Variety (September 1952)

TV-FiUHS pmieff Wednesday, SeplemLer 17, 1952 eviews I LOVE LUCY cept 5 of the' faith, and postcards ing pp—made at night.and with a solicited for more info, receipt hf crowd watching—were good, al- pamphlets, etc., with St Louis as though drawn out too long and not headcfuarters. Trait* fully explained in the script. Paul Richards was convincing as the suicide and was lensed effec- TvnThiirrt Qfnnp tively, Webb projects an appealing Hpth pTttMso^ personality, moving calmly under Hero SlliSf Kcnn n # rfcY»oocTir*o an H vpf cpn.clHvp fn npn- community’'—is composed of nice, pressure and yet sensitive to peo- God-fearing guileless , Amencans - pie. It’s not private eye heroics, but With Lucille Ball, Desi Amaa, God-fearing guileless Americans - *..^;;r wi.i.; Pie. Ifs not private eye neroics. hut Vivian Vance, BUI Frawicy, who can be .disturbed by criticism Alice Biickes, AntnMy^^ a team working together, and Webb Ava.!* a-f fhpjr* kYinroc whiph fhpv deem Arroaiicers. k^ianiey mejer, mini. nire from Milburn othersj Wilbur Hatch orch Exec producer: Arnaz Producer: Jess Oppenheimer Director: Bill Asher Writers: Oppenheimer, Mi Pugh, Bob Carroll, Jr. 30 Mins.; Mon., 9 p.m. PHILIP MORRIS CBS-TV, from New York (Biota) ch of their mores which they deem meyer, j unfair. At least the ingenue of TnoU w.hh er the clan is thrust into such a po- 'rhurs^ o'^pm sition via the introduction into the 30 ThwsM 9 p^. Madelyn home of a young, handsome, NBC-TV, from New York wealthy and cynical stranger from (Cunningham & Walsh) gets a nice assist from Milburn Stone, Herb Ellis and Kenneth Pat -1 terson as other cops. Overall production is superior, with excellent use of closeups. Lighting, however, could have been 30 Mins.; Mon., 9 p.m. the ,big city. He has come to gather ' xhis series, which seems to come better in the exterior scenes. PHILIP MORRIS material on smalltown life and up with a sock dramatic vehicle Bril CBS-TV, from New York since the girl is a librarian—and consistently, kicked off its new fall (Biota) attractive -- the research project series Thursday (11) with a grip- ’ “T TnuA Tiipv*’ whirh ipfl wings to the romantic angle, pjug story of a would-be suicide. I Love Lucy, which led the when the lad completes his pa- what gives “Dragnet” its punch is (The Right to Hate) Nielsen lists last year, started its per, the girl discovers through a careful detailing of police work, With Bill Phipps, Stacy Hams, second season Monday (15) in fine typical community leak (the pul^ thg insight into the minds of crim- others form — and should gain new He stenoCTapher to whom the thesis inals, its effective production and , A, given for typing) that her fam- direction Producer: Revue Productions plaudits. Show contains the same jjy ^35 ^gen severely attacked for Yam covered a half-hour span— Director: Axel Gruenberg winning combo of Lucille Ball and its limited (i.e., smalltown) out- j-j^g same time the film occupied. Writer: Miles W. Barnes, Jr. Desi Arnaz, as the slightly mad look on life. That the lad’s second rjonq arrived at 9*30 to learn that 30 Mins.; Fri., 9 p.m. young married folk, with Vivian and expressed, thought was to tear 3 paranoic man climbed out on a CHEVRON STATIONS Vance and Bill Frawley their neigh- up the manuscript as unworthy and window ledge and announced he ^TLA, Hollywood bors and foils. It’s still the same untrue, comes as a highly con- ig 3 p 3 ^. jq p.m. The race Trouble with “The Right to stands by as the stranger moves in on hi 3 gal. All the rancher does is mumble helplessly and take to drink and the Bible. It’s finally disclosed that years before