I III VAR - americanradiohistory.com playing has the Lombardo rhythm. For a number of years, Guy has...

MAY -1940

I I III VAR:TEN CENTS

Bob Hope, taa..: , ofilvdkinwho keeps the nation institches each Tuesday niteat *00 P. M. over NBC.

iiimmer4IN THIS ISSUE: THE LOMBARDOS' STICK TOGETHER

One of the most amazing stars to flashacross the radio firmament is America'sHope for Hilarity, that laugh -a -line starof vaudeville days-Bob Hope. He hasbecome one of the leading gagsters onthe air in such an unbelievably shorttime that old-timers like Jack Benny,Fred Allen and Fibber McGee arealready looking to their laurels. A bigthrill is in store for all Bob Hope fansstarting May 17th for one week as hewill appear on the stage of the ChicagoTheatre with Professor Colonna, The MenHunters "Brenda and Cobina" and Bob'swife Dolores Reed. This is "undubit-ably" the greatest array of stars everto be presented on the stage of theChicago Theatre.An outstanding torch singer and oneslated for the top is lovely blond Armidewho warbles with Ben Pollack's Band,now appearing at the Hotel Sherman inChi. Her arrangements on "All of Me"and "Spanish Town" are definitely outof this world.Paramount signs NBC Stars: BobBurns and Uncle Ezra have the toproles in Paramount's forthcoming pic-ture "Comin' Round the Mountain" withBill Thompson in his "Old Timer" char-acter he does on the Fibber McGeeradio show and Harold Peary cast in hisradio portrayal of "Gildersleeve."Arturo Toscanini will conduct a spe-cial concert with the NBC SymphonyOrchestra in Constitution Hall, Wash-ington, D. C., Tuesday, May 14, inhonor of delegates attending the EightAmerican Scientific Congress. On May31, the orchestra will sail from NewYork for a series of 16 concerts inArgentina, Brazil and Uruguay.Louise Massey and the Westerners,heard on Plantation Party, took theirfirst vacation in three years early inMay. Louise and husband, Milt Mabie,went to Hot Springs, Ark. Larry Well-ington packed up and headed for NewYork and Broadway. Curt and AllenMassey grabbed a fishing rod and wentto the wilds of Wisconsin.Keep your ears open for the melodiousmelodies that'll be pouring out of NBC

transmitters as soon as that new discov-ery, Lee Childs, makes her debut. She'sJames Stirton's discovery and he swearsby her-says she's definitely a moviepossibility because she's tops as actressand singer.

RANSOM SHERMAN

In the spring an NBC comedian's fancylightly turns to thoughts of gardening,but Ransom Sherman's so busy writingthree NBC Club Matinee shows a week,m.c.'ing the same and preparing for hisfirst golf game on June 15, that he hasn'ttime for a full-size garden. Conse-quently, he satisfies the primeval urgeby concentrating on one sprout. Withthe aid of a water dropper for a sprinkl-ing can and a reading glass, he managesto farm without too much exertion. Manya time and oft he may be heard givinggarden hints during the coming springseason during his 3:00 to 4:00 p.m.CDST appearances over the NBC -Blue network.

Advice from Kitty Keene; Gail Henshaw,star of Kitty Keene recently spoke to agroup of high school girls and was con-fronted with the question, "How can Iget into Radio?" Her advice was: Justbecause someone says you have alovely voice don't leap for an auditionwhen they say you should be on theair. Stop and think about your per-sonality, forgetting about your voice.Can you be natural and talk from theheart-rather than from the script? Canyou convince yourself that voice is notthe important thing, but that simplicityand naturalness are vital to a radioactress?"Newest member of Kaltenmeyer's Kin-dergarten class is the phenomenallytorchy songster, Betty Barrett. Comingto NBC from St. Louis several monthsago, Betty's 14 -year -old voice has beena near sensation in NBC program de-partment circles. She will play the roleof Gloriana Pemberton in Prof. August(Bruce Kamman) Kaltenmeyer's class.And speaking of youngsters, remindsus that NBC Director George Voutsas'discoveries-the Dinning Sisters-arealso going up the radio ladder at arapid clip. Two of the sisters-Jeanand Ginger-are 15 -year -old twins. Thethird is 17 -year -old Lou. All three arespecial students with Miss Barrett at theUniversity School for Girls in Chicago.

Marvel Maxwell, one of the sweetestgirls Radio Varieties knows, has justbeen named "America's Ideal Grand-daughter" by the Grandmothers' Clubof America. She's that "Beat the Band"singer with Ted Weems' orchestra.Babies galore arrived at NBC in recentweeks. "Beat the Band" cast membersalone were responsible for three-M. C.Garry Moore, Perry Como and ElmoTanner all bragging about new arrivals.Then DeWitt McBride of Affairs ofAnthony and Tom Mix passed outcigars while bragging about the factthat there is now a DeWitt McBride, Jr.Floyd Holm of the Escorts and Bettyis walking the floors nights with a newdaughter, too.

VOL. 3 No. 5 RADIO VARIETIES MAY, 1940

F. L. ROSENTHAL, Publisher WILTON ROSENTHAL, Editor J. E. WEST, Advertising Mgr.

Bob Hope Cover Camera Caravan 14 & 15The Lombardos Stick Together Page 3 Thanks To You 16 & 17"Pursuit of Happiness" 4 & 5 John H ix's "Strange As It Seems" 18Poor Little Genevieve 6 The Aces and Their Paces 19The Audience Knows Alt 7 Fibber McGee and Molly's Fifth Anniversary 20Hollywood Fashions B & 9 Phineas Fret 21Nelson Olmsted's "World's Greatest Short Stories" 10 The Golden Westerners 22"We, The People" 11 Brenda Marshall 23A Dissertation On A "Ham" 12 Why Play At Hotels If 24Cecil B. DeMille and the Lux Radio Theatre 13 My Impression Of Hollywood 25

Published at 1056 Van Buren Street, Chicago, Illinois. Single copies ten cents. Subscription rate $1.00 per year in United States and Possessions,$1.50 in Canada. Published monthly. Entered as second class matter January 10, 1940 at the post office at Chicago, Illinois, under the act ofMarch 3, 1879. National advertising representative, J. E. West and Sons, 360 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois; 95 Madison Avenue, NewYork City. Every effort will be made to return unused manuscripts, photographs, and drawings (if accompanied by sufficient first-class postageand name and address), but we will not be responsible for any losses for such matter contributed. The publishers assume no responsibility forstatements made herein by contributors and correspondents, nor does publication indicate approval thereof.

THE LOMBARDO BROTHERS - Liebert, Guy, Carmen and Victor.

THE LOMBARDOS STICK TOGETHERGuy Lombardo's sensational success

can be traced to three beliefs. First of all,in the musical ability of his family; sec-ond, in the possibilities of radio; and fi-nally, in sweet music.

From the very beginning, his brotherswere members of his band. The Lombar-do orchestra made its debut when Guywas 12 years old. It wasn't a large band- in fact, it had only three members.Carmen who was 11 played the flute andFritz Kreitzer, a neighbor kid played thepiano. This initial public appearancewas merely playing at the Mother's Clubback in London, Ontario where the Lom-bardos were born. Even at that novicestage there must have been happy in-dications of the band that was to hit thetop and stay there for nine consecutiveyears because the club members whohad invited them to play was later in-strumental in arranging the offer at theHotel Roosevelt in New York, the engage-ment that firmly established them.

After this first effort, Guy augmentedhis musical forces with brother Liebert ondrums and Victor on the saxophone. TheLombardos were soon playing local datesat $15.00 a night. Their first regular en-gagement was in 1918 at a park five milesfrom London and the following summerthey played at Port Stangley Casino onLake Erie.

It is a matter of record that an orchestraleader offered Guy a trumpet player andtwo saxophones for Liebert. But Guy'sloyality is steadfast. He even admitsthat there are better voices in radio thanCarmen's but his singing as well as hissax playing has the Lombardo rhythm.

For a number of years, Guy has heldfast to his belief that radio is THE mediumas far as establishing a band is con-cerned. The Lombardo band made itsdebut over a Cleveland station, W TAM.

The boys had been playing the Keith andPantages circuit but when they reachedCleveland, the act folded. There wasjust cause for panic among the Lombar-do forces for parental pressure to returnhome was becoming more and more in-sistant. There had been threats of com-ing after them and with this mishap, itwas inevitable. It was time for strategyand true leader that he is, Guy conceiveda line of action.

He went to the good natured, under-standing manager of WTAM and askedto go on the air - without pay. It iseasy to guess the answer and Guy wiredhome a rather ambiguous message alongthese lines. "Listen in for we are radioartists now." Mother and Dad werepleased and impressed - agreeable andconvinced.

When the boys got a job at the Clare-mont, a Cleveland night club, Guy re-membered what one radio broadcast haddone for them, so he went back to WTAMand inquired the cost of running a wireto the Claremont and broadcasting hismusic from there. The answer was asimple and emphatic: "Never will youlive to see the day when WTAM broad-casts from a night club."

Undaunted, Guy and the Royal Ca-nadians added an hour to their 12 hourschedule and went to the station to broad-cast.

Carmen says "Every musician in townlaughed at us for appearing on the radioevery day for nothing but there was nointimidating Guy; he made us stick it outall winter."

Slowly the boys began to click. Danc-ers who had originally turned away fromthe Claremont because they could notpossibly understand or dance to the RoyalCanadians' rhythm were being educatedvia the radio to this new, haunting music

and business increased night after night.Just how many radio fans they had

was proved that spring. A dance com-mittee from a small town near Clevelandoffered Guy $200 and 60 % of the gatereceipts for an evening's engagement.Guy wanted to be safe and sure; he askedfor $250 in cash and settled for $225.People who had been hearing his musicon the radio swarmed to hear and seethe boys; the receipts were overwhelming.The band's cut would have been $2,100.

After the Claremont, the boys went tothe Lake Road Inn and followed this witha successful run at the Music Box. Theywere now Cleveland's leading danceband.

The Granada in Chicago was the nextstop on the Lombardo trip to fame andfortune. The club was almost broke andmusic played by an unknown orchestradid not help matters any. But Guy wasresourceful. He remembered what radiohad done on former occasions. He con-fided in the boss, with whom he had be-come very friendly, and persuaded himto approach the station there with theproposition of their broadcasting from therestaurant. The station manager con-sented with reluctance; it was an un-known band and might be pretty bad. Heneed not have worried. Almost over-night, the Royal Canadians became fam-ous; and the Granada prosperous - asa result of radio.

Word of their Chicago successes wasspread to New York and the Hotel Roos-evelt offer resulted. Guy and the boyswere elated and scared. They did notknow just how New York would accepttheir brand of music. There was justcause for anxiety. The New York dancecrowd could not dance to this new brandof rhythm. But the haunting, lifting ca-dences intrigued them and history slowly

Continued on Page 23RADIO VARIETIES - MAY

"PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS"FEATURES

COMEDY ... DRAMA ... MUSIC

By Jack Haines

An exciting novel is made into a stirringmotion picture. A song of the 1900's ismade popular again. An original Amer-ican folk ballad wins over the hearts ofthe nation. Musical comedies recapturethe attention of Broadway theatre goers.

These are the things that are happeningin the United States while in Europe wholenations are disappearing and thousandsof people being killed. While the rest ofthe world is being shattered by enemybombs, the people of the United Statesare concentrating on the latest develope-ments in the worlds of entertainment andliterature. These are the things withwhich the "Pursuit of Happiness," popularnew program heard over the ColumbiaBroadcasting System concerns itself.

Comedy . . . music . . . drama . . . a sortof feature section of American life andentertainment -that's what the "Pursuitof Happiness" is. America is young andalive, it says. Its citizens are writing newbooks, plays, music. People are still pur-suing happiness under American de-mocracy.

When the show was announced by W.B. Lewis, CBS vice president in charge ofbroadcasts stated: "The world is at war.Columbia will continue to bring you com-prehensive news of this war and its at-tendant circumstances here and abroad.But the 'Pursuit of Happiness' will not dealwith war, nor with the issues growing outof war which divide men's minds. In-stead these new programs each Sundayfor a little while will turn aside from thestream of grave events and bring us re-minders that today, with thankfulness andhumility, we Americans still enjoy ourconstitutional rights of life, liberty and thepursuit of happiness."

When Columbia decided to produce"Pursuit of Happiness," a call went out foran All-American entertainer, comedian,tragedian, singer, musician and good fel-low. On the new program they weregoing to need someone who could playopposite America's greatest actors and ac-tresses, "stooge" for the country's leadingcomedians and even sing with the nation'sfavorite singers. In Buzz Meredith, theyfound the man they were looking for.

Meredith had had vast experience inthe theatre, films, and radio and in ad-dition had made a living as a churchsoloist, newspaper reporter, haberdash-ery storekeeper, necktie salesman, comp-laint clerk, vacuum cleaner salesman,farm hand, roofing expert, cosmetics sales-man, Wall Street runner, able-bodied sea-man on a tramp steamer and dishwasher.CBS was convinced that he was the manfor the job.

Succeeding weeks found him introduc-ing Frederic March in scenes from "ValleyForge"; Walter Huston in a dramatizationof Stephen Vincent Benet's "The Devil and

Here are some of the stars of stage, screen and radio who have appeared on CBS's Pur-suit of Happiness. Left to right, top row are: Ethel Merman, Paul Robeson, Jane Cowl.(bottom) Charles Laughton, Miriam Hopkins, and Brian Aherne.

Daniel Webster;" Franchot Tone in "TheMan Without A Country;" Charles Laugh -ton and Elsa Lanchester in two appear-ances, first in excerpts from Benet's "JohnBrown's Body" then in readings fromThomas Wolfe's novels; Ethel Barrymorewith Clifton Fadiman (turned actor) in ascene from George Leighton's America'sGrowing Pains;" Clifton Fadiman readinga chapter from "The Grapes of Wrath;"Lon Chaney, Jr. in a scene from "Of Miceand Men;" Gertrude Lawrence; WalterHampden; Jane Cowl; Judith Anderson;Lionel Stander; Carl Von Doren; Bert Lahrand Ethel Merman in sketches from "Du -Barry Was A Lady;" Charles Ruggles;Jane Froman and many others. Meredithhimself appeared with Franchot Tone in"The Man Without A Country" and LonChaney, Jr. in "Of Mice and Men."

Biggest single hit of the "Pursuit of Hap-piness" was the introduction by baritonePaul Robeson of "Ballad for Americans."a folk cantata written by two unknowns,composer Earl Robinson and lyricist JohnLatouche. The "Ballad," introduced onNovember 5th, brought forth fifteen min-utes of spontaneous applause from thestudio audience. Thousands of phonecalls, letters, telegrams, over 500 requestsfor records alone. Repeated on December31st by popular request, nationwide ap-plause was even greater. The studio au-dience clapped and stamped and yelled

"Author" long after the program went offthe air.

After the first performance of November5th Hiram Sherman who was playing onBroadway in the musical "Very WarmFor May," heard the program in histheatre dressing room 4 blocks away. Hedecided to go to the theatre -studio to con-gratulate the stars. When he arrived 15minutes later, the audience was still in thestudio -applauding.

Another enthusiastic welcome greeted"Magna Charta," a ballad history spe-cially commissioned by the program fromcomposer Kurt Weill and poet MaxwellAnderson. Burgess Meredith himselfsung a lead in "Magna Charta," his firstpulbic appearance as a singer since hisdays as a boy soprano. On another pro-gram the Preamble to the Constitutionwas read, set to music by Walter Mourant.

