Variety (August 1950)

54 TELEVISION Wednesday, August 9, 1950 Minneapolis,. Aug. 8. + Another chapter was written in KSTP-TV's book of troubles arising from the strike of its technicians when the station temporarily aban- doned its televising of Minneapolis American Assn, baseball games. Stanley Hubbard, KSTP president, tossed in the towel after failure of his efforts to defy an order of S, M. Streed, city electrical inspector, to discontinue the TV until a power, cable into the park had been metal encased and a new city permit obtained. Following the arrest of Delmar • Nispel, known as Del Franklin in radio circles, KSTP’s television di- rector, when he broke the.; seal placed by Streed over a switch controlling power for the ball: park’s television apparatus in order to turn it on, Hubbard’s request for permission to televise the games until the case was heard in court was rejected by Streed, After Nispel’s arrest and release on bail pending his trial this week, Hubbard still threatened to tele- vise the game the next night. Nis- pci returned to defy Streed a sec- ond time. He was greeted by seven policemen who had orders to ar- rest anybody tampering with the seal and to keep order outside the park gates. As Usual, there also were on hand the picketing strik- ers carrying banners assailing KSTP as unfair and patrons enter- ing the park. When Hubbard and television operators failed to show up, how- ever, Nispel desisted from attempt- ing to break the seal a second time. Then Hubbard announced, to the newspapers that he was giv- ing up the ghost for *the present. He pointed out that the strike’s existence prevented him from car- rying out the order to enclose the cable in metal. He also denied Streed’s claim that the wiring "didn’t conform to city standards and that the cable constituted a fire hazard. Previously Hubbard had given a statement to the press pointing out that “there was no trouble with electrical inspectors until after we had labor troubles’’ and that Streed, the inspector, is a member of the striking Union. “Again tonight KSTP was un- able to bring its listeners a tele- cast of the Minneapolis baseball game,” Hubbard said in his state- ment to the press following failure to TV for the second successive night after having announced it; “In 1948, a Minneapolis-licensed, union electrical contractor in- (Continued on page 38) FAIRBANKS SETS OF Hollywood; AUg. 8, Harry Flannery has been set to interview and reminisce with per- sonalities of the past in a new tele- film series to be made by Jerry Fairbanks Productions. Series of 26 will be titled “What Ever Hap- pened to Fairbanks has already acquired a stockpile of old newsreel and stock footage from motion pictures for the telepix. In addition, pro- ducer will roll new: footage with celebs which will make up the major portion of each of the 15- minute films, Personalities already set are Jackie Coogan, Ralph da Palma, face car driver; Henry Armstrong, former championship boxer and Jim Jeffries, former world heavy-: weight champion. Fairbanks firm is also negotiating with former stage and screen stars. M’Donald Megs Second Group of Autry Vidpix Hollywood, Aug. 8. Frank McDonald has been inked to direct the second group of four television pix in the series of 16 which Armand Schaefer is pro* during for Gene Autry, George Archainbaud is directing the first four and put the initial one be- fore the cameras last Week at Pioneer town. Gail Davis has been signed for the: femme lead in the first and third of the group, While Wendy Waldron occupies similar spot in the second and fourth. Autry will spend the next eight weeks at Pioneertown, turning out two of of the TV subjects a week. I MEREIMAFS TV SHOW Minneapolis, Aug. 8, Randy Merriman, KSTP radio and TTV personality, is.starting first Twin City daily TV audience par- ticipation show. , Main segment will be based on a musical quiz. El Paso—Norman J. Dockert has been appointed operations manager of KSET here. He has been in radio for the past 25 years, for 10 years with NBC and ABC in New York City.. Hollywood, Aug. 8. IATSE employees at; KTL A re- ceived a 20% increase in pay last week when a new contract waS put into effect by Y. Frank Freeman and Klaus Landsberg for the Par- amount television station and Carl G., Cooper, International veepee of the I A. This is the second con- tract to be negotiated at KTL A; Wage increase, which covers technical employees, engineers camera crews, remote engineers, pro j ectionists, floor men