Evening star., 1925-01-12
SALES Of MUSICAL
RECORDS PICK Up
Radio Programs Surprise
Manufacturers and Stir
4. Theater Interests.
By j. C.. RONLE.
Special Dispatch TO The Star.

Special Dispatch TO The Star.
NEW YORK. January I2-SoIne OF
the big theatrical managers and pro-
ducers will lay plans for "fghting
the air" this week They will deter
mine what action they will take with
regard to radio broadcasting by stage
stars when they meet with the Act
ors' Equity Association January 20.
other managers equally prominent
decline absolutely, however. to be
drawn into the fight against radio,
declaring that such a campaign is
"tilting at wind mills"
In the meantime. radio stations and
monograph companies against whom
the move is mainly directed are thor
nighly unanxious. The results Of
The broadcasting OF programs by art
lists under contract to the Brunswick
and Victrola Companies have been so
extraordinary that there is no lilleli-
hood that these programs will be
abandoned. Each company Will
broadcast an all-star program this
week. There has been such a de-
nand for records of the songs broad
cast by the Brunswick; and Victrola
artists in the Brunswick hour and
the Nictrola New Year night pro-
grams that the factories have been
unable 10 catch up with them.
Radio Booming Sales.
1t is unlikely that having given
the plan a trial. the phonograph
companies will ever be caught with
short supply again. They undoubt-
edly will guaGe output OF records
with reference to their radio pro-
grams TO some extent from now on.
The radio programs have also been
Instrumental IN selling many COM
bined radio and phonograph cabinets.
Officials OF the phonogr COM
panieS say that far from checking
the sale OF records, there seems TO be
remarkable sales impulse derived
from desire to hear again when
ever they wish the song or selections
they have listened TO over the radio.
The advocates of the radio side of
the controversy point to the concert
Of John Mccormack, January in
New York; as refutation of the
claim that the radio injuries theater,
concert or opera attendance. AL
though hundreds OF thousands in this
section heard Mccormack sing from
WEAF station New Year night, the
audience which attempted to hear him
three days later would have been
sufficient to have filled the hall to
capacity three times over. This fact
has not been lost on other artists
Of the theatrical and operate stages.
The radio adhercnts add that 60.O0e
people a day still continue to attend
New York theaters and that this in
dicates no injury from radio.
Managers Differ in Views.
One theatrical producer. Sam II.
Harris, has suggested that the man
ayers insist on clause in contracts
with stage stars prohibiting the lat
ter from appearing for the radio
without the consent of the manager.
He declared the public would not
patroni2e plays when they could hear
them for nothing over the air. On
the other hand, Daniel Frohman, a
manager of years of experience, said:
The popularity OF the radio will
never hurt d good play. The human
appeal of the actors and actresses
who have been visualized and whose
personalities, tenperaments and ar
tiBtic resources are felt, can never be
efraced under any conditions"
1t is asserted in support of the
managers stand that some artists
cannot show to advantage over the
radio, and instances are cited where
theater tickets have been Cancelled
after a radio performance.
The radio men say, however. that
IL an artist cannot show TO advantage
over the radio, the radio stations will
not want his services, and that the
cancellation of tickets is far less
harmful to the theater than to have
a patron attend a performance at
high prices, become disappointed and
advertise his displeasure to scores Of
acquaintance.
Similar to Movie Fight.
1t is recalled by Broadwayites that
the managers protested with equal
vigor some years ago against the
harm the moving pictures m ght pos
sibly do the Legitimate stage. Now,
however, there are comparatively few
stage successes which are not screen
ed and few great motion picture see
narios which do not find their way
in some form on to the speaking
stage. They predict that the fiare-up
over radio broadcasting Will die down