Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1956)

ision Today Monday, July 23, 1956 Passing in Review THERE'S NOTHING LIKE A SMALL DISASTER, a large fire or a general breakdown in some public facility to bring out the best and the worst in both people and television. The fire which destroyed the old John Wananiaker department store building in lower Manhattan last weekend and at the same time thoroughly snarled part of the city's underground transportation system, prompted local New York television stations to do some fine, live, remote reporting at the scene of the fire. The event had all the elements of a classic news story, and was handled as such, complete with background and historical notes and high-minded sponsors giving up their time for special telecasts. One of the latter, by the way, proved to be one of the week's top comedy programs — unintentionally, however. It was WCBS-TV's special Sunday night report on the subway snarl, given by a man who obviously lived in Westchester and always used taxi cabs. The report was a Robert Benchley-like sermon, the chief prop of which was an unlabeled chart of the city's subways which the reporter himself could not identify. "To avoid the trouble spot, take a downtown eastside IRT local . . . no, vvestside local . . . leaving from the uptown platform of the BMT . . . no, I mean IND ... to Brooklyn Bridge . . . wait a minute now. . . ." It's no wonder that the next day the Grand Central IRT subway station was the setting for a modern Black Hole of Calcutta, with about 4,000 too many people there. The best of the week's drama are covered below. Kaiser Aluminum's second show on NBC-TV Tuesday night, "The Man on the White Horse," was a disappointing one-horse opera wherein the constant overstatements of its theme left little time for actual drama. The same network's Goodyear Theatre Sunday night (July 15) was another recapitulation of the story of the country lass seduced by the city slicker, ' County Fair Time." Television dramatists, of course, have added a few new psychiatric wrinkles to the idea, but it remains mighty old-fashioned drama for such a new tangled medium. NBC-TV's Today, with Faye Emerson winding up her stint as Dave Garroway's "replacement," offered two of the week's more pleasant moments. One, Monday morning, was a special film report on the civic ruckus in Reading, Pa., and the other, Wednesday morning, was a lighthearted documentary on J. Fred Muggs' visit to Roosevelt Raceway — little things that sometimes mean so much. Elsewhere in the week: SUNDAY SPECTACULAR: "The Bachelor," NBC-TV, iy2 Hour, 7:30 P.M., EDT, Sunday, July 15, 1956. Live, compatible color, from Neiv York. For Maybelline, Kraft Foods, U. S. Rubber and National Savings & Loan. Judged only by some of the other Sunday Spectacular productions, "The Bachelor" was a near work of art. Taken out of that rarified company, the show was often funny and entertaining — but not very. Its greatest attributes were a genial manner, four very attractive leading ladies and an intent to please without stomping the audience to death. In the title role, Hal March, as a romantically bewildered Madison Avenue man, displayed a nice, small singing voice and a good deal of poise to make for an easy performance that happily erases from memory his trial in "Dream Girl" during the winter season. The show's shortcomings were those of the book by Arnie Rosen and Coleman Jacoby, and the music and lyrics, by Steve Allen: not really bad but very reminiscent of a dozen other shows, not excluding the recent play and film, "The Tender Trap." In particular, TELEVISION TODAY— Editorial Director: Charles S. Aaronson; Eastern Editors: Pinky Herman, Vincent Canby; Hollywood: William R. Weaver, Samuel D. Berns; Washington: J. A. Often; London: Peter Burnup; Photo Editor: Floyd E. Stone. Mr. Allen's contribution left the impression that it could have been very good indeed if he had just stayed with it longer, which may be physically impossible, of course, if you are a jack of all trades. Joe Cates produced and directed with unqualified good taste and with quite a lot of originality. For the record, the ladies of the piece were Jayne Mansfield, Carol Haney, Julie Wilson and Georgiann Johnson. Each was a doll. U. S. STEEL HOUR: "The Partners." CBS-TV, 1 Hour, 10 P.M., EDT, Wednesday, July 18, 1956. Live, from New York. For U. S. Steel. What appeared in the initial stages to be a subtly different kind of plot construction, and possessed of an intriguing idea, seemed as this play progressed, to drag its feet, and finally to rather collapse for lack, in this particular opinion, of a satisfactory denouement. The players in this offering written by Bennett Schoenfeld, are wholly capable, and indeed offer performances for the