Variety (November 1924)

Wcabcfday, lIov«mber 19, 19BI RADIO VARIETY 33 iopekastahon aOSES RADIO V. .. i*3-- y/FAM AsMMinenU Put Quietiu on Broadcatting Toi>eka, Kan., Not. 18. Topaka la now without a radio kroadeasting station, WPAM having ■witched off last week. For the past month WPAM has h—n urging Its llsteners-ln to write ta whether or not they desired to Isave the station continue. It was aot because of an adverse note that iba abut-dowh resulted, but because •( an asfessment by the Westing- house people, ofllclals of the station taclare. ^. WPAM has been on the air here for the past two years, with regular programa three nights a week und 4ally market and road service re< porta. Its eaulpment has been licensed f^om the Westlnghouse peo- ple and the station has been broad- f ting with 100-watt power. Re- cantly notice was served on the Pal- ace Clothing Company, owners of WPAM, that the |500 assessment made against all 600-watt stations waa being assessed also against WPAM. There were formerly two stations In Topeka, the other one baing WJAQ, operated by the Topeka •Dally Capital." Thla station, how- •rer. haa been out of the air for aaarly a year because of the in- creased coat of broadcasting. Poth atatlons had been tied up with theatres. WJAQ having as one of Its "remote controls" the Orpheum theatre, and WPAM broadcasting pipa-organ and orchestra music iTom tha Cosy theatre. POBLISHDIG OFHCE WiniOUT PIANO The unusual of a muslo pub- lishing* company functioning without a piano is the case of the Gene Rodemich Music Co., which has no piano in its eas- tern office. The reason is that the firm la axplolntlng three dance numbers by Rodemich and Larry Conley, his partner, and is conducting its cam- paign via the malls which eliminates the need of a dem- onstrating piano. The Rodemich Arm Inciden- tally came into ej^stence in a novel manner. On a visit to New York last September, Conley contended to George D. LiOttman, now the Arm's eas- tern manager and at that press agent for Jack Mills, Inc., that radio cannot hurt a papular song on the theory that indifferent numbers may be affected, but that worthy compositions will always stand out. That was the beginning of the company when Lott- man, Rodemich and Conley started their concert with the Intention to broadcast prollf- Ically. It is a subsidiary of the Jack Mills' Arm. an ;M. P. P. A, member, which does not radiocast promiscously, but only from licensed stations. CONTE^ puBucmr Thit "Dally Mirror" (New York) radio contest! With the conclusion of the Arst contest Saturday, a new contest was announced but block voting waa prohibited. Possibly it got to be too great a nuisance for tha newB{>aper's clerks, but it was a circulation booster, up to about 10,00« daily. Vain radio artists bought up copies for tha coupons which repre- sented as many votes. One radio announcer is known to .have resorted to the same stunt, Just for the publicity. Here and There George Freeman's Oklahoma Col- legians, last summer at tha Bloa- aom Heath Inn, Lynbrook, L,. I., opened recently at the Venetian Gardens, Montreal. )^ France Has Worid's V-^?. '0* Highest Broadcaster Bordeaux, Nov. 10. Broadcasting has been established from the new wireless tel^hone post on the Pic du Midi mountain. In the Pyrenees. The experiments were declared to be a success. At jMreSent this Is the highest l>roadcaatlng station in the world Mixi will be mainly used for send- ' tng out metereologlcal. information ■%o French farmers. A 850-metre 'wave length Is em- ployed. ■ ■.' Nevin's New Home Washington, Nov. 18. William M. Nevin, Meyer Davis' Washington manager, has bought a home on 14th street. Nevln opened tt up on Friday night last with a housewarming With the company •Btl^'ely made up. of musicians on tha Davis i>ayroll here. "A grand tlma was had by all." ;- - ,■< Karm and Andrews' Eight-Cylin- der Syncopators of Detroit have been placed with Karyl Norman's "That's My Boy." Tha orchestra will perform on the stage. Both well Browne's' "Dancing Di- ana," musical score. wUI be pub- lished by E. B. Marks. David Starr the producer, is co-author of th« show with Browne. Dick Johnson has signed wltft Ray Miller's Arcadia orchestra as saxophonist. Johnson was last with Specht before visiting bis home town ^n the west. Al J. Coniparte Is now assisting Ilk the band and orchestra depart- ment of Shapiro-Bernstein. Justin Ring is now In charge of the Okeh recording laboratosies, succeeding Arthur Bergh. Tha lat- ter assumed his duties as record- ing chief at the Columbia Phono- graph Co...Inc.. Nov. 15. R. F. Bol- ton, tha former Incumbent, baa re- algned. .7?? j -. '. ^^ FDST PLAN IN POPULARIZING M NUMBERS BY RADIO ONLY Compoeers to Give Air "Audiences" First Change to Gauge New Song Material—Original Catalog for Initial Test—^Limited Broadcasting HRST RADIO ADV. EVER PUBLISHED FOR TALENT WITH SALARY TO BE PAID Leo Feist, Inc., is essaying an ex- periment