Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1962)

GE wins Legion auxiliary's Golden Mike The women's auxiliary of the American Legion has presented a Golden Mike Award to General Electric for "the most informative commercial" of 1962. The awards, determined by a poll of the auxiliary's membership, were presented also to CBS-TV's Twentieth Century (best Americanism series), and to all three tv networks for their separate and pooled coverage of John Glenn's orbital flight (best special production). Golden Mike Awards in four other categories will be presented at a later date. At the presentation ceremonies are (1 to r) Burton Benjamin, executive producer of CBS-TV's Twentieth Century; Donald Coe, director of special events and operations, ABC News; Mrs. Ollie Koger, national auxiliary president; David Zellmer, administration and operations, CBS News; David Burke, manager, General Electric institutional programs; and Chet Hagan, producer, NBC News. UA's 'Baker7 series nearing completion United Artists Television, which is making a special effort to place its programs on networks during 1963-64, was busy at work last week in various locations in New York on the first of four projected tv series planned for filming in the East. The half-hour pilot of Inside Danny Baker, a half-hour series described as "the adventures of a juvenile Walter Mitty," was approaching the finishing stages under the guidance of independent producer Robert Alan Aurthur on assignment for United Artists TV. ABC-TV has taken an option on the new series. The company, working through various independent producers, has three other series scheduled for filming in New York later this spring — The George C. Scott Show (with CBS-TV), The Patty Duke Show (with ABC-TV) and a drama anthology series still untitled and uncommitted. Mr. Aurthur, who has worked almost exclusively in New York on such series as Playhouse 90, Mr. Peepers and the Philco Playhouse, estimates that production costs on Inside Danny Baker will be $54,000 per episode. He believes that costs will be about the same, or perhaps slightly higher than in Hollywood, and adds: "When filming in New York, you utilize locations for the most part. And this adds to the cost. But on the other hand, you do not rely as much on highpriced stars as on the West Coast. Also, we don't have a regular studio but rent facilities for interiors on a day-to-day basis. I really believe the cost differential is slight, if it exists at all." The weather in New York, he said, is "no problem." If there should be rain or snow during a period when shooting is scheduled, Mr. Aurthur explained, the script can be revised to reflect the weather. He noted that he maintains a writer on location during production to cope with such contingencies. Directors revamp board Directors Guild of America is scrapping its eastern and western regional boards and establishing a single national governing body, George Sidney, president, announced Thursday (Dec. 13). At a meeting in Chicago the previous weekend, the directors unanimously approved changes in the DGA constitution and by-laws to create a national board made up of members in all categories from all parts of the country. The new DGA board has 19 members, 13 from the West and six from the East, Mr. Sidney said, with twothirds of its members in the director category and the remainder from the ranks of assistant and associate directors and stage managers. The new board will make its headquarters in Hollywood, but will meet in other cities from time to time. Three talent reps merge into Artists Agency Corp. Three talent representative organizations, Rosenberg-Coryell Agency, Broadcast Management and Ziegler-Hellman & Ross Agency, have merged to form Artists Agency Corp. Principals are: Bob Coryell, George Rosenberg, Marvin Josephson, Mike Levee Jr., Evarts Ziegler, Hal Ross and Meta Rosenberg. Jerome Hellman, who was head of the Z-H&R New York office, is leaving to enter production, but will serve as a consultant to AAC. IN ROCHESTER, N.Y. With a new, higher antenna 511 feet above average terrain, CHANNEL 10 now gives you more reach— more homes —with Rochester area coverage second to none ! WHEC-T BASIC CBS CHANNEL 10 National Rep. H-R TELEVISION, Inc. 76 (PROGRAMMING) BROADCASTING, December 17, 1962