Evening star., 1936-03-15
Comedian Is Surrounded
ByDistinguished Personnel
Broadcast From National Press Club In
cludes Mary Livingstone, Kenny Baker,
Johnny Green and Don Wilson.

fective because they are genuinely
funny and because they are brief.
WHILE mere man may think he's
the head of the house and Gus
todian of the budget. the radio folk
who plan programs are becoming more
and more woman minded every day as
they prepare broadcast menus. The
result IS that more women are appear
ing as speakers and singers and per-
formers.
But despite this trend toward the
feminine, men continue to have al
most a monopoly Of the radio an
nouncing profession. The answer
and it's supplied by man-usually Is
that women can't supply the dynamic
punch" that puts over the vital mes
sage.
Frequent studies of listening habits
have shown resentment aroused by the
elocutionary mannerisms some women
radio speakers flaunt at public that
hasn't had a chance to learn how to
cultivate throaty drawls and dowager
dialects. and just naturally turns up
its nose and perhaps turns over the
dial at what sounds like an effort
to put on the dog"
In all fields of radio there are wom-
en- filling important posts as execu-
tives, program directors. actors. musi-
clans, commentators and script writers.
A quick glance over the broadcast
field shows a feminine touch that
often is mightier than the best that
man can offer.
TWO new network gestures are typi-
= cal of the growing prominence of
women in radio. C. B. S. has just
started five-weekly series with Thyra
Samter Winslow, Mrs John S. Reilly.
Hildegarde Fillmore, Grand Duchess
Marie and Beatrice Fairfax as COM
mentators. N. B. C. has just issued
the first "Women's Edition" of the N.
B. C. News Service, an eight-page pub
lication providing record of network
news for women, and on March II
starts Dorothy Thompson (Mrs. Sim
clair Lewis. former foreign news.
paper correspondent, in a series of BIZ
weekly Tuesday afternoon news com.
mentarieS.
| Another incident typifying the trend
of the times is the. c. B. S. resume of
microphone habits of movie stars. 1t
contains such choice tidbits as the
story of Janet Gaynor's chattering
teeth as she faces the mike, the calm
lovemaking of Mae West to an actor
at mike 10 feet away, the gesticulat-
ing of Carole Lombard and Bette Davis
as they put everything into their radio
acting, the excessive nose-powdering
and smoking of Jean Harlow as she
| awaits her cues.
For women who want to broadcast,
Margaret Cuthbert, N. B. c. director
| of women's activities, has compiled
some effective hints. First of all, she
! says, Keep your mind on your OBJ
jective." With the purpose of the
broadcast constantly in mind. the next
thing is to capture the listeners imag-
ination, and, by so doing, his atten-
ton.
SINCE many persons, particularly
women. do not have good radio
voices, Miss Cuthbert gives some ideas
of what is sought in feminine micro
phone personalities. The qualities de-
sired are interesting. charming, emo
tional, friendly and natural voices
and voices with a pleasing accent. At
least two of these qualities are usually
desired.
Once before the mike, the trick is to
avoid talking as though addressing a
multitude. Instead the delivery should
be that used in speaking to friends.
Little pauses, asides, smiles-all some
how are transmitted through the dis
tant loud speaker.
Don't lay down the law, Miss Cuth-
bert advises. Still more, don't write
the talk as if written to be read. In
stead write as you talk. she suggests,
using a spontaneous dot and dash
manner. incidentally, she reminds
that it's better for the speaker to
write the talk than merely to read a
script prepared by another.
The successful speaker on the air
thus must be sincere, convincing and
able to project vivid personality that
stimulates the audience. says Miss
Cuthbert. That's the reason, as she
points out, a teacher from the Ken
lucky mountains. a fireman, or a
sailor is likely to be more interesting
on the air than the president of a
company, who has had some one in
the publicity department write his talk
and who has not had time or interest
to look it over before going on the air.