Variety (August 1962)

2 RR ADIO-TELEVISION are a rn a fe ey Ce | NBC-TV's ‘hiring of: Jerry. Chester. and. the® Sandy: ‘Cammings: : a 2 Sgeparture: from ‘ABC-TV; Hollywood, ' are:-merely the“ latest ’ ina. it to} poili is | a time _.. 5 guecession ‘of nety work ‘program: ‘personnel changes—but. they’ cate’ |: . “not. expected to. ‘be‘the ‘last ‘on’: -the. immediate “‘horizon;",.Hubbell.Se . Robinson's plans.are apparently not fully resolved and, ‘consequent! y: a .»/-ahore changes are anticipated-at CBS-TV;. And -ABC-EV obviously ~: se By. GEORGE ROSEN’ Hero 3. to e in| Spark OS “< has,a-few -in! ‘the: Inaking,‘particulary’ since ‘Chester and Cummings. “. Have..to,.beTeplaced. ‘For. ‘the: record, here is a ‘list “of. the: ‘high-fe! © Safely: ™ buried’. in © a ‘recent oo ~+ NBC's hiring ‘Jerry Chesier as level. ‘Manpower , changes.‘ madg* ‘lately, in’ network. programming.. a Saturday. ‘August édition’. ‘of: the} i its ‘No. 2 i rammin its No. man. in progra zg cn, The’ list; incidentally; bears out. thé. contention ‘that the “Ww: eb :ty.”. ‘New-York ° dailies’. was. thean[ABC “Ups. ‘Armand Grant: (with overall.nighttime and. day-.",-. Program, départments are populated'by “the same. old: faces. walek -'| nouticement.’ of .a! “new” -program|~" Armand. Grant, longtime. [time—in contrast to his more. limao “it seems, are. forever in astate of-:changeless change. coe -. 1 -séries” to: be ‘produced’. by, ‘Larry. * ‘@irector: of’ daytime program{ited ABC _daytime—responsibiloe “Birst, “Robinson. returned. a. fewniorithis. ‘ago to: CBS-TY, ‘as. its: ‘Lansburgh © for. Selmiur’:.Produc-} “ ming for'.ABC-TV, has been ‘Jities) actually came 4s.no surprise 2.) prograin. head, dfter-a two-year:stint as.an indie program ‘packager. ‘J tions, ‘Ine:,” ‘gq. ‘sholly.” ‘owned. sub: |: ".named daytime “programming: :|to trade ‘insiders. a And:,with--this, . Oscar Katz,. who -réplaced. Robinson’.as. program . sidiary” ‘of ABC-TV’s “parent: corm-;. chief” of the network., filling ‘Years ago, ‘Chester gainer d the ”" head, was shiftéd ‘back, te boss. of CBS-TV. daytime® programming’ :.| ane tes |" -the . vacancy. created by “the | hel og . | pany. -Yet: to ‘the -few. ‘indistryi es | : respect. of. ‘Mort ‘Werner. in helping . + under ‘Robinson: |Move’-of ‘Katz. ‘left ‘No room. in-.N.Y. for. Larry, .:|S day |... resignation of Giraud. Chester’ 7 . 1 daytim ; Oe ; who: thoroughly” read*:a. aturday him shape -NBC's origina aytime’ cepose Foy ot White. then -daytime . program. chief, whom: CBS’ offered | ‘a job in: who-moved:over to NBC-TV. . th Pp oe gee a ..-| paper’ in’ the’ summer. “it was ‘of | _.| program structure. in. the. Pat "tots ag! / Hollywood, but which White refused, While all this was happening, "| special’ significance as ariother key |: -P: romotion earned: Grant’ his’ | Weaver: days. When Weaver left ve o-"". dAlan Courtney. (once No. 2°man.at NBC-TY. programming. to David: : ‘step. in ‘the’ basic-drive! toward eon |.» V-P-; stripes. | -/NBC, Chester followed him as a” ao. 7 Levy became No. 2: nan. at, ‘CBS-TY to Robinson, in. a “shift SESE 4 trol. by ‘the netivorks not.