Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1959)

Boost ratings • That was Revlon's desire, said Executive Producer Steven R. Carlin. with no issue made about how to do it. Lorillard people." Miss Bernstein said that on occasion she supplied questions and answers in advance of a contestant's appearance on the show but that some programs were not tampered with at all. Last Tuesday's and Wednesday's testimony brought forth the question of whether perjury had been committed — with several members of the subcommittee saying often that somebody was not telling the truth. Rep. Bennett said he thought there was "a clear case of perjury" and requested that the hearing record be sent to the Attorney General for action. Rep. Derounian made the same observations. Rep. Harris said only that there were "differences" in the testimony and pointed out the Justice Dept. already had instituted an investigation of tv quiz shows. Subtle Controls • Robert Foreman, executive vice president of BBDO. New York, agency for Revlon at the time of the $64,000 Question, told the committee that Revlon spokesmen discussed the merits of various contestants on the show and expressed their desires on whether a contestant should continue to win or should lose. He said that the sponsor and producer usually agreed about contestants' desirability and their desires "usually" worked out on the show. BROADCASTING, November 9, 1959 Attended meetings • But 'nothing ever occurred to arouse my suspicions." said James D. Webb, C. J. LaRoche & Co. head. Controls obvious • And no effort was made to disguise them, according to Producer Mort Koplin. He said Revlon meeting "atmosphere"' was clue. From this, he said, he "assumed" that controls were being used. Mr. Foreman said he never anticipated anything as blatant as giving questions and answers, but assumed that control was exercised through knowing a contestant's strengths and weaknesses. Mr. Foreman, author of a book about quiz shows. The Hot Half Hour, said his book was strictly fiction, and any controls described in it were based strictly on assumption and imagination. The book was published after Revlon left BBDO. because the agency was "no longer doing the job" Revlon wanted. $10,000 Entry Fee • At a three-hour evening session, Nov. 4, the subcommittee directed its attention to a side-matter — that of outside advertisers purchasing plugs from program producers without the knowledge of the program's sponsor. The program concerned: The $64,000 Question. Advertiser plugged: Hess Bros, department store. Allentown, Pa. Fee paid: $10,000 in cash. The evening's first witness was Kenneth Hoffer, Reading, Pa. A former employe of Hess. Bros., Mr. Hoffer was a three-question contestant on Question. in August 1955. He told the committee how he had applied to be a contestant and had told fellow workers about it. A few days later, he testified he received a phone call from Hess Bros." owner Max Hess at 1:30 a.m. Mr. Hess told Mr. Hoffer he would go on the show and get to the S64,000 level, at which time he would lose. The next day. Mr. Hoffer. Max Levine, Hess. Bros, pr man. and David Gottleib. furniture buyer, drove to New York where the first of several meetings which resulted in Mr. Hoffer's brief appearance on the show a week later were held. Mr. Hoffer said Mr. Hess told him he would get $4,000, in cash value of the consolation Cadillac auto prize offered by the program. He never got that far (missing the S256 question), never got his $4,000, though he did get a $10 a week raise. Messenger Boy • Mr. Gottleib told the committee he was cast in the role of a messenger boy who made several trips to New York to negotiate with Elroy Schwartz, an employe of Cowan Productions, then producer of The $64,000 Question. On instructions from Mr. Hess, he said he offered S 1-2.000 to Mr. Schwartz, to get Mr. Hoffer on the show. Mr. Schwartz replied this was insufficient. Mr. Gottleib testified he sat in on a phone conversation between Mr. Hess 53