most part of high quality. Especially is this true of Luther Adler, as the clothing store proprietor in the college town, who has built reputation and friends on good nature and generosity. But when his son, Mark Richman, emerges from business administration courses at college into partnership, trouble ensues. The boy resents his father's generosity, especially in the direction of the old man's daughter and son-in-law, until the father is reduced to "stealing" from his own cash register. Here is the interesting aspect of the story. But when, in an emotional scene, Adler absolves the bookkeeper when the shortage is discovered, and the family goes into general and joint hysterics, the son, rather too quickly and readily, does an about-face. It almost seems as though the time was running out on the show, and the producers realized they had better get it over with as soon as possible before they ran over time. Virginia Vincent, as Adler's wife is particularly good. KRAFT THEATRE: "Babies for Sale," NBC-TV, 1 Hour, 9 P.M., EDT, Wednesday, July 18, 1956. Live, compatible color, from New York. For Kraft Foods. A script, by Norman Katkov, dealing with the macabre and often heart-breaking black market in babies, last week provided the Kraft Theatre with one of its most moving shows. Mr. Katkov told his story with a documentary-like directness and honesty which extended even into the tale's extremely emotional moments. A childless couple, impatient with the legal red tape surrounding adoptions through legitimate agencies, fall victims to a black market baby dealer through whom they buy a child put up for sale by the obviously unwed mother. The hitch comes when the mother decides she wants the child back and, according to the law, there is nothing the foster parents can do to stop her. Mr. Katkov handled his material with care, Gene Cagle, vice-president of the Texas State Network, in behalf of Station KFJZ, Ft. Worth, signs a contract for the purchase of all 13 groups of Warner features, a total of 754 pictures. Looking on is Norman C. Long, southwestern regional manager for Associated Artists Productions, Inc. distributor of the Warner motion pictures for television. Motion Picture Dailh steering clear of the obvious clich: and maudlin pitfalls. He receiv excellent support, too, from 1 stars, Leora Dana and Paul Lan i ton, as the unhappy parents. Mi Dana, in particular who has do some mighty high class sufferi: on television, never was better the home screen. Alan Anders was the director. THE VIC DAMONE SHOW. CE TV, V2 Hour, 9:30 P.M., ED! Monday, July 16, 1956. Liu from New York. For Instant Mi ' well House Coffee. Young Vic Damone seems to ha quite a lively following among t younger set, and there appears be good reason for it. He is dec edly personable, unobtrusive a>\ possessed of a reasonably effect)'] singing voice. In this rather pie:1 ant half-hour he sings a song two, and handles quietly and easi; the duties of master of ceremoniii On this show, apparently qui! typically, he offered Roberta Sh« ; wood, the singing stylist, who • eccentrically effective, and who e' tertains later with the accompaii ment of her three handsome you 1 sons. Her "Cry Me a River" ren?i tion is vigorously done. The inimi able Bambi Lynn and Rod Alexa der, the dance team, are mc, happily entertaining, quite as usu They are a bright spot in any shoi anywhere. Mort Gunty, the you; comedian, has a slightly differed approach and appeared to be qui funny. However, the impress! lingers that a little of the ch| might go quite far enough. In all lightly, brightly entertaining ha] hour of song and dance. MATINEE THEATRE: "The Rem tance Man," NBC-TV, 1 Hour, P.M., EDT, Monday, July 1 19'6. Live, color, from. Hoi wood. Various sponsors. This statistic-heavy, script-co suming series, conceived and cij ated by Albert McCleery, continu to go its fairly assuming way, u: grading daytime television. A sp check of several shows last we reveals that the dramathon is si; prisingly successful. (Last Fa when Mr. McCleery and his arr started, their tasks could only ha seemed modest in relation to t] quality of most other daytime di ma.) James Elward's "Remittar Man," for instance, was no blc buster, but unlike soap opera, told a valid story of individu people whose problems, althou small in the cosmic sense, w4l legitimate and occasionally <l lightening. It's theme was that iJ vorite of some of the more i; pressive evening dramas: "Hat onto your dreams, bub. Life ci be hell without them. And it v>\i well played by James Bell, as old man who fascinates a srni town family with phony tales I his past derring do, and by A> Doran, as the head of that fami> among others. Sherman Marks the director. There may be an J sembly line here behind the scerii but it doesn't show.