▁young ▁readers ▁to ▁perform ▁successfully . ▁His ▁column ▁appeared ▁in ▁newsp apers ▁from ▁ 1 9 3 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 4 0 . ▁Thomas ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Society ▁of ▁American ▁Mag icians ▁and ▁attended ▁their ▁national ▁con ferences . ▁By ▁ 1 9 3 6 , ▁Thomas ▁had ▁an ▁additional ▁interest : ▁radio ; ▁he ▁became ▁the ▁host ▁of ▁a ▁summer ▁replacement ▁show ▁about ▁mov ies ▁for ▁C inc inn ati ▁radio ▁station ▁W L W . ▁A ▁year ▁later , ▁he ▁interview ed ▁Ed gar ▁Ber gen ▁and ▁became ▁interested ▁enough ▁in ▁vent ril o qu il ism ▁and ▁d umm ies ▁to ▁visit ▁the ▁Chicago ▁work shop ▁of ▁the ▁man ▁who ▁produced ▁Charlie ▁Mc Car thy . ▁ ▁He ▁continued ▁working ▁at ▁W L W , ▁writing ▁and ▁creating ▁his ▁own ▁shows : ▁I ▁Cover ▁the ▁Mov ies ▁and ▁Inside ▁Radio ▁and ▁as ▁a ▁disk ▁j ockey ▁for ▁others , ▁such ▁as ▁BC ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁B ands . ▁He ▁was ▁then ▁te amed ▁with ▁Ruth ▁Ly ons ▁for ▁Collect ▁C alls ▁From ▁Low ent hal . ▁ ▁Still ▁at ▁W L W , ▁the ▁pair ▁moved ▁to ▁a ▁morning ▁radio ▁show , ▁Mor ning ▁Mat ine e ▁( l ater ▁called ▁The ▁ 5 0 ▁Club ), ▁which ▁Thomas ▁co - host ed ▁with ▁Ly ons ▁for ▁eight ▁years . ▁During ▁this ▁time ▁he ▁also ▁did ▁personal ▁appearances ▁with ▁other ▁W L W ▁air ▁personal ities , ▁serving ▁as ▁the ▁announ cer ▁and ▁as ▁a ▁mag