There seems to be no limit to the appealof the program. Children and grownupsalike "go" for it. In "Listen, America,Now!", a mimeographed magazine pub-lished by the Youth Forum, junior organ-ization of the Youthbuilders, Inc. JerryGregoris, aged 13 wrote:

"Each time I hear the program 'Pursuitof Happiness,' it reassures me that it isone of the best afternoon programs onthe air today. One of the reasons thatthis program is a good one is that it strives

RADIO VARIETIES - MAY

to put America into the hearts of its listen-ers. Another reason why this program isvery good is because it has variety.Now if you ask me, variety is a very im-portant thing which many programshaven't got. Just to prove my point I'lltell you part of one of its broadcasts.When I turned the dail to WABC, the firstvoice that came to my ears was the an-nouncer's voice introducing the program.Then there was the sound of marchingfeet. When the marching had died away,a little girl's voice asked a grownup whowas near her 'Where are the men in uni-forms going?' The man's voice said,'They are going to war.' What is war?'asked the child. 'War, my child is wheremen on one side try to kill as many menon the other side as they can.

" 'Someday,' said the little girl, 'Therewon't be anybody to go.'

"In the latter part of the program therewas music, singing, and comedy which Ithought were all very good. As a con-cluding factor, a man with a negro voiceread from the bible. When I heard thereading, it made me feel and think thatall the wars that have been going on onthis earth were all fought because some-body was selfish and cruel. Many per-sons today are wondering if their sonis sick or well, whether he is alive ordead. These thoughts are enough tomake an ordinary mother and father gomad. All this wouldn't be if there wasn'twar.

This is typical of youth's reaction."Pursuit of Happiness is designed to

bring us reminders that today, with thank-fulness and humility, we Americans stillenjoy our constitutional rights of life, lib-erty, and the pursuit of happiness . . . butit does it without flag-waving. "We be-lieve that the era of stressing patriotismby jingoism and flag waving has passed,"Meredith states "Soldiers no longer singwhen they march to war. The old fash-ioned methods the so called senatorialapproach, doesn't work any more.

"Many people feel that they need noreminder of their patriotism - that it issomething fine they keep within them-selves without public display, just as aman who deeply loves his wife would re-sent having to bare without good causehis feelings in public. He may well re-sent, by the same reasoning, having thenational anthem played or the flag flungunder his nose when it is all being care-fully staged to arouse his enthusiasm orto win approval of something that standson its own merits."

Stars of the stage and screen - writersfrom every field - celebrities from theworld of sports - radio stars - all theseare heard on Sunday afternoon whenthe "Pursuit of Happiness" goes on the airwith Mark Warnow leading the orchestra,Burgess Meredith acting as master -of -cer-emonies and Norman Corwin directing aprogram that goes into the homes of mil-lions of people-people who are gratefulthat once every week they can turn theirradio dials and hear a program that sup-plies them with real enjoyment and at thesame time makes them feel glad thatthey're part of a great democracy.

(Top left) Baby (Fanny Brice) Snooks, the incorrigiblebrat of Good News of 1940, gives Manager JimmyDykes, right, a few pointers on how to run the Chi-cago White Sox ball team.

(Top right) Pretty Ann, of vocal trio Ann, Pat andJudy, is heard regularly singing in the Old Hayloftof the Eighth Street Theater in Chicago as a memberof the cast of the "Alka-Seltzer National Barn Dance."Ann is one of Uncle Ezra's favorite members of thetroupe, which broadcasts every Saturday 8:00 to 9:00p. m., CDST over the NBC -Blue Network.

(Bottom) Left to right standing, Orrin Tucker andRobert Jennings, who is Betty Winkler's husband anda radio executive of H. W. Kastor Co. Left to rightsitting: Jim West, Procter & Gamble executive; BettyWinkler, star of NBC's Girl Alone and Bonnie Bakerof "Oh Johnny" fame. Shot made at Empire Roomin Palmer House.


POOR LITTLEGENEVIEVE

Otto, whose real name is Ted Morse,has never had a last name for either ofhis two famous characters: Otto, the fatand funny German, nor Genevieve, hiscoy little miss.

Little Genevieve, in Otto's mind, is aprecious seven -year -old youngster, butactually he has been using this creationof his voice for eight years. She was"born" in St. Louis in 1932. Otto wassinging a song that called for a little girlto answer two of the lines. So he an-swered them himself, using his little girlvoice. The idea caught on with the aud-ience, and the radio producer asked himto enlarge upon the Little Genevieve char-acter. Her early fan mail was tremen-dous; so Otto incorporated her as a stand-ard part of his act.

Ted Morse grew up in Kansas, and hisfirst musical instrument was a mail-ordertrumpet. Trumpet is still his favorite in-strument, and he plays one in the WLSorchestra. Along the way, however, hehas picked up the violin and bull fiddle.As soon as he received his trumpet, beforehe had learned to play more than threenotes, he joined the town band, later be-came its leader. The band eventuallyjoined the national guard, and when thewar came along, Otto went to France withit, as leader of the 139th Infantry Band,unit of the famous 35th division, A. E. F.

After the war, Otto returned to Topeka,Kansas, then came to Chicago in 1922.He organized a band and went into vaud-eville with Tom Brown of the original SixBrown Brothers, saxophone act. At theend of a coast -to -coast tour, the act spenttwo years on the West Coast. In 1931,Otto first started to work at WLS, Chicago.Then came two years at KMOX, St. Louis,back to Chicago, and in 1935 he rejoinedWLS and has been with the station eversince.

Otto is an expert at gold lettering, atrade he learned from his uncle, a litho-grapher. He is crazy about fires and willget up in the middle of the night anytimeto rush off to a fire or watch a circus un-load. In the summertime his favorite re-creation is baseball games - where healways takes a box seat, for he can'tsqueeze his 225 pounds into a grandstandseat.

Otto has weighed as much as 265pounds, but right now, he is back to 225after a not too strenuous diet. He is notat all sensitive about his short stature orlong girth, but wanted to lose weight justbecause he feels better, sleeps better andenjoys life better when he holds himselfto a mere 225 pounds.

Poor Little Genevieve! She's only seven years old, but she isfive feet four inches tall and weighs 225 pounds! Of course, she'sfunny to lock at and even funnier to hear - for Little Genevieveis one and the same person as Otto, comedian of WLS NationalBarn Dance fame and a daily performer on WLS, Chicago.

Little Genevieve really dresses for the part on the WLS National BarnDance. "S, -e" is nothing but a voice - the voice of Ted Morse, who is

best known as the German comedian, Otto, on the Barn Dance.

This is Little Genevieve as "she" looks in real lift; - just plain TedilOorse, trumpet player in the WLS Concert Orchestra.


THE AUDIENCE

KNOWS ALL

By Arthur C. Page

Editor's Note: Mr. Page, author ofthis article, is farm program director ofWLS, Chicago, a pioneer in farm servicebroadcasting - a pioneer, too, in radio.As a Kansas City high school boy, hebuilt his first spark radio transmitter,then started tinkering with an originalapparatus for sending pictures by wire-less. School days over, Mr. Page enteredthe University of Missouri and inventionof wireless picture apparatus was aban-doned.

27 years ago he came to Chicago asassistant editor , later editor -in -chief, of the"Orange Judd Farmer," and was with thatpublication for 14 years. For the past 13years he has been with "Prairie Farmer"in various editorial and radio capacities.His first farm service broadcast, in 1923,before WLS was in operation, was overKYW, then in Chicago.

"Dinnerbell Time," heard at 12 o'clocknoon daily on WLS, is probably the oldestfarm service radio program in America -started April 11, 1924 - and Mr. Page hasbeen conducting it for the past 10 years.

Mr. Page, in his lifetime, has knownhard work. He practically grew up in ablacksmith shop; he worked on farms,delivered papers, was a lamp lighter, andworked his way through college milkingcows. It is character born of this back-ground that has endeared Arthur C. Pageto farm people and radio listeners every-where. "He sounds kind and understand-ing," they say; "he seems to understandour problems."

A year before the Chicago World'sFair opened, officials were ready to breakground for the agricultural building, andthey wanted to find a yoke of oxen forthe ceremony. High and low theysearched and could find no oxen. Thechairman called WLS on the phone.Time was short and he was desperate -maybe we knew where there was a yokeof oxen.

"No," we said, "we don't know, but ouraudience does."

That same noon on the WLS Dinnerbellprogram we explained the committee'splight. Did anyone know where wecould find a yoke of oxen?

Two days later we handed the com-mittee a list of 44 yokes of oxen to befound in five states, one yoke situatedwithin 15 miles of the World's Fairgrounds.

Through the years we have tossedmany questions into the air, and we havecome to believe that the audience alwaysknows the answer. They have neverfailed us.

"How can you tell at a glance whetherthose birds flying high are wild geese orwild ducks?" Twenty or thirty letters vol-loyed back in the next mail, some withdiagrams, some citing experience, but allgiving the answer. The geese fly in a"V" formation; they gabble as the fly,and they seem to take orders from the

ARTHUR C. PAGEFarm Program Director, WLS, Chicago

leader who flies at the apex of the "V".he ducks just fly along quietly in a crowd.

"Does anyone remember the two coldwinters of the early 80's?"

"Sure do," writes an old timer. "ReasonI remember that winter of '83 is becauseour next neighbor's wife had a baby boyand I had to go to town after a doctor,'way down below zero. The creek frozeclear to the bottom that year."

Another says he can't remember thecold of '83, but he sure remembers aboutten years later, when he was a railroadfreight engineer, and the journals frozeon the flatcars so he dragged a train 20miles over a frosty track without a singlecar wheel turning.

In our experience on WLS we havefound the listeners quick to respond to acall for help. A few weeks ago a farmerof southern Illinois wrote that the rabbitshad girdled a lot of his young apple trees.Was there anything he could do about it?We read his letter, and you would havethought the countryside was turning outen masse to save that brother's appletrees. Thirty or forty letters came in thenext mail, giving advice, telling their ownexperiences. Out of the lot we selectedone written by the superintendent of parksat Hammond, Indiana.

"We had some fine trees girdled byvandals," he said. "We thought theywere goners, but here is what we did, andyou can't find a scar on them today."His method was given in detail. We putit on the air, and the resulting flood of re-quests required that we put it in type tomail out to folks whose trees had beeninjured by rabbits or mice.

"The oldest twins ever discovered bythe big national twin convention are twoladies who celebrate their 85th birthdaytoday," said we one noon. They lived inIndiana.

"Congratulations to the lady twins thatare 85 years old," said a letter next day,"but out here at Sterling, Illinois, we havetwo ladies, twins, who are 91 year old."Proving that the first fellow hasn't got achance, but proving still more, that theaudience knows all.

Hundreds of times since the WLS Din-nerbell program came on the air in 1924,,we have tossed a question out to the aud-ience. They have never failed us. Theyseem to take it as a personal respon-sibility, and they often go to much effort,giving references, offering to help further.We think they're the finest folks in theworld, and taken in the aggregate, thewisest folks we know.


AI ivwoodPRISCILLA LANE (Left), featured in Warner's THREECHEERS FOR THE IRISH, tastefully combines pinkand black for her new spring costume. A soft,high throated blouse of dull surfaced black crepetops off the flared skirt of pink and black print.The natural waistline is finished with a sash of theprint which ties at the front, while a touch of thesame fabric relieves the neckline. Her gay cha-peau of pink straw braid has a rose and veilingtrim.

BETTY DAVIS (Right), star of Warner'sALL THIS AND HEAVEN TOO, modelsa smart white dress trimmed in navyblue. The blouse of navy surah silk,dotted in white, and flared skirt of whitecrepe are topped off with a hoodedjacket of white lined with navy withthe hood bacKed with the dotted fabric.

Jaohion,JROSEMARY LANE (Right), featured Warner Bros.player, models a smart sports costume in one ofthe new all-over floral prints. Trim shorts of softwhite crepe, splashed with white and yellowdaisies, scarlet poppies and blue corn flowers, aretopped with a circle -necked, brief -sleeved blousewith single row of white buttons al the front clos-ing. The skirt of self fabric fis softly from thewaist, where it's finished with a corn flower bluelinen belt.

SPRINGTIME IS PLAYTIME ... And whatcould be better to play in, asks AnnSheridan (Left), star of Warner's CASTLEON THE HUDSON than this aquamarinecotton striped in white. Ann's bodice is cutwith an eye toward flattery; the shortsare flared. White pique edges the short,puffed sleeves and the square neckline.

NELSON OLMSTED'S "WORLD'S GREATEST SHORT STORIES"

Princess Scheherazade of Arabia, whothought no more of tellng a story thanof drinking a glass of whatever the equiv-alent of water was in her day, didn't havea thing on Nelson Olmsted of WBAP,except age and a head start. Myth hathit she kept going until the thousand andfirst night, and then her tales were alltold. Olmsted has been telling storiesat the rate of one a week since February,1939, and to put it mildly is just warmingto his subject.

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Every Sunday night over WBAP at10:15 CST Olmsted takes to the air withone of the "Worlds Greatest Short Stories."The title is completely cmd obviously ar-bitrary, and the narrator will cavil withno one who questions his use of super-latives. His object is to present to thelistening audience a comprehensivegroup of entertaining short stories. Sincehis foremost interest is entertainment, hewill go to the ends of literature to find theright story. And the right story is oftenillusive. For his present collection of 80tales he has culled the works of approx-imately 1,000 different American, English,French, Scandinavian, Hungarian, Rus-sian, Italian and German writers, and thisentailed reading at least 20 volumes eachaveraging 100 short stories. So statis-tically, 2,000 narratives have been siftedthrough a critical and tireles sieve, andwith each story averaging five pages,the total is something like 10,000 pagesread to find 80 worthwhile works. "Gonewith the Wind" isn't nearly so long, butthen it isn't a short story either.

To find a motive for Olmsted's insa-tiable interest in this type of literature andentertainment you must examine Olmstedhimself. It all began in Minneapolis in1914 when his first remarks probably hadmore to do with sound effects than withliterature. The usual things happenedfrom then until his entry into radio in 1935,such as going to elementary and prepschool, moving about the Middle Westand living in such places as Dubuque,East Moline and Dallas. Then it waswhile a student at the University of Texasin Austin that Nelson found one of his life'sloves. This was dramatics, and as amember of the Curtain Club on the cam-pus and the Little Theatre in town he actedin such plays as "Craig's Wife," "TheNinth Guest," "The Sacred Flame" and"Alice Sit -by -the -Fire." The last provedclimactic, for in it Ann Holloway, a studentin the University, was appearing in a sup-porting role. The two met, and the restis romance.

After the University, Nelson steppedinto a job at a radio station in Austinwhere he remained as program directoruntil 1937. Along about that time WBAP

By William Jolesch

needed an announcer and special -eventsman. Nelson auditioned, got the job andseveral months later he and Miss Hollo-way were married. Both are vitally in-terested in the theatre and are alwayseager to discuss it, attend it and act in it.During her career at the University sheemerged as a star and is remembered inAustin for important roles in "Alison'sHouse," "The Vinegar Tree" and "FirstLady." She has a knack of playing any-thing from a debutante to a dowager andplaying it convincingly.

Nelson continually searches for the lit-erary unusual. Failing that, he seeks astory for its own sake: either because it

NELSON OLMSTED

is expressive, a mood picture or highlydescriptive. In the realm of the unusualhe has reviewed Massimo Bontempelli's"Mirrors," a product of the surrealistschool. And for beauty of writing therehave been Galsworthy's "Quality" andKatherine Mansfield's "Singing Lesson."The latter starred Mrs. Olmsted, or MissHolloway. To say he forgets his audiencewhen selecting his stories would not becompletely apocryphal. He does, andhe admits it. He feels that if the story isof sufficient interest to ensnare him as adispassionate reader and passionate re-viewer, then it will catch on with the au-dience, at least in part. And to try to ap-pease the tastes of all his audience all thetime would be a herculean job borderingon the impossible.

