for Marie Dressier, she is mentioned as a possibility, of starring in a.'role based *on the life of the late actress.. .'.Ltv Comdr. Eddie Peabody. made " his last appearance on the National -Barn Dance program Saturday (28)... ."Lee Marshall, 'of Russel M; "Seeds, arid previously with CBS, was.inducted' by- lhe Army August 23 ....Danny O'Ne.il/ CBS singing star who received six commercial con- tracts '-following his .first trial sustaining broadcast over WBBM, is ap- pearing a hio in the. Empire Room floor -show at the Palmer House.;.. That •Brewster- Boy 1 enters its third year on the air with the broadcast of 'Sept. 17.'. Connie Crowder, Hugh Studebaker, Jarie Webb and Louise Fitch are still' playing the roles ihey originated..Martin Campbell, managing director of WFAA, Pallas, and W. E. Wagsfaff. commercial man- ager 6l KDYL;' Salt Lajte City, were visitors, last week.'.. :Clifton Ulley, newscaster, has added another . series-, to' his" already full schedule by taking-over WBBM's five-m-week ijfsws spot at 5 lo 5:15 p.m.,. for Interstate Bakeries;.'. Bill Slocum, Jr.,. CBS director of special events, here for : a few days....Karl Davis and Harty Taylor, known as Karl- and Harly, have ..rejoined "the WJJD- staff and are heard nightly on the station's 'Suppertime Frolic - ;. . .George Reeves, formerly with WAKR, Akron; Marvin Conn,' of WOWO, Fort Wayne,; Irid:, arid Mark Hayward, formerly of WLOL. Minneapolis, were, added to the WIND, Gary, Indiana, announc- ing staff last, week., . .Robert Quick has resigned as assistant concert- master of the. Chicago Symphony Orchestra to become concertmaster of the WON -Symphony Orchestra, succeeding Michael Wilkomirski, who. will devote his tiriie to his citrus grove in Texas. Follow-up Comment , Continued from page 3i-^^s program, debuting for Carter's Pills next - Sunday. It was traileri'/.ed past .weekend, including the setting of the ■mempry song'-theme, plus one full musical'number, at the' fag-end of Inner Sahctum. . The creep series moves, lo a .Saturday spot-for- an- other, sponsor. Carter's figuring that its nostrum, aimed at the a.k. trade, was -riot best, alluned' .to a shock show, "whereas the suaver .musical interludes would, appeal more to the oldsters Hildegarde was OK for sound; ably abetted by Milton Cross, on the Basin Street show Sunday.. RubinofT did one solo as his guest chore; but the chanteiise was given fuller scope. Ji\ HOLLYWOOD . Gordon Hughes, has become a staff producer at KNX in addition to looking after "Dear John"... .'Bud' Berend making a swing of New Or- leans. Chicago and New York to'contact: NBC clients in. his capacity as Coast sales manager. ...Ted Hediger. wiil be on the bridge of. Xayier Cugat's Dubonnet show, taking off-Sept. .4 on the Bine.- ',Airing for the east goes out with> ihe break of dawn at 8 a.m..;J.. Waller Thompson gang Had a gag all cooked up for: John Reber's arriva) la.st week, : but. it went sour because- the train got in on time, a'.-wartime' noveity., Edgar Bergen, clanked up. his old Stariiey Steamer, lobk on-board Bob Colwell, Joe Bigelpw aiid Ed Gardner,-arriving at the station i-5 minutes after the- chief had -debouohed -their quarry.-. Befuddled by the dawn's early light and neglecting to ask about train time,' they-.-'paraded-.the platform with a banner reading; 'Welcome" John Reber, the Poor; Man's Frank Sinatra.' wit+i Gardner and Bei-gen holding-up the poles.. It finally dawned on oiic of them lo ask. ihe station master .about .the'train's arrival and ^beh-'lhey touitd out they hustled, back to town to find Reber, 'who meanwhile had been taxied to his hittel... .Frank Sinatra's 'Broadway Bandbox' broadcast was moved lo a sound stage at RKO last Monday so 3.000 young 'tins could shriek- and swpori Paul: Whitemah east- wilh the- missu.s'fbr a ■few weeks' rest at his Rosemont, N. J., farrp. :We'll' come back if' and when the 'Duffy's . Tavern- deal, is signed';. .Teddy. Lynch spoiled on KFWB in her ou'n sjiiging ;spbt. : She's wife of Paul Getty,.