KMBC Ends Record Year Of Radio Developments

-1-------I-":':!Stt:y~
-VO-L-.-3,-N-O-.
KMBC Announces
Ring in the New!
Dr. C. F. Church As
KMBC Ends Record Year
Of Radio Developments
Education Head
l\'IERCHANDISER
Coincident with the resignation
and
Crowded with achievement,
of R. Edwin Browne, who for four
years has been KMBC's director of bringing the promise of even greateducation, Dr. Charles F. Church, er things to come, 1944 stands out
Jr., has been named his successor. as one of the most inspiring, most
In accepting the resignation of successful years in the history of
MI'. Browne, who early in 1945 be- KMBC and the Midland Broadcastcame director of public relations ing Company.
The year saw the station filing
for the University of Kansas, and
in announcing the appointment of application with the Federal ComDr. Church, Arthur B. Church, munications Commission for 50 kw
president of KMBC, issued the fol- transmission and a change of wave
length from 980 to 540.
lowing statement:
Frequency Modulation broadcast"It is with gening
of all KMBC programs from 12
uine regret that
noon to signoff daily, and from 7
we accept the
a.m. on Sunday, was inaugurated
resignation
of
on June 24, at a ceremony presided
Edwin Browne,
over by Arthur B. Church, presiwho has been
dent
of KMBC, and attended by
offered an imdistinguished figures of the radio
pOltant post at
industry throughout this area. The
the University
F-M schedule is operated as an
of Kansas. Mr.
additional service to advertisers, at
Browne has conno extra cost to them.
tributed much in
extending the
Brought Burns & Allen
Dr. Chotfe5 F. Chur-;h
usefulness
0 :f
An outstanding contribution of
KMBC's educational and religious the station to the U.S. Treasury
programs.
Department's fourth war loan, in
"His contl'jbutions in building June, was the bringing of Dinah
the 'KMB C Schoolhouse' series of Shore and Burns and Allen, with
broadcasts' and in conducting the their supporting cast, to Kansas
'Little Office Behind the Church City, so that the regular comedy
Organ,' a practical half-hour relig- program might Ol'iginate from the
ious discussion broadcast weekly Municipal Auditorium here, as the
over KMBC, have been major con- opening event of the drive in Kantributions to the station's public sas City. The program sold $11,service programs.
000,000 in bonds, with an audience
Doctor Church Well Known
of 12,000 individual purchasers
"'\Ve are happy, however, to see gaining admittance to the broad·
him return to his alma mater as cast.
the new K. U. director of pUblic
Expansion of station activities
relations, where he will continue to during the year made necessary
have contact with the KMBC edu- the lease of 8000 square feet of
cational department.
additional office space, with execu"Although we feel we are suf- tive and administration departfering a loss in Mr. Browne's deci- ments, sales and sales promotion,
sion to return to the University of and allied offices taking up the
Kansas, we are extremely fortu- entire tenth floor of the studio!'; in
nate in having available an immediate successor in Dr. Charles
Church, who has, during the past
year, made a nation-wide survey on
radio and education, and whose
long preparation in the educational
field fits him admirably as director I
of education at KMBC.
;
"Dr. Chul'ch received his bachelOl"s degree from the University i
of Iown in 1924 j his master's de-·
gree from the University of Iowa
in 1925, and \vas awarded the degree of doctor of philosophy hy
Ohio State University in H)42. In
addition to his new duties, he will
continue to serve as acting director
of research.
Survey Made Last Summer
"Dr. Church's enthusiasm in the
potentialities of radio as an educa- ,
tional medium aTC due in a large·
purt to the splendid hospitality and
invaluahle information extended
him by broadcasters and educators
the nation over dnring his U)44
stUdy. My brother nnd I hope that
a sumnuu'y of the information and
facts he has obtained in this survey
may be placed in the hands of the
industry this year."
KMBC is a pioneer in cduca~
tional radio programs, giving them
a place of major importance.
I
rrr
KMBC Will Salute
Entire Industry In
National Campaign
NAB COMES TO K. C.
+-------------------------------
H!
FEBRUARY L 1945
the Pickwick HoteL Program, traffic and talent are now grouped in
the eleventh floor penthouse, together with engineering and control.
Installation of' air conditioning
and redecoration of offices continued
throughout most of the summer.
New tenth-floor reception room
with striking modern decor and
fluorescent Jighting was completed
early in the fall ..
New Executives
Among executives, Sam H. Bennett, whose outstanding work as
head of sales for KMBC since 1940
has given him added national prominence, was named vice president of
the Midland Broadcasting Company
in June. Sidney Walker, long a fig.
ure in banking and industrial circles
in Kallsas City, became treasurer.
Three new department heads
joined the station in May, Rod
Cupp as program director, Dr.
CharleS' F. Chureh, Jr., to bead a
new department of educational research, and Sam Molen as sports
director.
Mr. Cupp had been production
manager of WLS in Chicago; Dr.
Church, a brother of Arthur B.
Church, was a member of the facfulty of Bowling Green University,
Bowling Green, Ohio. Dr. Church
was this month announced as the
new educational director of KMBC.
Mr. Molen came to Kansas City
from the West Virginia Network
at Charlestown.
Death of Mark Smith
The death in July of Mark Smith,
director of research and merchanelbing, and a pioneer in these fields
in radio, saddened the entire staff
of KMBC, for Mr. Smith had been
associated with Al'thUl" B. Church
and the station for thirteen years.
(Continued on Page 2. Col. 4)
fr
Important wartime sessions
for the NAB lOth district are
being held in Kansas City February 7 and 8. With vital industry developments up for discus-
sion it is expected that most of
the radio stations in Missouri,
Iowa and Nebraska will be represented. NAB officials coming
to Kansas City from Washington include J. Harold Ryan,
president; Lewis H. Avery,
NAB director of broadcast advertising, and Hugh Feltis, president of the newly formed
Broadcast Measurement Bureau.
Of particular importance is the
call for support of the BMB by
Mr. Feltis. Kansas City's Chamber of Commerce will hear Mr.
Ryan in a discussion on "A
Quarter Century of Broadcasting in America," while lVIr.
Avery is appearing before the
Rotary Club on the subject of
broadcast advertising.
A pioneer in its own right,
KMBC of Kansas City in recognition of broadcasting's 25th anniversary has been pledged by Arthur B.
Church, founder and president, to
devoting its trade paper space,
color pages, in salute to those radio
stations that are responsible for
pioneering attainments in the development of broadcasting.
During the past year the theme
of KMBC's, advertising space also
has been strictly institutional, "dedicated in behalf of American Broadcasting to the home and the community." An elaborate 20-page brochul'e entitled, "Setting the Stagefor Broadcasting's 25th Anniver~
sary," will soon be distributed
throughout the industry. It will
explain the significance of KMBC's
past campaign and set the stage
for the new one.
Typical "Heart of Americans"
r
from all walks of life were inter___
viewed by KMBC last year to tell
Sponsol' l'enewals and new con- how radIo serves their needs in war
tracts on KMBC programs and as in peace. This material constiKMBC personalities are rolling up, tuted the theme back of KMBC adSam H. Bennett, vice president and vertising.
director of sales, announces, with
This year's campaign is unique
Caroline Ellis Phil Evans ErIe from that of 1944 in that individual
Smith, Henry Goodman, J oh~ Cam- ,stations, instead of the industry as
~ron Swayze, and Sam Molen all a whole, will be singled out for
wrapped up for the new year.
I salute by KMBC. Starting with
Celanese Corporation of America full pages on both WWJ of Detroit
renews the KMBC "Happy Home" and KDKA of Pittsburgh, as piowith Caroline Ellis for Celanese neel' broadcasting stations, future
Fabrics, on Saturd~y morning at advertisements will note such other
8:30, while Mrs. Ellis' other spon- i pioneering developments as the staSOl'S, Mentholatum and Hollandel'-i tions with .the fil:st commercial
izin' Corporation, continue.
broadcasts, fIrst radIO news depal'tPhil Evans for Cinder Blox
I ment, first chain broadcasting, etc.
On the KMBC "Happy Kitchen"
KMBC sent out to all American
Tl'imz, the ready-pasted, ready-to- ~'ad!o ~tations personal letters of
apply wallpaper borders made by m:ltatlOn to participate in the camUnited Wallpaper Factories, Inc., paIgn.
for wartime "do-it-yourself" redecorating, has the Monday, WednesINDEX
day and Friday programs at 9 :80
Listed below are items of para.m., CWT. Tuesday and Thursday
periods are sponsored by the CZ ticular interest to grocers and
Chemical Company, of Beloit, Wis- druggists in this month's issue
of Heartbeat8.
consin, for Mat'vene Soapless Suds,
DRUGGISTS:
an all-purpose, concentrated cleaner
Mentholatum. Page 1, Col. 4.
in powder for111, for dish washing,
Curtiss Candy, Page I, Col ....
Defender Vitamins. Page 2. Col. 4.
family and personal laundry, housePage 3. Cols. 4 & 5.
Four-Way Cold Tablets. Page 2, Col.
hold cleaning and even drain pipes. I
4. Page 3, Cols. " &. 5.
Phil Evans' Grain and Produce I
Smith Brothers Cough Drops. Page 2.
Col. 4. Page 3. Cols. " & 5.
Markets, at 12:30,
Monday
through!
..
.,
Phillip!! Milk of Magnesia, Page 3,
Cola. 1 &. 3.
Friday, will be broadcast, on a six I
~enefax. BillOdol. Page 3, Col. 3.
months' basis, for Cinder Rlox,
Evershal'P. Page 4, Col. 1.
Williams Sbave Cream. Page 4.
made by the Cinder Concreto ProdCol. 1.
Swan Soap, Page 4. Col. 3.
ucts Company of Kangag City.
Mllx Factor'lI Pancake Makeup. Page
KMBC News Sponsor!'
4. Col. 3.
Lucky Strike Cigarettes, Page 4.
Renewals of ErIe Smith and the
Col. 3.
Iyory Soap, Oxydol, Page 4. Col. 1.
News at 11 p.m., by Muehlebach
GROCERS:
Pilsenel' for 52 weeks, and John
Adams Dairiell. Page %, Col. 4.
Maryene. Page 1, Col ....
Cameron Swayze and the News at
Muehlebach PlIsener, Page 1. Col. 4.
12:55 p.m., also for 52 weeks. by
Premium Crackerll. Page 1. Col. 4.
CurtislI Candy. Page 1. Col. 4.
1 the National Biscuit Company for
LaFrance, Satina. Postum. POllt'S
Raisin Bran. Page 3. Cols. 1 & 3.
i Premium Crackers, Nabisco and
SweetlIeart Soap, Page 3, Col. 3.
Home Maid Gl'ahunul, al'e in, and
Tenderleaf Tea, Page 3. Col. 3.
Grapenuts,
WhutMul, Pa~e 3, Col. 3.
the Curtiss Candy Company takes
Old Dutch Cleanlier, Page 3, Col. 3.
Page 4, Col. 3.
over the 9 :45 ~l..m. newscast by
Duz. Page 3. Col. 3.
Henry Goodman on Tuesdays,
Spry, Page 3, Col. 3.
Blue Ribbon Beer, Page 4. CoJ. 1.
Thursdays and Saturdays.
Ivory Soap, Oxydol. PalCe 4. (;01. 1.
Grennan Cakf1ll, Page 4. Col. 2.
Sinclair Refining Company reNuMade Mayonnaise. Page 4. Col. 3,
news itR 9 :40 Tuesday, Thursday
Upton'a Tea. Continental Soup Mix,
Page 4, Col. 3.
and Saturday sportscasts with Sam
Pet Milk, Page 4, Col. 3.
CriKO, Page 4. Col. 3.
Molen, leaving but few choice avaiII.ucky Strike Cigare!tell. Page 4,
abilities on the KMBC talent
Colll. :I & ...
1 L -_Poslum.
..._Cola.
5" _&_ _
6. _ _ _ _ _ I
_ _ _ _ _Page
____
____
schedule.
KMBC Talent Stars
Wrapped Up for 45
~!
I
I
"And IiK fhe radio so my wile can't get Frank Sinatra while she's driYing.
That's what caused the accident!"
i
February I, 1945
HEARTBEATS
Paqe 2
IN~UCING
burst like a rocket on the consciousness of careel'-minded women
throughout this bright land. Midway of the decade, it occurred to
Caroline that maybe she'd like retailing. And since with Caroline,
thinking she might like something
one day is actually to be doing it
by noon the next day at the latest,
VOL. 3 MO. 1
she forthwith got a job in sales
Published with the editorial purpose 01 furthering the reputationl the distribution and
with Hudson's in Detroit.
sales of KMBC advertisers as well as to offer a means of informative news conThat was the beginning. The end
cerning the activities of KMBC and of the radio industry, aur free system 01
was somewhat different. Before
broadcasting dedicated to serving the home and the nation in war ana in peace.
she finished with retailing, she had
been office manager, educational
<:::s '0
<;:,. . .
director - and buyer for one of
Herewith are listed new program
KMBC and KMBC-FM
contracts over KMBC taking effect
Kansas City's largest department
between October 16. 1944, and
af Kansas City
Janual'Y 1, 1945.
stores.
MIDLAND BROADCASTING COMPANY
There was a shining new bauble
Arthur B. Church, President and General Manager
called radio. Few people took it Omega Oil-Sponsoring News with
Karl Koerper, Vice President and Managing Director
seriously. (This was the generation Henry Goodman, starting October
Sam H. Bennett, Vice President and Director 01 Sales
that remembered crystal sets and 16, 1944, 6:00-6:10 a,m., CWT,
earphones) .
Mondays through Fridays.
Published by the KM8C Sales Promotion Department
But Caroline, who is both an Chesterfield Cigarettes-S ponsorE. P. J. Shurick, Director of PromotIon, Press Relations and Merchandising
iconoclast and a dramatist at heart, ing "Music That Satisfies," startbelieved that radio could be used to ing October 17, 1944, 10:15-10:30
Helen Slater, Associate Edifor
sell. Thus, when an advertising p.m., CWT, Tuesdays, Wednesdays
Emily M. Underwood, Associate Editor
agency called her for consultation and Thursdays.
CAROLINE ELLIS . . .
Nationally Represented By
in 1932, Caroline casually produced SweetHeart Soap _ Sponsoring
FREE & PETERS, INC.
There are women born to become a plan which was to revolutionize "The Strange Romance of Evelyn
great personalities, to burn like department store advertising. The Winters," starting November 20,
SAN FRANCISCO (4)
NEW YORK (22)
CHICAGO (1)
111 Sutter
180 N. Michigan
444 Madison Ave.
magnificent blue stars throughout program she originated then, with 1944, 4:00-4:15 p.m., CWT, MonSutter 4353
Plaza 5-4130
Franklin 6373
their lifetime, as others are born to phenomenal results, is still on the days through Fridays.