the stranger had stolen the rancher’s boss, the rancher trying to retrieve it killed the stranger’s brother by mistake, so—stranger went to jail for boss stealing. Typical slam- bang western fight scene at end sees rancher win, and, everything miraculously straightened out with the heavy having gotten over his seven-year hate. Performances by Bill Phipps Stacy Harris, Nancy Hale, Billy Chapin and Kenneth MacDonald are more credible than the story. Ellsworth Fredericks’ camera is penetrating. Baku. Vidpix Chatter L bors fast-paced show, with a sprightly trived antl-climax that is pushed against the clock was deftly han- Hate,” a revenge story, is it script and generally wholesome as a natural culmination of events ^ig^j showing Joe Friday’s (Jack .doesn’t begin to develop plot-wise outlook. Only change is Bill Asher which reconciles the romantic webb) rational pleas, then his until the telefilm’s past the half- Uking over as megger from Marc leads—in short, the happy end- strategems to lure the suicide from way mark, and until then it has a Daniels. . Initialer opened with a cutie. Actually, there is no problem department to get a ladder up, the about?” Once plot is given impetus with Arnaz^ chiping his wife on posed that hasn’t been done nu- try by a rescue squad expert to in script it’s well handled, but overdrawing her checking account merous times, good and bad, by lasso the deranged man, the use many a televiewer may have been (she endorsed her beauty panor vidpix and other media. This one of a portable p.a. system with the lost during that first baffling por- check; ‘Dear teller, please be a is pleasantly treated and the man’s sister movingly entreating tion. Tempo of Miles W. Barnes, lamb and don t put this through thesping by all hands is par" him to go aside. Windup was Jr. script and that of Axel Gruen- until next month”). That started for the course, with sincere per- Webb’s daring the crazed man to berg’s direction were much too a splat, with the neighbors joining formances by a cast headed by come at him with a knife, and slow for story which had fine po- in, and the husbands deciding to Forrest Taylor, Onslow Stevens hurling him into the room during tential. spend a week doing the housework and Nan Boardman. the tussle. A stranger shows up at a ranch, while the wives try their hands at Following the film, there are Vidpic involved a good deal of gets a job as a hired hand„ and Dreaawmning, 1 + + announcements that relate to location shooting in L.A., which for about 20 minutes bedevils the It was a laminar situation,^ but Christian living, an appeal for added to the realism. Shots of the young rancher whom he hates. aeity nanaiea, ine business of the Bible-reading as bearing the pre- fire department ladder slowly mov- Rancher takes a lot of abuse, even femmes huddled together in the r- r- , employment agency, giving facial — -- - | his perch, the attempt by the fire whodunit aspect — “What’s it all ^ J 'j. ^ ^ A «%1 i ^ vrrvM « vm i reactions as the interviewer sug- gested various jobs, was excellent visual comedy. The men’s travail in the culinary department (Fraw- ley made a seven-layer cake in one layer, with the frosting inside) also had some sock elements: Standout portion, however, was the distaffers’ working in a candy TV Films in PFoduetion as of Friday, Sept. 12; WM. BOYD PROD’NS, INC. sei 11700 Ventura Blvd.: Los 'Angeles Hopalong Cassidy series of half-hour New series of half-hour we.stern dramas WlUlam Esty. Barry Nelson heads cast, entitled "DEATH VALLEY DAYS" now Producer: Ed Montagne ‘ wuiiviiie 111 a uuimy producer: Darrell McQowan ..1 rinj®Willi?m "Bojd anT