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Giggles, a lazily strummed guitar, rollicking accordion tunes and a general scurrying of footsteps describes as nearly accurately as possible the behind-the-scenes preparation for the weekly KMOX County Fair.

The giggles have their foundation primarily in the ridiculousness of the costumes. The staff and artists enjoy seeing normally sober and dignified exponents of radio attired as clowns or impersonating monkeys. “Hank” Richards, the Barker, originator and director of the Fair changes from a correct-appearing Program Production director to a barker wearing a checked suit, a flaming orange tie and a brown derby that is really laugh-provoking.

Last Saturday night, I joined in the backstage preparations and then took my place amongst the audience. I found myself enjoying every minute of the fast-moving show, for it was a good one – I was soon as lost in complete enjoyment as the other 500 spectators. The stage represents the glitter and expansive caricatures of a side-show and when the Fair begins, “Hank” Richards takes his place in a much-decorated ticket booth and the fun has started.

Sunny Joe and his Scalawags rush in and whale into lilting music and the Girls of the Golden West, two really pretty girls from Texas, harmonize on good old range songs. When the program stops long enough for the next to be announced, Ruth Hulse Nelson, looking about ten years old in a little gingham frock, strikes up a calliope interlude. The other acts in the wings provide the cheering to join in the applause of the amused audience.

Ted Straeter at the piano and his Three Best Girls, Blanche Fink, Georgia Erwin and Louise LaRue, harmonize perfectly for a bit of more dignified music. Applause and music and then the County Fair goes on the air. There are two broadcasts each Saturday night which come directly from the stage as the show moves on.

In fast succession, The Missouri-Pacific negro quartet does a hot number or two and then Len Johnson and his Ozark Mountaineers are on and off the stage playing real hillbilly tunes. Sad Sam, looking ridiculous in a battered top hat and “tails” that far from fit, and his accordion and Sunny Joe, the bad boy of the air with is brand new All-American banjo that cost $600, tear off a bit of music and exchange wise-cracking dialogue.

In and out strolls Dr. Cuckoo wearing a somber black Stetson hat, a dilapidated frock coat, a string tie, bespectacled and with a very, very, very red nose. One snickers at the sight of him before he even attempts speech. In person he is Holland Engle, announcer and news commentator, but he looks exactly like one of the Four Horsemen in such a get-up.

He and “Hank” Richards launch into some side talk or amuse themselves by exchanging hats or trying to break up the acts. Sometimes, Dr. Cuckoo goes into a tap dance or sits at the piano and beats out a tune or two and sings. Seeing this normally well-groomed and dignified person being so ridiculous is a show in itself.

Lindhorst the magician comes out with a bag of tricks that amaze and delight the audience. Last Saturday night he chose two boys from the audience and as he took silver balls out of their hands and quarters out of the air or bowls of goldfish from his hat, their eyes grew in wonderment. His act reached the climax when he handed ten cards to one of the youngsters and the lad counted them.

This august magician commanded them to count them again and there were twelve and then fourteen. The only apparent thing that he did to increase the number that the boy held was to flip the remaining cards in his own hand and invite them to join the pack in the boy’s trembling hand. I’ve tried this one myself and it’s got me baffled – it just isn’t reasonable but it does happen!

More calliope music, more applause and then six-foot-two Wyoming Jack and Big Jim Jenkins, both from the A Slash V ranch from way out in Wyoming dash out on the stage looking very colorful in their western costumes. Cameo Cal, a new recruit to their act, expounds some workable philosophy and Wyoming Jack with his guitar yodels and sings alternately. Big Jim with a cracking whip does spectacular things like knocking the ashes off of Wyoming Jack’s cigar. It takes nerve for Jack to stand still with utter confidence that Jim’s whip will crack over his head and then descend in just the right spot.

The highlight of the gala evening came last week in an impromptu manner. “Hank” Richards had teased the acts so much that they decided to get “even” with him. Sunny Joe and Sad Sam announced that “Hank” would sing. Hank demurred but the impelling clapping from the audience necessitated his going through with it. His voice that was heard for the first time at the Fair proved to be a good tenor and his singing of “Piccaninney Lullaby” broke down the house, so to speak.

It’s a good show. I enjoyed every minute of it because most of it is inspired by ready wit. There’s good music and better fun, lights and action. That’s good entertainment in any language.