-"millionaire oilman.' and has been: chirping in New York night spots... .Bob . Welch,; • former producer for Eddie Cantor and Jack Benny, now a corporal with Army Special -Services in.Hollywood.':. .Robert Arinbruster directing" the music on foiir-originations here of 'Cavalcade of America'..Jack.Hunydn came back froin/hts Mexican siesta and tpok to his bed with' the- ll'u,... : . Paul. Warwick around to look iri.on' the Groucho Marx beer opus. ..'.Ed Gardner liopphig around' lb -'fill .guest shots, a.iidilion a 'Miss Duffy' and talk ovtfr his .pitjtui'e at.Paramount.,'. .Hal Bock ; of,NBC rating hows for the recent release of material' 6ri :Amos' 'n' Andy, ncally compiled for future reference.., .Syd Gaynor,' sales' chief for Don Lee net; back.from a .junket; through the east with a haul of new biz aggregating 12 quarter- hour and three five-minute. weekly periods. . . .Marvin Goodson trans': ferred from NBC's KGO in Frisco to Hollywood production, staff. The. Jim Jordans (Fibber and Molly) celebrated:their 25th ahriiversary ■last Tuesday.... William Blees made v.p, o( Young & Rubicam and : . put In charge of department to service the firm's clients. He .was .onetime. ./'general. manager of J. Stirling Getchell agency . and previously sales man- .•ger/ot' Nash niolors;' f ": Initial. peiforman.ee -of . Morton Gould's newest composition for piano and orchestra, 'Concertetle No. 1,' highlighted the CBS. Cresta Blanca Carnival program. Wednesday night (25), and was distinguished chiefly by a second movement 'Gavotte' arid a melodic third, movement. 'Blues' theme reminiscent of Gershwin. On the whole; it: was another colorful sample pf Gouidiana, despite disap- pointing first and fourth movements.' Jose ILurbi as soloist gave it a tech- nically brilliarit'performance, bring- ing to the 'Blues movement in par-: ticular a haunting quality: Chucho Martinez' tenoririg of 'Peo- ple Will Say' was a standout. Round- ing out lhe : program were Gould's' .usual colorful arrangements of ^Lit- tle Brown Jug' and 'Stardust.' Using the same rapid-fire style de- livery as Bob Hope, Jan Murray, the new. Broadway comedian cur- rently spotted at La Martinique nitery, guested .on the Jerry. Cooper- Ray Bloch 'Keep Ahead' program Friday night (27) over WOR-Mutual Unfortunately, Ihe four-minute' pe- riod allotted, .'to him forced him through his-gags at an almost break neck, speed. The limited time was not sufficient to enable him to creale a definite radio personality.'although the potentialities' are ' there, even when dimmed by his brief session of hoary, jokes. ■ ihp proof . at. Flamm offered ..now added little to the charges of fraud that the former WMCA owner made siiorllv after the sale. The court re- called that most of the representa- tions had. been brought lo Hie alien' lion .Pf the FCC ' while Noble was seeking renewal ;of the statibii's li- cense, and that the FCC had seen, fit to disregard' thenv. - ; ; The decision look recognition, of Flanii.n's charges that the Washing-, (on jaw 'firm 6t : Pepipsey St '-Xoplo-" vitz. each of ihe latter former FCC founsi'Uhad urged Flamm to sell at Noble's price before "Noble applied for. -WMCA's': -wavelength. ; "Justice Peck ■ slated that' these allegations 'may be disregarded; because irdbes not, appear: thai the information /re'-' ceived had. .- connection with fraud or was" prejudicial to: the'plaiii-: tiff iF'lamnu in. any Avay..' 'No Sutisfaclory ..' The court also wrote that 'there is no satisfactory '/denial in the-defeii - ant's 1Noble ) papevs lhat (he. alleged lepresenlatioiis were made by his attbrurys (pempsey *&' .Koplpvilz) and 'there is no apparent reason- why the defendant, who paid a find- er's' fee 1 $42,5001- to a' broker for bringirig the availability of the sta- tion lo' his att.en.liort'. and then re- fliiesled the broker: not ' to..-.p>rtici- pate in .the..negotiatip.ivs, should have engaged these parlicujaivlawyers to negotiate Ihe sale/except for the irripressjbn, which these .-.-.'fawy'ers would likely .;make. on the plaintiff (Flamin 1.. 