Variety (March 1950)

fedifesd^ March 1* 1950. TELEVISION REVIEWS EDUCATION BY TELEVISION PAT N» JOHNNY THE MYSTERY CHET With Dr. John W. Tajtor^Dr. H«r With Pat Tobin, Johnny Slade; with John MacPhenon vey C. Webster, gUeits; Harry wests • 30 Mins.; Thurs.; 4:30 p. m, ; Lukins, announcer Producer: John Pivol PHILCO Producer-director; Burt Blackwell Director: Dot, Hallmann WNBT, from N. Y; tSSS?*1 ** ■' This Shows only merit is the WAVE-TV, Louisville WXYZ-TV. Detroit practical way in. Which it serves Touted as the first college course This informal, easy-going gab as a showcase for Philco appli fhr credit presented over any TV w a?hi^atinr nrtroT ^f^rnnnn' W’s. a By GEORGE ROSEN Burgess Meredith, Gertrude Law* i°r creu I pi^suhicu aiv ^ * * v test thing in Detroit afternoon dlid Whether th* tiniispuiriviu! whn NBC-TV last S a t u r d a v (25) rence (at $5,000 per guest shot) . Stat on in the world, “Education teley sion right now and it is easy £2: oS1® '^dSHShrM ® Jnira M. t«i«l5^M^*It^: -MfcMIl'it WMwTjitariK •• by Television" climaxes the "Edu to see why. £te afternoon are willine to d/ pre«med Us long-heralded, highly ert lor the getaway show, cation by Hadio” project created It’s designed so that housewives vo{e a hall-hour of viewing to contToversial Saturday Night Re "Saturday Night Revue” was 7 _ • rV TT • 01.2k n A . *1 ■ • T H A ■ CAT*aan AflOA T n « . . v *■. . ■ ' . TUB A * * w £«• u*i a a4 la Z ' . . ** ^ a _ _ ' .R ■ _ R ‘ ' _ • • :a ’a tHWV** , rfrvjvvv VAVMVVM mTaiaw iUw . YUlC fl 1 10 1 JL~1 1 V U 1 VI ViCYVUIX IU M ,-A, ... , V and inaugurated by the UrtiV. of ®ai ^7i§feIlC|i vi irt l0arri *iew recipes is doubtful. It’s vu^ ywlth lts two-way Chicago good because it had pace, taste, va Lbuisville in collaboration with whUe Ind8stifl let thW wSrk dhnp also Questionable whether show New York originations, taking over Dety, which spanned comedy, NBC, WAVE and WHAS. Opening weM^ can obtain/ good batting average the two and a half hour 8 to 10:30 'Jr11?’ li1111?!0 telecast was sent out over the i We ll ring a bell when anything against WCBS-TV’s “Vanity Fair/' uwin .dinmnwio Vw • v. •• j* heater diversification there could ^ WAVE-TV band Saturday (18), and iwi,**8,"™?0!!?®;!, UIt ..S,aglensald broadcast at the same time. **??*• segments. On the basis, of have been a dramatic Insert some demonstrated that TV’s advantages a‘, ‘Jl, S 8f ,ot..o£ the program A radio airer for a number of what % camera revealed, the where along the line). But notably as a further attempt at mass edu rlraS.--i. s» t . V. years, “The Mystery Chef” is now NBC video braintrusters have ;and ox major consequence in cation seems limitless, here for years V Jea^v-2ohie and televised. WNBT via a wrapped up a solid block of big it”™?, °f,. fftf, Proa“««ons). the Telecast teed off with some still ffr kiI0ru^5s’ easy-going ana pickup from WPTZ in Philadel AilYlp program s : major assets were de pijT of 9activmes^at th<? uSSvtrsW na^u: Pbia. . / Program is; situated in a tnpe entertainment and sales po rived from the mainstays-namely. Sf Louisville.scenes on the cam SI V hI kitchen _setting and spotlights the te“‘?aJ* .. J £?*tt fin ‘1?. .Chicago end, and stressed ‘the pTinrthat’in'TV lils $a“ sit I®1}}** liny feks at one a^ Wlioi&^tha a^l Saturday becomes tlie most coin |atter; adv^t^ ;C^"l*C 'a the answer to mass education oft *.a *ho has been around a mike as petitiye night in TV annals. They’ll ?/m,,g7a,sP .on.the.Ch,! situation and project me answer io mass euucauun uu artWolc rind fish +hp wmIIq V ", • ,7 v , V* “ peuuye nigni m 1 v annais. 1 ney 11 -f 5^ • j-lr, J* Jr v1 — i 1 the universitv cambus as it extends^ x1!? a."r lining .me wans long as he has should possess*. u-i tr«w««v.e *~a .h. i lf DuMont is inclined to feel Slher e^ucSiO^to those' who are^ $ ^eis. gides^ The single .