Nancy Frazer, Radio & Entertainment, 11/19/32

On Christmas Eve, 1925, KMOX first went on the air from Kirkwood, Missouri, licensed as “The Voice of St. Louis.” A venture spurred by the imagination or 15 prominent businessmen in the community, it was also strongly supported by the St. Louis Globe-Democrat. With studios in the Mayfair Hotel, its modified Western Electric 104-A transmitter supplied a husky 5-kilowatt signal to a flat-top antenna system.

Within a very few months, the station developed a personnel problem; its technicians were highly dissatisfied with their weekly wage of $30 for 48 hours. Thus, the first union organization of radiomen took root in St. Louis, at KMOX, when they joined Local Union No. 1, IBEW. Almost coincidentally, the first articles on “Radio” began in the IBEW’s Journal of Electrical Workers and Operators in the April, 1926, issue.

In September of 1930, a new transmitter went on the air, and from a new location. The 5-kilowatt transmitter was replaced by a 50 kw. rig operating from Baumgartner Road, near the Meramec River, 14 miles south of St. Louis proper.

In 1932, the studios were moved to the St. Louis Mart Building, where they remained for many years thereafter. It was generally said, at that time, that the new studios was a far cry from KMOX’s humble beginning, when the first tinkling notes of “Somewhere A Voice Is Calling” announced the first presence of the new station in town. That same year, CBS purchased KMOX. And by the end of the year, the list of CBS owned-and-operated stations had grown to eight: WABC, New York; WBBM, Chicago; WBT, Charlotte; WCCO, Minneapolis; WJSV, Washington; WKRC, Cincinnati; WPG, Atlantic City; and KMOX. With one affiliate in Canada, the relatively new network consisted of 93 stations.

The accumulation of plaques, certificates and similar testimonials of awards for programs, community and public services and the like almost literally cover a large wall in the present studio building on Hampton Avenue. And these are the awards of only the recent years. From its 5,000 watts in the early days, to its present 50 kw on 1120 kc., from its ponderous motor-generator sets of the ‘20s and ‘30s, the 104-A and the 5-C (later used by a station in Macon, Georgia, and until mid-1958), to its present air-cooled Westinghouse HG-1 and the Continental companion auxiliary at Stallings, Illinois – all are just about as far distant from each other as 1925 is from 1963.

KMOX-FM went on the air in February of 1961. Its Collins 830-Z-1A transmitter is licensed for 47 kw. ERP on 103.3 mc. This transmitter is remotely-controlled, as is the AM, from the studio and is located in the KMOX-TV transmitter building in Lemay, Missouri.

In December of 1960, KMOX began the operation of its transmitters by remote control. To date, it may well be the only station in the United States (or perhaps the world) which now employs a greater number of engineers than it had on the payroll prior to the advent of its automation. With heavy emphasis on sports, news and discussion programs, manpower requirements are correspondingly high; both the need and the fulfillment are tributes to the station activity and the far-sighted and astute management of “The Voice of St. Louis.”

When L.U. 1217 was chartered on December 18, 1940, the engineering staff became charter members of that Local Union. Among the signatures on the actual charter are at least two members still employed at KMOX: W.E. Mansfield (many times a local union officer) and Chalmer H. Stoup. Another member with a long and distinguished record of service with KMOX and his local union is Robert W. Stetson, who has been enjoying retirement for some little time. Brother Stetson was the Financial Secretary of Local Union 4 when he retired on September 1, 1960. All the names on the original charter issued to 1217 were duplicated on the new one when Local Union 4 was chartered on January 1, 1959.

Thus, this month we are happy to salute this “old time” station and the men who have kept and are keeping it on the air. But few stations have such a long and parallel history with the IBEW. Theirs is indeed a proud heritage and a bright future.

(Originally published in Technician-Engineer 4/63).

There was a time when boys thought it was “definitely sissy” to take expression lessons and learn to cultivate well-modulated tones of voice, but not so in this era! The radio has changed that factor until it provides a heretofore unheard of medium for clear spoken voices to make good, and that right in their own home towns.

Of the fifteen staff announcers at four radio stations, ten of them are men who went to school right here and have publics who knew them “when.” Announcers have gone out from St. Louis to become the leading announcers in stations all over the country.

It is a field to which men from other professions have come because they have that unusual quality in their voices which makes them seem real persons as they come over the air. They can make their voices sound alive and vibrant and sympathetic to the millions of local and national listeners.

