PAGE FOUR T irotofit NEWS NOVEMBER 25, 1953

re Voice Of Firestone Has 25th Anniversary Coming Events | (Continued From Page 1) An instructors class in bridge playing started Monday, Novem­ s a cu ber 23rd, at the Girls’ Club. The Mr. and Mrs. Wilson L. Bradley, Richard Crooks, Margaret Speaks, class will meet alternate Mondays Jr., announce the birth of a son on Lily Pons, Nelson Eddy, Lawrence for a total of four meetings. After November 12, at the Gaston Me­ Tibbett, Eleanor Steber, Christo­ the completion of this instructors morial Hospital. Mr. Bradley is pher Lynch, Lauritz Melchior, course, a bridge club open to all the son of Mrs. Gertrude Bradley, Gladys Swarthout, Rise Stevens, employees will be organized. reclaimer, and Bill Bradley. Oscar Levant, Jussi Bjoerling, Mr. and Mrs. George Pender­ Martha Lipton, Nadine Conner, Basketball practice is being held grass announce the birth of twins, Thomas L. Thomas, Mimi Benzell, each Monday, Tuesday, and Wed­ Terry and Perry on October 10th, Roberta Peters, Jane Froman, nesday at 4 p. m., in the Gastonia at the Gaston County Negro Hos­ Jesus Sanroma. Armory. Employees and employees’ pital. Mr. Pendergrass works in Dorothy Maynor, Todd Duncan, children are invited to participate. the Shipping Department. Eugene Conley, Jerome Hines, Pat­ Full information concerning bas­ rice Munsel, Vivian Della Chiesa, ketball league play, which starts Leonard Warren, Helen Traubel, soon, may be obtained from Rec­ Jeanette MacDonald, Dorothy War- reation Director Ralph Johnson. 3n iWemoriam enskjold, Ferruccio Tagliavini, Giu­ JOHN H. HYDE seppe Valdengo, Frank Guarrera, Bingo is back, and popular as Mr. John H. Hyde of Robbins- Blanche Thebom, Mary Van Kirk, ever! There’s a place for you— ville, N. C., recently passed away. Nino Martini, Conrad Thibault, and prizes too—at the next party, Mr. Hyde was the father of Mrs. Ezio Pinza, Elena Nikolaidi, Ye­ Friday, December 11, at the Girls’ Daisy Williams, reclaimer. The hudi Menuhim, Igor Gorin, Dorothy Club. The grand prize at both the employees extend their sympathy Kirsten, Cesare Siepi, Eileen Far­ 10 a. m., and 7 p. m., parties will to the family. rell, Jan Peerce, Mona Paulee, be a turkey. MRS. MARY A. CARPENTER Licia Albanese, Stella Roman, John Mrs. Mary Amanda Carpenter, HOWARD BARLOW, center, directed the Firestone symphonic Carter, Bidu Sayao, Helen Jepson, The Community Sing continues mother of Miss Minnie Carpenter orchestra as Nadine Connor and the Firestone choral group (left) Rose Bampton, William Primrose, to meet each Tuesday night at 7 and Mrs. Mattie McDaniel, both of sang on the “Voice of Firestone” simulcast June 12, 1950. Hugh Charles Kullman, Josephine An­ p. m. in the Recreation Center. All Spooling Department, died at her James, announcer, is shown in center background. This photograph toine, Frederick Jagel, Richard who can sing—or want to try—are home on South King Street, No­ was one of the first over-all shots to be made during an actual Bonelli, Rose Marie Brancato, invited to participate; those who vember 7. The employees of the simulcast with an audience. Frank Chapman, James Melton, merely want to listen are welcom­ Spooling Department extend their Gladys Rice, Franklyn Baur and ed. deepest sympathy to the family. Vaughn De Leath. same evening Firestone became the orchestra and artist would be­ When the program first went on the first commercial sponsor of a come monotonous after a few pro­ the air, Hugo Mariani was the network television show. The pro­ grams. Therefore, much thought For Suggestion Week Winners orchestra conductor. He was suc­ gram consisted of an interview be­ was given during the coming year ceeded by the late William Daly, tween Niles Trammell, then Presi­ to ways and means of making the who died in 1937, Alfred Wallen­ dent of the National Broadcasting program as interesting to the eye stein, who succeeded Daly, became Company, and Harvey S. Firestone, as it was to the ear. During the conductor of the Los Angeles Jr., then President, now Chairman summer of 1949, many of these Symphony Orchestra in 1943, and of The Firestone Tire and Rubber problems were solved and, on Sep­ Howard Barlow took over the ba­ Company. Beginning the following tember 5, 1949, simulcasting the ton. Monday, Firestone began televis­ Voice of Firestone was resumed on The format of the Voice of Fire­ ing a series of motion pictures on a regular basis and it has been con­ stone down through the years has the requirements, qualifications, tinued ever since that date. consisted of four vocal numbers activities and future of various vo­ IN pioneering a musical simul­ and three orchestra selections. The cations, an educational campaign cast, J^'irestone ran into many dif­ four vocal numbers are usually one designed to explain to the tele- ficulties. In order to avoid monot­ operatic aria, two ballads and one 'rision audience what characteris­ ony from week to week. Firestone popular song, which in this case tics were necessary to be success­ used four cameras instead of the does not necessarily mean a cur­ ful