She Talks to Women

New Zealand Listener, Volume 3, Issue 60, 16 August 1940, Page 8

She Talks to Women

LISTENERS to 2YA have already heard two of Phyllis Anchor’s talks, "Speaking Personally"; and on Thursday, August 22, the first of this series will be presented from 1YA Auckland at lla.m. Phyllis Anchor, who is Mrs. J. McMaster in private life, left this country in 1935, after having conducted the luncheon and childrén’s sessions at 1ZH Hamilton for three years. For a time she was in business in Sydney but all the time she was waiting for a chance to break into Australian broadcasting circles. Being interested in drama, Miss Anchor joined the Little Theatre Club in Pitt Street, where two of her own one-act plays were produced with a good measure of success. It was at the Little Theatre that she met the head announcer of 2GB Sydney, Charles Cousins, who engaged her to edit a new paper he was starting called "Radio Reporter’ss News Magazine." Also, she wrote three talks each week for his children’s sessions. George Edwards was at that time producing plays for 2GB and Miss Anchor played a number of parts in a serial, " Famous Australian Murder Trials." Marriage, in 1937, took Miss Anchor temporarily from the radio world, and for several months she toured through New South Wales, arriving eventually in Queensland. There, -in Brisbane, substantial success came in the shape of a

year’s contract to write and produce a session for women called " Musical Bubbles." That was with 4QR. Ten days before the contract expired, came another offer to assume entire control of the women’s and children’s sessions at 4BU Bundaberg, which Miss Anchor accepted. The declaration of war found her there; then, when her hubsand left for Palestine with the A.LF. in January of this year, Miss Anchor came back to New Zealand to be near her parents "for the duration.’ Among her successes in Australia was an original radio play, " Shakespeare to the Rescue," presented from 4BH Brisbane,