Broadcasting Telecasting (Apr-Jun 1955)

100 Horseless Carriages Commemorate WOOD's 30 Years » nrvr. nvn ir a t-t^t ir inn *: ew .tiiiw^sa js^"^«rfa APPROXIMATELY 100 antique automobiles were assembled last Saturday in the parking lot of WOOD -AM -TV Grand Rapids, Mich., to participate in the first annual WOODland Tour, a 90-mile excursion commemorating WOOD's 30 years of broadcasting. The trip was staged in conjunction with the Grand Rapids chapter of the Veteran Motor Car Club of America. Col. Alexis de Sakhnoffsky, internationally known automotive stylist, was a guest of honor. He aided Bob Runyon, WOOD-TV news director, in providing radio-tv coverage of the event. With the drivers and guests attired in goggle and duster outfits of the touring car era, the procession got underway with a live tv show from the parking lot. Then, complete with police escort, the caravan traveled to Holland, Mich., and Poll's Antique Car Museum where they were guests of Henry Poll for lunch and a tour of his museum. The group continued on to Grand Haven, Mich. WOOD -AM -TV held a dinner-dance for the motorists at the BilMar Hotel there, where the group spent the night. Sunday morning the procession traveled back to Grand Rapids and arrived at WOOD-TV studios for an hour-long show. On the program drivers were interviewed WOOD-AM-TV General Manager Willard Schroeder (r) discusses this 1921 Dodge with Bob Maurer (I), president, Grand Rapids chapter of the Veteran Motor Car Club of America, and Bob Ethridge, chapter member. and a 21 -inch Westinghouse tv set was awarded to the one with the most popular car. Other prizes were given for the auto traveling the longest distance, the oldest car on the tour, the best costumes and the driver who ran into the most hard luck. Two radio remotes were staged en route, one from the Poll Museum and the other from the Bil-Mar. MAURICE EVANS PROGRAM CURTAIN raiser on the new series, Maurice Evans Presents the Hallmark Hall of Fame, starting Oct. 23 on NBC-TV, will be "Alice in Wonderland." The announcement was made last week by Mr. Evans who has just returned from a six-week trip to England where he lined up dramatic material and screened acting talent to star in some of the telecasts. The version to be televised was prepared by Florida Friebus and Eva Le Gallienne. Miss Le Gallienne will appear in the show. The new programs will be hour-and-a-half dramatic presentations. Mr. Evans will produce and be host on all the shows, also starring in two during the season. 'KATHY GODFREY SHOW RADIO program stressing the good news of the day will start on CBS Radio May 29 with Kathy Godfrey, sister of Arthur Godfrey, as its star. The Kathy Godfrey Show, scheduled for Sundays, 2:05-2:30 pm. EDT, will be produced and directed by Ira Ashley. Miss Godfrey will interview people from the entertainment world and others who make good news, the network announced. The show also will feature the music of Norman Leyden and his orchestra. FOURTH 'VICTORY' RERUN OVER 10,000 requests from station viewers resulted in KTTV (TV) Hollywood renewing the 26-week syndicated film Victory at Sea series for a fourth run in the Los Angeles market. At the conclusion of the third run May 9, the station had the program announcer suggest that viewers call or write if they wished to see the series again. With the resultant response, the award-winning film history of World War II naval operations, originally produced by NBCTV and since syndicated, started its fourth run the following week. Bill Murphy Buick, Los Angeles car dealer, renewed sponsorship. FOR ASPIRING DISC M.C.'S ASPIRANTS to platter spinning on radio will serve as disc jockeys at WVNJ Newark every Monday morning as part of the course at Broadcasting Coaching Assoc., New York, according to Fred Darwin, staff announcer at WPAT Paterson, N. J., and director of the school. Students will work in teams, introducing new records and interviewing personalities. MURROW-OPPENHEIMER FILM FUND for the Republic Inc., New York, has announced that approximately 400 showings of the tv film interview between J. Robert Oppenheimer, scientist, and Edward R. Murrow, CBS news commentator, have taken place since February, when the organization began distribution of the film. A steady circulation of 78 prints with a total audience through March of 36,297 people also was reported. An additional 25 prints, owned by universities and foundations have accounted for another 400 showings in addition to those reported by the fund. The films are available only to non-profit groups. Most showings have been sponsored by colleges, high schools, scientific groups and civic organizations. 1,000 BASEBALL GAMES ADVERTISING and agency executives turned out in numbers May 11 for a special luncheon hosted by WGN-TV Chicago in connection with the station's celebration of the 1,000th play-bvplay baseball telecast in that city, with sportscaster Jack Brickhouse the honored guest. In addition, team executives from the Chicago Cubs and sportswriters were represented. The Chicago Tribune station exclusively has covered Broadcasting • Telecasting every daytime home game of the Cubs and the Chicago White Sox since April 20, 1948. WGNTV claims Mr. Brickhouse is the nation's only sportscaster to handle the tv games of two major league clubs. WN AC-TV AIRS HORSE RACE WNAC-TV Boston featured the 19th running of the $10,000 Commonwealth Handicap, for three-year-olds and up, directly from the Suffolk Downs grass course May 21. Turfcaster Babe Rubenstein called the race and Les Smith aired color commentary for the sports event, sponsored by Carling Brewing Co. The race is run over a mile and one-sixteenth course. KMPC BREAKFAST "SELL the salesmen and you can sell the customer" was the theme behind a breakfast which KMPC Los Angeles hosted to the entire sales staff of the Felix Chevrolet Co. of that city which co-sponsors the Los Angeles Angels baseball broadcasts on the station. The program for the breakfast was arranged by Ed Stodel Adv., agency for Felix Chevrolet, and consisted of pep talks by Felix and KMPC executives, entertainment by KMPC disc jockeys and a simulated baseball re-creation by Bob Kelley, station sports director. "We wanted the 40 salesmen of the Felix Chevrolet Co. to realize what their management ... is doing to bring customers into their showrooms," Loyd Sigmon, KMPC vice president and assistant general manager, said. "We think of KMPC as part of the sales staff of every advertiser represented on the station." WKNB-AM-TV OPEN HOUSE WKNB-AM-TV West Hartford, Conn., threw open its doors to visitors for nine hours during its show-and-sales open house. Thirteen merchants bought participations in two hour-long BROADCASTING THE NEWSWEEKLY OF RADIO AND TELEVISION Cm a 3 si, 7735 f)e Sales Street, N. W., Washington 6, D. C. PLEASE START MY SUBSCRIPTION WITH THE NEXT ISSUE. I've checked service desired. □ 52 weekly Issues of BROADCASTING • TELECASTING $7.00 □ 52 weekly issues and BROADCASTING Yearbook-Marketbook 9.00 □ 52 weekly Issues and TELECASTING Yearbook-Marketbook 9.00 □ 52 weekly issues and both Yearbook-Ma rketbooks 11.00 □ Enclosed □ Bill name title/ position company name address city zone state May 23, 1955 • Page 145