Golden Age of Radio

MARCH 19, 1955               THE BILLBOARD                 TV FILM          5 THE WHISTLER Hits the right note every time! Overnight, the eerie note of The Whistler ’s signal has struck a responsive chord with viewers and sponsors alike. WITH VIEWERS: In Spokane, The Whistler hit a 30.5 rating the first month…27.8 in Salt Lake City. In Cincinnati it soared to 30.4 (up 39%) in two months. Audiences are big everywhere, and 4 out of 5 viewers are adults. ”So the show’s a natural… WITH SPONSORS: Signal Oil and Thomas J. Lipton, Inc. picked it up right from that start, regionally. Among others: Block Drug, Hamm’s Beer, Household Finance, Necchi Sewing Machines, Safeway Stores. Call us today for a private screening and details on this 39-week series: its big-name stars, an...

CBS Program Splash Debs 7 Between July 1-6 NEW YORK, June 29— CBS starts its first big summer splurge of programming the first week in July, seven programs being set to debut between July 1 and 6. From now on as spots open, programing chief Dave Taylor threw in Sustainers from a numerous backlog built up in the past months, and indications are that New York and Hollywood won’t be the only origination points. Taylor has already stated his desire to develop the web programing on a national basis, and view of it is interesting to note that one of the newcomers is an opus titled Oklahoma Round-Up, a hillbilly piece of business set to bow Saturday (6) in the 10:15-45 slot. Origination for this program, which replaces the canceled Continental Celebrity Club , will be Oklahoma City, KNOX (Los Angeles) originates three of the newcomers. These are the revived Jack Kirkwood Show, set in a bow in the 9:30-10 p. m. slot Monday (1); Sweeney and March, comedy replacement for Kate Smi...

December 11, 1943 The Whistler for one, a number of big musical shows like Hollywood Showcase, a number of quizzes, amateur shows and dramas, and are always readying  new ones. Right now they have a Jane Plakens quarters -hour Ladies in Waiting, with Ellen Drew, Jane Pickens and Patay Moran coming up. WAPI, Birmingham, with Kimmy Willson, as program manager, is the latest addition to the radio sales type of program operation. This outlet is still building. It’s still too soon to look for results, but it is adhering to the modus operandi that has clicked in other towns. WBT, Charlotte, N. C., is perhaps the most interesting story of the lot. They had practically no professional talent in the community and a peculiar audience problem. The Carolinas are one place that people do not leave and do not move into. They are mentally, morally, socially and economically self-sufficient. Cotton, tobacco and furniture are their industries, and folk music—not hillbilly —is the prime f...

Household May Drop ‘ Whistler ’ NEW YORK, Aug. 7—Household Finance, which sponsors The Whistler over the Columbia Broadcasting System(CBS) , this week reportedly decided to drop the mystery airer when the current period runs out September 15. The program is on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. Sponsor is undecided about the future radio plans, but may take a flier on another show,  possibly on a different web, later in the fall. La Vally, Inc., is the agency.

Shaw-LeVally Combo Splits; Each To Form Own Chi Org CHICAGO, July 5 – Shaw-LeVally, Inc, agency formed here about a year ago by John W. Shaw and Norman W. LeVally , two account execs from the Leo Burnett Company, this week dissolved, with each principal forming his own agency. The new firms will be John W. Shaw, Inc., and LeVally, Inc. Shortly after the agency started, it had a fast growth that had the trade talking about it. One of its major surprises was taking the Household Finance account from BBD&O. Shaw bought out LeVally for an undisclosed sum. Each, Shaw stated, would take about a million dollars worth of billing to new agencies. LeVally takes the Household Finance account, which sponsors the net show. The Whistler , and according to LeVally other accounts that are planning to get into radio in the near future. Show stated that he will take such accounts as Grace Shoe Company, Dromeyer Company, Standard Milling, Victor Welding and Lumberman’s Mutual an...

“ Blondie ” Leads Coast Segs NEW YORK, Sept. 7— Blondie , with a rating of 18.8, lends the first 15 programs on the Pacific Network Hooperatings report, Whistler , with a rating of 13.4, and Michael Shayne , with 12.9, are second and third respectively. Others among the first 15, in order of their rating, are: Aldrich Family 11.4; Frank Morgan , 11.3 ; Crime Doctor , 11.0; Jervens Summer Edition, 10.8: Adventures of Ellery Queen , 10.8; Quiz Kids , 10.2; Big Town , 10.2; Mr. and Mrs. North , 10; Screen Guild Players, 9.7; Skippy Hollywood Theater , 9.7; This Is Your FBI , 9.1, and Bob Hawk Show, 9.1.

                         RADIO                              13 RWG’s Scribblers Teach Pro Methods CHICAGO, March 1,--Radio Writers’ Guild here is attempting to teach would-be radio writers how to write professionally by the simple method of having its top writers demonstrate pro techniques. Local RWG is only Guild chapter in the country which actually undertakes to teach commercial radio writing, directing and production to hopefuls. Advanced course in script analysis, production, etc, which began yesterday (28), has the city’s top radio men such as Sherm Marx ( TheWhistler ), Orin Tovrov ( Ma Perkins ), and Myron Golden (Grant Advertising) teaching more advanced neophytes secrets of script salesmanship. Reason Guild sponsors course in Chi, and nowhere else, is that it would like to develop more paying members in a city wher...

THE WHISTLER Household Finance Personal Loans LeVally, Inc., CBS 60 5.9 Bing Crosby —ABO NSP—MBS Big Story —NBO 3,500 593,22

During 1946, three different versions of the Whistler were aired on CBS. 1.        CBS West Coast – aired weekly throughout the year in the 7 western states where the Signal Oil Company had a presence. These shows are our primary driver during this run. 2.        CBS Central – aired weekly from 46-02-03 through the end of the calendar year at 9:30 CDT (8:30 CST) on Sundays on WBBM in Chicago. These shows were all produced at WBBM studios using local repertory players and they were sponsored by Meister Brau Beer. I do not yet know if any other stations in the mid-west carried the programs in 1946. 3.        CBS NET – sustained by CBS, the Whistler ran from 46-07-03 through 46-09-25, as a summer replacement for the Jack Carson show, everywhere else on the network except stations in the Signal sponsorship area and WBBM. A separate log is available for this run. CHICAGO BROADCASTS Tw...