-only of|Meantime, ' the, appointment business partner-to establish a prohy an from MCA.: “" | pregram ‘production. ‘bit. program |-.of.a Programming aor for ibe. ‘duction company. Then Chester’ Sorts Latest-in ‘the. CBS. maneuvering’ is’ “thé. depatture for nor-netw ork” ‘| distribation. throughout. the, ‘world. | ~~ Coast to. ll-the slo “duet by . {became tv program head of Ted ar précinets: ‘of derry: Leider,’ who “Was. --diteetor of ‘Specials, a Post... “T6 the titanics among’ the’estab| ~ Sandy Cummings. iS. due-to be “Bates, where ‘his. work brought . het ; filled.. _made~ this ‘week. ° ABC-TV: “, not yet, refille Q lished: -tyv. producers, “against: ‘whom | said they have been: talking. to | him to. the atfention of the ABC’ sot “As for: ABC-TV, “Danity: Melnick, ‘veep “of program: ‘develépment: -*| ABC's thew. production ‘cémpany'| “4. ‘number. of. eandidates ‘for brass: Chester joined. ABC shortly . ">> “was lately-retitled: aS veep of. nighttime.programming. This-evidently <] now . competes... for’: creative ° fe-|: thie’ Coast fob. after Tom’ Moore replaced’ Jim OLE Unseen t. 1 did? not -fill’ the: entire: hole. made at ABC. a” few months: ‘earlier “}-saurces.-and network slotting, the}... The’ ‘movenp of: Grant. will? Aubrey in the overall ABC procr i re when Toni: Moore. was raised: from the ‘web's. program vicépresident2 -Lansburgh announcement ‘has the| ‘not affect the web's new exec gram slot. © tia i to! the’ leadership ‘of. the. network | ‘itself. Nevertheless, . ‘in:the wake | effect. of 3 an: Jeeberg—-elilling. with wo alignment i in the prog ramming 1" At about the same. time, ‘Y&R eee "boss, “left: for, NBC-TV.. and now Cuminings: has’ just. plain: left. | : a suttace.. ; |: daytime, nighttime and. sports : daytime. deal, which ‘Was. unprece-2)" Ag for NBC-TV; Mort” Werner came in “as: Levy's: ‘replacement “| Thus; ‘the: ‘specific aniowneement ' “operate as. separate entities, | dented in that it involyed millions . and-he then brought over. Grant. ‘Tinker: from: Benton: &. Bowles.: of a particular series,. “Land of the ‘Yeporting: to -Jules’ Batnathan, of dollars for programming to ‘ba . ‘ “Apart.from‘that, all the significant. changes in program. personnel, *.’ ‘Wiid,”’ described asan: “animal)., ABC-TV "administrative _ v.p. selected. “> . topped ‘by. Chester's. arrival. at NBC-TV, were made e Just } this” Ww eek. ; _| action-adventure”. : ‘ show, an “which a Dan Melnick is v.p. over nightThe money was ‘to be . ‘spread. ve : (See -separate. ‘story.).. ore Popa Tak ee ‘Lansburgh’s :: Walt. Disney . “film: . time’: programming..and Chet -| weekdays—Monday. thru. Friday— Simmons heads. the sports © =! ‘credits. stamp : Ahim-* ‘well’ ‘qualified, .. Sebartment.. -Fto::-prodice; révéals °‘merely” the [.. ‘above-the-water-line silhouette of Chester to NBC, from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., an. area -~ that’ ABC had not programmed. ‘| Chester joined ABC in the summer }-of 1958 and: puta whole new sechedule on the air in’ October of that year. After a certain amount: of ‘reprograniming ‘and re-scheduling— “| one: of-a colony: of" ‘icebergs. ‘that are « “appearing” “With: “increasing frequency in: “the? program. cargo. lanes now: plied’ :by ‘the industry's, | independent: production. vessels. | _o Many Hurdles, Lo ; ks No Dice © On GOP 5 Min,’ Palas : os * _ sympathetic to the Republican pro “ wee ft operational have already. loomed. ° ! S “ Above ‘all,’ oa ‘present in''a. year. when ‘state ‘an oe ‘elections. , otk . affiliates. rn @led: ‘by network execs ‘ta see if it 30° s'. Seomplies: with. the equal opportuni: f. “2. |, ties. provision. of Section’ 315 ‘on-~ " ” Jocal levels.