Broadcasting Telecasting (Apr-Jun 1957)

r Outrates all syndicated shows! STAGE San Francisco — highest rated syndicated program (22.7, Pulse, 2/57) outrating George Gobel, Gunsmoke, Zane Grey Theatre, Jackie Gleason, Lux Video Theatre, etc. Twin Cities— highest rated syndicated program in MinneapolisSt. Paul (16.0, Pulse, 11/56) outrating Warner Brothers, Father Knows Best, West Point, etc. Outrates all competition in Atlanta, Indianapolis, Portland, Oregon, etc. Stage 7's a dramatic anthology which can do a fine-rating, fineselling job in your market, as it is already doing in more than a hundred others. Better check Stage 7 for your market today. Write, wire or phone collect for availabilities. Television Programs of America, Inc. 488 Madison Ave., N. Y. 22 • PLaza 5-2100 IN REVIEW A CHRONICLE OF TERROR ". . . THE FACTS will speak for themselves. It is not our purpose to judge them. It is not our purpose to solve this case . . . but to chronicle its history." With these words by Edward R. Murrow, CBS Radio last Monday night detailed what it calls "A Chronicle of Terror: The Galindez-Murphy Case." British mystery writer Eric Ambler, even with all the facts at his disposal, couldn't have come up with a more horrifying tale of international duplicity and intrigue. But CBS which one may presume knows less than all there is to know about the disappearance of Dr. Jesus de Galindez, political refugee of both Franco and Trujillo regimes, did its best to fashion a crime-tingling mystery in the tradition of its prize-winning 1951 Nation's Nightmare documentaries. This, in spite of the fact that its researchers unearthed little that was new in the opinion of some critics. Dominican officials may pooh-pooh the CBS program as a grandoise project which "proved nothing" (see story, this issue), but there is good cause to think otherwise. It proved once again that radio has an unmatched immediacy, a capability of transmitting the dramatic unadorned by frills and hokum, and that when it comes to plain guts, CBS Radio's public affairs people reign supreme. Ever since a year ago last March, Generalissimo Rafael L. Trujillo, like Macbeth, has been crying "out, damned spot" but all to no avail. And earlier this year, after young Gerry Murphy, an American pilot in the pay of the Trujillo regime, also disappeared from the face of the earth, presumably into the shark-infested Caribbean, Life magazine gave the story its extra-special treatment. But Life is not read by as many people as listen to CBS Radio. If for no other reason than that, credit is due to producer Jay McMullen and his tireless staff of reporters and editors. They have brought home to a complacent America a frightening fact, namely: that a foreign power can mesmerize, hold in a vacuum of suspended terror, a sizeable segment of our citizenry; may swoop down unannounced unhampered and pluck them off one by one; and that our own FBI and State Dept. so far apparently stands helplessly by as the Galindezes and Murphys are spirited away behind a sugar cane curtain. Production costs: Approximately $3,000 Pre-recorded and broadcast sustaining on CBS Radio, Mon., May 20, 8-9 p.m. EDT. Producer-writer: Jay McMullen, assisted by Arthur Rabin, Theodore Sack and a staff of special correspondents. POLITICAL QUIZ DEMOCRATS probably chuckled and applauded; Republicans possibly muttered "sour grapes," but those of no fixed political faith might say that last Tuesday night's Political Quiz was effective use of radio for political propaganda. For the show, which was tied in with Democratic Party Night across the nation. Adlai Stevenson appeared as moderator. On the panel: Harry S. Truman, Sen. John J. Sparkman of Alabama, Massachusett's Gov. Foster Furcolo and Mrs. Alben W. Barkley. The entire show was pegged on the question, "Who did this?" with moderator Stevenson citing statements and occasions which the Democrats historically have labeled as Republican blunders. Chief targets, not surprisingly, were President Eisenhower, lohn Foster Dulles and Charles Wilson. The answers for the most part were interestingly tart and Mr. Stevenson showed a deft moderator's touch that surpassed that of most broadcasting professionals. If nothing else, Political Quiz indicated that the major parties are stepping up their efforts to inject some entertainment into stilted political preachments. Broadcast sustaining on CBS Radio, Tuesday. May 21, 10:05-10:30 p.m. EDT (as equal time to GOP Lincoln Day Dinner broadcast last October). Produced by the Democratic National Committee. POPSICLE FIVE STAR COMEDY PARTY ABC-TV has fared well with its offerings to the small fry and Popsicle Five Star Comedy Party should not detract from the network's batting average. Rather than entrusting the emceeing chores to the usual bland character whose talents are restricted to broad smiles and semi-lapses into baby talk, Party elected to rotate the handling among established stars with a variety of talent. Ventriloquist Paul Winchell and Jerry Mahoney hosted the May 18 debut and exhibited the brand of humor that delights youngsters, e.g., Jerry victimized by his own prank and winding up with a scalp full of broken eggs. Winchell and Mahoney stayed with the imported talent for the show, clowning with cartoonist Bob Bean and archer Ann Marstin. Senor Wences, Olsen & Johnson, Ben Blue and Jerry Colonna will fill in on other weeks as m.c's. Their way has been made much easier by the debut efforts of the ventriloquist and his wooden sidekick. Production costs: Approximately $10,000 Sponsored by Joe Lowe Corp. (frozen confections) through Paris & Peart on ABCTV Sat., May 18, 5:30-6 p.m. EDT. Producer, Director, Writer: Herb Moss. BOOKS VHF TELEVISION TUNERS by D. H. Fisher: 136 pp.: Philosophical Library, New York. $6. THIS technical volume covers all aspects of vhf (tv) tuning. It is divided into three sec I, tions: (1) tuner design; (2) tuner construction, and (3) tests, measurements and servicing. The book misses few points: Discussed (with diagrams) are frequency converters, oscillators, switch and turret tuners. Also discussed are the advantages of separate tuning units that can be removed from the tv set proper. Page 22 • May 27. 1957 Broadcasting • Telecasting