and boom men, brings the previous hourly minimum wage of $1.38 to $1.65 and the $2;33 hourly stipend to $2.80. In addition new pact calls for station to guarantee a 58-hour no- tice to all men if there is a change in schedule. Thus a man, off for the weekend, cannot be called back to work because of a roster revamping. Contract also gives employees a five-day week. REP TO DISTRIBUTE ASSOCIATED'S VIDPIX Hollywood, Aug. 8. Republic Pictures moves into television film distribution with a series of pix being made by Asso- ciated TV, Inc. It is planned to sell the series, open-end through- out the country. Pix are currently being offered to indie outlets here. Associated TV, headed by Wal- ter Colmes who produced and di- rected the first seven pix, has budgeted fiims at $4,500 apiece. They were made on the Republic lot. Republic is not asking a set price for the series but is asking stations to name the figure in an effort to feel its way into the new medium, v' Series is. titled “Guys, and Gals on Parade.” What’s believed to be the first actual “wipe” effect yet devised for television was inaugurated over the weekend by the N. Y. Daily News’ WPIX during its pickups of the N. Y. Giants’ baseball games. Developed under the supervision of Chief engineer Tom Howard, the effect is created for use with a split-screen and was utilized in the action where a TV sports director usually employs a super-imposition shot. Thus, while a pitcher was hiking into the mound from the bullpen, half the scree* showed him and the other half showed the usual pitcher- catcher-coach huddle on the mound. Then, as the replacement pitcher gradually crossed over into the second half of the screen; the first half was “wiped” into a full-screen shot, “Wipe” is one of the optical effects developed early in the film in- dustry but it required optical printing, which TV is not able to employ on live shows, WPIX, incidentally, is now using five cameras for the Giant games, the newest addition being installed on a platform immediately alongside the boxes on the first-base foul line. This camera provides shots of the plate and the infield at almost ground level and WPIX has proved via experimentation that it does not interfere with actual play, (WOR-TV, N. Y., has a similar camera site on the Brooklyn Dodger games.) Three of the other cameras are mounted in the press box, with the fifth being Used in a studio under the Polo Grounds for the Chesterfield cigaret commercials. N. Y/s Mayor William O’Dwyer, who has been conducting a full- scale campaign recently to have N. Y. retain its hold as TV’s program center, is now apparently favoring the medium over even newspapers. He plans to utilize video tomorrow night (Thurs.) for the first official announcement of his new policy board for the city’s hospitals, rather than releasing the information to newspapers via press handouts, as ist usually the case. Announcement will be made on his “Mayor’s Desk” bi-weekly video program aired via the N. Y. Daily News’ WPIX. Even the News, inci- dentally, Will not have the info prior to the TV program. WAAM, Baltimore television indie, is pulling a twist in its coverage of United Nations sessions from Lake Success, N. Y., by ordering net- work service on the UN pool but keeping the pickup on standby while running its regular afternoon program. Program chief Herb Cahan monitors the network pool and orders cut-ins on local studio shows when he deems it necessary. \ Policy results from a desire to bring aiidiences highlights of the crucial UN meetings, while keeping the station’s schedule of local shows practically intact. Viewers are told in advance that the station Each episode runs 15 j will interrupt these programs when advisable for the UN cut-ins. New York Adelle Rasey, former .film, legit and radio actress, subbing for Dorothy Doan for two weeks started Monday (7) on CBS-TV’s “Vanity Fair.” ... , American Tele- vision Society prez David Hale Hal- pern offered President Truriian the organization’s ‘full services “in any manner you may direct” in the current world crisis. . . . Norman Gladney 1 joined the Franklin, Ber- tin & Tragernian agency as Vee- pee and tele director. Agency will change its name to Franklin, Glad- ney & Tragernian starting Nov. 1. David D. PoloU, formerly with the Scheck agency, has joined FB&T as video programming and produc- tion chief. ... . Richard Hayes now permanent male vocalist on “Songs for Sale,” CBS Friday night simul- cast. .. . John Daly expected to take over