ATLANTA (3)
HOllYWOOD (28)
more prosaic destinies.
air, unchanged as to format, con- Lava Soap-Sponsoring "The F.B.I.
322 Palmer Bldg.
6331 Hollywood Blvd.
in Peace and lVar," starting NoSuch a woman is Caroline Ellis, tent, 01' even time of day.
Main 5667
Hollywood 21Si
KMBC's nationally known woman
One of the largest mail order vember 25, 1944, 7:30-7:55 p.m.,
commentator~.
Two generations houses in the country wanted Caro- CWT, Saturdays.
earlier, she might have been a line. She became Mary Ward, NuMade Mayonnaise _ Sponsoring
Lucretia Mott, a Susan B. Anthony, speaking regularly on the air. One the "Hoagy Carmichael Show" rean Elizabeth Cady Stanton; might of her talks sold 1617 pairs of hose; newal, starting December 28, 1944,
even have gone - smartly furred another, 9297 yards of percale; a·· 8:00-8:30 p.m., CWT, Tuesdays.
and hatted-to jail with Emmeline third, 7242 towels.
International Silver _ Sponsoring
In recugnition of Broadcasting's 25th anniversary this editorial space will be given Pankhurst.
She
took
a
foods
account
for
"The Adventures of Ozzie and Harover from month to mon.h to the story of' broadcasting and it.s remarka~le growt)1.
Highlights frum the attainments of uther pioneer broadcasters Will alsu be lDcluded m
But in the days since Mrs. Pank- General Mills. After a 13-week riet" renewal, starting December
future editions of Heartbeats.
hurst fought for women's rights, tryout, the show, written by Cal'o- 31, 1944, 5:00-5:30 p.m., CWT, Sunwomen themselves have found a line and produced by Fran Heyser days.
Radio has gone a long way since the days of the crystal more cogent weapon. If the pen is of KMBC, was placed on the full Premium Crackers, Nabisco, Home
receivers and the carbon microphones. Today on the eve of mightier than the sword, so, too, Red network from Chicago.
Maid Grahams-Sponsoring KMBC
its 25th anniversary broadcasting has developed into man- is the silver voice of radio more
Caroline's next move placed her News with John Cameron Swayze
kind's greatest means of mass communication. A civilized persuasive than the hatchet Carry among that company, small and renewal, starting January 1; 1945,
world has come under its influence propagating better ways Nation used.
most select, of independent com- 12 :55-1 :00 p:m., CWT, Mondays
for better living in every station of life.
Caroline Ellis has been in radio mentators, of whom, among women, through Saturdays.
nearly fifteen years, and her record perhaps only Caroline Ellis can be Cinder Blox-Sponsoring Grain and
has
been spectacular. But as is true compared with Dorothy Thompson. Produce Markets with Phil Evans,
Possiblv in no other industry have the discoveries and
attainment; of so few meant so much to so many. The story of many brilliant successes, the And when Caroline Ellis' epitaph is starting January 1, 1945, 12 :30of hers was driven deep written, it well might take the im- 12 :35 p.m., CWT, Mondays tbrough
of broadcasting's modern day advancements could best be foundation
in the solid rock of creative living. mortal form of Edna Millay's son- Fridays.
thought of as a mural from the lives of such pioneers as Today when people ask Caroline net for Inez Milholland:
Edwin H. Armstrong, Dr. Lee de Forest, Dr. Frank Conrad
City, anc1 sponsored first by Pratt
and Professor Edouard Branly. To these history making what she talks about on the air, "Upun this marble bust that is not I,
she replies, "Oh, anything that in- Lay n~te f:~~n~ •. f~~:mal wreath that is & Whitney Aircraft of Missouri,
scientists could be added the names of "wireless" amateurs
So without further ado shake makers of the engine powering the
throughout the land whose vigils kept 'an infant industry alive. terests me." That usually throws
them for the next ten lines of the hands with Mrs. Ellis. Next month, Hellcat, Corsair, and Thunderbolt
Typical of how broadcasting came of age is the story script. What they don't know is meet Sidney Walker, who last SUl11- combat planes.
that what interests Caroline is
New Show for .John Taylor
mer becarne treasurer of the Mid_
of Arthur B. Church and his development of a great broad- something for the book!
"Starlight Rhapsody," a halfland
Broadcasting
Company.
casting institution in the Heart of America called KMBC of One day she may tell her audihour evening show for the John
Kansas City. Many a radio station today can trace back its ence how to take mustard stains
Taylor Dry Goods Company, went
out
of
the
Sunday
tablecloth,
or
on the ail' in November, giving the
early growth to the enthusiasms and visions of youth. From
store two programs over KMBC,
an adolescent hobby of wires strung hither and yon the seeds how to frighten "silver fish" away
from the cedar chest. Or she may
its successful merchandising quarof more than mere curiosity blossomed forth into maturity. comment with homely and telling
tel' hour at 9 a.m., "Joanne Taylor's
philosophy on tbe negro spiritual
Fashion Flashes," and the new en\Continued from Page 1. CuI. 3)
tertainment feature.
Among the founders of the small farming community of which asks, "Have mercy on our
An educational program which
Lamoni Iowa a young couple named Church endured the souls, 0 Lord, if you please."
Sometimes
she
tells
a
story.
It
Kl\lBC
made
history,
too,
in
its
has
attracted attention throughout
rigors ~ll sucdessful pioneers endure, and finally established
a home on the edge of the town that, judged by standards may be a folk tale from Roark commercial programming during the country as something new and
there, marked the family as a prosperous one. There Ar!hur Bradford. Or it may be that match- the year. A real milestone in radio worthwhile is the "KMBC Schoolhad, might we say, cluttered up a great deal of the pre~mses, less classic of Anatole France, too in this area was the signing of the house of the Air," broadcast three
inside the house and out, with wires and apparatus 111 the little known, "The Procurator of Kansas City Philharmonic Orches- times a week, \yith student participursuit of his hobby, wireless. From a window in his father's Judea," in which Pontius Pilate, tra for a completely sponsored sea- pation. and presented immediately
office which was shared to provide laboratory space he could long since retired, and unaware of son of 20 weeks on Thursday el'e- preceding the CBS "American
look out on the farmyard where from a forty-foot pole on the the only claim he will have to his- nings, running from October to School of the Air."
In June the station observed,
barn to a hundred foot pool in the pasture was stretched his tory, discusses with a visitor a case March.
which
be
had
tried
long
ago
.
..
Series
is
being
broadcast
for
the
with
Arthur B. Church as anaerial.
only to find that he cannot recall Kansas City Southern Lines, with nouncer for the occasion, the eighteither the name or the sentence he home offices in Kansas City. Rail- eenth anniversary of its "Classic
Here was a typical scene of radio's early beginnings. had passed on a Carpenter from road, running from Kansas City to Hour," believed to be the oldest
the Gulf, has 10,000 employes and continuous program in radio; and
In the practical sense, Arthur Church was a young man of Nazareth.
Before she entered radio, Caro- serves six states.
at Christmas time the annual broadVISIOn. He had the faculty to look beyond the childhood line had had outstanding careers in Sports plum which fell to KMBC cast of Handel's "Messiah" from
momentary thrill of tinkering with a hobby to distant hori- three other fields: farming, jOUl'- during the season was the broad- the Stone Chul'ch of Independence,
zons where radio would become a vital and compelling force nalism and retailing. And when casting of the full Big Six gridiron Missouri, went out from KMBC.
Promotion Keeps Pace
in our wav of life. Possibly it \-vas the comparative solitude CaroHne says farming, she means schedule, with Sam Molen at the
of the sm~ll farm that instilled in young Arthur an apprecia- farming - cooking for thrashers, microphone, for the City National In keeping with the growth of
tion of what radio could ultimately mean to American home- breeding hogs to ship by the CUl'- Bank & Trust Company of Kansas the station, KMBC in September
load. Only when she was widowed City.
launched the largest advertising
life. For here at his fingertips was a world on wings of sound did she seek a career outside her
"Brush Creek" a Sellout
campaign evel' to appear in this
bringing within the four walls of his little room in Lamoni home.
"Brush Crcek Follies," KMBC's area in behalf of radio. More than
The story beg'ins with BUl"1'i~ nationally famous barn dance, was 228,000 lines were used in a group
a swift panorama of happenings from far distant places.
Jenkins, when that nationally saId on all periods available for of fifteen daily and weekly papers,
known clergyman-publisher was sponsorship long before the season blanketing the entire primary covIt was the patience of his parents that kept the spark making history on the old Kansas began. Show had an out-of-town et'age area of KMBC.
alive. They had faith that their son would Hmake something" City Post. Most women, even those opening in St. Joseph, under the And as was not unexpected, in
of this new fangled thing called "wieless." Not only did they who later scale the heights, start aegis of the Lions Clubs of the city, view of the foregoing, a compteencourage him to new heights in the pursuit of his hobby, but out Jl:lOdm;tly in journalism. Caro- which broke house records for the hensive survey on audience acceptfinally they, like thousands of other parents back in .the dawn line Ellis began by writing edito- St. Jmieph ,Municipal Auditorium, ance made in Greater Kansas City
of the twenties found themselves lending an attentIve ear to rialf-l and a signed column for Dr. with an audience of more than during the summer, showed KMBC
those strange musical tones in dots and dashes, but ~upping . Jenkins, whose latter-day experi- 4000.
maintaining its accustomed leaderhands over ears when the rotary spark gap crashed Its mes- . ment in the Charles M. Sheldon Among the many programs of cul- ship, with more than 46 per cent of
sages into the ether. Such was the parental interest
type of journalism had focused the tural interel'lt originated by the sta- all "firsts" on daytime strips, Monthat has been credited for the sudden upsurge of e~s eyes of the entire country upon his tion during the year is "The Amer- day through Friday, and 50 per
pqblic consciousness on radio's return to civilian use
newspaper.
ican Story," created to help ameIi-j cent more firsts than its nearest
after the first world war. (To be continued.)
The 'twenties arrived. Retailing I orate a manpower crisis in Kansas competitor on all evening shows.
The Story of Broadcasting
KMB( Ends Year Of
Achievement In
Radio .Industry
If
Februazy 1. 1945
IMB( S,hoolhouse
Brings High·Pri(ed
Talenl To Mike
ClKMBC Schoolhouse," a classroom
series which brings KMBC's highest-priced talent to the microphone,
may be something of a departure in
educational programs, but it is entirely in line with the policy of
Arthur B. Church, president of the
Midland Broadcasting Company.
"KMBC was the first station to
broadcast actual programs for
home and classroom educational
purposes in this area, and we are
glad to be extending our services
through the KMBe Schoolhouse
programs," Mr. Church said, in announcing the series.
LOUISE FITCH . . .
Miss Fitch, the witch, ;s as neat a treat
as they ever turn outf In "Two On a
Clue," the 1: 15 General Foods mystery,
Monday through Friday over KMBC, for
Satina, she plays Debby Spencer,
General Foods' daytime Nora Charles.
And as a schemer-upper of hotspots for
crackpots, Debby is a dilly! Crime pays
through fhe nose, with her around!
~eard Monday, Wednesday and
FrIday at 2 :15 p. m., the KMBC
Schoolhouse has KMBC's ace news-I
man, ErIe Smith, editing and explaining the news for high-school
and college journalists on Monday,
under the program title of "Inside
the News," and Caroline Ellis,
KMBC's network commentator,
opening "The Magic Book" to tell
fairy tales for 5-year-olds on Friday.
\Vednesday, Tom Eels, assistant
in education, takes a figurative
pointer and emcees "Fun With
Facts" for seventh-graders.
A second KMBC presentation of
educational interest is the "Big
Brother Club," a five-a-week western built around Smokey Pal'ker of
KMBC's talent staff, as the sipging
cowboy. Show, heard at 5 :30 p.m.,
CWT, Monday through Friday, was
built by KMBC earlier in the year,
in cooperation with youth agencies
of Kansas City and this vicinity.
Citations are made each Friday
for "distinguished service," based
upon recommendations made by
Kansas City youth leaders, the winners receiving itamed certificates
of award.
"Heartbeats" reads the grocer trade
papers and condenses into this column
KATHERINE ANDERSON . . .
If Katherine Anderson is the villain 01
the piece, our platform calls for deeper
and darker plots, but soon! Working
from the billing, she's the menace in
"Amanda's Story" . . . and working
from the dial, this is our manifesto lor
menace on a mass-production scale.
Strip is heard on KMBC at 10 a. m.,
CWT, Mondays through Fridays, for
Phillips Milk of Magnesia tablets and
toothphaste.
Page 3
HEARTBEATS
the information that it feels will be of
interest and assistance to today's busy
retail grocers.
This Passing Parade
"Ozzie & Harrietrr
Good for a Year
"Adventures of Ozzie and
Harriet," a Sunday afternoon
family comedy show with zizz,
and plenty of it, built up such
a gallery in its first three
months on the air for International Silver that the sponsor
has just made with the signature for another 52 weeks of Mr.
and Mrs. Nelson. Program is
heard at 5:00-5.30 p.m., CWT,
immediately pre c e din g the
Fanny Brice show for Post
Toasties.
Sweetheart Soap
Has Network S'lr.-p
Newcomer to KMBC's seventeen
CBS daytime serials is "The
Stt'ang'e Romance of Evelyn Winters," now heard at 4 p.m., CWT,
for SweetHeart Soap, distributed
through grocers in this area.
Fact that John Cameron Swayze
of KMBC's news staff is also on
the air three times a week for KMBC BEAMS INAUGURAL OF GOVERNOR DONNELLY . ..
SweetHeart should give the product
Opening with a 19-9un salute, the inaugural ceremonies for the Han. Phil S.
considerable of an edge in the
Donnelly as governor of Missouri at high noon on January 8, were recorded by
Heart of America•.
KMBC at Jefferson City, the state capital, and broadcast at 2:30 that afternoon,
with a rebroadcast of the highlights at 10:30 the same evening. The rebroadcast,
For the Sophisticates
at 10:30, enabled the ceremonies to be heard by business men of the area, an
The strip, somewhat on the soimportant service by KMBC, since Governor Donnelly outlined plans for his entire
phisticated side, is built around the
administration in his address. Presidential inaugural ceremonies on January 20
20-year-old Evelyn Winters.
were also broadcast over KMBC.
It adds an Eastern post-debutante to a circle of quarter-hour
script heroines on CBS which now
includes a woman senator (liThe
Story of Mary Marlin"), a woman
doctor ("Joyce Jordan, M.D."), a
Hollywood couturiere ("Romance
of Helen Trent"), an Americanborn English peeress ("Our Gal
Sunday") I a Swedish girl-of-all
work ("'rena and Tim"), a Jewish
mama (HThe Goldbergs")' an oldfashioned grandmother
( "Aunt
Jenny's Real Life Stories"), and
assorted housewives and career
girls, ranging from the simple and
unaffected Amanda of "Amanda's
Story" to Deborah Spencer, the
slick chick of "Two on a Clue."
