Variety (November 1963)

_Wednesday, November 6, 1963 _ —a tings by -“Asseton® Gorton’ ‘gave. e the . [play a. yolid,. ‘atmospheric air that} : | surrounded. the “true blue”. British |. ‘| colonial. of the ‘past. With .a little | | prudent: pruning;‘the central theme| _ |kept.a shade more. simple, Sin-| = “Foreign TW Reviews Television Reviews ——— Continued. from page 31 Continued. from. page 3k. Festival, it-took to the medium by. storm and carved out a place for itself in dramatic history.. ; Allied to the great ‘strength. of the direction, was the. acting of what was probably ‘the: only cast} able to do the play. as convincingly, ‘the originals. Standouts were Norman Rodway as Stephen. Dedalus| convincing © and Eric . admirably suggested the studio big|. “wheel, Jan Waters was too (Joyce himself) as a man, 4nd Kim Goodman, who had ‘the role of. Stephen D.as a boy. Ruth Durley. was nothing short of. superb as/ Mrs. D and Kevin Flood, scored. as. her husband. Rest of the 30-strong east backed up with vigor, some playing each/ taking dual roles, with. maximum conviction. . Fragmented. story, seen through Stephen Dedalus’ eyes and memory; revealed the thoughts and einotions of a rebellious young man. of artistic leanings, fighting against. the smothering confines of religion ‘and. eventually driven to exile from: his native, Catholic ‘Ireland. | In the most weighty: terms, Sydney Newman has made his: ma 7 att. ‘Sunday at the London Palladium If this Associated TeleVision vaudeo show is the -pinnacle of ‘success so far’ as the entertainer / is concerned, then Jimmy. | Tar|. buck, just eight ‘months in: the business, is already at the top of the tree. A little prematurely per-. haps, ‘but not entirely undeservedy. Tarbuck is a comedian found by ABC-TV: working. in clubs in Liver-' pool—“‘for a fiver a night’-—and exec, producer of the: ‘Palladium show and. signed for.a high spot on the Palladium bill. Parnell’s judgment was shrewd, for the 23-year-old comic brought. the house down..and; almost unprecedented for the Palladium show. which has a tight ‘schedule: to work to between the. commercials, he came back.for a second bow in response to insistent and|: continuous studio audience, the like of which the show has not evoked since. Johnnie Ray took it by storm years ' ago. talent. Hailing from Liverpool éwhere all the. beat musi¢ -excite-. ment emanates these days), he ap-. Pealed to the. Liverpudlian audi: ence -packing the Palladium for the appearance of Billy J: Kramer and the Dakotas, performers from } the same burg.. ‘His personality and: fresh line in patter, delivered in bouncy-bouyant. style—hands flailing, hair: bobbing, nerves showing encompassed great potential. Tarbuck is a natural who, with grooming, will line. up with the greats one day. Billtopvers for. this outing were ‘Xavier Cugat & Abbe Lane, who: came up with a thoroughly professional act which stands the test. of time by the injection of Bossa |: Nova and. other updated. ‘tempoes. The scintillating Miss Lane, ..disported alluringly ‘through: Such numbers as “Quando”,. “I Will Follow Him” (in Italian), a couple. of Bossa Nova. tunes. and a Latin American miedley. Earlier, Billy J. ‘Kramer ‘disappointed in his spot and his group, The Dakotas, failed to stir any enthusiasm either. The Hermanis. juggling group. Mere ‘i ' Watt.. Piay of the. Week _Associated-Rediffusion contribu-| ted Carl and. Jo .Eisinger’s~ 90-|: minute Hollywood -drama Velvet Cage” -to this commercial net co-op dramatic .cycle: which}: now holds a Monday prime time berth. Sparing no expense, the major indie station lined. up a full complemént of noted and: experi| enced thesps for the play,: headed’ by Edmund Purdom, and’ entrusted it to one of its. most capable directors, Cyril Coke. But despite this, fusion of talents,: the play fell into-line with: dozens. of others that have depicted the hard business : world, sugarcoated with glamor, that. was Hollywood in its heyday. Ingredients. here, for example, were: a. director on |.