Variety (Apr 1949)

TBUIVISION SI TV'S m STUFF' SUMMER ROSIER Friday Was Snafu Day fw Cleve. s WEWS in UNESCO Broadcast Mixup Cleveland, April 5. + Fridav was anything but "April Fool's Day" to WEWS, which had been battling for permission to telecast the night activities of the nnlv open UNESCO meeting here Aoril 1 The events included an address by Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt. After battling with the State • Dent for three days and finally Sng approval, WEWS thought it was all set. A letter had been received from Paul Hurd, head of the Cleveland Public Auditorium, ■ signaling the green light. But WEWS failed to reckon with ,AFL unions, including the stage- hands, electricians, engineers and ' laborers, who said they wouldn't move a finger if WEWS' non-union men moved in lines, electrical, equipment, etc. . i Showtime at 8 p.m. found the ■ unions adamant, the State Dept. In \ near-frenzy and WEWS out on a limb. Hurd declared that if the, Stage employees refused to open | curtain or electriciahs Berle Eyes Cantinflas Cantinflas, leading Mexican comic, may do his first televi- sion show soon via a guest shot on Milton Bef-le's "Texaco Star Theatre." Comedian is due in the U. S. in two weeks for a per- sonal appearance at the Del- mar, N. y., Spanish-language vaude house. Berle hopes to get him on the NBC-TV show during that run. « Pacific TV Sneak in Hub Gets Qient, But Is Nixed PftCE iPPED Television will continue its ac- celerated rate of growth during the summer, despite the hiatus planned for most of the top-rated programs flow on the air. That is the opinion of most in- dustry officials, predicated on a number of factors. At least 15 new stations are scheduled to take the air between now and mid-Sep- tember, most of them in what un- til now has been tele-virgin terri^ I tory. Those stations which began , operation since last summer will,; in most instances, be able to pro- i gram local baseball pickups -this i May Day Debut of 2 New Coaxials Will Ease East Midwest Network Jam Uie. stage . refused to provide sufficient cur-1 Boston, April 5. rent for the video side, there just ^ pioved fb be an April, fooler, wouldn't be any video presenta-, but WBZ-TV, tlie potent First Na- tion. He added he could not force , tional Bank of Boston and BBD&O his men to work. Meanwhile the show had gotten under way with lero hour the coming talk by Mrs. Roosevelt. As deadline neared, Cleveland's Mayor Thomas A. Burke is reported to have asked William Finegan, sec- retary of the Cleveland Federation of Labor and business representa- tive of the AFL-Theatre State Em- Agency figured they were going to make video history locally by air- ing the current smash "South Pacific" last week. Bank had bankrolled the idea as "willing to meet any figure" to show the hit at the Shubert to the Hub's 50,000 video owners. Figure mentioned in negotiations was $10,000. but the bank would! ployees Union: "You're not going, have topped that if necessary, to let anything Interfere with the: Producers finally vetoed the deal televising of Mrs. Jloosevelt, are on the grounds it would set an you?" Answered Finegan: "No, we won't let anything interfere." .WEWS was then able to tele- vise the remaining portion of the UNESCO performance. WEWS' cameras, focusing on Mrs. Roose- velt, hit one of the podium mikes full face, with the result that the WTAM letters were plainly | evident throughout the telecast. In ! deal never got that far, many instances the letters ob- scured the faces of UNESCO speakers. WEWS'i. switchboard was re- ported to-have lit up like a Christ- vmas tive 'With 'protest: calls, Com- (Continued on page 39) embarrassing precedent. Also fig ured the show might not look as good as it does on stage, a remote possibility, it's figured here, but producers remembered how sad another hit lookei on video. BBD&O producer "Jack Wright figured on using infra red lights without Additional lighting, but Still a 'Question' CBS-TV will continue pro- gramming its incumbent "Cross Question" sliow in the Tuesday night 8 to 9 slot throughout the summer, de- spite the temporary exit of Milton Berle's "Texaco Star Theatre" from the competing NBC-TV web. CBS execs believe they have a potential winner in "Ques- tion," a live studio show origi- nating in Philadelphia, which presents actual altorncys and judges acting out court cases. Program's Hooperating has been kept down around a 1 only because of the competi- tion from Berle; Web feels certain it will be able to snare . most of Berle's audience dur- ing the suftimer and maintain that hold even when the Tex- aco program returns in the fall. The Wretch Textron found itself in an awkward spot this week in connection with the commer- cial for - its Sunday night Hartman show on NBC-TV. Fabric company each week brings to New York an en- gaged girl to extol the virtues of . a Textron trousseau. Yesterday (Tues.