Broadcasting Telecasting (Apr - Jun 1952)

film report Production . . . George Fox Corp., Hollywood, plans a half-hour TV film series, This Is Hawthorne, starring Jim Hawthorne, comedian currently heard nightly on KNX Los Angeles. The format concerns a research leg-man whose work for an encyclopedia publishing company sends him globe-hopping. Film actors Thurston Hall and Jimmy Conlin head the supporting cast. The series, to be produced by president George Fox, starts in early July with 26 films to be completed by October and a total of 78 films by September 1953. Eddie Cline, recently with Arena Stars Inc. in charge of Spike Jones' tours and TV appearances, will direct from scripts by Fred Beck, newspaper columnist, and Arthur Hoerl, motion picture-TV writer. Palomar Productions, Los Angeles, has acquired TV film rights to Danger in the Cards, book written by Michael MacDougall, a gambling and fraud investigator. Mr. MacDougall will narrate 13 half-hour TV film series and act as technical advisor with screen writers, Earl Younker and Ray Gregori, adapting scripts. Possible alternate title is The Payoff. Kefauver investigations, Hollywood's $1 million gin rummy scandal and Miami's RoneyPlaza swindle are among cases to be dramatized. Negotiations are being concluded for Hollywood name star to enact leading role. Production will start September 1 at either Motion Picture Center, Hollywood, or at Churubusco Studios, Mexico City. Motion Picture Center Television Corp., Hollywood, has been formed for the production of half -hour TV film series. Firm is headed by Albert Zugsmith, president American Pictures, as president; Gerald Mohr, radio-film actor, vice president; Ruth Zugsmith, secretary; Joseph Justman, head of Motion Picture Center, treasurer. First series of 13, as yet untitled, will star Mr. Mohr with Peggie Castle and Laurette Luez, film actresses, signed to each enact feminine lead in first two films, all of which are budgeted at $20,000 or under. Alfred E. Green, director of "The Jolson Story," will direct series with Ralph Black as production manager. Jerry Courneya Productions, Los Angeles, is starting 26 more quarter-hour TV films in its Adventures of Noah Beery Jr. series, starring TV-film actor Noah Beery Jr. A group of 13 is already completed. John F. Link Productions, Hollywood, is making a 13 quarter-hour TV film series, The Connoisseur, dealing with fish and game. Mr. Link is the producer-director. Crown Pictures International, Hollywood, is preparing recently acquired feature film, "Alice in Wonderland," for television presentation on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day this year. Stewart O'Brien will cut and edit the film which is part live and part animated action. Screen Gems Inc., Hollywood, is completing Thomas Jefferson, halfhour TV film in NBC-TV Cavalcade of America series for duPont. The cast includes Brandon Rhodes, Raymond Greenleaf, Don Randolph, Barbara Woodell and John Hamilton. Producer director is Jules Bricken. Voglin Corp., Hollywood, is completing eight TV film commercials, ranging from two minutes to 30 seconds, for Gruen Watch Co., Cincinnati, through McCann-Erickson Inc., Hollywood. Appearing in the films are Dennis O'Keefe, Edmond O'Brien and Lizabeth Scott, film stars, and Bob Garred, ABC radio newscaster. Film People . . . Signed for Pennant Productions, Hollywood, initial film, "Flight From Tyranny" in Date With Destiny half-hour TV film series is Zsa Zsa Gabor, film actress and panel member of KNXT (TV) Hollywood's Bachelor's Haven. Harold Schuster will direct from a script by Robert Hill. Production is scheduled for late June. Gene Autry's Flying A Pictures, Hollywood, has signed Brad Johnson, film actor, to portray Lofty Craig in Annie Oakley, 52 halfhour TV western film series. En RANGERTONE BEST FOR'TV FILMS "Life" with Art Linkletter SYNC-SOUND RANGERTONE 73 WINTHROP ST NEWARK 4, N. J. DISCUSSING standardization of spot TV film mechanics at New York meeting May 13 sponsored by National Assn. of Radio and TV Station Representatives Inc., are (I to r): George Brett, Katz Agency Inc.; T. F. Flanagan, NARTSR managing director; Robert Eastman, John Blair & Co.; Martin Beck, Katz Agency; Fred Nuberth, Avery-Knodel Inc.; William Eastham, Lever Bros., and Jones Scovern, Free & Peters Inc. acting the title role is Gail Davis with Lou Gray producing. * * * W. A. Hillhouse, television director for Alexander Film Co., Colorado Springs, named sales promotion manager. Succeeding him is Earl D. Austin, special television representative. Doug Jenkins, vice president, Bracken Television Productions, Los Angeles, is currently with the Army Public Information Office in the Far East, completing a series of filmed interviews in that area, which are now being seen on West Coast TV. Jack Barron, makeup supervisor, Revue Productions, Hollywood, father of twins, Jack Jr., and Jerilyn, May 10. FILM SPOTS KEYL (TV) TOWER To Go Up This Summer SCHEDULED for late summer completion, KEYL (TV) San Antonio's new $65,000 tower and antenna will make the station the most powerful in Texas during 1952, according to George B. Storer Jr., managing director. The 101 ft., six-day GE antenna to be erected on a new 76 ft. tower atop San Antonio' Transit Tower, will place the antenna tip at 554% ft. above ground level, William J. Jackson, chief engineer, said, adding that the station's power will be doubled from 17 to 35 kw. KEYL will operate during the tenday change-over, he said. CBS-TV Billings TOTAL of $6,175,000 in new billings has been booked for four major advertisers on CBS-TV Network, Fred M. Thrower, CBS-TV vice president in charge of network sales, announced Monday. New business is from Pepsodent Div. of Lever Bros. [BeT, May 19] ; Campbell Soup Co. [B*T, May 12]; American Cigarette & Cigar Co. for Pall Mall [B»T, May 12], and Owens-Corning Fiberglass Corp. [B*T, May 19]. Plan Afoot to Standardize MOVE to standardize and simplify requirements for 10-second television identification spots was instituted last week by station representatives and advertising agencies in order to reduce production problems and encourage the development and sale of such announcements. First phase of the program is to standardize film spots, and later to adopt formulas for telops and slides, according to John W. Brooke of Free & Peters, national representative, and television committee chairman for the National Association of Radio-Television Station Representatives. In a plan for film spots, adopted by major agency officials at a meeting in New York May 13, the agencies agreed to reserve the upper right hand quarter of the screen for station use, with advertising copy to be placed in the other three quarters. As for timing, it was agreed that 1*4 seconds be used for the opening with 6% seconds for copy. Two seconds will be given to station identification and % second to the closing. Also it is hoped that 16mm film will be adopted by each station and that broadcasters will permit superimposition of station identification over advertising film, to avoid preparation of a different version of the same film commercial for every station which carries it. The suggestions approved by agencies are to be submitted to the NARTSR board at its next meeting, expected to be called "shortly," then to the full membership and, through them, to the stations. The object is to receive wide enough acceptance of the standards to reduce agency production problems and still permit some flexibility for station procedure. Ordinarily, securing specific data for each station's identification format and assembling a commercial within the deadline is timeconsuming and costly. Page 98 • May 26, 1952 BROADCASTING • Tel ecasting