Words from the Sponsors: Hunterdon Radio Theatre on behalf of Kalmia Club

On Saturday 24 March, Hunterdon Radio Theatre (Clinton, New Jersey USA) will perform a fundraising benefit for the Kalmia Club ( http://www.kalmiaclub.org/ ) of Lambertville, New Jersey.

The Kalmia Club is the oldest continuously running women’s club in the State. From their website:

Back in 1892 when 45 daughters of the genteel middle class got together and formed a “Reading Circle”, the last thought on their minds was the future. Their purposes were much more immediate. The pragmatic ladies were seeking a break from their day-to-day lives, a place to use their intellect, and most of all, an opportunity to gather with other like-minded women.

Despite the professed “last thought on their minds was the future”, they have not only arrived in the future but have shaped it as well. Kudos to them.

Part of the program’s unscripted predevelopemnt insanity is writing and performing the promos for the hosts, their supported organizations but for Hunterdon Radio Theatre. At this stage, anything goes. The following made the rounds of our promo development efforts: 

< 0:30 Spot for Hunterdon Radio Theatre (1)

. . .

ANNOUNCER: Hunterdon Radio Theatre . . .

MUSIC:  BITE CUE: QUICKLY ESTABLISH: OPENING OF AARON COPLAND’S ‘HOE-DOWN’. QUICKLY UNDER TO BED.

ANNOUNCER: . . .  Contemporary radio, piled high and served hot. (BEAT) Juicy drama, sizzling comedy, luscious light horror and melt-in-your-mouth mystery.

MUSIC:  OUT.

ANNOUNCER: Served up by the grillmeisters - Dudley and Miles. Hunterdon Radio Theatre . . . we’re food for your brain.

MUSIC:  BITE CUE: BURST: CLOSE OF ‘HOE-DOWN’. QUICKLY OUT.

. . .

We won’t use Aaron Copland’s music in this promo out of respect for copyrights, but it was an enjoyable half hour of writing. By the way, Dudley and Miles are radio talk show hosts. They also happen to be reptiles.

Advertisement

The folks at Kalmia are serving the community in the best sense of the phrase. Should you be in the area on Saturday 24 March, stop by and enjoy the show. Or send them an email  at info@kalmiaclub.org congratulating them on their work.

You can also tell the cast and crew at Huntedon Radio Theatre to break a leg. Or break the leg of the President of HRT for talking them into performing. Send them an email to info@hrtonline.org .  

1) Promo written by William Spear; Publisher and Editor of Lit Between the Ears - Celebrating the Power and People of Radio Drama; Founder and President of Hunterdon Radio Theatre ( http://www.hrtonline.org/ )

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Words from the Sponsors (We’d Like to Hear): Rawlings celebrates the “Summer of Glove”

Baseball on the radio is as vivid and exciting as the sport itself. From the first broadcast by KDKA in Pittsburgh in 1921 to Russ Hodges shouting “The Giants Win the Pennant! The Giants Win the Pennant!” in 1951 to Willie Mays hauling in the Vic Wertz fly ball to deep centerfield in 1954, each generation of listeners has reveled in golden moments.

In the midst of the game has been the Rawlings Sporting Goods Company handing out its Gold Glove Awards(R) for defensive excellence and performance. Since 1957, Rawlings has celebrated “the plays and players that bring fans to their feet and send hitters to their seats.”

This baseball season marks the 50th anniversary of the awards and Rawlings has announced its “Summer of Glove” by asking fans to select their “Finest in the Field” from a ballot of 50 past Gold Glovers chosen by a panel of baseball historians and experts.

There is no better way for Rawlings to celebrate their award for standout defense than on the standout medium which introduced the game, and so many players, to their fans - radio. Producing a series of “Summer of Glove” episode which relives the greatness of all Rawlings Gold Glove(R) winners, not only those on the ballot, would be a treat for the fans and communicate Rawlings’ commitment to the sport.

Lit Between the Ears cheers “the plays and players that bring fans to their feet and send hitters to their seats” and encourages Rawlings to celebrate the “Summer of Glove” on radios across the country and around the world.