= camera On program heard Thursday be patching the Hoopers and thg miffed over the loss of Garter on entitledTto0??' but ca^t' for 'some lus* ?noug^ do-lly baJk (23), MacPherson showed ; viewers Nielsens closely for the audience its top rated "Cavalcade/* the fact reason attend formal university ^ e p ^5 b°W to cook a meal inside . of a payoff/ for such top-coin shows as that he’s moved into the opposition ??as°b awena iormai univer&ivy audlo equipment IS in what used haif^nnr Whbb . ^ 7 Satiirdav column In hnffnla fnrm ^ a y ' " ™ is in what iised^ ^ ^ alf^^T whfeh "coi«d the ^ column in boffma form Dr Harvey C Webster head of t0cie^ ?bmyer , . _ . , food looked appetizing enough, but pr»c» dj Wvnn ahd fw® aUpmaHno lsn * going to assuage matters. the University -of Louisville’s radio hlmllnlf On^hn^m^bin^^nintina n<)t being able to partake in it was ?54th Street^evSc’^a^Ken It’s regrettable that the Chi hour assisted correspondence courses, a .let /own. Product plugs were ^rid?^ ^ith a tired quiz skit for a^' instructor for the present' ‘ Plentiful/nd. effective* with; a -gas. «oSit^^ definitely ..belied .wl?at: had gone course in modern British fiction, stPP Whatever you re doin^^ ^ range and refrigerator bearing the , previously Cass Daley, for® ex* we think we have something in Philco label in use throughout the And if NBC’s sock getaway show amnlc un iS cnkA • brSuM ‘some iew teihniqierio Je Philco label in use throughout the II! nSLSl S E teresting I’ll blow this whistle or nrofiram Pat will ring her bell. Pat ring P g _____ ers had tne classroom brought con the bell ” . ■■■■ ■ • V®?1nf1|t^y . I ?. :.h.e*!'. Ji00.?1?:. Li Then 'they chat awhile and call 1 IN THE MORGAN MANOR : Teeow session had panerormcal ;n their first oue.t >. ..imiroi w»h r..c« \we.n >_ v_..<s And if NBC’s sock getaway show ampiei showed up to good advansets a pattern, for future stanzas,, tage, 'Particularly" in her dueting its understandable why DuMont with carter and in her “Good Man has_ seen fit to squawk to the FCC Is Hard to Find” solo. The major :m^w^f^onopoly’£-^tl^^ah-can^productidn-numbei^was sa,|S£i'in?»f!SBiag ■’ssgtsfft’S,*a«-> ■.»— *-,i_ t *« Series of discussions on local radio. «Time for a recSrd,” Johnny Producer: Lou Place ~ • ' " ■ : ' : ' -Comedi ans ^Pre^ffve A ci°a“se with mms" sS William Habich SayS' «e puts one on and the DirMtor: Dick Darley JACK CARTER SHOW nut the finge^ On Cart/r to use Katharine C ^ See^ ^Mrs™^ ^Wllliam “S,®^ °VeSr m for ■W^,nes^ay' '7?-S# p'”' With Franchot Tone, Cass Daley, i "CPA ” laugh material, but it “MrsCJamees Kasde/Ha?™ ?^l,8;rtaa CPa"a, vyiang^f± » R?™Ky„Sai.rf: class with guests William Habich s-5, ne puis one on ^ ana me iiirecior. iijck uaney JACK CARTER SHOW i put the finger on Carter to use Katharine C ^ See^ ^ Mrs™^^ Wiliam “S,®^ °VeSr m for ■W^,nes^ay' '7?-S# p'”' With Franchot Tone, Cass Daley, i "CPA ” laugh material, but it Cutler,. Mrs. James’ Kasden, Harry stere'*and*a Cperuvian 'guhfea pig"*" KECA?TV Los Angeles n*rtmy»-Ci.ai,!5’ ?®hny B^«r, , wasn’t . particularljL funny and Fischer Mrs Beatrice FearsOn *and S uUVlan ufU1Ii?a ?»18' 1V’ LOS Angeies Donald Richards, Johnson Bros., could be written Off as negative Mi?ss Marjorie Smith First novel vifn ’ guinea’hig— wh/e^looks^iite Huss Morgan: fronts his orches Merriel Abbott Dancers, others ; guesting.; The brief Benny Baker considered was Joseph Conrad’s a‘ raelnoi) and is called idst that— tra and handles his 0wn emcee Producer-Director: Ted Mills ; eomedie. insert was in a pleasanter. '’'Victorv ’’ which was also drama a anq is cauea usi...inai... _hnpp whipu nnrinuht^Hiv nrnup« Assistant Director: Tom Lauer , vein, Donald Bichards (ex-4‘Fin tized ^ Sunday ^ G9)^ over ‘ AKe NBC J?g :-M,trodu»d..