At station KMOX, there are six on [regular] schedule and many of them join in other programs. Peter Grant, who is the senior announcer, is in reality Melvin Maginn, a graduate lawyer. He is the son of a music instructor at Washington University. Bob Holt is from St. Louis as is Garnett Marks and Paul Sullivan, the newest one, who was selected from a recent school of announcership training.

France Laux, the sports announcer at KMOX, is from Bristow, Oklahoma, and was voted the second most popular announcer in the country last year. Holland Engle found his way here from Fairmount, W. Virginia and has broadcast from more than 100 stations all over the United States.

At KWK, Bob Thomas is the chief announcer, having lived his whole life in St. Louis and spent all of his radio life at the station. John Harrington is from Kirkwood and was formerly a draftsman. Sterling Harkins, although he came here from Mobile radio work, is a St. Louis boy. Del King of “On the Bookshelf” fame is from Kansas City.

A veteran radio worker is Robert L. Coe at KSD who has been with radio stations in St. Louis even since he was a small boy. He has and is serving in almost all capacities at the station. Ray Gutting, the market announcer, came from a small town in Illinois but has been here so long that he is practically a native St. Louisan.

WIL has gone in more foreign fields for its personnel with Franklyn MacCormack, program director, from Los Angeles. Neil Norman, commercial announcer, was born in Dayton, Ohio and came here from Chicago. Denver is the scene of Billy Lang’s initial radio work and where he spent his childhood.

They come from the stage, from professions and from formerly plain work-a-day industrial lives – these men whose voices come out of the air each day to make some particularly interesting moment. They chat unaffectedly and interestingly with men, women and children upon subjects which will be of interest to them. They have huge followings of friends whom they have never seen but who are their most precious possessions nonetheless. It is those friends and their letters that give them the spirit and inspiration to talk hours on end into an unresponsive microphone.

(Originally published in Radio and Entertainment 3/26/1932).

France Laux, chief sports announcer of KMOX, has had a brilliant and interesting career ever since his high school days. France’s accurate and interesting description of the baseball games over KMOX has won him the title of “The most listened-to announcer in St. Louis,” and the title is well earned, because when France steps before the microphone and begins to talk, the listener no longer becomes just a listener, for he is seeing the game through the observing eyes of France Laux, who knows baseball. It was Laux who described the World Series games two years ago and it was also Laux who described the World Series Games which were played here in St. Louis this year.

Laux was a former resident of Tulsa and was, three years ago, chief announcer of KVOO, “The Voice of Oklahoma.” He was born in Guthrie and is the son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Frank Laux of Bristow, Oklahoma and the brother of Rodger Laux of Wewoka, Oklahoma.

France Laux has been in the field of athletics ever since his childhood. Even when just a lad of seven or eight years old France was regarded by his playmates as a marvel, because he could throw a baseball farther than any of the rest of the boys in his neighborhood, and from that time on he has held honored positions in the field of sport. In his high school years France played halfback with the Bristow, Oklahoma High School team and was picked for two consecutive years by certain football authorities as the all-star halfback in the high school league of the State of Oklahoma. In high school France earned 16 letters for athletics. He starred in football, baseball, basketball and track, and during the summertime Laux played semi-professional baseball with various Oklahoma teams.

In 1917 when America entered the World War, Laux entered the Army the day after the last football game of the season and served overseas with the U.S. Army Air Service as sergeant in the 259th Aerial Pursuit Squadron for over a year. At the end of the war he returned home and spent the next two years playing semi-professional baseball and managing semi-professional baseball and basketball teams sponsored by the American Legion. In 1921, Laux entered the Oklahoma City College where he played end and earned a considerable record for his dashing end runs which oft times led his team to victory.

After his year at college, Laux was appointed baseball coach at the St. Joseph High School of Oklahoma City, which under his management won the championship of the Catholic League of Oklahoma. During the summer when school was not in session he acted as official scorer for the Oklahoma State League. During the next four years, Laux worked in various capacities in sports. In these years, France was a football referee, coach, manager of baseball and basketball teams and was the referee for the biggest high school football games in the state. Then came the opportunity for Laux to enter the sport field of radio broadcasting. This opportunity came in an unusual and dramatic manner.

The World Series game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the New York Yankees was to be broadcast by ticker over KVOO. Through some disagreement, the sports announcer of this station left the station without notice. Harry Hutchinson, manager of the station was panicky and wondered who he could employ to announce this important game, which would be played in less than an hour. There was only one man in the state who was familiar enough with baseball to do this difficult job; he was France Laux.