Play ball.

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Words from the Sponsors: “You’re always right with Autolite”

Autolite® began in 1911 when two small companies started producing buggy lamps and became an automotive parts manufacturer by the 1930s. But its history as a spark plug manufacturer began in 1935 when Royce G. Martin, President of the Electric Autolite Company, staffed a lab to develop its first spark plug. Leading the project was Robert Twells, a ceramic engineer, who researched current patents and ceramic insulator technology. Within a few months, a spark plug was available for distribution. Autolite supplied spark plugs and other ignition parts to well-known automotive leaders including Chrysler, Studebaker, Packard and Willys. (1)

The company sponsored several radio shows including: The Dick Haymes Show, a musical variety program; Everything for the Boys, a dramatic anthology and musical variety show; Gasoline Alley, a comedy serial, based on the comic strip; and Suspense, ”radio’s outstanding theater of thrills.” Bert Holland and Harlow Wilcox were Announcers for the Autolite commercials.

The following features Holland playing Oscar Auto, the loqacious limosine.

. . . 

SFX: CAR HORN.

BERT HOLLAND: Evening Harlow.

HARLOW WILCOX: Well, Oscar Auto, the loqacious limosine. And in top form.

BERT HOLLAND: Sure, Harlow, and it’s because I’m equipped with an Autolite electrical system.

HARLOW WILCOX: Now then, you must have an Autolite starting motor, generator, battery, coil distributor, and a set of Autolite spark plugs. Plus all the other important parts that go to make up the complete Autolite electrical system used as original equipment on many leading makes of our finest cars, trucks, and tractors.

BERT HOLLAND: Ha-ha, you bet I do Harlow.

HARLOW WILCOX: That means every unit and component part of your Autolite electrical system is related by Autolite engineering, design, and manufacturing skill to give the smoothest performance money can buy.

BERT HOLLAND: That’s why my owner always insists on Autolite original factory parts.

HARLOW WILCOX: And friends you’ll find it pays to insist on Autolite original factory parts for your Autolite equipped car. Because from bumper to taillight, you’re always right with Autolite.

. . .

We insist on Autolite automotive parts to light the way for oustanding radio drama.

(1) Autolite website.

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Words from the Sponsors: “No matter what your favorite entertainment is, you’ll always find it on the Maxwell House Showboat.”

One of radio’s first full-hour variety shows, the Maxwell House Showboat reflected General Foods commitment to advertising and radio. Premiering in 1931 on Thursday nights, the show was the most popular program on the networks for many seasons. With its leisurely and musical pace, it contrasted the bleak economy of the Great Depression.

However, the show was launched as a last-ditch effort proposed by advertising agency Benton and Bowles to salvage the struggling Maxwell House brand of coffee. Part of the agency’s desperate strategy included changing the coffee’s blend, cutting its price, and eliminating all advertising - except for radio. The Maxwell House brand managers at General Foods agreed and they went to air.

Showboat started with Production Manager Tiny Ruffner opening each show and immediately intertwining advertiser and  entertainment:

. . .

MUSIC: ESTABLISH THEME AND UNDER TO BED.

TINY RUFFNER: No matter what your favorite entertainment is, you’ll always find it on the Maxwell House Showboat. Your ticket of admission? As always, just your loyalty to Maxwell House coffee.

MUSIC: OUT.

TINY RUFFNER: For tonight’s guests of the Showboat, I’d like to put on a little scene concerning something we’ve been talking about ever since hot weather began. The friendly stimulation of a tall tinkling glass of iced Maxwell House coffee. As our curtain rises, we see a golfer step inside his front door at home.

SFX: DOOR CLOSES.

TINY RUFFNER: His wife calls to him.

WIFE: Well, dear, how was your game? Pretty hot day, wasn’t it?

HUSBAND: Hot is right. And the game just so-so as usual. Oh goodness, Mary, I feel all in. Tired. Those last two holes took everything I had. Even the shower didn’t seem to help much. Mmm, guess I’ll just sit down in the easy chair and rest a bit.

