Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1956)

Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, November 2' I] T ■ 0 0 Mmmmm g television Joaay Passing in Review Who's Where Bernard Shaw, at least one of whose works has been set to music with rather profitable results, was just about the only television author of anv standing last week whose production was left unscored. The effect was extremely satisfactory. As produced and directed by George Schaefer for NBCTV's Hall of Fame Sunday, "Man and Superman" would have been a highlight of any tv season, but, coming as it did, in a context of drama either lugubriously inarticulate or inappropriately set to music, the show was the masterpiece of several seasons. Maurice Evans led the evening in that wonderfully high and hollow theatrical style which brings Shaw comedy so vitally alive. Giving fine support were Joan Greenwood, who has never been seen to better advantage on U.S. television; Malcolm Keen, Edith King, Douglas Watson and Walter Greaza, among others. Tom Sawyer Grows Up On the other hand, another classic —and an American one at that— was treated as if it were something basically subversive which had to be disguised for televiewer consumption. For its production of Mark Twain's "Tom Sawyer" last Wednesday night, CBS-TV's U.S. Steel Hour assigned Frank Luther, a composer who has a formidable name in the child music field, to write the words, music and book. Exactly what Mr. Luther had in mind still is a matter of conjecture. After aging Tom, Huck, Becky and the other kids to make them sophisticated teenagers, and then suggesting that Tom's affair with Becky was only slightly less serious than Borneo's with Juliet, Mr. Luther turned his musical into an opera, with the styles ranging from Gian CarloMenotti to Bill Haley and the Comets. The performers— John Sharpe, Jimmy Boyd and Bennye Gatteys— were all talented folk, but they'd been led astray by a mind more devious than Injun Joe's. Eloise a Hoyden Xot yet a classic, but perhaps a potential one, is Kay Thompson's sophisticated tale of the little girl who lives at the Plaza. As dramatized on CBS-TV's Playhouse 90 Thursday [saveTmoney ON PREMESi Use Filmack's New, Deluxe 3 Fromei Wuh Copy. Pholol and OH Stago Talk YraiieR® IMMEDIATE SBVICI! ^(gpr MO CONTRACTS ' NO RETURNS night, "Eloise" suddenly became a disjointed series of vignettes, at the center of which was a macabre child who was fun to read about but who was hell to have around the house, even just on the tv screen. Besides appearing in the show, Miss Thompson also contributed several derivative musical numbers, including something called "Three A.M. in the Persian Boom," a lazy, attractive number which would be fine in a Fred Astaire shdw. Viewer Had Wide Choice The rest of the television week depended pretty much on what the viewer himself brought to the screen. NBC-TV's coverage of the Macy Thanksgiving Day parade was visually fun, though Ernie Kovacs' narration was very sketchy. The same network's "High Button Shoes" Saturday night demanded a large amount of affability. Nanette Fabray was delightful, as so was the famous bathhouse ballet, but Hal March, Joey Faye and the general staging comprised a constant challenge to one's good humor. For people who stayed up all night, Jim Macandrew and the rest of CBS-TV's Camera Three crew Sunday morning presented an extremely interesting adaptation of a segment of "Under Western Eyes," bv Joseph Conrad. Such polemics require at least two cups of coffee before viewing, however. — V.C. Writers Guild, West, To Meet on Contracts LOS ANGELES, Nov. 26-A special membership meeting of the Television-Badio Writers branch of the Writers Guild of America, west, has been called at the Beverly Hilton Dec. 13 to approve proposed staff contracts for live television and radio so that the Guild's negotiating committee can go ahead with final signing of free-lance contracts with the networks. Writers Guild of America, East, has had agreements dealing with the staff in effect for some time now, and if the western writers follow suit all contracts now pending covering the entire live and film television field can be concluded. Used by many circuit Chiogo, III. Olympic Signs DuFine Olympic Badio & Television, an affiliate of Unitronics Corp., has announced the appointment of Du Fine & Company, Inc., as its new advertising agency, effective Jan. 1. Morton M. Schwartz, vice-president in charge of sales for Olympic, has announced that Irving H. Du Fine, agency president, will serve as account executive. Morris Wattenberg has been appointed advertising and promotion manager of WABC, WABC-TV, effective immediately. Formerly adpromotion manager for WTAMWNBK, Cleveland, and WBCV, AMTV, Philadelphia, Mr. Wattenberg held a similar post with WCPO-TV, Cincinnati. □ * John H. Riedel has been named manager, studio technical operations of WRCA-TV, it has been announced by William N. Davidson, general manager of WBCA, WBCA-FM, and WBCA-TV. Associated with NBC for 14 years, he has been with local WBCA-TV operations since 1952 and has been technical operations supervisor since 1954. □ The National Electronic Distributors Association has presented a bronze plaque to Brig. Gen. David Sarnoff, chairman of the board of the Badio Corporation of America, to commemorate his Fiftieth Anniversary in radio, television and electronics ancl to express appreciation for his contributions to the industry. □ The promotion of Jerry Liddiard to Eastern Division sales manager of Guild Films has been announced by John Cole, vice-president in charge of sales. Liddiard will supervise syndicated sales activities of Guild Films' offices in Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Atlanta. □ Gordon Ewing, director of BIAS, radio station operated in Berlin by the U. S. Information Agency, has been named deputy director of Voice of America. At the same time, Laurence B. Dalcher, U. S. I. A. officer in Austria, was named to succeed Ewing as director of BIAS. □ Raoul Kent has been named a vicepresident of MCA-TV Film Syndication, operating out of the Chicago office, it is announced by Wynn Nathan, vice-president in charge of sales for the division. Sullivan to Receive Audience Board Award The National Audience Board has announced that Ed Sullivan will receive its highest award for 1956. The NAB is a non-profit, non-political organization comprised of leaders of 36 civic and cultural groups. The award pays tribute to Sullivan's "successful synthesis of entertainment and public service" in his show on CBS Sunday nights. Plan Stro Exploitati The full force of Paramoui vertising, publicity and expl know-how will be utilized i "to enh;f strong fice poti the picti will be in the months,' cording Pickman tor of : ing an< licity fc mount. "Eq Jerry Pickman with market and studies relating to public to promotional matter, we w up our 1957 product on both tional and local levels with cai designed to achieve maximum dance," Pickman said. "The remarkable success Pai has had in sending its stars, ers and directors into the field the-spot promotional activity <'l the view that this kind of Woil sential to the achievement of t of business good pictures Streamlining Achieved "Paramount's advertising, j;i and exploitation machinery oughly streamlined to allow fc flexibility, so that the full w our selling force can be dire.; ward any picture or situation ■ is deemed advisable," Pickm eluded. Ontario Theatre GiHi Scores Toll Televispi TORONTO, Nov. 26-Exce [or toll tv in Canada has been tfl the Motion Picture Theatre! A of Ontario in a letter to B. N Fi ler, chairman of the Boyal C-jrru sion on Broadcasting. The ass<tit of which Famous Players Cffld Corp. is a member, followed set earlier by the Theatre '|vn Assn. of Quebec. Famous lay which has the Telemeter fr, m supported toll tv before the |Rc Commission. Among the points of e.jfct listed: toll tv will provide li je portunity for Canadian talent 1 1 concentrate feature exhibitioi | in few hands; it will eliminate brv to minority audiences; becaus. pf tv's failure to make headwa) In United States, Canada will p ground of demonstration for I lar potential; it will "dest: [' relationship between talent ; jl dience" by eliminating studio uei There is a lack of demand r tv, cites the sixth objectio | A lastly, toll tv would eventu jy cept advertising and thus afljl CBC ancl other non-fee op itid adversely.