Hutchinson rushed to the telephone and tried to reach France by long distance but France had left his home and was somewhere in the downtown district of Bristow, which is 45 minutes from Tulsa. Hutchinson decided that only one thing could be done. He must drive to Bristow, find Laux and get him back to the studios in time for the game. Hutchinson left the studios at break neck speed and dashed madly over the streets looking for Laux. Finally, he spotted him sauntering down the street with bundles under his arm.

Laux had been shopping. “France,” he cried. “You’ve got to come with me and announce the World Series” “How long before the game starts?” inquired France. “My God, in 50 minutes,” cried Hutchinson, “and we’ve got 45 miles to go.” “Well, let’s get started,” Laux replied, and away they drove at a mile a minute speed. But luck was with them and they arrived at the studios with one and a half minutes to spare.

Right then and there began France’s radio career. France did such a splendid job announcing this game and received so many favorable comments from the listening audience that he was hired as the chief sport announcer at the station. In his two years stay at KVOO, he announced all baseball games and some of the biggest football games in the country, including games of the “Big Six” and the Missouri Valley Conference.

In the Spring of 1929, KMOX was in need of a sports announcer, one who could fittingly describe the big league games played in St. Louis and elsewhere. In looking over the country for such an announcer who could do this, the management heard of Laux. He was brought to St. Louis and given a trial which was so satisfactory that he was immediately hired, and since that time, Laux has been associated with KMOX. Now a veteran of the game, he is regarded as one of the best baseball announcers in the country.

(Originally published in Radio and Entertainment 12/19/1931).

“Seven Years Before The Mike” would be the title of an article that would best describe George Wood’s experience in radio; Seven years of radio service as announcer, publicity director, program director, continuity writer and singer. It was in 1923 that he first felt the pangs of “mike fright,” reading news bulletins and weather reports on the station owned by the newspaper with which he served as a reporter.

Since that time “Mike” and George have been very close friends. When he severed connections with the newspaper it was to go to California and enter the radio business.

He first joined the staff of KGFJ, Los Angeles, and was heard also on programs from KFWB, Warner Brothers, and KMTR, Hollywood. The experience he gleaned in the Sunshine State fitted him for a position with KOIL. Wood takes his radio seriously and has announced practically every big news event handled by his station. He has introduced many celebrities of the stage and screen as announcer for Fox and RKO St. Louis Theatres and was one of the first announcers to personally interview Jack Dempsey before the microphone.

For the past four years his voice has been familiar to listeners in the Middle West from St. Louis. George Wood came to St. Louis from KOIL at Council Bluffs, Iowa, where he served as publicity director and announcer for that broadcaster. After one year at KWK he came to WIL, where he has officiated as chief announcer and program director the past two years. George Wood has the knack of making his voice fit any program from the so-called hillbilly program to the classical symphony.

(Originally published in Radio and Records 12/19/1931).

Dixie’s Representative Now A CBS Featured Singer

If she hadn’t decided to write a song, she might just be Irene Beasley, school teacher, instead of radio’s “Long, tall gal from Dixie.”

Miss Beasley, heard each week over KMOX, is the star of the Peters Shoe program which is broadcast at 9:30 p.m. Thursdays. She is also the Old Dutch girl which is heard every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning at 7:45.

Irene was born in the small town of White Haven, Tennessee and received her early schooling in Amarillo, Texas, afterwards going to Sweet Briar College in Virginia to become a teacher in a small Mississippi school.

She was accustomed to music in her home and had vaguely longed for a career in music, but was too busy earning a living to make the attempt. While teaching, she wrote and published a ballad, “If I Could Just Stop Dreaming.”

She sang it several times over a small station in order to stimulate sales, and this broadcasting gave her a start, opening the path to work in St. Louis over KMOX, the Voice of St. Louis, as staff artist. Her radio work gave her the opportunity to meet a representative of a recording company, who gave her a try-out., and from this try-out came a contract for recording in New York.

While in New York in April 1929, Dale Wimbrow, Dixie’s only representative on the CBS staff at the time, used his influence to introduce her to the radio network, with which she has since been a popular artist.

Although she tried at first to develop a northern accent, she found that the great charm of her singing lay in a natural talent for interpreting the music of the South. Now she not only sings but writes as well the continuity for her own programs of plantation music.

(Originally published in Radio and Entertainment 11/21/31).