Evening star., 1934-07-29

II ~ u kACab Aa1Ao RSA-
sonality." has no more ardent
l. admirers than the two big
networks presidential an
nouncers-Carleton Smith of N. B. c.
and Robert Trout Of c. B. S. Ever
since the night after inauguration.
when he delivered his flrst fireside
talk to the country from the Lincoln
study In the White House, Mr.. Roose-
welt endeared himself to the lads of
the radio, engineers as well as an
nouncers. When they we're first pre-
sented to aim. the President, with his
usual genial smile reassured them:
You need have no worries about
me. I'm an old hand at broadcast
ing" He interrupted a conference
with Secretary of State Hull and Prof.
Ray Moley to tell the radio folk they
need make no special arrangements
for him. All he required was the
microphone.
"OId Hand" at Radio.
Seated before the microphone,
maintaining the proper distance with
out being told and speaking in his
clear and pleasing voice. President
Roosevelt soon displayed that he was
indeed an old hand at radio. When
radio announcers say 1t is a treat to
hear some one beside themselves talk,
YOU can be assured that that person
is really unusual. Said Carl Smith:
1T was a real treat to watch him.
Many people who face the microphone
do so in an indifferent manner, giving
the impression that they are talking
to a machine. But not Mr.. Roosevelt.
From the expression on his face, you
could sense that he realized he was
talking TO people and not to a micro
phone"
Bob Trout calls him master OF the
microphone." He is most informal ="
said Trout. His manner OF speaking
over the radio Is exactly the same as
his manner in ordinary conversation.
As a consequence 1t Is no wonder that
people say he is easy to listen to. He
does not make speech-he just visits
with people,
These twain, Smith and Trout, have
announced almost every presidential
broadcast since. There have been 36,
being the intimate 'fireside
chats" Right now they are in Port
land. Greg, awaiting Mr.. Roosevelt's
return from his Hawaiian cruise. to
describe the greeting of the Chief
Executive as he lands on August 8.
Then they will accompany the presi-
Dental party on it's trip eastward.
Radio men have become as fixed a
part Of the encourages Of the Presi-
dent as the White House correspond
ents who always follow him.
The presidential schedule calls for
network broadcasts from Glacier Ma
tional Park August 5; Rochester.
Mimi, August 8, and Green Bay, Wis.
August 9. The President is scheduled
to speak only from Glacier and Green
Bay.
AnnOuncers Youthful.
Carleton Smith was assigned to the
White House broadcasts when Presi-
dent Roosevelt assumed office. Robert
Trout had announced Hoover also for
several years. Both are youths in
their middle 20S, who happened
into radio more or less accidentally.
A native of Winterset, Iowa, Carle-
ton Smith was graduated from George
Washington University here in 1926.
The next year he went to Roanoke,
Va, as manager Of the local auto
mobile club. In 1929 he began deliv-
ering a series of safety and travel
talks on Station WDBJ, Roanoke,
which led to an offer to become a
regular announcer He remained there
for two years. then coming to Wash
ington as an announcer for the
N. B. C. key station, WRC.
Bob Trout halls from North Caro-
lima. but has lived most of his years
in New York and Washington. His
great ambition Is TO be a writer, and
he admits he overstarved In New
York's Greenwich Village while trying
unavailingly to satisfy that ambition.
He has been a newspaper reporter,
Wall Street runner, filling station at
tendant and writer of fiction for the
''pulpies" in his 26 years. He hap
pened into radio when he visited the
studios of WJSV, Alexandria, Va,
later to become the Washington key
of G. B. S., out of mere curiosity and
was offered a job as continuity writer
and handy man.