Variety (Apr 1949)

36 RA1M0.TBUEVIS10N Wednesday, April 6, 1949 From the Production Centres lis ISEW YORK CITY ... stork had spree at WNEW last week: Disk jockey Jerry Marshall fathered first child, Michael Terry; and scripter Bob Stewart announced second son, Sande . Richard McCutcheon, WOR tiewswriter, left Wednesday (30) for month vacation in Europe .. .John Bates, ex-J. M. ' Mathes radio director, has joined Kenyon & Eckhardt as supervisor of tadio production . Composer Irving' Fields to guest on CBS' "Herb ^ Shriner Show" April 11 William G. White, ex-Benton & Bowles, joined Pedlar & Ryan Monday (4) as chief time buyer .. Henry R. Poster, who has been with ABC. MBS and WNEW sales and promotion departments, has joined sales staff of Headley-Reed station reps . . ] JRalph Bellamy to guest on preem of Alic!« Relnheart-Lei Tremaine hubby-wifey show on WOR Saturday (9).. Daniel Rudstein, remem- ^ bered as a prewar radio scripter', now deep in Mass. poMtics as a state , assemblyman.. Bob Heller slated for CBS veepee chevrons? . "Mr. I & Mrs. Jane" CBS sustainer may get one of the two Monday night JLux , Radio Theatre hiatus slots this summer . . Red Barber back from i Florida today (6) after six weeks with the Dodgers at Vero Beach. Ditto \ Judson Bailey, Who writes Barber's CBS "Club House" program | Licon Levine, CBS director of discussion broadcasts, elected president I of metropolitan N, Y. chapter of Assn. for Education by Radio. | Boy born to the Alan Surgals (radio scripter) last week, named | Jonathan Richard. Mother's Florence Small Wallace Chateauvert ap-1 pointed auditioq and casting directdr at Young & Rubicam succeeding i Joseph Sctbetta, who moves into the Dunniger-Paul Winchell TV show , produced by the agency . . . Elizabeth Eustis new to "Lora Lawton" ... I Anne Seymour joins "Our Gal Sunday" cast . . . Charita Bauer, Helen Shields and Bret Morrison added to "Stella Dallas"... Maurice G«s- field, Arthur Kohl, Larry Robinson, Peter Fernandez and iJackie Grimes new to "Front Page Farrell. H. Ri Baukhage, the commentator, to lecture to Masons in Spring- field. 111., Friday (8). . Gordon A. Hellman, formerly with ABC-TV, has joined radio-tele department of Kenyon & Eckhardt.. <. ABC head librarian, Ruth Crawford, is chairman of the Special Libraries Spring Institute Bill Spier, producer of CBS' "Sam Spade" aftd "Philip Morris Playhouse," planed In from thfe Coast Saturday (2). Out again tonight (Wed.K Tomorrow <Thurs) will be Drew Pearson day on WJZ, tying in with i opening of "City Across the River," film for which Pearson did intro ' . , -John J. Karol, CBS sales manager, nominated for prez ot Radio i Executives Club, to succeed Cirl Havelin, of BMI, ,..P. J. Ritter, spon- sor of ABC's "Betty Clark Sings." featuring the: bUnd 12-year-old singer, will launch a "Box Tops to Fight Blindness" drive • in May BankroUei;. will compute 'profits made on' listener purchases' and will donate the sum to National Council to Combat Blindness. The Mende Browtts (he's WOR producer, she's costume designer Ruth Kanin) have a new daughter, Dina, born Sunday (3) at French hospital. . . .Samuel A. Alter, former assistant v.p. of Coca-Cola, ap- pointed v.p. of Blow agency .. , , C. G.; Alexander, ex-NBC-TV, is new : business manager of Kenyon & Eckhardt radio-TV dept. . . Mort Fieisehl. WMCA account exec, father of son, Barry, at White Plams liospital Sunday (3).. . .Barbara Frost leaves ABC publicity department to join WOR flackery Monday (ID . . . Harry Wismer recovered irom : Illness, leaves Detroit today to cover Master's Gold Tourney in ,Atlanta . . .. .'Robert B. Masson, former radio director of several fund drives, has joined Young &'Rubicam radio-tele staff Two regular ABC commentators covering the UN General Assembly opening yesterday (Tueis.) are also UN delegates—Eleanor Roosevelt and Erwin D. Ca^ihaiv ... .CiNinle Lembke cast for "Nick Carter" next Sunday (10) and "Big Story" next Wednesday (13). IIS HOLLYWOOD ... Cy Howard, with tvio CBS shows going, is working on a third, a situation comedy piece called "Eddie and Annie," It deals with a pair of youngsters who talk and act like grownups and Howard believes he can turn it to radio and TV for simulcast . . Opie Cates replaced Felix Mills as the Lum aiid Abner music director because he can read better with a straw in his mouth Railroad Hour will skim its budget to summer weight for 22 weeks, with Gordon MacRae carrying on sup- ported by John Rarick's band and the Sportsmen Lew Weiss trained to Washingtoti as radio's only delegate to Joint Civilian Orientation conference, after which he moves on to Chicago for Mutual board meet and NAB conventionHarry Koplah is now emceeing Satur- day's "Meet the Missus" in addition to directing Ed East the other five days,.. ."Juvenile Jury" is being brought to Hollywood for two broad- casts this mid-month... "Red Ryder" moved back to ABC after four and a half years on Don Lee Larry Berns is crusading against chain ciggie smoking with a formula of his own which, he says works like a charm. , It operates this way; place a cigaret in the njouth* strike a match, blow it otiU return the cigaret to the package ... Zeke Manners hauled east to improve his radio and record deals.. . Benay Venuta is revamping "Keep Up With the Kids" and may put it back on Don Lee- Mutual.. .Maurie Webster, KNX program exec, parted with his appen- dix.... Harry Ackerman, dossiered down with new shows for the sum- mer, has a dozen ready or waiting and another dozen in reserve. ,. . From the grapevine: Groucho Marx will receive a Peabody award for being the best something or other of the season. If it's quiz or comedy or both there'U be no Academy-like gripes from this seaboard... . Irving Brecher says there: have .been no conversations with Bill Paley or MCA for a "security" deal on "Life of Riley" ...Jack Kirkwood floored by the flu and cancelled at least a half: dozen , broadcasts. lis CHICAGO ... WBBM newsman Julian Bentley to start new a.m.: series April 11, six a week.^ Sponsor is International. Harvester ;.. .NBC will demonstrate the multiplex facsimile system, which co-transmits' facsimile and regu- lar FM programs, at NAB convention .. . . Singer Jimmy Carroll guested over WBBM's "Melody Lane" Tues. (5) . Jim Mahoney, MBS midwest station relations manager,: on biz planing to Fremont, Neb., and Mar- quette, Mich. . . Radio Features, Inc., has sold Tello-Test to Columbia Baking Co. through . Freitag agency; Atlanta Don. Brinkley new WBBM assistant'program director alter 10 years of Chi radio-tele ex- perience... . WMOR has added Jay Trompeter to announcing stalf .. NBC commentator Alex Dreler on three-week speaking tour through midwest for Skelly Oil Co... . .Canada originated "Happy Gang" back on WGN-MBS .. Fran Allison of Kukla, Fran and Ollie Show to guest with disker Jerry Saxon via WIND Sat. (9), . .Lloyd Griffin, midwest operations head of Free & Peters, on Texas biz trek . Author Willard Motley guested by Emmett Dedmon on WJJD . WSAU -and WSAU- FM, Milwaukee Journal affiliate, have moved from downtown WauSau to Plumer estate.. John Carey, WIND sales manager, back from Gotham tripPhyllis Haag, 38-year-old English instructor irom Washington,: chosen best U. S. teacher in Quiz Kids contest. Janet Kern added to creative staif of Henri, Hurst & McDonald agency.,New WCFL oldtime melody show features Nikki Kaye as writer-producer-narrator ., .WBBM's Dave Moore in Milwaukee on biz Irish soprano Rita Lynch left Chi last week after two-week stay as WGN guest . , Bobbie Jean Jackson, 1949 Spirit of Cotton, guested by disker Al Benson via WJJD., NBC announced C. E, Reed upped to technical film director and engineer Frank Schnepper transferred irom AM to TV Don McNeil rejoined Breakfast Club Mon, (4) ... New WBBM Sunday fare is "House of Hymns" with Len Cleary at organ ...Arlene Bledsoe winner Of WGN "Stars of Tomorrow" com- petition 'fieorge Hartford, commercial manager Of WTOP, Wash- ington, in town for Radio Sales .. NBC promotion staffer Dave Kimble name d eomnianding officer of Natl. Guard platoon.. " '" ' rt- ": ' ''.,• ■ v'-:r .'■ c : ANNOUNCING THE ONE AND ONLY CLEARING HOUSE FOR TALENT IN NEW YORK TO CASTING Off ICES: Don't waste time searching for the talent you want—From Actors , to Novelty Acts- Calypsos to Clowns—We have 'em for you. Whether for Television, Radio, Films or Stage—Call REGISTRY'S CASTING-PLaza 7-0600. We are not agents-but the Clearing House for Talent. TO TALENT: Is your name subiDitted when a casting office calls. REGISTRY'S CASTING? If not, come in now and register for work —for promotion — for publicity. REGISTRY'S CASTING The Clearing House for Talent 21 West 47th Street. New York 19 PLam 7*0600 am Bowles Ss Continued from 3S ^ they Gould have the exclusive early airing. Bennet recognized this, when he said he assumed WTlC would get pretty well burned up if any one else broadcast at the saiiie time they did. However, no station has yet made a move in that direc- tion, most feeling that Fireside Chats are "dial twisters" and not worth the effort or the hard feel- ing that might result; Whole thing .stems back to the onetime exclusive hold on the gov- ernor's otlice maintained b.v WTIC for a period of years. Ail state- ments, conferences, chats, etc, were the property of the 50,000 waiter with no one able to cliinb aboard the wagon except for talks ot,public intere.st during the war ; This stranglehold was broken by Charlie KeatSt one tune newspaper- man and secretary to two •RepuWi'. , can governors. He offered radio facilities to any and all, noting that j he could get better coverage thus i than from a 50,000 watter which I was weak in some areas of the state i iiiid which reached an uninterested , audience in Maine and elsewhere ' out!.ide the state, I With the election of Gov. Bowles last November, situation was again I reversed with WTIC getting top ! seat. Sunimer Roster ss Continued from page 31- .^ concentrate on building shows with an eye to fall sponsorship. While plans are still in the forma- tive stage, Underbill revealed that CBS is now planning a domestic comedy seriea to replace the Ar- thur Godfrey "Talent ScouLs," launching the new program May 16. A house-built melodrania will replace "Suspense" starting July 12 and a full-scale revue is to be slotted in the Wednesday 9:30 to 10 p.m. period at the end of May, replacing "Kobb's Korner." Indicating its willingness to in- vest heavily in summer program- ming, CBS plans a Uve comedy show to replace a half-hour film program now aired Thursday nights at 9. Two new Sunday aft- ernoop. programs are in the works, one a kids' show and one a concert musicale featuring a 30-piece stu- dio orch and guest soloists. Iii ad- dition, a televersion of the Robert Q. Lewis "Little Show"'has been scheduled for an early May preera. NBC's Plans NBC-TV plans are more nebu- lous but the web has scheduled an April 16 launching for a; new half- hour show staiTing singer Jane Pickens. A full-hour dramatic series, to be produced by the web but at .a more moderate budget, is expected to replace the costly "Philco Television Pla.vhouse." which foows off after next Sunday's (10) performance. Vaudeo show, also on a less ambitious basis, will probably replace Milton Berle's "Texaco Star Theatre" when that No. 1 Hooperated opus leaves the air oarly in June, with guest emcees rotating weekly. ABC-TV and DuMont haven't yet set their plans. Tele's expansion to cities hither- to minus the medium i.s expected to maintain a steady rate of speed until the FCC lifts its freeze on new station permits within the next few months. It has alreadv been proven that the addition of fresh stations to cities with outlets already in operation always boosts the sale of receivers, through open- ing up new programs to viewers. May Day Debut 3 NEW CBS-TV OUTLETS CBS-TV snagged three more sta- tions to receive its programs dur- ing the last week. They include WKY-TV, Okla- homa City; WGAL-TV, Lancaster, I'a , and KMA-TV, Omaha. S Continued from page 31 sa gets one of the cables Mondav nights from 8:.30-9 for Arthur God- frey's ."Talent Scouts," and NBC gets the Tuesday night 8 to 9 slot- ting for Milton Berle's "Texaco I Star Theatre," Same situation I holds throughout the week, with I both NBC: and DuMont maintain- ing a hold on the Friday night 8 to 9 period for the "Admiral Broad-; way Revue." One of the three westbound cables is split at certain times dur- ing the week, during which ABC gets the single link from Philadel-. phia to Washington and NBC gets the hookup from N. Y. to Chicago via Philly. Only two cables are to: be open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Only a single cable will continue available eastbound, froni' Chi to N. Y., on which: time also has been allocated; evenly among the four webs. "WOV Leads the Parade" T/ie Billboard. March 12. 7949 WOV the only dual first award winner in Billboard's 11 th Annual radio and television promotion competition. •WAKE UP NEW YORK • 1280 CLUB •BAND PARADE •PRAIRIE STARS Italian language market 2,100,000 individuals larger than Baltimore and WasKington combined. Originators of NEW YORK