Evening star., 1934-07-08
GIRLS TO COMPETE
FOR AIR STARD0M
Columbia Will Select Lead
ing Lady in Nationwide
Contest.

FAR-FLUNG search for q
" leading lady to play opposite
~ Dick Powell, movie and radio
n star, in one Of the outstanding
musical and dramatic pro-
grams Of the l934-35 radio season has
been started by the Columbia Broad
casting System. Eighty-six stations
of the Nationwide network will hold
additions within the next 10 days to
select entries for II regional contests,
which will lead, in turn, to a final
addition before a board of eminent
musical, dramatic and radio authori-
ties in New York.
The girl whose singing talent and
ability TO act a dramatic part stand
the test of all additions will be sent
to Hollywood too take leading fem
mime role in Hollywood Hotel" a full
hour broadcast to be heard over the
Columbia network covering the United
States and Canada. She will be
starred with Dick Powell, Ted Fiorito
and his orchestra, William ONeal, Ell
Brendel, MuzZy Marcellino, the Debu-
tantes, Louella Parsons, well known
movie critic, and outstanding movie
stars in guest performances each
week. She will play the part of a hat
check girl who rises to fame through
her singing in the hotels floor show.
Powell, Of course, will be master OF
ceremonies at the hostelry. and there
will be plenty of romance in the story,
which has been written by j. P. Nc
Evoy, author Of numerous Broadway
and Hollywood comedy successes and
of distinguished radio scripts.
Local Additions Soon.
The first move in the national tai
ent hunt will be the local additions
Thursday, July II; Monday, July Is,
and Wednesday, July 10. These will
be conducted by the manager of each
station, who will choose a board of
judges from among radio editors and
prominent personages of his city. The
regional contests, to which the local
winners will be sent with their ex-
penses paid, will be held in New York,
San Francisco, Boston. Pitts
burgh, Washington, Seattle, Denver,
Dallas, Atlanta, st. Louis and Mont
real. The regional winners will be
sent by Columbia to New York where
the final additions will take place at
Station WABC.
The decision to comb the country
for a personality new to the radio
audience was made by the sponsors
Of Hollywood Hotel after every part
in the show had been cast, except
that Of this appealing ingenue role
The role calls for a singing voice of
warmth and popular appeal. and an
ability TO interpret the bright humor
and occasional poignancy of McEvoy's
The sponsors are working on
the theory that somewhere in the Ma
an amateur theatrical group,
a small radio station or right at home
there must be undiscovered talent
Of the required caliber. Thousands
of young girls, listening to the radio
every evening undoubtedly think that,
given the chance, they. too. could
become nationally known stars. OF
these thousands a certain percentage
every year storm the radio studios
for additions. Many others just keep
on wishing they had the golden op-
portunity. 1t is partly with these girls
in mind-girls who never come to the
attention of those who hire radio
Hollywood Hotel" is be-
ing thrown open as an entrance TO
possible stardom.
New Stars Needed.
Another factor in the decision to
go out into the cities and towns of
the Nation in search Of a new star
Is the belief that the time is ripe for
an outstanding new personality to be
to the radio audience.
Many stars ranging the heights of
today sprang from the
relative obScurity of a small local
radio station, a transforming dra-
matte troupe or a church choir.
Some unique quality of voice or un-
usual facet of personality sky-rocket-
ed these entertainers TO national fame.
Some Of them reached the goal over
night; others attained it only after
a long, arduous, uphill struggle. Few
of them ever had the advantages
which will be given the winner of the
" Hollywood Hotel talent search.
Columbia Is confident the girl
finally selected by the judges will
have the requirements necessary to
Stsrdom. Any girl who can stand the
test OF Nationwide competition and
come through several additions must
have not only talent but
personality.
Every contestant, amateur or pro-
feSSional, will be given an equal
chance to show her dramatic ability
through the medium of q standard
radio script to be supplied from
Columbia headquarters. Each girl
will be required to read the feminine
leading part of this script.