TV Guide (October 29, 1955)

CONTENTS as we see it WEEK OF OCT. 29-NOV. 4 If television dramas keep tossing these psychiatric case histories at us, nobody’s going to believe anything anymore. Does George really love Mabel, or is he transferring his af¬ fection for his mother to her just because Mabel has dimples just like Mother’s? Is Homer a success in busi¬ ness because he has ability, or is he nagged by a success compulsion dat¬ ing from age six, when no one would buy him the tricycle he wanted. We got to wondering, for example, why television producers seem to favor basset hounds. Remember Mor¬ gan, the basset who appeared on so many shows? That was only the be¬ ginning. Lassie now has a full-time basset buddy on his show. And Jackie Cooper’s new The People’s Choice has a steady basset hoimd, too. The basset has draping ears, crook¬ ed knees and a voice like a frustrated banshee. His skin is eight sizes too big for his body. Most of all, though, he has sad, sad eyes which, when set below a wrinkled, worried forehead, produce a mourirful expression sel¬ dom matched by any other animal— not even by an actor having a scene stolen by a basset. Why do television producers like to have basset hounds on their shows? The dogs are appealing, of course, but our TV psychiatric drama training tells us there must be more to it. Are the producers unhappy in their work and compelled to evidence that un¬ happiness through a basset hound? Or do they have guilt complexes about all the money they make, and use the bassets to show that despite worldly trappings, producers are real¬ ly much put-upon creatures? There’s a psychiatric drama here somewhere. There’s this TV producer, see? And he’s using this sad-eyed basset hound, see? But one day the basset gets a happy look . . . You take it from there. TV Local Program Guide Opens Opposite Page 12 America’s Television Magazine TELETYPES N«w York . 3 Hollywood . 3 Washington .23 ARTICLES 'This Is Your Lifo, Old ChapI' .10 Janotio Davis: Tho Girl Prom Pino Bluff .13 How To Spend $1,000fi00 A Wook .18 CLOSE-UP Phil Silvers: No Sad Sack . 4 SPECIAL FEATURE TV GUIDE Previews .. 8 PICTURE FEATURE Electronic Wonderland .16 REVIEWS Frontier .20 Navy Log .21 COLUMNS Fine Tuning • By Ollie Crawford....21 Confidentially . . . By Earl Wilson . 22 Cover Photo O Philippe Hetsmen Vol. 3, No. 44 • Oct. », IKS luue #I3S Walter H. Annenberg, Iditor Merrill Ponitt, Managing Cditar Alexander H. Joseph, Associate Cditar Harry Harris, Astadate Cdlfor Oliver H. Crawford, Programming Cditar Michael J. O'NeHl, Advertising Director Donald P. Kahn, Promotion Director Henry H. Osebay, Circuhtion Director James T. Quirk, Publisher TV GUIDE Is peMishsd weeMy by Trisnds PiAticitions, Inc., 400 N. Bnwd Street. Philedetphie 1, Pe. Rlttenhoese 6-ICOO. Nstionel Advertisini Office, 400 N. Breed SL. Philedetphie 1, Pe. Entered es secend dess matter at the Post Office at Philadelphia. Pa. Sebscription Rates: In the U.S. and Canada, 1 year $S.00. 2 years $0.00, 3 years $11.00, sintle copy 15c; In Pan-American Countries 1 year $7.00, 2 years $li00. 3 years $17.00; In other Foreiin Countries I yeti $0.00, 2 years $1A00. 3 years $7aoa Copyritht 1S» by Triangle Publications. Inc. He material in TV GUIDE, incted- ing program information, may be reprinted without per¬ mission of the copyright owner. Address subscriptions and chartges of addreu to Box 8019, PhnodelpMa 1, Pa. Please allow four weeks for change of address.