Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1955)

Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, December 27, 1955 Television Today HOLLYWOOD, U. S. A.: TELEVISION HOVERING OVER IRELAND HOLLYWOOD : Emergence of the dramatic anthology as a dominant TV form has stepped up the disintegration of the so-called "star system" by influencing the public to base its entertainment preferences more on production, director and writer credits than on the cast, according to Hal Roach, Jr., in the capacity of executive producer of one of TV's top anthologies, Screen Directors Playhouse. "Within the period of a few years," Mr. Roach asserted, "TV had educated the public to identify entertainment quality with its real common denominator, the series, rather than the individual show. They may like an actor in a legitimate role, and they may appreciate the director's superb comedy touch, but what the public remembers is that they saw a good show on a certain series and that they want to tune in again next week to see another good show." "It is in the nature of the medium itself that people identify quality, or the lack of it, with its production origin, and even with its sponsors, rather than its players. After decades of trying to sell the public on the idea that studio trademarks are in themselves symbols and guarantees of quality, Hollywood still finds that it has to pretty well sell every picture from scratch on its own merits. Maybe TV is just lucky." Mr. Roach pointed out that these conclusions in no sense belittle the importance of the directors and the stars, but stress them because the series achieves its lustre from their individual contributions to each program. Jim Morgan, director, and Herb Hoffman, supervising editor of Don Fedderson's new TV quiz series, "Do You Trust Your Wife?", claim they have discovered a new synchronizing system for the multiple cameras used on the show, which will simplify the shooting operation and save three days' work in the cutting department. The boys have applied for a patent based on a modification of the standard Mitchell camera. . . . William Kayden, producer, and William Bennington, director, veterans at handling the New Year's Day pageantry of the Tournament of Roses Parade and the Rose Bowl football game, are teamed again to handle the second colorcast of the annual event for the NBC-TV network. Response to the Four Star Playhouse TV presentation last week of "One Way Out" has resulted in the scheduling of a feature-length motion picture to be made some time late next year under the Four Star banner with Ida Lupino again in the starring role. Plans are to have Roy Kellino, who directed, and Richard Carr, who wrote the teleplay, repeat these chores on the screen version. . . . Jeanette MacDonald's dramatic television debut on "Screen Directors Playhouse" will be the series' most ambitious production to date, with song writers M. K. Jerome and Ted Koehler contributing their talents. The team has composed two original numbers for the program, an Irish lullaby, "Wee Rose of Killarney," and a musical jingle, "Fluffy Cloud Mattress." The Show-Makers Leona Powers and Marian Russell are the featured performers on the new 4 P.M., EST, program on NBC-TV, Date With Life. The five-week story was written by Art Wallace. Eugene Burr is executive producer, Wally Chateauvert produces and Lela Swift directs. Bruce Anderson, director of the CBS-TV series, Wanted, has returned to New York, after six weeks of shooting in 30 states. Align Edwards will be the host of the Afternoon Film Festival, which will be seen as a neiv series Mon TELEVISION TODAY— Editorial Director: Charles S. Aaronson; Eastern Editors: Pinky Herman, Vincent Canby; Hollywood: William R. Weaver, Samuel D. Berns; Washington: J. A. Otten; London: Peter Burnup; Photo Editor: Floyd E. Stone. day through Friday, 3 to 5 P.M., EST, over the ABC-TV network, starting January 16. Donald Gray ivill portray Mark Saber, TV detective in the program, The Vise, over the ABC-TV network. He bowed in with the December 23 show. He ivas selected by Edward and Harry Danziger, producers of the series. Gary Merrill and Nina Foch ivill star in "Yacht on the High Sea," which will be the drama on the 20th Century-Fox Hour for General Electric over CBS-TV, January 11. Ted Post will direct. Fred Freed lias been named script editor of NBC-TV's Home program, beginning January 2, succeeding Al Morgan. TELEVISION COMES TO IRELAND, and Government spokesmen who predicted it's a "long way off" now are beginning to see the cloud no bigger than a man's hand. The scene above is at the first "live" telecast, from the Theatre Royal, Dublin, Ireland's largest. The people are BBC's "Man with the Mike," Robert Beatty; two boys from the Ballyfermot Boys' Band; BBC producer Dennis Monger, and Radio Eireann's Roy Croft. The trouble with the picture, from the Irish point of view, is said to be, firstly, the enterprise interpreted also as "push" is BBC's, and secondly, the relay system boosts signals to BBC's station at Divis, near Belfast. The Irish thus receive very clear signals indeed from Northern Ireland. TELEVISION IN BRITAIN LONDON: AR (Associated Rediffusion) who run the London weekday programmes, has now followed the London weekend contractor ATV (Associated Television) in dropping its morning programmes. This means that from January 7, AR will transmit 30 hours instead of the present 32 % hours a week. ATV maintains its weekend "air time" by a rearrangement of afternoon and evening programmes. Lack of demand is the reason assigned for this latest change in the programming schedule. This announcement came on a day when morning advertising had dropped to zero and the total for the day less than £9,000. Average cost of a TV programme is £2,000 an hour and it is estimated that £20,000 must be taken a day to cover costs. Film producer Herbert Wilcox has taken a long lease of the Brighton studios on Britain's south coast where he will make TV films in association with Bernard Delfont. All artists under contract to Mr. Wilcox and Mr. Delfont will be available for these films. They include such talent as Anna Neagle, Norman Wisdom, Eileen Joyce, Ruby Murray, Winifred Atwell and Joan Regan. Mr. Wilcox said that his TV activities will not affect his cinema producing interests. He has three such films lined up for 1956. His TV films will be of an international character for world distribution. Production is scheduled to start in February. Earlier it was announced that Mr. Delfont had signed an exclusive contract with the Incorporated Television Programme Company, of which Val Parnell is managing director. AR — contractors for commercial TV's London weekday programs — ■ has already discovered that the customer is always right. A reshuffling of serious and cultural programs is announced in order to give the public what it wants. Audience research has shown that thousands of viewers have been switching off concerts and educational talks. Major changes involve the Halle Orchestra concerts, conducted by Sir John Barbirolli. These hourly shows have been cut to 30 minutes and shifted to 10 p.m. Programs such as "Foreign Press Club," "Man's Best Friend," a dog feature, and news bulletins have been moved to a quieter viewing time. Others have been completely eliminated. To replace these programs AR has bought an American series of adult cowboy films entitled "Gun Smoke," and 78 Douglas Fairbanks film dramas. At weekends the popular London Palladium variety show will be extended and the successful jackpot game "Beat the Clock" will have its own show. —WILLIAM PAY ON EVERY CHANNEL BROOKS COSTUMES 3 Wesl 6lsl St., N Y C -Tel. PL. 7-5800