‘Difficulty. ‘im-.this re-. “ot gpeet is. that the: “networks. ‘would’ . be carrying: ‘on negotiations ‘for: os fore. permitted ‘political ‘satire. on” -. Jeither: tv or: ‘sound, -has ‘apparently. =. Pelaxed its views. Last night (Mon.). "2." when the magazine. program,’ MEO. “-." night “retirned . to. the.. schedule -} _ 2. there’ was. included _a :topical. com: ~“meritary ‘on:. palitiéal affairs.. ns ( 2 “introduced | actress Prunella + Seales as “an: -Awiul Child: asking |: -“l_awkward -. questions: *.on -serious ’ ‘i ‘topics: -The idea, has: been worked: ' 2°). out’ iia ‘strip’ cartoon, form ‘and. the: .« geripts. are being . written. by : he Bally Mail, , Reports Gireilated by the Repub: (== : : _ : “tieant ‘National. Committee: that’ ‘the {H. “2 television: webs have agreed. 4o-cut | “. * gomte ” prinvetime,” shows” by”: five | __:inintutes “to: ‘makeroom. for. paid. . “political. : -broadcasts: ‘are ‘puzzling-}:. os network : ‘execs. _ Although talks io. " guch: an end. have --been. -héld,: no i: . ‘deal: has been. finalized. and there's: _. ? @ strong. possibility. that: Hone. will’ LOL “ever. | materialize. « While ‘thew ‘ebs". are“ generally: ‘posal, immense-hurdles_ to. making these. difficulties are: -. Jocal © contests ‘will: dominate: the “One: web: ‘exeé pointed. out: ‘fhiat a : if ‘five: minutes-“were ‘sliced: off ‘a}:: show for, a. political: -broadtast. ‘by:. a -candidate..in New -York,. what | ee th happens in: Chicago if‘nd ‘candidate | ’ : 7; J.there: buys-the -segment; “In short, |ves ss: T there would’ be’ some..awkward: re=" “ ““l-"guilts unless... the’ Republican: Na-{ 3° { ‘tional -Commiittee” could ‘guarantee ‘J. “*. ¢hat “ ‘every. five-minute . segment. would: be. ‘bought. On ail. ‘Retwork "Secondly. ‘the. plan’ is ‘being stus on Tocal, telecasts’ ona national level, “0 Phe. “ABC-TV ‘web, which’ “was “named ‘as. the -. first network --to -..: agree to, theRepublican's propo-' 7 gall dénied-that.it“had entered into: : **" any such‘deal,. although: still study ing: it: ‘CBS-TV. éxecs stated: flatiy.. "that “it refused such a time. order Jot from. the: ‘Republicans... eee 4 BBC RELAKES BAN “ON POLITICAL i : ‘London, Aug: ‘21. . ° rhe’ ‘BRC. ay hich: jhas,,never. be. -Ber “-mard-: ‘Levin, : legit. “critic” of. ‘the: ‘American -. EXDErts Minnéapolis, Washington, DC,’: ‘on -U.S.: econ-. ‘Radio: Network (WRVR in. New cational: Television’ -&: Radio. Center: iNBCs $ “tibaen Stake mi prexy: “| legit’. showcase, 7 ‘details are: ‘under wrats. -:-: mh is .soon, ‘by.|. late: September: ‘to. leave’ the NBC | United: ‘States. lobia: news. setups. foots ran Telstar lag "Thursday, Aug. 93.” ‘Europe-U.S. with Swedish. economist ‘and: ‘s0ciologist: Dr. -Gunit ‘from Boston, Philadelphia.“ J'omy,. 6, to-7 p.m: “over. Educational York).. Produced. by National’ Edu ing. « Richiard “Rodgers-Alan ; Tay: Lerner: ‘Broadway: “musical, via a through NBC | deal...’ ‘negotiated :: Enterprises. OO ‘| Enterprises’ ‘division of the network | that. NBC-T'Vgot what is: feported: ‘to. be an exclusive . hold:on Iyricist | ‘Lerriér's:. tv. ‘activities:.what..with “his ‘other activities, ‘it’s :quite. possible’ that Lerner‘ “won't get around to’ doing any tv ‘stanzas for ‘sometime. . The -video: ’ stuff is: supposed. to take. thie form of. three: | weeks . ;Ag0.. . Lerner ‘made his. deat with. NBC] “Bob: .Kintner® and* Alsred’ |-Stern; who: is héad~of NBC Enter- | prises::It is’ said to be: an intri¢ate,, | -high-levelaffair. that involves NBC, . "| financing. in“ more. ‘than’ ‘just one... ~ _ although * further | <eeemninensannsiauninsainiminmmmamain Stern, -incidentally,, orbit: to:enter business for hmiself. | He. Jately. ‘bought: into:a ‘system of ns : community antennas. across. “the ~ Kintner’ S. Global a ner’ is’ ‘going around the: world:‘Hey. expects. to. ‘leave: some: time: next “month. : tie, “Trip: is. twotold—vacation, plus | briefing. himself” ‘on: the:. network's: radio *indtable r Myrdal and. ‘and. [bring _ it: -off, > | eliminate. tv’s. presenit. major. ‘pro: -."b ducers, = | Gems; .Warner Bros., ‘Four Star, | MGM-TY,. ‘Ziv-UA, ete: And out-of. it is seen. ‘evolving three networks * Itccwas | ‘thus: through: this: ‘same. ‘Of. .COUrSE,. NBC. ‘President Robert E,:Kint-. ... $n.the ‘all-important area of “‘experimentation.”: ” ‘ag: president of a wholly-owned. ad ‘|.posed and arranged. by Elmer. Bernstejn: A rerun of “The Golden — Beneath”. the ‘surface’ lies “what | appears: to be a. “coming ‘freeze-out | of the: independent” ‘producers: as| _the -networks:‘shape up plans. for producing more and more. oF their | -. + @WN.. programs:: -Agency-advertiser| : circles, deploring-the move toward. inside. production, see. it.as ‘Phase ‘Two.. in. the networks” -ambitions toward ‘complete: ‘control of. -pro ‘gramming... {The: Phase : One. fait accompli. saw the’ networks directly licensing programs-from indie producers for: sub-licensing.:'to. ad-|: |-vertisers in combined ‘program-|t ‘time selling, as distinguished from ‘the. -earlier network. practice. of}: -| Selling time only,-.which: had. pre -| wailed ‘for a: Seneration):: ‘Phase Two, if. the. Tietw “onlis ean’ ‘could. -eventually. such as. Revue, Screen with: a newly-won status. as “sole ‘purchasers of: “programming by ve their. own: producers. mo “NBC's owns 9506, ‘ot the fortticom: |: ‘The. effect in: the. ‘entertainment industry. will. then’: be’ as: startling. -andfundamental ‘as. ‘would | be the ‘repercussions . in..the | metals,’ ‘Tub-: ber ‘and. glass ‘industries if: Genérai: Motors, ‘Ford and. Chrysler. created -their own Steel,. -aluminuim,. rubber ‘and’ glass. fa¢tories: to ‘supplytheir. Own . body, ‘frames, ° tires: and -windows,. in which event, of “eourse;: the: dislocation would create ‘dis‘may in. the ranks.:of: U.S: Steel, Alcoa, Goodyear;. ‘Pittsburgh: Plate. ‘Glass, -et al. as ‘well as the usually’, alert. Justice. . Dept.. Yet: that. is| what's: below’ the . surface of" the | ‘or. four specials, asreported ‘some. renin ‘ieeberg. -. World’s .A Network ‘Oyster —: . Phase’ One, which’ set’ the ‘net ‘works. up..as .the. sole eustomers | for: programming;: gave each of.tte webs, in-exchangefor partial pilot, ‘financing, . one.” half, : of: the: ‘Pro_(Continued, on: page. 40). ‘Tinker to Coast, --Friendly’s Shift “Mort Werner, vicepresident in charge of NBC-TV programming, has evidently wanted Jerry Ches ‘ter: ‘in -his department. for some time, and now he's-:got him: ‘Ches-. ter. is quiting as: ‘boss. of daytime. programs “at . ABC-TV, toreturn. after several years, to NBC-TV, this time as: No. 2. ‘man in pro ‘gramming... Chester’s ‘appointment as. the ; ‘man in’ charge of .NBC-TV's pro gram. “administration. cued’ further departmental * reshuffling, ner | brought in. several months-ago from. Benton.& Bowles, leaves New York, where he has been veep and. ‘to |} move.: cout ‘to ‘Hollywood. as west coast. program operations ‘striper general .. ‘program... -éxecutive, under: Felix Jackson. “With. Friendly: giving: up admin istration to get. back..into specials, it means that Lester Gottlieb, who. has: béen special’ programs ‘boss, is: leaving’ NBC-TV.. Friefidly. (who. ‘was a program ‘specials exec before -becoming administration .aide to. ‘the. department. head) doubtedly. get into.the sales of specials ‘and ‘he'll also’ be picking up some’: of -Tinker’s ‘work, “which might. well ‘include .haridling: the DuPont Sunday. night’ lineup.. ‘closed with him by NBC-TV’S .Wer| ‘Lner, Chester always seemed ‘un-| willing to leave’ his post as.daytime |. boss at: ABC-TV,. Various reports |. citculated; ‘almost from. the ‘day.