feJtuffi* Ed?ar Director:' Stuart McGowan belt—and stuffing their mouths Buchanan. _ Tn A * Production Supervisors: Walter Raft Robert Drucker Db'ector: Oscar Rudolph. Hollywood Stu Reynolds planed to N.Y. to negotiate sale of Screen Televideo vidpix. Norman Retohin named head’ of story department of ST, which rolls 10 telepix Oct. 15 at Eagle Lion studios... Will L. Lane named director of new TV research department of Guild Films... Cast in support to Barbara Britton and Richard Denning in John W. Love- ton production, “Mr. and Mr.s. North,” being shot at . ^oldwyn studios by Federal Telefilms, are Skeets Gallagher, Else Neft, Herb Jacobs, Ralph Lewin, Charles Wil- liams, Arthur Page, Gary Stewart, John Gardner, Francis DeSales, Ben Welden, Carolyn Jones, Frank Scannell, Wally Cassell and Charles Delaney... Rene Belbenoit's “The Grave in the Jungle” bought by Bill White for vidpix series, “Acts of Faith,” with George Macready to star in episode... Mikhail Ras- muny returned from Gotham where he made a pilot vidpic for CBS series, “Tangier.”... Van Hef- lin narrating series of Community Chest telepix being edited by Film- craft, George Travell writing, di- recting and producing telefilms V _ • * 1 _ ? 1 V 1 . J-f 11 -- with the sweets they couldn’t wrap Executive producer: wmiam Boyd ac fbA KAif rru^ Associate producer: Robert Stabler •sc fVsA V>Alf mi,- :-r Associate proauccr: itooeri, aiaoier as^ the belt speeded up. The in- production manager: Glenn Cook evitable end, with each of the sexes Directors: Derwin-Abbe, Tommy Carr grdtxtin^ th 6 oth 6 rs dr^umsnts, "PwriT^ci General Service Studios, Hollywood males gifted the girls with boxes "lone ranger" half-Jiour western of candy.. series now shooting. Vehicle had snine clanctiplr cr>nfc Hart, Jay SUverheels set leads. *1,-+ i 1 SiapsncK spots Producer: Jack Chertok that lacked the impact of the Show A.^sociate producer: Harry Pdppe as a whole, such as the wom^'n Directors: Paul Landres, Holly Morse GROSS-KRASNE, INC. RKO Pa the: Culver City Now shooting "BIG TOWN" series of ROLAND REED PRODUCTIONS Hal Roach Studios. Culver City Shooting "MY LITTLE MARGIE" series 26 half hour telepix sponsored by Lever haif-i^ur comedies. Gale Storm and Brothers. Patrick MeVey and Jane Nigh Charles Farrell set leads. set leads. Producer: Hal Roach, Jr. Producers: Jack J. Grose and Philip N. Associate producer: Guy V. Thayer, Jr Krasne Director: E. A. Dupont. REVUE PRODUCTIONS REVUE PRODUCTIONS Eagle Lion Studios: Hollywood Half hour series of "ADVENTURES OF KIT CARSON" telepix now shooting for throwing chocolates at each other, and the bit of a pressure cooker exploding and chickens falling from COSMAN PRODUCTIONS Hal Ro&ch Studios: Culver City "1 AM THE LAVW'lerles Of 30-minute JOHN GUEDEL PRODS. Half hour series of "ADVEl . 600 Taft Bldg., Hollywood KIT CARSON" telepix now 5 Art Llnkletter starring in a series of Proa.. „ , ^ 104 15-minute vidpix titled "I INKLETTER Producer: Revue Productions AND THE KIDS." Director: John English. the ceiling. Overall production adventure dramas shooting six in series Assoclato produce r. Irvi n Atkins i ^ with Haft KtarFfid. was topflight. Wilbur Hatch’s music and audi- ence laughter added to show’s ef- fect oh living-room viewers. Com- mercials for Philip Morris were with .George Raft starred. Producer-director: Jean Yarborough Executive producer: Pat Costello BING CROSBY ENTERPRISES RKO-Pathe, Culver City PAUL F. HEARD, INC. HTTV Studios: Hollywood Series of 13 quarter-hour telepics en- titled "WHAT'S YOUR TROUBLE?" with Dr. and Mrs. Norman Vincent Peale, Series of 26 "BIFF BAKER, USA," vld- E ix, starring Alan