Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1960)

VOL. 16: No. 2 13 ward Ho!, originally conceived as a CBS-TV project based on the John Patrick book. They are discussing other shows. CBS Films: Currently preparing “at least 4 and as many as 6” pilots for network sale, program vp Robert Lewine told us he has “discussions scheduled in the near future with ABC.” Since current ABC policy is to seek co-production deals through financing, a unique situation could easily develop here in which ABC-TV would be, in effect, co-producing a TV series with an offshoot of rival network CBS-TV. It would not, however, be the first CBS Films series on ABC-TV ; that distinction rests with Sam Gallu’s Navy Log series. William Goetz: Known in the film industry primarily as a feature-film producer (Sayonara, etc.), Goetz & ABC currently have a production deal which calls for him to produce two 60-min. dramatic films on location in Israel, dealing with Biblical events in the life of King David. These are expected to be aired as semi-cultural specials on ABC-TV, and may possibly be shown in other countries, combined into one film, as a theatrical attraction. Other Organizations: A checkup among other producers shows that ABC-TV is ranging widely through the telefilm industry in its search for new liaisons. Deals are known to be in the discussion stage between ABC and Goodson-Todman (currently represented on ABC-TV with The Rebel & Philip Marlowe), Irving Pincus (co-producer of The Real McCoys on ABC with Walter Brennan), Jack Webb’s Mark VII Productions (whose long-term exclusive deal with NBC-TV is expiring) and Marterto Enterprises (producers of The Danny Thomas Show on CBS-TV). Few of these deals are mere “indications of interest” on the part of ABC-TV. Most bring ABC-TV into direct partnership with leading producers on a number of bigbudget projects in which the network will participate as a co-owner in rerun deals. They also provide ABC-TV with a steady & varied source of supply of 60-min. & 30-min. shows for any form of multi-program magazine-concept sales plan (Vol. 16:1 p8) the network may launch next fall. Canada TV Film Asks Aid: Trans-Video Productions Ltd. officials — Robert Maxwell, exec, vp, & Guy Herbert, vp & managing dir. — have charged that the content requirements of BBG are blocking development of the Canadian TV-film industry. They told Dr. Andrew Stewart, chairman of BBG, and member Carlyle Allison that the Canadian rules make it virtually impossible to produce there a high budget, internationally-salable TV series. Trans-Video cannot produce for Commonwealth consumption alone, and must have quality production values to enable it to compete in the U.S. market with the Hollywood-produced product. To do so, it needs to import key technical personnel and some performers, although TransVideo saw Canadian performers and technicians taking over almost completely, in time. Maxwell and Herbert proposed a new formula that would recognize TV films as Canadian, provided (1) they were produced in Canada and (2) more than 55% of the production cost is spent on Canadian talent & materials. “The Canadian TV film industry,” they added, “will never get on its feet unless it allows American capital to invest in its future with some hope of gain.” Purchase by United Artists of controlling interest in Ziv TV productions (Vol. 15:51 plO) was “still under way,” a UA-TV spokesman told us Jan. 7. Problem: the price. We are reliably informed deal will probably be concluded. film Writers Vote Strike: Membership of the Writers Guild of America voted last week to strike the major film studios in both TV and movies Jan. 16. The Guild received authority from its members to extend the strike to the networks and independent telefilm producers if current negotiations fail (Vol. 15:52 p4; 16:1 p4). Michael Franklin, executive director of WGA West, told us the action against the majors was motivated principally by the studios’ refusal to budge on the Guild demands for a cut of any post-1948s sold to TV. He said virtually no progress has been made in 3 months of negotiations with the majors, the Alliance of TV Film Producers and the networks. While the post-1948 issue is the key in talks with the majors, the chief issues in negotiations with the TV independents and networks involve increase in minimums; increase in residuals so that reruns would be based on the fee a writer receives rather than minimum; payment for foreign reruns; separation of rights, and recognition of adapters’ rights. WGAW’s contract with the independents expires Jan. 15 and with the networks Jan. 30, and Franklin said there is every likelihood of strikes in those areas also. WGAW’s last strike in TV, against the Alliance, was in 1952-53 and lasted 14 weeks. The Guild’s contract with the major studios in movies expired last Nov., but a strike had been delayed in hopes a settlement would be reached. Meanwhile, presidents of the major film companies agreed to a precedent-setting face-to-face showdown meeting with the Screen Actors Guild to avoid the imminent strike against their studios (Vol. 15:52 p4; 16:1 p4). The conference will take place late this month, before S-AG’s contract expires on Jan. 31. The crisis, which threatens to close every major studio in Hollywood, was precipitated when the talent guilds demanded a cut of post-1948 movies sold to TV, and the majors fiatly refused. Due in Hollywood from N.Y. for the key talks are Loew’s Inc. Pres. Joseph R. Vogel; Columbia Pictures Pres. Abe Schneider; Paramount Pres. Barney Balaban; 20thFox Pres. Spyros Skouras and Universal-International Pres. Milton R. Rackmil. Other company presidents, headquartered in Hollywood, are Jack L. Warner of Warner Bros, and Steve Broidy of Allied Artists. Studios, meanwhile, were making preparations for a strike. William Dozier, vp in charge of Coast operations for Screen Gems, the Columbia subsidiary, told us if there is a strike by both actors and writers guilds, “we’ll just put on reruns.” He wasn’t too concerned about the writers’ action, commenting “We’re way ahead on scripts — we had been anticipating this possibility.” Adolphe Wenland, Hollywood “giveaway king,” whose statement that he has been an unpaid, voluntary worker for U.S. Treasury Dept, savings bond div. for years, was met with skepticism by Edmund J. Linehan, bond ad & prom. dir. (Vol. 16:1 pl3), has provided us with evidence that he has done such work for 14 years. Wenland has in his possession letters of commendation for his work from Treasury Dept, officials, including Jacob Mogelever, chief of the press section, when he praised Wenland in 1951; Earl 0. Shreve, national dir. of the bond div., when he wrote his commendation in 1955; Vernon Clark, also once a savings bond drive dir. Wenland also has press releases from the Treasury Dept, mentioning his work for it. He repeated that he has never received a cent for his work, and said he’s sending photostatic copies to Linehan.