Variety (October 1963)

30 THE FOURTH MAN With Sylvester Colbert, and family Exee Producer: Dan Schuffman Producer-Director: Sam Ventura, Ronnie Born 360 Mins., Sun. 10:15 p.m. ALPO DOG FOOD WBKB-TV, Chicago (film) (Weightman) The first of WBKB’s new skein of “non fiction” specials (as differentiated from conventional documentaries) traced fhe automobile odyssey of a Negro family moving north, from a small town in Louisiana to the tollway gates of Chieago where the school teacher parents and their three children hoped to make a new home. It was a sensitive job of film-making, artful in its technique and effectively soft-spoken in its message, an altogether commendable television effort that is worthy of wider exposure. The offering. seems to open a new programming avenue in a time when non-fiction video is trapped in pure information and discussion, always dependent upon a news peg or a specific community service for its justification. While “Fourth Man” did have an obvious connection with today’s headlines in its racial angle,. that’s almost of incidental value. The basic drama involved is a classic one-—-the one that “Wagon Train” trades on fictionally every week—that of a family uprooting | itself dangerously in hopes of creating a better life in another part of the country, without illusions of finding a utopia and with full awareness of the hardships that might be suffered.. That. this was an actual journey, and not. a staged. or ficticious one, made it all the more dramatically potent. Scenes. of: Winnfield, La., a back-| ward: town that. seemed ‘Tuled ‘by,| monotony, made ‘it clear why’ the Sylvester Colbert family set out in: their ’62 Ford and U-Hayl ‘trailer. From that. point; most. of ‘the rest of the ‘film took place. inside their. ear, or. outside. their . windshield, with Stops*at. gas. stations,: -Testailrants, hotels: and = finally: the Chi“CoO tollgate. And: if this does not ‘gound. like: the stuff on which ab-| sorbing footage ‘is: made, credit ‘the production team.of Sam Ventura] .. and Ronnie Born for making: it ‘so. Exec producer. Dan Schuffman. could ‘hardly “have: “selected. bet-: ter subjects “for the ‘film ‘than. Sylvester ° and © LaRuth ‘Colbert, a good-looking “and. soundly moti-' vated: couple who. were able. to comment. ‘candidly, -but -without: tancor:‘on: the! realities of being a Negro in the ‘U.S: today; A sepa-. rately recorded audio track of :the Colberts telling of life in the South,. of themselves and the children, and of the ‘trials of traveling on the road . (“finding .a place _where..we can eat isn’t as. serious. a. prob-|" lem as finding a rest room”) is all| that served for a narration, and. the device was both. effective: ‘and. _refreshing.. ' The Colberts . revealed. much about themselves, both in what they said and. in how. they behaved with |. ‘their children, and .the viewer ‘came.to know them personally. ‘during this 30 minute ride north‘ward. On this Jevel, the program "made a great contribution in’ race: relations. =~ Les, “aTRLESCOPE Markie, host ‘Executive Producer; Thom Benson Director; Hoss MeLean ot 30 Mins., Fri., 9:30 p ‘GENERAL MOTORS ¢ ‘OF CANADA LTD... CBC, from Toronto: (tape) _ (McKin). * : The sponsor, GM of. Canada,: ‘has “switched. from drama ‘to documentaries. and has signed for. 52: weeks -of Ross’ McLean --Fletcher. Markle 4nterviews. -Show. will ‘be30: mins. of ‘Friday ‘prime time. over. the 44] English ‘stations of .the ‘coast-to coast -CBC web. Teeoff had Lorne. ‘Green of NBC's. ‘Bonanza’ with some: production, shots, Plus a song: or two. Revealing. that. it takes. six. days | to shoot ‘a: single. “Bonanza”: episode, Green sketched. in some. of} “the individual problems of getting| on tape a separate weekly episode.