Kilocycles

America’s best known song writer, Irving Berlin, fills the spot vacated by George M. Cohan in a new series of programs over the WJZ network every Sunday night at 9 o’clock. The man whose tunes have filled the air since the birth of broadcasting, has finally come to the microphone to sing and play his own compositions on a program which includes the Revellers, the Pickens Sisters, Frank Parker and Al Goodman’s orchestra.

Berlin is the fifth celebrated personality to star on this headliners’ program, which was inaugurated more than a year ago by Will Rogers. Since Rogers, Fred Stone and his family, Arthur Brisbane and George M. Cohan have been heard in one or more groups in this series.

DR. JUDAH L. MAGNES SPEAKS FROM THE WALDORF

The American Friends of the Hebrew University meet tomorrow night at the Hotel Waldorf-Astoria, with Dr. Judah L. Magnes, Chancellor of the Hebrew University of Palestine, as the principal speaker. Roger W. Straus will be chairman and Felix M. Warburg honorary chairman of the meeting. The principal address will be broadcast over the WJZ network at 10:30 o’clock. In addition to Dr. Magnes’ address, new songs from Palestine, sung by a chorus of eight voices, will be heard during the broadcast.

HELEN MENKEN STARS IN THE “BIG SHOW”

Helen Menken, one of the stars of the current Theatre Guild success, “Mary of Scotland,” will play the role of Nell Gwyn in her fourth guest appearance on the “Big Show” over the WABC network tonight at 9:30 o’clock. David Freedman will write a special script about Nell Gwyn for Miss Menken’s appearance. Gertrude Niesen and Erno Rapee and his orchestra will supply the musical features of this program.

NEW CONGRESSIONAL SERIES FROM WASHINGTON

“Legislating the New Deal” will be the general topic of a new Congressional series originating from Washington, to be broadcast over Station WEVD on Thursday evenings from 10:15 to 10:30 o’clock, starting May 17th. Senator Gerald P. Nyc, United States Senator from North Dakota, will open the series with a talk on “Our Economic Structure.”

In the weeks to follow, WEVD will present in this series Representative J. H. Sinclair, Senator Lynn J. Frazier, Representative William P.Connery, Senator Burton K. Wheeler, Senator Edward P. Costigan and others.

HEAVYWEIGHT CHALLENGER GETS RADIO BUILD-UP

Max Baer’s championship battle with Primo Carnera for the heavy weight title of the world will be carried to radio listeners over the combined WEAF-WJZ networks direct from the Madison Square Garden Bowl on the evening of June 14th. The sponsor of this broadcast is doing a neat job of building up to the climax of the big fight by presenting a three- a- week radio drama series starring Max Baer on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7:45 p. m. “Taxi” is the title of the series of fifteen-minutes dramatic sketches, in which the fighter appears with a cast of veteran microphone players.

ADMIRAL BYRD AND PRESIDENT OPEN WORLD’S FAIR

When the World’s Fair in Chicago is finally opened on May 26th, the President from Washington and Admiral Richard E. Byrd from his lonely shack in the Antarctic, will participate in the opening ceremonies. The dot and dash sounds of a radio-telegraph key operated by Byrd will transmit a message from him to the World’s Fair officials. The ceremony will take place during the regular weekly broadcast from the Byrd expedition and will be heard over the WABC network from 10:00 to 10:30 p. m. Prior to Byrd’s greeting, a talking picture of President Roosevelt, made especially for the Fair’s opening, will be shown to the audience in the theatre on the exhibition grounds.

A LETTER FROM HENDRICK WILLEM VAN LOON

Hendrik Willem van Loon, Famous historian and author, who helped launch the WEVD University of the Air, writes to his friends and the invisible audience of this station, from Port Moresby, Papua, New Guinea. Here are a few choice bits:

“I have, since I last saw the coast of Hollywood (and my God, what incredible drivel their South Seas movies are, now that I have seen the real article; Anita Loos please take notice)… I have, since I saw that dear city disappear below the horizon, given exactly 97 lectures to Polynesians, Makronesians and Melanesians and 279 other races (159 racial antecedents listened to me in the University of Honolulu alone). I have covered an entire continent with a single broadcast (and continents are continents here and not little affairs like Africa or Europe) and I have started 39 magazine articles all of which I afterwards threw away, knowing full well that no magazine is going to tell the truth about this part of the world as it is. Also I have lost 43 pounds and I have gained 52 pounds but Jimmie has lost one pound which now gives her the best figure on the boat… Also I have collectively and individually spent two months and nineteen days missing my friends and that is the real reason why I am sending you this letter.”

RADIO SHORTS

Arthur Simon, confidential investigator in the Commissioner of Health’s office, broadcasts every Monday evening at eight o’clock on the Kosher problem, over Station WNYC…Sigmund Romberg’s popular operatta “My Maryland” will be presented with Gladys Swarthout and John Barclay in the leading roles over the WEAF network Tuesday, May 15th, at ten p.m…. Joseph Lhevinne, internationally famous pianist, will be featured in a special concert with the NBC Symphony Orchestra on WJZ Thursday, May 17th, at 10:30 p. m….Nikita Balieff, of the “Chauve-Souris,” is again guest star on Paul Whiteman’s Music Hall program with Deems Taylor as master of ceremonies, over the WEAF network, Thursday, May 17th, at ten p. m….The “Street Forum” conducted by A.L. Alexander every Friday at 4:30 p. m., is one of the interesting impromptu programs on WMCA… Floyd Gibbons, the headline hunter, returns to the microphone in a new series on Saturdays, at 8:30 p. m. over the WEAF network.