^ J. Walter Thompson, which produces the show, had to cancel out the gal pacted for next Sunday's (lOi commercial. She called up to say she had broken her engagement. RCA Buys Hour Wed. TV Time To Oppose Godfrey ■♦■ Two new coaxial cables linking television's eastern and midwest-r ern networks have been scheduled for a May 1 teeoff, which will gqi far towards easing the cursreni-.' pinch faced by broadcasters -In their network operations. Alloca- tions on the total of three cableS^ to be in use are split about evenly among ^the four major webs, with all the top-rated N. Y.-originated programs .securing: their . present. times.'"' • ■ .■■•■''',' •■' In pitching for time on the hook- ups, the networks ran into the same snafu encountered last wtni* . ter before the single cable now. in i use was opened. Four webs com-- peting for three cables would not give in to compromises. Americany Telephone & Telegraph, which in- stalls and operates the co-axes;- finally laid the problem in the laps of station operators in Erie, Rochw ' ester and Buffalo, last three sta- tions on the lirik to take the air, I and the solution they arrived at ih- I dicates the top-rated shows in the I key metropolitan area have equally ! good audience pull in the other I cities. Thus, for example, DuMont { maintains its hold on the Sunday the I night 7 to 8 slot for "Original Ama- and CBS draws a cable Admiral Joins In 'Stop Music Buy BATES' SUMMER FOLD AS W SPONSOR Bates Fabrics bows oft the Kyle MacDonnell-Earl Wrightson "Girl About Town" show at the end of April, as the latest in the parade of bankroilers taking time off for the summer. Program, aired Sun- day nights from 10:10 to 10:20, chalked up a Hooper in the last ratings of 16.1 season—and while baseball might have lost its pull in the older TV cities it was the big video booster in those areas originally. As far as the key city areas are concerned and those on- the east and midwest network links, most j viewers in those cities have by now acquired the TViewing habit. While they won't be able to take portable receivers with them on. vacation, they can be counted on to continue looking while they're at home. And, to preclude any lag in their interest, the major net- works are already formulating plans to showcase and develop some of their top house packages during the summer layoff period. No CBS Retrenchment i Illustrating the feeling among | network brass is that of CBS-TV . RCA this week bought Wednesday night 8 to 9 slot Oh I teur Hour NBC-TV No show has vet been i ^' ^'""^ ^'"^ "Studio 7 . J>io snow nas jei oeen q^^^,, ^.^^ ^j^^ ^j^.^.^ j.^^^ selected for the spot but it s ex-; ^BC. Sunday nights from 8 to 9 pected that the bankroUer will I are held by NBC for the ."Ijainbs round up the heaviest talent pos-! Gambol," CBS for Ed Sullivan's sible to shove into the time di- \ "Toast of the Town," and ABC for rectly opposite the "Arthur God-: "Hollywood Screen Test." CBS frey and Friends" show on the \ (Continued on page 36) rival CBS-TV web. Move is thus ; seen as the latest punch tossed by I, the RCA-NBC combo in its fight, against -CBS, following the l^itter i web's talent raids on NBC. I RCA now sponsors the five-times 1, weekly "Kukla, Fran and Ollie" half-^hour kids' show out of Chi- cago on the full NBC-TV east and midwest net. With its new niglit- time acquisition, it puts RCA in the top bracket commercial TV sweepstakes. For a white-It looked as though the Olsen &. Johnson Buick-spon- sored ■ hour Show would get the Wednesday 8 to 9 NBC time, fol- lowing Godfrey's refu.sal to . move out of that CBS period. But with the RCA purchase, indications now are that Buick will agree to a new CBS time,, probably Tlvursday. Agency for RCA is J. Waller Thompson. Wanted: A Tele Formulafor Clients Suggestion that television break away from radio's traditional week- ly schedule is being made in sev« eral quarters. At the CCNY con- fab last Wednesday (30) , the sales panel discussed the proposal that TV dispense with- weekly broad-. casts on some high-budgeted shows. High costs make it imprac- tical in many cases for advertisers to pick up the -tab more than, once a month.- Some sponsors, it was reported, may want to use TV only three, or four times a year, with piano man- ufacturers cited as an example. j program chief Charlies _UndeihiU. i AUTHORS LEAGUE TAKES 1 of magazines, which- make allow- jf^jX. ^^iss"lLcDoU^U ! Sln«« — ■ IN TV WRITERS GUILD ', ;>os. However, it was noted, there I ances for irregular insertion sched- under exclusive contract fori video to NBC, and program chief i Norman Blackburn is now building a new weekly offering to showcase 1 her talents during the summer. Admiral is picking up the tab ■ for the first 30 minutes of "Stop the Music" on ABC-TV. Via Kud- her. Purchase will make Admiral one of tile biggest spenders in tele. The set manufacturer also backs the hour-long "Admiral Broadway Revue" on NBC and DuMont video Webs. "Music" is being set to preem the first Thursday in May, in the ,,, ^ v . x, 8-9 p. m. slot. Second half of tlie Milton Berle will get togethei show is being sponsored bv Old with Howdy Doody tor the hrst Gold, via Lennen & Mitchell. time Friday (81, when he does a , . It's also reported that Admiral guest shot on Bob Smith s mop-; has