Evening star., 1936-11-22


Although fame Is fleeting in the
who have fought as hard to stay at
the top as they fought to get there
are enjoying comparatively steady
, recognition on the air. Like the the
atrical profession, radio offers many
sensations of the moment who tumble
into the background as fast as they
burst into the kilocycle limelight.
N B. C.'s big 10th anniversary cele-
bration last week, reviving the historic
program of November Is a decade
ago, brought all but one of the artists
who participated in that program, the
missing one being Will Rogers, who
perished in an Alaskan airplane acci-
dent more than q year ago.
DR. WALTER DAMROSCH remains
active in radio and conducts the
Music Appreciation programs on N.
b. G. Fridays. Harold Bauer, noted
pianist, has been heard this season
on the Music Hall series as guest
artist. Albert Stoessel. conductor, con-
tinues to WELD his baton, although he
is not heard frequently on the air.
Mary Garden, soprano of the Chicago
Opera Co., has passed her active
period as an artist, but continues her
interest IN the musical world. Titta
Ruffo, baritone soloist of Metropoli-
tan Opera Co, no longer is a frequent
performer on the air. The Goldman
Band, however, Is a favorite attrac-
tion for radio listeners, especially dur
ing its Summer open-air series from
New York
Dance orchestras which provided
rythmic background for the original
N. s. c. program were those of Ben
Bernie, George Olsen Vincent Lopez
and B. A. Rolfe. Bernie, the Old
Maestro, has been at the top of the
radio pile ever since his Introductory
network appearance decade ago. B.
A. Rolfe has enjoyed enormous pop
ularity at times although the last few
years he has not been as near the top
as before. George Olsen and Vincent
Lopez, who once competed for the
No. place with dance fans, have
found the competition growing heav-
ier as the years pass by, but they still
have big followings.
CINCE that first networth program,
radio has developed hundreds of
/, artists of its own, besides borrowing
from the stage and screen. A poll of
leading radio performers taken In 1888,
when 127 radio editors of newspapers
selected an Au-American radio team,
found Bernie the only one of the
original network performers still en-
joying top ranking in his type of en-
tertainment, and then he was ranked
because of his skill as master of
ceremonies. Guy Lombardo's orches-
ira had risen to first place among
dance orchestras.
The Philadelphia Symphony, now
back on the air for group of banks
which are cooperating in c. B. S.
series, was the most popular symphony
orchestra in 1888. At that time Nor
ton Downey was the most popular
male singer. his soaring tenor ballads
having captured the public fancy that
year. Ruth Etting was the leading
woman singer Of popular songs.
Lawrence Tibbett, active in a new
movie, was the most popular male
classical and semi-classical singer and
Jessica Dragonette, a pioneer radio
artist. enjoyed the same rank for the
opposite sex. The Boswell Sisters
we're at their peak in 1888. Connie
Boswell, around whom the trio is
built, despite physical handicaps
which few have observed, is still active
on the air. At that time the Mills
Brothers had moaned their way to the
top. Amos m Andy were popular then,
are popular now, veritable radio in
stitution after nine years, Ted Husing
was the most popular sports an
nouncer and he is still regarded as
the ace of that field by many radio
critics. David Ross was the ranking
studio announcer. but he is not quite
as active behind the microphone
nowadays.
EDWIN c. HILL ranked as tops
- among news commentators and
he still enjoys wide popularity. Jesse
Crawford was the No. organist and
few will dispute his right to that place
today. Rubinoff, whose sobbing Strad-
ivarius carried him to first rank
among instrumental soloists, probably
is the most widely heard artist of the
day. since he is heard three times a
week on nearly 400 stations through
transcriptions in addition to his G.
B. S. program.
The March of Time Is still march,
ing; although since 1888 1t had been
heard on q f1ve-a-week basis for some
months, 1t Is now back on its old
weekly half-hour stand. The most