Radio and television mirror (July-Dec 1951)

History Is Made on TV (Continued from page 15) supposed to be off the air. Phil Patton, executive producer, solved the problem by taking the microphone himself. Douglas Gabrielle, a former cameraman turned floor manager, also pitched in. WBKB, the CBS outlet, had the best view, but an ulcer-producing situation. It was contract renewal day for Goldblatt's Home Maker's Exchange, and Manager John Mitchell and Program Director Sterling Quinlan were both at the department store. The show was on the air when the fire broke out. Newsman Ulmer Turner had no difficulty in getting a camera onto the roof of the State Lake Building; his worry was about the fire itself. With no information yet in, he gambled on the fire and called "Cut." Reuben Richman, Goldblatt's advertising manager, in the midst of contract discussion, suddenly saw their show Vanish from the screen while it still had ten minutes to go. Startled, he protested, but later the protest changed to congratulations as he learned that WBKB had been the first to bring the fire to Chicago viewers. It was the employees of WGN-TV who turned out to be the hard luck kids. Their news film crew got a remarkable break when veteran cameraman Charlie Geckler spotted smoke coming from the warehouse and began shooting film even before the first alarm was turned in, but the rest of the staff made up for it. As one disgusted engineer summed it up, "We looked out the window, and there, right in between us and the fire was the Wrigley Building housing CBS radio, and across the river, in the best spot of all, WBKB. WGN-TV might have been justified in falling back on just film coverage, but its executives took the challenge. Mobilizing the crew, they moved the remote unit to a spot directly opposite the burning building, and began telecasting. Just to make it superlative, they then put a camera onto i fireboat. Seldom have crews worked under greater difficulties. Using the ground level camera, announcers Bob Sigrist, and Harry Creighton, cold, drenched and weary, interviewed fire officials and eye witnesses. When super hard luck caught up with them, an extremely expensive Image Orthicon crashed to the ground, they moved onto the bridge and in the glare of a borrowed 800 million candlepower arc light continued. Jack Jacobsen, the cameraman on the fireboat, also was having adventures. When the maneuvering boat forced him to cast his cable loose, he helped the crew man the fire hoses. It was a tough day for the crews but they had their reward in the telephone calls, telegrams and letters. Out of all the turmoil had come a final notable effect. Four firemen were killed. Viewers, who saw their heroic battle to bring under control a blaze which threatened to destroy an entire city block, have done what they could to compensate. Donations have been generous, and trust funds are being set up to care for the widows and children. Having watched, the audience knows the cause to which it is sivins. WHICH TYP& IS VOUR BABY? BEETHOVEN . . . brings down the house with that pretty pink satin skin! Gets Mermen Baby Oil smooth-downs after baths, at diaper time too. It's your best buy, Mother! THE FLIRT . . . charm by the armful! No diaper rash for this dumpling. Mennen Baby Oil with soft, soft Lanolin protects every last crease and dimple . . . keeps skin dewy-fresh. BOSS MAN . . . doesn't talk, doesn't need to. Mom knows that "bring my Mennen Baby Oil" expression. Soothing, cleansing . . . more economical, too. HIGH-KICKER . . . look who's on top of the world; look who's had Mennen Baby Powder! Wonderfully soft, fragrant, refreshing— the finest made. And fun! There's a Built-in Rattle . . . entertaining Mother Goose pictures on can! H_ £mry6a6y/s tie right type fa MENNEN BABY PRODUCTS Buy your bsby both.. .today/