Variety (September 1952)

24 P^BSaSrf WeJnegday^ Septemixsi* 24-, 1952 ♦-f-Hf» » 4 '» - f H ♦ ♦ » » » ♦ ♦♦ - » » ♦♦ » ♦♦»♦♦ ♦ ♦♦ ♦ » ♦ M » » ♦ » f f 44 f f ♦ » » M » t I »4 4 -f f t » M M t M TELEPIX REVIEWS •you BET YpUE LIFE With Grouohb Marx, emc€e; George Fenueman, aimouncer Frodacen John. Gaedcl 30 Mins.; Thur&, 8 p.m. DeSOTO-PLYMOTJTH NBC-TV, from Hollywood (BBD&O) . “You Bet Your Life’’ is back after a 13-week period durhig which the better “YBYL” editions were repeated lo give emcee Groucho Marx and his cohorts a summer respite.' It’s the same stanza which proved one of the surer laugh-getters last year and should continue as sock comedy again this season. It’s almost all Marx’s show, the contestants having been picked as foils for Groucho’s ribbing. The insults are hypoed, of course, by Marx and his writers haying studied the quizees’ occupations and backgrounds in advance. But he’s still a master of the uncere- Inonious, with his skill at ad lib- bing and getting peopie to like the needling. His signaling . brows, rolling eyes and significant pauses have, that wonderful sense of tim- ing \^ch milks any gag for all it’s worth. And, of course, with the emphasis being on the chitchat with participants, the format Is less likely to go stale. He’s still using three couples who can snowball a $20 bill into/i maximum take of $320, with the couple making the best showing getting a crack at the $1,000 jack- pot. On Thursday’s edition (18) one team walked off with the $1,320, although no one got the fillip prize for mentioning the secret word. This particular entry wasn’t one of Marx’s' best, but it still denten- strated the program’s potential. Lensing is on film, although done in the live manner—that Is, con- -tinuously and from a stage with an audience. Audio is beamed the pre- ceding night on NBC radio. Plugs for BeSoto Included some effective factory scenes. Bril, WHAT ONE PERSON CAN DO With Father James Keller, Joe E. Brown, John Wingate Producer-director: Jack Denovo 25 Mins.; Wed., 9:115 p.m. Sustaining WOR-TV, N. Y. First in a series of 52 quarter- hour films, ’“What Gne Person Can po” preemed on WOR-TV, N. Y., 'Wednesday (17) as a public-servioe featiure presented by the station. Films, which reportedly cost $149,- 000, wfere originated and produced by the Christopher Organization. Some 48 other iTV stations through- out the country are also airing the ^series. Opening program ran. an extra 10 minutes since Father James Keller, founder and leader of the Christophers, was on hand in per- son to explain the objectives of both the Christopher mov.enient and the film shorts. Interviewed by staff newsman John Wingate, he emphasized that his organization seeks to “make the world a better place to live” via improvement in ■govermneirt, labor Telations, edu- cation and communication. Points mentioned above were also stressed in the initial film short in which Father Keller ap- pears with Hollywood star Joe F. jBrown. Approach to the subject was made via an informal discus- sion between Father Keller and Brown. But on the basis of the first film it would seem that instead of relying almost entirely upon con- versation, better use could be made of this visual medium by lensing some actual examples of how “little people have changed the world for the better.” Glib, CHEVRON THEATRE <Letter of the Law]r With George Nader, Joan Camden, Robert Arthur, Joseph Crehan, Steven Terrell, Jeel Smith Producer; MCA Revue Productions Director: Robert Finkel Writers: John and Ward Hawkins, Frank Burt 30 Mins., Fri., 9 p.m. CHEVRON STATIONS KTLA, Hollywood (BBD&O) ?iLetter of the Law” has -been done more times than there are , letters in the alphabet and that’s letting it off easy. It’s the old, creaking story of a cop, torn be- tween love and duty, who must spring a young punk to save his own Impending marriage to the kid s