What's on the air (Mar-June 1931)

Page 14 WHAT'S OX THE AIR March. 1931 Jookfno^ fiirouqj^ khe. ^yhrdfoscope Norman Brokenshirc will not be on the air again until March 13, when The Radio Follies resume on CBS. He's South now making "yellies." Lois Bennett, soprano of the Armstrong Quakers and other NBC programs, is the wife of a vice-president of the Fada Radio corporation— and the mother of two children. Elizabeth Lennox is among the few contraltos under contract to NBC who is married. Among the single ones arc Mary Hopple, Welcome Lewis, Vee Lawnhurst and Leslie Frick. Individuals high-lighted by Edwin Alger in NBC's Who's Behind the Name programs arc personally interviewed by Alger before each broadcast. Alger is a Washington newspaperman. Mother — What made you stay so late with that radio announcer? Have a flat tire? Daughter (dreamily) — No, Mother, I'd hardly call him that! Olga Scrlis, leader of the Parnassus Trio, heard daily in NBC programs, longs for real winter weather so she can take snow baths, as she believes snow water is ideal for the complexion. No need for excitement — she does not go out into it. On every week-day, excepting Saturday, you can tune in on WHAS, Louisville, Ky., between 12:45 and 1:00 p. M., C. S. T., and hear an educational program broadcast by the University of Kentucky. These programs for March deal with Agriculture, Commerce and Politics. A winsome widow who, aside from being hopelessly simple, is simply hopeless, writes the Radio Press that she has loved and lost three husbands — all named William. "Docs this," she wails, "signify anything?" "Certainly does," assured the worldly editor. "It means that you've had the Willies." J Phil Cook, NBC's Quaker-Aunt Jemima Man, dialectician and one-man show, is flirting with vaudeville engagements since he abandoned his early morning broadcasts. The daily evening programs, for which he also prepares all the material, do not keep him busy enough to make him happy. Walter IN. Linthicum, baritone soloist and announcer at WBAL, began his musical career at the age of fifteen, when he joined his High School Glee Club. When not appearing before WBAL's microphone, or as soloist in church, Mr. Linthicum follows his profession — that of teacher in one of Baltimore's public schools. Frank Wincgar, whose orchestra is heard regularly over WABC from the Village Barn, was a busy boy during his undergraduate days ,11 U. of P. He was coxswain of the varsity crew, rope-climbing champion, art editor of the Punch Bowl magazine, winner of the Mask and Wig dramatic trophy, star golf-player and an able high diver. He also won several rewards in architectural competitions. An intaglio ring sent to Announcer George Beuchler at WABC by an anonymous admirer is said to be 1,100 years old. Carved in its stone is the head of a man and a Greek inscription, which, read backwards, constitutes an archaic spelling of the name "Damocles." Antiquarians to whom Beuchler has taken the ring declare that the reversed spelling indicates its use as a seal. Howard Chandler Christy, American artist, presented Graham McNamee, ace of the NBC announcers, with a portrait for Christmas. Christy is said to have worked several weeks on the picture, which McNamee regards as the best ever painted of him. Mrs. Mack — I'm bothered with a little wart that I'd like to have removed. Dr. Jones — The divorce lawyer is at the second door to your left. Dr. Klein, whose voice is familiar to radio listeners through his weekly "World's Business" talks over the Columbia chain, reports that when he arrived in Cairo during a recent extensive tour, a number of persons already knew of him through his weekly broadcasts, which, they told him, arc heard regularly in Egypt through the medium of Columbia's New York short-wave station W2XE. The 50,000-watt transmitter of the Hartford station, WTIC, is located on a densely wooded mountain, ten miles from the city, and technicians stationed at the plant have noticed that several deer come out of their sylvan haunts early each morning to hear the opening programs. Fred Wade, WTIC announcer, has been the butt of many jibes from the engineers, who maintain that every time the animals hear Fred's voice they are positively enraptured. Sam Lloyd, the puzzle king who gives out brain-teasers over WABC in the Central Savings program, says nobody need be ashamed of being addicted to puzzles. Among their fans he counts Theodore Roosevelt, Edison and P. T. Barnum. A little further back in history he finds Newton, Huxley and Herschel, Byron, Macaulay, Longfellow and Edgar Allan Poe. Lloyd declares that, as a rule, the successful man or woman is the one who is best at solving puzzles. Nine little hot dogs Sizzlin' on a plate, In came the studio staff And then they were ate. — Pure Oil News Florric Bishop Bowering, director of "The Mixing Bowl," the radio household service broadcast from WTIC, contends that this machine age is a great thing for most people, but some of them arc having a tough time keeping up with it. She cites the case of the woman who wanted to know where she could buy the little ice-cubes to put in her electric refrigerator. And the case of the woman who, not knowing the function of the dustbag on her vacuum cleaner, thought the dust was carried away through the electric cord, being consumed by the electricity en route. And the case of the housewife who called her electric washing-machine a fake because the wash was just as dirty at the end of two hours as it had been when she put it in the machine. On interrogation she admitted she hadn't put water in the tub because she thought the electricity did the cleaning. Providing "atmosphere" for the scries of Old World programs which arc being presented in S and W Mellow 'd Melodies, keeps L. Scott Perkins, NCB Pacific Coast producer, busy. lie recently searched San Francisco to find a real Austrian zither-player for the Viennese presentation. Then he had to turn around and look for a balalaika artist for the Russian program, and some Chinese musicians for the Oriental one. Perkins' chief worry now is what's going to happen when he gets into the Balkans, and has to go out