Good Cosmetic Show
"Evelyn ·Winters" looks a good
bet for a cosmetic product of the
SweetHeart type. Hero of the plot
is Gary Bennett, a Broadway producer, and show has everything "REPORT TO NATION" EPISODE GOES OUT FROM STUDIO A . . .
"Report to the Nation" for Continental Can originated in part from KMBC,
that goes with the setup-successwhen the story of Mrs. R. A. Hundley of 2931 Victor Street, Kansas City, was
ful author, temperamental star,
dramatized as one of the episodes of the program. Mrs. Hundley's letters to
armor-plated secretary.
men at the front, in memory of her son, Wyatt Hundley, killed in action, have
Pa!'t of Evelyn is played by Toni
attracted wide attention. Gene Dennis, coordinator of war activities 0# KMBC,
interviews Mrs. Hundley for the network, as seen above.
-Staff Photo.
Darney, cU1'rently in the New York
musical comedy, "Sadie Thompson," from the Somerset Mangham
short story dramatized as 'Rain,"
and played by Jeanne Eagels and
Talullah Bankhead on the stage
and Gloria Swanson and Joan
Crawford on the screen.
PROG RESSIVE GROCER reports:
"For the first time, we are merchandising oranges in mesh bags
this season. The use of mesh bags
has enabled us to display oranges
better and at the same time put
them in the "im pulse purchase"
classification.
"Mesh-bagged OI'angeR al'e not
only easier to show, but the bag
makes them easier for customers to
buy. As a consequence, our unit
orange sale has increased, due to
having more oranges in a bag than
people ordinarily purchase in hulk.
We put eight pounds in a bag,
Picking the winners consistently,
which amounts to approximately 18 Sam Molen, KMBC sports director, i
to 20 of the 216 size oranges, and whose predictions of football scores
24 to 26 of the 288 sizc."-A.l'ticle were a feature of his regular
by Jerry Fahringer, January, 1944, sportscasts throughout the season,
page 65.
brought his six-year averagc up I
SUCCESSFUL GROCER reports: two decimals to 82.3. Avemge on i
"\Ve advocate more wine drinking I correct scores for the 1944 s~ason I
and we are doing our best to popu- was even better: 88.7. And on the
larize this civilized custom. For final weekend of the grid, Molen
years we have advised retail gro- really went to town, calling every
cers to become interested in the game but one, fol' a score of 90.
wine business, since it is naturally .. ----·-----------~ ________ ~_~____
associated with food. Without go- two-day sale which waR planned
ing out of our domain, which is the very carefully. A basket of grocel'grocery industry, we have sup- ies, containing well known food
ported the efforts of the Institute items and valued at $10 was offered
of the Wine Industry to induce res- to the highest bidder to stimulate
taUl'ants to offer wine in an attrac- interest. Headlining the two-day
tive manner to their patrons."- sale was the slogan: 'Remember,
M~::a~A~~~~e;e; like this when pop January, 1945, page 2:3.
folks, you arenot buying groceries,
drew the spots on his miscroscope lens. SUPER MARKET MERCHANDIS- you are buying war bondR and help- DENNY SLOFOOT, WHO BRINGS DOWN THE HOUSE . .. AROUND HIS EARS!
But neither was teacher, take it from ING reports: "Over $800,000 of war ing Uncle Sam to bring our boys
If radio is here to stay, as lots of people seem to think, "What's a comedian,
pop! This Lana Turner of the air lanes
h
tt'
b t t' I
pop?" may go clown in history along with "What's a Republic;an?" According to
is Mary Patton the sweater girl of radio. bonds believed to be a record for back ome-ge mg a su s an In
Denny 510foot, who has on angle, a comedian is a guy who never gets anywhere
Every Monday' alternoon she pulls thegroce;'y units, was sold by Milgram income in your investment, plus
but pushed around. Could be, But sgeaking as just one onlooker at "Brush
nifties on "Sci~nce Frontiers," and you unit at Thirty-second and Troost, free groceries."-January, 1945,
Creek Follies" in Ivanhoe Temple on Saturday nights, leave us hove more 01
could hear a spItball drop! Hear her on l K
City Missouri in a recent page 42.
these
pushings around.
KMBC Mondays at 2:30-3:00 p.m., CWT.
ansas,
,
I
Molen Solid
On Pi(king the
Gridiron Winners
I'
I
I
Parade to the Post
Danny Kaye Heads
(BS Program
ilh Harry James
February 1, 1945
HEARTBEATS
Paqe 4
1945 Time Table
See What You Get
On the G-E Show!
With electric irons, alarm
clocks and toasters promised as
prizes for the audience-participation features, HG.E. Houseparty," one of the few sunlight
shows to originate from HollyThree ne,.". evening shows go
wood, had its network premiere
down the straightaway, as 1945
January 15, over KMBC and the
network radio on KMBC leaves the
CBS chain at 3 p.m., CWT.
post. Odds-on favorite is probably
It's a 25-minute strip, Monday
the Danny Kaye show at 10 :30
through Friday, has more parts
p.m., Satmday night for Pabst's
than a B29, and muy well create
Blue Ribbon Beer.
a similar sensation in daytime
Show is built by the comedian's
radio, once news of the awards
wife, Sylvia Fine, but Danny,
gets around!
whose first big hit was in the spec- !
Billed as "master-of-informaltacularly mounted Moss Hart musiities," Art Linkletter is emcee,
cal, "Lady in the Dark" fol' Gerand the general tenor of the
trude Lawrence, is taking no
show seems to be, anything can
chances on an unknown medium.
happen, so be on your mark!
Not only has he signed Harry
Assorted celebrity-guests, a
J ames' orchestra, but his guest-star listeners' mail box, a culinary
list looks like a raid on all the
quiz, a children's section, recipes
other networks. Eddie Cantor led
from G.E. chefs, a "people's
off. Lionel Stander of Hollywood
poll"-everything to and includis the funny man, with Ken
ing amateur theatricals is on the
Niles announcing. Commercials are
callboard. Real nut, however, is
unique, introducing an entirely helpful information on housemythical "Mr. Pabst," who could
keeping and homemaking.
easily turn out to be star material
Show, beamed from KNX,
himself.
Columbia's Hollywood station,
Show is Warwick & Legler's
but due to tour later on, is bankbaby, and replaces the Kenny Baker
rolled by the appliance and merprogram for Pabst.
chandise division of General
"Let Yourself Go," with Milton
Electric, with headquarters in
BerIe, for Eversharp, which also
Bridgeport, Connecticut.
sponsors "Take It or Leave It"
i
Burns &Allen Now
Heard on Monday
In Earlier Show
Burns & Allen's move to Monday
evening at 7 :30, CWT, with }t"'rank
Sinatra being heard at 10 :30
Thursday,
and
"Tonight
at
Hoagy's" shifting to an earlier spot!
on Tuesday evening, 8:00-8:30,
CWT, are the major changes on
KMBC's 1945 night-time schedule.
Sinatra, who went off the Lucky
Strike Hit Parade, is doing his own
show for Max Factor, the Hollywood cosmetic house. Product using
the promotion is Max Factor's Pan~
cake Makeup, and show remains
virtually as it was before the change
in sponsorship. Bill Goodwin, transferring from the Burns & Allen program, which he announced, has a
comedy role.
Other sponsor changes for the
new year are "Inner Sanctum," the
Monday night killer-diller, which
goes to Level' Brothers for Lipton's
Tea and Continental Soup Mix,
"Adventures of Ellery Queen,"
through Young & Rubicam, and
joining the Columbia network on
"Report to the Nation," previously
January 24 for Anac]n, gives CBS
sustaining, which shifts from Sunand KMBC a flying wedge of "whoday to Saturday at 2 :00-2 :30, spondunits" that would be hard to top,
sored by Continental Can.
01' even equal.
The Mary Lee Taylor program
Sunday through Saturday, down
for Pet Milk transfers from Saturthe line, "Crime Doctor" for Phillip
day morning to Saturday afterMorris; "Inner Sanctum" for Lipnoon, and is now heard at 1 :30-2 :00
ton's; "Big Town" for Ironized
p.m., CWT.
Yeast; "Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost
"Tena & Tim," the Cudahy PackPersons" for
Kolynos Dental
ing Company's daytime comedy
Cream; "The Thin Man" for Genstrip for Old Dutch Cleanser, moves
eral Foods' Post Toasties; "The
back half an hour, to 1 :45-2 :00
FBI in Peace and War" for Pl'octet'
p.m., CWT, allowing the KMBC
& Gamble's Lava Soap; and now
educational pro g ram, "KMBC LAWRENCE TIBBETT .
"Ellery Queen," provide a range of
Schoolhouse," to be heard at 2: 15
I mystery-theater outstanding in its
p.m., preceding the CBS "School of
excellence.
the Air." "Bel'nal'dine Flynn," the
Excepting "Inner Sanctum," the
Procter & Gamble Crisco show, is
programs are all early evening
also moved back a quarter hour,
shows, broadcast between 6:80 and
now being cal'l'ied at 1 :30-1 :45 p.m.,
7 :30. "Ellery Queen" will be heard
CW'l', on KMBC.
Lawrence Tibbett, the Metropoli- at 6 :30, on Wednesclays, replacing
tan Opera baritone, now on the Ace and Jane Goodman'" classic
Lucky Strike Hit Parade with No. comedy, "Easy Aces," which has
1 billing, looks like the biggest been heard over CBS for 14 years.
radio find of 1945. What it takes,
Angle of "Ellery," the new sleuth
he's obviously g'ot, not only the strip, is the introduction of guest
voice, but the oom-pah-pah, and in celebrities to dig the denouement.
a fashion strictly unaccustomed.
Making with the deductions are
When Tibbett sang the top song people like Ilka Chase and "Mr.
on his first appearance 011 ,ranu- District Attorney," both of whom
ary 6, Cole Porter's "Don't Fence rate campaign ribbons for firing
Me In," the audience nearly tore smack across the bow. Most of the
down Carnegie Hall.
guests get the Purple Heart!
Ellery Queen Goes
To (BS In Newest
Network Transfer
Tibbett Tops 1945
Hit Parade Rosier
I
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-
"Heartbeats" reads the druggist trade
papers and condenses Into this column
the information that it feels will be of
interest and assistance to today's busy
retail druggists.
DANNY KAYE Broadway Comedian now heard on KMBC , . .
over KMBC on Sunday night, got
under way January 3. Opening
"how was stolen by Fred Allen, in
one of his few radio appearances
this season. Script was so hilariou",
in fact, that neither EerIe nor Allen
could keep his face straight, and
both blew lines right and left.
Oscar Levant, practically on tour
as a guest star since he left "Information Please," appeared on the
second progl'am.
With an old familiar theme to
KMBC listeners, that of the noontime "Dinner Bell Roundup," the
Jack Kirkwood Show, a variety
quarter-hour, is now heard for
Ivory Soap and Oxydol at 10 p.nl.,
CWT, Monday through Friday.
Strip replaces "I Love a Mystery,"
for the same sponsor.
Wm. La Shirer on
52-Week Contrad
"\Villimn L. Shirer and the News,"
one of the most eminent of newsanalysts on the ail', continues over
KMBC and the CBS network, on 1\
52-week contract for J. B. Williams
Shave Cream. Shirer, author of
the famous "Berlin Diary" and
Berlin correspondent for the Columbia Broadcasting System during the
Polish campaign and the Battle of
France, is heard on KMBC Sundays
at 4:45 p.m., CWT.
Texas Rangers 60
South For Winter
Three new Florida stations, one
in Washington, D.C., one in Omaha,
one in Memphis and Olle in Las
Vegas, Nevada, bring to seven the
list of additional sponsors for the
KMBC uTexas Rangers" library
announced last week by George E.
Halley, manager of syndicated features, At·thur B. Church Productions.
Individual sponsors are Station
WMBR of .T acksonville, WDAE of
Tampa, WDBO of Orlando, WOL
of Washington, KOIL of Omaha,
WMC of Memphis, and KENO of
Las Vegas.
Group of elients and stations now
using the "Rangers" nears the hundred mark, Mr. Halley reports.
Library is heard not only in Continental U.S., but also in the Hawaiian Islands, where station KGU of
Honolulu is completing its third
yeai' with the Rangers.
"Rangers" are ah;o hmu'd twice
daily on KMBC, at 7 a.m., CWT,
for Spear Mills, and at 5 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, for Grennan
Cookbook Cakes. Grennan has renewed its contract, as of February
5. Agency for Grennan, a division
of Purity Bakel;efi, is CampbellMithun of Chicago.
AMERICAN DRUGGIST reports:
" 'One of the biggest opportunities
Here's
for the rural druggist today is in
CENTERVILLE
... he~e lhe
the sale of animal vaccines,' says
ALDRICH
W. W. Gibson, owner of W. W. GibFAMILY
son & Son, druggists of Wakeeney,
lives
Kansas. 'The druggist in any community, and most certainly in the
smaller community, is highly regarded as a professional man. He
is the one to whom the people bring
their doctor's prescriptions for accurate filling, Why then, shouldn't
he be the one to sell animal vaccines 7' Mr. Gibson should know
because since he has increased his
emphasi~ on this business, he has
marked up an increase of 25 per
cent every month, month after
month. "-tr anuary, 1945, page 118.
CHAIN STORE AGE, DRUGGIST
EDITION, reports: "A plentiful
supply of nylon-bristled toothbrushes is responsible for widespread chain drug store promotions,
which are scheduled to take place I
during the coming months. In one
large chain, the educational factol' ! THIS IS THE TOWN THAT HENRY BUILT
will be stre;:;sed in a series of win- f
•
•
•
• • .
l'
1
h' h 'II t'
th I
Tremendous audmnce Interest In Kansas City in the KMBC-CBS Friday night
I
(OW
(lISP ays W IC WI
Ie up
eI
'need for brushing teeth' with the I
Henry Aldrich program is shown in the use here of this window display 01
development of tooth decay. Full-'
Centerville, the imaginary town laid out by Author Clifford Goldsmith lor script
!lize, colorful illustrations depicting
purposes. Model was displayed by Peck's of Kansas City, where the photograph
the structure of the teeth and the
was mac/e. Besides being prool 01 Peck's interest in the bobby-sox and shirt-tail
mouth cavity will be used. 'Keep
generation, it is also a nice example of cooperation among sponsors. "Henry
teeth clean the easy way with two
Aldrich" is sponsored by General Foods, for Postum, while Peck's is a department
toothbrushes' will be the keynote in
and men's stOle, with /lothing doser to a grocery section than its tea room. Store,
a drive to sell more toothbrushes in
February." - January, 1945, page
however, sponsors a show of its own on KMBC, "Calling All Girls" at 9:50 on
39.
Saturday mornings.
