Child Star Carolyn Lee, Guest on Wheeling Steelmakers Radio Program
Date:
Undated
Description:
Quote from a newspaper article reads: "Carolyn Lee, a successful star at four years of age, will have her own little sketch with the Old Timer who will try to induce her to sing the same song she sang with Madeleine Carroll and Fred MacMurray in the Paramount production, "Honeymoon in Bali". Wheeling's own little movie star is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Warren Copp. Mr. Copp is a ceramic engineer and is employed by the Wheeling Steel corporation. The Copp child will share headline honors with another daughter of Wheeling Steel, Miss Betty Bromelow." The Old Timer was a character on the radio broadcast who provided banter and introductions. He was played by Wheeling Steel auditor, John Winchcoll.
Tony Biacco, Musician on 'It's Wheeling Steel' Radio Broadcast Playing Accordion With Band Accompaniment
Date:
Undated
Description:
"Tony Biacco, steelmaker from Yorkville possesses two strong hands with which he capably handles ductillite and his accordion. His appearances on the family broadcast have been highly commendable. Now a regular in orchestra in 1943."
Tony Biacco Working With Ductillite at Wheeling Steel Corporation, Wheeling, W. Va.
Date:
Undated
Description:
"Tony Biacco, steelmaker from Yorkville possesses two strong hands with which he capably handles ductillite and his accordion. His appearances on the family broadcast have been highly commendable. Now a regular in orchestra in 1943."
The Musical Steelmakers Accompany Tom Care During a Trumpet Solo
Date:
Undated
Description:
"The Steelmakers accompany Tom Care, employee from the Steubenville Works, as he headlines with a trumpet solo. Tom played "At The End Of a Perfect Day", which appealed to a great number of Wheeling Steel's nation-wide family."
The Musical Steelmakers Practicing Before Performance on 'It's Wheeling Steel' Radio Program
Date:
Undated
Description:
Caption on back of photograph reads: "Here's the same quintet on Sunday, running over a number before air time. Lew Davies is the conductor of the program's 23 piece orchestra of mill, plant, and office workers."
'Singing Secretary' Regina Colbert Catching Up on Correspondence at Her Desk
Date:
Undated
Description:
Caption on back of photograph reads: "Part of Regina Colbert's lunch hour is devoted to catching up on correspondence with service men at home and overseas. The "Singing Secretary" writes weekly to a number of men in uniform." Regina Colbert was a performer on the "It's Wheeling Steel" Radio broadcast. This broadcast was ran exclusively by Wheeling Steel Corp. employees and family members, but as the program grew in popularity they began to hire performers with professional backgrounds, like Regina Colbert. However, in order to comply with his rule of an all employee only run program, he would hire these professionals to work in the offices for a period of time. In Colbert's case, she was hired to work as a secretary in the advertising department.
John Wisvari, Violin Player for Wheeling Musical Steelmakers
Date:
Undated
Description:
The Wheeling Musical Steelmakers were a group that would regularly perform on the "It's Wheeling Steel" radio broadcast, created in 1936 by John L. Grimes who wanted to promote both Wheeling Steel Corporations products and their employees. John Wisvari's day job was a pipe-threader at the Benwood Works.
Caption on back of photograph reads: "When the Musical Steelmakers are heard each Sunday, starting October 5, over at Station ___ at ___ o'clock these three pretty singers, the Steel Sisters, will help add to the gaiety and tunefulness of the programs. They are, from the left, Lois Mae Nolte, Harriet Drake, and Lucille Bell. Like other members Musical Steelmakers troupe they are either employees in the steel industry or members of employee families." The first all employee broadcast. The Steel Sisters eventually gained so much recognition that they went on tour with Horace Heidt and his orchestra.
Singing Mill Men, Stay In's of "It's Wheeling Steel" Radio Broadcast, Wheeling, W. Va.
Date:
Undated
Description:
Two of the mill men share coffee, still in their work clothes, after receiving a call to come from the mill to the main office for rehearsal right away. They were preparing to go to Chicago for a war bond program. See original photograph for further description.
Caption on back of photograph reads: "Molly Staten and Eleanor Bowman Lynn rehearsed several weeks on their piano duet. They are stenographers from the main office of Wheeling Steel Company." Like all performers and employees on the "It's Wheeling Steel" broadcast, all were also employees or family members of the Wheeling Steel Corporation. They were radio's first all employee only broadcast.
Bill Griffiths of Singing Millmen, Making Miniature Military Equipment
Date:
Undated
Description:
Caption on back of photograph reads: "Bill Griffiths makes military equipment during working hours, relaxes in his spare time by duplicating his day's work in miniature. he built the model guns and tanks shown here, and the train that carries them. On Sundays, he's one of the famed "Singing Millmen"." The Singing Millmen were regulars on the "It's Wheeling Steel" radio broadcast.
Several People Waiting to Audition for 'It's Wheeling Steel' Broadcast
Date:
Undated
Description:
Caption on back of photograph reads: "For headlining appearances, auditions for mill workers and members of their immediate families are held every few weeks at the studios of WWVA. Of course, due to the standard set for our program, all that are auditioned can not be presented. The standard set is inferred to be that of the broadcasting station's, thereby relieving the corporation of discrimination."
Group of Musicians Auditioning for 'It's Wheeling Steel' Program
Date:
Undated
Description:
Everyone pictured is either an employee of the Wheeling Steel Corporation or is an immediate family member of someone who works for them. This family owned and operated broadcast was the first of it's kind and this policy was maintained throughout the broadcast's existence.
Ed Kostillo Headlining 'It's Wheeling Steel' Radio Broadcast
Date:
Undated
Description:
Ed Kostillo from the pipe mills of the Benwood Works started playing his harmonica to entertain his fellow mill men during lunch hour. Later he won a headliner appearance on the family broadcast with the entire steelmakers orchestra accompanying him.
Ed Kostillo Playing Harmonica for Fellow Mill Men, Benwood, W. Va.
Date:
Undated
Description:
Ed Kostillo from the pipe mills of the Benwood Works started playing his harmonica to entertain his fellow mill men during lunch hour. Later he won a headliner appearance on the family broadcast with the entire steelmakers orchestra accompanying him.