Nelson is such an admirer of Poe thathe has been called Edgar Allan Olmsted.Perhaps this is a hangover from his early

dramatic days at WBAP when he was themain stay of the "Black Night" series ofhorror plays many of which were adap-tations of Poe's works. An outstandingbroadcast of the short story series wasthe presentation of "The Raven" with aspecial musical background for orchestraby Don Gillis, composer, conductor andmusician. Olmsted plans to make his"Raven" reading a yearly feature, prob-ably to commemorate Poe's birthday. TheAmerican mystic's "Pit and the Pendu-lum" initiated the program, and wheneverNelson feels murky or wishes to vary thefare or yields to the vagaries indulged inby literary savants, he delves into thedank depository of Poe's cerebral phan-tasmagorias.

Whether the world's greatest short storyteller could enter the inner circle of thedistinguished company he keeps in hisbooks is still something of a mystery. Itis true, however, that at Christmas time,1939, he needed a story with a religioustheme, but nothing banally familiar. Sohe sat down, trusting to the muses, thespirits of his friends on Parnassus and histypewriter, and turned out "Tommorrow'sPaul." Its theme was a story of the re-birth of faith in a land of pagan ideologies.Many commendatory letters followed itspresentation, but Olmsted has writtennothing since, so it is difficult to estimatehis creative literary tendencies.

To celebrate the program's first year,Nelson dramatized and acted in a thirty -

minute version of what he considered thebest story he had thus far reviewed. Itwas "The Signal Man" a tale of particularinterest to north Texas since a resident ofBowie had actually seen and but for afoible of fate would have met the author,Charles Dickens. This lady, Mrs. W. R.Lamb, consented to an interview, andwhen Olmsted first presented "The SignalMan" in the summer of 1939, she relatedher memories of Victorian England.

Ann Holloway frequently appears withher husband. She has been heard insuch masterpieces as De Maupassant's"The Necklace" and "The Confession,"Mansfield's "The Singing Lession," Bar-rie's "My Husband's Book" and as Eliza-beth Barrett in the program retelling theromantic idyll of the Robert Brownings.This broadcast was of the beaten path inthat it consisted principally of poetry. Atits conclusion, an offer to send copies ofthe script to all who requested them wasmade. When during the following weekabout 500 letters from 35 States and Mex-ico were received, the Olmsteds were ac-cused of having more relatives than arajah. Everybody at WBAP was smiling-ly happy at the returns, but of course nonemore so than Nelson Olmsted and AnnHolloway, who have been called the Al-fred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne of radio.


"VM 111 CQ18"Over 1000 people have come before "We, the People"

microphones. People with exciting stories. People withsad stories. Stories that made the listeners feel happy.Some that were inspiring. They're all heard on this pro-gram, a popular feature of CBS every Tuesday night at

8:00 Central Standard Time.

"We, the People" was conceived andoriginally produced by Phillips H. Lord,who is responsible for many originalradio dramas. Lord was sitting in thelobby of a New York hotel talking with afriend of his, Will Yolen. "Will," he pro-posed "I'll bet there isn't a person in thislobby who hasn't an interesting story totell, if you asked him."

It wasn't a sudden, idle thought. Lordhad been talking to people in hotel lob-bies, on trains, busses, ships and streetcorners for years and he believed whathe said. Just for fun, his friend took himup on it.

They made the rounds of the lobbytogether, approaching everybody whoseemed at all friendly, talking freely,informally. They discovered an elderlygentleman who was on his way aroundthe world for the nineteenth time, a womanwho had invented a garter that wouldprevent silk stockings from running, anda mother whose daughter was alone ina New York hospital - seriously injured.Lord proved his point that everybody hada story to tell. But more than that, he

Why shouldn't American radio makeit possible for people to hear these storiesabout their fellow Americans? No reas-on at all, as far as he could see. Result:"We, the People." That was in 1936 andthe program has been on the air eversince.

Gabriel Heatter instructs George Lowther3rd (left) and his bride, Eileen Herrick Low-ther, in microphone technique as the principalsin New York's most widely publicized romanceprepare for their recent appearance on "We,the People". The 1940 "Romeo" and "Juliet,"as the newspapers have dubbed them, areshown rehearsing for the broadcast.

"We, the People" receives on an av-erage of 1,000 letters a month from peoplewho think they have an interesting storyof tell. When a letter is written to theprogram asking for the opportunity totell a true -life story on the air, it passesthrough an elaborate process.

First, all mail is read by a trained staffwhich sorts it into such classifications as"Adventure", "Animal Stories", Children,"Unusual Occupations", "War Experien-ces."

This preliminary staff also weeds outstories which duplicate each other, thosewhich lack originality, or are otherwiseunsuitable.

The remaining letters are then read bya special Radio Listeners' Committee,made up of four people who are repre-sentatives of the listening audience. Itis the business of this committee to choosethose stories which they, as the radio lis-teners, would like to hear dramatized onthe air.

Next their choices are investigated forauthenticity.

And finally, Gabriel Heatter, host ofthe program, picks from committee'sselections the half dozen letters that willmake the most dramatic and interestingprogram material.

The writers of those half dozen lettersare the lucky ones who are invited toNew York to appear on "We, the People."

In addition to the letters he receiveseach week, Heatter is besieged whereverhe goes by those who recognize him andask him for a chance on his program.

For example, a traffic cop overtook himdriving along a country road. "Pull overto the side of the road," said the officer.

"But I wasn't speeding," protested Heat -ter when his car had come to a stop."

"I know you weren't, sir. But when thehotel -man back there told me who youwere, I just had to stop you and ask if Ican tell a traffic officer's story on yourprogram."

A few weeks later the policeman washeard coast -to -coast telling about theperils of reckless driving.

Another time, Heatter was sending atelegram in a small country -office. "Youought to have Ed Brewster on your pro-gram," said the telegraph operator. "He'sa friend of mine who has been sendingMajor League baseball results over thewires for twenty-five years without evermaking an error."

"A short time later, Edson Brewsterwas telling his story over the air.

When a person is lucky enough to beselected for a "WE, the People" broad-cast, he can look forward to a wonderfuland hectic time in New York.

Gabriel Heatter takes time off from "We,the People" for a little fishing. Heatter and"We, the People" are heard over CBS every

Tuesday night at 8:00 CST.

He arrives on Sunday after havingbeen sent a round-trip ticket from hishome town. When he arrives, two mem-bers of the "We, the People" staff showhim the town, after depositing his bagsat the Commodore Hotel.

On Sunday, there is an hour's confer-ence to get the facts of his story and havehis voice checked for quality. Then twowriters sit down to write the script, andthe guest checks it for accuracy.

On Monday, there is a rehearsal andat 5:15 in the afternoon all of the guestsget together for a timing rehearsal with-out the orchestra. After this, they haveMonday evening to themselves and areusually shown Times Square in all itsglory and the town's night clubs.

On Tuesday, there is another rehearsal,and after the dress rehearsal guests arefree until air time. After the broadcast-ing some more sightseeing and backhome on Wednesday.

While in New York, guests are affordedthe opportunity to visit the Empire StateBuilding, the theatres and other interest-ing places. In addition to hotel and trans-portation, each guest is given $5 a dayfor taxi fare and food.

What is the reaction of the people whosee New York for the first time? Someare impressed. Others say that it seemsthe same as their own home towns. Onewoman thought New York was no dif-ferent from her home town, except that ithad a few million more inhabitants!

A famous screen writer . . . and inventorwho found a "death ray" . an author ofseveral best sellers . . . the composer of"St. Louis Blues" . . .a girl from Texaswhose "Heart Belongs To Daddy" . . . a74 year old sea captain . . . these andmany more. Real people heard onlywhen "We, the People" speak!


A DISSERTATION ON A "HAM"Ham, often found between slices of bread, has a traditional

way of turning up on theater stages, the screen, in night clubs,and over the air. As a dramatic term it Is strictly a mark ofopprobium, a label of discredit that rings of artistic ineptitude.A ham, in short is a lousy actor. Yet members of one of themost popular dramatic groups on the air today are self-confessed"hams", and mighty proud of It, too.

THE MIGHTY ALLEN ART PLAYERS(Left to right) John Brown, Minerva Pious, Charlie Cantor and Eileen Douglas

THERE are, of course, hams and hams.To wear that badge of dubious distinc-

tion because you don't know any betteris one thing, to be a "good" ham is an-other. For hamdom at its best, take alook at the Mighty Allen Art Players,heard with Fred Allen every Wednesdayevening on the "Fred Allen Hour" overthe NBC -Red Network.

There is no question but what theMighty Allen Art Players belong to thegroup which merits that stamp of porcineperfection. When Allen, himself, intro-duces their fifteen -minute dramatic sketchhe openly refers to them as "the pulletsof Pulitzer," the "only group of actors tobring tomato baskets on stage," and "Theonly thespian troupe ever to play 'UncleTom's Cabin' and have the blood houndswalk out on them." One is easily misledinto thinking that their ludicrous dramaticfarces would make the collective LittleTheater groups of the country look like aflock of Duses and Drews in comparison.But such, indeed, is far from the case.

Minerva Pious, John Brown, and CharlieCantor have reached their present po-sitions of first-rate hams only after yearsof experience and success on the stageand before the microphone.

Take Charlie Cantor who was intro-duced to grease paint more than twentyyears ago when, during high school va-cation, he answered an urgent summonsto act as "straight" man for his brother,"Rusty" Cantor, then a famous vaucte-villian. Save for a few ill-fated yearswhen he decided to settle down and enterthe shoe business, Charlie's been troup-ing either in vaudeville, musical comedy,dramatic stock, or on the air.

A short, butter -ball of a fellow, consis-

tently jolly despite the ever-increasingbald pate that privately causes him muchmental anguish, Charlie is starting his4th year as a member of the Mighty AllenArt Players. During that time he hastaken more than 200 different parts in theAllen sketches, ranging from that oftrained seal to a mediaeval baliff. Hepersonally favors such characterizationsas a cloak-and-suiter, or an harrasseddelicatessen proprietor. For Allen, Char-lie is always the ham. Yet he is in con-stant demand for straight dramatic pro-grams.

Commencing his career in vaudevillein 1920 as a black -face comedian and dia-lectician, Charlie next turned to stock,and then for two and one half years,believe it or not, he played the part ofLittle Eva's mild -tempered plantation own-er father in a road company of "UncleTom's Cabin." Then came the ill-fatedshoe venture and Charlie, flat broke, sawdesirable coffee and cakes as a radioactor. His first job was at a small Brook-lyn station with a banjo -playing partner.They worked sustaining - and gratis -for one week and then went commercialat $15 a pair.

Harry Richman gave Charlie his firstreal start, and before long he was onconstant call by network producers. Cur-rently Cantor may be heard not only withFred Allen on the "Fred Allen Hour," buton as many as twenty programs through-out the week.

Charlie's voice isn't hard to recognize,once you learn it, but like most characteractors his name is rarely mentioned overthe air. It's one of the hazards of beinga first rate ham.

Minerva Pious, is another Mighty Allen

Art Player who arrived at the enviablestatus of a well -smoked ham only afterplenty of seasoning.

"Min" is a veteran of the Mighty AllenArt Players. She has been with Allensince he started his program seven yearsago. Only five feet tall she belies herpenetrating voice, but she does have thatsaucy, impertinent appearance you wouldexpect from listening to the parts sheplays over the air. Wait for the sharp-tongued shrew; the rasping voice of thechambermaid or spinster of uncertainyears and you have Minerva. Pious, in-cidentally, is her real name.

Born in Moscow on March 5, 1909, Minhad her first stage experience as a childwalk-on in a production of the RussianImperial Grand Opera in which her fathersang the baritone lead. She was educat-ed in dramatics in Salzburg. Before shearrived in radio she played character bitson the New York stage and did a turn inthe editorial department of a nationallyknown news syndicate.

Minerva broke into radio as an accom-panist, and says she wouldn't be theham she is today if she hadn't been firedearly in her career. One night she wasplaying for a radio singer when she for-got the notes. The singer, Harry Taylor,fired her, but later on, in one of radio'sstrange twists of fate, he became produ-cer of Fred Allen's show, and remember-ing the little girl who spoke with a Russianacent, hired her for a Mighty Allen ArtPlayer. The show is now produced byBob Welch.

John Brown, "the Englishman," as therest of the troupe refer to him, is a thirdmember of Allen's coterie of hams. Tall,dark, mustached John was born in Hull,England, thirty-four years ago; Most likelybecause he was hired originally six yearsago, to do the part of an English duke,John gets the bulk of the more refinedmasculine roles, but nevertheless is asversatile a dialectician as Charlie Cantor,and plays with him on several straightdramatic shows.

John's first stage experience came in1916 when he was in public school inEngland-a short lived experience sincein the play, "Master Skylark," he wasalways killed in the first act. After atheater venture in Australia, he came tothis country in the early twenties andstarted in stock in upper New York State.For six months he played character parts,acted as stage manager, and paintedscenery. Then came Broadway and thelegitimate stage, where he is still remem-bered for his work in "Peace On Earth"and "Milky Way." In fact, if it weren'tfor a serious shortage of good hams inradio, John would have probably contin-ued his stage career. As it was he wasthe one man Fred Allen wanted to fill anopening in the "Mighty Allen Art Players,"and Fred has a way of having his way.

So, the next time you tune in "FredAllen Hour" and hear Charlie, Min, andthe rest clowning through script, buffoon-ing this line, and muffing that until yourown sides are splitting, at their hammyacting, remember, it takes plenty of timeto smoke a ham!


CAMERA :;ARAVAN1. Kate Smith and Ted Collins before the CBS n ke in Kate's new 17th story terrace apartment.2. Ann Sheridan, the "Oomph Gizl," guest stanyu on the "Tune Up Time" over CBS on Monday,April 8. She sang tunoo from her new picture, "It All Came Tiue."3. Two fugitives from a11;ll'iVr. Erienda La Freozie and r,nhina Fright, firatnvud comediennes en the Dab II,.pea repaudentshow. real life Brenda is Blanche Stewart and Cobina is Elvia bOtk91 whom are veryvery luukluy. 4. Marion Hutton, novelty vocalist with Glenn Miller and his Orch5. Fred Allen and his wife Portland Hotfa dine between broadcasts at the Rockefeller PlaraIleatauieuil hi Radio City, NOW /OM b. latrty-flue years as an actor has done nothing tomitigate the vigor and popularity of Francis X. Bushman, leading man of the CBS dramaticserial, "Stepmother." Bushman is cast as John Fairchild in the serial. 7. Audrey Marsh,featured Songstress on CBS's Friday night musical variety show, "Johnny Presents." Audreyis soloist for both Johnny Green's orchestra and the Swing Fourteen. 8. Pierre Andre,announcer of one of the moat popular of all progragta for the younger generation, radio's"Little Orphan Annie," which is nowuvui 84 MES stations at b:4b P.M. C.S.T. , Mondaythru Friday. 9. Marjorie Hannan is the charming "Ruth Ann" in CBS's serial "Bachelor's

heard Monday lino Friday at 8:45 A.M., U.S.T. 10. Radio's newest singing team.Dick Powell and Mai), Marlur heard uu the "Good. News of 1941.1" program over NBC eachThuroday evening at 8 P.M., C.E.T. 11. Daily Tana Rhodes, Dente 18 year old <ginger of moonand radio, is on uoiumbia's "it Happened In HoW/w0gd" PrOCITAM heard Monday thru FridayAt 4!:111 t:.h IX "the Most Photogenic apt In Radio" says Maurice Seymour, Worldfamous photographer, shown here with the cast of "The Romance of Helen Trent." Left to rightare: Caroline Fisher, Donna Reade, Virginia Clark and Louise Fitch. 13. Claire Trevor, lovelyfilm actress, starring in the "Old Gold Don Ameche Show," new variety program heard over theNBC -Red network 14. The film favorites, Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray, appearedon theLux Theatre and gave a brilliant performance of their screen success "Remember the Night."