with radio and popular aonga under the direction of Leo Wood, a staff songwriter, assisted . by Gertrude Wood, his wife, and Itouis Breau. another composer. The experiment calls for the radiocasting of a specially com- posed catalog of Ave songs written by Wood and Breau to be sung by the writers and Mrs. Wood not more than once or twice a week from certain broadcasting stations of the licensed type only. No other medium of exploitation will I utilized and not a professional copy or an orchestration distributed. The songs were designed to in- clude the ballad type, the "gang" song, the simple "home" theme and others of a kindred order that would be most likely to fetch a favorable reaction from the radio public. ^^ Mr. Feist is personally Interested ^|n tha experiment and is fostering it since it is not unknown that Ed- ■^ fue fV Bltnar, tha Arm's gmtnl manager and treasurer, is a Arm disbeliever in broadcasting of any kind. The outcome of thla experiment is eagerly awaited not only by the Feist executives but should prove of wide interest to the music in- dustry at large. The test is being accorded the widest possible chance to prove Itself one way or another, both through the system of ether- izing and the type of songs offered. It is too soon for any gauging but already one number, "Mother's Humming Lull.iby," la showing up encouragingly If not in any extra- ordinary manner. For a time the experiment will be centered around the metropolitan broadcasting stations but obvious- ly, to really do Justice to the test, several key stations around Chi- cago, Boston. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, which in the past have been credited with "starting" radio song hits, will alxo be Included In tha atatlona. GLENECHOPARK AND RADIO First Park in Country Broadcasting . "Washington, Nov. 18. From present indications. Glen Echo, Washington's outdoor amuse- ment park, will be the Arst in the country to have its own broadcast- ing station. Leonard B. Schloss has entered Into negotiations for the station, and if a license can be secured, the dance music at the park and other special features will be sent out during the coming summer. Contracts wer« entered into last week between Mr. Schloss and "Happy Walker" and his Golden Pheasant Orchestra to furnish the music for the coming season. Walker la the latest addition to the k>cal music purveyors and has built up a large following here. The park will bill Walker heavily and is anticipating a big aeason with their enlarged ball room. That'there is still.much sentiment in tha amusement park Aeid was evidenced here %hen recently, dur- ing a severe Illness, Mr. Schloss was the reolplenv of a platinum watch with the monogram Inlaid with diamonds from William H. Dentzeli, the Philadelphia manufac- turer of outdoor amusement de- vices. South Africa Libor Unioit Loses Musicians' Body Cap* Town, Oct It. Tha Johanneaba.s branch of the MualclanaT Union, aaaoclated with the South African Industrial Union, has cut away from the latter body. The causa of tha split was due to tha falling oft in membership through the belief the InteresU of the musicians were not on a aoui.d baaia aa merged with tha Industrial Union. FITTSBUBOH HEAB8 PAUL PltUburgh. Nov. IS. The report in Variety tliat llarris- hurp WouM ba tho Arst Pcnnsyl- v.\nia city to be honored by the presence ol Paul Whllrman and his orchestra waa Incorrect, as tho famous organisation played here the afternoon and evening of Nov. S. The draw was not vp to expecta- tions. Organist as Feature Writer Washington, Nov. 18. Irene Juno, organist, la fast de- veloping ii.to a feature writer for tha musical magazines. Several of Misa Juno's articles have appeared in the last few weeks, all duly signed and carrying photographs of the writer. American Broadcasting Corp., Author of Announce- ment, Affiliated with Packard Theatrical Ex- change, Legitimate Becking Agency—Mutually Shared Offices—Members of Both Companies Refuse Information—Believed Advertisement Was Tests with Possibilities of Radio Booking Office to Be Guaged Bapjoist Held for Murder Ripley, Pa., Nov. 18. Frank Boertner, banjo artist, who has been giving concerts via radio in Erie, has been arrested, charged with the murder of his wife, Mrs. Boertner, 36, who was shot three times through the abdomen. After the shooting, Boertner rushed out for medical aid. There are three children. Boertner and his wife are said to have quarreled. Companionship Marriage; First IVife Heard of It Worcester, Mass., Nov. 18. A modern Lothario, one who al- though married still retained a winning personality that caused young women literally to fall all over him although the father of two children. Sucb was the way In which Mrs. Joseph A. Fournler of ^rewsbury pictured her husband, who has bean playing in a Worcester band, when referring to bis arrest *on a charge of bigamy. Fournler will go on trial in the District Court at Framingham