Hale Jr. and Randy tuart now shooting. Director: Richard Irving. —A wcic Shooting '.'REBOUND" series of half rroaucer: raui r. tieara palatable and have dropped the hour adult dramas sponsored by Packard Director; Paul F. Heard nose test theme. Bril Motor Car Corp. „ ^ Production supervisor: Harry Cohen Executive producer: Basil Grille — Half-hour series of comedy-drama for JAN PRODUCTIONS, INC. rritrra vc rnTTrY -r-r-nn CHAIR ON THE BOULEVARD" in General Service Studios: Hollywood THIS IS THE LIFE preparation. HAL ROACH PRODUCTIONS Hal Roach Studios: Culver City "AMOS 'N' ANDY" series of character comedy telepix now shooting. Sponsored by Blatz Beer for CBS-TV. Moore, Spencer Williams, Alvin Childress, Ernestine Wade. Johnny Lee. Horace Stewart. Supervisors: Freeman Gosden, Charles Correll. Sidney Van Keuren iirWiT v' ^ . "‘Half'houf series of adult drama films "IT'S THE BICKERSONS" series of half Director: Charles Barton With Forrest Taylor, Onslow fnr "crown theatre" now shooting hour comedy telepix now shooting. Lew Production executive: James Fonda -lYT ■« •» W.. .. wn.Vi»»»r« iriEMiivE iiuyv Diiuuwiis* /i Acotefnni- ..... t;. Stevens, Nan Boardman, Randy Stuart, . Michael Hall, David Kasday, others JOAN DAVIS PRODUCTIONS General Service Studios, Hollywood ProdiiPC'r* Familv Ffltvie /Iom nr "I MARRIED JOAN" series of half-hour rroaucer. l-amny Ifllms Uan M. situation comedies currently shooting for Parker and Virginia Grey set leads. Producer; Jack Denove Production supervisor: C, M. Florence Director-writer: Phil Rapp Assistant director: Emmett Emerson Smith) Director: William F. Claxton Writer: Nancy Moore 30 Mins.; Tiies., 10 p.m. LUTHERAN CHURCH-MISSOURI SYNOD DUMONT, from N. Y. General Electric sponsor. Starring Joan Davi.s & Jim Backus. Producer: Dick Mack Director: Hal Walker. Writers: Arthur Stander, Phil Sharp. SCREEN GEMS 1302 N. Gower, Hollywood Now shooting the FORD THEATRE series of 39 half-hour telepix. Producer-director: Jules Bricken DESILU PRODUCTIONS General Service Studios, Hollywood KEY PRODUCTIONS serieTof^TS-hrr Eagle Lion Studios, Hollywood Producer-director: Jules Bricki Shooting Red Skelton series of 30-min- Assistant director: Eddie Seata ute comedy telepix. Stars Red Skelton. Producer: Red Skelton SCREEN TELEVIDEO PRODS. Director: Marty Rackln TrQrfioT!,v« tt h "FOREVER AMBROSE" series, starring Studios. Hollywood Eddie Mayehoff, weekly for 39 weeks, now , Resume production of half-hi shooting. In October. Resume production of half-hour dramas In October. ‘This Is the Life” comes to the sponsored by Philip Morris shooting n/r.. i T . for fall season. "I LOVE LUCY" half hour comedy se- cast: Eddie Mayehoff, Billie Burke. Hope Producer: Screen Televideo Prods. DuMont web as a 26-part cellu- Cast: LuclUe .Ball, Desi Arnaz, William pr?duce^?"L^u ^lace^^^ loider underwritten by the Luther- ProducSf je''ss''‘Sp«'Sreimer Director Dick Bar^ an ChMch-Missouri Synod for a wuuam^Asher EDWARD LEW reputed $500,000. P r e e m on the Bob Carroll, Jr. Motion Picture Cen Emerson, Arnold .Stang, Chester Con- supervisor: Rudy E. Abel Camera: Stuart Thompson Supervising film editor: Bernard Matis Chain’.? Gntham lacf BROOKS'' half-hour cow Scries of 13 half-hour telepix featuring pPoduccr- DonTharoe cnain S LxOtnam flagship last Tues- edy drama series now shooting for CBS- Irene Dunne as femcee resumes Sept. 19, ''MY HERO" series EDWARD LEWIS PRCDS. Motion Picture Center, Hollywood DON SHARPE ENTERPRISES RKO Pathe Studios, Hollywood Series of "FOUR STAR PLAYHOUSE" half-hour telepix dramas shooting. which will also be seen theatrically ... Jim Bannon, Gregg Barton, Stanley