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_ _ _ _ _ JJUnn ~ fIea"t f!/V~~"""''''''''''
P-KANSAS
VOL. 3, NO.4
CITY'S
RADIO
MERCHANDISER
JULY 15, 1945
.!
Summer Session Goes in the Book
j
j
I
KMB( Radio Institute for leathers
(loses Amid Plaudits of Educators
Broad(asts Given
at Radio Institute
(over Wide Field
With leading educators throughout the country glvmg praise to
Two major originations to the
another Arthur B. Church accomplishment, KMBC's first Radio Infull
CBS network went out :from
stitute for Teachers, under the direction of Dr.
KMBC during the KMBC Uadio InCharles F. Church, head of educatiOlt of the station,
presented a list of topflight names. in radio which
stitute for Teachers, which closed
ranged from world-famous war correspondents to
on June 29, while coverage of the
scientists working wholly behind the scenes; from
Eisenhower celebration to the netnationally famed educational leaders to men who
work on June 19 and 20, and, at
have built the industry into a business nOW recogPresident Truman's request, purely
nized as a formidable challenge to all other existing
local coverage of the chief execumedia of merchandise promotion.
. tive's Kansas City and IndependDr. Lyman Bryson of CBS, an award winner, with
ence appearances on his return
the "four bomb" citation of the Writers' War Board,
from the San Francisco Conference,
for "People's Platform" and "Problems of the Peace,"
made the three weeks of the InARTHUR B. CHURCH
gave one of the outstanding talks of the Institute in
his DO-minute dinner address to members of the Institute one of the most notable
stitute and a group of distinguished guests at the Hotel Muehlebach on
periods in the history of KMBC.
June 22, winding up the second week of the Institute.
Truman Story Broadcast
"You can't do things through this+----Interest in Europe in President
gadget here as you would when you
• Truman's Missouri background and
sit down and put black on white to
• in his home town of Independence,
create the written symbols of the
10 miles east of Kansas City.
printed word. Radio is something
brought the regular CBS "Transnew, and it makes new forms of
atlantic
Call," New York-to-London
art," Dr. Bryson said, in pointing
Sunday morning broadcast of CBS
out the fundamental differences beand BHC, to Kansas City on June
tween this selling tool of the radio
17 with a show written and probroadcast and other sales auxiliarduced by KMBC.
ies.
"The People's Platform," second
Famed Correspondent Here
network origination, brought three
Bill Downs, CBS war correspondKansas Citians, Major· John B.
ent only recently returned from
Gage, Frank A. Theis, president of
Europe, spoke on liN ews in Radio"
the
Chamber of Commerce, and
and "Radio in Wartime" on June
Jerome Walsh, former attorney for
21. Mr. Downs, a fonner Kansas
the Office of Price Administration,
City newspaper man, had' less than
to the microphone in a panel disa week earlier received the National
cussion of the proposed lVIi,:soUl'i
Headliners' Club award for the outValley Authority, on June 21.
standing exclusive foreign broadcast of 1944-45.
"Magic Book" Opened
A third outstanding national figCaroline Ellis' delightful fairyure from the editorial side of radio
tale "Magic Book" program for
who took part in the Institute was
pre-school and primary children
lVIortimer Frankel, associate script Ii
was reenacted for the 300 teachers
editor of CBS. Mr. Frankel taught
of the Institute, using the story of
two classes in script writing.
"The Little Rabbit That 'Vanted
C. E. Hooper, president of C. E.
Red
Wings."
Eisenhower Parade
Hooper, Inc., the research organOne installment of the KMBC
To CBS Network
ization whose field tests for audi"Big Brother Club," written by
ence-acceptance of commercial proTom Eels, with Tim 'Vest as the
The only station in the Heart
grams are highly rated in the in- .
trail scout, was also produced for
dustry, was here the opening week of America to go on a coast-tothe Institute and transcribell for
of the Institute to discuss "Re- coast hookup dUl'ing the Eiseni later broadcast to the 15,000 mCll1search and Evaluation."
John hower parade and celebration in
bel'S of the club.
Karol, head of sales of CBS and a Kansas City on June 21, KMBC's
A special seript, "Horizons Unnationally known figure in market- : coverage of the event to the CBS
limited"
was produced as a :10ing circles, spoke during the final I net"',·Ol.'k is one 1110re instance of
minute broadcast at the opening
week on "The Business of Radio." i the national pt'estige of Arthur
session of the Institute, and a tranJ. Church's Kansas City station.
Staff Members Take Part
scription of the Norman Corwin VE
KMBC put General EisenCapt. William C. Eddy, USN, re- •
,
Day
show, "On n Note of Triumph/'
tired, commanding officer of the '10Wel"s 30-minute address from
was pl'(.:sented by Mortimer FranRadio Material School in Chicago, Liberty Memorial on the air to
kel, l1>:soeiute CBS sl'l'ipt !.'tlitor, in
and in charge of the Navy's ultra- the full network e}f the Columbia
his ledure to the· Instituh- on dm'uBl'oadcasting System at 3 :25-4
high frequency radio school there,
mentary writing on .Tune 27.
p.111., Kansas City time, with
closed the Institute on June 29, with
an address on "Radio's Advancing Henry Goodman of the KMBC
INDEX
Horizons. H Earlier in the sessions, news staff at the microphone,
KMBC also covered EisenRobin D. Compton, KlVIBC's techList<:d lwlow are ih~mfl of parhower's
Abilene homecoming th
nical director, had been heard on
ticular interest to grocers and
follo'wing day, with Sum Molen
television, facsimile and FM broaddruggi::;ts ill this month's i:.;sne
casting, with Dean Douglass of Chi- KMBC's director of sports, on
of Heartllcatl'i.
cago, regional director of education the CBS network ut 12 :15 p,m.,
mn:WiU-:!TH:
KMBC's RADIO INSTITUTE GOES DOWN IN HISTORY . . .
for RCA, g'iving a {lemonstration C'VT, to nnnOllnl.'C the general'
Bayer Aspirin. Page 3, CuI. 1.
appearance.
lecture 011 radio equipment for
A complete success, the first Radio Institute for Teachers held in the Heart 01
Peter Paul ;\Iollnd!!, Page 3, CoL 2.
B.C. II£adllche Powdns. Pa!{e ,f. Col.l.
s~n~~
[
America, closed on June 29. Top photograph, Dr. Charles F. Church, director
Lucky Strike Cigarette!!. Page 4.
Among KMBC staff members Flath, Gene Dennis, Fran Heyser,
Cols. ,I nnd 5.
of education of KMBC, introduces the faculty at the opening session. Conwho took Inut in the Institute were Lee Stel.vul't, Bethel Davis and I
versing together just bock of Dr. Church are Arthur B. Church, president of I GIWCEUS:
Karl Koerpel', managing director; Thomas Eells, of the program
!
Peter Pllul l\Iound~, Page :I. Cnl. 2.
KMBC, right, and Karl Koer!]er, vice president and managing director. Center,!
Kenneth Krahl, studio supervisor; pal'tnwntj Sam Bennett, head of
J ella Pudding.~, Sanka Coifi'l!, Page
3, Cal. S.
Caroline Ellis, Phil Evans, Betty sales, and E. P .•T. Shurick, promofhe Institute dinner, held in the ballroom of the Hotel Muehfebach; sixth from
Calumet Baking Powder, Swan.~down
Parker and Bob Riley; ErIe Smith, tion director; Bob Liggett, head of
Cake f'lour. Page 3. Col. 5.
right at the speakers' table is Dr. Lyman Bryson of CBS, who addressed the
head of neWf>, and Sam Molen, di- continuity; and Ray Moler, chief
Lucky Strike Cigarettes. Page -I.
audience. Aboye, Mortimer Frankel, associate script editor of CBS, conducts
Cols. 4 and 5.
rector of sports; Rod Cupp, P. Hansng'mcer.
a class in advanced scri,t writina.
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July 15. 1945
HEARTBEATS
Page 2
"I
than anyone else, is the actual
creator of the newspaper, story by
story, assignment by assignment.
Erle Smith would prob~tbly have
reached this rung of the ladder
with as much ease and dispatch
as he had taken the steps below.
But less than two years out of
college, Erle ran into a war, too.
It had been going on since 1914,
and in the spring of 1917, we got
into it.
Erle enlisted as a flier. Kittyhawk itself was little more than a
decade behind, and barnstorming
was the only kind of flying either
the army or navy knew. As might
have been expected, Erle proved a
magnificent barnstormer. He flew
for Uncle Sam until the Armistice.
When he returned to Kansas City
to pick up his interrupted newspaper career, the Journal made him
city editor. Nine months later he
was managing editor . . . nice
going for a man not yet 29, in onc
of the great newspaper to\vns of
the United States.
ERLE SMITH •••
When the Kansas City Journal
KMBC's ace news man, head of the merged with the Kansas City Post,
KMBC news department.
Erie became assistant managing
editor of the new paper, in charge
In "The ]'ront Page" and "Gen- of all features.
tlemen of the Press," Hecht & MacBut flying was in his blood! The
Arthur and 'Ward Morehouse, three newspaper game he knew. The sky
newspaper men themselves, wrote was a vast new ocean, uncharted,
the newspaper man into the Ameri- unharnessed, mysterious as the new
can theater for all time.
world must have looked to ChristoThey made him a romantic figul'e. pher Columbus, ErIe wanted a
But if ErIe Smith, head of KMBC's stake in this new world.
far-famed news department, and
He helped organize the American
the man who organized and put it Eagle Ail'craft Corp., of Kansas
into operation, had been built to City, becoming a stockholder and
order, he couldn't fit the specifica- serving as vice-president. It was
tions more completely.
ten years too early. The C011lJournalism is a fever the victim mercial airlinel' was scarcely benever quite shakes off, and ErIe is yond the industrial designer's drafttoday as badly infected as when he board. The government flew the
started out, a cub reporter on the U. S. mails. Tl).el'e was more scope
old Kansas City Journal.
for the circus and stunt flyer than
He was always the Young-Man- for an aircraft manufacturer or a
Going-Somewhere, even from the commercial airline in those first
day he left his college campus, years after 'W orld "War I.
sheepskin in hand, determined to be
Erie returned to writing. He
a newspaper man. To the cub, cov- had a family t ..; support. lIe had
ering the hospital and hotel runs, always wanted t9 try the short
the police beat is a bigger thing to story, and it seynui'p as good a time
hope for than the London office as any. Turning lthe tremendous
would be to a man stationed in energy that had cli,aracterized him
Washington.
as a newspapeli ma~ and as a flier
At the Journal, Erle's advance into literary qhannels, ErIe p1'oto city hall was practically record dnced fiction atla rate to leave even
breaking, but even at that, it did the "pulps" ga$~ing.
not happen until he had suffered
Ten years ag() he came to KMBC.
violent and recurring attacks of The station's news equipment then
the wastebasket jitters.
It's a consisted of a microphone and desk
phase through which all cub re- space for ErIe. Today, KMBC has
porters go. When they get ovel' it, a battery of five teletypes, bringing
they are no longer cubs.
the services of the Associated Press
Headquarters for Erie was fol- and the United Press, both interlowed swiftly by promotion to the, national and regional, Transradio
Rewrite Desk. This is a step in a Press Service, Inc. and a news staff
newspaper man's career which of three full-time men, including a
comes only when he has proved desk man stationed at City Hall to
valuable enough to be trusted with cover local news.
evaluation, "slanting," and interThe station puts 10 separate news
pretation of the news. It leads broadcasts on the air from the
almost inevitably to the City Desk, KMBC news room, between 6 a.m.
where a newspaper man is either anel 11 p.m., with two daily spOltsmade or broken. For, with his casts and a 40-lpinute play-by-p.lay
finger on the pulse of the entire account of majoL'-league baseball at
community, the city editor, more 11:05.
~
INTRa BUelNG
VOL. :I NO.4
Published with the editorial purpose of furthering the reputation, the distribution and
sales of KMBC ac/yertisers as well as to offer a means of informative news concerning the activities of KMBC and of the radio industry, our free system of
broadcasting dedicated to serving the home and the nation in war and in peace.
KMBC and KMBC-FM
of Konsas City
MIDLAND BROADCASTING COMPANY
Arthur B. Church, President and General Manager
Karl Koerper, Vice President and Managing Director
Sam H. Bennett, Vice President and Director 01 Sales
Published by the KMBC Sales Promotion Department
E. P. J. Shurick,
Director of Promotion, Press Relations and Merchandising
Helen Slater, Editor
Nationally Represented By
FREE & PETERS/ INC.
CHICAGO (1)
NEW YORK (22)
180 N. Michigan
Frank Ii n 637J
444 Madison Ave.
SAN FRANCISCO (4)
111 Sutter
Plaza 5-4130
Sutter 4353
HOLLYWOOD (28)
ATLANTA (3)
6331 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood 2151
322 Palmer Bldg.
Main 5667
The Story of Broadcasting
The following comple'es the st01'Y of bl'Oadca8ting as illustrated by the lifetime
experience 01 Al'thur H. Church, a radio pioneer in the founding uf KMHC of Kall"as
City. 'l'hi& is in recugnition of broadcasting's 25th anniversary.
That KMBC is situated right in the heart of America's
farm lands multiplies its responsibilities to the area served.
Maintaining a staff of farm experts has been taken for granted. To that in recent years could be added a pioneering step
in the broadening of radio's service by conducting three times
daily farmcasts directly from KMBC's own "service Farms",
Here the findings and teachings of its farm department are
put into practical demonstration on farms that are typicial of
those which are found in the Heart of America.
*
Broadcasting is show business, so natUl'ally you'll find
Kansas City radio right in the middle of it through the KMBC
"Brush Creek Follies", ready for its ninth successful season of
Saturday night stands as one of this country's top barn dance
shows. Under the name of Arthur B. Church Productions,
the fame of KMBC's "The Texas Rangers" has spread
throughout half the world and their favol'ite western songs
are heard on scores of radio stations large and small.
*
KMBC's alumni list further attests the station's success
as a proving ground for radio personalities-Ted Malone,
"Easy Aces", Hugh Studebaker, The Masseys and many
others.
*
The story of KMBe is not the exception, but rather the
general rule in broadcasting. Through such aggressiveness
and awareness of its inherent possibilities a great new force
has, in so short a time as only twenty-five years permeated
the very lives of those with whom it comes in contact.
*
Looking back over broadcasting's first quarter-century
as it pertains to KMBC, Arthur B. Church remarks, "Although our financial problems in starting this new industry
will perhaps always remain among our strongest memories,
I shall never forget one outstanding incident of disappointment. I had been asked to address the annual convention of
the Kansas State Teachers Association on the future of radio
broadcasting. The talk began something like this;
I
Tilt' hOJlles of the nation arc cqnil'ped 'with radio i'Ccci'lHTS.
.:It tile firesides of these homes entire families listen 'with rapt attcution. They arc hcm'iJl[1 fll£' Preside11t of the U llited States.
