Variety (March 1944)

28 BADIO Wednesday, March 22, 1944 Eslimate 60% of Men in Radio Will Be GI-Bound By July 1 Kadio. in all categories, production, technical, publicity, news rooms, sales depaitmenti, talent and agen- cies, IS leeling tfom tlie sharply ac- celerated drafting o£ personnel for the armed forces. Executives this past week met almost dally to find suitable ways of meeting this new crisis which has reached more Into the pivot positions both in N. Y. net- work, independent station and agency personnel ranks, and into .the ranks of all station*; and agencies through- oui Ihevnation.:/;'■'■'■rr'"' : "/x;, Suitable \\a%s lo meet the critical iniodds, both fiont ol the Oflice and back,, has not been found to date, air though there have been many sugges- tions. The industry never did asfc. Of : seiective service, ■ special . cpnsicJerar tion; for ar.y emii'.oyees as to the ■'. draft in: the- first place, ex^'dept iri- few ^instanees, biit how even those, ii^i: ,whom deferment- ueie asked are be the undermining ol staffs with key men , on- the way into the. arined forces.. Several top radio execs esti- ■ ,lriated that mote tha SOJp, of all per- ■sonnel- is,;.^ervice-!b.Qu.fl4: or has al- ready been lapped f<jr service. With the imminent induction of family men, and those tor wViom occupa- tional deferments had been obtained these ,toppers estimate that by July 1 almost 60 of those who woiked in radio before the war started will bevservmg their country, / . , Gettiiis Around to Technicians Technicians, men with ^^hom diaft boards have l)ecn most lenient in giving- ,,o,ccup,atipnal, defermfeiils, .are now losing this status m increasing numbers. Key back-of-the-scenes meil at the webs and independent stations, such as top production execs, supoi-T visors of announcers, ad and pub> licity pivotterii, and the like, find themselves in 1-A now more and more with each day's morning mail As to radio talent, e.\ecs find them- selves limited to calling on fewer ex- pel lenced persons than ever before since the,war started^wi.th'-tJie result that porformer.s not yet in uniforni are,.rnbve ini ,den:iand lhaiT heretcifore and tlie web producers and directors -.ThQre inclined tb taice: a Ghanqe ■ on, a newcomer: and-the-iiidastry--fears^'*--A-d—aeencv--tal<nt--scoutsr-T>i'odui tion departments and publicity ,iinils are turning■ to., women replacements in .-nost instances, execs h.aving found in the-, past few years that no sooner was a. man broken into his duties on a - new job, his. induction number came up. ^-'r.}:' ■:':]■'■-:.','■■ rJRe€ord^BsOi^F(r GLIB, LIKEABLE, SALES-BUILDINQ FRED UHAL NOW EMCEES A NEW WOR HIT SHOW— DOLURS FOR Premieres (March 22-Apnl 1) March 23 "Stop or Co," With "Joe E. Brown; 10-30-11 p.m.; WJZ-Blue; MeJCesson & Robbins; J, D. Tarcher agency. March 2S "Now la the Time," service drama; 9:30-10 a.m.; WEAF-NBq; sustaining. "Yoath Faces the Post-War World," discussions; 10-10 30 a.m ; WQXR, N. Y.; sustaining. "Father Knickerbockers War Diary." drama, 6 15-6 30 p m ; WIWCA, N. Y.; sustaining. ■ ■ ■ March 28 , ■ "Passing Parade," with John Nesbitt; 7.15-7:30 p.m ; Liggett & Myers Tobacco; Newell, Emniett -, agency, - April 1 "I'almolive Party," with Barry Wood, Patsy Kelly, "Million Dol- lar Band '; 10-10 30 p m : WEAF- NBC; Palmolive Soap; Ted Bates agency. . ■ ,. Spot Sales On Midwest Airers Chka.yo. March 21. Midwest spot advertisi.'ig reached an all-time high in the six-month pe-; nod ending last month, according to survey made of; all -stations in this area. While station heads; asked that - their individual figures not be quote^, bulking of all figures show an aver- age 27% gain in business over the previous six montlSs.; Increases ; ran' from 5% on: a network to 50% on a class B station and covered a mul- titude of sponsorships Sharpest in. ojeases were enjoyed by the smaller broadcasters. Amusement and help wanted spots lead everything else.,Film;con-ipani«'S have turned more to the radio nie>, cium and are ; using heavier air schedules as newspapers and maga- zines out down.on film lineage. Local, circuiti are using plenty of radio' spots. One large independent station with a 30% increase in spot ad\ ci ■ tising: reports the greatest; part b£ I that percentage is being used on "help wanted';'- pitches. Another prominent network statioii is turning down all requests for time to be used for the seeking of help claiming U Is- not good radio, does not build up an audience and does not get results: A substantial, amio,Uht of, the :tota"l' ife creases on all stations'- is: the result pf an expansip'ri of national accounts. IS'ew, sponsors include coal, and oil. accounts, overalls, , yitartins; - 'defiy- drated, foods, margarine, clothes, furs, flour and drugs. Mark Woods Tdls Nue Execs ^ Things Doe; Tele, FM Deals Cooking Long-range planning by the Blue network to include web owned' tele- vision stations