"Thank; to ?jouby Les Tremayne

TALKING to a big-time radio star oneday I was astounded to hear him re-

mark: "Fan letters don't mean a thing,I can't understand anyone sitting downand writing a letter to an actor. I neveranswer any of the darned things."

It was a shock to hear this coming horna man who is beloved to millions of listen-ers . . . and I thought of the thousands ofletters in my files at home which go backmore than ten years. I have read all ofthese letters and some of them have beenan important factor in shaping my career,for it's easy for a person who is in thespotlight constantly to lose his perspec-tive and sense of values. Always beingwith people in the industry, whetherscreen or radio, tends to make a personforget things outside of his small world.It is the contact with fans, both throughletters and visits, which have helpedmore than anything to preserve in me thesame ideals and ambitions with which Istarted my career.

Of all the letters written to me thereare several that are particularly outstand-ing. They are letters that arrived whenthere was a definite crisis in my life andthese messages helped me through thetough spots. Looking back in retrospectit seems strange that understanding andsympathy from absolute strangers couldhave meant so much.

Yet, the sincere loyalty of these peoplestruck a responsive chord in me instan-taneously and had more of an effect on methan the efforts of my friends. But let metell you the four low ebbs in my life andhow four strangers living in different partsof the country were instrumental in shap-ing, or perhaps even saving, my radiocareer.

Back in 1934 when I was first gaininga foothold in radio, there was a girl livingin Indianapolis whom I was very muchinterested in. Shortly after meeting herI was called back to Chicago, but notbefore I realized that we were deeply inlove. The separation was painful to usboth, but we had to be satisfied with afew weekend visits and a day-to-daycorrespondence. Our plans were prettywell set for the future when one day herregular letter didn't show up. Being ter-ribly busy I didn't think about it particul-arly for a few days, but at the end of theweek there was still no letter. I hurriedlymade a plane reservation and was justabout to leave when the elevator mancame up with a special delivery letterand a telegram.

With a dread feeling . . . a premonition. . . I tore open the telegram and there incold print was a short message informingme of my beloved's death. Time hashealed the wound somewhat, but I canrecall too sharply even now, sinking intoa chair with the feeling that the bottomhad dropped out of the world. I don'tknow how long it was before I stirred out

LES TREMAYNE

of the house or even thought of eating.Everybody thought I was in Indianapolisso no one called me. It was the blackestday of my life.

In a trance -like stupor I reported to thestudio on Monday morning. The newshad gotten out by then, and the glancesof sympathy only tended to accentuatemy hurt. I couldn't discuss the matterwith anyone and immediately after thebroadcast I returned home. When I o-pened the door I saw lying on the floorthe letter that had arrived with the tele-gram. Upon reading it the whole tragedywas made plain to me. Rushed to thehospital for an emergency operation, myfiancee only had time to have a friendwrite a short note. The letter was ad-dressed incorrectly and so did not reachme when it should have. The thoughtthat I wasn't there when Helen needed memost drove me into an abyss of despairthat seemed hopeless.

For weeks I lost interest in people, inmy work. Only thought of being alone.Fortunately, long years of training helpedme through my lines without any trouble,but my performances were absolutelylistless. One rainy day while fingeringa pile of fan letters, I happened to openone at random. It didn't seem vital at themoment, but that letter was to be all im-portant in saving me from the grief thatwas completely upsetting my life. I readthe letter and re -read it many times thatafternoon. It set the seed for a new trendof thinking and renewed hope. Here isthe letter just as I received it:

"I have read an article in a paper re-cently concerning your personal life.

However, I don't want you to considerthis an intrusion. The article was in re-gard to your deceased loved one, andattracted my attention because I have hadthe same misfortune . . . only a little moretragic as it happened through an auto-mobile accident which I escaped withouta scratch. I can readily understand yourfeelings.

"Since this accident I have never felt thesame, but, Mr. Tremayne, it should bemuch easier for you to forget. You haveso many interesting endeavors to keepyou occupied as well as the success andpopularity of your radio work.

"In my case it's entirely different. I

don't have anything to do . . . that is, anywork. And I need it. I have had severaljobs previous to this time, but now I seemto have lost all ambition and initiative.However, reading the article about you,made me realize that these things happento many people and they recover from it.Life seems to go on in spite of the worsttragedies. So, I'll make a bargain withyou. I'll start out again if you will.

"We'll probably never meet, but let'skeep each other posted on how we getalong. I'm game for it, how about you?"

That letter made me realize that inspite of my deep personal suffering Imust necessarily resume a normal life.Brooding wouldn't help the situation, andso I started to rebuild what I thought wasa completely shattered life. After alengthy correspondence, for severalyears, I met the writer of that letter andam happy to say that now she's themother of two cute youngsters. Both ofus will never forget the tragedy that struck

Slacks rumpled and shirt open at theneck, Wallace Berry, lovable badman ofthe films, stood before the microphone atthe large CBS Hollywood theatre. It wasa Thursday, and rehearsals for Lux RadioTheatre had just begun.

A page boy came on the cluttered stageand whispered to producer Cecil B. DeMille. "Studio wants you on the phone,Wallie. Better take it," said De Mille.

A few minutes later a woebegoneBerry returned. There had been a sud-den change in studio plans. The filmon which he was working had beencalled on location, and he would have toleave before the broadcast date.

Five days before airtime - and theLux Radio Theatre was without a star.It had taken weeks to make all arrange-ments for the Berry appearance. Thescript had been chosen with him in mind.And a substitute had to be found and re-hearsed before Monday.

Such an incident has to be taken witha philosophical shrug by producer DeMille, director Sanford Barnett and therest of the production staff of the RadioTheatre. There may be a hitch at anytime, and even when there isn't, it's jobenough to put the hour-long dramaticshow on the air each week.

First of all, there's the play. Vehiclesare often chosen weeks before a broad-cast - but chosen only tentatively. Forplays must be cleared with motion picturecompanies, with authors, with stage pro-ducers. And tracking down an authormay involve a phone call to an obscurevilla in Damascus or a mountain retreatin the Alps.

When rights have been cleared andcontracts signed, there's another problem- adapting the play or movie to the med-ium of radio. It has been written to beseen and run several hours. It must berewritten for sound alone, and condensedto 43 minutes of playing time. That's thejob of script writer George Wells, andhe's an expert at it. The full flavor of apopular play or film is miraculously pre-served in the condensed radio version.

Then there's what's often the most dif-ficult job of all - selecting the stars forthe week's play. It isn't just a matter oftelephoning - say -Norma Shearer, andsuggesting that if she's free next Mon-day, perhaps she'd like to do a radioshow. Movie companies must be consul-ted, agents argued with, complex re-hearsal schedules shifted around. Per-haps the star is in Hawaii on a vacation.Or busy in a new film. Often the wholeplay must be postponed for just thosereasons.

Then come rehearsals - five days ofthem, from Thursdays until just beforeair -time on Monday. And they're a mam-moth job for even Cecil B. DeMille, pro-ducer of spectacles.

The show is produced on the largestage of CBS's Music Box Theatre, andsometimes it almost isn't big enough. Inthe production of "The Story of Louis Pas-teur," for example, 76 people had to becrowded on stage. In one corner is thestream -lined control room; in another, a

CECIL B. DE MILLEand the

LUX RADIO THEATREHeadaches, work, plenty of trouble and

worry await De Mille each week as pro-ducer -director of Lux Radio Theatre.Heard each Monday nite at eight o'clock

Cecil B. DeMille, producer of "Radio Theater,"shown in the basement of his Los Feliz (Hollywood,California) home with part of his helmet and guncollections. Even between radio and picture activi-ties, DeMille finds time these days to devote to hishobby. He is holding an authentic replica of theheadgear worn by Saladin, sultan of Egypt andSyria, who defended Acre against the Crusaders inthe 12th Century.

special sound -effects booth. Musiciansare placed on one side of the stage, andextras and bit actors roam all over. Pro-ducer DeMille has substituted earphonesand stopwatch for his famous brick -redmegaphone. Stars come dressed infor-mally, in slacks or sport clothes.

There's a goqd deal of kidding around,and a good deal more of serious business.Stars trained before the camera some-times know nothing about microphonetechnique. Some are even afraid of thelittle black box. Joan Crawford was sonervous on her first Radio Theatre en-gagement that she had to do the wholeprogram seated at a table. It wasn'tuntil she had been on the air three timesthat she had complete confidence. PaulMuni sent off a messenger boy to hishome to bring his violin. He spent ten orfifteen minutes in a corner playing softly,and conquered his nervousness.

Then there are problems of music back-ground, in the capable hands of musicalconductor Louis Silvers, or sound effects,under Charlie Forsyth. DeMille is asticker for accuracy in sound, and some-times poses pretty knotty jobs. There wasthe time the baying of a beagle houndwas needed for a dramatic sequence, andnone of the animal imitators on call hada beagle in his repertoire. To make sureof perfection, producer DeMille dispatch-ed six of them out to Lake Arrowhead tostudy four beagles residing there. An-imal imitator Lee Millar walked off withbarking honors, and he was chosen togive the beagle call on the broadcast.

Millar also played the wire-haired terrier,Mr. Smith, in "The Awful Truth," since itwas a little uncertain how Asta, whocreated the original role, would react infront of the microphone.

Just the presence of filmdom's greateststars creates problems for the Radio The-atre producers. For one thing, there aretheir fans. When word gets around thatClark Gable or Myrna Loy is to be re-hearsing on a certain day, autographseekers collect like flies. There are sev-eral who insist they are Joan Crawford'sfather or Spencer's Tracy's nephew, andwant to be admitted to their dressing -rooms immediately. Then there was thetime Robert Taylor was a Radio Theatreguest. Someone had left an emergencydoor open leading to the balcony of thetheatre. One ingenious fan discoveredit, and others followed, until they hadjammed the balcony full, leaving no roomfor ticket holders. After that, stern-facedguards had to be placed at all entrancesto the theatre.

Stars are always leaving personal ar-ticles behind in their dressing rooms, andit's the job of the page boys to get ClarkGable's favorite pipe and SpencerTracy's tobacco pouch back to their own-ers. There's one valuable that stays intheatre, however - sound effects manCharlie Forsyth's famous thunder drum,the envy of all autograph hunters. Foron the skin of the drum over 400 famousguests of the Lux Theatre have signedtheir names. The drum has been valuedas high as $9,000 and Forsyth alwaysdreads the times the script calls for ahurricane or an earthquake. For everytime he strikes the drum, it blurs anothername. So far Marlene Dietrich has beenalmost obliterated.

Anything can happen around fildom'sgreat, and it often does. Barbara Stan-wyck insisted on working in her stockingfeet. George Arliss proudly volunteeredto imitate a peacock's call in one part ofa broadcast. And did very well, too.And once producer De Mille appeared atrehearsal with two carrier pigeons in acage under his arm. He had to send avery important message to a director whowas staying at a ranch house without atelephone forty miles away. And in themiddle of rehearsal, De Mille released thecarrier pigeons and off they flew, west-ward. Hollywood's British actors -Madeleine Carol, David Niven, CharlesLaughton - have brought the tea habitto Radio Theatre rehearsals.

And so it goes. For producer De Mille,director Sanford Barnett and others of theRadio Theatre, it's like a great jigsawpuzzle. Here a page is being arranged;there, actors are being signed for roles.On the stage of the theatre, parts arebeing fitted together. And, as the "OnThe Air" sign flashes at 9:00 P. M., allthe pieces miraculously match, and an-other thrilling Radio Theatre drama comesto life.

And when the hour is over - why, itall begins again in preparation for thenext week!

Page 16 RADIO VARIETIES - MAY RADIO VARIETIES - MAY Page 13

so swiftly, but more important, we'll neverforget how we helped each other from aseemingly hopeless misfortune.

The next few years passed quicklyenough. My star seemed to be in the as-cendency after many years of struggling.I was kept busy most of the time. Sculp-turing and painting were my main relaxa-tion although I had built up a wide circleof friends. And yet in spite of all this ap-parent contentment, a gnawing feeling ofdissatisfaction wouldn't leave me alone.

There wasn't a thing I could put myfinger on, but I felt continuously dis-gruntled. I imagine most or you navehad that feeling at some point in yourlife. You indulge in a steady flow of self-abasement and general unrest. Nothingyou do seems important and you figureto yourself, what's the sense of continuingwith the way things are going.

This feeling went on within me for sev-eral weeks and I became increasinglymorbid. My friends all felt that somethingwas wrong, but it was difficult for meto explain to them. Going down for anearly show one morning, I stopped first topick up my mail. There was one letterin the box postmarked Helena, Montana.It was that short note which helped jerkme out of the unreasonable melancholiawhich had obsessed me for weeks. Myattitude changed immediately and I founda renewed interest in my work. Thethought that people were actually interes-ted in what I was doing, made my workseem less trivial. Life itself looked a lotmore cheerful to me, but suppose I readto you the letter responsible for thechange. Here it is:

"I have never written to a radio actorbefore. In fact, I have never written a fanletter of any kind. But, I've been listeningto you on the radio for many years, and Ithink it's about time to express my ap-preciation for what you've done for me.

"I want you to know that never oncehave I heard you on the air, but what I'vebeen cheered and impressed with thegoodness of life. You have a quality inyour voice which reminds me of the finethings to be found in everyday living.

"Thanks again for the help you've givenme."

This short, courteous note gave me therock bottom realization that my work wasjust as important as any man's occupa-tion. Most essential is your own attitudetoward what you are doing, . . . for eachindividual can evaluate his success ac-cording to the standards he desires toestablish. Again I had learned a val-uable lesson through a person unknownto me.

My next experience with fan letters wasin a general rather than specific way.Through the years I've been on the radiomany is the letter written which expressessomeone's opinion of me. People livingin lonely, far-off sections of the countryand many just as lonely, who live incrowded noisy cities have taken time towrite. These letters can't be disregardedbecause they represent a personal loyaltyfor which I am deeply grateful. The onlything I can possibly do is to try living upto the opinion that these fans have of me.

My method of doing this is through aself -inventory. I don't even try to lead aprudish, self -exemplary life . . . for no oneis without weaknesses. But I do tryto observe several precepts of decentliving and maintain a pleasant relation-ship among the people with whom I amassociated. I check upon myself fairlyregularly and make a conscientious effortto improve if I have fallen down in somerespects. It's the least I owe to those whobelieve in me.

Illness and misfortune are all too fam-iliar to many of us. Most of my life I'vebeen in good health, but an accidentcaused me to be laid up for many months.While target practicing on a local range,the gun jammed. As I worked over thebarrel the gun went off and the bulletpierced my hand. The wound took anunusually long time to heal, and was ex-ceedingly painful. When I was just aboutfully recovered I stumbled getting out ofa cab and slipped on the icy pavementcausing a full fracture of the hand. Thistime they kept me in the hospital for sev-eral weeks, and the hand had to be re -broken and the bones set again. Thepain and discouragement of the injurywas about all I could stand. However,I was finally discharged from the hos-pital and managed to thank my luckystars that it wasn't worse.

The old saying that "it never rains,but it pours," was certainly true in mycase. Driving along one rainy afternoonafter I had the cast removed from myhand, a truck ran into my car and thereI was right back in the sick rom for thethird time in less than three months. Badluck seemed to be my fate and I was com-pletely discouraged and down -hearted.I resigned myself to my illness and feltthat I should never get out of the hospital.

The letter that helped me now hangsin a prominent spot in the living room ofmy home. It couldn't have been anyshorter and it couldn't have hit homemore surely. On a piece of plain whitepaper were the words:

"Pars sanitatis velle sanari fuit."It was a quotation my father had taught

me when I was a child and I've neverforgotten. The translation is, "It is partof the cure to wish to be cured."