*
It 'was a good tall~ . I thought. J 'Was sellin!! radio-I thOlt[lht.
(I needed to sell a lot of rccci'l'l'rs). Not too I01lf! (1 talk either, just
riyht-l thought. Feeble ap plaltse! Hardl)' anyoi!e can/{' to tile
platform to compli1l1ent men. I returned to Kansas City utterly
crushed.
*
Today one has only to look about himself. The role
American broadcasting plays in our daily way of life is vital
-fundamental. People hunger for the things radio gives
them. So deep in its influence that it has been proved
~
time and again that the average public would rather
give up any of its modern day advancements first,
before giving up its radio.
ens
"Now arch the chest-like this-and I do meon. yoU!"
Herewith are listed new program
contracts ov~r KMBC taking effect
between April 9, 1945, and April 29,
1945.
Phillips Petroleum Company, for
Phillips "66"-Sponsoring KMBC
News with Erie Smith renewal,
starting April 9, 1945, 9:30-9:40
p.m., CWT, Mondays through Saturdays.
Prince Mntchabelli-Sponsoring the
"Stradivari Orchestra," starting
Apri115, 1945, 1 :00-1 :30 p.m., CWT,
Sundays.
Edwards Coffee-S p 0 n s 0 r i n g
"Night Editor," starting April 20,
1945, 10:15-10:30 p.m., Fridays.
Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Corporation-Sponsoring "Salute to the
Stars and Stripes," starting April
21, 1945, 9 :45-10 p.m., CWT, Saturdays.
SweetHeart Soap-S p 0 11 S 0 ri n g
KMBC News with John Cameron
Swayze renewal, starting April 23,
1945, 12:00-12:10 p.m., CWT, Mondays, \Vednesdays and Fridays.
Peter Paul Mounds - Sponsoring
KMBC News with John Cameron
Swayze renewal, starting April 24,
1945, 12:00-12:10 p.m., GWT, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Uemington Arms, for Lake City
Ordnance Plant - S p 0 n so 1" i n g
"David Rose Musical Revue" renewaI, starting Apl'il24, 1945,8:309 :00 p.m., CWT, Tuesdays.
Hercules Powder Company.-Sponsoring "Victory Serenade," starting April 26, 1945, 7:00-7 :30 p.m.,
GWT, Thursdays.
Bond Clothing Store-Sponsoring
KMBC News with ErIe Smith renewaI, starting April 27, 6:00-6:10
p.m., GWT, Mondays, Wednesdays
and Fridays.
Standard Oil of Indiana-Sponsol'ing KMBC Sports News with Sam
Molen, starting April 29, 1945, 6 :106:15 p.m. and 9:40-9:45 p.m., CWT,
Sundays.
It is not too much to say that
ErIe has revolutionized the technique of the news broadcast here in
the Heart of America. Like radio's
top name-commentators, he spends
an entire working day-a newspaper man's working day-on his
four broadcasts, each of which is
especially written and edited for
the Heart of America.
Al't'iving around 10:30 in the
morning, Erle does not leave his
office until after his final broadcast
at 11 at night. The morning is
spent reviewing the day's news and
plunning the 3 :25 broadcast. Three
others foHow at 6, 9 :30 and 11 p.m.
As a l)el'sonality, Erle Smith is
even more fabulous than his fabulous career, and his vacation decor
would cause a sensation at a Texas
cattlemen's convention. The Stetson sombrero, the ten-sheet plaids
of his summer shirts, the handtooled leather belts with jeweled
buckles (ErIc collects them j they're
his hobby) with which he brightens
the corridors of KMBC are a good
deal more than slightly terrific, and
plenty of people around the station
make wholly unnecessary trips to
the news department just to see
What he is showing in the way of a
shirt this morning. It's the open
season on Erle.
Comes winter, and he is as carefully and conservatively tailored as
. any Wall Street man. Even his
ties are above reproach. But around
KMBC they like him best in sumlUel'. He':." what they call a character.
So without further ado shake
hands with ErIe Smith.
Next
month, meet P. Hans Flath, the
station's noted director of music.
$
July 15, 1945
Page 3
HEARTBEATS
I
Station Builds
'Victory Serenade'
for Sunflower
Meet KMBC 'We Now Retnrn
'~on'
Boys!
. The guns of Europe are silenced
, and stacked, but with VJ Dayan
undetermined point in the future,
there can be no halt for those on
the home munitions-front.
Realizing this, Sunflower Ol'd• nance of DeSoto, Kansas, which
produces the major part of rocket:
powder for the Allied armies, has
just put "Victory Serenade," a
half-hoUl' program at 7:00-7:30 p.
111., CWT, on Thursday, on the air
over KMBC to maintain personnel
levels.
Show, huilt by KMBC's program
depm'tment, presents P. Hans Flath,
KMBC's director of music; Ellen
White and Ted Ross, soloists, and
the KMBC Rhythm Riders, >with
Frank Crosby as narrator and Bill
Manning announcing.
"Hero of the 'Week" Presented
Script is framed around service
men from the Heart of America,
presenting a "hero of the week"
on each broadcast. One of these
was Lt. Calvin L. ("Blood & Thunder") Jones, of 3519 Woodland
Avenue, Kansas City, then a technical sergeant in Company B, 424th
Infantry Regiment of the Thirtieth
Division, whose platoon withstood
a murderom; German attack for
seven days during the Von Runstedt breakthrough on the western
front in December.
For this, LieutenantJ ones won
his batt1efield commission, one of
the highest honors the army gives.
U sing rocket bazookas, he had
earlier almost single-handed block- ,
ed an enemy tank attack.
Other stories told on "Victory
Serenade" have been those of
T/Sgt. William H. Pfeifer of 300
West Armour Boulevard, Kansas
City, and Pfc. Hugh D. Young,
Paola, Kansas.
Many Thrilli,hg Stories Told
Sergeant Pfeffer, who has the air
medal with eight oakleaf clusters,
was an engineer-gunner on a
Marauder with the 323rd bombardment group of the Ninth Air Force.
Without a parachute, and with
2000 feet of altitude below him,
Pfeifer crawled headfirst into the
bomb bay of his plane to dislodge
a 500-pound bomb that had failed
to drop, and to repair a flak-ruptured line, either of which would
have meant certain death to the
crew in an emergency landing.
With his machine-gun jammed,
Private Young, who has the silver
star, killed four Japs in hand-tohand combat at San Manuel in the
Philippines, in the battle for Luzon,
JOANNE TAYLOR . . .
With Lauren Bacall known as "The
Look," and Faye Emerson answering to
"The Character," the glamor gal above
might very well be called "The> Brain."
Not only does she a.'lpear as Miss
Taylor on "loanne Taylor's Fashion
Flashes," heard over KMBC at 9 a.m.,
Monday through Saturday, she also
writes the show, right down to the last
fade-in and sound effect.
JANE PICKENS • • .
It may look like the Primrose Path now,
but Jane Pickens learned to sing the
hard way-Curtis Institute in Philadelphia, under Marcella Sembrich;
Juilliard in New York, then Paris. After
that a girl deserves to wind u." in the
Cotillion Room at Pierre's. YOU can
hear Jone on KMBC, Tuesday night at
6:30 on the American Melody Hour, for
Bayer Aspirin.
Along Radio Row, the general theory seems to be that announcers should be
HEARD, and never mind the fot/ow through. Maybe KMBC is just plain lucky
. . .
or could be that what you see above is just on extra KMBC service, along
with frequency modulation, and television after the war.
announcing staff. the men who handle all KMBC
and sustaining, local and network.
But this is KMBC's
or;gin~tions,
both commercial
Reading left to right, from the top row:
Lee Stewart, chief announcer and assistant production manager, who also conducts the auditions for announcers; Terry McGrath, heard, on the KMBC "Happy
Kitchen"; Frank Crosby, who recently announced the KMBC origination of
"Transatlantic Call," broadcast from President Truman's home town, Independence, Mo.; Bill Manning of the KMBC "Victory Serenade," who covered
President Truman's aJlpearances
;n Kansas City for KMBC; David Andrews, who
emcees the riotous "Rhymaline Time"; Paul Reid, heard on the "Early Bird
lamboree" and the KMBC "Food Scout"; and Joe MarS/lOll, who announced the
"People's Platform" to CBS and the network, when it originated from KMBC
during the KMBC Radio Institute for Teachers.
Stock Exchange
Backs Treasury!
Radio's Golden Girl, Kate Smith
Marks Her 14th Year on the Air
When the U. S. Treasury and
the New York Stock Exchange
get together, that IS news! But
that's what's happened. The Exchange is putting "It Happened
in 1955" on the air over KMBC
for a 13-week period, in behalf
of the Seventh War Loan Drive.
Series is heal'd at 5 :15-5:30 p.m.,
CWT, on Thursdays. New York
office of Gardner Advertising,
the St. Louis agency, is handling
the accou1l.t, with H. S. Gardner,
chairman of the board, in charge.
If ever radio had a golden girl, I Pan Alley would probably rather
the lady is Kate Smith. Kate, who I have her plug a song than Bing
celebrated her fourteenth anniver- Crosby.
sary on the air this spring, has
This year, with an almost unbeen one of the few women in the limited budget for her General
Peter Paul Mounds, which has
industry with an hour-long pro- Foods show for Jello and Sanka
recently renewed KMBC News with
gram, of which she is the emcee, on Sunday night, she has presented
John Cameron Swayze for 1945-46,
the star, and the sale arbitel·.
a list of headliners that has insponsoring the 12 noon broadcast
And she is probably the only eluded Pat O'Brien, Robert Taylor,
on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Satwoman ever to be entrusted with Sonny Tufts, Margaret O'Brien,
urdays, has just completed its
building a pro~ralll to buck one of Myrna Loy, Linda Darnell and
>I twenty-fifth year in business with
the screen's biggest comedians on Diana Lynn of Hollywood; Talullah
. a silver anniversary celebration.
>l'adio'H biggest day of the week- Bankhead, Brian Aherne, Frunchot
Firm, headed by Calvin K.
and to make a sizable dent in his Tone, Fredrie March and Cornelia
Kazanjian, onc of the six founders,
Rooperating during her first sea- Skinner of both stage and screen;
has plants in Naugatuck, Con- I
son.
Milton Berle and Rarry Savoy. are
necticut, Philadelphia and Oakland, I
But if anybody ever delivered the comedians, Hnd Orson Welles, who
with coconut factories in Tampa
_~~
'goods in radio, it'fI Kate Smith would probHbly demand a clasHifi. and Puerto Rico, and employes 1200
Katz Drug Company of Kansas again, and if anybody in the busi- cation of his own, as being .'wi
> people, wtih 137 men and women City, a local chain of 20 retail ness could b(~ considered Public geiwri8 at the very least.
serving in the armed forces.
stores, has shifted its Sunday morn- Benefactor No.1, that's Kate, too.
Service Men's Feature
I Company's .labo:' policy i,n. the ing KMBC program to midaftel'- Kate has soM $200,000,000 in war The cast of "It Pays to Be Ignol'>Central AmerIcan Island, deflmtely noon on Saturday and is now pl'e- bonds since Pearl Harbor, ~md ant" has appeared on her show a
a contribution to the U. S. Govern- senting Jerry Sears' Orchestra, a. raised $4,OOO,O()O in Red Cross con- number of times thi~ year, alway::;
ment's good neighbor efforts, has World Library series, at 3:15-3:30. tl'ibutions, besides giving her Sun- with spectacular success, and the
been praised by Puerto Rico's de.--~! day night sho\v~ at training camps COlllcdy of Shirley Booth, aln10st a
partment
of
labor
in
no
uncertain
throllghout the country,
regular on the program, has proved
KAY LORRAINE • • .
terms. "This is the first time in
Gives New Taleut Its Chance
a bonanza.
Moving fo a night-time spot, Sunday
the history of Puerto Rico labor
Kate also has a record for disTed Collins, who has been with
evening ot 9:45-10, CWT, IJSongs of relations that workers have been
__
covering new talont and giving Miss Smith since her earliest radio
Good Cheer," lor Sewell Paint & Vartreated like human beings, witb afContinental Oil's New - Day young performers their chance .. , days, produces both the Kate Smith
nish, brings this pretty girl to the
iection and respect," said a repre- Conoco Bronz~z-z, a post-war high- nnd considering what she did for Hour and "Kate Smith Speaks,"
microphone as featured vocalist. Show
sentative of the department, at the octane gasoline, now has a series "When the Moon Comes Over the her 11 a.m. Monday-through-Friday
is one of the pleasantest musical events
Peter Paul anniversary dinner jn of seven weekly 30-word announce- Mountain"
and
"God
Bless strip for Calumet and Swansdown,
of the week, presenting the best-loved
Arecibo.
ments on KMBC.
America," to name only two, Tin two other General Foods products.
Peter Paul Mounds Signs
KMBC News With Swayze
Katz Stores Sponsor
Jerry Sears Onhestra
I'
I
Continental Oil Company
Now Using KMBC Spots
» _
melodies of America's composers.
July IS, 1945
HEARTBEATS
Page 4
TO IS-YEAR CLIENT
Texas Rangers Go
on Job for Famed
B. (. Remedy (0.
The B. C. Remedy Company of
Durham, N. C., which has used
KMBC continuously since 1930, and
which gained its original distribution in this area through use of
the KMBC "Happy Hollow" program, took over sponsorship of the
KMBC "Texas Rangers" library on
July 9, for B.C. Headache Powders.
The Rangers, developed by
KMBC as a live unit before the
library was formed, have been
heard nationally for the R. J.
Reynolds Tobacco Company, as part
of the Camel Caravan; with Bob
Crosby's orchestra, for Old Gold
cig'arettes; and for the Kellogg
Company. They were also featured
on Gene Aritry's radio program,
"Melody Ranch," for the ·Wrigley
Company, and have appeared in
several of the Autry films.
The quartet has a repertoire of
nearly 450 numbers, and sings
almost every type of popular music
except jive and boogie-woogie.
Among the 150 westerns, traditional
and modern, the 18 hillbilly tunes,
the 55 old-time favorites of American folk-music, and the 39 hymns
can be found nearly every song that
has ever reached the heart of an
American.
Tbe library also includes 36 numbers recorded by the four instrumentalists of the unit, with violin,
accordian, guitar, banjo, double
bass, and the jug which Pappy
plays.
The four voices of the group,
Dave, "Irish," Captain Bob, who
makes the arrangements, and "Tucson," are thoroughly trained musicians, who have sung together as
a group since their church-choir
days in Independence, when Captain
Bob, a boy soprano, had already
gained considerably more than
local fame.
All of the men are in service
now, with "Irish," who has been in
a hospital in France with :frozen
feet, due to be released any day,
says George E. Halley, manager
of syndicated features, Arthur B.
Church productions.
