STATION 1ZM

New Zealand Listener, Volume 10, Issue 252, 21 April 1944, Page 10

STATION 1ZM

Programmes for U.S.A. Forces ‘ "G2o0P morning G.I.’s, Bluejackets, and Leathernecks, this is Station 1ZM, Auckland, your American Expeditionary Station in New Zealand bringing you, by courtesy of the Government of New Zealand, your favourite programmes from back home. And this is Pte. Frank Gaunt introducing the announcing and operating staffSgt. Larry Dysart, known to us as Simon Legree, the man with the whip, programme _ supervisor; Cpl. Karl Jean, announcer and operator; and Pte. Gene Twombly, announcer and operator. This is a sort of sneak preview of the official opening. . . ." HAT was Wednesday morning last week, when a Listener representative, in the catacombs of the 1ZM studios, watched a staff of four U.S. Army men take over Auckland’s supplementary station for the first day’s programmes of entertainment for United States personnel in New, Zealand.

Lieut.-Commander Brooks Giftord, U.S.N.R. repre senting Commodore S. D. Jupp, U.S.N., Commander South Pacific Representative, will be officer-in-charge of the station.

Organiser and supervisor of all broadcasting services in the South Pacific theatre is Major P. H. Gould, US. Army, of Headquarters Service of Supply for the area. His work takes him, with his team of operating and announcing staff, into successive forward areas occupied by United States forces, He has already organised the establishment of radio stations at Noumea, Munda, Guadalcanal, and Bougainville, the Auckland station being the fifth in the chain in this area. When he joined the army, Major Gould was manager of Station WFBR, Baltimore; he has had 15 years’ experience of practical radio work in the States. And here are the four members of Major Gould’s pioneering team:SGT. LARRY DYSART (Simon, or the Man with the Whip), programme supervisor, announcer and writer. Looks

as unlike anyones idea of Simon Legree as any other cheerful, big young man weighing about 15 stone. Has been in radio since 1936 (most of the time in Station KOY, Phoenix, Arizona),

and wouldn’t change for anything else. Studied dramatics and public speaking at the Arizona State College. Says he is here to give the boys the programmes they want, and also to receive the kicks if he gives them the programmes they don’t want. Showed signs of telling The Listener that his work was his hobby. Thought better of it, and admitted that he was chiefly interested in swimmingoutside working hours. (continued on next page)

(continued from previous page) CPL. KARL JEAN, announcer and operator. At the University: of Michigan he studied to be a teacher: was a

teacher for one year; didn’t like it. For two years studied church music at the Westm inster Choir College, New Jersey, ideally situated half way between New York and Philadelynhia-

45 miles from each. For two years, therefore, Kar! Jean had the chance, and took it, of hearing the best symphony concerts in America-and of performing in them. The choir of his college was called on from time to time to sing at Carnegie Hall and elsewhere, under Stokowski, Rachmaninoff and Toscanini, and Karl Jean was a member of that choir. He claims he is no singer; but he has sung at Carnegie Hall in Beethoven’s choral symphony under Toscanini. Hobby: Back home, going to symphony concerts; overseas, listening to recorded church music. ' PTE. FRANK GAUNT, script-writer, announcer, noticeably tall. New York free-lance writer and radio announcer in

winter, summertheatre manager-dir-ector (in Milford, Conn.) in summer; studied drama and journalism at Yale for five years, writing plays, acting in them, directing them, and watching

world-famous actors (Gielgud, Ellis) who came to Yale to give special lectures. Has published short stories, articles, plays; has written radio plays, stories, sketches for NBC networks. Is a.writer rather than an announcer; is chiefly interested in drama, either radio or stage. Hobbies: Golf, riding. Or, in a country where he can find the horses, riding; golf. PTE. EUGENE TWOMBLY ("Gene" on the air), announcer and operator. A man from Hollywood-and nothing to do

with films. Sound effects technician for Columbia Broadcasting Company in the film capital; worked for Gene Autry, Orson Welles, and Edward G. Robinson radio shows. Liked the work. |

Said yes, had to work out new effects ("You mean something to sound like a feather falling on a feather-bed? Yes that’s all part of the work."). Belonged to, a small theatrical group, mostly nonprofessional, which sometimes broadcast plays over the Columbia network. Was from time to time playwright, radio script writer, actor, director, producer and sound effects man for this group. Hobby? Radio’s my hobby. I eat, sleep and drink radio. Though I guess if I did get around to having a hobby it would be boating. Yes, I’d sure like to go boating. Listener: Well, we'll say so, and perhaps someone will invite you. Pte. Twombly: Now that’s an idea. Don’t forget to say that Frank here likes horse-riding.