Variety (September 05, 1951)

Wednesday, ficplrmhcr 5, 1951 RA 9 I 9 KEVIBWS Lin WITH LUIGI With J. Carroll N«U», Al*n i*jJ. joe Forte, Hans Courted, Jody Gilbert. Mary Shipp Director: Mac Bead! Writer*: Beuoff, Lau Dermao 39 Mina.: Tues. (**). • P ®. Adams’ llnllvwnnd CBS, from Hollywood (Arthur Meyerhoff > Only Cy Howard, creator of this daffy dish of dialects, is missmp from the original that CBS launched three seasons ago amid much uncertainty as to its com- CEDRIC ADAMS SHOW Producer-Director: Bob Sntton Writer: Cedric Adams ft Mins.; Mon.-Prl., 1:55 p.m. PILLSBURY MILLS CBS. fiom Minneapolis Thia five-day*-a-week five min- utes transcribed Cedric session, resumed for the third suc- cessive season, finds the "Mr. Ra- dio ‘ of local WCCO radio station using the same format—an inti- mate. homey, friendly verbal tete- a-tete with housewives. Adams mercial potential. Mrigley gave it principally supplies tidbits of use- a ride last season, was impressed ful information. He also n mi- with its showing and is again tak- ing up the tab. Howard since has msecs, takes sentimental and n<>s *’g on e on to bigger things, talgic journeys and intern. ws ^ ain character of Luigi Basco. celebrities’ wives. Into his five | ta j, an immigrant who strives to minutes he manages to pack a s.n- become a good citizen, is played by prising amount of interesting and j £ aro ji Naish with an endearing ln.orm itpv paitir. At the outset. t .h a rm that gives the piece its only he bids his listeners to pull up se mhlance of sanity- Surrounding t . \s and relax during his ^ ifn are a collection of dialccti- bri'ff •visit’’—it’ll do th< m mk> tians tha t turn the plot topsy turvy anu his approach and his top Hnd gags are piled on malaprops. drawer presentation and first-rate 0n tht . getaway there seamed to be materia are calculated to cause an ovcr ioad of contrived comedy them to do just that. situations that inveighed against Biggest of big shot radio per- the poignancy of Luigi’s struggle sonality and newspaper columnist for an education, in his own bailiwick, with more with such seasoned local sponsored ether shows than you can ‘■•hake a stick at, and a WCCO contract believed to call for the 'argest radio stipend oin- side of New York and Hollywood, along columnist w . 4 3f Ratio Followup Comment Irving Berlin’s more than 90-min- ute stint on Barry Gray’s WMCA for such signal occasions). It ily placed Berlin right up with a memorable A1 Jolson certain post-midnight show last Wednes- son g a i 0 g h e did with Gray on WOH day was one of those electric and , some five years ago during the lat- spontaneous marathons. It is a | ter’s “drop dead’’ days when Gray fundamental as to why these noc- turnal koffee-klatches intrigue so HARRY SALTER MUSICAL DIRECTOR Stop the Mueie—ABC MEET CORLISS ARCHER With Janet Waldo. Sam Edwards. Fred Shields. Irene Tedrow; John Hiestand, announcer Producer-director: Helen Mack Writer: Jerry Adelman However, with such vets as Hans Conried, J<* Alan Reed and Jody Gilbert it came off as rollicking, rowdy c- owning with Luigi all but lost in | 30 Mins., Sun., 9 p.m „ [ he "huffle Conried as the gur- , ELECTRIC LIGHT A POWER with the top non-syndieated R ii n g Schultz and Reed’s Pasauale CBS, from Hollywood nisi ’"readership, Adams has carried most of the laugh load., «N. W. AycM . ... 1 . 1 . 1 ...... . . r > iui . ,v„ — - —-- - , , the equipment to make him an *ith Forte also socking across nis ideal choice for his present as- lines. Naish has mastered the de- signment. livhtful shadings of the little im- timbre! ’perfect 0 ^cnunci«Uun!*° U ». pj.’lh'yhe^orercomes’the’mountj J first program of, "M-l smooth and finished delivery, an ing obstacles in hU p«th Arrlwr Sunday <2).rttei r,, suuj no ate ju», a. easy, ingratiating manner, a sense good Americanism. In the * > me r H u . av known, since he wanted to lay a of the dramatic and how to. c.ys- of hyphenated-loyalty J m round groundwork But when Berlin got tallize it over the ether, and an tionable patriotism. o{f a f °™’ / hl J cpiJLif ®“ d ' rolling on his own it was “poor lit- uncanny ability to propel hi* ar- of l.uigi U warm^ come . p.nw ^o ^mutes of tnte situ.