KMBC Now Carries
'MaPerkins' Strip
Replacements for Summer
Usher in Topflight Shows
Only a handful of shows go off the air for the summer on KMBC
and the CBS network, and in most .cases replacements are so outstanding that listeners who keep their dialg' at 980 will never know it's summer at all. Latest topflight acquisition announced by CBS was Ann
Sothern, the M.G.M. star, in her "Maisie" series, which the Biow agency
put on the air July 5 for Eversharp, Inc. "Silver Theater," with Conrad
, Nagel as emcee, replaees " T h e + ' - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" three new shows spotted as refor International Silver during the placements. At 7 :30, Brian Aherne,
Nelsons' eight-week vacation, and the im~ortal ROh,ert ~rowning to
"Report to the Nation," for Con-, Kath~rme Cornell s Ehzabet? Bartinental Can moves up from Sat- i rett m "The Barretts of Wmlpole
t"·IS hear d. as "Th e S'
t"
Ul'day to fill, the Fanny Brice slot 'St
I
ree,
am.
at 5:30 on Sunday, while the Post
Sec~nd" big Wednesday njgh~
PRES{DENT TRUMAN COMES BACK TO KANSAS CITY
Toasties show observes a 13-week event IS Ray Noble-by Request,
for Max Factor at 8 :00-8 :30, reKMBC carries the homecoming 01 the President to lackson County and Inde- rest.
Bendix Aviation in Air Show I placing Frank Sinatra's program
pendence, on his return from San Francisco Conference. University of Kansas
First
half of the Kate Smith sum- for five weeks. It's the first time
City awarded him the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws.
mer hiatus at 10 :30 on Sunday the London orchestra leader has
night has already been snapped up had his own spot, though he is
by a new show "Men of Vision" for hear'd regularly through the winter
Bendix Aviation, a series based on with the Charlie McCarthy show.
Old Gold's "Which Is Which?"
the achievements of pioneers in
the Ken Murray sbow, also on
aviation in this country.
On Tuesday, CBS is bringing in Wednesday, gets "Detect and ColN orman Corwin, its ace author and lect," a quiz program, at 8:30 9,
producer, and radio's fair-haired and "Invitation to Music" replaces
boy, for an eight-week series, "Co- Milton Berle's "Let Yourself Go"
lumbia Presents Corwin," debuting on KMBC at 10 :30.
July 3.
Mary Astor Has Show
"The Doctor Fights," one of the
Burns and Allen left the netmost popular shows on the. CBS work on June 25, but a. new comedy_
network last summer, when Ray- drama series with Mary Astor, "The
mond Massey was heard in the Merry Life of Mary Christmas,"
series, will replace the Schenley takes over the Monday spot at 7 :30Cl'esta Blanca show, "This Is My 7:55, until the Joan Davis show
Best," on Tuesday at 10 :30 on comes on for Swan late in August.
KMBC. Product for the replaceLux Radio Theater comes back
ment is Schenley Laboratories' pen- on the air August 20, with two
icillin.
half-hour shows heard on the
Third Tuesday night show is the Monday evening hour since July 2.
KMBC JOINS WITH NAB COUNCIL ON RADIO lOURNALISM . . .
new comedy. "That's My Pop," "Beulah," for Turns, is heard from
Pulling a sheet 01 telegraph copy from the A.P. teletype in the KMBC news based on the Milt Gross comic strip, 8:00-8:30, and "The Sea Has a
room Erie Smith, head of the KMBC neWs department, greets Elmer F. Beth with Hugh Herbert, the Hollywood Story," a new CBS dramatic series
acting chairman of the department of journalism, University of Kansas, as the comedian, in the part.
with Pat O'Brien, at 8 :30-9. Startprogram of teacher-internships for radio news men, sponsored by the NAB and
One of the best summer lineups ing September 1, "Beulah" will
the American Association of Journalism Schools goes into operation at KMBC. comes on Wednesday night, with move to 7 :00-7 :30 on Saturday.
I
w
l
l
And Not a Cigarette in Sight!
I
\
Hit Parade Solid in fhe Groove for
Lucky Sfrike, as 11 fh Year Sfarfs
i
Opinion mayl vary as to whether the real ten-strike of the Lucky
Strike "Hit Pai'ade," over KMBC - CBS on Saturday night, is the ten
top songs of thk week or the abracadabra of the two tobacco auctioneers
on the commer6ials. But either way, Lucky's got it in :;;pades.
Show had its 10th anniversary over CBS in May f01" American
Tobacco, and its record is incontestable proof that commercial radio
can buck the Great American S a t - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - urday Night with complete success, in New York in 1943 put Frank
with any show that has the stuff'·1 Sinatra in the groove, and before
Program has seen a lot of in- his engagement there was over,
novations since it went on the air! Lucky Strike had sewed him up
in 1935 and has tried out prac- I for the Hit Parade, where he stayed
tically ~verything but Charlie
until L~rry. Tibbett, the Metropoli.
tan
barItone, took over.
Carth y. Th
. ere h ave b een guest
soloists, ranging from Lotte Leh- i But the backbone of the show has
- Wagnenan
. soprano, always
man, the g'l'eat
• been the cream of the cur.
·
h
.
.
"G
d
BI
rent
tune
crop,
and
the
formula
IS
to K ate S mIt smgmg
0
ess
..
..
. " ,,' •
sohd. Competmg With every SunAmel'lca;
name bands of the: day show on the ail', "Your Hit
week"; a featured organist; a tap· Parade," on Saturday, remains
dancer, and even a magician from among the top 20 with both men
the Rainbow Room.
I and women audiences, and among
Eleven weeks at the Paramount the tOI) 15 with the kids.
i
MC-\
PRESIDENT'S TEACHER TALKS OF TRUMAN AS A BOY . . .
Miss Caroline Stoll, 84, President Truman's grade-school principal in Independence, is interviewed bv KMBC's suecial events deoartment for the KMBC
origination of CBS' "T;ansatlantic Call," telling the story of the President's
home town. Against her doctor's advice, Miss Sto/l, who had suffered an
accident at her sister's funeral only two days before, appeared on the broad.
cast on June 21, reading her lines like a trouper.
Proof of the excellent job that'
KMBC and CBS are doing for
Proctor & Gamble, which now presents a half dozen P. & G. products
on the network, is the placing of
the Cincinnati firm's top-ten daytime serial, "Ma Perkins," on CBS
fOT Oxydol. Show is now heard,
Monday through Friday, over two
major !'adio chains, KMBC time
being 1 :15-1 :30 p.m.
"Ma," which has rarely dropped
below third place in daytime radio
surveys, mles more than $1,000,000
in air time each year, and ha~ an
annual talent bankroll in excess of
a quarter of a million dollars. Show
is now in its twelfth year for
Oxydol, which puts it in a class
\\'ith KMBC's "Joanne Taylor's
Fashion Flashes," also in its
twelfth year over KMBC.
Part of liMa" has been played by
Virginia Payne since the strip's
debut in December, 19B:J" and the
hold she has over her audience is
one of those things a sponsor SCOUTS WIN EISENHOWER MEDAL IN PAPER DRIVE . . .
dl'eams about. KMBC now has two
Caroline Ellis broadcasts the awarding 01 the s.oecial General Eisenhower-Boy
Scout waste .oaper campaign medal to two Kansas City scouts on her KMBC
shows for Oxydol, with the .Tack
Happy Home, s.Donsored by the National Periodical Publishers Association, which
Kirkwood strip heard at 10 to 10 :15
backed the drive. Jerry Klein col/ected 5000 pounds of paper, with Donald
p.m., CWT, Monday through FriCrockett turning in 1600 pounds. Charles Epp, re!,resenting the War Proclucday, throughout the winter.
tion Board, pins the medal to Donald's scout jacket.
VOL. 3. NO.7
K. C. Philharmonic
Sent by Shortwave
To G. I.s Overseas
KANSAS
Elgin's Gift To Fans
A Big Variety Show
CITY'S
I
RADIO
MERCHANDISER
DECEMBER, 1945
KMB( to Originate
'The Messiah (horus
O,er (BS Network
What Santa Claus leaves in
the stocking for radio fans this
year will be more of the same
stellar entertainment listeners
Radio Station KMBC has com- had with their Thanksgiving
pleted arrangements to bring to the turkey. The role of Santa will
For the eighth year, Columbia
American armed forces in Europe be played, as in three previous • Broadcasting System will offer as
and in the Pacific and Asia the years, by Elgin Watch Company, a feature of its Christmas season
weekly half-hour broadcasts of the who will present "Two Hours of programming a broadeast of HanKansas City Philharmonic orches- Stars" from three to five on del's oratorio, "The Messiah," sung
tra, the only program originating in Christmas afternoon.
by the Independence, Missouri, MesKansas City to receive such a disDon Ameche, as master of siah Choir and originating from
tinction.
ceremonies, the Charioteers and I radio station KMBC. Time of the
Beginning with the November 22 • Matty Malneck's orchestra, all of program will be 10:15 p.m. to 11 :15
program and continuing throughout whom were heard on Elgin's p.m. CST on Sunday, December 23.
the duration of the current 20-week Thanksgiving show, will be back
The annual Christmas rendition
series, the Philharmonic broadcasts on the Christmas schedule. Jack of "The Messiah" has been a tra-.
will be recorded and copies of the Benny, Bob Hope, Rochester, dition in Independence since 1916,
transcriptions air-expressed to the Falstaff Openshaw and Vera when a chorus of 160' voices from
facilities of the armed forces radio
Vague will bring plenty of top- the congregation of the Reorganservice to be relayed to United notch clowning to the show, ized Church of Jesus Christ of THE INDEPENDENCE MESSIAH CHORUS . . •
States service men and women serv- while musical interludes will be Latter Day Saints gave a performThe Messiah Chorus Irom President Truman's home foWn will sing its eighth pering in foreign fields.
provided by such varying artists ance which proved so successful
formance of Hande/'s oratorio over KMBC and CBS December 23 at 11:15 p.m.
Anangements were made by as Ginny Simms and Arthur that the Messiah Chorus now has
Gene W. Dennis, KMBC director RUbenstein.
grown to 253 members of all de- tor for the Stone Church and found-.
of special events, and P. Hans
nominations and since 1937 has er of the Independence Little Symbeen heard coast to coast over CBS phony, which will accompany the
stations through KMBC. Many of Chorus in this year's performance
the charter members of the Inde- of the oratorio.
pendence Messiah Chorus still are
"'l'he Messiah" will be presented
the group; others have sent their this year for the last time in the
children to take their plaees.
Stone Church, l!:van i"ry, radio
..
•
The Messiah will be broadcast director of the church, said. To
from the Stone Church in Independ- accommodate audiences, which inMiss June Martin of Chicago took
ence, Mo., the home town of Presi- . crease yearly, as well as to permit over the post of KMBC's director of
dent Harry S. Truman. Station the choir to expand to 350 mem- home economics on December 1.
KMBC also carries a regular Sun- bel'S, the oratorio will be held in She will handle the Food Scout
day morning program at 11 a.m.
future in the new assembly program from the Kansas City Profeaturing' the Stone Church choir room of the Auditorium which is duce Terminal at 8:15 a.m. Monday
. and speakers.
the 'World headquarters for the Re- through Saturday, and the Happy
·1
The Messiah Chorus is directed organized Church of Jesus Christ of Kitchen program at 9:30 on Monby Franklyn Weddle, musical direc-I Latter Day Saints.
day through Friday and 9:15 on
Saturday,
A graduate of the University of
Minnesota, where she majored in
home economics and public speaking, Miss Martin is a nationally
known food expert, having conPHILHARMONIC GOES ON THE AIR . • •
ducted cooking schools from California to Ohio as a representative
The first concert in the Kansas City Philharmon;c series being broadcast this
of the National Livestock and Meat
year over KMBC. Randolph Walker, president 01 the Aireon company, sponsor
Board.
of the orchestra's radio programs, is shown to the right 01 the microphone in the
Following her appearances with
background.
the cooking schools, Miss Martin
Flath, the station's director of series of broadcasts of the 85-piece
became affiliated with the Conmusic, with Lieut. S. C. Fuller, chief Kansas City orchestra made Kansas
solidated Edison Company in the
of the Armed Forces Radio Service City one of only six cities in the
home economics department.
program section, for the overseas United States having symphony
Miss Martin holds a distinction in
transmissions.
groups with a fully sponsored radio
radio, having been selected last
The orchestral programs are es- : season. The Aireon Manufacturing
May by a Chicago station as an
pecially built for radio by Efrem ~ompany holds the commercial
entry in the American Television
Kurtz conductor of the orchestra rIghts for the 1945-46 series of
Society's contest to find the outin coo~eration with Mr. Flath.
'broadcasts by the Kansas City Phil· standing television personality of
Last year the initiation of a full harmonic, now widening its audi· 1945. The nomination was made on
ence by additional tens of thou•the basis of her presentation of a
sands of listeners through the
i televised homemaker's show which
I
medium of the oven;eas transmisINDEX
I she created and produced.
Listed below are items of par- sions.
, The Food Scout program will
The broadcasts are heard
ticular interest to grocers and
continue under the sponsorship of
druggists in this month's issue of KMBC at 7 a.m. Thursdays.
· Taystee Bread. California Fruit
Heartbeats:
Growers hold the commercial rig-hts
to
the Tuesday and Thursday HapDRUGGISTS:
Ronson Lighters. Page 1. Col. S.
py Kitchen programs.
Vick's Va-tro-nol. Page 2, Col. 5.
I
I
June Martin Takes
Over Dllrecforshllp
01 Food P".ogr!!llml'
I
Old GQld~, Page 2, Cui. 5.
Rexall, Pa!re 2, Col. 5
Dr. Lyons Tooth Powder. Page 3.
Col. 3.
Noxema. l'alil' 4. Col. 1.
Griffin Shoe Polish. Page 4, Col. 1.
GROCEltS:
California Fruit Growers. Page 1.
Col. 5.
Tnystel! Bread. Pag!'! 1. CuI. 5.
I'ostum, Page 2. Col. ii.
PO!!t ToasUes. Page 2. Col. 5.
Sanka Coffee. Page 2. Col 5.
Grapenut!!, Page 3, Col. 2.
Farm Limestune, Page 3, Col. 2.
Cheerioats. Pa!;e 3, Col. 2.
Duz, Page 3. Cui. 3.
Crisco. Page 3, Col. 3.
Lux. Page 3. Col. 3
Delrich Margarine. Page 4, Col. 1.
SweetIlearl SOIlP. Page 4. Col. 1.
:"Fun af the Forum"
ASunday Nite Show
New on the Sunday evening
schedule at KMBC is a program of
soft music presented by the Forum
Cafeterias of Kansas City at 9:45
to 10 o'clock,
i "Uncle Dan the Forum Cafeteria
, Man," is master of ceremonies, with
Elvira, a southern songstress, as
featured vocalist on the program,
"Fun at the Forum."
