Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1960)

There's life, though brevity, in soap operas on WNEW A New York independent radio station last week pumped new life into the presumably dead "soapers." No sooner had last respects been said over the late Ma Perkins and The Second Mrs. Burton, et al (Broadcasting, Nov. 28) than WNEW New York announced the start of a daytime feature called Sixty-Second Soaps, a series of oneminute "streamlined versions" designed to evoke some of the sympathetic responses formed through 27 years of soap opera listening. Even without a speaking cast, WNEW's serials cover more problems in a week (the length of a complete serial) than network serials explored in months. Each episode on WNEW is handled through the recounting of events by announcer Frank Gallup, who, by the time he brings listeners up to date in the lives of the heroes and heroines, has only enough time left to preview what's in store for them tomorrow. Sixty-Second Soaps were created and written by Bill Persky, assistant program director, and Sam Denoff, continuity director. With tongue-in-cheek, Mark Olds, WNEW program director, said he hopes soap opera fans in New York will be pacified with the station's attempts to fill the void caused by "the tragic loss of one of the oldest established, but not now so permanent, forms of radio entertainment." Printed below are the full scripts of the opening and concluding episodes of WNEW's first series, "Bradley at the Bar," which was offered several times daily during the week of Nov. 28-Dec. 2. EPISODE 1 ANNCR: WNEW presents "Bradley at the Bar" . . . the story of Bradley Arlington, Attorney at Law . . . Episode 1 . . . As you recall, Bradley Arlington has been attending law school for the past four years . . . Upon the advice of his roommate, Rip Newcomb, Bradley decided to postpone his law career, in order to play pro football for one year . . . Kitty and Bradley were somewhat abashed to learn that Rip Newcomb had then taken Bradley's job at the law office. After the wedding, on the way to the Stadium, they received an urgent wire from ruthless Judge Morris Binder, requesting that Bradley come to work for him. After leaving Kitty and the children, at their Scarsdale estate, Bradley went to see Judge Binder, and was faced with the most difficult problem in his 5 years as a lawyer. We join them as we hear Bradley say: BRADLEY: This is the most difficult problem I have had to face in my 5 years as a lawyer . . . ANNCR: Tune in tomorrow to find out Judge Binder's answer, and whether Wellington Thoon will keep his promise to Margaret. "Bradley at the Bar" has been a special presentation of WNEW, and will be heard again tomorrow at almost this very same time! EPISODE 5 ANNCR: WNEW presents "Brad ley at the Bar" ... the story of Bradley Arlington, Attorney at Law. . . . In our last episode, as you may recall, Bradley was visiting Dr. Archie Larcher, who had called Bradley into his office for a private consultation. Bradley was told that Cynthia might never play the piano again . . . But Bradley quickly rejected this diagnosis, since Dr. Larcher was a dentist. Meanwhile, in attempting to take off from the small clearing in the jungle, Mel Troppet's small plane, loaded with the special serum, smashed into the top of a palm tree, and was never seen again. During Bradley's final appeal in defense of FinancierHalfback, Wellington Thoon, the courtroom was disrupted by the sudden appearance of "Long Tim," the faithful bodyguard of the notorious racketeer, Claude Bartholomew. As the din in the courtroom subsided, and ruthless Judge Morris Binder III, banged his gavel, we hear Bradley say: BRADLEY: This is the most serious problem I have ever faced . . . I mean, I have faced serious problems before . . . but this is the most serious problem I have faced in all my 30 years as a lawyer. ANNCR: Be with us Monday, when WNEW continues the true-to-life story of "Harriet in the House" . . . the story of Harriet Lovington, a nice lady . . . offered its listeners an "election losers kit." The "kit" consisted of a razor blade and suggested uses: "(1) Scrape signs off car windows! (2) shave! (3) Cut your political ties! (4) Cut your throat!" Brogan barrage ■ KQEQ Albuquerque, N. M., started a week-long drive to collect used shoes for the local Voiture 40 et 8 effort for the needy. The station offered a "pair-for-a-pair." (two records -No Hands! No hands. Just top-quality, "name" musical programming, on tape, for continuous, completely automated, trouble-free radio broadcasting — including commercials and announcements. And priced to meet limited budgets! That's why this new Magne-Tronics service is being hailed as a real money-saving, money-making plan for radio stations with late-hour, marginal or all-night schedules. Write today for full details and audition tape. Magne-Tronics, 49 West 45th Street, New York 36 INC. 102 (FANFARE) for two shoes). A short 24 hours and 10,000 shoes later, the campaign was called to an early halt. A Voiture spokesman said the KQEQ drive had brought more contributions than had been obtained in the last three yearly drives combined. Arrival present ■ Norman Baer, Mutual news director, who covered the arrival in Washington, D.C., of John Fitzgerald Kennedy Jr., on the network's The World Today program, has ordered a special gold-reel tape-recording of the Nov. 25 show. The tape will be presented to Master Kennedy as soon as an insert plate is engraved. The plate's inscription? "This is your birth, John Fitzgerald Kennedy Jr., Nov. 25, 1961." Student aids ■ W ABC-TV New York has set up an education service department to provide public, private and parochial schools in the New York BROADCASTING, December 5, 1960