The little old lady who sent it to me isa constant correspondent although shehas been ill for most of her life. Nowseventy years old, she still repeats thosewords to herself every day, and evenfound time to send them to me. Couldanyone stay discouraged after hearingfrom a person with such amazing courageand faith? I know darned well I snappedout of it pronto.

And so you see why the letters I havereceived from you have been so impor-tant. My life might have been just thesame without this help from listeners . . .

I don't know. But one thing I do know isthat when those letters came to me, thingswere darkest and in each case they werethe most important factor in helping methrough my troubles.

So with appreciation and gratitude I

say . . . "life is full and rich now thanksto you!"

JUNE GOES OVERTHE WAVES IN MAY

June Travis, lovely star of the movies andradio, helps keep that charming figure byriding surf boards over the bounding wavesof Lake Michigan. Currently heard over theNBC -Blue network as Mimsie Lawrence in"Affairs of Anthony," heard at 10:45 Mondaythru Friday and as Stormy Wilson in "GirlAlone" on NBC at 4 P.M. Morday thru Friday.Miss Travis still manages to find time toengage in water sports. Her proficiency onthe board is testified by the nonchalant poseshe assumed for this picture. She likesLake Michigan and the White Sox better thananything else in Chicago. Maybe one reasonfor the Sox interest is the fact that her dad,Harry Grabiner, is vice president of the Sox.

RADIO VARIETIES - MAY Page 17

John Hix Describes Oddities and Strange HappeningsOn CBS's "Strange As It Seems"It's 8:30 on Thursday night - the place is studio No.

3 on the 21st floor of the Columbia Broadcasting SystemBuilding in New York - there are a few tense secondsof silence - narrator Alois Havrilla and announcer CharlesStark take their places at the microphone - the directorgives them their cue and "Strange As It Seems" is on

the air!

This is a typical rehearsal scene of "Strange As It Seems" which isheard over CBS every Thursday night at 7:30 CST. Pictured above are(left) Alois Havrilla, narrator, Two members of the sound -effects staffand John Hix, creator of the "Strange As It Seems" cartoons end radioprogram.

To the millions of people who listen ineach week, the title "Strange As ItSeems" is nothing new, for even beforeit became an air feature, John Hix, 31years old "boy wonder" of the newspapersyndicate field had been drawing a car-toon under that title for a syndicate ser-vicing 200 papers throughout the country.

In it, and on the program, Hix describesoddities and strange happenings in thelives of ordinary citizens as well as in thelives of historical figures. In eleven yearsas a cartoonist, he has used over 19,000items and has 50,000 additional facts onhand from which he draws material forhis weekly CBS program. Hix does notappear on the show and writes his ma-terial in Hollywood - his present home.

The most unusual incident connectedwith the program occured several monthsago when the program dramatized thestory of the buried treasure of CahuengaPass - which is near the present site ofthe famous Hollywood Bowl in Holly-wood. The broadcast recounted the tra-gic deaths of seven men who sought torceover the treasure (supposedly the goldof Juarez), and described the strange leg-end that has grown up in the West -that all men who seek the treasure arecursed, and doomed to die. Havrilla re-ported that a new attempt to locate thegold was being made by a veteran min-ing man, who was digging in a parking

lot near the Hollywood Bowl. Listenerswere promised a report on his successduring some subsequent broadcast.

Havrilla kept his promise on the"Strange As It Seems" program for Feb-ruary 1. The modern treasure hunt hadbeen abandoned several weeks earlier,and Havrilla had just learned that themining expert who smiled at the curse ofthe Cahuenga treasure had died on Jan-uary 27 - by his own hand.

"Strange As It Seems" facts that Hixhas revealed on his CBS program include:

"If all the gold in the world were avail-able to man, there would be $14,000,000for every inhabitant in the world.

Fred McCormick, of Syracuse, NewCork, has to ground himself before heshakes hands - for Fred is a humanelectric eel and generates enough staticwithin himself to knock out a good-sizedman!

A grub -stake of $17 won a million doll-ars for "Silver Dollar" Tabor, colorfulcharacter of American history.

Fifty thousand years ago, 60,000,000persons lived in an advanced civilizationon a continent now lost under the Pacific.

An express train sped through the night.It stopped suddenly, screaming to a haltin the wilderness. The keen eyed en-gineer had seen a huge black -wingedcreature flapping its feathers in the fog

directly in front of the locomotive. Thisstrange happening saved the locomotivefrom being wrecked and dozens of peoplebeing killed. A bridge had been washedout, and if the train hadn't been stopped,it would have dived into the river.

Roman women once wore transparentdresses, and men's shoes in the 18thcentury were limited in size by royaldecree.

General Israel Putnam, Revolutionarysoldier, chose a gunpowder keg as aweapon for a duel he had with a paroledBritish officer. The idea was for the twomen to sit on the keg while the lightedfuse sputtered. The one who sat longestwon the duel. General Putnam won,since he knew the keg was filled withonions.

In 1812 a Vermont Yankee publishedan almanac as his first business venture.Through a printer's error, snow was pre-dicted for July. The young man felt him-self a failure at the start. But his worrywas in vain. It did snow in July.

The cast of "Strange As It S'eems"changes with each broadcast since it ismade up of dramatizations of the strangehappenings, and different actors andguests are used each week. A typical"Strange As It Seems" broadcast includestwo oddity dramatizations and one guestspot. The guest spots usually consistof an interview plus a dramatization ofthe guest's unusual background. Theonly people who are heard regularly arenarrator, Alois Havrilla and the announc-er, Charles Stark.

Havrilla has an oddity of his own.The well known radio personality whowon the American Academy of Arts andLetters 1935 Diction award could not speakEnglish until after he was five years old.Havrilla came to the United States fromEurope when he was 4 to reside in aCzech community in Bridgeport, Conn.,and attend school where only his nativelanguage was spoken. The future dictionaward winner began to learn Englishwhen John Baker, director of BridgeportTrinity Choir undertook to develope theboy's alto voice and teach him the lan-guage at the same time.

Charles Stark, the announcer, wasborn in Reading, Pa. and attended gradeand high school there. He became .ser-iously interested in radio while attendingthe University of Pennsylvania and hasnever earned a nickel outside of radio.

In addition to his work as an announ-cer, Stark is radio director of the FeaginSchool of Dramatic Arts in New York.He was once a student at the school andin his second year won a scholarship.

Besides this, Stark has covered manyimportant news events for CBS. Hescored a "scoop" when he reported thereturn of Howard Hughes from his 'roundthe world flight. By dint of foresight andconsiderable elbowing, Charlie managedto be at the exact spot where Hughesalighted from the plane. When a copcomplained that he "belonged back withother boys," the bawling out was musicto his ears. The whole network knewCharlie was the only announcer in thebest spot on the field.

Page 18 RADIO VARIETIES - MAY

A go-getter who personifies the pro-verbial entrepreneur of show businiesscalled on Goodman Ace, the radio -au-thor -actor -director of Easy Aces, the otherday and said:

"Goodie, you've got a pretty nifty pro-gram there . . . . are you interested indoubling your contract salary?"

Ace rolled a first-class stogie in thecorner of his mouth and eyed the speakercasually. "Well, I'm kinda interested . . .

what am I suppose to do?""Do? The same program in the same

way . . . . that's all.""H'ml That's simple . . . what time do

I take air?""Eleven o'clock in the morning.""That's more than I can stand, said

Ace. "At eleven in the morning I'vescarcely had time to clear my throat . . .

Mister I'm awfully sorry toturn down a chance to double my salary. . . . the simple thought of getting up at8 in the morning bothers me!"

Later, when reproached for turningdown this golden proposition, Ace ob-served, "Well, I guess I could have gottenup that early . . . but the guy was toopompous . . besides, I didn't like his neck-tie . . . ."

Goodman Ace harbors a suspicion thatif he meets a sponsor personally there islikely to be a disappointment and a fall-ing out. His present boss, whom he hasserved these nine pleasant years, hasnever seen and never talked with Good-man and Mrs. Ace. But they go on andon, palsy-walsy, signing contract aftercontract through intermediaries.

To bystanders, this sounds like mannafrom nowhere, but to Goodman Ace, chiefmotivator of Easy Aces, it's work workwork - no cruises to Rio, no skiing inSun Valley, etc.

"Someday," Ace opines. "I'm going toloaf - just loaf."

From his skyscrapper pent house onPark Avenue Ace looks down the boule-vard studded with classy limousines anddazzling fronts. All about him the worldis en marche, but Ace appears to createfrom a standstill. Thrice a week he wringsa comedy script from his typewriter andthrice a week he goes before the NBCmike and starts the waves of laughterrolling across these states. The oscilla-tions do not stop with the Coast, but travelclear across the Pacific to Hawaii andNew Zealand, where the Ace family stopstraffic three times a week.

Rounding out ten years on the ether,"Goodie," as he is known on Radio Row,hails from the Corn Belt Capital - KansasCity, a right charming burg on the muddyMissouri River, virtually at the geogra-phic center of America and the NationalBroadcasting Company networks.

This Corn Belt heritage is important,for here Goodie became saturated withthe homey philosophy and wit of Mr.Average Americanus, a small-town guywith a heart overflowing with sympathyand geniality. In Kansas City, Goodiecourted and married Jane Ace, his partnerin life, whose background somewhatparallels his own. Here, among the mid -western bourgeoisie, Goodie absorbed

THE ACESAND

THEIR PACES

Jane and Goodman Ace. The pride ofKansas City and millions of Radio Listen-ers heard at 6 p. m. Tuesdays, Wednes-days and Thursdays over NBC.

the substance and understanding for aprogram which parades the comedy ofliving.

Some of Ace's material is frankly auto-biographical, taken lock, stock, and bar-rel from his family archives. For in-stance, Jane once received a letter fromher brother who wrote:

"P. S. Guess who died!"That's one way of working up suspense.

So Goodie used it in a script and it fetchedmany a gasp from his listeners.

Jane Ace resembles Madam Malaprop,and her slips, quips, and trips of thetongue are now legendary. In her semi -southern drawl (Missouri was a Borderstate in the Civil War) the fictitious JaneAce talks like a Dumb Dora, or a ball-room belle, and in her wheezy way shesays:

"Why, you wouldn't want my $5000 foryour business. I've been saving it fora rainy day."

To which Ace replies, "We're in acloudburst right now."

And how she slays the English lan-guage! "Here's the whole thing in ashell -hole." In a moment of weakness,Jane confides that being the wife of afunny man is "a regular baffle of wits,"Or . . ."in words of one cylinder, a gagused to be something that kept a personquiet; now it's something that keeps 'emnagging all the time."

Goodie and Jane have not even troub-led to take assumed names; tor tne sakeof complete naturalness, they remainthemselves - Mr. and Mrs. GoodmanAce.

Their domestic dilemmas revolve about

such earthly situations as Jane beingcalled to jury service; Jane becoming apartner in Goodie's real estate business;Jane's heroic madness for a mink coat . . .

Jane lives in a private world of deepexperience, and to herself, at least, shethinks everybody else is eccentric. Al-ways ready with a snappy retort, shemanages or mis-manages her easy-goinghusband with laughable lack of finesse.

In many ways this program is distinc-tive. First its extreme intimacy makes itvirtually impossible for anybody but Acehimself to do the headwork. It takesGoodie from one to five hours to forgea fifteen -minute script. The cast goesthrough one rehearsal, and that's final.When the gong strikes they plunge in forbetter or worse. Spontaneity makes forgood characterization and natural deliv-ery on this program.The Ac es work in a cozy studio, without

an audience, Marge, played by MaryHunter, serves them a double purpose.First, she completes the human triangle,and secondly, she inspires them with acontagious laugh reaction, a workablesubstitute for a studio audience. Fromtime to time other characters appear, towit, Betty, played by Ethel Blume; Laura,the maid, played by Helene Dumas andMr. Jackson, played by Allan Reed.

The homespun institution called EasyAces originated in the Kansas City Corn -belt, where Ace worked on a newspaperas reporter, drama and movie -critic. Hehobnobbed professionally with the localthespians, with movie satellites en routeto Hollywood, and with touring showfolk. One day he espied the open-airtheater called radio and called to pay hisrespects at KMBC. On August 1, 1930,he went on that station with a movie -theater gossip column, and at times heread the Sunday funnies to the kiddies.

Inevitably, there comes a day in thelife of every radio star, Ace's great mo-ment came one afternoon just after hehad completed his scheduled chore. Thesucceeding program had an audiencebut lacked an entertainer. Ace lookedaround for a helpmate and whom shouldhe spot but lovely Jane! (The girl he wastrying to promote.) They went on to-gether in a program of informal chit chat,and much to their surprise some appreci-ative letters came from listeners in thenext few days.

That settled everything. A sponsorcame across with $30 per week, andGoodie proposed to Jane that they travelthrough life until death do them part, andso they launched a big-time radio career.At length they struck for a raise; the spon-sor said no, so the Aces quit with a de-termination to starve, rather than work forpeanuts. But when a flood of mysteriousfan letters from listeners were laid in thesponsor's lap, he called the strike off andraised the Aces $50 a week.

P. S. About this time, Ace developed agourmet's appetite for stogies. He wouldhave gratified that human whim sooner,but he had to face the milkman and ice-man and the landlord without batting aneye. But once he came into green clover,

Continued on Page 23


FIBBER MCGEE AND MOLLY CELEBRATE THEIR FIFTHANNIVERSARY WAXING FACETIOUS FOR JOHNSON'S WAX

W , len letters, wires cmd presents began -pouring into NBC studios in Hollywoodweeks ahead of Fibber McGee and Mol-ly's fifth anniversary on the air, Jim andMarian Jordan, who play the lovablecomedy pair, were speechless with aston-ishment

"Why Jim," commented Marian, "lookat all these nice things. Now who'd havethought we'd get all these."

"Gosh," said Jim, "I never thought wehad so many friends."

For the leading citizents of Wistful Vistacan never get used to the idea that theyhave the third largest listening audiencein radio. They have the same humilitythat marked their philosophy in the dayswhen they did daytime serials in Chicago,before the characters, Fibber and Molly,so much as words on a radio script.

Fibber and Molly's rise to fame is asgreat a tribute to the American people,as it is to the comedy team. The programembodies the finest qualities of Americanwit. It has never made an attempt to besensational. It has always steered clearof salacious or risque humor. There hasalways been a conscious effort on the partof the whole Fibber company to keep theprogram clean. It has been aimed towardan "ideal American Family" and theshow's success has proved that the av-erage American family lives up to itsideal.

Growth of the program has been a con-stant gradual process. Five years agowhen the present sponsor, Johnson's Wax,launched Fibber and Molly on the air, thebi oadcast caused no stir in radio circles.It was just another new radio programthat had promise. At the end of the firstyear it was apparent that the promisewas going to be fulfilled, and on its fifthaniversary, the program has so far sur-passed expectations that the original"promise" has been put to shame.

The Fibber company is far from beingimpressed with its own importance. Towatch rehearsals one would suspect thegang was there just for fun. They worktogether easily, enjoy a lot of sideplay,and on the whole have a good time.

Bill Thompson, who plays the Oldtimer,Horatio K. Boomer, and a variety of othercharacters, needs no encouragement tobring his accordion or his Scotch bag-pipes to entertain the cast between read-ings. Hal "Gildersleeve" Peary alwayshas a new story to dramatize. Molly andIsabel Randolph, who plays "Mrs. Up-pington" are always exchanging ideasfor sewing or crocheting patterns.