- tion and stock gags, as the Archers lacked the savvy and savoir-faire of now. The other to par it was an Eddie Cantor broadcast last many show biz listeners. This new year, which rates with Jolson and evolution of the disk jockey, of Berlin. w’hich Gray is the No. 1 exponent. | Gray’s showmanship is now has been building an important and standard, and while his punditing ever-increasing audience. Some of ] and po$itiveness are still a source of the time the boys and girls are air-, mild irritation to some, his balance ing their egos; sometimes there is is considerably better, and his bat- a “casting'' gimmick, because of ting average's of such stature that some exploitation tieup; sometimes he now enjoys an unique position it permits the amateur oracles to with the hep show biz bunch. By indulge in some al fresco pundit- nature of calling or nervousness, ing—and, sometimes, it produces the show bunch are traditional in- inspired broadcasts. Berlin's was somniacs. In addressing himself one of these. His last hour, after shrewdly to that sophisticated a faltering, nervous initial half- ( cross-section of get-home-laters and hour, which proceeded along con- stay - ups Gray also automatically ventional lines of “the Berlin saga," attracts the not-so-heps. He talks was socko showmanship because it their language but. another plus, is was forthright, honest and simple hU glibness on matters politic, eco- in its recounting. So was the fore- nomic and the like. Gray gets over- part. for that matter, but by now board in that league, where he must everybody knows the story of the perforce be at variance with one singing waiter who married the so- s i de or the other, ciety girl and made good not only in Tin Pan Alley but In an Import- ant Americanism manner. Gray could not be wholly blamed for leading him along con- ventional lines, although this should be a barometer in future when other subjects are ju4t as well resting personality, this master- paragon of goodI citi enship. hand at the mike can’t help but Wrigley intrudes only brieflyto roiling tie colored Gray is a show biz phenomenon who bids fair to set a pattern of freedom-of-the-air that is new be- cause it’s old. It’s old in the AM tradition, although outmoded with the coming of “peace," as the ces- ’ sation of World War 11 hostilities might be laughingly called—and it's old. of course, in the tradition ' of freedom of the press. How- . ever, so revised have the radio boy who writes my commentator standards become in IKliiu tit uic vm.i % • ■ v * l' ” * -w' -- - « achieve a rapport with his listen- expose its message and pres f dt • en! ¥ Luigi as "a friendly, good-natured Season', initial show had Adams ^ow. ' I.', all that and pleasant recalling some of his summer’s happenings, including a pleasant visit with Art Linkletter, and tell- ing what will be offered by liis ensuing programs, the last five minutes of Pillsbury’s half-hour shows on which Linkletter con- sumes 25 minutes. Adams’ show is designed to sell Pillsbury’s pie crust mix and he tells what it can do for the house- wife. Listeners sending items to him will ackages, he advised. entertainment, too. songs, ’ but with human-interest and an unpretentiousness that made this particular broadcast a collec- tor's item indeed. 'Gray ap- parently now has the foresight to have a WTCN Safety Promotion Hoopla for 20 ; 000 Kids Ties in 22 Minn. Stations Minneapolis. Sept. 4 resumed their home routine Corliss was in a mooning mood, to the dismay of her extrovertish boy friend Dexter, and Corliss’ parents weren’t of much help, at first. Dexter brought them his i new problem—Corliss refused to indulge in kissing anymore, be- THE Hl’BBARDS cause it was oldhat—and the trio With Eddie and Jackie Hubbard got together to make Corliss snap i 69 Mins.; Mon.-thru-FrL, 12 a.m. out of this subversion. This at- Participating forded opportunity for a few gags. WFNR, Chicago which were a little corny, but did That venerable premise on which recent postwar years that “the open mike" technique assumes new daring. Certainly WMCA’s Nathan Straus is not lacking in courage in backing up Gray, and , ,. ' : permit for some homey philosophy to build a midnight show from a .. i WTCN-TV and radio are sc ' » 0 ^ worked in by Mr. Archer, saloon or eatery is back in evidence usable what undoubtedly will, be one of ag £ 0r |j ss was brought down to again. It states: toss in a few receive gift ^he nation's most unusual safety g round again. guest celebs, spin a couple of plat- Consuier- promotions. Station hfts arranged p a rt Q f the segment’s unreality ( ters. talk *over the telephone, and packages ne aovisea. vonsmer- promotions. Station his arranged p ar t of the segment’s unreality . ters. talk *over the telephone, and tng the show s brevity, the single tf) ^ ave 20.000 youngsters through- m ay have been due to the high- for good measure, send out a free commercial impressed as being out ^e state inducted by the pitched accents of Sam Edwards; record album to a perpetual dial- overly long, but it was delivcici date’s governor-to-be E E. Ander- as Dexter, who sounded for all the turner. Eddie Hubbard, an ace with Adams usual effective punch ^ int0 t he school safetv patrol world like Charlie McCarthy platter and needle boy, and wife Kce *• «„h elaborate ceremonies in front Janet Waldo continued Corliss’ | Jackie ar the latest pair to bid for 1 - - dominance via the same creaky format. And it may be conceded FESTIVAL OF MUSIC With Martin Bookspan Producer: Bookspan 390 