Variety (Jul 1946)

so RADIO Wednesday, July 3, I945 ♦♦ ********************************** \ From the Production Centres H t I * * ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ ************* ** » ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ l/V ISEW YORK CITY . . . C. T\ ("Swanee") Hagman, veepee and gnl. mgr. of WTCN, Minneapolis, on August 1 takes over as gnl. mgr of the Central Division of ABC net- work, with offices in Chicago, operating under Ed Borroff. Jim Skirten continues as asst. to Borroff. William S. Paley to Coast for fortnight.... .John H. Rebcr, Jr.. son of the J Walter Thompson radio topper, named a production asst. for NBC tele- vision... .Bertram Lebahr, Jr. (Bert Lee on the air>. WHN sales director, delivering commencement address at Central Commercial High School, N. Y.. ... .Radio Program Information Service, new weekly mag giving complete info on all radio and tele schedules, slated to hit the N. Y. news- stands late this month... .Burke Crotty, chief special events producer for NBC television, who handled the Conn-Louis fight telecast, into Beth David Hospital, N. Y., for a major operation, with Garry Simpson filling in, meanwhile, on the mobile equipment unit. r. .J. Raymond Walsh under- went minor spinal operation Saturday (29). Goes on month's vacation after hospital checkout, with Don Goddard filling in on his WMCA com- mentary Rita Hurwick, WOV publicity gal, getting married next week to John Hymcs. of Biow agency. Gerda Michael, who formerly collabbed with her sister Sandra on "Against the Storm" and'"The Open Door," returned to the U. 5. Monday (1) aboard the Gripsholm after two .years' foreign service with the OWI ... .Beri Smock and Jeff Alexander teaming on the new Domino DeLuxe ciggie commercials about to hit the airwaves. Jackie Kclk's roles on "Aldrich Family v and "Superman" stanzas being written out of the scripts while Kelk vacations in Bermuda for two weeks starting Saturday (G)....Guy Lombardo's plane commuting service be- tween Long Island and Manhattan slated to begin operations next Mon- day (8).-. .George Carson Putnam, Mutual newscaster, assigned to emcee the Philadelphia Water Carnival tomorrow (4) for the second successive year. .. .Reginald T. Townscnd, Lenhen & Mitchell veppee, named a chevalier'of the National Order of the French Legion of Honor. . . .After several months off the air, "The Seahound," juve adventure serial, re- turned Mon. (1) under-the direction of Cyril Armbrisler on Mutual. It's hoard across the board at 5 p.m. with Barry Thomson. Ray Ives, Walter Vaughan and Alan Drake in the cast. '.: .Oliver Barbour, director of "Life Can Be Beautiful" and formerly with Transamerican, has joined the Mildred Fcnton organization. He'll take over "Jungle Jim" and ''Front Page Dramas."... .Maxwell House (General Foods) trying to build up Meredith Willson as a musical wit and radio character on basis of the orch leader's showing on NBC summer replacement "Maxwell .House Cofloe. Time." In addition to baton chores, Willson is emcee, doing chatter bits about people and songs, and intro-ing music and acts On show. Re- action, to his ambling, slow-and-easy style apparently, very good.... Radio- He Lester Fletcher playing in "Young Woodley" at Weslport, Conn.. July 8 week.... Maurice Dreicer, conductor of WWRL's "N. Y. Panomara," to - ♦ ^ '-■ ; : : "HIRES TO YA"' FOR SECOND YEAR HIRES SUNDAY PARTY ARC. COAST-TO-COAST Memo. Ok!! RICHARD PAIGE NBC TENOR "Jl»my Hod* and Ms Mule" "National Bora Dose*" Pratt RtpretMrtarivM DUTTON-UPPOLD KSFO Syndicates 'Bikini Preview' San Francisco, July 2. KSFO pulled one of the most un usual stunts of the "Atomic .Show," with three men, Ray Hamilon, sta- tion head; Austin Fenger, director of news and special events, and Allen A. Kess, chief audio engineer, spending 30 days across the Pacific: During that time they made a series of recordings, 16 in all. which they titled, "Bikini Preview,' 1 featur- ing practice missions, trips on pilot- less drones, native singing from the Marshalls and an interview with two Queens and two Kings on one broad- cast. .■ With Universal feature syndicate acting as distributor, these record- ings sold to over 63 stations through- out the country, including stations in New York, Chicago, Pittsburgh. In Kansas City the Beacon acted as sponsor and as far West as Honolulu the Star Bulletin sponsored them. The 11 Western States had Acme Beer as sponsor of the records. Success of this venture has the station now considering more syndi- cated series. (Station believes this Was the first time a special events program has been syndicated.) Austin Fenger acted as narrator. Production was handled here by Bob Hansen, night news editor at KSFO. appear as guest lecturer at N. Y. U. summer radio school July 11 Ernie Martin back to Hollywood to get CBS Coast-originating program mill in operation after three-month indoctrination period in N. Y CBS again clearing out its offices at 4 p.m. on scorching afternoons... Jack