Ronson 10 be Sponsor Of
Christmas Variety Show
A star-studded half-hour of enM
tertainment will be presented by
the Ronson Art Metal Works, Inc.,
from 2 ::lQ to a o'clock on Christmas
afternoon. Burgess Meredith will
be master of ceremonies, with Raymond Paige's thirtYwPiece orchestra
and chorus providing the music.
December. 1945
HEARTBEATS
Page 2
When the army was through with
~cr:::i'il-him, Bob was still thirsty for knowl~
edge.
He got a job tea::hi
ing in the Emporia, Kansas, hIgh
school, and worked on the side for. a
degree of bachelor of science III
education at Kansas State Teachers' College.
.
But even two deg-rees didn't sabs~
VOL. 3, NO.7
fy . Bob. Next he went after a
Published with the editorial purpose of furthering the reputation, the distribution and
master's degree at the University
sales of KMBC advertisers as well as to offer a means of informative news conof Kansas. The course at K. U.
cerning the activities of KMBC and of the radio industry, our free system 01
had many interesting developments.
broadcasting dedicated to serving the home and the nation in war and in peace.
Bob taught clinical psychology at
the University while studying. The
KMBC and KMBC-FM
Haskell Indian Institute at Lawrence was having trouble with
of Kansas City
classification of its students and
MIDLAND BROADCASTING COMPANY
aBked for a K. U. psychology inArthur B. Church, President and General Manager
structor to make a survey and iron
Karl Koerper, Vice President and Managing Director
out the difficulty. Bob was elected.
Sam H. Bennett, Vice President and Director 01 Sales
He was assigned two student assistants , one of them a girl named
Published by the KMBC Sales Promotion Department
Lavern Wedd, an honor graduate of
E. P. J. Shurick, Director of Promotion, Press Relations and Merchandising
Baker University who was attendEmily Watson, Editor
ing K. U. on a philosophy fellowship.
Nationally Represented By
The two principal results of Bob's
FREE & PETERS{ INC.
80B RILEY . . .
r-csem'ch on the Redskins were his
KMBC Marketcaster
CHICAGO (1)
NEW YORK (22)
SAN FRANCISCO (4)
marriage to his assistant, Lavern
111 Sutter
180 N. Michigan
444 Madison Ave:.
Twenty -foul' years ago, when 'Wedd, and his discovery that in proFranklin 6373
Plaxa 5-4130
Sutter 4353
even the earphone variety of radio I portion as the Indians' amount of
ATLANTA (3)
HOLLYWOOD (l8)
set was a rarity, and radio stations, white blood increased, the more
322 Palmer Bldg.
6331 Hollywood Blvd.
were in their infancy, the operator mischievous they became.
Hollywood 2151
Main 5667
of a spasmodic station in Emporia,
Bob instructed for a while in the
Kansas, was broadcasting a Sunday Kansas City, Kansas, junior college,
afternoon vesper service from a tHen served as dean of the Kansas
garage equipped only with a piano City Horner Conservatory of Music
and some crude transmitting ap- and later of the Omaha, Nebraska,
paratus. The soloist on the pro- conservatory.
gram was Robert Milton Riley.
The American Institute of Child
We come to the end of 1£)45, and to the end of an event- rrhe occasion was prophetic, for I Psychology then summoned Bob to
ful epoch. To look back over broadcasting's first quarter- although Bob Riley's career subRe- • represent them as a writer and
century, one cannot help but be forcibly impressed with the quently veered far afield from radio' lecturer. In this capacity, Bob pl'euniqueness of radio's parallel progress to that of world affairs. work into educational, musical and pal'ed a series of dramatic sketches
athletic work, that early fascination on child training and interested the
for radio eventually took a firm KMBC staff to the extent of tl'ansOut of the first World War was born an infant industry. hold, and today Bob Riley is a cribing them. Some time later,
Prior to the start of hostilities, radio had been relegated to full-fledged, full-time radio pel'- KMBC needed a part time announcthe nursery of the laboratory and in the hands of amateur sonality, the KMBC marketcaster 81', and remembering Bob Riley's
operators. Though on the verge of taking that tottering first and official voice of the livestock voice from. the transcriptions, ofstep of widespread acceptance, radio went to war and con~ interests of the Heart of America. fereel him the job.
tributed much in communications to ultimate victory. Radio Even earlier than the vesper serv- ' Bob had alw::tys like to talk. He
in turn profited by stepped~up processes resulting from the ice, Bob Riley was tinkering around says he earned his first dollar by
urgency of necessity.
with radios. With a group of hig'h reciting James Whitcomb Riley's
school friends, he operated a little "When the Fl'~st is on the Pumpelectric shop and experimented (not kin" when he was in the third grade
At the conclusion of the war, after taking one deep too successfully, he recalls) with u and has been talking ever since. At
breath, radio communication graduated into what is common- wireless set. It was his early am- any rate, he worked into a full-time
ly known today as broadcasting. The effect upon a listening bition to become an electrical en- talking position at KMBC, and
public, as limited in numbers as potential, audiences were, gineer. But like most childhood am- eventually waSi the station's chief
proved astonishing even to the most imaginative of broad- bitions, that was succeeded by many announcer and director of farm procasting's pioneers. The novelty of wireless sound transmis- other enthusiasms. As a debater on grams.
sion itself was enough for a time to keep the customers com- the high school team, Bob got the The Kansas City livestock intcring back from more.
notion he . might make a good ests latched onto Bob in the third
lawyer. But the nearest he came year of his radio career. He moved
to that goal was playing a walk- jown to the livestock. exchange
That man with a voice personality had his heyday. on barrister part on KMBC's nat- building, where he has been bl'oadListeners hung on his every word, and mobbed his every ional "Happy Hollow" I)l'ogram casting his three daily programs of
appearance. In the meantime, commercialism came into being, many years later.
livestock market news ever since.
and the doors swung open to horizons unlimited. The where- As it turned out, the field he Holding exclusive rights to broadwithal promised for 'broadcasting a place of importance in the finally went into was, education.
ast direct from the stockyards, Bob
American way of things.
Bob waited tables and performed makes the most of his atmosphere.
other jobs to get himself through In the summer, he throws open the
Rice Institute at Houston, Texas. Iwindows of his ninth floor studioStep by step broadcasting advanced along cultural lines. Then, armed with his B.A. degree, office and listeners can hear the
As society in general made adjustments, such was the case of he went into a world at war. Uncle bawling of the cattle from the huge
broadcasting. The potentialities of entertainment were thor- Sam put him to work drilling rook- stockyards below. From farmers
and stockmen who wander in during
oughly explored. As social complexities developed, broadcast- ies at Camp Funston, Kamas.
INTRa UCING
Ring in the New!
:*
*
the day, Bob gets specific prices
brought by their cattle, and broad~
casts these sales, a personal touch
appreciated by the farmer's folk
back on the farm, and one which
gives them a clear idea of exactly
the type of stock bringing a certain
price.
Bob's day begins at five in the
morning. Without breakfasting, he
dashes to the studio to prepare his
6:25 broadcast. When that's over,
he eats, then goes out to the cattle
pens to talk to buyers, salesmen and
farmers and look over the stock.
All this makes up material for his
9.:50 broadcast. His last broadcast
is during the noon hour.
In the afternoons, he does his research and writing. Bob is correspondent for a number of livestock
journals and other publications.
When the day's work is done,
Bob goes home to a family as energetic as he is. Mrs. Riley, besides
running the household,' has found
time to run a grocery store on the
side and to devote enough time to
perfection of her golfing technique
to win (with Bob) the husband and
wife golf championship of Wyandotte Country Club. Bob has an
accumulation of cups for various
city championships in golf.
Besides his wife, there's his
fourteen-year-old daughter, Phyllis
Ann, who is an accomplished pianist, and his son, Bob, Jr., a radio
officer in the Merchant Marine.
Young Bob, at twenty-one, already
has an announcing career behind
him, having been out of high school
only two days when he got a regular announcing job in Kansas City,
Kansas.
Bob Riley is active in half a
dozen Masonic groups, a lay
minister
in
the
Episcopalian
Church, and a member of several
stockmen's clubs, in addition to
having the responsibility of being
spokesman for the Kansas City livestock interests, which requires him
to deliver speeches about once a
week at civic and out-of-town
gatherings.
So, without further ado, shake
hands with Bob Riley, KMBC's husy
mal'ketcaster. Next month, meet
Gene Dennis, who is always on hand
when something special is happening in the Heart of America.
*
*
ing in turn broadened its fields of activity until such influence
was felt in myriads of ways.
*
The second World War broke, and there again was broadcasting in the middle of things. History repeated itself in the
fleet-footed technical development. To its contributions in i
radio communications was added the important function of
propaganda-both in war theatres and on the home front.
A brilliant record for cooperation with every worthy effort
was engraved for posterity in all parts of the land.
i""
I
*
\¥hen the coming of V-Day and the end of a social way
of life, American broadcasting, too, marked the completion of
an epoch-its first quarter-century of service to rich and poor
alike. Again, during war months, electronic advancements.
have set new technical standards. From out of reconversion,
resulting from these changes, will come a new and even
greater broadcastipg industry. As important as its service
has been during the past twenty-five years, the future holds
the promise of an industry which in comparison will dwarf
into insigllificance the past.
*
So-let us RING IN THE NEW with a willingness to preserve jealously the processes which made it possillle for an
industry with a humble beginning to become a great force for
righ t, freedom and never-ending entertainment. A
force which can mold the minds of man, of all races e~s
and tongues, with a common cam;e for justice and
peace!
"That Borden Cheese Advertising is very realistic"
n
r
I
Herewith nre listed new progt'am
contracts over KMBC taking effect
h ..tween August 12, 1945 and September
10, 1945.
Vick Chemical Company for Va-tronol-Vaporub Inhaler sponsoring
KMBC Tune Chasters starting September 11, 7:30-7:45 p.m., CST,
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday,
P. Lorillard Company for Old Golds
sponsoring- The Frank Sinatra
I Show starting September 12, 8:00~
8::30 p.m., CST, Wednesday.
General Foods for Postum sponsoring "Kate Smith Sings," starting
September 14, 7::50-8:00 p.m. CST,
Friday.
United Rexall Drug sponsoring
Durante and Moore starting September 14, 9:00-9:30 p.m. CT, Friday.
General Foods for Post Toasties
sponsoring" Adventures of the Thin
Man," starting: September 16,10 :3011 :00 p.m. CST, Sunday.
General Foods for Sanka Coffee
spom;ol'ing The Baby Snooks Show
Rtarting September 16 5:30-6:00 p.
m. CST Sunday.
E~ectric Light and Power Companies sponsoring The Nelson Eddy
Show starting September 16, 3 ;304:00 CST Sunday.
"
December. 1945
HEARTBEATS
Ezra Stone Returns
To Role of Henry
On Aldrich Family
UNA ROMAY
Even better than the turkey dinner on
Thanksgiving were the songs of Lina
Romay on Elgin's "Two Hours of Stars."
Formerly with Xavier Cugat's band, Lina
.
. h a t rOPlca
. Iempo,
t 'In el'th er
sings
WIt
.
English or Soanish.
.
With paramount interest of fami~
lies an over the United States
centered on the
return of their
servicemen sons,
one of America's best~known
families the
Aldriches
are right in the
swing of the
times, weI ~om­
ing back from
war their son,
the
original
EZRA STONE
Henry Aldrich,
(or Ezra Stone) to the Grapenuts
. program.
The teen-age Henry Aldrich of
the serial has carried on through
the war the antics and anxieties
of adolescence; has never been
hounded by the draft board. But
in real life, Henry Aldrich has
been to war three times.
Ezra Stone, the first and bestknown Henry Aldrich, went into
the army more than four years
ago. He was succeeded. by Ray To~
kar, who also was fmr game for
Uncle Sam's recruiters; and then
Dick Jones took ovel' the role. Last
. d
d
I th
June, Jones was III u::tc ,an{
e
Aldrich Family went into the 1945
season with Raymond Ives as its
blundering son.
Ezra Stone returns to the same
family and pal he left behind.
House Jameson still is playing the
role of Sam Aldrich, and Katherine Raht is Alice Aldrich. Henry's
raspy-voiced buddy; Homer,
the
same Jackie Kelk.
True-to-life anecdotes of
family next door icontinue to be
provided by the esc~pades of author
Clifford Goldsmith's three teenage boys.
The Aldrich Family heard at 7
o'clock Fridays, is one of four big
night time shows put on by General Foods. "Kate Smith Sings,"
aired for Postum, immediately follows "The Aldrich Family" on
Friday night. Fanny Brice's "Baby
Snooks," for Sanka Coffee, is heard
at 5:30 p.m. Sundays, and "Adventures of the Thin Man" at
10 :30 p.m., Sundays, advertising
Grapcnuts and Grapenuts Flakes.
A morning program, "Kate Smith
Speaks" plugging Post's Raisin
Bran and Bran Flakes, is a daily
General Foods show.
I
I
I
i
)0 STAFFORD . . .
The most popular songstress of the day
(according to Martin Block's WNEW
pol/) returned on November 27 to costar with Larry Brooks on the Ford Show
on KMBC from 9 to 9:30 Tuesday
nights, after a vacation in California.
Mary Martin~ Eileen Farrell and Connie
Boswell were pinch-hitters in her absence.
is
L. W. Hayes Company
Backs Marketcasts
For Farm Limestone
Contract for commercial rights
to Bob Riley's 6 :25 marketcast direct from Kansas City's livestock
exchange building in the stockyards
was signed recently by the L. W.
Hayes Construction com pany of
Kansas City.
The product to be plugged on the
6 :25 marketcast, one of KMBC's
most vital programs to its huge
rural audience, is farm limestone.
ANew "Valiant Lady" on
With New Piol and (ast
.ANNAMARY DICKEY . . .
Something new - and something pretty
terrific - has been added to this year's
Texaco Star Theater, heard at 8:30
Sunday nights on KMBC. /tIS Annamary
Dickey, beautilul Metropolitan Opera
soprano, who has joined lames Melton
and the Lyn Murray singers as a regular
in the musical part of the show. She's
{Jppeared as guest star in past years.
"Valiant Lady," the Cheel'ioats
serial, has been streamlined to a
post-war theme, with a bmnd-new
cast of characters.
Listeners to KMBC at 8:45 weekday mornings have for eight years
worried along with Joan Scott,
whose problems recently culminated
in a solution. Now a new "Valiant
Lady," Christine Jeffreys, has taken
the stag'c in the drama of a 'val'
widow in the po~t-war world.
Louise Fitch plays the leading role.
IIRoad of LHe
On for Duz
ll
Proctor and Gamble Company
have made a shift in their Monclay through Friday daytime
shows, bringing to the 3 :454 : 00 p.m. s10t a serial new to
KMBC, "Road of Life," advertising Duz, and moving their
"Young Dr. Malone" program to
the 1: 30-1 : 45 perjod. "Young
Dr. Malone" advertises Crisco.