Andrews, Mickey Simpson, Brad Johnson, Fred Krone, Dick Emory, David Coleman and Miner- va Urecal set for roles in “Range Rider” series at Flying A... Ann Sothern pilot telepic canned by Jack Chertok Productions at Gen- eral Service studios... “Your Jew- eler’s Showcase,^’ vidpix series, de- buts on KNBH Oct. 2...Sterling Television releas^ing 13 15-min. vid- pix produced by'Shhmel-Meservey tagged “Ghost Towns of the West.” . .Bob Fallon to Mexico City to prep production * of 13 vidpix... David Hire trying to sell telepix series, “Crackdown,” on which pilot was finished, with Alan Reed, Don Beddoe, Richard Crane and Willis Bouchey Sidney,Smith producing, Douglas Heyes scripting... Jun» McCall femme lead in “I Am th¥ Law,” George Raft series being shot by Cosman Production at the Hal Roach lot... “Rebound” serie.s, sponsored by Packard, rolls in Oc- tober at Bing Crosby Enterprises, localed at RKO Pathe... Hayden Rorke, Thurston Hall, Mary Ellen Kaye and D. J. Thompson in Mick- ey Rooney telepic pilot rolling at General. Service studios, Arthur Lubin direqting.. . Charlie Stevens cast in Revue Productions* “Border City,” shooting at Republic.. • Screen Writers Guild strike again.‘;t Alliance of Television Filnr* Produ- cers enters sixth week, with only significant development being feel- ers tendered’ex-officio to SWG by Alliance members toward compro* mise settlement. day (9) was preceded by an un- TV. General Foods sponsbr. Produrer: Edward Lewis reeling at the Park Ave Theatre cast; Eve Arden, Gale Gordon, Jane Moi^ Production manager: William Stevens *~^*“*6 J .rt-ve. meaire, crenna, Gloria McMillan, Bob - - . JN. i., before handpicked guests. Rockwell, Virginia Gordon. THF TMT/yT*A nTiFTSI rri'RP Cooperating in distributine the Producer: Larry Berns o ” 1 c ^ «V, Director- A1 Lewis General Service Studios: HoJlywoof package is the National Council of Assistant direct^- Jlm Paisley "THE BURNS AND ALLEN SHC Churches of Christ, overall Prot- Writers: A1 Lewis, Joe Qulilan "OW shooting series of half hour con: estant hndv whncp airh ic tn emir ^lepix. The Carnation Co. snonsor. u 4.4 wnose aim IS to spur PPTIFPAT TPIFFTTM ficr* Cast: George Burns and Gracie A1 church attendance via the series. • Fred Clark, Bea Benadaret, Harry THE McCADDEN CORP. General Service Studios: Hollywood "THE BURNS AND ALLEN SHOW" now shooting series of half hour comedy telepix. The Carnation Co. snonsor. Cast: George Burns and Gracie Allen, 'MY HERO" series of comedy-dramas starring Robert Cummings to shoot after Sept. 22. Producer; Mort Green "TERRY AND THE PIRATES" series also to shoot after Sept. 22. SHOWCASE PRODUCTIONS Hal Roach Studios. Culver City "RACKET SQUAD" series resume shoot- WNYC Film Unit Sets Civil Defense Vidpic ^ laudable objec- «mR. and MRS. north" scries of half Producer' Ralph Levy ^^rroU Case tive can be achieved by means of hour situation comedies now^ shooting Director* Ralnh Lew Director. Jim Tinling a conventional story who.se frame Writers;’Paul Henning, Sld Dorfman, Har- VOTPAMn PpTmTTr-rrT/YXTC VTVT/-* of reference, as oar thf* initinlpr Barbara Britton and Richard vey Helm, William Burns' ^ .. INC. Goldwyn Studios. Hollywood Fred Clark. Bea Benadaret. Harry Von ing half hour telepix series Se^ Producer: Hal Roach, Jr.i Carroll Case Director: Jim Tinling General Service Studios, Hollywood ^ “the ADVENTURES OF OZZIE AND HARRIET," half-hour comedy series now "AMERICAN WIT AND HUMOR" se- , ,, , „ . . " rles of 26 half-hour plx. Thomas Mitchell, Bf^riet Hilliard Nel- nes ot 20 naif-hour plx. Thomas Mitchell, narrator, with cast including Gene Lock' Of reference as par the initialer, dSI. " vey Heim, Wllliam Burns' General ServlVe StudL. H^^^^ does not embrace preachment or Producer; Federal tv Corporation. IWAPOTV fiP TPTTVTP "THE ADVENTURIec nu fiTTi directly pose a moral, may depend ^^'^^tor: Ralph Murphy . 