Members of the cast are as familiar toradio listeners as the comedy stars, them-selves. Don Quinn, who writes the originalshow, is still turning them out, week afterweek. Two months ago, he added anassistant, Len Levinson. Isabel Randolphhas known the Jordans since the dayswhen they all broadcast on Chicago ser-

ials. Bill Thompson is another Chicagorecruit. Harlow Wilcox is as well identi-fied with Johnson's Wax as is Fibber, him-self. In fact, the agency is forever havingsome fan insist upon talking to Mr. Wilcox"who will know what to do for my specialproblem of floor waxing." Hal Peary hasdone his rumbling "Gildersleeve" laughso many times on the program, he can bein any theater audience and be indentifiedby his guffaw.

The rise to prominence of Jim and Mar-ian Jordan is the kind of success story towhich all Americans warm. Born ofmodest circumstances, the pair by virtue

as the Smith Family, they did children'sprograms, a program called Smackouts,and did a variety of other assignments.

There were bleak periods too whenradio seemed to feel no need for the Jor-dans, and the two would pack their bagsand set out on a series of one-night stands.

" 'Everything comes to him who waits'may be outmoded," says Fibber, "But webelieve it."

"We waited ten years-and waited pa-tiently," continues the comedian, "beforeanything of any consequence happenedto us in radio. We worked and hopedand held tight to our convictions that

Fibber McGee and Molly

of hard work, intelligence, and ability,have won a place high in the current firm -anent of fame. In a 1940 era, which issupposedly smart and sophisticated, theJordans and their copy book maxims havearrived at the top of the heap.

How the Jordans started in radio hasbeen told often. They were listening onenight at a friend's house to a radio, airinga program consisting mostly of jokes oldJoe Miller would have been ashamed toclaim. In disgust, Fibber commented:

"I could do a better job of acting thananyone on that program is doing."

"Ten dollars says you can't" shoutedthe host.

Jim took the dare, and the next morningMarian and he set out for the radio station.They were used to facing vaudeville au-diences, but talking into a microphonewas something else again. They werescared stiff but braved it through. Theaudition was successful, and severalweeks later, they made their debut as theO'Henry Twins. During their long termof radio apprenticeship they were known

things would come out all right."During that entire ten years, we didn't

miss a single week on the air, except whenstage engagements interfered. Most ofour programs were over small stationswith a meager listening audience. Therewere times without number when I wantedto toss the whole thing overboard and goback to being a machinist, or selling wash-ing machines, or carrying the mail ordoing any of the other dozen and onethings I had done for a living before theradio bug started persistently nipping atMarian and me."

This anniversary doesn't mean that thetwo reached their peak. Since taking theirbroadcast to Hollywood, they have beensought after by picture studios and thisSpring signed a three picture contract,with production due to start in June.

Their friends say of them, "hmm, thisfifth anniversary is nothing. Wait untilthey're ready to celebrate their tenth."

But Fibber and Molly can't get over thefact that "all those nice people remem-bered us on our anniversary."


PHINEAS FRET

THE WORRYIN' MAN FROM STATION WSM

In getting "The Worry Hour" on the air, WSM officialswere worried to death trying to find the man with the rightworrying technique to master the ceremonies of the pro-gram. They auditioned many personalities of radio andelsewhere, but still were stumped. Finally, they found theprogram's star "Phineas Fret" literally under their noses(proving no one should go around with their noses high inthe air). He is Albert Raymond Ackerman, for ten yearsa frequenter of the WSM studios in the role of patienthusband waiting for his wife to finish her program. ForMargaret Rich Ackerman has been a singer of the WSMstaff for about that long.

Many times in the studio, but never before the businessend of a microphone, Mr. Ackerman got the star assignmenton "The Worry Hour" because of his sparkling wit atparties. In casting about for "Phineas Fret," someone re-membered how he had been the "hit of the party" onnumerous occasions, and asked: "Why Not?" Of course,there were such reasons as those that Ackerman had noexperience, would probably faint at the sight of a micro-

phone, and might even run the other way. But the audi-tion proved him an instant hit, and now his wife sits aroundthe studio waiting for her old man to finish his radio pro-gram, proving ::maps that all things come to those whowait.

Incidentally "Phineas Fret" was born in Yonkers NewYork, but has been de-Yankeeized through twenty-twoyears residence in Nashville. Not until they read this willhis close friends know his real name. Back in Yonkers hewas known by his proper name of Albert Raymond Acker-man. But in Nashville from the beginning, it's been "Ack"Ackerman. His fiancee did not know his full name untilshe had to put it on the wedding Invitations. Proving her-self a good wife, she kept his secret. "Phineas Fret" ofthe Worry Hour, or Albert Raymond "Ack" Ackerman isa draftsman by trade, and his hobbies range all throughinteresting pastimes of creative work with one's hands.He admits he was a happy man until radio reached out andsnared him. Now, he worries about those "Worry Hour"programs..


-fictyworth THE GOLDEN WESTERNERS

Those tune -punching Golden Westerners of WFAA, Dallas, canride cowponies as well as they're riding the bull fiddle in theabove photograph. Left to right, they are Smoky Maddux, CurlyHart, Gar Austin, and Tex France, chief wrangler of the outfit.

If the Golden Westerners ever tire ofplaying, yodeling and singing westernballads, they can always go back towrangling because, you see, they are allbona fide cowboys, and their hands arejust as facile with bridle and lariat asthey are with guitar, fiddle or bass.

However, the chances are that theGolden Westerners will never tire ofsinging the songs they love, and theodds that their listeners won't tire oflistening to them are overwhelmingly intheir favor.

The first proof that the Golden Wes-terners are sure 'nough westerners is thefact that the band originated in Arizona.They organized in Phoenix in Septem-ber, 1938, and one of the first thingsthat happened to them was being chosenofficial musical representatives of theJunior Chamber of Commerce there.They also had a regular program in con-nection with the Phoenix Visitors Club.

In November of that year, the GoldenWesterners moved into the Arizona Bilt-more. Their engagement there was fol-lowed by others at such spots as theWigwam, Camelback Inn, El ChorroLodge and the Westward Ho.

Trees aren't the only things that budin the spring, and birds aren't the onlythings that sing. In the spring of 1939,they went into motion pictures, and have

The lovely and refreshing Hollywood movie played and sung in several since. Theirstar Rita Hayworth prepares her hair for a pictures have included The Gentlemendive in the pool at Palm Springs. In addi- from Arizona, Stagecoach, and others.tion to her guest appearances on Radio she Their connection with the cinema doesn'tis starred in Columbia's "Blondie on a end here, though. At different times,Budget." members of the band have made per-

sonal appearances with screen cowboysTex Ritter and Bob Baker.

Tex France is the boss wrangler of theGolden Westerners outfit, as they liketo call it. Tex plays guitar and bass,and before taking to music was a wran-gler and cowpuncher on the Miller andLux ranches in California, the Antler out-fit in Montana, the CBC ranch in Wyom-ing, and the U -Quarter Circle in Colo-rado. He also rode the range for Colum-bia Pictures.

France comes by his name Tex honest-ly, because he hails originally fromSweetwater, Texas.

Curly Hart, who is from Blackwell,Okla., plays piano, piano accordion,bass and guitar. Smoky Maddux, whoalso came from Oklahoma - Ardmore -handles guitar, bass and violin withequal facility. Both these members ofthe band have been wranglers at duderanches near the Grand Canyon and atseveral other well-known resorts. Tex,Curly and Smoky have formed a three-part harmony combination inside theGolden Westerners band.

Gar Austin, who is in charge of 'theviolin department of the Golden Wes-terners, also is a native Texan. Hecame originally from Dallas, and ap-peared in the Texas Centennial in 1936.So, coming back to WFAA and Dallasis a real homecoming for him.

The Golden Westerners wrangle theircowboy songs over WFAA, Dallas, at10:15 p.m. (CST) Tuesdays, Thursdaysand Saturdays.

Pagq, 22 RADIO VARIETIES - MAY

The Lombardos Stick Together The Aces and Their PacesContinued from Page 3 Continued from Page 19

nautical Beauty

but surely repeated itself. The crowdspaid the Royal Canadians the honor oflearning to dance to their style of music.Radio played its usual active part in sell-ing Guy's "sweet" music to his listeners,and pleasure -seekers from far and widecame to dance to the melodic rhythm theyhad heard via the air waves. Guy stillis active in radio, heard on a weeklycommercial over CBS in addition to sev-eral "remote" broadcast. In a recentpoll conducted among the radio editorsof America, Guy Lombardo's was chosenas the most popular orchestra on the air.

Guy early realized that to guide hisdisciples of "sweet" music to any degreeof success during an era when jazz hadbecome the by word would require beingmore than just good. Everyone wasdancing to fast rhythm and loud blastantmusic. He was giving them slow musicand muffled brass. In face of all thedifficulties the situation presented, Guyhad confidence in the Royal Canadianstyle and decided to stick to it.

It was tough going at first. They gota date in a little town just outside of Cleve-land playing at a low calibre night club.The Royal Canadians appeared in whiteflannels, which was one strike againstthem. When they launched their typicalLombardo style of rhythm, one of the big-gest toughies on the floor stamped overto them and leered, "Hey, when are youguys going to start playing?" Guy toldhim that they were the orchestra andmusic was their business. It took a lot ofnerve and there followed a few, tense,uneasy moments but Guy lived to havethe same boy congrataulate him at theend of the evening.

Guy was not unaware of the hazardsof playing sweet. But he had searchedlong for a style and had found it -a softlegato tempo and he was not going togive it up. To this day, he and the boysare trying to improve their style but neverchange it. They strive constantly to at-tain a pure, fine, mellow quality.

Lombardo points out that every musiccomposition has a melody and it is hisaim to give that melody a proper frame.Their arrangements never obliterate themelody with superfluous sounds andrhythm. They attempt to make it interest-ing from the musical standpoint and yetsufficiently simple so that the averagelistener can easily understand what theband is doing. Contrary to the usualprocedure, Guy never adds to a song. Hetakes things out, striving constantly forgreater simplicity and consequentlytoward greater beauty.

It is a long established policy that ifa musical composition does not lend itselfto their style, it is not played. The Lom-bardo style cannot be adapted to music- the music must be suited to their ownpeculiar style of playing. It is for thisreason that Lombardo fans will neverhear a rhumba. Guy says, "When wetried a rhumba, it sounded no differentthan the way any other orchestra playedit so we just don't attempt it."

there was no denying that Goodie knewa good cigar when he smoked it. Yourreporter knows no radio personality whohands you a better bouquet stogie thanGoodman Ace.

Subsequently Goodie attracted the at-tention of a big guy in Chicago, who im-ported the team to the Windy City wherethe Aces broadcast for two years.

The original Easy Aces program ex-ploited the card game of bridge, wnencederives the name. In one way or anotherbridge always crept into the dialogue orinto the plot, but after three years of thisroutine, Ace deserted bridge for the morefertile domestic circus.

Arriving in New York, the Aces madetheir broadcasting headquarter in NBC'sRadio City studios. In 1933, Ace discover-ered a way of copping a Florida vacationwithout provoking his followers. He sim-ply wrote himself out of the program forseveral weeks and let the other charac-ters carry on. Let it be said to his ever-lasting credit as an honest man (forGoodie admits this) that when he andJane absented themselves and sunbathedin Florida, their numerical rating jumpedone full point; but no sooner than theyreturned to the program, the rating slum-ped one point.

The moral of this episode sounded par-ticularly nonsensical to Goodie's invis-ible, inaudible sponsor, i. e., that Goodieshould be assigned exclusively to writing,not acting, in Easy Aces. Said the spon-sor through his spokesman: "That's hoo-ey. I'll not plank down cash for EasyAces unless Goodman and Jane appearIN PERSON." (It was a clean givewaylEvidently, the sponsor listens on the q. t. )

The Ace family lives comfortable andsensibly . . .once a week they keep openhouse for their friends on Radio Row.They rarely miss a new play on Broad-way, and they go to the movies quiteregularly. Besides, they listen to radioprograms of all sorts.

In summer they find home most enjoy-able. They open their pent house doorsto the high altitude breezes of Park Ave-nue and beat the heat. Weekends, theymotor to the country and betimes they takea fling at the Saratoga races. In winterthey generally hibernate in New York.

Kansas City points with pride to theAces; one of Goodie's professors at Jun-ior College remembers him as one of themost promising journalism students in theschool's history. (He promised for sixmonths to write one story.) As for Jane,she stole the hearts of countless suitors,but Goodie won her in the end. He con-fides that he fetched her with a couple ofpasses to a revue starring Al Jolson. Sixmonths later they were married.

Time to time they received offers to goelsewhere and do otherwise, but they re-main loyal to Easy Aces and to eachother.

From a practical point of view and froma personal interest, your reporter repeatsthat Ace smokes the finest cigars fromCuba's finest plantations.

Brenda Marshall, Warner Brothers' star whois appearing with Errol Flynn in the movieproduction "The Sea Hawk." She was heardrecently over NBC with Bing Crosby on theKraft Music Hall show.


WHY PLAY AT HOTELS IF Here is the inside story why bandleaders play hotel engagements at aloss of money, written by the celebrated orchestra leader, Tommy Dorsey.

TOMMY DORSEY

Perhaps it doesn't make sense whenyou hear it, but nine times out of ten,when a "name" band plays in a hotel itdoes so at a loss of money.

"Then why all the excitement aboutbands trying to land those big hotel jobs?you're probably asking.

True, on the surface, the two items don'tadd up to make sense. But radio's afunny business. So is music. Put the twotogether and you practically have anhilarious setup. That's why only in ourprofession will you find a man fightingfor all he's worth to land a job which willlose him a few hundred dollars a week.

Hold on, now. Before you ridicule us,

listen to our side of the picture. We'renot as crazy as the above sounds. Atleast, we don't think we are.

Hotels can only pay up to a certainfigure without losing money. Unlike thebandleaders, the hotel operators don't fig-ure to operate at a loss, so they workthings out on paper and make a top figureof, let's say, twenty-five hundred dollarsa week. That's an average top salaryfor a "name" band in a first class hoteltoday. We'll say that's the most a bandcan get at a hotel. But the band's pay-roll is three thousand. You don't need apencil and paper to show a loss of fivehundred a week for the bandleader.

Then why do all the bandleaders fightto get hotel jobs? I'll tell you why -radio. Charge the weekly loss off to ex-ploitation and promotion if you wish, butthe secret behind the loss is the air timeand the subsequent buildup the bandgets from playing these spots.

A band goes into a hotel, is given sev-eral hours of air time a week and in ashort time is known throughout the coun-try. If the band has any definite styleor appeal, it can become an overnightsensation, just through the radio wire. Letit forsake the hotel job and barnstormaround the country on one-nighters andsee how long it would take to establishthat same reputation.

The bands that are already established[eke the hotel jobs for two reasons. Themain reason is the continued buildup.A few hundred dollars loss over a periodof several weeks can easily be recupedon a tour of one-nighters, but your suc-cess on these one-nighters will dependon the success of the radio programs youdid from that hotel. The two go hand inhand and thats why you don't hear theleaders squawk about the comparativesmall loss. Should the hotel pay more,it would definitely lose money with nochance to make it up. The leader loses,but regains that loss, sometimes two andthree times over, when he goes out andcashes in on those radio broadcasts.

The second reason behind some bandstaking location jobs is for convenience indoing a commercial series. The commer-cial more than makes up the loss at thehotel, paying in the thousands as it doeseach week. Often, in advertising con-tracts, it is stipulated that the band doall its broadcasts from one city, usuallya key spot like New York, Chicago or Los

Angeles. If the band chooses to barn-storm, it may only do so a few nights aweek because of the commercial committ-ments. It's much better, therefore, to takethe hotel job, get plenty of air time andconcentrate on the commercial withoutworrying about your one-nighters andtheatre dates.