Stone and Bill Preston of WRVA, Richmond, in N. Y. last week stalking radio scripts Irving Mansfield burst blood vessel in his eye last week..., Columbia Workshop gets two Hollywood orginatipns, July 21 and 28. Bill Robson will direct... .Albert N. Williams doing program dept. "pro- files" of the four networks for Saturday Review of Literature.... .Sidney Smith has succeeded Kevin McCarthy in title role of CBS' "Richard Law- less" Elwood Hoffman, editor in CBS program writing division, off to Maine on holiday Mutual's prez Edgar Kobak off Sun. (30) for three- week vacation at Pine Orchard, Conn. (JV HOLLYWOOD ...... Bert Gordon and Eddie Cantor are parting after seven years. In a letter to Gordon giving him his release, Cantor said he felt "The Mad Russian" was ready for his own show and it wasn't quite fair holding him to his contract Bob tRobt. D.) Andrews, veteran newsman, has turned over his Newspaper Guild of the Air program to Danny Winkler for com- mercialization. Great reporters of the past will finally gain recognition for their beats on the show, which will dramatize the stories behind the front page... .Lux led all the rest in the seasonal average of Hobperated dramatic shows. They closed like this: Lux 24.2; Screen Guild Players 21.4; Theatre of Romance 11.5; Academy theatre 5.3; Hollywood Star Time 5. and U. S. Steel Theatre Guild 5..: .Art Linkletter plays prof on College of Musical Knowledge while Kay Kyser stays home for seven weeks and minds the baby. Should be an expert sitter by then... .NBC's Bud Berend back from N; Y. and bristling with enthusiasm over the fall pros- pects. Like ol' man river he ain't saying' nuthing' Pete Paeger caught the Hollywood spirit and gala premiered his Souvenair albums with a Rudy Valee-emcecd shindy...:Vic McLeod won't be chief of staff for Bob Burns' writing battery next fall. Slight disagreement and amicable parting.. . Charlie Vanda's frau presented him with a seven-pound femme . .. .Wahoo La Hay hustled back to her home base after installing Chet Brouwer (those Ayer people have the trickiest jiam.es) as Coast press head for the agency... .Contracts finally were signed for Hedda Hopper to emcee the new Camay dramatic series and her biz manager, Dema Harshbarger, to deliver the talent and picture properties.. . .Frank-Danzig disced a dramatic offshoot of "Mr, D. A." called "Justice," with lead roles taken by Gloria Blohdell, Francis X. Bushman and Knox Manning; Ben Pearson scripted... .Fitch people due in to work out the deal with Phil Harris and Alice- Faye for the NBC Sunday night spot. First script by Bob Mosher and Joe Connelly already completed... .Fox Case, who re- cently resigned as assistant director of CBS Washington office, picked by Harry Butcher.to manage his Saiila Barbara, Cal.. station... .Ford execs in town lor takeoff of summer show and to build some lire under the Bob Crosby exhibit. They haven't given up yet on Judy Garland but Metro has other ideas. .. .KFI may relax its policy 011 beer shows airing before 10 p.m. due to the Cantor-Pabst switch IN CHICAGO . . . Don Quinh, "Fibber McGee & Molly" scripter. vacationing in Chi. Wade ad agency unveiled its new offices in the Civic Opera Bldg. Wed. (26) for the press and Chi radio people... .Heinzl Weber, 13-year old son of Marion Claire and Henry Weber, WGN musical director, was guest pianist on Mutual's "Chicago Theater of the Air" Saturday (29)... .Lewis H. Avery appointed national sales rep of station WHBF, Rock Island-Molinc, 111... .Gil Verba joined ABC central division announcing; staff... .Herman Cleanoff, concertmaster of the New Orleans Symphony orch for the past two seasons, returned to the NBC central division'music staff Mon. (1). Jack Odell, WCFL production director, father of a seven-pound daughter ... .Paul Barnes pinchhitting as announcer on "Famous Names" While Ken Nordine vacations... .Johnny Coons inked to portray four characters on the "Vic and Sade" show....John Norton, ABC veepee in charge of station relations, in town for a looksce... .Harry Wood back on the WCFL announcing staff after service with the Marines in the Pacific. Geraldine Kay off for a six week vacation with her two and a-half year old son.. . .Singers Billy Leach and Louise King added to WBBM's "Mel- ody Lane".. . .Fred Ziv in town with John Sinn and Charley Gaines to cut some Wayne King, platters... .Frank M. Baker, recently out of the Marines, joins Reincke, Meyer & Finn.ad agency as radio director..,. Nancy Grey, Women's department director of WTMJ, Milwaukee, married last week in Cal. to Stephens Mclver Hal Lansing, WGN announcer, vacationing in northern Minn. ABC central division vacationists include Chris Ford, continuity manager, Norman Kraft and Herb Newcomb, an- nouncers,-Leo M. Mulatz, engineering, and Mildred Turza, public, service ... .William Drips, NBC agricultural director laid up at home with three broken ribs as a result of an accident at his. home last week—Ed Borroff, veepee in charge of ABC's central