369 lSo? Ave .^n®y Harriet, 'PhlK^r^ome^dy^ffr largely upon the cumulative effect. PTi.HTrPAPT ppnnc "American wit and humor" se- The ‘format, moreover oromises i IrKODb, of 20 half-hour plx. Thomas Mitchell, Bf^riet Hillh no qprmonivintr in iinr»nrnlTio Mclrose, Hollywood narrator, with cast including Gene Lock- Nelson, Ricky Nelsi ^l^®B^ing m upcoming chap- CROUCHO MARX starred in 39 half-hour hart, Jeffrey Lynn, Arnold Moss, Ann n v 4 . ^ ters, and hence the basic appeal audience participation film productions Burr and Olive Dcerlng. ®ud BUI in connection with churchffoinR now slmoting once a week for NBC. Producer: Marlon Parsonnet N 6 laon 'iirniil/l 0 ^ 1 ^ , u li. X DeSoto-Plymouth sponsoring. Director: Fred Stephanl. Writers: Bill Davenport, Don Nels would seem to derive wholly from Producer: John Guedel Gershman, Ozzie Nelson the entertainment values of the FUm producer: 1 . Lindenbaum PARSONNET TV PtT,M .STTTDTOS - half-hour films. Directors: Bob D wan, B crnie Smith AltbUWlMLJ. biUDiUb, FRANK WISBAR PRO! nrid \ manner of speaking, the FLYING A PRODUCTIONS '4^02 Fifth St., Long island City, N. Y. "FIRE^sfDE^^'rHEATRl" ^cri^*^ M. Smith al^xec'in”charge and "anhIe ®OAKLE?'"'*n«w°SS°^o/ 5a .iifif*d h''p‘“ f"‘ Fran^^ direction by William F/clixtSn Proaucor^n., Smirn iVJf.h Oiiiy Grfly DCSIQ C&St* Purts to PpAdun^r* TVrnHnri 'Porer»«nAf npv««T PARSONNET TV FILM STUDIOS, INC. 46-02 Fifth St., Long Island City, N. Y. Casting: Michael Meads. son, David Nelson, Ricky Nelson, Don DcFore Producers: Robert Angus and BUI Lewis Director: Ozzie Nelson Writers: Bill Davenport, Don Nelson, Ben Gershman, Ozzie Nelson Film unit of WNYC, New York’s municipal radio station, has com- pleted “The Price of Liberty,” pic showing all the civil defense forces of the city in action. Vidpic will be screened for fed- eral, state and city civil defense execs at the RCA exhibition halli N, Y., Friday (19) morning. FRANK WISBAR PRODS. Eaglo Lion Studios: Hollywood "FIRESIDE THEATRE" series of half- hour adult dramas now shooting. with original scripts by Nancy head cast. Parts to producer: Marlon Par.sonnet Moore, “dares not to be different” Second series of 52 half-hour Gen® DlrM“ors'\™be/t*^Al'drich^Petw^ in that the yarn on the bow show Robert j^rich. Peter Godfrey. ^ 4 ^^^® , "Knce Rm?l?*' ?hoothig‘ second se- PATHESCOPE PRODUCTIONS me Hollywoodish pattern. Thus, r^e* of 52 half-hour vldeoters. Jack 'Ma- 580 Fifth Ave.. New York City ZIV TV 525S Clinton .St.. Hollywood Two in "UNEXPECTED" series of holf- nour adventure telepix skedded for Sep- tember shooting, "CISCO KID" series of 3Q-minute vide- the Fisher menage — “an average "■the hunter," series oters win shoot six teleolx in September, familv in an avpra^p Ismalltnuirii Producer. Louis CSwy . ^ half-hour telepix, sponsored by General casting for all pictures, Adiiiuy in an average tsmailtOWR) Directors: Wallace Fox, Geo. Archalnbaud R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. through Directors: Eddie Davis, Sobey Martin, Seven for Salzburg Cornell Film Co., headed by J* Milton Salzburg, last week picked up TV distribution rights to some seven features originally produced by Monogram, Principal Pictures and other indie studios. „ Films are “Wayne Murder' Case, “Convicts at Large,” “Fire Alarm,^ “Jungle Bride.*' “Police Court. “Law of the Sea’* -and “The Girl From Calgary.” Oldest of the group was lensed in 1032.