Evening star., 1932-11-20
IN IKE fright" once the
mn big problem of radio
' 1 program directors pre-

1dplQly OlSdppCdIAA AA3S OFO1A O1AtSAAS
novices in the broadcaSting field.
In the early days of radio, even
the most courageous among pub
lie speakers, veteran stage stars
and the like became timid-or
even tongue-tied - when they
were closed in a studio with signs
of quiet" scattered about.
AS broadcasting stations IN
search of new talent have brought
almost all outstanding entertain
ers to their studios at one time
or another, the fear of the mi
crophone and the invisible au-
dience has gradually diminished.
There are still some, however,
who are admittedly afraid OF the
sensitive little box called the mi
crophone that carries their voices
to thousands or millions, perhaps.
Among the foremost cat least OF
those who admit mike fright")
is Ed Wynn, the fire chief, whose
immediate success on the air
was phenomenal.
THE Perfect Fool" as Wynn
calls himself, would not consent
to broadcast, in fact, until the
National Broadcasting Co. offer
ed to arrange his broadcasts
from a vacated theater, now the
Times Square studio of NBC, so
that he could have a visible audi
ence. Wynn explains that he can
never be sure that his puns and
gags are going over unless ne
hears his audience laugh. Even
the younger applicants for audi
tions are not as frightened as
thev were a decade ago. They
have grown up with radio, and
the microphone is no stranger to
them. All of which makes the
lob of program directors easier.
EOR a number of years, Bur-
L wood Abernathy, soldier
stationed at Fort Washing
ton, Md, has been seeking to To-
cate his relatives, from whom he
has been separated for l8 years.
The other day while listening TO
a NAVY Band concert over N. B. G.
he heard william L. Abernathy
announce his name.
The same day he wrote to An.
nouncer Abernathy, inquiring If
| he was from Petersburg, Va. The
Young soldier mentioned that he
| had relatives in that city. Aber-
nathy of N. B. C. recalled the boy
his nephew whom he hao -.
seen since 1914.
William Abernathy last saw his
nephew when the boy was only
6 years old. He had not heard
or seen him since. Now. the
young soldier is once again IN
| touch with his relatives.
HERES a story out of Ger
L L many that may or may not
have a moral, At any rate. It's
a tale of hard luck for one indl-
vidual and good luck for the au-
thorities, ali wrought by radio.
In a remote section OF West
ern Germany dwelt a hermit,
making his home in a cave. To
while away the time, he played
on a vogelfiote, a flute with bird
like sounds. Some one called at
tention to hi. fiute-playing abll-
ity to the mote-control broad
casting department OF the sta
ton at Langenberg, and its zeal
Gus broadcast reporters soon
came on the scene with micro
phones. The hermit consented to
broadcast.
AS a result, many listeners be
came curious, and they visited
the cave-dWeller. 1t was not long
before the authorities were in
/ formed that the hermit-artist has
another pastime-operatlng. some
sort of printing press. An lnves.
tigation revealed a complete ano
modern counterfeiter's outfit, anc
the hermit was taken into GUS
tody.
n EHEARSALS for the weekly
N programs heard on Capt
Henry's Show Boat" every Thurs
day night over WRC are amons
the most painstaking and exact
ing of any production on the al
today
1t all starts on Tuesdays Wher
scripts are distributed to the dra
; matte cast of 10, which rehearSe
for two hours that day, two hour
more Wednesday, and two NOR
Thursday, the day of the show
Don Voorhees, Show Boat Ban'
reports at noon Thursday, whel
the actors have their lines dow
pat. and play on until 7 pm
: when the dress rehearsal
ended.
These 13 or more hours worl
are required because OF tn
necessity of Interviewing tn
f music with the dramatic sequence
The music or drama, taken sepa
: rately, might require less thai
half the time, but the muSlca
. drama requires that Don Voor
hees and his IS musicians be o.
f hand for seven hours not onl
c for their own pieces, but for tn
= interludes, background music an
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49, aUY ~ NNN