given producers of the Friday pet show on NBC-TV to plug his , niglit revue the green light to own marathon TV stand the loi-1 TV's Momentous Meeting: Berle and Howdy Doody (Continued on page 36) | IRVING TO STAGE TONI SHOW WITH OWN INDIE Charles Irving, director of the "Nora Drake" daytime radio airer, has signed to produce the forth- coming Toni-sponsored half-hour show on CBS-TV under the aegis of his new indie package outfit. Irving will work under the produc- tion supervision of Foote. Cone & Belding TV chief Roger Pryor. Show is to be a situation comedy revolving about a group of youth- i The Authors League i Wednesday (30) passed a resolu- tion .".flmitting the Television Writ- ers Guild as a member organiza- I is a possibility for several bank- Council'rollers to get together and work out similar-mood shows, so that the same general type of program will be put on every week, The policy tion. The move is now being, sub-^; might develop a new kind of co-op mitted-to councils of other member | with costs shared over a period of leagues for approval, with action | time instead of .Jn different geo- to be completed by mid-April. | graphical areas. TWG was granted four seats on ' Although the .idea was not the League council, which was ex- ; brought up at the parley, one net- panded from 36 to 40 members, [ work veepee is proposing that ex- Discussion of the TWG draft con- i pensive video shows be presented stitution was begun and will be i three, or four times, in different voted on at the councirs next meet- spots and on different days, viii> mg. spend coin with the aim of hypoing lowing day for the Damon Runyon j (.hgracters. with commercials Its strong 44.5 rating. i Cancer Fund. I ^ ^, ^ to be integrated Already lined "P for ^he fay-, |^ p^.^,^, scheduled to stari^at huddliiig with five Writers Cooacabana and will select whichever one sub- and Latin Qtuivter. N. Y.'rli?eries I mits the best trial Script, Iry.ng into which Berle will integrate himself in his usual "Texaco. Star Theatre" stvle. Show is to origi* hate from NBC-TV's International -theatre,'N,Y;'iv... '.''^.'■-'■ . long stint, ... „ , . Seek New W Format ZJ iyaMCj 5^^^^^^ Young St Rubicam television ' and Latin Qtiaiter. N. _Y. niteues ^ ^^^^ studying the comparative costs of film and live TV and may decide to do at least half of each week's pfogi-am on film. Show is production staff it casting about, for a new progi-am format for the "Arrow Show," now aired Thurs-. day nights from B to 8:30 via NBC- TV. Present plans call for the elimination from the cast of all but •comedian Jack Gilford and to start from scratch with an entirely new setup. Program, while it's achieved, fairly respectable ratings, has been only sporadically successful from , an entertainment standpoint and A; R, has reportedly been dis- ' satisfied since Phil Silvers ankled jeveral weeks ago to devote his full energies to his currently Philco's TV Status On Tap This Week .:' ■ Future television plans of the Phileo Corp:, "which abandons spon- sorship of "Philco Television -Play- house'' after, next Sunday's (10) stanza on NBC-TV, are to be set scheduled for a May 19 launching | t,,ij, ^^^^ fuddles among top repeats or kinescope recordings. - Costs would; be cut considerably,- the exec explained, and viewers wouldn't miss good TV fare when I two costly stanzas are in the same ' time slot. Audiences won't object to see- : ing the repeati' lie says, inasmuch . as people flock to Broadway le- giters, even when-they've had a j long run. Idea is that because 'regular viewing habits haven't ' yet been formed, tele should pre- serve its material. in the 9 to 9:30 p. n). slot on CBS TV C.'S 40.750 TV SETS Washington, April 5 Video sets operating in the Rochester Prep* for TV Rochester, April 5. Plans for a demonstration of i™d"lwThe*S l"^^""'^ esti-I alter the March 27 broadcast at the ; Day Parade next Saturday .9), ^,1^ A^..n the show to coinc de i mated last week by the Washington ! completion of its 26-week run but • starting at 2:30 p, m. Agency is wihthP June 11 inauguralVideo! Television Circulation Committee was extended two weeks With fu- Blow. Philco brass and Hutchins ad agency radio-TV chief Pierson ■ Mapes.', ■ . '"Playhouse." which cost Philco an average ?15,000-$20.000 weekly, was originally supposed to sign off PM Pacts Army Parade Philip Morris has signed to bank- roll a pickup via the N. Y. Daily News' WPIX of the annual Army i coliimbus Civic Center . ^. ni'oadway leglter* "High Button > makes of telesets distnbuted by Shoes." association members on view. relav from WHAM. 1 at 40 '.50, an increase of 3,350 over It" will be staged in Knights of the March 1 figure With all The Committee is composed of ture plans still indefinite, Mapes Jid^epfa Bblloh and ReX Marshali said, Philco has not yet made a Will handle the narration ftoin ii deal with NBC^TV to maintain its " camera position along the line of reDresentatlver"of the city's four ! hold on the Sunday night 9 to 10 march. WPIX remote pickup chief television stations. ^ ^ I franchise. ^ ' ' Jock Murphy will di^ept