Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1952)

4 Motion Picture daily Thursday, January 24, 1952 TV Critics {Continued froin page 1) mented that "Television has a good conduct code. It had better make use of it. Its recent conduct is an invitation to local censorship and to Federal regulation." From Connecticut came the observation that "Jerry Lester and others" should have their mouths washed with any good soap, advertised on TV or not, before every telecast. Television commercials were roundly berated by the editors, regardless of the section of the country in which they do their viewing. The deluge of remarks on the subject seemed to be in agreement that ( 1 ) there are too many commercials on TV; (2) they are too lengthy, and (3), they are lacking ia originality and, in most cases, a minimum of interest. A well known New York City television editor points to "double and triple spotting around station-break time as not only aggravating but an audience-chaser." Enough Is Enough He points out that in current practice there usually is a lengthy commercial at the end of a program, followed by a 20-second announcement, an eight-second chain break announcement; another 20-second announcement, and then a lengthy commercial ahead of the next program. Another New York City editor, writing in the same vein, registers his annoyance when, in addition to the interruptions mentioned above, there are the inevitable commercials within a program, "frequently breaking up the most important parts of dramas and feature films." An irritated Buffalo critic, mentioning commercials on the Old Gold Amateur Hour, says he finds most of them propounded in an "obvious and insulting manner." "TV advertisers," he remarks, "shouldn't try to bring billboards and pitchmen into the living room." Other criticisms of TV as the critics find it are that it appears to be trying to outdo radio in offering more crime, horror and mystery programs than the latter can manage ; that there are too many variety shows competing with one another and too few of them reveal any production quality; that there are too few good shows for children, and not enough good educational and public service programs. Inferior Drama Television needs new dramatic material and most of the drama now on television "lacks poHsh" and shows the need for more rehearsals. A Philadelphia editor opined that Celanese Theatre was the only dramatic program on TV he felt had consistent, professional earmarks. Slotting of good shows at the same time by rival networks ranks high among the critics' annoyances. So does the interjection of studio audiences and expressions of "surprise" at the appearance of a guest star whose presence was ballyhooed in advance, and the petitions to "Let's give her a big hand." Most of the critics quite clearly have a lively interest in television, regardless of the faults they find with it. Some think that TV humor is beginning to improve. Others applaud the waning vogue of the plunging neck line. The increasing use of "live film' Television's Best of 1951 Sid Caesar Imogena Coca Jimmy Durante Herb Shriner leucine Ball Worthington Miner Producer, Studio One Fred Waring Martha Kountree Producer Meet the Press Burr Tillstrom Producer Kukla, Fran &■' Ollie John Daly George Feneman J. C. Swayze Jimmy Powers Kate Smith 1951 TV Poll {Continued from page 1) first poll three years ago. It was voted Best Children's Program on TV for 1951. And NBC should see what those critics have to say about it for cutting Kukla, Fran & Ollie from 30 minutes to IS late in 1951. The critics' Kukla, Fran & Ollie vote enabled NBC-TV to make a clean sweep of the Best Network Program classification. is regarded by all who commented on it as a big improvement over kinescoping. West Coast critics report that good work is being done on special events and express the hope that TV will continue with its attention to that field. A New York City critic lamented that the poll did not permit him to vote for "Worst Program on Television." He wanted to name the Stork Club, he said. It edged out ABC-TV's Celanese | Theatre by the narrowest of margins. Oddly, while regarding Celanese Theatre so highly for the Best Television Program classification, the editors failed to vote it among the first three in the Best Dramatic Program division. Lucille Ball and Dinah Shore, late 1951 entries, nevertheless captured the critics' favor in a hurry. Miss Ball was voted television's Most Promising Female Star in a nip-and-tuck race with Miss Shore, who finished second. Miss Ball took second place to Miss Coca as television's Best Comedienne of 1951. Herb Shriner captured the Most Promising Male Star vote, placing ahead of NBC-TV's guest personality, John Forsythe, and the same network's duo, Bob (Elliott) and Ray (Goulding) . Studio One was returned for another year as TV's Best Dramatic Program by the critics' vote. Another repeater was Fred Waring, whose show was voted the Best Popular Musical, and Groucho Marx, whose You Bet Your Life program was voted Best Quiz Show. Meet the Press took first again in the Best Educational or Public Service division, ahead of The Nature of Things and the Johns Hopkins Science Review. For Best Classical Musical program on TV in 1951, the critics again turned to Voice of Firestone. CBS-TV's John Daly took the Best Master of Ceremonies' palm from Bert Parks, last year's winner, and George Feneman of the Groucho Marx program, replaced Bud Collyer as Best Announcer. Kate Smith advanced from third place in the 1950 poll to first last year in the Best Daytime Program division. In the Best Sportscaster class, Jimmy Powers moved from second place a year ago to first place for 1951, and his Cavalcade of Sports was voted Best Sports Program of the year. Man Against Crime ousted Suspense from first place in the Best Mystery Show division. John Cameron Swayze was voted TV's Best Newscaster of 1951, winning handily as he has in the other polls.