Broadcasting (July - Sep 1950)

Respects (Continued f rom page 52) and since joining Le Vally he has become a forceful booster for television as well. Pin him do'wn as to why he is attracted to TV, and he'll say "it has such terrific social implications— let alone commercial appeal." A native Chicagoan, James George Cominos is the son of a tobacco importer. He grew up on the city's near north side, not far from big Nicholas Senn High School. Dark and well groomed, he set something of a record at "Senn" when he was cast as a lead in a school dramatic production while only a freshm.an. By the time he was a senior, he had been polished to such a lustre by the school's drama coach, Melita Skillen, that she starred him in a succession of plays staged by her North Shore little theatre group — the Evanston Players. Shortly after Jim Cominos was graduated from Nicholas Senn and had entered Northwestern U., he began writing, producing, and directing shows for the Evanston Players. During this period, ho won what was later to become a highly prized theatrical honor. One of his plays took a first place in Chicago's Goodman Theatre competition over the entry of a theatre group from Woodstock, 111., whose impresario was Orson Welles. Rather than take the long road Page 64 • September 25, 1950 to Broadway or Hollywood, however, Mr. Cominos decided in 1936 to cash in on his stage experience with BBDO. For a year he wondered if he would ever use his dramatic talents. "I wrote copy, did research, worked on new business, made up presentations, pored over accounting books, and watched layouts being drawn for hours on end," he recalls. But he now realizes that his "intensive experience," advancing through nearly every department at BBDO that first year, prepared hirn for broader responsibilities later on. During his second year with the agency, he was promoted to radio and publicity director in the Chicago office. Later, as Chicago continued to grow as a radio origination center, Mr. Cominos was a natural selection to take over production and direction of shows sponsored by such BBDO clients as Household Finance, U. S. Steel, duPont and Hormel. Yet all of his activities were not confined to Chicago. He often flew to other cities to whip into shape, on short notice, musicals, dramas, quiz shows and other live programs. Incidentally, these flights put him in the running for honorable mention as an airline passenger. He still averages aboat 40,000 flight miles annually, and can tell of such harrowing experiences as the time he walked away from a serious crash. During the war. Mr. Cominos rose to captain in the Marine Corps. He returned to BBDO in 1946 as an account executive in New Yorir, but left the agency a year later to join his present employer in Chicago. Lines Up Experts His first step as radio and television director at Le Vally was to bolster his department with as fine an array of "specialists" as can be found in any Chicago agency, in fact, he believes his radio-TV staff", as now constituted, is "one of the most exceptional in the country." Mr. Cominos currently is most active on the account and managerial side of the ledger. Several television accounts command much of his attention, such as Household Finance (People's Platform) ; Frank Fehr Brewing Co., Louisville (Fehr's Guest Book); Deepfreeze Appliance Division, Motor Products Corp. ( Cooking Is Fun) ; Hamilton Automatic Clothes Dryers; Chicago Electric Mfg.; John Meek Industries, and Scott Radio Labs. He notes that Household Finance was one of the first national advertisers to buy television, as well as Transit Radio. Management-wise, Mr. Cominos constantly is inaugurating company policies that make working at Le Vally a pleasure. Muzak has been piped into the company's offices, a five-gallon jug of coffee is "on the house" each morning (with sweet rolls added on Friday), and free hospitalization and insurance are provided. Turnover 25 YEARS WITH WEEI Weatherman Marks Date E. B. RIDEOUT, whose weather talks have been a feature of WEEI Boston since 1925, last month celebrated his 25th anniversary as the CBS affiliate's staff meteorologist. Highlight of the observance was presentation of an ice cream cake prepared by his sponsor, H. P. Hood Co. (dairy products). With time out only during World War II, Mr. Rideout's weather forecasts now number over 17,000 Mr. Rideout (seated) watches as cake is presented by Announcer Phil MacDonald (I) and cut by Jan Gilbert of Harold Cabot & Co. Looking on is Jack Pellen, of Hood's advertising department. and have been continuously sponsored by H. P. Hood. He claims an average of 85% accuracy. Promoters of important outdoor events have such faith in Mr. Rideout's forecasts that they consult him before setting the dates for their events, according to WEEI. among Le Vally's 60 employes (three times the original roster) is practically nil. In 1941, Jim Cominos was married to Nancy Watts, daughter of the late John Watts, a top news executive on the Chicago Tribune for a quarter of a century. They live on the north side of Chicago where their interests largely revolve about Mr. Cominos' professional contacts. Mr. Cominos was one of the founders of the Chicago Radio Management Club, and is a member of the Chicago Television Council. John Connery JOHN CONNERY, 74, theatrical and radio actor, died Sept. 13 in Madison, Wis., at the home of his nephew, Harold B. McCarty, general manager of WHA, U. of Wisconsin station. Among the radio productions in which Mr. Connery participated were Great Plays, The Aldrich Family, Lorenzo Jones, Gang Butters, Texaco Star Theatre, American School of the Air and Five Star Final. Besides his nephew, he leaves a sister. BROADCAST of all Wichita U. football games, home and away, to be carried by KFH-AM-FM Wichita. WLAN PETITION FCC Upholds WORK Increase PETITION of WLAN Lancaster, Pa., which partly on economic grounds opposed the power increase granted WORK York, Pa., has been dismissed by the FCC. WLAN had requested reconsideration of the Commission action in granting without hearing the application of WORK to increase daytime power to 5 kw on 1350 kc. WORK continues to use 1 kw at night. WLAN contended "the listening public now served by petitioner's station will be severely injured through the unfair division of available revenues necessary for the maintenance and support of petitioner's station." WORK is owned by J. Hale and John F. Steinman, who also control WEST Easton and WGALAM-FM-TV Lancaster, Pa., WDEL Wilmington, Del., and have substantial interests in WKBO Harrisburg and WRAW Reading, Pa. WLAN further alleged, according to FCC, "that the Steinman brothers, through their control of the only daily newspapers in Lancaster and their broadcast interest have formed a combination to restrain competition and through monopoly will deprive petitioner of essential revenues." However, FCC concluded nothing was presented in the WLAN petition to sustain such allegations. FCC noted York and Lancaster were two different cities and hence discounted WLAN's claim that the principle of the Sanders Bros, case was applicable. The Sanders case provides FCC may consider economic effect within a single community. FCC also said it was not necessary to consider the applicability of its multiple ownership rule (Sec. 3.35) to WORK and WGAL and WKBO, as also requested by WLAN. AIMS Meet Set FALL meeting of the Assn. of Independent Metropolitan Stations will be held Oct. 16-18 at the Lennox Hotel in St. Louis, it was announced last week by William E. Ware, president, KSTL St. Louis, the host station. CALL DON COOKE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE WASHINGTON, D.C. WEAM MUTUAL 5000 WATTS BROADCASTING • Telecasting