'The trouble; on. tfi.e other, hand, wilh the plaintiff's case. 1 the decision' continues, "is that he knew :of the elements of fraud, except the !.participation of his •employees. ( Don aid Shaw .and Leslie -Roberls). /and that he suspected that before lie transferred , the :station.:-and still he ha;< wailed two and a half .years,be- for'e "seeking a rccissipn.' - / When Flamin. filed his. suit against Noble ,.he included a .H-page affi-; davit frpin Roberls. a former WMCA v.p.. in which., the .Ifttteir-conTessed' that he had been .a party lo.a 'cpir- Bob Hope last Thursday (27) did another one of his mixtures of wise- cracks arid inspirational messages over NBC, with the broadcast this time originating frpm North Africa. After explaining that he was just back from entertaining the troops in Sicily and. that, he was beading for America, the comic -made..-Dorothy, Larriour.'s sarong the- teeterbbard of jmost of his qufps. Hope flipped that sarongs weren't anything new lo the •women in North Africa; orily there they wear them ^higher up—under Ihe ideas. His; report from the light- ing froift gave emphasis to the p'ridib he topk from the; realization that 'the ground that we were standing on was' won by the fellows that we were playing to." '.'We .have 1 he added, 'no exlras here;: they're all stars.'; :■ '.'■' .spiracy' to force Flamriv to sell the station to Noble. : Flainm's counsel ■ stated yesierday. . (Tuesday) that the bringing of the. aclion had been delayed all this, time for only, one reason, lack of .proof of all the things that Flamm suspected on the; eve of the sale and thereafter. When ' the ...proof, added Handelman, came- to hand and ' it was properly reinforced,. Flamm then acted. Handelman said that he. was. certain that the delay angle ' will haye little .nveanin when ihe case is actually tried; : ■; It was reported last \\y. that . Noble had decided oil tiie' purchaser, of-"WMCA. arid that' he would not announce: the. new owner unlit after Ihe FCC 'had acted on the. - luc's sale... '■/. '/'• .-. • Handelman/ of Handelmaiy A lyes, / attorneys for' Flanirii.' today iTiics- ■ day/) issued-' ihe -following slMcnient; , regarding Monday■s ,; 'dccision: .'• . . 'JTustice Peck's decision speaks for iisc'lf. Ite has clearly slalc ; d that, although Noble has failed 1o make salis'factoi'y explanation of his'acl,- Flamnv should be barred iVorii (lie temporary.: relief souglU in this mo- tion because of his dejay in bringing' this matter before a. court,." The delay, as will be borne but by the-' fifcts and testimony.'.in due,course,, will/- clearly indicate thai thotigli .F,lainm had many, suspicion's, he d| - not have any actual proof until wilh^ in the past several months. He. made - an investigation to- (he best of'his' ability,, but; live naliire of the con- spiracy blocked' 'all. Of/his ' efforts •and it was riot until, this yca'i- that he obtained actual roof of the fraud. ... •: 'Regarding Noble's well publicized assertion that (he only purpose of this suit is to repurchaso .WMCA at a 'bargain price,' I need only ./point out that- Noble'and his associates were well aware of our plan to .brii suit several/months berore.'he even contemplated purchasing the Blue; Network; in. fact, we. weic 'iiegolial-' ing with his altorncy as far back as last March.'' Fight MBS' ' Continued f rom' page 2t ; vertisers an oppprt'unily to get at the other 50?i.. - In their, protest to Herbert Aker- berg.' CBS' v.-p. iri charge of .station relations', the Columbia affiliates de- clared that they considered it unfair for an advertiser to subject them/ to audience competition from a local station (Mutuals) after Ihey (the CBS affiliates).Jiad given their, time and money to .promote local listener- ship for. the program. CBS officials have expressed : themSe|yes in sym- pathy with this point of view and advised the "affiliates that they agreed that the. Mutual proposition was 'had radio.V It was also revealed that the CBS saies staff had been deployed in the situation and that the latter was pointing out to ad agencies 'how in the end their clients would be the losers; on getting the maxi urn listeners for their pro; grams.' . The thing that seemed to disturb CBS