Evening star., 1937-05-30

school, though there was diploma .
from the Marist Brothers School in
Sydney, New South Wales, in his duff
fel bag. 1t was while Kelly was earn
ing and using his credentials as marine
engineer that he learned he had fine
speaking and singing voice.
An experienced announcer now,
Kelly has the Job Of strict supervision
over % senior and junior announcers.
Not only does he choose many Of the
men who speak over coastto-coast
networks, particularly the juniors who
often rise from the ranks Of Radio
City guides and pages, but he allo-
Gates their work in terms OF the COM
plex and varying needs Of the IS hours
OF programs each day.
Born in Australia in 1892, and
schooled there, Kelly lived mostly on
ships until he came to America, where
he developed talents as an actor and
singer His voice, dramatic tenor,
won the approval of Fortune Gallo,
who placed him in leading roles with
the San Carlo Opera Co. Later he
appeared in several musical comedy
successes including Blossom Time"
When he married Yolan Poszanyi of
| Budapest. who speaks 7 languages
and whose parents speak II, he de-
veloped unusual linguistic ability,
which stood him in good stead when
| he became a radio announcer. In
1890, year after he embarked on
his radio career, he was promoted to
his present post Kelly-"Pat" to his
| legion of friends-Was one of the best
boxers in the royal naval reserve.
When he's not boating. sailing, skiing
or flying, he composes and writes
lyrics.
A S FAR as he knows, Bob Byron of
C. B. S. is the only swing
whistler" in the world There used to
be fellow whistling with Ted Weems'
Orchestra, he thinks, but he wasn't
swing whistler" He vas a
Straight and the nearest he ever
got to getting hot was to let out a
few bird chirps now and then during
Carolina Moon"
| Bob disdains bird chirps and imita-
| tions. He regards the whistle as
| purely musical instrument, without
any rustic connotations. This in spite
| Of the fact that he used to be a real
estate salesman and was constantly
running up against rural atmosphere.
He models his whistling after Joe
! Venuti's hot fiddle-it's sweet and
fast and very rhythmic. Trills. arpeg-
! gio runs, triplets and chromatic scales
are nothing when Bob gets under way
on hot whistling chorus. And 1t is
| all syncopated. And, Of course, he
doesn't do his whistling cold and bare
The piano (played by himselt gives
the proper groundwork for his swing
For very hot chorus, or on blues
number, he sometimes uses the celeste.
He used it effectively few weeks ago
on This Years Kisses"
Once Bob was regular jazz pianist.
| He began to develop his swing whistle
about a year ago; he doesn't know
why.
GEORGE FISCHER. who broadcasts
Hollywood Whispers" over the
Mutual network, is native New York
| er, but an adopted son of California.
| He moved to San Francisco at the age
Of l3. His introduction to radio came
| in high school, when he broadcast
daily news bulletin from local news
paper Office by remote control. Later
he became publicity man and then
a radio announcer. Has been on the
air more than 5000 hours in the past
five years. Five feet ten inches tall,
| he weighs 160 pounds and diets to
! gain weight; is married to Margot
Yoder. former concert pianist and
gown designer.
I'D EAST and Ralph Dumke, heftv
comedians, were both born in
Indiana and joined forces in Mich
igan City as a banjo-playing team.
East has degree from the University
of Indiana. Dumke is an alumnus
| of Notre Dame and claims to be the
only student with two-syllable
name to play on one of the late
Knute Rockne's teams. Ed and
Ralph had their first radio expert
ence at Station WGN in Chicago.
After eight weeks WGN told them
the station would be greatly improved
if they'd play elsewhere. However,
Harry Selinger, the boss, thought
otherwise. He signed them for
commercial and they have been big"
ever since. Their combined weight
is more than 500 pounds.
IN THE eyes of musicians the coun-
try over, Phil Spitalny, conductor
Of the famous all-girl orchestra, is
assuming the proportions of melodlc
Messiah. For Spitalny has made the
first concrete effort to accomplish
something for thousands of unem-
ployed instrumentalists, idle since
the advent of sound films and the
day the legitimate theater abandoned
the pit orchestra to trim its financial
| l. !94..,, ->D>