sister. Bromidic tale Is saved by good performing and able direc- tion of Robert Finkel. Plotted by three writers, one of whom might have thought up a switch from the old familiar but didn t, narrative makes a moral distinction; that a kid with crimi- nal tendencies is more honorable than a cop witli a dame on his mind. When the llatfoot tries to hang the rap on another kid, the hot rod holdup won’t have any part of it. “I may be a heel,” he intones with every moral fibre standing on end, “but I’m not that much of a heel to send an innocent kid up the river.” That’s the play’s big speech and then the clinch and the clink. George Nader plays the copper with good restraint and Robert Ar- thur’s etching of the errant kid carries a note of conviction. Joan Camden takes the dramatic jumps with sure stride and Joseph Crehan as the headquarters dick is cred- ibly effective. Paramount station fell into its old fault of slopping over spot commercials into Chev- ron’s time. This time four minutes, which may have cost the program many lookers. Helm. CALL THE COACH Wito Jess Hill, Red Sanders, Hank Weaver Producer: Jack Douglas 15 Mins.; Sat., 8 p.m. NIC-L-SILVER BATTERIES KECA-TV, Hollywood Pacific Coast football fans will find this newcomer a must, \vith UCLA coach Red Sanders and his crosstown rival, USC .mentor Jess Hill, confabbing over grid pros- pects on a week-by-weefc basis, with Hank Weaver interviewing both and keeping the gab going at an interesting pace . Opening show both coaches got out their crying’ towels in the tra- dition of their trade, Sanders averring his team would lead the Pacific Coast Conference loop in fumbles and penalties. Both coaches predicted California would win the PCC league race this fall. All in all, this 15-minute stanza is a bright contribution to KECA- TV’s programming, certain . of a big j^udience among the grid fans. The mentors displayed profes- sional ease before the cameras. Weavers weaves in his pitches for Nic-L-Silver Batteries nicely and inoffensively. DakU, GRUEN PLAYHOUSE (The Leather Coat) With Raymond Burr, Randy Stuart, Bill Phipps, Lee Phelps Distributor: MCA-TV, Ltd. Producer: Revue Productions Director: Richard Irving Writer: James Edmiston 30 Mins.; TuCs., 10 p.m. GRUEN WATCH CO. KTLA, Hollywood Taut Suspense story is well-de- veloped In ^The Leather Coat,” James Edmiston’s yam about an impoverished couple living in the desert. Plot is pegged on the wife’s yen to keep $20,000 found in an auto smashup in which a gambler is killed, and husband’s pitch for her to return the coin. Tension is heightened considerably with entrance of a burly stranger, who’s after the coin, which he lost to the gambler. Husband won't divulge where- abouts of the moola, figuring his wife has got to tell if she’s going ^ to get over her yen for wrongo sugar. Consequently the stranger goes berserk, tears their cafe apart ■ and slaps both of them around. After a few nightmarish hours of - being terrorized by the muscle man, wife finally realizes she erred in Seeking coin not their own, and hands it over to the heavy. Fade- out sees the pair reunited, a bit bloody but unbeaten, so to speak. Intelligent direction by Richard Irving, plus good script of Edmis- ton, accounts for drama never be- coming hokey, instead being vested with an air of grim reality. Ray- mond Burr as the menacing heavy delivers a topnotch performance, while Bill Phipps and Randy Stu- art as the young couple turn in sensitive portrayals, Lee Phelps is okay in a lesser role. Vidpic is very good production- wise, with lenser Ellsworth Fred- ericks competent in that deoart- ment. Daku* Dei. Grid Vidpix Coin Detroit, Sept. 23. Ford Dealers of Detroit will sponsor filmed highlights of Univ. of Michigan football games on Mondays throughout the season over WWJ-TV. Comment will be handled by Fritz' Crisler, former Michigan coach and now its athletic director, and WWJ sports announcer Paul WUliams. TV Films in Production ias of Friday, Sept. 19 WM. BOYD PROD’NS, INC. ' 11700 Ventura Blvd.; l.of AnxdVi Hopalong Cassidy series of Balf-liour western adventures now shooUnd. 