in various types of work. usual three and insisted on perfect rent number. The orchestra selec­ timing of the shots to pick out the tions are a fast opening number, DURlJSG World War II, the section of the orchestra which was a well-known melody and a bril­ £.nortage of material tor television, carrying the melody. Orchestra ar­ liant symphonic work. ana tne concentration of the Fire­ rangements had to be made with si: * * stone organization on tne manu- television requirements in mind SOME people wondered why, lacture of war products, resulted and, for the vocalists, stage sets with this type of program. Fire­ m a hiatus in the company’s tele­ and background had to be selected stone selects and pays the high vision activities. Then, on March and sometimes constructed. Make­ fees for operatic stars. The Com­ 21, 1948, the National Broadcasting up problems arose and costumes pany believes that only the finest Company telecast its first musical became an important factor which singers in the country attain the network program, featuring Tos- required hours of study, discussion ranks of such organizations as the anmi and the NBC Symphony and experimentation. And all this Metropolitan Opera Company and Orchestra. On the next day, Mon­ time, production and network costs it believes that such people do a day, March 22, when Firestone were all out of proportion to the superior job of singing any type moved into Studio 8-H to put on number of television-equipped of music, popular as well as opera­ its radio program, the lighting homes. tic. Nearly all of the artists who equipment used in the previous However, NBC soon perfected appear on the Voice of Firestone day’s telecast was still up. On the rear screen projection of both PRIZES for the winners in the Suggestion Week Contest just welcome the chance to sing a spur of the moment, Firestone de­ slides and movies and this resulted completed include, as shown above: 1st prize, a Firestone Clock- variety of musical selections and cided to telecast as well as broad­ in marked economies in the use of Radio; 2nd prize, a Firestone Deluxe Champion 6.70 x 15 tire; thus demonstrate their versatility. cast its show that evening. In a stage sets and back-drops. and 3rd prize, a Presto Steam Iron. Winners will be announced as This spirit extends also to the flurry of excitement all the ar­ There is a tendency to think of members of the orchestra, many of rangements were made and wires the Voice of Firestone as a radio soon as the Suggestion Board can examine all suggestions s u b m i t t e d whom are also members of such were gotten out to newspapers and program which is being televised. during Suggestion Week. aggregations as the NBC Sympho­ other publications. Announcements This is a natural conclusion, be­ ny. In 1950, when Arturo Toscanini were made on radio and television cause the Voice of Firestone start­ took the NBC Symphony on tour, stations and, that evening. Fire­ ed out on radio. On the contrary, several members of the Firestone stone became the first company to however, the Voice of Firestone is SEC. 34.66 P. L. & R. Orchestra were included in the per­ telecast a commercially sponsored really a television show in which U. «. POSTAGE sonnel. musical program and the first a few unimportant compromises PAID Hugh James, the announcer for company to sponsor a commercial are made to make it as attractive GASTONIA, N. C. the Voice of Firestone was selected simulcast on AM, FM, TV and to the radio listeners as it is to the after auditioning more than half a short wave. televiewer. PERMIT NO. 29 hundred applicants for the job. The Following this first experiment Simulcasting has made it neces­ Firestone people believe that his in simulcasting, Firestone felt that sary to abandon the radio Voice voice is more perfectly suited to it might be better to have separate of Firestone policy of using only the type of announcements and radio and television programs and, one or two regular artists during commercials made on the program on April 12, 1948, Firestone began the year. In radio, people seldom than any other voice in radio. In­ sponsorship of a quiz program complained about hearing the same deed, listeners seem to agree and called “Americana” which featur­ artists week after week; but in have unofficially named him “the ed high school boys and girls with television, the public complains voice of the Voice of Firestone.” Ben Grauer as quiz master. How­ bitterly about seeing the same November 29, 1943, marked two ever, the idea of simulcasting had faces too frequently. Consequently, more milestones in Firestone radio not died in the minds of the Fire­ when Firestone’s talent contracts and television history. On . that stone people. Their reservations a- expired in May, 1950, it began a date, the Voice of Firestone cele­ bout the experimental broadcast in new policy, scheduling more artists brated the completion of 15 con­ March, 1948, were based chiefly on and using no one artist more than secutive years on the air, and that the fact that straight pictures of five times a year.