most was thfe report that deCaslro had included the 'Lux Radio Theatre' in the periphery ot his' solicitations. DeCastrb denied this Monday <30); Agencies .Protest -Agency ejiecs, who' have been articulate on. the subject/ based their opposition on the-Circumstance that Mutual had offered advertisers a free ride of 13 weeks, during which lime the client vvould. be given bill Ing.bii Ihe broadcast, but the pro- grams would- be. used.' exclusively' to boost the. sale, of war bonds and. cir eul'ale Government messages. The agency people. said/ that the giving away of facilities or space was s°n;e thing that the craft had always dis cpiuaged. Agencies . live by com missions and when -there/are rip bill (iigs there .is nothing upon Which the agency can legitimately base its bill for. services, /' :"•'■ ' One agency exec posed the! fol- lowing question: opposing the re- peat programs:do go on the.air wilh- out commercials,/ would ■ it riot be roily for the industry lb give the public a concentrated taste of high- grade, pibgranis which "carry no comrh'ercial 'j copy whatever'.'" An- other agency rrian asked - just i'how Mutual could guarantee that' its af- filiates would / hot' stud such -pro- grams -with 'chainbreak announce- ments? peCastro's .answer- to this was that Mutual affiliates -taking these repeat programs would be re- McKesson Buys News Spot on CBS Coast Link McKesson-Robbins has" bought the 9:55-10 p.m. segment on the CBS Pacific .lirik:.for a daily news analysis . by Chet/Hunt'ley. J. B.. Tarcher is " the agency. . . Goodrich -Tri e uses the same spot everywhere but the Coast via'Joseph Ci-.'Jfarsch;. CBS staff coinmentator. F.D.R. SCORES PEARSON Fullori I/.ewlsV. Jr.„ whpse opinions on several' recent occasions have paralleled : policies of the National Assii. of Manufacturersi- turned, his criticism on that organization :Mon- day cyeniilg (30) on Mutual. Dis- cussing the- NAM'S' rccerit statement on .corporate- earnings and; wa^c.s paid to labor, he accused \i bf 'Using' 'ti-ick phrases' and misleading fig urcs to give a false irivpfession. Spe- cifically.- I<ewis asserted', the- NAM statement figured earnings on gross receipts, instead of capital, inv/esb- merit, thiis giving .an erroneous per- centage, rate. The NAM wage lig ures. he said, included overtime pay- . . . menls and are therefore similarly quired to sign an agreement to re- misleading. . . I train from that very practice. Brands False Pearson's-Charge That Hull Is Anti-Russian Washington;. Aug. 31. President koosevelt today stepped into the Cordetl Hull-Drew Pearson conlrovcrsy, over latler's ' assertion ■ iri print arid over the air thai Hull (allegedly) wanted to see Russia 'bled white,' by referring, to Ihe col- umnist as a chronic liar'. T. D. R, irked by Pearson's inference that the Secretary of State was hosliie to Russia, said that the writer had shown bad faith to his country, . Newspapermen recall; that the President was also annoyed by a re- cent piece in a column lo the effect that Harry Hopkins was undermin- ing Eleanor' Roosevelt's influence- with / F.D.R. . Yarn intimated that H.H. was closer, to the Presidential car than Mrs. Roosevelt. Pearson also look a-.verbal ."lacing- Monday (30) from Sccrelary ot Slate Hull. . / ,';'; ' / 'Monstrous : and diabolical false-, hoop's,', were what Hull called Pear- son's, charges that/ the Slale De- partment is/ opposed to Ihe Soviet Government.; Charge was made by Pearspn,.bbth. over: the air and' in. ■his column. . '. /Pearson botirided right back wilh Ihe statement 'I hope that Mr. Hulls denial of my charges Dial he is aji ariti-Russian/wjll- stand belier than ■ his recent deninl lhat Sumner Wcl-. les would, resign.'. Kennett Joins CBS . Robert L. Kennelt has been ap- pointed manager of a program re- lations division' of CBS. effective : today. (We'dri'esday').- , is » new department. ' Kenrlelt was fornierly program director of WHAS, Louisville. tnld Mager- resigned ,Monda> (30). as publicity director or WPt-"' Philly. . Mias Hager. was formerly charge, of radio'-promotion for. >n. Philadelphia. Record..