'Star* ring William Boyd and foBturing Xdgar Buchanan. Ebcecutive producer: WlUiam Boyd Associate producer: Robert Stabler Production manager: Glenn Cook Directors: Derwln-Abbc, Tommy Carr JACK CHERTOK PRODS. General Seirvlce 'Studios, HoUywood ''LONE RANGER" llal^hour western scries now shooting. John Bart, Jay SUverhcels set leads. Producer: Jack Chertok Associate Moducer; Harry Poppe Directors: Paul Landres, HoUy Morse JOAN DAVIS PRODUCTIONS General Service Studios, Hollywood "I MARRIED JOAN" series of half-hour situation comedies currently shooting for General Blectric sponsor. Starring Joan Davis & Jim Backus. Producer: Dick Mack Director: Hal Walker. Writers: Arthur Stander, Phil Sharp. DESILU PRODUCTIONS General Service Studios, Hollywood "I LOVE LUCY" half hour comedy se- Ties -sponsored by Philip Mwis shooting for fall season. Cast? Lucille Ball, Deal Amaz, William Frawley, Vivian Vance. Producer:*Jess Oppenheimer Director: William Asher Writers: Jess Oppenheimer. Madelyn Pugh, Bob Carroll, Jr. "OUR MISS BROOKS" half-hour com- ^ama series now shooting for CBS* TV, General -Foods sponsor. Eve Arden, Gale Gordon, Jane Mor* g an, Dick Crenna. Gloria McMUlan, Bob ockweU, Virginia Gordon. ^oduction Executive: Larry Berns Director: A1 l^ais • distant director: Jim Paisley Writers: A1 Lewis, Joe QulUan FEDERAL TELEFILM, INC. ,„.^Ooldwyn Studios, Hollywood "MR. AND MRS. NORTH" series of half comedies now shooting Mst 39. -A John W. Loveton Production starring Barbara Britton and Richard Denning. Producer: Federal TV Corporation. Director: Ralph Murphy. FHiMCRAFT PRODS. Melrose, Hollywood GROUCHO MARX starred In 39 half*hour audience participation film productions now slating once a week for NBC. DeSoto-Blymouth sponsoring. Producer; John Gucdel FUm producer; 1. Llndenbaum Directors: Bob Dwan, Bernio Smith FLYING A PRODUCTIONS 6920 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood Second series of 52 half*hour Gene Autry Western telepix shooting. Gene Autry, Pat Buttram set leads. 'RANGE RIDER" shooting second sc* ries of 52 half-hour vldeoters. Jack Ma* honey. Dick Jones head cast. ^oducer - Louis Gray Diicctors: Wallace Fox, Geo. Archalnbaud wdrt^m drama* <mtitled "DEATH VALLEY DAYS" now snooting. Producer: Darrell McGowan Director: Stuari McGowan GROSS-KRASNE, INC. RKO Pathe: Culver City TOWN" series of n^ hour telepix monsored by Lever Brothers. Patrick Mc'^y and Jane Nigh set leads. Producers: Jack J. Gross and Philip N. Krssno Director; E, A. Dupont. JOHN GUEDEL PRODS. A Bldg.. Hollywood Art Linklettcr starring in a series of 104 15-mlnute vidpix UUed "LINKLITTIR AND THE KIDS.^' Producer-director: Maxwell Shant Associate producer: Irvin Atkins PAUL F. HEARD, INC. KTTV Studios: HoUywood Series of 13 quarter-hour telepics en- titled "WHAT'S YOUR TROUBLE?" with Dr. and Mrs. Norman Vincent Feale. Producer: Paiil P. Heard Director: Paul F. Heard Production supervisor: Harry Cohen JAN PRODUCTIONS. INC. General Service Studios: Hollywood "IT'S THE EICXERSONS" series of half hour comedy telepix now shooting. Lew Parker and Virginia Grey set leads. Producer; Jack Denove Production supervisor; C. M. FlorencB Director-writer: Phil Rapp KEY PRODUCTIONS Eagle Lion. Studios. Hollywood Shooting Red Skelton series of 30-min* nte comedy telepix. Stars Red Skelton. Producer: Red Skelton Director: Marty Racldn "FOREVCR AMBROSE" series, starring Eddie Mayehoff, weekly for 39 weeks, now shooting. Cast: Eddie Mayehoff, Billie Burke. Hope Emerson, Arnold Stang. Chester Con- klin, Connie MarshaU Producer: Lou Place Director: .'Dick Bare EDWARD LEWIS PRODS. Motion Picture Center, HoUywood