° the way out, an ambitious but weak | | agent, a ruthless studio: boss: and | an innocent leading lady. : ‘One saving grace .was that these. characters were entangled in an: the. absorbing plot. Ingeniously, storyline made it imperative to the future of the director, agent and studio boss that the leading lady ‘fight, and died asa result. Purdom was. suitably” ‘moody as. the. talented and. outspoken direc| _ tor, but gave little spark to the; best role of the play. Alan Gifford, |Burke, was more. -Pothmann |. “Tree’ ing” fighting” spirit -were sufficient to sustain the 60-minute show. The Israel. Strang; elder. statesmen of applause from the} Tarbuck, however, is still a raw {{L _ {season on NBC-TV with an aver past dozen . years, and only: twice in its. history have individu,1 in1 stallments been. able to crash the days the Hallmark specials are run-. ‘ning up: a: :time-and-production nut have’ make ry ‘multi-million « dollar’ pic} which, in different ways, was.-vital-| tto all of :them:. She ly. importan reluctantly. obliged -after. a long as agent Jack as the rising Hollywood star. Director: Coke succeeded ‘in. pro: jecting the. ratrace. atmosphere: of} Hollywood. Watt. .Armehair Theatre . cle unspooled a. first tv play by ‘Andrew Sinclair, “The Chocolate *, A writer of depth and: per-. ception, Sinclair in this initial vid-}-‘ eo work. overcrowded his hourlong. format. ‘He: had so: much to say in this yarn about the fall of a 400-year|: old | Anglo-Afriean. trading ‘family: with the coming of independence to an African state and the “black | and white”. relationships, that’ his. “throwing in” o intrigues, | love. affairs. "and So. an, tended to. ‘make: the play difficult-:to follow. superb characters, :' their bloodsoaked history, ‘outmoded be His’ liefs' and fanatical, ““Empire-buildrest was superfluous: and | cluttered up the central theme... Alan: Cooke ‘directed. with zest; but on o¢casion was overly dynamic. : ti rk. subsequently. seen by Val: Parnell, y with. ambitious.camerawo Ripest role of the piece,. ‘that: of the trading firm, went to Paul Rogers ‘who reminisced colorfully. Zena. Walker, Arthur: Pentelow, Peter’ McEnery. ‘played:.more subdued members of the Strang: family but =. were; “nonetheless, : firstrate. ‘Negro actor Earl ‘Cameron scored, too, as Strang’s. halfcast son, ~ “The expensive and. superb set “By. LES BROWN: Chicago, Nov. 3 Ail the ‘concern: for ‘those’ net-: work shows that received the Nielgen kiss of. death last. week only accentuates .the anomaly of the Halimark. “Hall of Fame” in today's television economy. The ‘series has entered. ‘its 13th age rating. of only 15.5 for. the’ monthly Nielsen Top Ten. These. of $500,000 each, and the cost-perthousand factor must rank with the highest in television. Yet Hall ‘mark Cards and its-agency Foote, ‘Cone & Belding | go.on making plans: for the future and are. setting pro-| _grams..as far ahead now as the 4 1965-66 term. _How they can be so’ sanguine a what it.means in hard. CPM terms. to ride a winner, ora loser, in the |. tv’ sweepstakes. But. one fact’ is: {not to be overlooked: except. for low-cost circulation, Hallmark’ is| Jenjoying the best. of | ‘everything. a. sponsor could hope for from. its oe unique advertising. :investment. As tv advertisers. go, ‘Hallmark has an identification with quality ‘that-is unmatched: and. so strong] .. that viewers and even. newspaper | writers, when recalling .the most |memorable shows.on.tv, often mis|. takenly ascribe some. of..the. finer | “Playhouse 90” “or. “Play of. the |. “Week” offerings to. the. “Hall -of |: Fame” series. -Too,. ‘the’ dramatic |. ‘specials ‘have earned such: respect | ‘from the press that.each of them captures. a raft-.of print ‘space be| fore and after ‘the telecasts, so that |’. the: viewership ‘is supplemented. ‘by. a readership, ‘and that adds. im-| ‘measurably ‘to, the. circulation fac tor. * $2, 000,000 & Intangibles. a. way of NBC-TV despite the fact that. it’s a relatively small advertiser ‘in the | ‘scheme ‘of: things... ‘The company’s be . abortion. 50. _ she® eould| insipid 7 clair’s ‘Unqualified success. success. . _ Watt. : We'r re Still ln The Market For . " Hollywood, Nov. 3 and ‘network. by Jan. ‘1, web: ‘prexy Jim |: Aubrey: said: ast week.. Aubrey said he’ anticipates an. early buying sehson for. the next semester, and that’s why. -he .and program ‘chief Mike ‘Dann: “want. the new. shows Teady by yearend. * what. producer® and what. writer— clear fix’ on this.” size Aubrey. ‘said the 15: web. pilots are tailor-made ‘to fit network specifications, adding . “basically, you have got ‘to be -interested. in the ‘| product quality, : not involumeof production.” arr ae _When You Care Enough for ‘the Best 7 billings | ‘are. worth’ only about $2,cards. through over-commereializ1 000,000,000: annually . to = | work, ‘but: in. this. case. “the. intan| gibles count. heavily. ‘Same. might be said for the ‘agency,. which ‘certainly has far bigger. clients..than: ‘Hallmark iri.terms of ad budgets: But “Hall of Fame”. is both’ the | agency’s pride (it’s one. of the few ‘shows left on’ tv: that is: produced ‘undér: the direction of ‘an advertising shop) and a labor of love. Although. to. the slide-rule orien-. ‘ted. it-may seem sheer ‘idealism, the Hallmark :investment in .qual-: ity television ‘has: proved. a prac tical and. soundly . economic one.. The proof. is. in the fact: that the}; company’s. cards sell ‘at the rate} © of -4,500,000 :per day,. giving Hall-| mark leadership: in the field by far. Television has: been, instrumental in making ‘an ‘accepted social custom. of ‘greeting ecards, and. HallJ mark ‘has been extremely. careful not to profane or cheapen the sen bout it must puzzle those who know ‘timent.: implied’ in the Sending of | Hallmark ‘Repeat: Pattern {2 echniealities to be worked. out.| |For instance, it took more than} 118 :months.to -clear the rights to|. 1 “Teahouse : of the August Moon”, per-thousand and «rising pro--. ‘and Pygmalioi’”. ~~ . Chicago,. Nov. 5. . “The: " Walimark™ “Hall . of -Fame”” ‘series, which is’ riding. . against the. tide of a high Coste. duction ‘costs, does‘ have: pros-' ‘pects .of lowering the CPM “in ~ future seasons. by means. of a. library of shows. At: has: taped for repeats. ‘Past. experience has . shown ‘that ‘a’ repeat: of -a Hallmark. _ classic’ will ‘do almost. as well “in the ratings.as-the initial : telecast (“Green Pastures” did better, -by far); catching. many of: those -who-missed. it.the first time ‘plus. the’ viewers who ‘cared ‘enough: to. see it again. : What favors Hallmark, of * ‘Fhe greeting card firm has been getting requests for repeats of certain shows, . and ‘its present . ” intention * is to schedule . ‘one ‘per . séason.That: suggests, ” based: on the present backlog,’ that Hallmark foresees. at least. a: dozen: years: of the series..: -tv bow ‘would. have. been an disk ‘that. showed’ ‘clear | comedic | | gifts, To screams and leaps of joy, | Bud. Collyer announced that Ed | Sullivan hadcalled to say. Miss! |] Valentine: would definitely -be booked. for a show. in the’ near |. | ‘mer lending his deft hand din the.’ -Panel of judges included Yankee} g a \. | Producer: Al Primo . ‘Most of CBS-TV's 15 pilots for ‘| the.1964-65 season will be in “pro‘+ duction. by mid-November, . Well. into its fall season. stride, ‘should. be ready for delivery to the | ABC-TV’s: fortnightly dramatic cy ‘the complete absence. of organized} the intimery afloat with J apanese. | decorati . ie. ‘Marie Torre on-the story with a decorations, rickshaw, geisha wai- top ‘production crew .and they] ‘ame up with a brilliant presenta-: _ Although -the network: has: ‘de‘cided which properties it plgns.for piloting,. “we .are-still in the. market: for shows,” commented. -Aubrey.. Acknowledging . that “most of. ‘CBS-TV’s ‘Series are ordered from | the. so-called. smaller indies rather than. the: major | telefilmeries,, the | prexy.. explained; to: ‘buy’ from’ the:factories. I know. “and: respect: the:men ‘who run them, . Our difficulty is that: when ..we. “seek to. ‘determine who. will. be ‘in-. . volved: in-.a project ‘with: them— “we: would : like they don’t: seem ‘to be getting a. -Theweb-is. reluctant to ‘commit ‘itself without: ‘knowing what~ creative: ‘talent. is |: involved | in’ a project, he. empha‘|Torre, who: had: thoroughly to: the: net-. future. ‘| slugger. Mickey’ Mantle for ae reason. A SPECIAL REPORT. With Marie Torre Director: Joseph Hall Writer: Miss Torre: |-30 Mins., Tues. 9 p.m.° KDKA-TY, Pittsburgh (film, tape) Pennsylvania’ s Constitutional revision is. up for vote ‘and. while ‘most: ‘everybody ds . for it, it: has: been difficult. to get the subject across to. the people, -in. spiteof opposition. So KDKA-TV put tion couched in such simplicity that even those’ who would ordinarily be: seeing “Petticoat Junetion” were not disappointed. Miss Tarre, in her first nalf hour. ‘documentary, spoke .on the. issues and presented film interviews by: those in favor and those who feel the: same. results. could. come from the amendment process, ‘She even brought in a. warm ‘little man, a justice. of the peace, who would: : and. :four. male ‘teachers horsed ‘atound.. with: a risible “routine; “Hully. Gully. ” Comedian: Bill Mc-. be -out: of a job if the minor judi ciary is removed as proponents of: ‘the new Constitution. suggest.: He. ‘said. he’d get along. and. all. that Was required for-his office was: to “he “a nice fellow.” Throughout the half: hour, ‘Miss re‘searched the subject, spoke with. ‘quiet -authority, toldof the: many | benefits the people could have under. a new Constitution ‘and talked in a way that must. ‘have ~ l swayed a lot of voters. ‘whowere ing. : For this reason, or so it is. ex ‘plained: by FC&B account . super visor Duane Bogie, Hallmark does not attempt to improve still further ‘on its -sal by: supplementing the specials (ranging from four to:sev-: en per year) with spot buys ‘in the. popular shows. Bogie stated that ‘Hallmark prexy Joyce C. Hall, who. ‘tis still the moving force of the. company after 52 years, ‘does not ‘want to. take the gamble of wind-| ‘ing up back-to-back with another | © ‘spot ‘that might demean his prod-| _ through. associa | ‘The Hallmark shows’ are. prod: ucts: of :a three-way. collaboration between. sponsor, the agency (which functions -in planning, The need to work 18 to 24 menths ahead is likened by Bogie to the same need by. motion picture .com panies, because there are sched ‘ules to. meet, stars to ‘contract and. }* Schaefer, at last week's ‘testimon | ial for the Hallmark series tossed |. \ by the Chicago chapter of the Tele‘| vision Academy, explained it. in these terms: “It is: my opinion that. important electronic’ performances --eannot be produced on a weekly. for éven a ‘monthly schedule. It. is |. quite -possible : for .aproduction | unit to-deliver four or six -pro | grams a.year and still make each ‘}one ‘an event, ‘but to attempt to ‘|do more results in run of the mil] . performances. which are no better, ‘and ‘in factrarely as‘ good, as. the |.ones encountered in filmed shows.”. _-edurse, “is. that. the. production ade nut of the rerun is about halved | doe through. the savings on facili. “ties, sets and: rehearsal ‘time. Furthermore. the prestige of ‘the | q ‘Hallmark. shows rubbing: off: on all associated: with. _ them, and. therefore’ the sponsor: gets the bluechip treatment from |.” Also attending the tribute at the ‘Knickerbocker Hotel were Dame | Judith: Anderson, who has appear‘Ted .in several Hallmark produc| 7 ‘tions;, actor’ George ‘Rose, ‘ditto; |: } Charlton Heston, who will star in the forthcoming | ‘show,’ “The Pat | riots”; NBC-TV prexy: Robert Kintner;. "ATAS -prexy Mort. Werner; | former FCC chairman Newton Min ow; and: Hall ‘and agency. topper | ‘Fairfax Cone, Worth, ‘and -the’ Colonel”; “Hathaway * ‘and™ “Our: Man .“Hig‘gins,’ United Artists: Television, those . winners is ‘fortunes of houses. riding. with the off-network _; entries : rise. or fall. according to. What: is ‘Picked. Se 7 ‘suspicious. “of the project: just be cause both.. political parties ‘were d ‘for. it. Ed ‘Romano delivered his usual top-drawer. lensing job on the. collected interviews ‘with Lloyd Zim editing | and Preparation.” ‘Lit. CAVALCADE OF ‘DANCES: Querry, Fred: Astaire’ Dancers, Felix, host "l prmoducer: Felix Director: Jack Harris. 30 Mins., Sat., 3:36 pm, FELIX BROS. : KTVT, Fort Worth a |* This weekly dancing school: ‘show os did a Dallas-Fort Worth: Alphonse _ —| With Ayake. Hosokawa,’ Bill .Mc-CONSTITUTIONAL REVISION—| Shows: Aubrey | | . Howard Stafford: Quartet, _ Nick. & Gaston aot. Felix Bros: of Fort’ owners Jane: & Sam Ventura had. tresses and” ‘a Nipponese menu, observing a.“Japanese, Fortnight” with songstress Ayako Hosokawa.. ‘The ‘offbeat. tv’er showed. Miss lowed.. by “Melancholy Baby” :in operating” Fred Astaire” Dance. Studios, -taped this. stint at the Club: Village,. Dallas, .where. ‘Hosokawa..in fine voice before a.’ ‘capacity (240). crowd; opening with | a: belting “Lady .Is.a:Tramp,”. fol both Japanese. and: English: Big. bit, in native kimono, -was ‘her ‘sock. “Sayonara”: ‘with. the. club’s .water=. fall. a. neat backdrop. Between Cha” in: colorful Oriental costumes, Querry, -in. and out as:a > bumbling. waiter, : awkward. hoofer, and Japanese rock ‘n’ réller. added: levity to. the outing. ‘Closer .had‘ the cus‘tomers jamming’ the floor in a twist _ session, _— on Nick Felix made: an ‘okay: émcee . for.. the unique exposure: ‘Howard | Stafford’s ‘quartet, in Japanese COSs ‘tumes, . ‘cutting. some: intricate ‘scores. Ex-. [terior and interior club shots were « . expertly. backstopped: .in good. Three dancing school plugs } were brief: and tasteful. | Bark.” ~ Of Web Shows ——eee = Continued ‘from: page 29 — nie ” "Peter ; ‘Loves Mary. G Goes: to .College,”. McKeever Screen Gems, “Dennis. O'Keefe,” among. others, MCA is sitting on 300 episodes. of: “G. E. Theatre,” an. anthology. series which had: an enviable. net~. work track record, but it’s under_stood the high. ‘cost of clearances . of rights. is. holding that series’ “off” the. syndie market, ‘In the. hour form, there’ Ss Screen’ Gems’ “Dan Raven,” CBS’ . .vestigators” -and ° “Lineup,” and : NBC's. “Athetiean. me -Number -of . vidfilm. series. ‘lying ‘dormant. inthe vaults: may: seem © ‘large, ‘but. the. number of. likely reading. ‘scripts and. casting) and =George . Schaefer’s Compass Productions, |: which : does the -actual mounting.. a -oe winners ‘in: this: tight “syndication: ‘ race is small. The scramble to: pick: : ‘on—and the those: “syndication .. ” Promotion Contab — Continued from. page aT — “who: are. ‘expected: to turn. out: for: the convention.:The stars, who will fly up from Los Angeles on Satur day, Nov. .16,will include Joey: Bishop, Abby. Dalton -(“The’. Joey Bishop Show”); Bill Dana (“The Bill Dana Show’ ")s James Drury” (“The.. -Virginian”), °Jack . .Ging. ~ (“Phe™ Eleventh Hour”), Gary © Lockwood. (“The: Lieutenant”): and -. James Fran¢iseus (“Mr, Novak"). ”’ The. two-day personal appearances, of the stars will culminate in their. attendance at’ a. cocktail. party. and dinner for the NBC promotion man-. agers. Sunday. (Nov. 17).: -evening. Entertainment. for ‘the: dinner. will.” -be provided. by Bishop, ' Miss. Dal-." ton, Monica and: Dana. .-... . Albany—Ray Hall, newscaster: on. WROW for 13 ‘months from. ‘the ‘station’ s Albany ‘Times-Union | ‘and newscaster for . WHAM. in sj Rochester... ‘songs a trio: of. dance studio. in|. -structors terped.a“Japanese -Cha-. « “me, an ‘rooms, assumed Monday (4) ‘his ad=-: vancement ‘post. as. “news : editor my . "ly ’ _ . 0B co MR ln tt ee Nd ct em sb Rl wr a