«» .tt* program, chore which undoubtedly proves writ^. Matt Brooks I ian’s' Rainbow’’). Dorothy Claire, uzeq ounq*^ u.» oyer^ine indv> 619 were sold in Detroit. Since beneficial to the layout. Imtialer Musir.al Direetnr* losenh Gallirchin * blonde looker with a vnirp ami thM network. The classroom discus thfe Droeram went on the air two wag a nirelv na/eH all-rmmiral 2a x nP „/rcrrt oionue looKerwitnavoice.^nnrne cion wac cmoothl v handled bv Dr tne program wenr on tne air jwu was . a nice/y pacea an musical 60 Mins., Sat., 8 to 9 p.m. (EST) Johnson Bros., doubling from “Kiss ?ir° w a as SI?00u y n u aie Dy ^^bs ago, 10,000 hamsters have venture sparked by acts which gave NBC-TV 'from Chicago Me Kate” lent come high mo Webster, who has a sharp sense of h(,pn -n1ri6 iinnart »« wii »« hi»h n,iai.;;N“i' iv’ ,rom cmca*° !®"L,.s.°S.®^.,llg".„m.,r been sold. visual impact as wen as nign quaKi t rnentc But mainTv Tarter wac al imor. and kept the students alert Tiuthno n.uioe nf iko n^ ^ menis. Bui mainiy varier was ^ai he nrohed for calient Doints to * r i5Sf niar 01 j llY Jistenin8 enteriainniem. — — ways around with the hypo needle. Pf. Prpoea .ior saneni points w troit Civic Light Opera production Morgan is thoroughly at ease . . . , . . ghlight the discussion. . “Annie Get Your Gun,” walked in handlihg the acts in vaude fashion. YOUR SHOW OF SHOWS -i ' Camera work was adequate, but and told Pat ’n Johnnie what it was Maestro takes his turn behind his With Burgess Meredith, emcee; , immediate added values with the rangement of seating could be like to take over the lead after trombone and doubles at the niano Gertrudb Lawrence, Robert Mer N-Y. origination wasn t surprising. visual impact as well as high qual W’ , . ' ‘J l i.’ XL. 1 A /.I A MVVII UVAH* ■ VXOUUL flllWUVV «Q VIVU MO illHIJ VILAM* ' humor, and . kept the students alert Helena Dudas, star of the De ity listening entertainment. ■}?: ?r4Q^d for salient points to troit Civic Light Opera production Morgan is thoroughly at ease highlight the discussion. “Annie Get Your Gun.” walked in handling the ants in vaude fashion. .... X . I ■ j • U4ALA WAV* A LfV 11. V V^llli^llV If 11UL 4U ff MU lUHVOti V iUAvO IHO VUIU W.I111AVI llig arrangement of seating .could be iik6 to take over the lead after trombone and doubles at the piano Gertrude Lawrence, Robert Mer-l^^or^inarion wasntsur prising, improved. At one point, femme Billie Worth had collapsed open dueting with Joe Venuti. Venuti rill, Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, wlt” the Caesar-Coca contribs, student in a rear row Was asking a ingmight; does enough with a violin to pull Marguerite Piazza, Nelle Fischer, some, magnificent and imaginative question, but students in the front Despite Slagle’s advice to not in anyone’s interest but if this isn’t ***** Ross’ Clifford Guest, dance production numbers and the row were the. only ones in camera terrupt What you’re doing* there’s enough, he tosses in a little mug others < orerall pacing .as the outstanding focus. Result to the viewer was plenty of evidence to show that the ging to aid his chore. Morgan also Producer: Max Liebman , elernents. Maintaining the. same that a voice was heard, but only the show gets more than* casiial look duets vocally with Louanne Hogan Director: Hal Keith t \ qualitative payoff on a week-in faces of the front-rowers with dead ing and listening. One infallible and allows chirp to follow through Writers: Mel Tolken, Lucille Kallen week-out attraction poses a hercupan expression was in view. Future bit of evidence is that it is rapidly with a solo number which she car Musical Director: Charles Sanford lean problem, telecastings may arrange