On the surface it sounds pretty silly ofthe bandleaders to battle for jobs that willlose money for them but, when you digdown under and see what those hotelswith their network radio wires mean tothe annual income of a name band, you'llhave a different prospective of the entiresetup.


MY IMPRESSION OF HOLLYWOOD.But That Ain't The Way I Heerd It

by Bill Thompson

Recently I was asked to put down onpaper some of my impressions of Holly-wood. It's rather a difficult problem toattempt to solve, but I will try, with theaid of some people I have met, and someI have almost met, to give a very vagueimpression of this colorful land.

I have heard philosophers call Holly-wood "Gaudy, Gay, Garish and Goony."When a visiting Frenchman recentlysummed up Hollywood, he said, with thecharacteristic shrug of the shoulders,"Gauche." But when us boys from Indi-ana first saw it, we cried out in openmouthed amazement, "Gosh!" So thereader may choose the term he prefers.

Many people ask, "What do they wearin Hollywood?", and the answer to thatmight be a sign over the entrance to thecity reading "Through these Portals passthe loudest dressed people in the World."But actually, the men wear generallysport coats of the wide herringbone awn-ing stripe pattern, in hues of Vultures eggPurple, or Belligerent Beige, with trousers(that must not match) of some contrastingcolor, such as Frightened Faun or MapleLeaf Rag. To complete this costume, aBare head, with no hair cut, should beworn, and sport shirt, no tie, and Chineseor Japanese (whichever side you favor)sandals.

The women dress more conservativelyin various styled slacks, long coats, darkglasses and kerchiefs over their hair, witheither low or high heels. (The last nameddepends upon what kind of heels theyare out with). But for evening wear allthis is changed for milady. The femaleof the species emerges from her cocoon,forsaking the long cloth coat and slacks,for a lovely fur coat - and slacks.

Then another question I am commonlyasked is "Are the stars very hard tomeet?" My answer to this is "No-theyare quite easy to meet." Of course, I

have never met any myself, except thosetimes by accident, when I have encoun-tered them while I was busy deliveringthe morning newspaper (you see, I'mlearning a trade as we all know radioisn't here to stay, and a chap must havesomething to fall back on, besides atheatrical background).

Then people inquire "How is HollywoodHospitality?" My personal answer tothis is, the finest in the world. But just sowe might have another view on the mat-ter, I asked a friend of mine, who shall benameless, the same question and he an-swered, "While attending a large partyof movie celebrities recently, I waspleased to note how charming thesepeople can really be when they wish.Some of them went out of their way to bebrought over and introduced to me, thechap they did not know, just so they would

be sure they weren't snubbing one of theirown distant relatives. It really is morefun and quite an honor to be singled outand ignored then it is to just to be ignoredcasually, with the rest of the mob."

Now, my friend is obviously a little bitterin his reply, as he has only been in Holly-wood a few months, but his answer is agood example of the way some peopleact when first introduced to the cinemacapitol.

Personally, I think that Hollywood Boul-evard is a street where there are probablymore colorful people to be found than on

Bill Thompson, who plays Oldtimer, HoratioK. Boomer and a variety of characters on theFibber McGee and Molly Show.

any other street in the world. I use theword colorful, advisedly, as I have seennot only all shades of color in clothes,but also in hair. Red, White, Orange,Platinum, Raven Black, etc., and evenLavender Hair!

With it all, the Hollywood Boulevardpromenaders never lose their blase indif-ference, and never turn to stare at anyone.Except once, and that was some time ago,there was a large crowd gathered, allstaring at one girl as she walked along,totally ignorant of the attention she wasreceiving. She had, believe it if you can,completely natural looking hair!!

But I am digressing from answering thequestions I have been asked. A frequentquery I get is, "Can you tell us of Holly-wood Night Life " Well, to begin with ifyou are "just folks" and would like tohave a good table at a big fashionablenight spot, on an opening night, if you are

fortunate you will be given a table inWinslow, Arizona. But if you have noconnections you probably will get a badtable somewhere on the side in Seattle,Washington.

Still, you can consider yourself lucky,because if you actually get a table in thejoint where you are desirous of beingtaken, about five minutes after you areseated, a blinding Blitzkrieg of Flashlightswill go off somewhere near you, and evenby the time your consomme arrives, whichwill be near the end of the evening, youstill will not be able to see your consomme(which, of course, will be a good thingfor you anyway).

But the real fun comes in the dancing.These Hollywood spots have two kindsof dance floors, small and smaller. Inthe cozy little places with the smallerdance floor, the moment the band startsto play, everyone rushes to the floor to beable to get in at least three dance stepsbefore they are crushed in the crowd. Ona floor of this kind, the younger people,who belong to the leg-kicker-outers, styleof dancing, generally lash out with a fewpreliminary kicks, and catch you andyour partner neatly in the calf or shin,promptly blasting any secret hope youmight have had to enter the 440 or 100 yd.dash in the Olympics. Because after re-ceiving a wound like that from a jitterbugor a more sedate kicker -outer (especiallyif the last named get you while executinga ballroom place kick dip) you will belucky if you are able to limp out to theambulance.

But if you choose a nitery with a fairlylarge dance floor, the orchestra immed-iately starts playing a dance called a LaConga, and all the celebrities jump upand get in the fun right away, thus takingup all the room available. The dancersin this dance, (which is at present a Holly-wood favorite) , generally end up in abig circle (sort of a Latin Big Apple) whilea couple at a time get in the center andmake exhibitions of themselves. This, ofcourse, calls for more batteries of Flash-lights to open up and you and your part-ner, by now completely unable to see inthe flashing lights, grope your way backto your table, only to find that your tableis in the hands of the receivers, and apolite but surly gentleman is there withyour statement of bankruptcy.

This ceremony generally ends the eve-ning, and the week too for that matter,and you go home dazed but happy in theknowledge that you have seen celebritiesat play.

I wish I had more space to go on andanswer the questions I've received aboutthe World Premiers, the supper partiesat swank eating places, and many otherinteresting things, but I've probably beenboring you folks anyway. What's that?You say I didn't bore you at all? Well,that's pretty good Johnny, but that ain'tthe way I heered it!


With Rudy Vallee dreaming up another historical fantasy for his Thursday night program (heard 8:30CST, NBC -Red), Slapsie Maxie Rosenbloom sees his opportunity to snatch a copy of RADIO VARIETIES fromhis boss's pocket. The two fun -makers find time to read RADIO VARIETIES during rehearsal hours and inthe words of the intellectual Maxie, "This magazine is beyond compare with other similar publications thatare read by followers of the wireless and cinema. We of the intelligensia in Hollywood feel that it offers agreat deal to the searching mind. And as soon as I loin to read I'll soitanly subscribe. Tanks."

YOUR FAVORITE NETWORK PROGRAM SCHEDULESThis schedule listed for time, name of program, day broadcast and network outlet. indicates Monday thru Friday programs.

CENTRAL DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME

DRAMATIC SERIALS

8:00 a.m., Woman of Courage,* CBS8:15 a.m., Meet The Dixons,* CBS8:45 a.m., Bachelor's Children,* CBS9:00 a.m., Kitty Kelly,* CBS9:00 a.m., Man I Married,* NBC -Red9:15 a.m., Vic and Sade,* NBC -Blue9:15 a.m., Midstream,* NBC -Red9:15 a.m., Myrt & Marge,* CBS9:15 a.m., Houseboat Hannah,* NBC -Blue9:30 a.m., Ellen Randolph,* NBC -Red9:30 a.m., Story of Mary Marlin,* NBC -Blue9:45 a.m., Pepper Young's Family,* NBC -Blue9:45 a.m., Midstream,* NBC -Blue'1:45 a.m., Stepmother,* CBS0:00 a.m., Short Short Story, M.W.F., CBS0:00 a.m., David Harum,* NBC -Red0:15 a.m., Road of Life,* NBC -Red0:15 a.m., Life Begins,* CBS0:30 a.m., Big Sister,* CBS0:30 a.m., Against the Storm,* NBC -Red0:45 a.m., Guiding Light,* NBC -Red0:45 a.m., Affairs of Anthony,* NBC -Blue0:45 a.m., Aunt Jenny's Stories,* CBS1:15 a.m., O'Neills,* NBC -Red1:15 a.m., When A Girl Marries,* CBS1:30 a.m., Helen Trent.* CBS1:45 a.m., Our Gal Sunday,* CBS2:00 noon, The Goldbergs. CBS1:15 p.m., Fife Can Be Beautiful.* CBS2:30 p.m., This Day is Ours,* CBS2:45 p.m., Road of Life,* CBS1:00 p.m., Light of the World,* NBC -Red1:00 p.m., Young Dr. Malone,* CBS1:15 p.m., Joyce Jordan,* CBS1:15 p.m., Arnold Grimm's Daugh.,* NBC -R1:10 p.m., Your Family and Mine,* CBS1:30 p.m., Valiant Lady,* NBC -Red1:30 p.m., Life Begins,* CBS1:45 p.m., "My Son & 1."* CBS2:00 p.m., Society Girl,* CBS2:00 p.m., Orphans of Divorce,* NBC -Blue2:18) p.m., Mary Marlin,* NBC -Red2:15 p.m., Society Girl,* CBS1:15 p.m., Ma Perkins,* NBC -Red2:15 p.m., Amanda of Honeymoon Hill,*

NBC -Blue2:30 p.m., John's Other Wife,* NBC -Blue2:30 p.m., Pepper Young's Family,* NBC -Red2:45 p.m., Just Plain Bill,* NBC -Blue2:45 p.m., Vic and Sade,* NBC -Red3:00 p.m., Kitty Kelly,* CBS3:00 p.m., Backstage Wife,* NBC -Red3:15 p in., Stella Dallas,* NBC -Red3:30 p.m., Hilltop House,* CBS3:30 p.m., Lorenzo Jones,* NBC -Red1:30 p.m., Hilltop House,* Mon. Fri., CBS3:45 p.m., Stepmother.* CBS1:45 p.m., 1 using Widder Brown,* NBC -Red4:00 p.m., By Kathleen Norris,* CBS4:00 p.m., Girl Alone,* NBC -Red4:15 p.m., Kitty Keene,* NBC -Red4:15 p.m., Caroline's Golden Store,* CBS4:15 p.m., Dr. Susan,* CBS4:30 p.m., Crossroads, Sun., NBC -Red4:45 p.m., Scattergood Baines.* CBS4:45 p.m., O'Neills,* NBC -Red5:00 p.m., Li'l Abner,* NBC -Red5:00 p.m., Billy & Betty,* CBS5:30 p.m., Joyce Jordan,* CBS5:30 p.i13., Renfrew of Mounted, Sat., NBC -B5:45 p.m., Bud Barton,* NBC -Blue6:00 p.m., Easy Aces, TWTh., NBC -Blue6:00 p.m., Amos and Andy,* CBS6:15 p.m., Mr. Keen, TWTh., NBC -Blue6:30 p.m., One of the Finest, M.,Th., NBC -B6:30 p.m., Blondie. Mon., CBS9:30 p.m., Brent House, Tues., NBC -Blue6:30 p.m., Second Husband, Tues.. CBS7:00 p.m., Mr. District, Thurs., NBC -Red7:00 p.m., County Seat, Sat.. CBS7:00 p.m., Aldrich Family, Tues.. NBC -Blue7:30 p.m., I Love a Mystery, Thurs., NBC -

Red7:30 p.m., One Man's Family, Sun., NBC -R8:15 p.m., Parker Family, Sun., NBC -Blue9:00 p.m., Dr. Christian, Wed., CBS9:30 p.m., Blondie, Mon., CBS9:30 p.m., Heart of Julia Blake, TThS., CBS

10:00 p.m., Amos and Andy,* CBS

DRAMATIC PLAYS1:00 p.m., Great Plays, Suu.. NBC -Blue7:00 p.m., Landmarks of Radio Drama, Sat.,

NBC -Red5:00 p.m., Silver Theatre, Sun.. CBS7:00 p.m., Gang Busters, Sat., CBS8:00 p.m., The Green Hornet, Mon., Wed.,

NBC -Blue7:00 p.m., Hollywood Playhouse, W., NBC -R7:00 p.m., Big Town. Tues., CBS7:30 p.m., Death Valley Days, Fri., NBC-Blue'7:30 p.m., Court of Missing Heirs, Tues. CBS7:30 p.m., Strange as it Seems, Timm., CBS8:00 p.m., Lux Theater, Mon., CBS8:30 p.m., Irene Rich, Sun., NBC -Blue8:30 p.m., First Nighter, Fri., CRS9:00 p.m., Don Omeche, Fri., NBC -Red9:00 p.m., Columbia Workshop, Thurs., CBS9:00 p.m.. Grand Central Station, Fr., CBS

11:30 p.m., Strange as it Seems, Thurs., CBS

COMEDY AND POPULAR MUSIC

VARIETY

8:00 a.m., Breakfast Club," NBC -Blue8:30 a.m., National Hilibilly Champ, F., CBS8:30 a.m., Sunday Drivers, Sun.. NBC -Red

10:05 a.m., News and Rhythm, Sun., CBS11:00 a.m., Kate Smith Noon Chat,* CBS11:45 a.m., Courtney's Gloomchasers, Sat., MBS12:30 p.m., From Hollywood Today, Sun.,

NBC --Red1:30 p.m., News and Rhythm, Sun., CBS1:30 p.m., Brush Creek Follies, Sat., CBS1:30 p.m., Fletcher Wiley,* CBS2:35 p.m., Uncle Jonathan,* CBS3:00 p.m., Club Matinee,** NBC -Blue4:30 p.m., Watanabe & Archie,* NBC -Blue4:30 p.m., Happened in Holly. M.W.F,., CBS4:45 p.m., Smilin' Ed McConnell,* CBS5:00 p.m., Gay Nineties, Sun., CBS5:00 p.in., Kaltenmeyer's Kindergarten, Sat.,

NBC -Red5:15 p.m., Hopper's Hollyw'd, M.W.F. CBS5:30 p.m., Gene Autry Mel. Ranch, Sun., CBS6:00 p.m., Jack Benny, Sun., NBC -Red6:30 p.m., Weekend Potpourri, Sun., CBS6:30 p.m., Burns and Allen, Wed., CBS6:30 p.m., Al Pearce, Fri., CBS7:00 p.m., Chase & Sanborn, Sun., NBC -Red7:00 p.m., Tune Up Time, Mon.. CBS7:00 p.m., Ben Bernie, Wed., CBS7:00 p.m., Johny Presents, 1 ues.. NBC RED7:00 p.m., Kate Smith, Fri., CBS7:30 p.m., Plantation Party, Wed., NBC -Red7:30 p.m., Model Minstrels, Mon., CBS8:00 p.m., We, The People, Tues., CBS8:00 p.m., Fred Allen Show, Wed.. NBC -Red8:30 p.m., Rudy Vallee, Thurs., NBC -Red8:00 p.m., Texaco Star Theater, Wed., CBS8:00 p.m., Good News of 1940, Thur., NBC -R8:00 p.m., Johnny Presents, Fri., CBS8:00 p.m., Natl. Barn Dance, Sat., NBC -Blue8:30 p.m., Alec Templeton, Mon., NBC -Red8:30 p.m., Fibber McGee, Tues., NBC -Red9:00 p.m., Don Ameche Show, Fri.,NBC-Red9:00 p.m., Bob Hope, Tues. NBC -Red

p.m., Kraft Music Hall, Thurs., NBC -R9:30 p.m., Burns and Allen, Wed., CBS9:30 p.m., Unc Walt Dog Hse., Tue.,NBC-R

10:15 p.m., Jimmie Fidler, Tues., CBS10:30 p.m., Model Minstrels, Mon., CBS10:30 p.m., Johnny Presents, Fri., CBS11:00 p.m., Tune -Up Time, Mon., CBS11:00 p.m., Kate Smith, Fri., CBS11:30 p.m., We, The People, Tues., CBS

