The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-04-17

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eyes eager, shifting, shoes pol
creases bellying at the knees.
An attendant, courteous,
firm sorry, madam, but
they never permit visitors to
watch them broadcast"
Disappointed, a finger tucks
back a blonde wisp, destroy
ing its haphazard charm
against her black cloche hat
she retreats
All stiffen attentively, are silent
The Perfect Song" -.
Look heah, Andy"
They flock to the radio Free
man F. Gosden and Charles J. Cor
relI are broadcasting Amos n Andy
in New York.
Like a baronial hall, studio A"
sweeps sedately eighty feet to the
sS-incloSed control room. Soft
lights droop in chains from the
two-story ceiling, their glare miti-
gated by curious "hat-bOX" shades.
Call Technique Perfect
In a far-off corner the lap of a
chair holds the boys hats and coats.
Nearer the control room, with only
the operator, busy with his dialS,
watching, the boys sit at a table.
Gosden faces the mike" Correll
is at his left, an angle, not opposite.
They bend nearer or retreat; turn
away or whisper, to register the
proper voice infection.
Five years of constant broadcast
ing. plus an inherent knack of
modulating, INJECTING, have given
the boys what experts term the
most perfect radio technique of any
act on the air.
They are meticulous. actually
fussy about the setting, the mike,
the appointments in the studio.
Each object must be exactly placed
to meet with their acoustic require
ments. These items they care for
themselves.
Their Saturday broadcast in New
York illustrates the care with which
Amos n Andy is presented to the
public. The concern they feel for
their technique is as great as that
given to the writing of their cpl
sodes.
Use Large Studio
Studio A is a large room, larger
than that used by the boys at
WMAQ in Chicago. They faced a
problem when they entered the
room; a smaller studio was unavail-
able and they had to make the
best of it.
Their first move is to test the
mike" from various angles. Usually
they test each others voices, Cor
rell or GoSden going into the con-
troll room to listen.
This night they signal to the
operator who motioned 20. K" after
testing from various positions.
The right spot was found to be
at the west Ill some fifteen feet
from the control room, the table
containing the mike" flush with
the Grapes on the wall.
To correct the rooms spacious
rfess Gosden pulled up a corner of
the Grapes. Corren the other, max
ing an improvised tent about the
table with the laps pinned. Again
they tested. 20. K" nodded the
operator.
Bill Hay Hooked Up
The script of the episode lay be-
fore them. In Chicago, Bill Hay,
their announcer for years. was be-
ing hooked up with New York. His
continuity, supplied by the boys,
gave him the cue to the evening"
episode.
They SLUG" It like newspaper
copy. That is. key" word is typed
at the upper left hand corner of the
copy to identify the story and to
characterize it.
In this instance it might have
been Lazy" Andy is found by Amos
lying in bed when he should be at
the office attending to his duties"
as president of the Fresh Air Taxi
cab Co, mcorpolated-at least the
phone must be answered Madame
Queen might call.
Hay, in Chicago. picks up his
script. The boys in New York move
toward the control room, ears glued
to the glass TO catch the first faint
sound. The Perfect Song" strain
filters over the air: Bill Hays:
Ladies and gentlemen. Andy is
taking his ease in bed in thoroughly
characteristic fashion when Amos
comes upon him." The boys
smile. Bill is with them and every
thing is o. K. They step quickly to
their table.
Broadcast Is Started
Look heah, Andy" Amos begins
the broadcast for the fan" crowd
in the studio, for the millions tun-
ing in TO the Mississippi and be-
You'd
Each gesture, facial expression,
even the business in the act. the
boys seek to convey by their pecu-
larry flexible voices. Only the tele-
phone, a door closing. scufiing feet
or similar collective" noises are
mechanical. Either Amos or Andy
"barks' for the liz doggie.
GOSden as Amos talks about