on a still hunt for come one who can play the guzla. Microtia — I'll tell you something if you'll promise to keep your mouth shut. Penelope — What is it? I will. Microbia — You've got halitosis. When Gunnar Johansen was a little boy in Copenhagen, a serious, anxious teacher called upon his father one day. "He won't learn his lessons," she told the elder Johansen. "What in the world is going to become of him?" Before the next year was over she had her answer. The little boy who wouldn't learn his lessons was touring Denmark at the age of thirteen, and by the time he was fourteen had earned enough money to take him to Berlin to continue his musical studies. All of which ought to point some kind of moral, but Gunnar, now an NBC artist, whose Sunday piano recitals from the National Broadcasting Company's San Francisco studios arc looked forward to with eagerness by thousands of radio hearers, admits he can't find it. When the telephone rang at Columbia the other night the operator was told, "This is the Grand Duchess." An awsome effect was produced both on the operator and the pageboy dispatched to find Alexander Woollcott, who had just finished his Tuesday night Early Bookworm broadcast. The titled voice be longed to the Grand Duchess Marie of Russia, whose latest book had just been reviewed by Woollcott. At the close of his broadcast Woollcott called upon his audience to toast the Grand Duchess Marie of Russia and the United States. It was this gallant tribute, heard over WABC, that prompted the call. Another telephone call was received in the announcers' room at WABC several days ago: "May I speak to the dean of announcers?" asked the caller. The announcers were in a quandary. Each with becoming modesty, hesitated to pick up the receiver. Finally one stepped up to the phone and said, "This is he." It was Louis Dean, one of Columbia's newest announcers. Immediately following a recent astrological hour over WHK, Columbia's Cleveland station, a feminine voice came over the phone in this fashion: "Could I speak to Evangeline Adams, please?" Operator — "We're sorry, but you have been listening to a Columbia program." "Then, Evangeline Adams doesn't live in Cleveland?" "No, she broadcasts from New York." "That's a shame. I wanted to ask her whether to-morrow would be a good day to get a permanent." NBC Elevator Girl — Here you are; sixth floor. Sonny. Piqued Male Passenger — What you mean, "Sonny"? You're not my mother! NBC Elevator Girl— Yes? Well I brought you up, didn't I? Sjrft Spcffe IF you like your bloodshed piping hot, let me recommend to you the antics of the amateur boxers. There, now, is a sport approaching at times the lusty mayhem of the old gladiators. Alexander, Ca;sar, or whoever it was, who first put that wisecrack in the tactics manual to the effect that the best defense is a good offense, probably thought it up after seeing a couple of the champions of antiquity slicing up each other's ears with the cesti, all in the interest of good, clean, amateur sport. The modern amateur fighter has improved on the old tactical maxim. Not only his best, but often his only, defense is a lusty, wild-eyed offensive. The cream of these fighters is gathered each year in the New York and Chicago areas for the Golden Gloves tournament. Semi-final and final bouts, culminating in an intercity tournament, will be broadcast this month by station WGN. On March 2, 3 and 4 WGN will go on the air at 10:30 p. M., C. S. T., for the semifinal bouts between the Chicago boxers and those from other cities in that area. The broadcasts of the Chicago finals on March 1 1 will start at 8 p. M. The intercity matches are held this year at the Madison Square Garden in New York on March 30. WGN will also report them, beginning at 8 p. m., C. S. T. The action, you may be sure, will put the lackadaisical fellows who appear these days in the professional ring to shame. The heavyweight finals in a Golden Glove tourney several years ago serve as a good illustration. The opponents were a Mr. McGrath, one of Knute Rockne's minor footballers at Notre Dame, and a Mr. I loffman, who was a cornfed fellow from Bloomington, 111. Mr. McGrath rather fancied himself a boxer. Mtf Hoffman had no illusions. He opened hostilities with a wild swing which whistled two feet from Mr. McGrath, as the latter sidestepped. ,4r^ Mr. Hoffman was not discouraged. He reached far behind him, as if to scratch some remote portion of his anatomy. The resulting swing ended a ten-foot arc on the jaw of Mr. McGrath. The latter was game. He came up glassy-eyed on a count of nine. Mr. Hoffman measured him carefully and loosed another overhand swing, which, after nearly slaying the referee, again hit Mr. McGrath on the chin. That unfortunate fellow promptly assumed the position of an ostrich in the ring, his nose buried in the canvas and his ponderous rear quarters elevated. But Irish blood will tell. He took a count of four and arose again, to meet a third swing, which laid him cold. Ten minutes later, when Mr. Hoffman was on his way back to Bloomington. Mr. McGrath arose from the stool to which he had been lifted and offered to fight the referee. Sport fans may now see as well as hear their favorite stars over the air. Daily at 6:45 p. M., C. S. T., Hal Tottcn, sports announcer of WMAQ at Chicago, introduces some sports celebrity over that station and over \\ 9XAP, its allied television station. Tottcn is also "fanning" on baseball at 6:30 p. M. Saturdays, over WMAQ. Pat Flanagan, sports announcer at WBBM, is on the air at 8 p. M., C. S. T., every Saturday this month, with prc-season dope on the recruits coming up in the big leagues this season, and bulletins from training-camps. WGES, at Chicago, will wind up its hockey broadcasts this month. It goes on the air whenever the Chicago Blackhawks play at home, generally Sunday and Thursday, 8:3 0 r. m. Some fellows started out to play a putt-putl golf marathon tournament at Chicago last month. At the last report it had gone 1 S J hours, and the announcer at WKBI, a local station which broadcast the breath-taking affair, was about to come down with the jitters in his search for new adjectives.