the lead role in the up- coming TV version of “Big Town,” which Lever Bros, will bankroll on CBS Thursday nights in the fall. . :. . Legit producer Mike Todd guesting on Faye Emerson’s “Fif- teen with Faye” show tonight TEUO-TEST NOW SET FOR TV Chicago, Aug, 8. Radio Features, Inc., whose radio giveaway package—“TellO-Test” is currently carried on 225 stations, launched its video version of the phone-quizzer on WBKB Monday (7). After a warmup run on WBKB, show will be offered for syndica- tion in other cities. Video package, tagged “Foto- Quiz,” rises the phone-quiz- format with the added twist that the pic- ture of the person being called will share the screen with the em- cee. The calls are made to those viewers who have sent in their own photos or who have had their pic- tures taken by the Foto-Quiz pho- tog, who’ll dp his snapping on the streets and will hand out cards to be mailed in by those Avho want to get on the call list. For a crack at the jackpot, which on the WBKB stanza will be kept at about $1,000, participants will be asked a qualifying question and then the payoff query. Show is being aired half-hour daily cross-the-board on the Chi station, With Danny O'Neil doing the emceeing,: Test 1Y ‘flit Farads In Sat. Nile NBC Slot Video version of Lucky Strike’s “Hit Parade” is scheduled for a Saturday night test slot Aug. 19 via NBC, Show will go in the 10:30 to 11 period and, if it looks good there to American Tobacco and BBD&O agency, it will take over the position permanently. That would mean It will tail NBC’s two- and-a-half hour “Saturday Night Revue,” which resumes i next month. “Hit Parade” during the last month has been alternating Mon- day nights at 9 with “Lights Out/' Admiral Radio resumes as spon- sor of “Lights” on a weekly basis starting Aug. 28, necessitating a new period for the Lucky Strike show. AM version of “Hit Parade,” incidentally, continues Saturday j nights at 9, indicating the Raymond Scott orch and several cast mem- bers will be doing separate show's on the same night/ (Wed.) via NBC. *.. Kyle MacDon- hell and George Reeves set to star in “Feathers in a Gale” on NBC’s “Kraft Theatre” tonight (Wed.). The Satisflers (Ted Hansen, Art Lambert, Bob Lange and Dottle Evans) will replace John Conte for two weeks on his Van Camp stanza on NBC-TV, . . . Bill Treadwell, associated for! several years With Uncle Don on WOR, is packaging a kid show, “Birthday Party,” with Len Golos. V . . Betty Field and Joseph Schildkraut will star in NBC-TV’s production of Pirandel- lo’s “Six Characters in Search of an Author” Aug. 13. . . . Zelma Cohen, formerly a booker with Telecast Films and Cinetel Corp., joined Atlantic Television Corp. in the same capacity. Actor Charles Randall appear- ing on ABC-TV’s “True Story” Friday night (11). v . . David Karp, scripter on the Buddy Rogers radio show, adapted his own short story, “The Philanderer,” for CBS-TV’s “Starlight Theatre” Augi 17. ... . ... Margie Hart,. Bernle Hart, Betty Garde and Bernard Sobel slated to guest with Mike D’Shea on WPIX’s “Broadway Scrapbook” Friday night. . . . Gloria St. Clair, singing pianist at Bill Bertolotti's, N. Y. eatery, making her video debut tonight (Wed.) as guest on John Conte’s NBC show, Hollywood Jack Hively and Axel Gruenberg, who with Carl Wester comprise new Trio Productions, start second half-hour TV film this week at Hal Roach studios. Hively and Gruen- berg share producer - director chores. ... Eric Harris will join CBS-TV as a television recording engineer this month. Harris is presently completing a film edit- ing job on Mike Stokey’s “Mike Battle, Investigator” kinescoped at KLAC-TV last week. . . . KFI-TV has sold its cross-the-board film strip to Easts!de Beer. s Program will teeoff on Oct. 9 following conclusion of KFI-TV’s tClensing of the L. A. Angels baseball games. . Alvino Rey, and the King Sisters, have Dave Shearing Quin- tet and Nat King Cole set to make Vidfilm briefies for Snader Tele- scriptions. . . . Dacita and her all- male band inked for a once-weekly half-hour show over KFI-TV. Mike Darrin will handle vocals on tlie show along with Dacita who will also toss a few dance routines. .,. . Carl Schlichter has signed with Ziff-Davis Publications for “Mar- shall of Gunsiglit Pass,” video show over KECA-TV, to appear in Mammoth Western mag. “The Show Must Go On,” starring Buddy Ebsen, will be the fourth Elmer Fix telefilm to go before the cameras for Tel-Air Associates. . . . Johii Goetz has moved to KLAC- TV, as a director, from CBS lo- cally. minutes. ; William , Farniim emcee each film, which features I Whliani I, Kaufman, NBC-TV casting director, will have a second three acts accompanied by twin . tome on video out in about, six weeks after, his initial one this fall. The pianos. Producer" has a talent first, with a preface by RCA board chairman David Sai’noff, is a text, roster of 500 persons, each of; “Your Career in Television,” and Merlin Press, N. Y., Will bring it out Whom has already been auditioned. CinetePs Gardner Shorts Cinetel Corp, is releasing a package of Pathe Pictorial shorts,! averaging six subjects per 15- minute program, with; commen- tary. by Hy Gardner, Parade col- umnist and ABC and MBS gabber. World Video is. handling the marketing. next month, Second book will be the start of a series of annuals in which Kauf- man will select the best televirion plays of the year. His initial selec- tions will comprise the bests for 1949. The “best TV plays”: was the idea of Merlin . Press, which is also publishing that tome, with the pub- lisher selecting Kaufman to make the choices. N. Y. Daily News’ WPIX set 93 contracts for new and renewed busi- ness in spots, participations and full programs during July, almost matching the May and June totals despite the usual summer slump. Highlighting the new business is a deal set with Schaefer’s Beer to bankroll, a .pickup of a hurling game from the Polo Ground^, N. Y., Sept 24, Station also pacted with new advertisers for spots on its “Night Owl Theatre,” series of feature film oldies, which is now com- pletely sold out. Detroit—Twin Pines Dairy and Jumping Jack Shoes have picked up the tab for WXYZ-TV’s “Cow- boy Colt.” Show features J. D., . _ ,, m , . ... „ „ . JBeemer as emcee who demon-J The finals of the hunt for Miss U. S. Television, being conducted strates to the youngsters the finer on 13 tele stations, Will be carried on the full DuMont network Sept. 3 points of cowboy lore. A film . from the Ghi Fair studios of WGN.. Winner of the combination beauty- episode of “Billy the Kid” follows. talent search launched last month by Radio Features, Inc., will receive the demonstration. up to $35,000 in prizes. Hollywood, Aug. 8. The Groucho Marx television show will be put on film by Film- tone. Deal was set last Week by NBC and BBD&O agency, repre- senting DeSoto-Plymouth, show’s sponsors. Filmtone, under Filmcraft Pro- ductions, Will make 39 programs on 35m, Each of the show will be taped, for Marx’ radio broad- casts simultaneously with the film- ing. Shows will run 60 minutes anpl be edited to 30 minutes for airing on each medium. Filmtone will use seven cameras on each i layout. initial Marx show test reel was! made by Hal Roach Productions. This reel Was responsible for the selling of the TV series to spon- sors. However, Roach was under- bid for the series by Filmtone which. accounts for the switch in production: units. Chicago Clifton Utley’s newsc a s t on WNBQ expanded to a Monday through Friday strip with the Rock Island Railroad bankrolling the fifth stanza. Railroad also sponsors the Monday and Wednesday seg- ments of the quarter-hour show. . . . Howard Rapport joins the Tat- ham-Laird Chi office as teevee copywriter. . . . Singer Nancy Evans leaves the Wayne King band after five years as featured vocalist to set up her own TV producing outfit. Gloria Van and Jacqueline James are replacing her with the King orch. . . . Vet Chi radio actor Phil Lord, cur- rently featured in NBC’s “Studs Place” and “Hawkins Falls” dis- charged from a s hospital last week after suffering head injuries in a cab accident,, . : Clayton Bergman will produce “Shirtsleeves Seren- ade,” weekly quarter-hour musical- dramatic show .bowing on WBKB Aug. 16, featuring the Mel Brandt Trio, Collin and McKay and actor Jimmy Dexter. . . . Hugh Robert- son^ Zenith exec veepee, an- nounced price boosts on company’s tele and radio sets ranging from $2 to $20 on new line introduced in June. . . Howard Miller’s “Record Spotlight” on WNBQ gets a 13-week renewal from the Clii Herald-American.. .. Gene Autry’s vidpix get a 13-week ride on WENR-TV starting Sept. 16 for the E. J. Brach & Sons candj r com- pariyi through J’. Walter Thompson, . . Bob Murphy, co-emcee on WENR-TV’s “Bob and Kay” two- hour, strip off this week for a two-week Vacation in North Caro- lina; . . . New puppet show, tagged “Jack and Gigi,” debuts Sept. 17 on WENR-TV in Sunday 3:10. to 3:40 slot for Schulze <& Burch, baking company, through Gordan " ‘ agency.