} . There were ‘also. shots of a rodeo! appearance. at Independence, -Mo., the recreation ‘of. the original Ponderosa raneh house—as nar-| rated in. a house. inspection. by Mrs. Green—and the star’s. cording of an RCA single, | “Same | n album is promised): Old Me.” Hosting of Fletcher..Markle was ‘commendable, as was the direction CS Mcs Stay. of Ross McLean, ‘lacking. the. .aspirations. for. Bob & Ray,’ TELEVISION REVIEWS VARIETY Tele Follow-Up Comment Jerry Lewis Show The much maligned (critically) Jerry Lewis two-hour Saturday night show on ABC-TV began to take shape last week (Oct. 12) and’ the shaper was Sammy Davis Jr. Davis sang, danced and clowned with Lewis through the last hour and a half, arid at the wind, Lewis told the versatile Negro performer how he felt via an old show business axiom—‘“When you’re with good, you're better.” It was an exact tribute. Davis opened solo in his invigorating style with a trio of songs. Standout in the set was the middle number, “In This Cold World,” which he recently recorded and which has the sound of a hit. Show sagged a bit as Lewis and ‘Davis went into an ad lib routine allegedly based on things write-in viewers wanted the comic to do—. “walk crazy,” “dance crazy,” etc., but as a team they really clicked in a comic song routine that wound up with Davis doing “Me and My Shadow” -with Lewis as_ the ‘shadow. Another standout turn. featured Davis and Lewis in a. “danceorama” with the three guest. tap groups, The Dunhills, The ‘Steiner Bros. and The Four Step Bros. double-exposure .routine that gimmickry.. Overall, the show. seemed to -have a cohesiveness previously: This -was in . spite -of J. absurd insistance. by both Lewis: ‘and. ..Davis that. virtually ‘everything they did: was. Spontaneous. | “Who. cares -if:it’s rehearsed or -ad |. lib so long as things hang a and. it . _moves? _ ‘Ea Sullivan Show | “Ea: Sullivan's’ attempt-to. expose | # his . big vaudeville-oriented: audi| ence to the incisive ‘social ly |. political satire: heretofore mostly ‘abou t" Wiley; confined: to the -cabarets' and theatre. can definitely be logged asa. brave. experiment. Unfortun-' ately, the “premiere. segment of. “What's.Going on Here?’’. featuring the .top. talents. of Britain's ‘ theat rical hit, “Beyond. the Fringe” ‘and: “The: ‘Establishment, ” and Ameri-_ -ea’s zany broadcast ‘comedy. team, seemed to. clash: ‘rather. violently withthe. show’ Ss longtime’ standard of. ‘square, but. good . vaude tuners. Clash _ or...no, wits again: this. Sanday (21): Since’ ‘What"'s Going. on Here?” was an{| ‘nounced as-a fouch-and-go-or-drop. project, the quick encore is. a good omen. . Segment : was“used as the show opener, and: ‘perhaps: the. : shock. could. be lessened in the future: ‘by | inserting it next to closing: An “other obvious: drawback was in. the. Number of sketches: chocked. into: ‘the few‘ minutes. Any: number. of. -brittle-bright scores ‘were. missed ‘in the nervous pace: With Lorne Green; Fleteher| -Format was: excellent. Elliott: and Ray. Goulding acted as ‘an: anchor news. team for the. ‘sketches, many. of ‘which were ‘in 4 video: news format and all:of which. “were. based. on current .news.. In ‘this frame, Bob and Ray-. “were: '| auitomatically?-a subtle takecff on. the .familiar news duos. of. the medium:. In outlining their job,’ ‘Ray said. he would -be “mother |: ‘henning” the land masses of. the.| globe: «which. he forthwith pealed.|-” off (a world-globe: prop) and Bob: would ‘be: handling.: the’. “water | -‘Mmasses—“‘under, over,” around: and through,” And in a familiar to and-fro of néws | “items, team had: “Fidel Castro is. some “good: -bits: accusing the . CIA. | of . ‘launching ‘hurricane. Flora: ‘It -.was: last seen -headed: for Red China”; . item:. (with, more arrests)” etc. . Down the jine. there was: no con ‘cession. .to: .themass audience. “Freehand itreverence. keyed. turms——Peter .Cook’s composite of... and}. ‘producer: Bob. Precht -has: decided: ‘to go. with. the. Bob! ‘Sports| “Alabama has moved ahead: -of Mississippi. | in’ the. race race’ all burlesque ‘of | a Scotland Yard inspector investi-| gating the great train robbery. (he | ‘reported they've ‘worked up‘ a| ie job’s “minder-| mast,” Yard’s term for masterniind, which. Mi a. dead. ringer: for ‘she. Archbishop of Canterbury); Negro comedian Godfrey Cambridge and Eugene Troobnick’s blast at a eouple of § civil-rights struck citizens (they must have loved that one in the south); or Bob & Ray’s interview bit re a