Evening star., 1943-11-07

million miles and has been seen and
heard by more than four million
men and women in the armed serv-
ices and in war work Little did
your reporter think, when I wit
messed the premiere of this broad
cast with Harry James playing for
$4,000 marines at Paris Island
September 81, 1912, that it would
possibly make the equivalent of 20
trips around the world in 13 months
But that's the record of the an
nouncers, engineers and producers
of Spotlight Bands. Since its pre-
rniere the show has marched back
and forth across the Nation featur-
ing top-f1ight bands and playing
only at Army camps. naval bases
and war production plants.
To put the program on the air
requires the equivalent of a port
able radio station. The crew of
three men-annnouncer, engineer
and producer-carry nine pieces of
equipment with them that weighs
one ton. Upon arriving at an origi-
nation point the engineer begins
the tedious task of setting up his
field equipment, which consists of
a portable control panel, micro
phones, playback and many other
necessary pieces to get the show on
the air
Usually, in the midst of all this,
the orchestra arrives to begin re-
hearsing. Unmindful of the weird
noises made by the band tuning up,
the engineer methodically con-
tinues to set up his equipment.
Then comes the rehearsal itself,
which must time the show to allow
for the applause that consumes
many seconds of the Spotlight
Band program. Usually the band is
late for rehearsal. and that means
1t is almost time to open the doors
to the audience. A quick sandwich
and the show is on. Ordinarily the
band plays for about an hour be-
fore air time
After the program is over. once
more the engineer packs up the port
able station and, along with the
other two members of his crew, is off
for another one-night stand. which
often may entail trip of a thousand
miles or more.
One OF the major problems en-
countered by the travelling crew
(three separate crews are required
one in the East one in the Midwest
and one on the COAST is transporta-
ton. Usually the schedule is un-
comfortably tight and when trains
run four or five hours late. it is
nearly airtime before the engineer
gives the director the signal that he
is set to go.
It's a Fact:
John Cali. symphonic guitarist
with Andre Kostelanetzs orchestra,
plays every stringed instrument from
the Egyptian lutte to the Frecian
/ Tyre, but his real specially is iiu-
1ltsu. He instructs members of
NYC's City Patrol Corps in the art
OF judo and writes weekly column
on the subject.
Raymond Paige has one Of the
/ AiA'o' AAoFCA SoIlIIlliSSlOIlS on TeCOrO.
In 1888 he was named musical ad-
wiser for the New Jersey Kasper
quadruplets on their third birthday.
Morton Downey perhaps has sung
more Irish songs than any present.
day radio artist, Yet Downev-i
though he has toaked the capitals
of Europe on 20 different occasions.
and visited the Emerald Isle on each
occasion-has never played a pro-
fessional engagement in Ireland.
Sad Ending: When "Giacomo"
Mccarthy OF the Lower Basin Street
program was permitted to warble re-
Gently he realized his ultimate ambi-
ton after seven years of studying
voice. -. , Unfortunately, We'll never
know how we'll he singsl Nc
CarthE was shot" after two bars! /
oUichie: All house hunting records
were broken by Ollie OToole and
his missuS. . Two hours after ar
irving in Hollywood the OToole
family found house which was fur
nlshed to their liking, so they bought
it on the spot. Ollie is imper-