AUDIENCEPARTICIPATION

2:00 p.m., I Want a Divorce, Sun., NBC -Red6:30 p.m., Vox Pop, Thurs., CBS6:30 p.m., Professor Quiz, Fri., CBS7:00 p.m., This Amazing America, Fri., NBC -

Blue7:00 p.m., Ask -It -Basket, Thurs., CBS7:30 p.m., Quicksilver, Wed., NBC -Blue7:30 p.m., Pot o' Gold, Tues., NBC -Red7:30 p.m., Information Please, Tues., NBC -B7:30 p.m., True or False, Mon., NBC -Blue8:00 p.m., Major Bowes, Thurs., CBS8:00 p.m., Doctor I. Q., Mon., NBC -Red8:00 p.m., Professor Quiz, Fri., CBS8:00 p.m., Battle of Sexes, Tues., NBC -Red8:30 p.m., What Would You Have Done?, Fri.,

NBC -Red9:00 p.m., Goodwill Hour, Sun., NBC -Blue9:00 p.m., Take It or Leave It, Sun., CBS9:00 p.m., Kay Kyser's College, Wed., NBC -R9:30 p.m., Marathon Melodies, Fri., NBC -B

11:00 p.m., Ask -It -Basket, Thurs., CBS11:00 p.m., Marriage Club, Wed., NBC -Blue

RELIGIOUS

8:00 a.m., Richard Maxwell,** CBS8:30 a.m., Wings Over Jordan, Sun., CBS9:00 a.m., Church of the Air. Sun.. CBS9:00 a.m., Bible Highlights, Sun., NBC -Red

10:45 a.m., Most Out of Life,* NBC -Blue11:30 a.m., Rel. & New World, Mon., NBC -R11:30 a.m., Our Spiritual Life, Tues., NBC -R11:30 a.m., Timeless Truths, Thurs., NBC -R11:30 a.m., Opportunity, Fri., NBC -Red11:30 a.m., Call to Youth, Sat., NBC -Red12:00 noon, Church of the Air, Sun., CBS

1:30 p.m., The Truth, Wed., NBC -Red1:45 p.m., Hymns All Ch., MTTh., NBC -R3:00 p.m., National Vespers, Sun., NBC -Blue5:00 p.m., Catholic Hour, Sun., NBC -Red5:30 p.m., Religion in News, Sat., NBC -Red6:00 p.m.. Message of Israel, Sat., NBC -Blue

7:45 a.m., Melody Time, M., W., F., CBS7:30 a.m., Tone Pictures, Sun., NBC -Blue7:30 a.m., Gene and Glenn,* NBC -Red8:05 a.m., Happy Jack'burner,* NBC -Red8:15 a.m., Band Goes to Town,* NBC -Red8:15 a.m., Sunny Melodies, Tues., CBS8:15 a.m., Fiddlers Fancy, Sat., CBS8:30 a.m., Fiddlers Fancy, Wed., CBS8:30 a.m., Sunday Drivers, Sun., NBC -Red8:45 a.m., Gospel Singer,* NBC -Red8:45 a.m., Crackerjacks Quartet, Sat., NBC -R8:45 a.m., Music in the Air, Tues., CBS9:00 a.m., Organ Moods, Sat., CBS9:30 a.m., Saturday Serenade, Sat., CBS9:30 a.m., Charioteers, Sat., NBC -Blue9:45 a.m., Novelettes,* NBC -Blue

10:00 a.m., Rhythmaires, 'Sues., CBS10:00 a.m., Blue Interlude, Wed., CBS10:30 a.m., Southernaires, Sun., NBC -Blue11:00 a.m., Console Echoes, Thurs., CBS11:00 a.m., Charles Paul, Fri., CBS11:15 a.m., Southernaires, Thurs., NBC -B11:15 a.m., Dinning Sisters,* NBC -Red11:30 a.m., Salon Musicale, Mon., CBS11:30 a.m., Southern Cruise, Wed., CBS11:30 a.m., Cate Budapest, Thurs., CBS12:00 noon Music for Moderns, Sun., NBC -Red12:30 p.m., Silver Strings, Sun., NBC -Red12:30 p.m., Matinee in Rhythm, Sat., NBC -R1:00 p.m., Milton Charles and Edith Hendrick,

M., T., Th., CBS1:15 p.m., Quilting Bee, Wed., NBC -Blue1:45 p.m., Enoch Light Orch., MWF., CBS1:45 p.m., Tune Time, Tues., CBS2:00 p.m., Not So Long Ago, Tues., CBS2:00 p.m., Sunday Afternoon, Sun., MISS2:30 p.m., Swing Serenade, Wed., CBS2:30 p.m., 'tapestry Musicale, Sun., NBC -

Blue3:00 p.m., Deep River Boys, Tues., CBS3:15 p.m., Al Bernard, Ines., CBS3:15 p.m., Ray Bloch's Varieties, Thurs., CBS3:30 p.m., Basin Street Music, Sun., NBC -B3:30 p.m., Lee Childs, Wed., CBS3:30 p.m., Syncopation Piece, Sun., CBS3:45 p.m., Blue Streak Rhythm Ens., lu., CBS4:00 p.m., Escorts and Betty, Sun., NBC -Blue4:00 p.m., Ruth Carhart, Songs, Fri., CBS4:00 p.m., Summer Serenade, Sat., CBS4:15 p.m., Patterns in Swing, Thurs., CBS4:30 p.m., From Hollywood Today, Sun.,

NBC -Red5:00 p.m., Luther -Layman Singers, W., NBC -R5:00 p.m., El Chico, Sat., NBC -Red5:05 p.m., 1 he Troubadors, Mon., 1 ues., CBS5:05 p.m., Ballads by Brooks, Wed., CBS5:15 p.m., Deep River Boys, Mon., CBS5:15 p.m., Eton Boys, Tues., Wed., Fri., CBS5:30 p.m., Beat the Band, Sun., NBC -Red5:30 p.m., Cavalcade of Hits, Sun., NBC -Blue5:45 p.m., Salon Silhouettes, Tu., Th., NBC -R5:45 p.m., Judith Arlen,* CBS6:00 p.m., Fred Waring,* NBC -Red6:00 p.m., Rhythm Rascals, Wed., CBS6:15 p.m., Michael Loring, Songs, "lb., CBS6:30 p.m., Fitch Bandwagon, Sun., NBC -Red7:00 p.m., Johnny Presents, Tues., NBC -Red7:00 a.m., barbenders, Mon. thru Fri., NBC -B7:30 p.m., Wayne King Orch, Sat., CBS7:30 p.m., Horace Heidt, Tues., NBC -Red7:30 a.m., Ray Perkins, M., W., Fri., NBC -

Blue7:30 a.m., Vocal Vogues, Tues., Thurs.,

NBC -B8:00 p.m., Your Hit Parade, Sat.. CBS8:00 p.m., Your Sunday Date, Sun., MBS8:00 p.m., Manh. Merry Go R., Sun., NBC -R8:00 p.m., Waltz Time, Fri., NBC -Red8:45 p.m., Saturday Night Serenade, Sat., CBS9:00 p.m., Guy Lombardo's Orch., Mon., CBS9:00 p.m., Carnation Cont., Mon., NBC -Red9:00 p.m., Camel Caravan, Sat., NBC -Red9:00 p.m., Kay Kyser, Wed., NBC -Red9:00 p.m., Hour of Charm, Sun., NBC -Red9:00 p.m., Time To Shine, Tues., CBS9:30 p.m., Romance in Rhythm, Wed., MBS9:30 p.m., Doris Rhodes, Tues., CBS9:30 p.m., Young Man With a Band, F., CBS

10:00 p.m., Jack Jenny Orchestra, Sun., CBS10:00 p.m., Fred Waring,* NBC -Red10:15 p.m., Larry Ross, M. W. T. F., CBS10:15 p.m., Dick Stabile Orch., TFrSat., CBS10:15 p.m., Johnny Long Orch., WTh., CBS10:30 p.m., Lou Breeze's Orch., NBC10:30 p.m., Larry Fatin Orchestra, Wed., CBS10:30 p.m., Paul Whiteman's Orch., Wed., CBS10:30 p.m., Frankie Masters Or., Sun.,Sat., CBS11:00 p.m., Woody Herman's Orch., NBC11:00 p.m., Louis Armstrong Orch., M., CBS11:00 p.m., Ray Herbeck Orch., Tues., CBS11:00 p.m., Harry James Orch., W., Fri., CBS11:00 p.m., Hal Kemp, Sat., CBS11:00 p.m., Your Hit Parade, Sat., CBS11:30 p.m., Van Alexander Orch., Sun., CBS11:30 p.m., Harry James Orchestra, Mon.. CBS11:30 p.m., Larry Clinton Orch., Tues., CBS11:30 p.m., Glen Gray, Wed. CBS11:30 p.m., Teddy Powell, Thurs., CBS11:30 p.m., Jack Jenny Orchestra, Sat., CBS12:00 a.m., Bobby Peters Orch., Sun., CBS12:00 a.m., Phil Levant, MTThF., CBS12:00 a.m., John Kirby's Orch., NBC

POPULAR MUSIC(Continued)

12:00 a.m., Jerry Livingstone Orch., Wed., CBS12:00 a.m., Ben Bernie Orchestra, Sat., CBS12:30 a.m., Harry James Orch., Thurs., CBS12:30 a.m., Leighton Noble, Sat., CBS

EDUCATIONAL

PROGRAMS9:30 a.m., Betty Moore, NBC -Red

10:30 a.m., Traveling Cook, Tues., NBC -Blue12:15 p.m., Calling Stamp Collectors, Sat.,

NBC -Red12:15 p.m., Bet. Bookends, *NBC -Blue12:30 p.m., Nature Sketches, Tues., NBC -Red12:30 p.m., On Your Job, Sun., NBC -Red1:00 p.m., How Do You Know?, Thurs., NBC -

Blue1:00 p.m., Dr. Damrosch, Fri., NBC -Blue1:00 p.m., Democracy in Action, Sun., CBS1:00 p.m., Adven. in Reading, Mon., NBC -B1:30 p.m., U. of Chi. Rd. Table, Su., NBC.R2:35 p.m., Am. Sch. of Air,* CBS3:00 p.m., Bull Sessions, Sat., CBS3:15 p.m., Highways to Health, Wed., CBS3:15 p.m., Men Behind the Stars, Fri., CBS3:15 p.m., Adventures in Science, Thur., CBS3:15 p.m., Of Men and Books, Tues., CBS3:30 p.m., Medicine in the News, Th., NBC -B3:30 p.m., World is Yours, Sun., NBC -Red4:30 p.m., Am. Sch. of Air,* CBS5:05 p.m., Kitchell's Brief Case, Fri., NBC -B5:15 p.m., Malcolm Claire,* NBC -Red5:30 p.m., Guest Book, Thurs., NBC -Red5:45 p.m., The World Today, MWF., CBS6:00 p.m., People's Platform, Sat., CBS6:15 p.m., Youth in the Toils, Mon., NBC -B6:30 p.m., Pursuit of Happiness, Sun., CBS':30 p.m., So You Think You Know Music,

Sun., CBS7:30 p.m., Information Please, Tue., NBC -B9:15 p.m., Americans at Work, Tues., CBS9:15 p.m., Public Affairs, Wed. & Sat.. CBS

10:15 p.m., Next Step Forward, Wed., NBC -R

AGRICULTURAL11:30 a.m., Nat. Farm & Home Hr.,** NBC -B4:00 p.m., Columbia's Country J., Sun., CBS

CLASSICAL AND

SEMI -CLASSICAL7:30 a.m., Poetic Strings, Sun., CBS7:45 a.m., Maurice Brown, Cellist, Sun., CBS8:00 a.m., '1 he Organ Loft, Sun., CBS9:00 a.m., String Symphony, Sun., NBC -Blue9:30 a.m., Aubade for Strings, Sun., CBS

10:00 a.m., Console Contrasts, Sun., CBS10:05 a.m., Cincinnati Con. Music, Sat., CBS10:30 a.m., Major Bowes', Sun., CBS10:30 a.m., Music & Amer. Youth, Sun., NBC -

Red11:00 a.m., Radio City Mu. Hall, Sun., NBC -B11:30 a.m., Salt Lake Tabernacle, Sun., CBS12:00 noon, Enoch Light Orchestra, Sat., CBS12:30 p.m., Walberg Brown Strings, Sun., CBS12:45 p.m., Words and Music,* NBC -Red

1:30 p.m., U. S. Army Band, Tues., NBC -B1:30 p.m., Going South, Sun., CBS1:45 n.m., Hymns of All Churches, Mon.,

Tues., Thurs., NBC -Red2:00 p.m., Symphony, Sun., CBS2:L.. U. S. Navy Band, Wed., CBS2:00 p.m., Music Hour, Fri., CBS2:30 p.m., Tapestry Musicale, Sun., NBC -B2:30 p.m., Poetic Strings, Mon., CBS2:30 p.m., Story of the Song, Tues., CBS2:30 p.m., Clyde Barrie, Thurs., CBS3:00 p.m., Cleveland Institute of Music, Tues.,

CBS3:00 p.m., Leon Goldman, Wed., CBS3:15 p.m., Ruth Carhart, Mon., CBS4:00 p.m., Exploring Music, Tues., CBS4:00 p.m., Genevieve Rowe, Thurs.,4:30 p.m., Choral Program, Sun., C5:05 p.m., Aeolian Ensemble, Fri., CBS5:15 p.m., Console Reveries, M., Th., CBS6:00 p.m., Aeolian Ensemble, Thurs., CBS6:30 p.m., Aeolian Ensemble, Mon., CBS7:00 p.m., Telephone Hour, Mon., NBC -Red7:00 p.m., Cities Serv. Conc., Fri., NBC -Red7:30 p.m., Voice of Firestone, Mon., NBC -R8:00 p.m., Ford Hour, Sun., CBS8:30 p.m., Alec Templeton, Mon., NBC -Red8:30 p.m., Amer. Al. Fam. Mu., Sun., NBC -R8:30 p.m., Vera Brodsky, Pianist, Tues., CBS9:00 p.m., Roy Shield Music, Tues., NBC -

Blue8:30 p.m., Roy Shield Revue, Wed., NBC -

Blue9:30 p.m., Columbia Concert, Mon., CBS

There's Never a Dullwhen you listen

If all the many abilities and accomplishments of thosecould be scheduled for one continuous radio performance,one of the most unusual but also one of the most interesting

The WLS Rangers would play for hours on endsingle number - everything from classical to ultrawith a loi of fine harmony singing interspersed.Salty Holmes, while playing guitar with the Prairiedoing dance and comedy routines (not to mentionelty singing).Chuck Acree, with "Something to Talk About" forwould be amusing the visible audience with clever

The same holds true for every one else - from the announcersman. For all members of the WLS staff are chosenability to provide wholesome, interesting diversifiedwhy there's never a dull moment when you listen to

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Here's part of the WLS National Barn Dance gang, the night they celebratedthe eighth anniversary of broadcasting from the Eighth Street Theatre. GraceWilson is getting ready to cut the birthday cake with Reggie Cross, Arkie, FritzMeissner and others expectantly waiting.

Momentto WLS

who entertain you over WLSit would not only beyou ever heard.

without repeating amodern tunes - and

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the listening audience,magic tricks.

to the sound effectsfor just one reason: Thorradio entertainment. That'sWLS.

The Prairie FarmerStation

870 Kilocycles 50,000 Watts

I III VAR - americanradiohistory.com playing has the Lombardo rhythm. For a number of years, Guy has...

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Transcript of I III VAR - americanradiohistory.com playing has the Lombardo rhythm. For a number of years, Guy has...