Sponsor (1964)

produced and distributed, several of which have won awards up through the Oscar level. There has been a successful Magoo featurelength cartoon. Also, Magoo's services have been available for public service films. Although Magoo animated films don't have any budget problems for sets and other inanimate production values ("If we need a prop, we just draw one," says Saperstein), they're far from inexpensive. A small army of artists, animators and other production staffers — some 250 in all — are required to produce the new tv series. Costs are "comparable," according to Saperstein, between the half-hour Magoos and starname situation comedies, i.e. about $60,000 per episode. Breaking even on such a big nut is not easy, Saperstein admits. "Syndication is an absolute must on this series," he told Sponsor. "Our first network run is expected to be a no-profit situation on the new series, but we're confident that the profit will be there in the long haul through syndication, and through foreign sales. We have already sold the new series in Japan, England and Australia, and have orders pending for Latin America and Germany." UPA has a built-in source of revenue in the Magoo series: tv commercials. "So far, the sponsors for the new series aren't merely in favor of using Magoo in commercials — they insist on it as part of the deal. He'll be available to Libby, McNeill & Libby and to all other 'substantial' purchasers of the show for commercials and for other promotional tie-ins." Saperstein, incidentally, is the one who makes the decision on whether a sponsor is spending enough to warrant being grantee the use of Magoo as a direct sale; weapon. There's no firm yardsticl as to what is, or isn't, a substantia purchaser of the show, but Saper stein says "it won't be a short term advertiser buying somethinj like alternate-week minutes." Sponsors have a tendency t( stick close to Magoo in tv. Timex for instance, sponsored the 196^ and 1963 showings on NBC-TV of Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol via Warwick & Legler. Timex wil again sponsor a 1964 exposure (on December 11, 7:30-8:30 p.m. as part of a five-year deal the watch company has for the special. Not generally known is th« fact that General Electric anc Libby, McNeill & Libby both madi offers to Timex to buy part of the Christmas season show. GE, ii fact, is understood to have offeree to pay up to three-fourths of trw ■ Not only is Quincey Magoo far from the pattern of tv's hero types, he's hardly what you'd expect optometrically as a top salesman for a product like General Electric light bulbs. But, in a manner befitting Gilbert & Sulli van's "ingenious paradox." Magoo — who is classically nearsighted — manages to sell the concept of better sight through better light so well that GE is a prime Magoo booster. "We've had excellent consumer and dealer response to our MagJ television commercials, ads ant promotions," Norman Townseofl supervisor of GE's residential lamp advertising, told Sponsor. "\\e'\. had a phenomenal use of point of-purchase Magoo material, es Magoo commercials for GE in 1960 had presidential election theme, with a spoof campaign of "Magoo for President " Actually, there were several thousand write-in votes for Magoo. 46 More recent GE Magoo campaign features tie-in with GE dii play at the New York World's Fair. This commercial was seer on more than 300 stations during the GE promotion in Spring, 1964 SPONSOR