Southern California
We did a great February business out here, featuring two shows in ten days.
On Friday, the 11th, 25 of the brethren, including most of the show business delegation, turned up at the Hollywood Knickerbocker luncheon to hear Harry Ackerman '35 give CBS' answer to the currently explosive question, "Is Radio Any Good?" He said yes, but said it in as carefully prepared and convincing a talk as we have yet heard; and as CBS Director of Network Programs he has had to size up TV competition and plan his campaign to meet its challenge. Admittedly, he said, much radio time is now filled with trite and shopworn "proven" material, for advertisers and their agencies don't gamble—yet radio audiences can be held and increased only by the stimulus of fresh ideas and the showmanship of the entertainment gambler. So CBS has embarked on a longrange program of developing new shows, giving the creative people the time they've seldom had to build their fresh ideas into solid commercial entertainment. Harry grants a zooming future ,for television, despite its 22-1 production cost over radio, but he expects that TV and radio will end up living harmoniously side by side in the same cabinet. NBC's Bob Guggenheim, who presided, introduced Harry with a delightful routine which tried to avoid coming out with, er, pardon the expression, CBS.
News item which came out at the meeting, Eck Hiestand '10 has retired as the buck in Sears-Roe. Paradoxically, he is busier than in some years—it makes you wonder.
The Monday 21st luncheon was a triumph for the new hot-air raid warning system. It wasn't until late Friday afternoon that secretary Leon Rothschild '24 got the flash that the ex-Mayor of Hanover, John Sullivan '21 Secretary of the Navy, was flying out to the Coast and would be available for lunch on Monday. So Leon started phoning the key men of the 40-odd alumni classes, who in turn got on the phone to their constituents. Despite the obstacles of a holiday weekend and unlisted phones, the University Club's dining room overflowed with a near-record attendance of 79 men. Leon presided, prex Jack Reeder '25 being in New York. Commander Clarke Ingraham. '19 introduced Cap. tain Glass, aide to the Secretary, and then brought on John with the comment that he might have handled this chore somewhat more comfortably a couple of wars ago when John was a second-class seaman and Clarke was a bushy tailed ensign. John had checked off his press conference before lunch, so this was a family gathering. Hence, after some eye-witness updating on the Hanover sceneit seems that the NROTC unit up there demands his frequent personal attention—John had the doors closed and went off the record and cuff with straight, fast answers to everything the boys could throw. A heavy percentage of the association is not too long out of uniform, and men like Dave Boyle,Fred Fuld, and Clinton Glad of the '40 contingent had things on their minds they really wanted to know. It was a good session.
Items: Harry Mills '24 trained in from New York just in time to make the luncheon and greet some long-lost classmates.... Eck Hiestand's report nominating Murray Hawkins '19 for Alumni Councillor got unanimous and enthusiastic endorsement.
Remember the new location of the weekly downtown luncheons—L.A. Athletic Club, 431 W. 7 th, special table in the main dining room, Tuesdays at 12:15. Local alumni with unlisted or recently changed telephone numbers, how about giving them to Leon, TRinity 3821? The same number works for visiting alumni who want to look up local classmates and friends.
Secretary, 609 So. Grand Ave., Los Angeles 14, Calif. TELEPHONE: Trinity 3821
