Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1957)

PROGRAMS & PROMOTIONS 'Gold Rush at Channel 5' The conclusion of one contest and the start of another were combined Oct. 15 on a single broadcast over KTLA (TV) Los Angeles. The program identified KTLA's mystery tower sitter as Glenn Strange, veteran character actor of more than 400 motion pictures and tv films, and revealed that his identity had been correctly guessed by more than 300 of the 22,000 contest entrants. The first seven correct contestants, measured by the postmarks on entries, won a 1957 Buick, a Capri swimming pool and five Philco hi-fi sets. In a separate contest for press and advertising agency personnel, Sam Schultz of Foote, Cone & Belding won a Dolphin Fleetliner cabin cruiser. Following his introduction as the mystery tower sitter, Mr. Strange announced that he had buried a treasure chest with contents valued at over $10,000 somewhere in the KTLA coverage area and said he would issue more clues to its location from time to time during the following 30 days. The treasure hunt is a second phase of the promotion of KTLA's new program schedule, "The Gold Rush at Channel 5." 'If You're Interested in Women' A woman called the police after a spot announcement over WNLK Norwalk, Conn., complaining that her husband "got a big smile on his face — and dashed out of the house!" No wonder; for a sultry voice had come over the air inviting, "Men, if you're interested in women . . . call Wilton-Porter 2-3324." Reportedly 4,000 calls jammed the lines. Those that got through heard another female voice saying, "Angelique ... I knew you'd call" and were invited to visit the new Angelique perfume plant in Wilton to receive a free bottle of perfume. A traffic jam resulted and again the police were called — to direct the traffic. The president of Angelique asked WNLK to stop broadcasting the announcements because of the traffic and jammed telephone lines. KHON's Flying Disc Jockey KHON Honolulu listeners are looking up to d. j. Fred May. To promote Community Chest events in that area, he is flying over the island in a small plane and dropping TO CONVEY authenticity, WCSH-TV Portland, Me., has its news studio set up with a tape recorder, tv monitor, clock, telephone and oscilloscope. Apart from these features — shown here with newscaster Joe Cobb — the studio features separately illuminated weather maps. dollar bills (attached to balloons and streamers) on the people below. Finders are to add money of their own and donate to the fund. Newspaper ads announced that Mr. May will broadcast part of his show while flying the "dollars from heaven" plane. Another part of KHON's promotion is a write-in contest. By completing satisfactorily the sentence "I will help the Community Chest because . . ." contestants can take over part of the flying disc jockey's show — ■ becoming "May for a Day." Ten winners will be selected during the two weeks of the contest and other prizes include a flight around the islands and a portable tv set. WINS Awards 'Tipsters' WINS New York is offering a weekly award of $25 to any listener submitting an accurate news tip deemed of greatest importance to the station news editor. All stories are verified with appropriate civic or government agencies and aired immediately as bulletins or on the next newscast. WGMS Plugs 'Hi-Fi-Tv-Orama' WGMS Washington collaborated with the Hecht Co. (local department store) to promote its third "Hi-Fi-Tv-Orama." For the week of Oct. 14, the station moved complete studio facilities into one of the store's windows. WGMS staffers worked with news BROADCASTING THE BUSINESSWEEKLY OF TELEVISION AND RADIO 7735 DeSales St., N. W. Washington 6, D. C. PLEASE START MY SUBSCRIPTION WITH THE NEXT ISSUE □ 52 weekly issues of BROADCASTING □ 52 weekly issues and Yearbook Number □ Enclosed $7.00 11.00 □ Bil title/ position* company name address city Please send to home address ■ Page 124 • October 28, 1957 machines, tape recorders, amplifier consoles and hi-fi turntables behind the plate glass. Closed-circuit color tv was installed throughout the store and personalities including Buddy Morrow, Jerry Lee Lewis, Arthur Fiedler, Russ Morgan and Sgt. Doberman (Phil Silvers Show) were interviewed over it from the store's auditorium. Door prizes and unscheduled events also were featured during the hi-fi and tv week. KYW Plugs 'Golden Record Week' Three KYW Cleveland, Ohio, disc jockeys became blondes this month as part of the station's celebration of "Golden Record Week" (Oct. 7-13). Recordings that have sold over a million copies are so-named and three of these hits were featured every hour on KYW. A "Golden Opportunity" contest (described by the station as more of a gag than a get-rich-quick scheme) also was held. All the prizes in the contest had the word gold in their names (Old Gold cigarettes, Golden Fleece scouring pads, a set of 12 bars of golden Dial soap, Gold Dust cleaner, etc.). Record albums with a golden title were also awarded. Jewelers and record stores participated by displaying gold items and distributing 5,000 record cleaners, courtesy of KYW and RCA Victor. Mental Health Film Offered "We, the Mentally 111," a half-hour film on mental health from the NBC-TV March of Medicine series, has been made available to stations for local public service programming through Association Films Inc., New York. The film, presented by Smith, Kline & French Labs, Philadelphia, and the American Medical Assn., is enacted and narrated by mental patients. Overdue Parkers Aided American Broadcasting Network's Herb "Oscar" Anderson last week offered a free "over-parking service" whereby he inserted dimes in overdue meters in the vicinity of the Elysee Theatre, New York, where his daily live program (Mon.-Fri. 10-11 a.m.) originates. On the windshield he left his own "ticket" publicizing his show. Mr. Anderson's objective, aside from promoting the program, was to encourage listeners to Broadcasting