|~ last’ year. ‘when Werner arrived. at NBC-TV. :from Young. & Rubicam, | j Hhat. ‘the wanted his: old ‘cohort Gin (Continued: on Page 42) ~The Selmanization of TV. * The: ‘comirig ‘plight of: the: independent’ producers ¢ was well articu7 lated: by ‘Selig. Seligman; the -president of AB-PT's wholly-owned Te?" Selmur ‘Productions, : Ine.: {coyly. named ‘for his wife, Muriel, . and |, “himself,)' in: recent interview- Seligman,: a Harvard: Law“School. ‘graduate, points. ‘out that a... “Naked City.” |»; Sellaman company, « “owned: ‘by: a” network. which controls .the “Says, Seligman. “It's: my ‘job “.” Subsidiary; ‘of ABC-Paramount to. experiment. ‘Studios «such as. Rowe Star, ‘Screen Gems. ‘Désilu; étc., :are. placed ‘in the position: of slotting ‘of’ programs ‘in its schedule, enjoys a. competitive | edge oa ‘| currently producing the tv specials, compromise. ° ‘Their business: is: programming, per: se.. ‘where we, on :the: other “hand,. ds. a. tv arin of ‘a.“network and a’ movie “company, : to “have the umbrella’o of, tor orporate relationships as Protection.” ” “with ‘present. veep in charge-of program: administration, ‘Ed Friendly, shift-. ‘ing’ ta. veepee over: special. _pro-| -grams.. Grant ‘Tinker, whom Wer will un _f wood: ‘The. Great Stars” ‘shown March 13, 1963 from 10 to from the Peter Lind Hayes and Liberaces of 1958 to the Ernie Fords and, “Father. Knows Bests”: .of 1962—Chester gave ABC, in four years, a competitive daytime: schedule that, in marked con= trast to the ABC 1962-63 evening schedule, is now sold out—to the ‘tune of about: ‘$40, 00u,000 per year. And this feat is régarded as. all ‘the more amazing in view of the fact that in the first-quarter (the ‘October thru’ December semester) ‘of. the new season, ABC. has two . hours of. unsold evening. time per ° average week. With the new: season’s curtaia | ‘about to go up, and: with ABC's unsold evening. time totaling. ‘some 170 minutes. or well over $5,000,-. 000 in the ‘fourth quarter, it was Chester's solid and thorough day time programming’ efforts. that helped put ABC-TV _ network. ‘into the: black for: ‘the season ahead. And this explains the personal -efforts of both Si Siegel and Leonard Goldenson. of AB-PT’s top hierarchy to persuade Chester to stay, even though: network chieftain Tom Moore had passed him up in favor of Dan Melnick for the top ABC program slot. Nonetheless, Chester resigned from. ABC onWed. (15) and made ‘his new. deal with NBC ‘the following day. Thus, Chester, who put ABC on .the daytime map and, cunsequent= vf ly, made it a--complete and full service network, returns to his original network but. with new ‘and enlarged responsibilities, both. ~ | day and night. “Until last week; when a-deal was: Wolper. P wood Specials _ Hollywood, Aug.” 21. '. Two new. David Wolper. specials on Hollywood; sponsored by Proc-. ter & Gambie, ‘have been scheduled. | for telecasting on ABC-TV. — “Hollywood: The Talkies” will’. | be aired Jan. 23, 1963, from 4:30 | to $8:30 p.m. “preempting. Wednes-. | aay night's “Wagon Train.” “Holly 11 p.m., preempting Wednesday's ' Jack. Haley. Jr.,:and Wolper are swhose: musical score.is being com Years” on NBC-TV, another Wolper :special on Hollywood, is slated for en NBC-TV on Sept. 18. To ABC-TV for P&G will be” J