Series of 13 half-hour telepix featuring Irene Dunne as fcmcee resumes Sept. 26. Producer: Edward Lewis Production manager: WlUliuu SteVeni THE McCADDEN CORP. General Service Studios: HoUywood "THE BURNS AND ALLEN SHOW" now shooting series of half hour comedy telepix. The Carnation Co. sponsor. Cast: George Burns and Gracle AUen, lYed Clark, Bea Benadaret, Harry Von ZelL Producer: Ralph Levy Director: Ralph Levy Writers: Paul Henning. Sid Dorfman. Har- vey Helm, William Burns MARCH OF TIME 369 Lexington Ave., N. Y. /'AMERICAN WIT AND HUMOR" ties of 28 .half-hour plx. Thomas MltobcU, narrator, with cast including Gene Lock- Mrt, Jeffrey Lynn, Arnold Moss. Ann Burr and Olive Deering. Producer: Marion Parsonnet Director; Fred Stephani. PARSONNET TV FILM STUDIOS, INC. 46^2 Fifth St., Long Island City, N. Y. Casting: Michael Meads. ..Shooting half-hour dramas for series en- titled The Doctor," sponsored by Procter & Gamble. Features 'Warner Anderson. Producer: Marion Parsonnet Production manager: Henry Spitz Directors: Robert Aldrich, Peter Godfrey. PATHESCOPE PRODUCTIONS two Fifth Ave., New York City fhoo ting "THE H UNTER," series w 13 half-hour—telepix;'■ ■sponsored "by R- J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. through WiUlam Esty. Barry Nelson heads cast. Producer; Ed Montague Production Supervisorst Walter Raft, Robert Drucker Director: Oscar Rudolph. ROLAND REED PRODUCTIONS Hal Roach Studios, Culver City Shooting "MY LITTLE MARGIE" series of half-hour comedies. Galo Storm and Charles FarrdU sot leads. Producer; Hal Roach, Jr. Associate producer: Guy V. Thayer, Jr, REVUE PRODUCTIONS E^agle Lion Studios* Hollywood Half hour series of "ADVENTURES OF KIT CARSON" telepix now shooting for Revue Prods. Producer: Revue Productions Director: John English. Series of 26 "BIFF BAKER, USA," vid- pix. starring Alan Hale Jr. and Randy Stuart now shooting. Director; Richard Irving. 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. Cart; Tim Moore, Spencer Williams, Alvin Oiildress, Ernestine Wade. Johnny Lee, Horace Stewart. Supervisors: Freeman Gosden, Charles Correll, Sidney Van -Eeuren Director: Charles Barton Production executive: James Fonda Assistant director: Emmett Emerson SCREEN GEMS 1302 N. Gower, Hollywood Now shooting the FORD THEATRE scries of 39 half-hour telepix. Producer-director; Jules Brlcken Assistant director: Eddie Seats SCREEN TELEVIDEO PRODS. Eagle Lion Studios, HoUywood Resume production of half-hour dramas In October. Producer; Screen Televldeo Prods. Prod, supervisor: Rudy E. Abel Camera; Stuart Thompson Supervising film editor; Bernard Matls SHELDON REYNOLDS PROD.’S Post Parlslen Studios, Paris FOREIGN INTRIGUE series of half- presentation in r' various sponsors now shoot- o ^ rtarring Jerome Thor and oyana Scott. l^oducer-director: Sheldon Reynolds Assoc. Producer; John Padovano Director of Photography; BertU Palmgren Musical Director: Paul Durand DON SHARPE ENTERPRISES RKO Pathe Studios, Hollywood Series of "FOUR STAR PLAYHOUSE" half-hour telepix dramas shooting. Producer; Don Shaire . "MY HERO" series of comedy-dramas stamng Robert Cummings to shoot after Sept. 22. Producer: Mort Green "TERRY AND THE PIRATES" scries glso to shoot after Sept. 32. SHOWCASE PRODUCTIONS ,,_HaI Roach Studios, Culver City 8QUAD" series now shoot- ing half-hour telesplx series. Producer: Hal Roach, Jr.i CorroU Cass Director: Jim Tlnllng VOLCANO PRODUCTIONS. INC. General Service Studios, Hollywood AND HARRIET^'' h&If*liour comedy serios now dhooting. Cast: Ozzie Nelson, Harriet Hilliard Nel- son, David Nelson. Rlcl^ Nelson, Don DeForo Producers: Robert Angus and Bill Lewis Director; Ozzie Nelson FRANK WISBAR PRODS. .... Lion Studios: HoUywood "FIRESIDE THEATRE" series «f half- hour adult dramas now shootlisg. ^oduccr-dirertor: Frank Wlsbar Associate producer: Sidney Smith zrv TV 5255 Clinton SL* HoUywood ^ Two In "UNEXPECTED" series of half- hour adventure telepix skedded for Sep- tember shooting. "CISCO KID" series of. 30-minute vide- oters wiU shoot six telepix in September. General casting for all pictures. Directors: Eddie Davis. Soboy Martin. SLESINGER TO COAST ON ‘BLONDIE’ SERIES Stephen Slesinger, producer of the projected “Blondie” teleseries flew to Coast yesterday (Tues.) to plan production of the “Blondie” motion picture series, rights to which he also acquired recently. He’ll use the same cast, Including Jeff Donnell in the title role and John Harvey as Dagwood, the same director, Marc Daniels, as well as same scripters as tm the TV show. Latter will be either film or live, depending on what a bankroller decides. The theatrical features will never be shown on TV and con- versely the plots of the vidseries will never be transferred to the theatrical pix, Slesinger says. He’ll finance the pic himself, with pro- duction starting in November for spring release, Columbia Pictures had had the picture rights for 10 years. Sleslnger’s contract with King Features syndicate bars Col’s 29 '“Blondie” pix from being shown on TV. He also has the radio rights. CIO‘People’s PoflMn . DuMont Vidpic Preem Congress of Industrial Organi- zations (CIO) launches Its “Peo- ple’s Political Poll” on DuMont tele network tomorrow (Thurs.) at 8:15 p.m. Airer is on film and con- sists of man-ln-the-street interviews with citiaens of ail age groups and economic levels and from all sec- tions of the country, who were asked whether they prefer Eisen- hower or Stevenson, It “will be beamed Thiu'sdays until Election Day. Poll was conducted by Bob Post who traveled 10,000 miles with his crew In 16 days and interviewed hundreds of citizens,^^. Vidpix Chatter New York Coast to attend a preview of “Death Valley Days,” vidpic series Pacific Coast Borax is backing in 63 mar- kets ... Coca-Cola will back Con- solidated TV -Sales* “All-American Game of the Week” on WBEN-TV, Buffalo... CBS newscaster Lowell Thomas intros “Fireside Theatre” film on NBC-TV Tuesday (90)... Film division of George F, Foley, Inc., is producing « color pic, “Health Is Your Business,” for Supra-Vite Corp. It will be lensed in N. Y. under supervision of John Ward.. .Tommy Nello into “Man Against Crime” which returns on film Oct. 1. Hollywood Screen Actors Guild exec sec- retary John Dales Jr. and TV ad- ministrator Ken Thomson homed in from AFL convention in N. Y, . . . Teddy Hart set for a role In Mickey Rooney pilot, rolling at General Service studios. . . . Rob- ert Aldiich skied to Gotham to direct 15 half-hour “The Doctor’ telepix for Parsonnet Productions, Procter & Gamble angeling. Al- drich just returned from Mexico City where he megged “Calamity Jane,” tdepic with Joan Blondell and Buddy Ebiien, for “Schlitl Playhouse of Stars.’*. .. New vid- pix series set for KTTA beaming include “March of Time,” Miller Brewing sponsoring, teeing off Oct. 3, and “This is the Life,” sponsored by Lutheran church-Missouri Syn- od, beginning this week , , . Felix Jacoves, formerly at Warners, set as director of Revue Productions “Man Across the Street,” shooting this week at ReDUblle with James Mitchell. JoTja” Courtright and Lyle Talbot in leads.. .Alliance of Television Film Producers con- fabbed on results of first resumed , negotiation session with Screen Writers Guild, which struck ATFP ■ Aug; 11... Mui^ians Local 47 v,p. Thu Fis<^er report* 21 musicians are being used on ^‘The Adven- tures of Ozzie and Harriet” telepix series, and live tunesters are also working the Mickey Rooney pilot ...Jack Mahoney and Dick Jones of “Range Rider” vidpix series set to topline Houston Fat Stock show • in February... Ovaltine to angel “Captain Midnight,” debuting pcL 5 on KTTV.. .Flying A winds quartet of half-hour telepix jn “Range Rider” series, and plans lo more, to begin Oct 6.