the par reaching the saturation noint as rip<; off wpII ' 90 Mins., Sat., 9* to 10:30 p.m. Somehow Burgess Meredith as . -r y 1116 Oliu UBlCUlllfi. WUC MiAOimiw; BI1U jtUUWS U111U IU 1UI1UW UllUUSil pan expression was in view. Future ^ 0f evidence is that it is rapidly with a solo number which she car telecastings may arrange the par reaching the saturation point as ries off well. ^ 90 Mins., Sat., 9* to 10:30 p.m. 1 Somehow Burgess Meredith as ticipants in staggered fashion, so far as sponsors go. Tew . Skylarks deserve top credit for (EST) emceefailedtocapturetheohce that the camera can catch them _ — -• . | making their vocal group a power NBC-TV, from New York ( over-lightly comedic pattern (often when they are talking. ^ ^ MELODY SHOWCASE ..fur visual group. .Quintet com — ^ ~ ; looking like he was getting ready Burt Blackwell handled the pro W|t|j Rita uackett, Peter Grant, bines vocals with choreography and dent in the DuMont-CBS stellar’!0; g0 mtohis -Winterset ^hisduction direction chore, /and Ann Ryan, Bob Shreve, Corky comedy which show signs of being vaudeo-comedy attractions. If, too, i fnomes). hut, again, his Noel Cow caught the classroom atmosphere. Robbins, Bettp Clooney, Gene well rehearsed and well planned,1 sales effectiveness lies in a show’s ! ardish-buffoonery in a ski t^ with Did good JOtr of camera Switches, ■ Griffill> Joe Lugar’s Orch Red Hall demonstrates final tonal I entertainment quotient, NBC, on Gertnide ^ Lawrence and , Caesar baek and forth from instructor Dr. Producer: Jim Hill a quality in a trumpet solo and Smith , basis of Saturday’s teeoff, i Was Delightful nonsense. Webster to students. Wtea. Writer; Rita Harlcett Twins duet in okav fashion. ! dinniH iiim« irmthu rnmanp. ; In the face of the attendant ' 90 Mins., Sat., LET’S PLAY CHARADES With Julian Trivers, m.c.; Kay Jones, Art Hunt, guests Producer: John Hutchinson 15 Mins.: Sun., 6:30 p.m. GEORGE R. BENNETT CO. WBEN-TV, Buffalo Robbins, Bettp Clooney, Gene I well rehearsed and well planned. | sales effectiveness lies in a show’s ^J'dish-nufioonery in a skit with Griffin, Joe: Lugar’s Orch Red Hall demonstrates final tonal j entertainment quotient, NBC, on f Gertrude ^ Lawrence and, Caesar . Producer: Jim Hill ' quality in a trumpet solo and Smith ; the basis of Saturday’s teeoff, Was dellRhtful nonsense. Writer: Rita Hackett . Twins, duet in okay fashion. ‘ should have little trouble romanc i In the face of . the attendant 30 Mins.; Sun., . 7 p.m. LoU Place has given layout , jng bankrolled. . hoopla and fanfare that brought CROSLEY' APPLIANCES strong production value with good th“ Fr,p h ruled her bn. Miss Lawrence was some CROSLEY-TV, from Cincinnati sets and well worked script* Dick] ^ { monnnni:7ine 1*50 minutes ^hat of a disappointment. Those This. Sunday supper musical re Darley handles cameras astutely:^ cream time the 'affiliates are ' cameras’ tor one thing* can be fresher is the most pretentious though he, at times, is inclined to! * • , . , r nt ; pretty revealing, as they proved in video work originating in Cincy. It move cameras for pure effect dis | f chnw with nniv the weh’s ' her initial London slums skit. In is smooth, fast moving and packs regarding the actual result of the j nwnpH-flnfi-nnprfltPrt stations enine ! final quarter-hour segment showmanship of major network excess movement on the show. i fnr thp full ridp wi«?Piv Nftr ' Lawrence was on again, this caliher. Talent includes seasonefi Free. ! itemed an^ a‘ ha^oS? time showing . up tA lietter ad^n Crosley staffers. . — — — • ] layout so that it could be taken In tage, in.a. revival o£ an old patter Jim Hill s production is top ! crnniipr rinepe* tn Iprvp anH rhmp ; song. But here was a natural notch. Several sets are used and MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS back to Even with 20-20 vision a for her “Jenny” number, enpeial hflpkdrnns sniee atmosDhere 1 With Clyde, Polly, Bud and Lee : Pac(S toi Ev®d with ^0 ZU vision a h^a (FAlis) jr v • 'patterned tne two ana a nan nour Preem (19) proved difficulty of HUr^Droduction is top i.]ay.out;so that it could be taken in putting on a show of this kind in'notch, Severa)Psets are used and MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS : wk th dfven ^th1» 20*4toTa 15 minutes. Actors Kay Jones and „nPf*iai backdroDs SDice atmosphere 1 With Clyde, Polly, Bud arid Lee . --pacK to. Even with ^o-zu vision a Art Hunt pantomime and two forTheme o Fcontinu'ity with tlrhely Dengler, ^Vivian .Walton; a»fS?^ teams try to guess. M.mmg^as painting. Similar application goes „ "».unc«r, Harry Sm. h continuous 150-minute grind, no The show’s good moments were matter how boff the attraction, many and varied— the Caesar-Coca might tax the most ardent TVers. opening pantomime bit suggestive good . and; guessers had. -v liW. Won glu^ Crc&y 1 Producer: Clyde Dengler : Sin -ra^ ; of s Inf ^ fiE to deligh ul trouble geting right answer. Twice Tv receivers arid refrigerators. 30 Mins.; Sun., 6:30 p.m. Last Sal;urUay s curtain xa'ser i cni ij ii uie uc g u at-home viewers were confused gnonlorshiD locally is bv the Mod LINTON’S RESTAURANTS ; was heavy on talent, array lnciud a|“?^®7 WS. Z-JSt’ when a smart team member ,| erm Ddstrifuring ^ and^ ^ Pogue’s WFILiTV, Philadelphia I >"g Gertrude .L; jwrenpe. Burgess was Jj's . guessed charade quickly and only I department store: For show relays : . As impiied in.:.the Wl*. -lalt-' CWsS^as Columbus keeping^ his ones, to hear answer, jverp. in tlie to the t^0 other Crosley video sta Your Neighbor” js^g homey type pS^ffroin New^York, rtutoks Crew In Ctock--here iriStudio., Emcee Julian Trivers tions, the tagging is by the Miami . show aimed at the family oil ^ab. Pia“a ,from New Vorkh mut no is crew '^n Pe t ',p t Show was marred seriously by on WLW-C in ^Columbus, O ' Rita restaurants. Clyde Dengler is a Richards and Dorothy Claire < ‘ f f p r 3f nn mnniS ^ ^n^daf a°i n°video three or four rather lengthy film Hackett and Peter Grant attend to w.k. choral director in this area and Chirego). Tffat s. talent 10 spaTdefp St t6 imnioa?’ and : slide commercials. Two: would thg^ AfiUrbing 5? siylej ; ^ have bc^n a quartei* [ l° JoeU LugarV 5 Tull-complement ; Polly Wate^ f r<tP w#£k S buf Tt’s Yo thl credit Iff ha^ finaUv ^preve^^iss^^oiJa^ hour stitit. This effort could be ; orch does a swell job of back With their sons. Bud and Lee, they lasE week, .buLit s to. _ ^a;J.. nS^ehp h^inruFhppn popular, if audience could be in on | grounding. entertain with a “sing” in the fam NBC s Videp impresarios t fiat these nlfip^’nrnmf <;p ^ the answer^ arid if commercials 1 e stanza ^caught depicted railway ily’s living room. laPseS on both the Chi and N; Y. a f^omcdienne ofrnuch promise. ^ ^ were toned down. HI LADIES With Claude Hire Producer-director; 30 Mina.; Tues.-T Participating WGN-TV, Chicago “Hi Ladies” h; proof formula for By having memt Women’s clubs t; SSisiji: IesSStSw «” .Si’S ■ ssi Sf .« . ..SS* <S5" thumper • and warbler, socked a girl trio, a maie quintei ar u a ; “Georgia On My Mind.’V Bob; chorus of; teenagers. They all help " diversified layout. giierite Piazza in some “La Travi tion of comedy injection. show with its twice-a-week sched-i Ann Ryan, standout songstress ule, : over-the-back-fertce plugging ! took care of "April in Paris;’ wit! by "Hi Ladies” alumni and # their 1 poiished dramatics. Gene Griffin natural . draw. Claude Kirschner handles club ladies in genial fashion, 1 ing the show moving along. (Continued on page 38)