WIFE: I thought you’d be feeling kind of low and played out dear. So I’m repeating the wholesome little ceremony you liked so much last week.

HUSBAND: Yeah? What’s that?

WIFE: Mmm - the most refreshing drink there is. This will buoy you up allright. And afterwards, I’m sure you’ll feel your exercise was well worthwhile. (BEAT) Here you are.

HUSBAND: Well, iced Maxwell House coffee, eh? (SIPS COFFEE) Ahhh, I tell you, Mary, this certainly does hit the spot.

TINY RUFFNER: Curtain. (BEAT) And ladies and gentlemen, in golf and tennis clubs, around swimming pools, in the locker rooms at the baseball parks, at the beaches, wherever people are active this summer, you’ll find a growing custom - people are drinking iced Maxwell House coffee. And you’ll enjoy it, too, whenenver you need refreshment. A cooling drink of iced Maxwell House coffee with its friendly stimulation that buoys you up and never lets you down.

. . .

The show was a great success. And Maxwell House coffee reversed its sagging fortunes to become equally successful. Within two months, sales were up 70 per cent. By the end of the year, sales had increased 85 per cent. Stars stopped by the Showboat to sip coffee and gave the program glamor; the list included “Bob Hope, Robert Benchley, Gloria Swanson, George Jessel, Jackie Coogan, Amelia Earhart, Dale Carnegie, Lillian Gish, and Gertrude Lawrence.”(1)

From the success of Maxwell House Showboat, Benton and Bowles went on to create Fred Allen’s “Town Hall Tonight” and ”Palmolive Beauty Box.” By 1934, Benton and Bowles had three of the top four radio programs.

Great success and, by the way, coffee’s on the house. Maxwell House.

(1) “Uncommon Grounds: The history of coffee and how it transformed our world”; By Mark Pendergrast; Published 1999; Basic Books; 522 pages; ISBN 0465054676.

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Words from the Sponsors: “one buck cash says Colgate Brushless wins you in a flash.”

From October 1939 through June 1951,  Colgate Sports Newsreel aired a weekly 15-minute sports show hosted by Bill Stern.  The energy Stern gave off in his quater-hour shows kept the country buzzing for a week until his next program.

Stern layered theatrical delivery on top of quasi- or barely factual sports stories that he described as ”some true, some hearsay, but all so interesting we’d like to pass them along to you.” Spiced with a roster of celebrities ranging from Abbott and Costello to Eddie “Rochester” Anderson to Brace Beemer of The Lone Ranger, the formula held listeners for a dozen years.

In the midst of every story about dead jockeys and armless baseball players, Colgate was there with Announcer Arthur Gary. A typical commerical with Gary and Stern read as follows:

. . . 

ARTHUR GARY: Men. No shaving proposition beats this - listen.

SFX: CASH REGISTER RINGS.

ARTHUR GARY: There’s one buck cash says Colgate Brushless wins you in a flash. Yes one buck cash says this is it for the clean smooth comfortable shaves you’ve always wanted. And here’s why.

BILL STERN: Because its light and fine texture. Colgate Brushless completely surrounds, softens and supports each bristle better than greasy heavy cream. There’s no matting down, there’s no clogging. Your razor doesn’t skid or skip when you use Colgate Brushless. Instead it cuts through clean and smooth.

ARTHUR GARY: Try Colgate Brushless. See how it does away with razor scrap and soreness. Discover how slick and smooth and downright comfortable it makes your shave.

BILL STERN: Get a large or giant size tube or jar of Colgate Brushless shaving cream. If one week’s use doesn’t win you completely, just send me back the carton top and we’ll mail you your dollar. Address: Bill Stern, care of Colgate, Jersey City, Zone Two, New Jersey. Remember…

SFX: CASH REGISTER RINGS.

BILL STERN: There’s one buck cash says Colgate Brushless wins you in a flash. Real fine.

. . .

There’s a story about a blind race care driver who won a 500-mile automobile race going backwards. On a bicycle. With a flat tire. And no handlebar. In a snowsorm. Wonder if Colgate would want to know about it?

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