Proctor and Gamble's other
shows remain the same, with
Jack Smith and Jack Kirkwood
occupying the 10:00-10:15 p.m.
and 10:15~10:30 p.m. spots respectively; "Ma Perkins", for
Oxydol, at 1 :15 p.m.; "Roserary, " in behalf of Spic and
Span, at 4:1.5; "Life Can Be
Beautiful," for Ivory, at 4:30,
and "The FB I in Peace and
War," advertising Lava Soap
Thursday nights at 7 :30-7 :55.
William S. Keighley
Joins LUI Thealer
As Show~s Producer
Page 3
Molen Brings Fans
The Big Eyents In
Midwestern Sports
New KMBC Quartet
ll
Are "Harvest Hands
I
Ardent sports fans who don't
miss a play in any middlewestern
sports event have learned in the
last couple of years that the spot
for their radio dial is 980, with Sam
Molen at the mike.
Sam Molen has been covering the
sports for KMBC for a little less
than two years. In that short
period, he has gained the reputation
of being one of the busiest sports
men in the middle west, and one of
radio's top play-by-play announc-,
ers.
Just completing a season of Saturday afternoon football broadcasts,
Sam has traveled 4,000 miles to
bring his radio grid fans to the
50-y~rd line on all the important
mid~west games.
N ext on his schedule will be a
Monday night series of blow-by~
blow descriptions of boxing tournaments from Kansas City's Munid-
I
That hard-hitting new musical
foul'some giving out with music
as fast as a P-38 on the EarlyBird Jamboree, the Dinner Bell
Roundup and the Brush Creek
Follies has been christened "The
Harvest Hands," after a contest
which dl'ew in several hundred
suggestions from listeners to
KMBC's farm programs.
"The Harvest Hands," COl11posed of Curly, Buck, ·Woody,
and Vick, have packed the house
at several out-of-town personal
appearances since joining the
KMBC staff.
All of the boys sing, with
Curly beating out the bass fiddle
part; Buck at the guitar, Woody
playing the violin and Vick operating the accordion.
Curly and Woody, besides
their appearances with the team
on the Roundup, the Jamboree
and the Follies, perform with
Colorado Pete from 6:30 to 6:45
a.m.
c
The Lux Radio Theater, which
for ten years has been winning top
honors as the greatest dramatic
program on the ail', acquired an important new asset when William S. Keigh-I
ley, veteran Hollywood producer
-director
and
for many years
a leading New
York Stage star,
joined t,he show
as its permanent producer.
The Lux The- SAM MOLEN broadcasts a boxing tournament.
WILLIAM KEIGHLEY
ateI', the first pal auditoriulll, at 11 :05 p.m.
ball, direct broadcasts from the
program to bring before the radio
Other sports highlights of the training camp of the Kansas City
audience big-time Hollywood dra- year covered by Sam :;\'folen were Blues ~nd the Big Six indoor track
matic stars in expertly produced the national college athletic associa- and field meet.
air adaptations of outstanding mo- tion western basketball playoff last
In addition to covering special
tion pictures, adds another to a list March, the national inter-collegiate sports events, Sam brings two daily
of distinguished producers in "\Vil- invitational basketball tournament sportscasts, at 6:10 and 9:40. Sponliam Keighley. Cecil B. DeMille, (of which Sam's account of the sorship of the 9:40 sportscast on
one of the country's best-known championship game was short- Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays
motion picture producers, for sev- waved over seas by the Armed has recently been taken over on a
eral years directed the radio the- Forces Radio), nightly play-by-play year's contract by the Kansas City
ater. Last year Otto Kruger guest- condensations of big league base- Title Insurance Company.
directed the dramas, and John
Cromwell opened this year's series
with a hrilliantly produced condensation of "Practically Yours."
Keighley comes to the Lux Radio
Theater from several years in the
army. As an ail' force colonel, he
was credited with designing and
building the amazing topographical
maps of Japan which were so valuable to B-29 bomber crews.
The Radio Theater is heard over
KMBC at 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
CST on Monday evenings, following Lever Brothers' other big Monday night show, advertising Swan
Soap, and starring Joan Davis,
America's top comedienne.
Dr. Lyons Tooth Powder
Sales 6row in Contest
Stanley 1. Clark, vice-president
of R. L. Watkins division of Sterling Drugs, has announced that
the recent contest publicized on
Sterling's CBS serial
Husband," heard at 10: 15 a.m.
CST Monday through Friday on
KMBC, substantially increased
sales of Dr. Lyon's Tooth Powder.
Prizes for the Dr. Lyons contest
were 100 Bendix automatic home
washing machines. The first contest the Watkins division had BATAAN HERO AT KMBC MIKE . . .
General Jonathan M. Wainwright, the defender 01 Corregidor, was heard over
staged in five years, it invited
KMBC on November 6 in an address at the bond rally at the Kansas City Munihousewives to complete the sencipal auditorium at the beginning 01 the Vic-tory Loan drive. The address was
directed to the "Wainwright men," newly initiated members 01 the Aml!ricon
tence: "I like Dr. Lyon'll Tooth
Legion. A description of the parade honoring General Wainwright and opening
Powder because .. "
the bond drive in Kansas City also was carried by KMBC.
Page 4
HEARTBEATS
December, 1945
Lionel Barrymore
All Kansas City Hears About the BIGGEST Show In Town!
Stars on Monema's
Mayor of the Town
I
Everyone shared in KMBC's extensive audience promotion campaign of recent benefited through increased consumer interest in products advertised. The station's
weeks which was undertaken to acquaint listeners with "the BIGGEST show in town". teaser campaign over the air, in newspapers, direct mail and in spectacular II stunts"
kept the word going around the Heart of America, "What is the BIGGEST show in
Local, regional and network advertisers partici,oated in their share of a greater town?". It was estimated that over 240 million potential impressiom were made
"Mayor of the Town," the Sattune-in to KMBC's sparkling array of Fall programs. Kansas City retailers in turn during the campaign.
urday night family show which has
been the suecessful good will ambassador for N oxzema skin cream
and shaving cream during the difficult period of wartime shortages,
soon will go into its third year over
CBS, spearheading the 1946 sales
drive which will follow the anticipated post-war free flow of merchandise.
"Mayor of the Town," on a platform of fun for the whole family,
should be a powerful sales builder.
Its cast includes some of America's
finest dramatic stars.
Lionel Barrymore, fihn and stage
star, plays the gruffly goodhumored mayor, who each week
irons. out a problem for one of the
citizens of Springdale, the small
town whicH' is the setting for the
show.
The role of the Mayor's housekeeper, lVIarilly, is played by Agnes
Moorehead, who has staned in a
dozen of the biggest CBS shows, as
well as appearing in such movies as
"The Magnificent Ambel'sons" and
"Citizen Kane."
Even "Butch," the fourteen-yearold Conrad Binyon, is a veteran
motion picture and radio player. He
has appeared in regular shows and
as guest star on the air, and in a
long list of well-known movies.
With that distinguished cast, plus
the human interest and comedy of
the dilemmas of the citizens of
i:?pringdale, it's a show that has
appeal for every member of the
family.
Grlilin Shoe Polish
Five of Kansas City's top traffic points were selected for special window displays.
The John Taylor Dry Goods company prepared a complete window with members of
their radio cast (loanne Taylor's "Fashion Flashes" - 9 a.m. Mondays thru Saturdays) acting as live models. It was computed that the traffic count approximated
" 491,019 Kansas Citians.
A wealth of favorable comment bounced around town when the hillbilly character on
the Brush Creek Follies cab covers balanced a ball on the end of his toe which read,
"the BIGGEST show in town". Gummed labels were also distributed to auto owners
as window stickers. Smaller labels were used on correspondence going forth from
various KMBC departments.
18i
\\\66f.~1
S'80W
'MlOWN
Signs Tune Chasers
The KMBC Tune Chasers' early
morning program of wake-up music
and time signals has been taken
It was laughingly said that a sticker was plastered on everything that stood still--and One device used extensively was the teaser potentialities of placing "the BIGGEST
over the coming year on renewal
if it moved, a tag was hung on it. Station employees during the Fall campaign wore show in town" posters at all prominent events in Kansas City. Giant signs were carcontract by the Griffin Manufaclapel tags which read "the BIGGEST show in town". Additional tags were passed out ried by show horses in the grand entry of the Shrine Circus. The campaign came tt>
turing Company to advertise Grifon "Big Brother Club" day at the Shrine CirclIs, and at civic clubs such as the Junior a successful conclusion with the announcement that the biggest show of all is KMBC's
fin's Shoe Polish.
fall schedule of programs.
Chamber of Commerce.
Heard at 7:30 to 7:45 a.m., the
Tune Chasers feature Charley Pryor Over The Radio •
In Special Exploitation •
In Printed Material
In Newspapers • • •
and his drums and musical washboard, Ted Painter on the banjo a n d '
One of KMBC's year - around
As is customary throughout the
Judicious use is made of direct
Finagle and brow sweat went
electric guitar, Ruel Joyce and his
double bass and Vaughn Busey's forms of audience promotion is year, extensive use was made of mail to further the story of KlVIBC's into KlVIBC's efforts to make everysaxophone and clarinet.
constant use of its own facilities to both metropolitan and small town topflight array of fine programs. one "the BIGGEST show in town"
further the programs of advertising dailies to spread further the gospel "Heartbeats" itself is one form of conscious. It wasn't long before
clients. By stimulating interest in about KMBC's great Fall schedule this activity-with the editorial pur- Kansas Citians everywhere were
these programs, the retailer bene- of programs.
p ose "f
0 f ur th'
ermg th e repu t at'lOn, asking, "What is the BIGGEST
fits through educated customers
the distribution and sales of adver- show in town?" Such mouth-toAll three promotion channels in
who enter his store better qualified
tisers as well as to offer a means mouth comment gave the campaign
the Kansas City Star were utilized.
to do the day's buying.
of informative news concerning the an undeterminable amount of free
All available
t'
Display space was given over in
The Cudahy Packing Company
open
lIne on promotion of Weekly Big 6 foot- activities of KMBC and of radio in. publicity.
has already completed more than KMBC's announcement schedule is
I"
I
h
ball broadcasts as "the BIGGESt genera.
n sort - the campaign slogan
700 spot announcements fOl' Delrich g:iven over to telling about pro.
. t
"F
t
In addition to "Heartbeats"
two ' became synonymous WI'th everymargarine and has signed for an- grams which are worthy of listener spar t s s h ow m
own.
ron page
I h'
f .
h other house org'ans are published t mg 0 Importance going on. Dur·
f 00 t -0f -coI umn rea ders d urmg
other year at the rate of fourteen t
Th"
d
t
.
d
th
t
e
l
.
PI
'l\lr
,
.
une-m.
IS IS e ernune mon thl
Ed
t
th
h t th -mg
a-m.or
s 'H
' 0 1iday on Ice"
announcements a week.
ly by careful analysis of available' campaign carried the slogan.
mon y.
uca ors roug ou
e extravaganza, thousands of KanTheir consistent day-in-and-dayl:{l\trBC'
I
d't'
I
t
school
year
receive
"Listening_
Post"
1:
'J:
S popu ar e 1 ona
ype
sas Citians were greeted as they
survey information.
out advertising over KMBC feacolumn,
titled
"Listen,"
used
as
its
which
acquaints
them
with
the
mulentered the arena with spotlights
During "the BIGGEST show in
turing the PLUS of sweet whole
slug lines, "the BIGGEST show in tiplicity of ways in which American on a sign which real-I, "the BIGmilk in Delrich should build a firm town" campaign, listeners would
"Th e gOSSIp
. co 1umn appeal's radio serves the home and COlli- GEST Sh OW mown.
. t
"
t
foundation for steadily increasing have found it difficult to tune into own.
weekly in one dozen small town munity along cultural lines. KMBC
Between-the-round cards at the
postwar profits for dealers stocking KMBC, night or day, without heal'dailies in addition to the Star under also publishes an internal house Billy Conn fight exhibition in the
Delrich margarine.
ing some mention of the campaign.
the nom de plume of Jim Carson.
organ for the interest of its own Kansm; City Auditorium also conGenerous use was made of CBS
tained the teaser slogan. KMBC's
.
.
employees.
As for (hspluy space of advertIseGuest Critic recordings and Star
IS
' I (ll'ect
l'
'
football banner at highlight Big 6
pecm
mai I eff orts d
Ul'Ing
recol'dings prepared by the agency ments supplied by CBS, a complete
games
gave claim to being "the
h
and the Columbia Broadcasting Sys- showing was made of the 70 line t e campaign included lapel tags BIGGEST show in town". Show
copy. The campaign consisted of for employees to wear - and for horses carried giant signs in the
tem.
'
t'IOns In
. t we1ve prommen
.
t g"eueral
distribution in outside con- grand entry of the Shrine Circus
.
To back up these efforts special 92 Inser
tracts. Many hundreds were given to confuse matters further. Like~
The SweetHeart Soap serial, locally written scripts and an- dailies.
With the Heart of America "half- mvay during the Shrine Circus and wh;e this was true of the Towel'
"The Strange Romance of Evelyn nouncements wel'e prepared by
Theatre vaudeville shows and the
Winters," finished its successful KMBC's own promotion staff. Sta- rural," leading farm papers were at Civic Club meetingR.
first year in the 3 ::30-B :45 p.m. tiOll stand-hys reminded listeners, alRo used to supplement the coverGummed labels were printed for radio-stage Brm;h Creek Follies
Monday thl'oug'h Friday spot over "for the BIGGEST show in town, age of the dailies. This form of use on auto windows and for post- out at Ivanhoe Temple.
KMBC. The anniversary of the keep tuned to KMBC."
newspaper promotion included the ers about town. Another novel use
After everyone was thoroughly
serial also marks the beginning of
It was estimated that the total Weekly Kansas City Star Capper's of the labels was as stickers on cor- at loss as to what was the BIGthe second year in radio of Toni
,
.
I GEST
of
'h
.
.
" "the BIGGEST sows
impression count during the cam- Weekly and the Drover's Telegram respondence emanatll1g fro111 var-.
Darnay, who plays the title role.
•
' "
I "
'm town announcement was
110US station departments.
-1 th
I'
d
The male lead of Gary Bennett, paign period approximated 218,- WIth a combmed cll'culatIon count
'. ma( e over
e ra( 10 an through
Total impression COllnt for direct the newspapers that the BIGGEST
the playwright, discharged veteran 861,492. And this was PLUS pro- of over 700,000. The total potentIal
motion
to
regular
efforts
which
and guardian of Evelyn Winters, is
impression count was recorded at mail efforts during' the campaign show of all is KMEG's ]J]'agnLm.~
played this year by Martin Blaine. went on as customary!
14,325,940.
was estimated at 6,187,794.
[ jor fall.
Oelrich Margarine Airs
100 Spot Announcements
"Evelyn Winters" Begins
2nd Year for SweetHeart
I