Mins., Sun.. 5:30 p.m (midnight) Participating WCOP. Boston of the State Fair grandstand Sept, dreamy moods while Fred Shields 12 - 18. Affair .involves a tiein with the American Legion, the State Highway Department. public schools, the Twin Cities street rail- way company and 22 other Min- nesota radio stations, most of the latter members of the Upper Mid- and Irene Tedrow capably han died the parent roles. Felix Mills’ tape-recorder handy t h at goes j n a measure also to Lou Rubin, boniface of Chandler’s, the bistro from whence Gray origi- nates. although in the latter’s in- stance. the eatery benefits from the nocturnal commentator's draw; he is probably least concerned with the context so long* as the pull is there. The station, however, does assume an extraordinary responsi- bility. The next intra-trade question concerns itself with the future of such programs. CBS had Gray slated for a summer replacement and. for one reason or another, but easily assumed to be, fundamental- ly. one of caution, the network paid him off rather than take any int of even chances. From the stand network operation it mig B orchestra had excellent music Shangri-La restaurant, is merely that the show, originating from the , have even been wise. But on the This is a solid Sunday evening WPSl Broadcasting Svstem block of longhair recordings, which , Qf the 2 0.000 youths. 6.700 will undoubtedly sets a record for con- ^ from the Twin aties and dur . t'^ous airtime for a Hub deejay, hrif.^our ceremony their ?rnm in °nntPl^taHon"f I ind W’t‘on w* 11 *>e televised and from 5.30 p.m. until stdtion s si&n~ .. » u lf iutpv off at midnight. Actually however. ra J.° b , r t oadcast ,„ by ,u 0 T< ^, Tr .u the platter spinner has plenty of Simu^Itaneously, intermissions for the longhair dio show will be fea to the state- wide network of the 22 other stn tions so that the remaining 13.300 youngsters present in their towns’ Liepzig | radio stations and listening to the Urania j radio, can take the school safety Anderson at the Fair disks usually run anywhere from five minutes to 20 minutes while in th case of last week's show the Hub air preem of the Gewandhau orchestra's recording of “Tristan and Isolde,” oath from consumed four flours. ! Grounds. The six and a half-hour stint is. In the local communities, the broken into segments, teeing off State Highway Department, public bridges, but script and direction were only so-so. Brog. NARTB SLAPS BENTON BILL AS DANGEROUS Washington. Sept. 4. National Assn, of Radio and Television Broadcasters has labeled the Benton bill, to create I which the pair do a skit designed the best of a bad lot. The main ingredjent. entertainment, is still lacking, still leaving a hole on Chi- j showmanship and derring-4 cago radio at midnight big enough Gray's outspoken technique is cer- broad basis of showmanship—and the TV inroad on radio nowadays is such that AM could stand a little showmanship and derring-do— to drive a truck through. Biggest fault here is the apparent difficulty in using up the hour- long segment, since both Hubbard and his missus are far from being the loquacious type. Main object of interest is a contest idea, in with the “Sunday Pops," hour and a half of selections of lighter long- hair stuff, such as Listz’ “Piano Rhapsody’’ for piano and orch, etc., followed by the “Sunday Eve- ning Hour’’ from 7:05 until 8 pm spotlighting heavier music, the Artur Rubenstein recording of Brahms' “G Minor Concerto for Piano” featured, when caught. The “Evening Concert,” the 8-11 ses- sion. showcases a complete re- corded opera with the final hour tabbed “The Martin Bookspin school systems and American Le- gion will work with the town’s ra- a national citizens’ advisory board for radio and television, as "the most dangerous and far-reaching to come before the Congress in recent years." Two days of hearings on the measure open tomorrow morning (5) before the Senate Commerce Committee, with NARTB slated to lead the opposition. Measure has under the fire of broadcasters because the commit- dio station in rounding up the | tee would be an informal, advisory youths and escorting them to the to reveal clues to the identity of prominent personalities. It’s a clever idea and by far the mainstay of the show. Why Hubbard is chary of spin- ning platters is a mvstery. Only one cut w'as heard on session caught (29), the rest of the time being occupied in interviews among out-of-towners and a discussion of the answer to the mystery skit on the previous show. Kindly stated, the segment is broadcasts. service. Inside Stuff-Radio censor on programming and public 1 more music. Both Hubbard and his wife impress with sincerity and warmth, but they can’t beat the format. Commercials, which consist of a drive-in theatre spot and plugs for the eatery, are intoned capably. It ' - i-1 might be better for