foreign country’s multi-million dollar New York World’s Fair project (which was financed by a loan fromthe United States and which will be s demonstration for Fair visitors of how to swing a loan from the United States). Roughest sketch, however, was the interview on Vietnam between ‘Jeremy Geidt and John Bird which was sheer double-talk followed up by a film clip of President Ken nedy in a press conference mumbl ing a jargon that was a straight replica of the Geidt-Bird interview. Sullivan threw a damper on the effectiveness of this bit (a favorite technique of ‘The Estab | lishment” troupe) when he told the audience that White House per-mission had’ been granted for the use of the Kennedy footage. It not only weakened the turn, but could: actually be noted as misleading ‘the public. “What’s Going on Here?” was staged by Jonathan Miller of “Be ‘wits: to standard Sullivan vaude. in. his cabaret style; the Baranton | Sisters were brilliant in‘ a pre‘| recorded foot. juggling turn; same |. for Mac Ronay, European “comedy Mime ‘in a marvelous: impressién. tof an: ‘old-tiine. dance; Frank Gor| | shin did impressions of dead Hollywood greats that was a. little grim’ in: -the.. show’s .context; Szony &+: ‘Claire: did middle and closing ball| ‘Foom. dance: routines in a | muscle ‘meller . style.: “Unconscious “comedy: ‘was supplied’ by: pop-chart .singer Lesley Bill. “Bob: ‘Hope’ s Chrysler ‘Theatre The. “one commendable _thing. “Something: ‘About Lee all were. an absolute ball. Theatre’ on. NBC-TV. Friday (11) is that it possibly could revive in terest in. Lee Wiley, the jazz thrush. who sang strong in the. 1930s and '40s, The factthat ‘the. show :used:| -her name could. do.it because she’s ‘not been heard’ of. for some time and after the show. the trade ‘seemed to reverberate with “What.| ever--happened. to: Lee Wiley?” “The ‘show,.. itself, provided no. “answer:: It was a ‘soapsudsy treatment. ‘of. ‘jazz. and“ marital--problems. has been’ overworked on tv’s psy chological ‘circuit: and ©: falls. ‘far short: ‘of reality. except for the. ‘fact.that a “real” name ‘was used. -The.. script;. written -by’. David’ Rayfield, took .Miss Wiley . ‘back to|: ‘Oklahoma -after giving up a career |. in. New York, and falling off her -horse, going’ blind, getting’ propo‘sitioned by a. dipso. ‘and a married. tootler, regaining her” sight and walking: into “the bright horizon alone and strong:: The real® Miss: Wiley: deserves a. better. fate. ‘Piper. Laurie played. the lead role’ ‘with frue. soap: opera flavor.. Her. hairdo. was authentic, though:. She was ‘assisted. in the dramatur “gy. by. Claude’ -Rains,: Steven’ Hill aand'.Alfred Ryder.. ‘Benny’ Carter’s ‘combo ~ ‘supplied: the jazz music flavor and Miss Laurie’s vocalizing | was pre-recorded by Joy: Bryan. ‘The. Hp-syneh wasn't ; Sood either. Gros,’ “Gridiaat. “amateur Hour’ “The. ‘two-part; ners’. competition: | for the grand ‘prize {size or nature of award. not. indicated). on: this..late Sunday] ‘afternoon, *‘Amateur Hour”: certainly points up that young and old; from. Flatbush.| j to’ the: Pacific northwest, . refuse to |. believe. vaudeville | is. dead.:.Con-. ferencier ‘Ted. Mack; } glibly. shilling’ Geritol: and Univer-. ‘sal electric appliances with skill ‘and commercial appeéal,. matter-of| factly put’ in .a. pitch .for the “other” (good) side of young America, as evidenced by many. of these.| --GBS-TV's ; “Original in‘between talents, ‘as he: paraded | their. spe‘clalties.” _ . Fact that each of the competing septet has. been’.a three-time win-| nah.on the Ted. ‘Mack-Lewis Gra-j yond the Fringe,” and the show. | rapidly segued from the dazzling Lewis also had a_ bright. solo | turn with the Les Brown band / ¥ itn the comedian as conductor in. rs -showed his facial expressions as his: baton followed the written. score. It... was most effective tv. | was very much at ease with her -Tony Bennett belted a few songs’ ‘allots and threw away thatthis was the 1,377th “wheel of’ fortune’”’ ‘which 4s ‘certainly. ‘beaucoup ama -geen” Sunday, ‘the. ast. is’ ‘Teadily 1 TV) last Wednesday (9), ‘the drama offering of Bob’ Hope. Presents The Chrysler | winding with a weak blackout. of: Kaye and guestar. Don Knotts -(with’an assist in. one. from. singer| dancer ‘where.’ ‘What. went ‘places,. though, ‘was. Kaye’s singing: and . dancing,. Jatter’ in an Oriental motif with Mise Lawrence. and Knotts), Miss} Joe (Gilbert). & Eddie (Brown).. were tasty and: well-conceived: and. ‘the show ‘would have been stand-| ‘AN “EVENING with NAT KING thrée-time win|. |.dinal Rugambwa of. Tanganvika and | Rev. Dr. Hans Kung, of West Ger-many; from London Bishop Lesslie |: Wednesday, October 16, 1963 skills. Now Mack & Graham are packaging 14 of the top turns ‘in ‘a grand awards competition, and each is given pro support by maestro Lioyd Marx who doubles as codirector with Jac Hein. Truly a World’s Series of amateur talent, round one this past weekend paraded the Flynn Dancers (two young mixed couples) from Brooklyn, in fetching native Irish folk terps. Quartet is followed by Reg Stofer, a singing plumber from Victoria, B.C., who has two other sets of false pipes (falsetto soprano and basic tenor, as he does a “duet” with himself, aided by a prop wig, of “Make Believe). No. 3 was attractive cash ier-waitress-IBM operator from New York, via Hampton, Va., young Negro songstress Claire DuPont, with “Make Me Feel So Young.” Again to the northwest for pintsized subteenage Joni Selden, of “Tacoma, in contortion and acrodance specialty, who makes her amazing pretzel bending body movements look too.easy, and from nearby Vaiticouver B.C.; next came. John Morgan, tv cameraman, with “Trish Lullabye.” Sue. Cardwell, Dryden, N.Y., was heralded. as having first had stage fright but. the very. _attractive domestic and. barnyard imitations. Pete Doles,..Corinth, Miss., finaled ‘with “Left My Heart In San Francisco. ” . Mack. stressed. CPA -auditing of teurs coming..to“bat, and’ evidences beaucoup audience: interest. As ‘understandable;. it. is; furi\damen tally. appealing: new. talent ‘in: which ‘the lookers can manifest vicarious | | rooting. interest. ‘Gore, who. belted: her ‘ditties about:). -{ unrequited juve. love. while. beam|. '|-ing away as though the. pain. of it Abel, Danny Kaye Show. “If the sketches had been perkier. on “The Danny Kaye Show” (CBS-: would have: been lively and ‘com-. ‘pletely winning. As it was the two comedy ‘tities slowed up the’ pro-'|* ‘ceedings by plodding -along and This, despite the neat tomfoolery Carol . Lawrence). “sketches just. didn’t seem. to go any i;Lawrence’s ‘warbling and terping | . | to “Fools. Rush. In” ‘and. the jazzy renderings. ‘of “They Call :the Wind “Maria” and “I.-Laid-: Around”: by. ~All. the. ‘production. trappings -out if ‘the Jokes. had been: better. Gros, Town ‘Meeting ‘of the. World: > (Telstar) . Revolution”. on CBS-TV’s ‘yesterday (Tués.). morning: The. second :global. town. meeting |-had « the benefit. of simultaneous. ‘picture transmission . to’: Europe, this time out ‘the. ground. station ‘of France: joining the inter-con tinental. -..effort.. Unfortunately, though, for. nearly..a half an’ hour, | the audio. transmission. from Rome, failed, a. technical: failure which . ‘|dampened the liveliness. _of the. | discussion. The idea of 2 a global. discussion of public issues still remains an. excit-. ing one and to watch the humor in’ the eyes. of Dr. .Hans Kung, in. ‘Rome, as he fielded ‘an. ‘audience. question. relating to ‘birth control: “was a: humanizing ‘experience.. Thehour ‘opened: at 8:30 am ards,” with. an. ‘introduction ‘from. BBC, tout of London. Scene then switched |: ‘to CBS Studios in: N.Y: with. Erie 1 and Time, ”‘among. others.: handled .his.own introes; also: was: spotlighted. briefly on. banjo, piano Sevareid ; acting: as host and moderator, introducing. the participants: They were from Rome, Car ‘Newbigin, and Dr. Franklin | Clark -Fry,from. Princeton; N.J... (Continued ‘on Page. -38) ‘some. rambling, | made: for .a poor: sequence. . the hour . 1 although’ when ‘this almost was Yealized. The. ‘The: discussion dealt with the. ] ‘possibility: of. reunion among Garis 4 han, package s attests to their innate | . OPENING NIGHT CONCERT With George Sell, Sir William & Mrs. Walton, Walter Maky; Pat Murray, narrator Producer-Director: Don Rumbaugh Writers: John Purdy 60 Mins., Thurs. 8:36 p.m. CENTRAL NATIONAL BANK KYW-TV, Cleveland (live; film) (Fuller and Smith & Ross) This Westinghouse’ Group W outlet continues to enjoy the top position in the area’s cultural field through its aggressive video coverage of such events as the opening performance of the Cleveland Orchestra under the .baton of George Szell who is celebrating both his 50th year as a conductor, and 18th season as the director of what has become one of the top orchestras of the world. In its four-camera_ coverage, KYW-TV had excellent production values and gave to its listening ‘audience the benefit of past ex periences in telecasting from Severance Hall. The crews’ dissolves, fades, supers and it’s reflected producer Don Rumbaugh’s close liaison with the experts of the orchestra’s staff. Closeups of Szell as well as Alice Chalifoux during her rendition as principal harpist in Ravel’s. “Introduction and Allegro” were particularly effective. Judicious use of microphones made for an excellent pickup of the 104members especially in the program’s. opener—the ~ Berlioz “Roman Carnival” oveture. Where the program sagged was in its special offerings. Since the music: of Sir William ‘Walton— “Variations on. a theme by Hindermith” — formed a substantial portion of the. program. KWY-TV sent its age. cameraman, Dick .Pitschke, . to. the. composer’s ‘Italian retreat for an interview with him: and’ his wife. The idea: had_‘merit, put: a pad audio. track’ as Well as trivial ‘remarks ” Again, in an interview with Wal | ter. Maky, honorary Finish: consul, {as an intro: ‘to: the-.symphony of | the evening, No. 2 in-D Major, Op. | 43° of. Sibelius, there was. a ‘failure to: establish a voice. liaison. between the’ consul and film clip—a: series of. closeups. of. ‘Sibelius’. bust, in ‘Cleveland’s cultural gardens. ~ ~ Finally © on. the: negative’: side; : there was..a failure ‘to capture the ° spirit of the. opening night’ crowd there were™ moments. “Central : National: Bank's: com. -mercials. were. in good. ‘taste, and. neatly: underlined ; ‘the ‘role..of. the Bank-in the city‘s ‘growth: and ‘pasi tion. in ‘today’s industrial. complex. grams in the Past. ‘This :year, the station. ‘went ‘Canada: and. -prought*. in.’ Pat. Murray. He: ‘did a. ‘professional... job, ‘in. keeping . with. the. ‘evening's " offerings. Mark. “COLE ‘| With Ted. Heath Orch; Cliff Adams. Singers :. 7 ‘| Producer: “‘¥vonne Littlewood" + Many. popular issues were lost in -a. Sea .of abstractions as famed. theologians. ‘addressed themselves. to the theme. of “The Christian]. “Town | “Meeting. of the World” (via Telstar) 30 Mins,;'Sun, 10: p.m.”: CONSOLIDATED: ‘CIGAR ABC-TV. (tape) ne: | Compton) ; Nat. ‘King. Cole, who’s: often com-: plained in the past’ about the :dif--. ficultiesof ‘getting. a television. : workout, turned: up ,on: a pleasant one-man ‘Sunday: night. (13). “show. on «ABC-TV . dast: ‘But Cole made it. only via the BBC which . taped. 2 this stanza in. London. last July.. For the. U. S.: “outing; . ABC edited’ |down' the: British’. version. to’ a. half-hour.to fit into the slot. vacated rot “by. the. ‘defunct; “100° "Gran®”. “quiz show. *. Cole is an. ‘excellent pop: ‘singer’ . with a ‘congenial ‘ personality; “ele-.. ments. which ..were.. fully exploited © in :this: musical session. °: The set-. ting was somewhat ponderous, but: ‘the. presentation. was. . otherwise | clean-cut ‘and neatly. paced. . Stage: center..for the full running ‘time, Cole -ran through. a folio of standincluding. numbers. like “Aren't. ‘You. Glad “You're: :You,” “Unforgettable, ” “Sweet “Lorraine” “In. the ‘Good.. Old. Summer. ‘Cole, :-who and:a. novel wind instrument, the clavietta.: ‘The: big. Ted’. ‘Heath. “oreh”. ace’ companied. ‘Cole on most of the... A five-man: combo .was‘on.camera for a ‘swing: session and. the Cliff Adams . wt occasional support... songs; provided . Singers. : 7: Herm, © Paul -Bedford,.‘one.-of. the outstanding announcers, in the area,: had ‘served. as host for. such. . pro