New Britain herald., 1927-04-20
National Broadcasting Co.
Official Explains Method
and How Additions Are
Given Prospective Air
Performers,

New York. April co.-tR-
Radio Is the rainbow's end in the
average entertainers progress to-
ward fame and fortune, but the
climb to the microphone Is not an
easy task and the great majority
fail to achieve 1t.
An official OF the National Broad
casting company. which operates
several great radio networks across
the country, was asked how per-
formers became radio entertainers
how they went about 1t to get
into radio"
THE same way that they get into
OPERA" he smiled. Additions.
We're having one today. Come on
down"
The addition was held in the stu
dos OF station WEAF In the Amer
lean Telephone and Telegraph COM
pany building In lower Broadway.
Long before the hour to begin the
reception rooms were filled with
nervous aspirants scanning manu-
scripts. tuning instruments and
humming the selections on which
they pinned their hopes.
Addition Is Held
The hour struck and the addition
began. Through the studio they
trooped, sinsly. in pairs. trlos, en-
sem bles, each given his chance to
prove his artistry. Despite their
single purpose they we're an ILL.,
sorted lot. There were little men
with enormous instruments behind
which they seemed to hide from
too critical regard. There were
large women with tiny voices and
small ones with voices to make
loud speaker tremble like a ruffle
OF drums. There was a blind man
with something that looked like the
pipes OF Pan. Brass bands blared
and gave way to ensembles of
woodwind. Hawaiian orchestras
we're followed by piano solos or
monologues, zithers and marimbas,
balalaikas and bull fiddles, from
bones and tubas, all had their
chance.
The artists origin, 1t was learn
ed, was as diverse as the quality of
their performances. Some were from
church choirs and others from the
night clubs. Some had known sue
cess in concert, vaudeville or talk
ing machine recording. and others
had no more preparation than
mail order course laboriously
studied afr the days work In fac
tory or office.
While they played and sang the
Judges sat in an adjoining cabinet
from which a narrow window look
ed out on the studio and in which
there hung a giant loud speaker
four feet across The performers,
nervous most Of them as partici-
pants In graduation exercises or
vaudeville amateur night. would
now and then glance covertly at the
cabinet window. wondering no
doubt how Jared their fate.
Only Few Succeed
And we'll they might worry. for
something like IS per cent of them
were to have their hopes blasted, to
be told that they were not for that
most critical audience that sits in
its million homes and shows its dis
approval by "dialing out"
AS each test got under way the
Judges In the cabinet listened, lean
ed across the table to speak Of
tempo and OF tone. OF radio per-
sonality" and other Qualities that
must be had,
Almost always these brief confer
ences ended with a chorus OF head
shakes and a signal for the next trial
to 60 on.
But there we're exceptions. One
soprano was told that she could
probably be worked In" without
undue delay, the little manipulation
OF q xylophone that had needed two
taxicabs to get 1t to the studio was
cut out from the herd OF the or
chestral performers. He played and
was definitely engaged, although his
fellow players were told they would
not do. A trio of brothers who
played Russian airs on balalaikas
were welcomed warmly as potential
stars to be added to the radio fir
mament. And a few others received
encouragement.
And That's That
And that's how people get Into
radio" the official said as the audi
ton dragged to its weary end. THE
applications come to US so fast and
we try to hear them. all. You never
can tell when really good perform
or or ensemble will crop up. 1t
takes a lot OF time but II one or
two first raters are found In bunch
like this it's time well spent"
Just what does 1t mean" he was
asked. when a performer or group
is signed up for the air? Money!"
Yes" he said. I'm one way or
another. Some Of them are paid
and some not, but either way 1t leads
to engagements and it's fine adver-
Using. Lots Of them hook up with
big radio advertisers and that of
course is well paid. They're all anx-
ious to get on the air and most OF
them are more than willing to work
for nothing to get the chance"