the Shangri-La, however, if Hubbard sounded hun- grier when he reads the menu. Mel Tied in with the picture “Jim Thorpe—All American" as a joint station and Minneapolis State and St. Paul Paramount theatres pro- J. a ““ ru f i 1 ‘* r ;„ m motion. WTCN-TV and WTCN-AM and FM arc conducting a poll to format the sDielcr invitin'’ 'determine whom, among six living Minnesota athletes, the public con- listeners to phone him and dis uss aiders the greatest The six, selected as candidates by a board of Twin subjects relative to longhair music. Cities sports experts, are Bronko Nagurski, Pudge Heffelfinger. Johnny composers, artists, etc., interspers- McGovern. Amie Oss, Leonard Frank and Bud Grant, all of whom won ing with platter spinning. Oc- fame on the gridiron. casionally he has guests on this Rollie Johnson. WTCN sports director, will do the polling, asking his segment,* but due to the length of audiences to send in votes. To the first 100 persons voting and giving performance of “Tristan and correctly the scores of the Carlisle Indians-Minnesota football games. Isolde’ this stanza was neces- Johnson awards guest tickets to the film. Poll will he climaxed Sept, sarily omitted last week. 12 when Johnson will present a giant Jim Thorpe trophy to the winning f rom CBS has flopped, with the Bookspan. a recent addition to candidate. The presentation will be between halves at the Green Bay- sponsor deciding to stick with Co- WCOP staff, is recognized as an San Francisco pro exhibition charity football game at the local Stadium lumbia. authority in the classical music de- — a further plug for the station and film. I ABC predicated its pitch to Col- ABC Loses Out on Its Try To Lure ’North’ From CBS Attempt by ABC to lure Col- gate's “Mr. and Mrs. North" over As partment and he purveys back- ground info in a casual hut infor- mative style. Stuffiness, which could easily cree program, is consp sente. Bookspan handling the pro- gram notes adroitly and with au- thority. It should garner plenty of ®* c * <ets listening among music addicts. Elie. i N. Y. Oct. 3. gate on the fact that the Norths had n into this tvoe Seen ” producer, and Russel Crouse, co-author of the Broadway legiter. Theatre" on Tuesday JL,” hv ». s ah' on Barry Gray’s program, the show has bought four participations With Sterling moving ... ii'On It 1 w> nn IKa (f a KKr. r * r \U M f ' A V V e4 n*»n Oimpt pUa* a# U •* PaIiiim ki u #/* AD 1 a result of the guesting of Leland Hayward. “Remains to be followed Sterling Drug's "Mystery evenings, over from weekly on the gabber’s WMCA, N. Y., stanza. Guest shot of Hayward ; Columbia to ABC, latter web and Crouse, both aficionados of Gray’s airer, brought a healthy number sought to bring over the Norths garner plenty of °* requests for tickets. Two announ^cir nts p ugging the advance sale as well, to keep the programs in a Hub’s lon» : ’air brought 500 responses during the first week. “Remains" opens in block. CBS, fiowever. was abl$ Ip .halt the ABC maneu\er. tainly audience-arresting. Granted that the responsibility of an open mike doesn’t mean that every ‘'flannel-mouth" announcer could be entrusted with such, there is no question that the sounds-in-the- night that has evolved as a mid- night disk jockey—a broad conno- tation. although a misnomer—is a new form of radio showmanship. This evolution of opinlonating. the Q. and A. bull sessions on special- ized phases 'show biz and other- wise). and the voicing-of-the-gripes constitute the mid-20th century’s form of roundtable. It’s back-fence gossip wired for sound. And, most importantly, it’s an open forum to which the pros and cons can come to air a beef, an opinion or ex- pound a cause. Tne show biz names, as well as others of the calibre and stripe of Justice Samuel Rosen man, Morris U Ernst, Mike Quill, Justice Ferdi- nand Pecora, Fire Commissioner Jacob Grumet, et al., seemingly think this out-of-the-way East 4otb St. 'N. Y.) bistro a sufficient lure to ferret it out and mount the mi- crophonic stump for speechmaking. The show bunen, if not a bit bored with their own ilk. certainly are prone to respect other “names” in other fields, and the parade of per- sonalities has been such that this WMCA station has aired a who’s who of greats. Among the the- atrical segment people like Ethel Merman and B. S. Fully, Leland Hayward and Henry Dunn. Ina Claire and Tex A Jinx, Ruth Chat- terton and Sadie Banks. Eddie Cantor and Jan Murray, Irving Berlin and Nick Kenny, Russel Crouse and Benny Fields, Beck- man A Pransky, Jose Ferrer and Maxie Rosenbloore, Dorothy Mac- kaill and Monica Lewis. Ivan An- nenberg and Hy Gardner, Danton Walker and Bob Sylvester, Gloria Swanson and Peggy Lee have come to the Gray-Chandler's mike. If an indie can attract that kind of a cross-section of cuffo artists, what are the potentials for a net- work show? AbeL