division back from a business trip to N. Y Art Ja'cobson, NBC central division production manager, to N. Y. on business Claghorn Ties In With McCoy Senators for DX. Follies Routine Via WRC Washington, July 2. Neatest of the Senator Claghorn routines went out here locally last Wednesday night (26) over WRC the NBC-owned station. Kenny Del- mar came here as featured enter- tainer ata dinner which marked the 50th anniversary of Hecht Co;, large D.C. department store. Stunt, arranged by'ldcal NBC peo- ple/tied in. Senator Claude Pepper (D., Fla.); Senator Glen Taylor (D., Ida.), and Reps J; Percy Priest (p!) Tenn.), Leslie C. Arehds (R., 111.), Harve Tibbott (R., Pa.), Harry l! Towe (R., N. J.), and Frank Fellows (R., Me.) for auditions on the "Sen- ator or Congressman Mostly Likely to Succeed in Radio." Program went out over the air from the dinner, with.Delmar giv- ing the nod to Taylor, one-time radio crooner in Idaho, and awarding him $100 in Confederate money. Act was thoroughly rehearsed and was worked from a prepared script, with the members of Congress joining good-naturedly. The four Republi- cans made up a barbershop quartet. Pepper played a harmonica. Taylor crooned and played a banjo, and Priest gave out with a vocal and ukclele selection. Interesting sidelight is that there is a good deal of talent in Congress, and the way is wide open for a na- tionwide broadcast of Congressional entertainment as soon as any net- work gets hep and goes to work 011 a smart angle. Washington—S. Ralph Dubrowin, ex-AAF major, has joined WINX here as promotion director. Before going into service he was copy chief and account exec for the Rcdlicld- Johnstonc ad agcticy in N.Y. "Lord Reglnal Battersby, III, Knight of the Garter, Knight of the Bath, and 'Breakfast of Champions.'" Inside Stuff-Radio Radio directors now outside the pale of Radio Directors Guild in Holly- wood are getting subtle hint that they'd best come along now or suffer consequences of being reluctants. When Guild is set with national charter and starts negotiations with nets and agencies those who are now disinter- ested will be obliged to join via closed shop arrangements to be effected, Then dues and initiations will probably be raised, it's being rumored. Then, too, those who have dropped out or otherwise become amiss or derelict may be subjected to some unpleasant retroactivity. Meanwhile Ed Byron, president of the Radio Directors Guild, issued the following statement in New York yesterday in connection with the inlra- unioh labor dispute: "The Radio Directors Guild is united in its loyalty to the AFL. The membership is unanimously behind the petition of its Executive Council to the AFL for an international charter, and the council is carrying forward its attempts to win the charter with unremitting effort. There never has been any suggestion from the membership of affiliating with any other labor organization. "The RDG is united in its opposition to the attempts of IATSE to en- croach on the Guild's rights lo represent radio and video directors and associate directors. "The RDG is also carrying forward its organizational drive in New York among agency, local and associate directors, and launching broadly into the television field. "Together with the Hollywood RDG and the Chicago and Washington organizations of radio and television directors and associate directors, it is completing final plans for a nation-wide organization functioning under an international AFL charter and pursuing; definite and immediate and long- range plans." NBC and Coast affiliate KFI have not resigned as reported,, according to front offices. The existing ticket doesn't terminate until next year and. in view of what holds promise of being a changed situation, the net is un- likely to jump the gun and weaken its bargaining position. There's a strong possibility that KMC's request for a wattage hike from its present 10,000 to 50,000 watts is being very favorably considered—it not already an accomplished though unannounced fact. The situation Would then be competitive, and since relations between NBC and KFI aren't exactly rosy, particularly since the video hearings here, both the net and KMPC arc likely to get flirty. Latter is known lb be open to the idea. Reading & Writing: Radio commentator William S. Gailmore is a pub- lisher now. He issues a monthly, four-page paper tabbed. Now, which analyzes foreign and domestic, political and economic affairs—in other words, a fat 15-minute commentary once every four weeks. Started five months ago, Now published two issues then skipped three* but Gailmor sez it's going to come out regularly from here on in. W D R C — F M 1946 Report on Hartford Market Worm-*.. T»« ' M -I..WDRC. H-rH.r-J- w.nrory copy- ••THERE'S PLENTY OF • BUSINESS IN G•t Your Share By U 1 i n g . • WEED & CO, National Rapreienlaliiut cjet Cashniitit in Hollywood DAVE BACAL ORGANIST and PIANIST Now FREE LANCING ORIGINAL MUSIC IDEAS 47 East Dlvliioa, Chicago 10. III. Delaware 4249