TV Radio Mirror (Jan - Jun 1955)

Genial Ted Mack is back on TV presenting undiscovered talent. WHAT'S NEW FROM COAST TO COAST (Continued from page 11) Club gang are now being heard by American servicemen stationed overseas in a special half-hour version of the morning variety show, beamed through the Armed Forces Radio Service. The Monday through Friday radio broadcasts of Breakfast Club are condensed into a thirty-minute transcription for daily transmission to the troops abroad. Servicemen have, in addition, been receiving the programs of Martin Block, Fibber McGee, Tennessee Ernie and Bob Hope. NBC -TV has a new summer variety show, which may be scheduled even before the hot weather arrives. It's called Musical Chairs, and will star that talented singer-composer, Johnny Mercer. Bill Leyden, the popular Hollywood disc jockey, will be the emcee, and Mel Blanc, he of the "Woody Woodpecker" voice, will handle the comedy corner. Guest stars will be top recording personalities. This 'n' That: Funnyman George Gobel will probably make his first movie for Paramount, with the title still to be chosen. There are several tentative ones — "Fast Shuffle," "Don't Fall in Love with Strangers," "Don't Play Cards with Strangers," "Take It Big," and "There You Are" — in addition to twentythree other suggestions, believe it or not. Ann Sothern, the country's most popular Private Secretary, is trying to buy the television rights to her old movie series, "Maizie." Ann doesn't want to play in the series herself, but wants to produce it, using another actress, for her newly formed Vincent Productions. Betty Hutton finally wed Alan Livingston, Capitol Records executive, in Las Vegas, Nevada, a third marriage for each. And, about the same time, Martha Raye began to have marital discords with her fifth husband, in her new home in Westport, Connecticut. Hoping for the same success that Liberace, Frankie Laine and Florian ZaBach have had with their filmed TV shows, bandleader Ina Rae Hutton has just signed with Guild Films to shoot thirty-nine half-hour programs. They'll be called 12 Private Secretary Ann Sothern wants to create a "Maizie" series for TV. Ina Rae Hutton And Her All-Girl Show, featuring the Hutton gal tooters, and all feminine guest artists. Donald O'Connor and the Texaco Star Theater will not be partners in television as of the end of the current cycle. The Texaco people have already signed Jimmy Durante to dp all thirty shows for the 1955-56 season, with fifteen to be done live and fifteen on film. Joanie O'Brien, the pretty lass who sang on the Bob Crosby TV show and with Tennessee Ernie on radio, has temporarily retired to await the birth of her first baby. Joanie is Mrs. Billy Strange. CBS Television has signed exclusive contracts with four performers whom they expect to build into big TV personalities: Barbara Ruick, the blonde songstress and former M-G-M starlet; actor Gale Gordon; writer-comedian Bob Sweeney; and Johnny Carson, a comedian who will probably have his own laugh show this summer. NBC has been doing some signing, too. They handed producer-director Max "Spectacular" Liebman a new five-year contract providing for his services on both the network's spectaculars and other related functions. NBC also made a deal with Jack Webb. The contract provides that they shall have first call on his services for a ten-year period. It also gives NBC the right to future properties Webb is developing — among them, "Pete Kelly's Blues," which is now in production as a movie for Warner Brothers. But Webb also has plans for "Pete" as a video-film series, possibly to be shown next year. Comedians Bob (Elliott) and Ray (Goulding) are now back on the network scene, replacing Dennis James as emcees of The Name's The Same. Dennis reached an amicable parting of the ways with the show's producers because of an increasing stress on humorous and off-beat commercials, which he just didn't feel were up his alley. Mulling The Mail: Mrs. M. O., Bellefontaine, O.: Most radio arid television performers are not permitted to accept any unsolicited material for their shows, and this also applies to songs. . . .. Mrs. K. R., Kansas City, Mo.: There was some talk a while back that Irene Beasley would have her own TV show, possibly on the lines of her very popular Grand Slam radio program, but nothing ever came of it. Miss Beasley still lives at Ardsley-on-the-Hudson, New CBS-TV is making big plans for pert songstress Barbara Ruick. York, and is not active at all professionally at the present time.' . . . Mrs. H. B., Topton, Pa.: Spike Jones doesn't do a regular television series at the present time, but he may have a scheduled program in the fall. He just recently returned from a personal-appearance tour to Australia. . . . Miss L. H., Chicago, 111.: Liberace was named Honorary Mayor of Sherman Oaks, California, a section of the San Fernando Valley, where he has his home, and he was "installed" in office at a civic gathering. What Ever Happened To . . . ? Martha Tilton, who sang with Curt Massey on radio for so long? Martha hasn't worked in radio, or in television, since the program went off the air, but has done some personal appearances at the Orange Show and at benefits in California. She is presently living in West Los Angeles with her husband, Jim Brooks, and their children. Curt Massey, who sang with Martha on the same show? Since the program went off, Curt has been spending most of his time with his family at their ranch in San Diego County, and hasn't worked at all. However, there is talk at NBC in Hollywood of a TV show for him this fall. If it goes through, the Massey-Tilton singing combination would be reunited. Hal Peary, The Great Gildersleeve, whose air show was so popular several years ago? Hal has been doing well for himself with a local early-morning radio show over Station KABC in Los Angeles. Shep Fields, whose "Rippling Rhythm" dance orchestra has been heard for years on remote broadcasts from dance spots all over the country? After twenty-three years of touring with his band, Shep recently settled down in Houston, Texas, and has taken to being a disc jockey over Station KLBS there. If you have a question about one of your favorite people or programs, or wonder what has happened to someone on radio or television, drop me a line — Miss Jill Warren, TV Radio Mirror, 205 East 42nd Street, New York City 17, N. Y ., and I'll try my best to find out for you and put the information in the column. Unfortunately, we don't have space to answer all questions, so I try to cover those personalities and shows about whom we receive the most inquiries. Sorry, no personal answers.