in N. Y., Washington, Chi,: Los Angeles and video outlets in other cities under aftiliate owner- ships was announced Saturday (18) by; Pres; Mark Woods at a meeting in N. Y. of 47 network department heads and. management execs. It was the first general management; nieetr iiig since the purchase ot the Blue from RCA and the later sale of an interestm the chain to Time, Inc.,. Blue Nixes Alan Young Dual Sub Chore; He'll Fill in For Cantor Only Alan Young, Canadian,-comedian, will replace the Eddie Cantor stanza for BristolrMyers on NBC starting July 5 for thesummer, but will not be the summer replacement for the current '"Dufly's Tavern" on the Blue.' isxees offHe^a^tter web put thumbs down, on the scheme early this week. Should Ed Gardner, pilot of "Dufty's," refuse; to renew his pact with Bristol-Myers for next season. Young will then move over to Gard- ner's current Tuesday night spot, Gardner is dissatisfied with his rat- ing on the network and has ordered Young & Rubicam; Sgency,; to find another; spot' on another- netwdrk for the new season. Or he'll cancel out. FRED ALLEN GUESTER FORGIVES lONG PAN' Fred Allen, under a reciprocal deal, will do a guest shot on the Fiank Sinatra Wednesday night show on April 12, with The Voice going over to the Sunday night Al- len stanza later. ; Unusual angle is that Allen'-> recent "One Long Pan" ribbing : o,f - Sinatra . brought;; shari) repercussions from the Music Corp. of America,, which resulted in ,a toning down of the script. ; With the Sinatra show moving east next' Wednesday (29)- sans a come-* diai\ Bert Wheeler remaining on the Coast, Jerry Lester takes over as program's' funny; man tor„ initial two.Ni Y.; airings, with the comedian li,neup from then on being on a weok-to-wcek basis pending a permanent successor to Wheeler. Chet LaRocI,ie, Woods and Edgar Kobak. Woods also announced a plan' whereby the Blue would build itij own studios in N. Y., Chi, L. A., and San Fiancisco and said negotiations weie underway for a station m Washington, as well. FM expapsion also IS contemplated,, the web chief- tain declared, adding that Blue af- filiates were being encouraged to file at once for high fiequency and video constructioit permits. Outside the business sessions Woods denied repoils emanating in Chi that WLS had been acquiied by the net at a tiguie vauously esti- mated at S3.o00.000 and S4.000.000. The notwoik pie\y said negotiations of a few weeks ago with Burridge Butler have been temporarily sus- pended pending the latter's return from Phoenix, Ariz "There piob- ably will be nothing doing in the WLS matter until the middle of April," Woods said. Jlufi_d-ic kei .-^ w ]tli_Eaile C- An- Army Recalls Sarnoff RCA prcxv David Sarnofl has been recalled to active duty as ,an Army -signal corps' CQlpnel.;3n.d^will' -be :reT pl.iced at RCA by Maj. Geu. James G Harboid, U S. A, ret. SarnoiT was on active duty pre- viously, having been returned to cl- vihan lite about a year ago. It's low-priced. It's timed to hit listeners when —iheyVc brushiiiglKeir teeth (with your Hentifrice?) or munching their favorite breakfast crunchies (the ones you make ?). Fred Uttal wanders around a Times Square res- taurant with an open mike; leisurely quizzes sleepy breakfast diners; turns out a pleasant show as smooth as coffee cream. (You know Uttal. His i« the golden voice tliat helped build a rating of 5.4 for Macy's Consumer Quiz; th at's heardon"Word8 in the News", "Mr. District Attorney", other network shows.) "Dollars for Breakfast", aired Mondays through Fi i(ld>8,8:15 to 8:30 A.M., is n6w transcribed. How- ever, it can I)e produced live or recorded, from any desired locale. Call or wire WOR'S Executive Salcsj Office: PE 6-8600. power-full station at 1440 Broadway^ New IVJt, 18 WOR Sninnier-^r Winter CAFK $^0€II:T\ Mubical variety show of unusual format Starring Hazel Scott, Jimmy Save, Mildred Bailey, John Sebastian, Teddv Wilson and His Band, and others. NOT just another variety show. TOPSY A^B i:VA TIME" Half hour comedv script show, with music, starring Rosetta and Vivian Duncan, the famous Topsy and Eva team. Theatrical celebnties In supporting cast. Distinc- tive, different. ?9 'CHICK CARTER Leading juvenile serial, in association with Mutual, and Street and Smith. Originated, produced, and directed by Fritz Blocki. Scripts by Jean and Nancy Webb. FRITZ BLOCKI Writer - Producer - Director Builder of GOOD radio shows Past successes include VCOURT OF MISSING HEIRS" and "CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT" 65B Fifth Ave., New York 22, N. V.—PL. A-6180 .thqny: for . iCEGA,, Los -Angeles, ,;,iais<j ;have. been. , stalled : with latest: -,cie.-i, yelppment 'bein^ :cha.rge:,by, Xnthbny ' and denial by the Blue that the web wab trying to apply pressure to foice sale of the outlet at less than its ac- tual value. ,'- ,« SI■■ 11. 53 3 M-a CNi-;sj«-:t- -.S - c iMt> ;-:4i-'«. o o h: