Variety (December 1963)

. typical ‘bar, . complete With " pumps, : phatic‘hilarity’. for every... gag, _ . however. hoary" . The. direction: is -:. ‘slick: ‘and ‘racey,: and the atmos.°. phere certainly ‘works; although its. oe link with Feality ” As. ‘pretty, tenu-. “s OUS. ° “The “initialler was: : hosted, as. ‘be| "2+ barrel. -.* “> inelude the’ well-contoured Kathy ae Kirby, : who -has-an “Uninhibited: Gove” and her’ spirited ‘personality. . »aguits’” the. format, :<° Bruce, who: gives a ‘stronger. link’ with: the: music¢-hall. tradition: “Res. .. «. “eruits to .the resident’ team’ were ° _ 8 F well.‘chosen. Vince... Hill. scored ou with a. ‘"-Do,” and a 1s. A SQUARE WORLD © =~: . With Michael Bentine, Clive Dunn, . ~~ Frank Thornton, Leon Thau, Joe | Gibbons,. Freddi Earlie, Reed de |: Rk A. ouen, Harry. Rabinowitz Orch. BBC-TY, from. Londen -' “Although. Eurovision; liking the | mee major tv eentres this. side: of. the | '-: 1Tron. Curtain, has: made. European: “networking \ possible, there hasn't: been. much initiative displayed -in’ ‘using. it.Apart. ‘from; ‘on-the-spot:| PD néws. reports ‘and’ infrequent con-. oo, yocks.. gag” _ x » Producer: Jean Aurel . > Writer: Cecil Saint. Laurent: 1963 Tere mote | Wednesday, December ny -Vince Hin, ‘Debbie. Lee,” Tommy | ‘Bruce, ' Al. Saxen, Tony’ -Hume,. . Safari, Alan Braden’ Band: & . iy . Quarteé. . ae Directors: Daphne’ Shadweil, Johan . UPS Hamilton a 30. Mins., Wed., 9:10" pam.” ve Associated-Rediffusion,, from Lon re Phe‘upsurge -in., entertainment Me. in, British. pubs: was the: motive: “°°: forte. behind : this. -skein, which " s.4) eli¢ked last. season* and. has: now “ returned .to. the schedules: . ‘Setting js ia’ studio: reconstruction. of. “a ‘tipsy . imbibers, :and! em ‘tore, “by ‘the matey. Ray .Martine, who. ‘Is encouraged. to make ‘the t. most. of’ some’ ‘slim _ Material, often scraping the bottom of ..the corn Other : ‘regulars held. over ‘and. . Fommy lished -“‘Lot:of Livin’ to. Debbie. ‘Lee bubbled | ‘appealingly ‘in a -“Guys::and. Dolls’’| j _... Which was: alittle’ tootaxing: for}. = her limited pipes. ‘-Guest:. warbler Tony. Hume | ‘was’ ‘strictly. parlor material, for tie’d: +. ‘picked ‘up tips ‘of . presentation, -o-co but hado’t assimilated them: “the. on. result, in: “It’-Can’t: Be Love,” was: = ventriloquial‘Contrasting ‘nicely’ _.With-.the «spate: of. vocalizing : was: Safari, . ao .a. gal." whose. forte “was: ao fire-eating and. -Snake-nibbling. -. a =." The opener indicated: that it’s. oar likely. to. retain its: ‘peak-hour *ap-'} “l-~ -peal; ‘for. it had: zest -andvisual _”.,. Variety: It’s a” showbiz . rendition woe of unbuttoned. Britain. Producer: Joe McGrath Writers: Bentine, John. Law’ :25-Mins., ‘Thurs.,. 8:35..p.m. “BBC-TV, from London: : Stila. couple of blocks. ahead’ or other comedy skeins: ‘in ‘surprise. | ‘a. Sqliare| World”. has returned: to. the: fall: _.. s¢hedules with’ its zest unimpaired: 7 '.. Because. it aims for.-a high ab-"} ~ -surdity, it can fail with some: items | t _ !more‘tMaournfully than its.: rivals.. v="! But: every ‘segment. is. good: “for | unpredictability -| “and “invention, .: “It’s: and. ‘its ‘keeps: expectancy. . alive... : Atichor| Man Michael Bentine. has lost ‘his | former: sidekick, Dick Emery, who’ “is a . More. “outgoing. funster’ ‘than | + Clive’ Dunn: “and made 4 more .: piquant.. contrast. ‘-with . Bentine’s. ‘. grave ‘normalcy: But: ‘the -rest . of . the’ ingredients: are the. same, and “Joe: McGrath’s. ' production has the. Tight ~ precision . and : ’ pace for: the | ludicrous | events. _..-. 2) The. session caught was typically | Vel frisky. There was a documentary-: “style account ~ of the manufacture’ of ‘British..jelly.: by‘busy. monks;. an _Interviéwwith *a man: whowent: -. . around: the world. getting. stuck. in *“< holes’ in. famous. locales , like: -the top of ‘Stromboli, ‘a tourist’s ‘guide . + to Scotland, and an -ericoun‘er be', tween: an: “Arab anda ‘stolid. Briton:}. <n which they... exchanged. -their : lunch® ‘packs—the Arab. -proffering camel’s eyes in aspic,the: ‘Briton: home-made™ cake. : Theinconsequential : flavor’. owas ‘maintained’ throughout, cand Bentine’s. -impressivs.-. Ota. . With: Brian. Cobby, Geoftrey Stoiie .-, 83. Mins:, Wed., ‘9:40. p.m... a Granada TV, from Manchester. This..was a. searing, ‘memorable, : “and :‘moving. history of World ‘War I, told ‘through ‘eontemporary. film oh from: the French point. of view. The: film, brilliantly. compiled for: cine-. we ma showing by: Producer’ Jean = v ies ve -* gTARS. & GARTERS: veg t With Ray ‘Martine;sxithy. ‘Kirby; beer ~ Otta. ne 7 Sowanae ete “With Tan: Trethowan.. es ; Produces: Cooter Baines, Ronnie | . ‘nationalities .: ‘ “thought of themselves as Europeans and: ‘unruffled: 4 front threw the« rest into comic:re-’ -Jief. The. script,” by -Bentine «and |} _, «:, John Law, occasionally. fell -‘short '+ din verbal wit, -but: the visual: eaners | oe ‘more than: ‘Compensated. Aurel, was’ ‘astutely. ‘adapted by ii ‘Patricia Lagone: -for ‘tv, :and’ Cecil. ‘Saint. Laurent’s: soundtrack: marra tive :was crisply «spoken ‘by: Brian:|.Cobby: and Geoffrey: Stone. . With |* Jinterest in this war running’ ram pant. at™ present, ‘the: program ‘was. ~: ‘timely . and Jeft..an indelible: im-. Pression ‘of four years: -of . futility: The. film: ‘began with. a clearac-: count. of. the ‘war's. origins, from |" ‘the ‘Sarajevo assassination to Britain’ "Ss. entry: asa resilt of the Ger-. man. invasion . of ‘Belgium. Thereafter it showed therapid advance’ of ‘the Kaiser’s cohorts, according | ‘to. the Schlieffen. Plan, until the. eventual. stalemate : -on‘the. ‘Somme:. But: the. bulk. of ‘the ‘ film showed; . “in pathetic detail, the tragic misery. of trench ‘Warfare: ‘Shots of: muddy, staggering men. going over the: top. brought. vividly. to the imagination. the suffering behind the ‘bare ‘statistics—I,000,000 killed’ at: Verdun; | whole. divisions decimated: at ‘some | General’s’ command to Advance’ a | mile-or less, . Ironically © ‘spliced ‘through. the battle | sceneswere glimpses of the ‘Kaiser and ‘his foolish. son, shots. of ‘ceffeedrinking Parisians on the boulevards wondering. ‘why. their Army . was “static, . and Generals ‘drawing. marks on maps ‘that would ‘mean déath.to thousands. The commentary. ‘starkly... emphasized the'| criminal divorce between the patr“special relatiorship.”. a Beaton, predicted. that.’ Johnson’ would. have <a: ‘different attitude. to. ‘President de Gaulle, being ‘more. ‘inclined to accept France’s nuclear. ‘ambitions. than to oppose. them. All. including Rod. McLeish. from . the: ‘U. S., opined that domestic is-“sues would. Joon: Jarger with John-"} “gon..than foreign. initiatives.: Much ‘of the talk. was ‘speculative, ‘but. it: ‘otic :blindness:.of the -men . -atthe .top,. who: refused: to ‘accept. that. there could. be. ‘no real. victory, and. ‘the. docile. ignorance “of the: ‘men in’ the: trenches. Quite apart from. hig. ‘emotional. impact,. the: filrn also-plottedthe course of events, to:the final Allied. :breakthrough | with tanks, with grim precision. And, with the foundation. of the League af Nations, it showed: -thethard. core .of resentment -in the German officer. corps. that -led‘to. ‘Hitler and: World War: II. In. fact, ‘the only: minor disappointment: for : ‘Hleeal viewers could. be that the film ‘was necessarily ‘Frerch-orientated,’ and ‘its. political. allusions were. to Clemenceau, with little mention of } if Lloyd: George 0 or: Woodrow ‘Wilson, : * Otta,: Noble... og’ 66 Mins, Fri., ‘9: 33. pan. ° re: test shows like-“A Song for Eur ‘ope;”. collaboration: has been tenta| tive ‘and. infrequent.” “Journal’’ atapts.-to: provide ‘an international ie “Magazine; with . contributions from Belgium, : Fragce, Italy, Swit zertand,. ‘West: Germany, and Brit ain: Bach: ‘participating ‘country |. translates: commentaries and inter-|‘views for. local. ‘consumption, ‘and |'+ items. are selected by. an: éditorial | f° committee; :: based: ‘in: Paris, from | : ‘Submitted film. “% “The 4déa. was. okay: but this in-| f itialler ‘did little to ‘project it. Most.! 494 of the material was reminiscent of | -. the kind of movie-house short that }. once. rounded: .out the double-fea|. turé’ program:. It lacked point. and -imagination, | was a Swiss bitabout the training of:men for their Navy. Having overcome. initial surprise that a Swiss | ‘Navy’ exists, there was ‘nothing: left: : | olution.-still in the tmaking..This. ‘Most: intrigu*-:g. selection ‘came’ from: France, ‘which took-a camera’ ‘team to the Ivory Coast to examine: | the extent of cooperation:and social to. sustain: interest, : contact among.the ‘Europeans work ing there. . Although “the « ‘various: : ‘ agreed’: that: they-|: rather than French; -German,-. or British, insularity. died hard. "They. ‘and mixedamong their ‘own. nationals; . without -: lowering the drank: ‘social barriers. “The section... was. -more. significant ° ‘than: the rest, but | ‘would: have’. benefited. ‘from: more — ‘irony in the ‘haiidling. “*. 1A stale: film . from. Italy puffed: Rome as-a movie capital, and. West: : ‘Germ: Vv. strangely. ‘examined: ‘Mun-. _ _ ich for.-its links’ with: Hitler. and: | the: 'T there, Britain’s. “contribution” con‘trasted the: knowledge-and attitudes. of French and’ British . schoolchil: dren, by-asking. three of. each: ques-" ‘tions ‘about ‘politics and: literature. “On :this” ‘shaky. evidence, } announced that. the. British were J. azis, ‘who -began andended: it. was independent. . and.“ produced-. stray and unexciting” scraps of: inforination about ‘wan subjects: Typical: in Paris was. s basically at fault, GALLERY. bee “Le “With Ian: Trethowaa. PS “Producer:: Antheny. Whitby: ’ Director: Jan: Martin. 30° Mins., ‘Thurs., 10:35 pan. | BBC-TV;. ‘from. ‘London Hi ‘The most. common “beat: of. this of a new series, it. examined pras ‘pects: for the. British-American alli. vance’ brought about. by. the. Kennedy aS|:. Sassination:. -Pérhaps; Jin . the .:eharged ” “Situation ‘it’ was too 00n to broach the. subject; for the attitudes and approaches. of Presi dent .Johnson and. Premier. Doug-: -Jas-Home have’ hardly: ‘had time ‘to. erystalize. ‘But the speculation. was interesting... This © session. “has ‘also. brought.a “new emcee. to the program, and Iai. frethowan, acquired. by. BBC-TV from. the. ‘has ‘a: vigorous. and. lueid command of his subject, and’ ‘presents tt, in| commercial . ‘newsroom,. comprehensible ‘terms, Here. he marshalled .a’ group -of .four jour ‘nalists, who: tried’ to. assess future ‘developments’ in. the Anglo-Saxon “Leonard cleared the air. -“Fhe show closed: with the ‘views of Tory ex-Minister Jain. MacLeod : and’ Socialist’ M.. P.-Roy “Jenkins. Both stuck closely to-their party. briefs, ‘MacLeod: ‘aveérring that the. “death of Kennedy made the British ‘nuclear .” ‘deterrent | o¢ ape vital and. Jenkins the direct | .| Opposite, . ooh an Martin: crisply’ directed. “ARS -thony Whitby’s production, .and. the. ‘program gave the ‘Wlusion ‘of gtap-. pling’ .with: a ‘major: problem, -:al {thaugk,.-in ‘the « nature of things | gers | gers -} and. its: timings... at. “equldn't da. ; much ‘but ‘tease: its: . Olas THE. LOVED ‘ONES ‘With. Anna ‘Wing, David cram | Grand. Preducer: EF Director: Michael. Grishy 45 Mins., Wed. 9:40: p.m... -Granada EV, from. ‘Manchester. ‘The title hinted that the. show spight follow’ the satirical. path. of Evelyn’ Waugh; ‘who dubbed ~ his} |Wicked. -sendup ~ of. Californian’ burial customs” with the same ‘name, Rather -uncertainly, produ| (Continued . on page 38) “s 5 “thie ‘Saga. ‘of. Western: Man | ‘For its‘ second stanza: in ‘this am-. ‘| bitious, ‘four-part review’ of: the turning points. in. the. shaping ‘of contemporary’: civilization, TY’s -special... projects . division. fashioned another: worthy historié. -year:. of ‘American « independence ‘Gal chapter. “out. of: “1776,” and the beginning: of. a world rev -show,. telecast Sunday. (8);. was an. extension of. both: the documentary. techniques : and -intellectual :.seri|: :. ousness which -marked. the’. rst. ‘hour ‘in ‘the. series, : ae ‘Te !1776": Jacked” ‘the: pictorial. brilliance” ef: the Renaissance. set-' | ting: availablefor: “‘1492;"it -had the:..advantage. ‘of focussing: on. .a” -dramatie political. -struggle ‘ .con-: “1492. 19 wee ducted by: America’s. most .brilliant ‘group. of ‘personalities and: phrase‘makers, .While the’ camera closed ‘inon... portraits: of .Géorge Wash |, ington, ‘Thomas. ‘Jefferson, ‘Samuel “Adams, Patrick’, Henry; ‘soundtrack ~ reverberated. “with. their :memorable. calls. for. ‘action |’. and. sacrifice . in the: “war against. | -, ‘the British crown: In: fact, John |. AS -‘Secondari’s ‘script, as. narrated |; by ‘himself, anda group: of actors, . ‘foppedby. Fredric March, .as the voices ‘of * the: ‘Jeading:. ‘historical. ‘characters; was the most impres sive feature. of this’ hour. : The Visual element, in ‘this show. " BEST: ‘ON RECORD Ota: 7 Exee. “producer: Ted: ‘Bergman ° ..| Preducer: George. ‘Schlatter: a “.] Directer: Dean. Whitmore’ . | Writers: Mort. Lachman, Bick Mit : political ° ‘skein is:.a .current -parliamentary. issue, “which it-allots a Musical ‘directors: a Les” Brown; thorough workout. In this ‘segment, |. “ TIMEX Tek e. Follow-Up Comment ABC-. “ete.,. the. With. Steve Lawrence «< ‘£ vdie: Gorme,. Peter. ‘Nero, Peter, Paul & Mary, ‘Tony Bennett, Diahann. : Carroll,. Henry ‘Mancini, Homer. & -Jethre, Connie Francis, Ma “halia. Jackson, New: Christy Min. -strels,. others tleman | Joseph Guercio: ~..ry) ‘Migs., Sun, 161 Pm: NBC-TV. (tape) *: | (Warwick: &. Legler) © cording: ‘Arts &: ‘Sciences” Grammy. “| awards, ‘did: just. that. and: the. re* | sult.. was a paste-up job .of taped. musical segments that: lacked pace ‘or cohesion. It was:‘okay for’ a} looksee.. at the many disk faves, . ‘but: they’veall ‘been: around before. ‘on oné tv variety show. or: another ‘and the bunch-up in‘this. one. hour had. a ‘Julling’ effect. | ‘NARAS has: been ‘steadily Jo0k-. {ing for a.way to get a pitth in for the recording® ‘industry «via-a tv ‘showcase. Severat years ago, @ Grammy -‘award ‘show ‘Was -pre sented a ‘la the Oscar and. the | Eminy, ° but that didn’t. ‘work out. too, well. Neither. did: this. “Best On’ Record”: attempt.” ment . ‘with Vaughn Meader (wha ‘was introduced by. Sammy. Davis Jr} was “scrapped. and. DiahannCarroll. was: hastily. brought. in to sing ‘two songs from’ “No Strings.” | Her “introducer” -was Richard Rod' ' The Boren ‘aired: Sunday. (8) was. firrt |News ‘broke. in’ several times with | a flash of the jet. crash. in .Mary|. Hand: One news flash cut into the | presentation of a ‘special, achieve-}" | ment award’ ‘to.:Bing’ Crosby. ‘and | ‘| viewers . were Jeftup. ‘in the .air :} as to. what it. was: all about... {The} --Faward’ was given to, Crosby for having sold more: than 200,000,000. . r. jinxed in that. NBC records during his. career) ‘For the. record, the entertainers. ‘on the show. were Steve: Lawretice & Eydie Gorme, Peter Nero, Péter. Paul & Mary, ‘Tony Bennett, Dia-° “Than Carroll, ‘Henry Mancini, ‘New. ~ tended to be. static illustrations ‘of ‘ the script. Most :of the film. was. ‘devoted to. lingering. shots: of his-' torical sites: in Boston,’ Philadel-. ‘phia, WiHiamsburg,. ‘Lexington: and. Coricord,-: with silhouetted. figures’ suggesting the fuller reality of the. debating and. fighting men. Gcca ‘sional cannon: and rifle shots, and glimpses of mén trudging barefoot. ‘In the snow. were the pictorial met-: ‘aphors for: the American. -Revolu-. tionary: War.: ~ This téchnique avoids the dis: ‘tortion’ involved ‘in attempting to recreate historical ‘personages by ‘professional. ‘actors, but. it also tends to“ wear ‘semewhat thin over |: Jan:hour’s ‘duration.: ‘However, these ‘shows, | ‘sponsored. ‘by Up tribution to: the ‘mass audience’s awareness ‘of its history and. traditions. -And beyond its ‘telecasting | eareer; this. Show. will undoubtedly | ‘take... ‘its. place. inthe permanent | library. ‘of the nation's school" Sys| fems.: ey i Herm, 7 Bal Telephone. Hour Os = Maurice Chevalier: ‘was the ‘Jolly host. of -NBC-TV’s: “Telephone Hour’’ Tuesday. night (3)-in: what was. “supposed to be: a: ‘colorful. tour ‘of Paris. Aside. ‘fram the accents, of Chevalier and. ‘chantoosieé “(Continued on pace 40 do os am 2 = _ RAO TELENTSION = ab ¢ ‘better. ‘at: ‘tacts and ‘the’ French [> +++o++4 > at’ ideas. -..°| > oo ‘} [> The hour, ably: emceed. ‘for BBCa ? bry. ‘by Ian. ‘Trethowan . (députizing | « _ ~'| for the hospitalized . Richard .Dim-. |? | bleby),” ‘was ‘a: Iniscellany: of trivia, | Jeoe4 ‘most .of. whieh would.: have . been -rejected by any capable. and. forth-. right. editor.: Maybe that. committee . It takes. more to make a tv ‘show ‘than. rounding up. 10-disk acts. and an: equal. nuimber. of. “introducers:” “The Best On Record,” aspecial ; | show. pegged on -previous winners. ‘of the National .Academy. of “Re work.” 1) christy 1 Minstrels, Honier & Jethro, Connie Francis, and Mahalia Jack gon.. The “introducers” were Frank. Sinatra, Bob Newhart, Les Brown, Allan: Sherman, Richard Rodgers, Bill Dana, Eddy Arnold, and Dean Martin. ~ ‘Timex. picked’ up the tab. and : ‘Bot. its money’s-worth via an over: load: of commercials. — Gros. THis: 41S ¥. A. TITTLE With Frank. Gifford Producers: Gifferd, John Musilli . Musilli | Director: .M y 30 Mins., Wed. (4),.8 p.m. _ | PARTICIPATING oe ve WCBS-TV, N.Y; ' ‘Fans ‘of. the N ew. York Football +.Giants found: out on this show that (-Y.-A. Tittle is not merely a. quar-. terback° ‘par: ‘excellence but a very. likeable human being. Tittie spoke . about: himself:as a family man and a football. ‘machine: on ‘this localiy -produced stanza, one of a series of “action biographies” ‘aboutmetro politan celebrities. Frank. Gifford, a fellow Giant ‘back and: an experienced breadcaster, posed. the questions to Tit‘tle, firstly in a car en route to the “Yankee Stadium and then in the | fed with", sense ‘ot proportion & w a sense ‘wbout. his. place in society, Tittle told of his long years in. pro foot‘ball on the Coast and of his trepi| dation -about joining the Giants when there was a possibility of his already being over the hill. Cutting into-these comments were firstrate There are |. ‘Many solid entertainment values. to’ he found on disks, but a way still. has to be found to dranslate. ‘them | into. ‘video terms... _ ‘Phe program’ ‘also. was jinxed. by. | tragedies’ not: of. its. own. doing. ‘Originally ‘scheduled . fora -showcasing. on. Nov... 24, the program. | was cancelled because of the three: day video coverage of the. Presi-: dent. Kennedy story. . Also, because. of the JFK assassination, the seg|. clips of Tittle’s form on the playing field to illustrate his sharpshooting technique of hitting the intended receiver. “Tittle. also described the super stitious rituals observed by himself ‘and his teammates, such as eating meatball’ sandwiches. the evening before a game and riding in a spe cifie bus seat, Tittle said he loves football, but. clearly does not: take the game too seriously. In a Teflective mood, he quoted a woman client. of his insurance business as saying: “When are you going to: ' give up this. kid’s game and go. to erm: “WAVE-TV: “The ANIvEsake [With Burt Blackwell; Reb Kay. | Jorma Jarbee & Junior, Rea Da 30. Mins., Fri, 8 pm. WAVE-TV, Louisville filled regular spots on the station and did stints at the tine the sta tion. first went onthe air. Burt. || Blackwell, now. a station producer, >| was m.c. and Bab Kay (23 years. $.| with WAVE-AM and TY). coordi-. “$ | nated the show. Local gal ven2 dummy Norma. snoe and her. 4 y Junior, regu) during the | first years Of. the: Station’s history, . turned in a sharp routine of chat. ter. Miss Jarboe. has traveled ex-.. tensively over the world, doing her‘act. at. ‘armed services. installations. >» Bea. ‘Davidson, ‘how. an Atlanta ‘nitery ; ‘single, did. her . ‘simulating routine,, and turned’ m a mugging: effort. par excellence to a back-. -ground Spike Jonés record““Cocktail forTwo.” Pee Wee King and. his. country music ‘crew, with. his | old sidekicks Redd Stewart, Gene .| Stewart and Chuck Wiggins, dished out-.music and laughs. with Bob” Kay; ‘vet announcer, 4 bit. ‘heftier,. but still, in character. as the comic ' sheriff.: “King ‘and. his ‘gang brought back. memories with his hit tune “Slow Poke,” and -b john,.are. making .anique con| th ackground theme for e show: was his smash. of several years ago “Tennessee Waltz.” dio and ‘tv vet, “Pappy” ee MeéMichen still draws a lively fiddle’ “Bile That Cabbage. Clayton: bow. with . Down” .and ‘brought. back reminiscences of-his long-time popular . [Toeal, group, the “Skillet Lickers.” ‘Mayor: William -O. Cowger ‘was. introedfor a-few complimentary ‘remarks, as was: Charles. Farnsley, who was.-Louisville Mayor and who | presided at:the opening of WAVE‘TV. Several still shots were shown ‘of the old. and new station facil+] ties, ‘and mention was: made. ‘that (Continued: on. page 40) ° were = oe aw 1 : Nostalgie half-hour brought to | the WAVE-TV cameras and mikes | | -number..of personaHties: whp |