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

June, 1931 WHAT'S ON THE AIR Page 5 "SALT AND PEANUTS," favorites at WLW. class of Mechanics' Institute, Rochester, N. Y., will be heard over an NBC network Tuesday, June 9, as will Maj.-Gen. Smedley D. Butler's address at Charlestovvn, Mass., on the eve of Bunker Hill Day, Tuesday, June 16. These are merely examples of the talks of varied interest that listeners may hear during the summer months. In the field of world-wide broadcasts, NBC expects to establish new records, performing marvels of program exchanges that only the most daring believed possible a few years ago. The first will be a pick-up of the great English Derby at Epsom Downs, June 3. Racing experts, distributed around the track, will give a running commentary of this historic sporting event. Similar contests will be picked up from other countries. During the winter Americans have become accustomed to hearing programs originating in England, Italy, France, Germany, South America, Hawaii, Australia, Japan and from aboard ships at sea. In addition to many political leaders of every important country, the Pope and other prominent church-members have spoken over the air waves to an entire world. Radio carries the listener around the world in a few minutes. Anything seems possible. It is not only possible, but highly probable, that transatlantic fliers, explorers in distant lands and scientists, engaged in portentous experiments, will speak direct from the midst of their activities to all civilization. If Lindbergh were to repeat his memorable flight to Paris now, he undoubtedly would carry a transmitter and personally broadcast his progress. It could be done. It is possible some one will within a few weeks. Studio programs promise many novelties, according to writers, directors and artists. Margaret Anglin, noted stage star, will play the title role in a radio dramatic series based on the life of Joan of Arc. The Women's Radio Review, recently inaugurated by NBC, gives the afternoon schedule a presentation equaling in quality the favorite nighttime concerts. This one-hour show includes a prominent dance-orchestra program, selections by vocal soloists and instrumentalists, and talks on topics of interest to women by leading authorities. NBC is planning innovations in dramatic broadcasting intending to develop this type of program to greater heights. And behind it all moves the hand of fate, holding in its grasp television, that elusive invention that lures on to greater effort scientists, and in fact all concerned with broadcasting. Television, like prosperity, is said to be just around the corner, and who knows but that the waiting world will arrive at that as yet unmarked corner during these summer months? SOME CBS HIGH SPOTS There is plenty of enthusiasm on tap out at the Madison Avenue headquarters of CBS. Of the more than half a hundred sponsored programs at present broadcast over the Columbia network, forty have definitely decided to continue on the air through the summer months, and pending negotiations make certain that nearly a score of new programs will be added to the commercial list in the near future. One of the most ambitious summer-time radio series in the history of broadcasting commences over the Columbia System June 1, when R. J. Reynolds & Company, makers of Camel cigarets, brings together on one feature Morton Downey, Anthony Wons and Jacques Renard, all of whom have been outstanding, single, sustaining entertainers. Sixty associated stations of the Columbia System will carry the Camel Quarter-hour Series daily except Sunday at 7:45 p. M., E. D. S. T., for Eastern listeners, and again at 11:30 p. m., E. D. S. T., for Western and Pacific Coast listeners. Downey is to be the star of the series, while Wons will be master of ceremonies, contributing bits of wisdom and philosophy from his scrap-book. Both Downey and Wons have been outstanding sensations so far this year. Morton Downey made his debut as a regular network broadcaster last December, and his rise to fame has been spectacular, to say the least. Wons is not new to radio, having been a microphone personality for nearly nine years. He has, however, during the last year broken all existing records for fan-mail response. Thousands upon thousands of fan letters pour into the studios every month. Wons, by the way, is perhaps the only radio artist extant who can boast of having 90 per cent, of his material contributed from the radio audience. Renard, who will direct the orchestra, has several things of which to boast. For one, he weighs more than Paul Whiteman. His band has been the talk of New England for ten years, although only recently it has been brought to the ears of America through the medium of a nationwide network. Aside from his announcerial duties on the Camel scries, Wons will contribute some of his original sayings and his inimitable laugh, which many say is a good deal like that of Will Rogers. These "three horsemen" of radio, who have trodden separate roads to fame and fortune, will come together officially for the first time at 7:4 5 p. m., E. D. S. T., June 1, for the grand premier. Rosa Ponselle, Americanborn prima donna soprano of the Metropolitan Opera Company, will be heard over a nation-wide network of the Columbia Broadcasting System from 3 to 3:45 p. m., E. D. S. T., Monday, June 1, when a part of a performance of Verdi's opera, "La Forza del Destino," is relayed to this country from the stage of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London. Since her debut in London in 1929, the appearance of Miss Ponselle at the Royal Opera House has been one of the outstanding events of the London opera season. $g Bert Lown and his Biltmore Orchestra have been engaged to co-star with Bradford Browne and Al Llewelyn in the Francis H. Leggett & Company "Premier" radio programs this summer. The fifteen-minute broadcasts will be routed over the entire Columbia basic network, excepting KMOX, St. Louis, but with the addition of KTRH, Houston, Tex., each Thursday at 9 p. m., E. D. S. T. Browne and Llewelyn will continue as the "Premier Chefs," featuring their "synchronized conversation" and the presentation of a new original composition each week. Si The schedule of Daddy and Rollo programs, formerly broadcast every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7:45 p. m., E. D. S. T, over the Columbia network, has been changed, after the broadcast of May 28, to 7:30 p. m., E. D. S. T., every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. The first broadcast on the new time schedule will be Sunday, May 3 1 . The program, written by J. P. McEvoy, author of "Showgirl" and "Mr. Noodle," is acted by Nick Dawson and eleven-year-old Donald Hughes, and is sponsored by La Palina. To the strains of an overture played on their "mighty gas-pipe organ," the Tastyeast Gloomchasers ushered in their nightly program of comedy over CBS from 8:45 to 9 o'clock, E. D. S. T., Sunday, May 24. This presentation, new to the network, but one that has achieved sensational popularity in Buffalo, largely consists of extemporaneous dialogue between a certain erratic "Col. Lemuel Q. Stoopnagle" and his eccentric pal "Bud." These roles are taken by DICK ROBERTSON and "SCRAPPY" LAMBERT are the "Mac ami Al" nf the McAlecr Polishers.