Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1959)

IS Motion Picture Daily Monday, April I IN OUR VIEW TELEVISION, almost by its very nature, and certainly by virtue of its inherent capacity, faces constantly a difficult problem, which recently was rather well phrased by Robert W. Sarnoff, NBC chairman, before the NAB convention. Mr. Sarnoff posed the problem in the form of a question, thus: How does it happen that an industry that has done so much for public service can nevertheless be under so much fire? The speaker went on to make the point that, in his opinion, the answer lies in one of television's special problems, one confronting no other entertainment medium in the country. "It stems from the basic, extraordinary fact that private broadcasting in America must be two things at the same time." First, said Mr. Sarnoff, television is a mass medium which must serve the masses, and secondary, it must also serve the needs of minority groups. And the speaker at this point attributed that contention, not to himself, but to his "distinguished" colleague, William S. Paley, chairman of the board of CBS, who, said Mr. Sarnoff, made the statement some dozen years ago before the NAB. Mr. Sarnoff simply substituted the word "television" where Mr. Paley had used the word "radio" back in 1946. • As a matter of fact, this writer would venture the observation that television today finds its basic problem in the fact that it must be necessity be all things to all people, and therein lies the difficulty. It is impossible, manifestly, for any medium to serve so many masters at one and the same time, and serve them all well, at all times. As the popular song had it some while back: "Something's got to give." The important point is that efforts must be made constantly to see to it that too much does not give in any one direction at one time. Mr. Paley was only too well aware of the dangers inherent in the radio situation in 1946, and Mr. Sarnoff today points to the same kind of danger which confronts its younger sister-medium today. And one of the gravest dangers attendant upon the sweeping criticisms to which the medium is subjected now is that of governmental intervention in the programming area, that most odious of conceptions. • But Mr. Sarnoff drew a farsighted bead on an even more threatening kind of danger, that by which constant repetition of free-swinging slogans have tended to make television viewing "a symbol of inferior status." This downgrading in the eyes of public and advertiser is indeed a serious matter. Posing the problem, the NBC executive inquires of his industry listeners: what is to be done? and are we to do what has to be done as a united industry, all with the single goal, or as divergent, individual en Television Today tities, each fighting a battle in his own way? It must be glaringly apparent that there is only one way to wage a successful counter-attack under the circumstances, and that is as a united, single force with a single And that calls to mind a recent statement of another television network executive, Bert Briller, sales development director of the ABC Telvision Network, who told a group in New York that television "has had one major sales failure— namely, sell ing itself." That seems the strangely accurate paradox of the medium, that it is a peerless selling medium, yet seems totally unable to sell the public on its own value. • There is a vital, crying need for a comprehensive campaign designed to present television in its proper perspective, and in the light of that high place to which it is entitled as a medium of public enlightenment, information and entertainment. The time for that effort is now. — Charles S. Aaronson AROUND THE TV CIRCUIT with PINKY HERMAN. IF YOU are an early bird, or a Dave Garroway fan (as we^ are) or just happened to have tuned in this morning to the "Today" show, you saw another "TV first"-a broadcast of a regular network program, originating in Europe and beamed via TVideo tape. Among other things that the bespectacled disciple of "peace" and the "front of the hand to you" Garroway sent your wav, was an interview with Brigitte Bardot direct from the top of the Eiffel Tower during which B.B. quoted from Shakespeare's "Hamlet." . . . Latest addition to the Sesac Transcribed Library is the musical versatility of Don Elliott ("Don At Midnight"). Although he started as a singer with Hi, Lo, Jack^ & The Dame group, his artistry (vibes, trumpet, mellophone) is rated "Tops in Jazz." . . . The way Rosemary June warbles "With You Beside Me," on the Paris label, this translation by Shelley Dobbins of Rascel's beautiful ballad may well duplicate Shelley's "Non Dimenticar," which was the smash of last year thanks to Nat King Cole's waxing. . . . Since its in t ception TVia NBC Oct. 23, 1956 (segment of the "Jonathan Winters Show") the increased use of video tape has resulted in the elimination of much of the confusion heretofore encountered because of the time belts and the shifting to and from Daylight Saving Time. ... A joint press conference to honor "Emmy" Award Nominees will be held tomorrow at Toots Shor's by NBC and the Academy of TV Arts & Sciences. One of the best-liked Batoneers in the country, Charles Sanford, is recuperating from a severe illness. Sanford's deft handling of the music chores for "Show of Shows" and Max Liebman Spectaculars these past ten vears has earned him national honors and acclaim. . . . # # Reports of the grand show (55 minutes of "Sigmund Romberg's Music") presented by Bill ("South Pacific") Tabbert, Earl ("Desert Song") Wrightson and Betty ("Up In Central Park") Benee, drew your roving reporter to the Cotillion Room of the Hotel Pierre. Skillfully supported by Joe Ricardel's Orchestra, this hour of charm, every show featuring the music of great American composers, to us at least, seems like a perfect TV package. . . . National Safety Council Public Service Award for 1958 was given last week to Bob Colvig, personable and one of San Francisco's most popular deejays. (KSFO.) . . . Robert Q. Lewis has been tapped for an important role in a forthcoming "Gale Storm Show" ABComedy currently being telefilmed at the Hal Roach Studios. . . . Gilbert Cohen, who started with ABC in 1951 as a stock clerk and has moved steadily upward, is the new Film Manager at ABC-Films. . . . Horace McMahon's "Lt. Parker" in the ABCrime doesn't pay series, "Naked City," makes him a tough contender to beat for next season's "Emmy." . . . Producer Walt Framer invited to attend the preem of "For Love Or Money," June 6 TVia ABC-ITV in London. ... Not only does he provide zingy, danceable rhythms in his Decca Albums, "An Evening with Cedric Dumont" but the Radio Basel (Switzerland) music director also features on the cover, several original cocktail recipes (to SIP this one out, we presume.) . . . NBC-TV Continues Service to DST Are The NBC Television Netwj continue its extensive video eration to provide com, across the country with schedule regularity during t| 26-October 24 daylight savi period, it was announced weekend. The video tape method, v lows almost instantaneous of recorded TV programs color and black and white, portedly eliminate the uncertf confusion of shifts in local schedules caused by fast the past wholesale readjusti programming and viewer hal, required in standard time <■ Daily Repeat Feed Plar NBC-TV's DST Program Plan provides for a repeat fe< entire network schedulethrough 1 A.M.— seven days on a one-hour delay basis standard time cities. 'Government Rese Is Theme of IRE < Government Research— its and its importance— is the subject of the May issue of ' ings" of the Institute of R gineers. In 39 progress reports, tota 350 pages, leading radio-elect thorities of the U. S. and; provide a comprehensive aik sentative picture of governrn1' munications and electronic Featured are new results obt cause of this work and a i recent important developmei terest to all engineers and New Screen Gems To Start on ABC-r Screen Gems' "Man frc Hawk," a new adventure sei on the exploits of an insurs pany investigator in the la5 will be launched on ABC Fridays 8:30-9 P.M., NYT October 9. The new series, which stf Rockwell, will be sponsored Laboratories and the R. J. Tobacco Company. NBC Starts Two For Syndicated S California National Pr NBC's film-making divis week began shooting two hour film series on the N at Culver City. Both are de syndication. Titles are "Pr geant" and "Pony Express