The radio annual (1956)

^ ^ ^ TELEVISION FILM EXECUTIVES ^ i:^ ^ ROBERT SANDE, president of Song Ad Film-Radio Productions, Hollywood, founded the firm in 1950. A native Californian and a graduate of the University of California's Santa Barbara campus with majors in both speech and music, Sande pioneered the merchandising with music technique for TV and radio commercials. His earlier background as both a top professional musician and an advertising agency executive are probably unique in the film-radio production world. Sande's talents, together with those of Don Estey, Del Porter and Larry Greene, his partners, have built Song Ad Film-Radio Productions into one of the largest producers in the business, serving many of the nation's top agencies and advertisers. Their specialty: fully integrated film-radio merchandising campaigns that give sponsors extra mileage per dollar. FRANK FERRIN, owner of the production company bearing his name, produces, writes and directs "Andy's Gang," the TV film series starring Andy Devine and Nino Marcel. Ferrin created the property for radio in 1940 as ''Smilin' Ed's Gang" with the late Ed McConnell. It began on TV in 1950. After McConnell's death in 1954, Ferrin discontinued the radio show and changed the TV film version to "Andy's Gang." Ferrin entered radio via WTCN in his native Minneapolis, some thirty years ago, with the comedy act "Nels and Ole." Later he organized Midwest Recordings, Inc., radio transcription firm, and then joined Henri, Hurst and McDonald in Chicago as VP in charge of radio. In 1942 Ferrin moved to the Leo Burnett Agency in the same capacity. In 1946 he formed the Frank Ferrin Co. SIDNEY PAUL SOLOW, vice president and general manager of Consolidated Film Industries, has been affiliated with CFI since he graduated from New York University in 1930. Advancing from chief chemist to plant superintendent to his present position as head of the Hollywood lab, Sid Solow has been instrumental in the growth of CFI to its current status as one of the top TV film laboratories in the nation. In addition to directing a company that processes some 70% of all west coast produced film for TV, Sid is active in the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, and virtually every charity involving the motion picture industry. He has been a lecturer in Cinema Arts at the University of Southern California since 1947. MAURICE BECK, together with Ed E. McLemore produced a film series entitled "Texas Rasslin' " which has proven to be one of the highest rated sports shows on TV. This film started when they realized that wrestling in other states lacked color, speed and roughness so desired by the spectators. A native Texan, Maurice aspired to be an attorney, but after two years of legal study, changed to banking by accepting a job at the Federal Reserve Bank in Dallas, where he graduated from the American Institute of Banking. Leaving banking he acquired an interest in one of the largest power laundry and dry cleaning plants in Texas and operated this business for seven years, before entering the entertainment field. MAURICE UNGER, vice president in charge of West Coast operations for Ziv Television Programs, Inc., was born and raised in Cincinnati. After completing his education, he joined Grandpa Brands Inc., a liquor firm in 1934, and remained there until 1947, working with its affiliated firms as general manager. He also served as president of its Tom Collins Corp. From 1947 to 1950, he was president of the Charles A. Maish Company. Then, in 1950, he joined the Frederic W. Ziv Co. When the firm went into TV production five years later he moved to the West Coast, where he now heads up the firm's TV film operations. Expansion of these operations has included the acquisition of the American National Studios, to accommodate the widened scope of Ziv production schedules. 1088