Variety (September 1952)

VednMd»yt SeptoiauKf 24, 1952 KASia-TBLEVISIOIV Daytime Pulse's multi-market radio ratings for July and August are in- dicative of the “AM Story" today and accent the current network jockeying and reappraising of nighttime vs. daytime values. The Pulse Top 10 for the two-month period follows: Nighttime Best of Groucho Marx..., Godfrey’s Talent Scouts.., Philip Morris. Playhouse,., Doris Day 5,1 Dragnet 5,1 Gangbusters 5.1 Romance 5.1 Broadway-My Beat 4.8 F.B.I. In Peace & War..., Ben Cottone May Get Jones’ FCC Spot Due to Knowhow on Knotty Problems Washington, Sept. 23. With resignation last week of Federal Communications Commis- sioner Robert F. Jones, it’s ex- pected that President Truman will fill the post from the Commission ranks, because of the importance of having a member familiar with the weighty problems now facing the agency. If this consideration should prevail, it appears that Benedict Cottone, general counsel, will be the foremost contender for J^he job. Although Jones was on^ of three Republicans on the Commission, the President is not required to name a successor from the same parly. Under the Communications Act, four members affiliated with the party in p'ower may be named. The present Commission, minus Jones, is composed of tliree Demo- crats <Walker, Hennock and Bart- ley). two Republicans (Hyde and Sterling) and one Independent (Webster). Another reason why a career man may be picked is that it may be difficult to find a qualified out- sider who would risk an interim appointment, subject to confirma- tion when Congress convenes in January. If a Democrat should be picked, an incoming Republican Administration would in all prob- [ ability want a Republican in the spot. If a Republican were chpsen,, a new Democratic administration j may desire a Democrat Such considerations, however, do not deter a career man or woman fi'om wanting the post. Many agen- c.N" staffers have their eyes open for connections in private practice * (Continued on page 35) Morgan’s Post-Midniter Henry Morgan joins the ranks of the post-midnight gabbers on Mon- day (29) when he takes on a mid- night to 3 a.m. stint, seven nights a week, from Hutton’s, eastside eatery, via WMGM, N. Y. Other gabbers who’ve beamed from Hut- ton’s have been Jack Eigen, Bea Kalmus and Laraine Day. Show won’t affect Morgan’s. 6 p.m. chatter show for a used car dealer over WJZ, N. Y. 100% Acceptance For CBS Radio On New Rate Pattern ‘All Star’s’ All-Out For Talk’s Bow Dee Engelbach, producer-direc- tor of the upcoming Tallulah B.mkhead “All Star Revue’’ seg- ment on NBC-TV, scheduled for Oft. 11 . apparently plans to give it all the trimmings of a major Bi'oadway production transformed to video. