Variety (December 1954)

Wednesday, * December I , 1954 BILLY O'CONNOR SHOW With Billy O’Connor and Trio, Juliet Producer; Charles Wright 30 Mins., Fri. (19), 9:30 p.m. CBC Trans-Canada, front. Ottawa Spotted jn the 9:30 p.m. slot (19) to fit the program of the 26th an- nual Ottawa Press Club Ball where it was top-billed. the Billy O’Con- nor Show held to a fast, pace and smooth movement through its half- hour on the Canadian Broadcast- ing Corp.'s major radio web: W. k. fpr its 15-minute television stanza (Sat., 11:10 p.m.) ;fbr Waterman Pen and former tv sustainer “The Late Show’’ the O’Connor group maintained its reputatibn for clicko informality' with gab and chant. Session -mingled, instru- mental Vfork by ; guitar, accordion and bass and featured piping by O’Connor and Juliet; Charles Wright’s production kept the'pace moving without let- down and in spite of room’s' big-: ness the audio was okay on both gab and music! Airing originated on the floor of the Chateau Lau- rier ballroojn. During the session, a message to newspaper readers and other Can. press clubs was spoken by James Nelson, president Of the Ottawa club, and local staffer of British United Press. Gorm. Radio Followup Fred. Allen was, as to be pected, an extraordinary guest on the Tex & Jinx WRCA, N.Y., radio show last Wednesday (24), and the fact that his sharp wit may have been wasted on a segment of the' hausfr^u audience was refuted by the apparently surprisingly large number of phone callers. They at least more than got the idea about sponsors, network veepees, and the , like. The McCrarys handled him forthrightly without any concern about their own network veepees, but at the^same time kept the caustic comedian on even keel. It’s all part of Allen’s shill for his new book, “Treadmill to Obliv- ion,” personal memoirs of his green (and sometimes bitter! yeai’s in radio. His summation is that all a comedian has left are “the echoes of forgotten laughter and some Treasury Dept, receipts”—the lat- ter interjected as an afterthought. He,recapped his phoney feud with Jack Benny, apparently ha§ high professional regard for a . number of professional funnymen, expres- sing Jiimself being unable to focus on any one “best” as Miss Falken- burg urged; and withal it was easily one of the best interviews on anybody’s AM, p.m,, or a.m. Incidentally, Alien is another who proves “have book, will travel.” Like other stars, from all media, if you’re plugging 'a book or a play or a picture; it’s one thing to.do a cuffo guester; if it’s just for a sponsor then the fee taikes on dif- ferent values. Abel. at the Piano • Organ * Celeste KRAFT TV THEATRE (TONIQHT) * Radio;. Registry * BUSINESS TALENT FOR SALS' • Thli young mon—21 yetri old, mtrrUd r and ••Ilea* •tfueattd, It looking an attractivo op- portunity In any hranoh at tho oritortalament Induitry. Hi nai booh ■ In advorttolng tali* far tho gait 5 yaara and > gpiMiMi * natural flair, far ihiwmanihlp. Ha bat tho ability fa think fait and gat thlnil dona.. Ha la Imapl- natlvarhaa a areatlva mind glut found bull- nata Judgmant. A daflnlta awSt far your orianliatlon. Moot him and baa far youriilf. Wrlta Bax VR32I, VARIETY, 134 W. 46t(i 8traat New York •VIRYDAY ON EVIRY CHANNIl BROOKS COStTMES * W o « i • a W«»t ll.tff., N.Y.C.-T«I. PI. f-MOO HONOLULU SYMPHONY 120 Mins., Frh (12), 7:30 p.m. HAWAnAN ELECTRIC CO. KHOK Honolulu Semi-pro Honolulu Symphony Is neither the nation’s best nor worst orchestra. Matter of fact, it’s a competent outfit that never ceases to amaze even the most sophis- ticated visitors Who can’t help but marvel at its harmonious .multi- racial makeup. Group has made impressive strides under maestro . George Barati and reviewers do everything but gush as they toss superlatives after each concert. But somebody slipped on this parents-children presentation, that was neither a’ “children’s concert” nor a bona- fide pops concert, in addition to a rambling choice of fare, broadcast stumbled be- cause Barati, who figuratively wields iron baton, insisted. on spieling program comments before each number. His “explanations” sounded either condescending or elementary to the casual listener. Ironically, Jim Wahl, one of the town’s top vomers,* was there to handle the signon and signoff, plus midway station, break. Beverly Kaanapu, 'home town guest artist, -scored nicely iri her two numbers, one of them sung in Hawaiian. Family audience in big Civic Auditorium responded nicely but broadcast wasn’t one of the sym- phony’s best; Sponsor , would do well to, insist that: a pro narrator or annotator handle that special- ized chore and let .conductor, con- centrate on batoping. Walt *•* »• PARTY WITH MARTY With Marty Ross lid Mins.; Mon.-thru-Ffi., 2:05 p.m. Participating WABY, Albany Program, deejayed by Marty Ross, originally a teenage musical commentator on old WBCA in Schenectady, differs from many hereabouts in that the choice of tunes is strictly his own. It is not the Hid Parade type, although Ross does include some of the current populars, Operating on the assump- tion listeners will like his selec- tion taste, Ross plays numerous rhythm and blues records, folk tunes and others not too often heard. He spins a few new num- bers, to. balance the old ones, speaks, at times, of platters from al “personal collection.” A guess might be that the col- lege bunch would most con- sistently like Ross’ show, but its listenability is not confined to them. He knows music; possesses a good speaking voice. One interview heard was with screen stiar. Jan. Sterling, the content being serious. Ross handles spot announcements Well; also does the. five^minute news roundup in competent fash- ion. He is back on the air after Army, service. Jaco. ’ SONGS FOR A NEW MORNING With Bill Myers Producer: Mendel Kohansky 15 Mins. Distributed by the National Com- mittee for Labor Israel (trans- scriptioh) Attempting to further the feme of Israel’s Histadrut (sole labor union), the National Committee for Labor Israel in the U.S. has cut the sfirst. couple of a series of 15- minute stanzas built on Israeli folk music. It’s a neatly done job, utiliz- ing recorded music, and, consider- ing the limitations of a tunalog so obviously with Oriental flavor, it should be worthy of at least occa- sional playing in most urban mar- kets, Further, it should- do excep- tionally well via outlets catering particularly to cosmo tastes. Best that the quarter-hour tran- scription be used in Its entirety, since there are records available of the same music it features. Besides, narrator Bill Myers adds knowl- edgeable, semi-poetic word bridges that add a decidedly pleasant touch. The two stanzas heard were based on separate facets of the Histadrut. One was based on the union’s med- ical .program. The other o.o/d the agricultural setup, and to : maintain the theme, a songalog re “Mayim” (“water”), “At Adama” . (“New Soil”), “Lech Lamidbor” • (“Go to the Desert”), etc., was played. Surprising is the breadth of music, folk and otherwise, that is identified how with Israel. Much of it Is native to the country, yet there is a host of other numbers that've been borrowed from other lands. An example of the latter— and a-tune that might readily come Up on one of the future. “Songs for a New Morning”—is a folksy piece brought by the. Charkassians from the Russian Steppes and ,no\y symr boliiing part of the Israeli exist- ence.*’ Art. WSftl^TY RADIO REVIEWS 39 —P——————■^—■——- . . j. ■ 1 ■■ 1 1 —— mmmmmm -A———. ... that a local television station can present news with special flavor and meaning for its community above and beyond regular coverage. WPlX-11 is more than just proud to have-its Telepix News receive the only 1954 Sylvania Award for a television news program... WPIX-11 considers this coveted award confirmation of the idea of “on-the-spot” and “eye witness news reporting for specific local interest. Winner of the only 1954 Sylvania Award for television news “on-the-spot” “eye witness” reporting 4 * “For outstanding contribution to creative television technique” “Telepix News” with John Tillman Sponsored by Con Edison 7:15 PM Monday through Friday 11:00 PM Monday through Saturday 6:45 PM Sunday New York