tomorrow (Nov. 19). charged with having married lona Winifred Mitchell of Holliston June 28, 1924, while temporarily ab- sent from wife No. 1. Fournler and his flrat wife were married seven years ago and went to live in Shrewsbury. Fournier's work became slack and he left to And employment. Wife No. 1 didn't hear from him for some time. Then she found he waa liv- ing with another wife in Holliston. She appealed to the police, but he got away. Later he cama back to live with the Shrewsbury wife. When wife No. 2 learned of this she put the coppers on his trail. Now both of the women say they love him and don't want him to go to jail. But Fournler can't live with both, and wife No. 2 wants some satisfaction for her supposed husband's deceit. Fournler says philosophically: "I don't know why I married wife No. 2; I Just loved her and, being away from home, I got married." AWAIT RESULTS YERKES ENTERS CONCERT FIELD First at Aeolian- Following Tour Adam Carroll's Orchestra Adam Carroll, Ampioo piano re- cording artist, will bead a dance orchestra of his own. Carroll has placed himself under the management of the Whiteman offlct. Harry A. Terkes, pioneer and vet- eran In the dance orchestra Aeld. haa succumbed to the concert tour lure that seems to have been started by Paul Whitem.in. Yerkes will take out a concert orcheatra early In January under the auspices of the Aeolian and Duo-Art com- panies. A feature of Terkes' concert pro- gram, strictly symphonic, will be the rendition of the Arst American Symphony ever composed, by Albert Chlaferelll, farmer soloist of the Philharmonic Symphony orchestra. Among the soloists will be Jascha Gurewich, maestro of the saxo- phone, who has given solo concerts at Carnegie and Aeolian Halln, and Don Jullle, Duo-Alt recording pian- ist, as well as Roy Harvey, nolo banjolst. The ArBt con'-erf wiil be nt Aeo- lian Hall t^itb a tour to follow. Variety last weak carried the Arst advertisement of Ita kind ever pub- lished anywhere—an announcamant soliciting talent fbr Radio and to be paid for. The announcement was placed by the American Broadcasting Cor- poration of 765 7th avenue, Naw Tork 'City. It mentioned novelties and instrumental, talking and sing- ing talent available for Radio. Tha adv. mentioned that a Mr. Robinson of the American Broadcaating Corp. be communicated with or called upon. A Variety reporter . seeking da- tails as to method of engagement, also where the talent might ba played, as Information for show people, was referred in tha oftce of the American, to Mr. Packard, head of the Packard Theatrical Exchange in the aame office suite. The Packard Theatrical Elichange la an established dramatic booking agency of Arst class sUnding. Mr.' Packard, whan aeen by tho Variety reporter, became quite petulant, said he had nothing to give out, that they wanted to Arst learn what the result of tha advertisement might be and K Variety printed anything about tha adt. the Amer- ican Corp. wonld not again adver- tise in Variety. Getting Booking Unr Through the close office associa- tion of tha two companies it is as- sumed among those attracted by tba ' announcement that tha Packard agency U behind tha American Broadcaating Corporation, at least - to the extent of tha latter's possible bookings in radio circles. The Packard agency la althar attempting to aecure a line on tba poaaibllitles of applicants for radio entertaining. - or to submit them to broadcasters, they say, or it may have openings for suitable applicants through de- mand made by radio stations for en- tertaining talent tha atatlona are - willing to pay for. Through the raluctanca of Mr. Packard, to talk, surmiaes only could be mada by the Intfrastad. While It waa conceded among those that the objact of tha advertise- ment might be speculative, they ac- cepted it did denote at least that experienced agency people like tho Packards had taken eognlaanca there may or might be shortly a staple demand, for salaried enter- tainment in tha ether. WYJ Had to Pay That portion of tba announce* ment mentioning authors, brought out that WTJ (Westlnghouse) at Schenectady, N. T., did pay lakt week tlOO to broadcast "Friendly Enemies" by Its own stock com- pany, after having announced th« place and expecting to broadcast it without payment. Samuel Shlpman, author of tha copyright play, noticing the an- nouncement. notlAed the broad- caster it could not ba sent through the air without a payment equal to the charge that might ba made for a stock company (stage) use of tha comedy. WTJ at flrst refused to' consider a payment 1)Ut Anally agreed to pay the 1100 demanded. Rtating it waa the Arst time it had done so. "Friendly Enemies" aa a staga p^ay has exhausted itself for a run or as a road attraction, but there are many points where It could ap^ pear In stock (stage). Tha picture rights were recently sotS for i^S.MO. Weher nnd Fluids r.lll ba the pvia- clpola of tha Aim. ■*4 ^ ,*»,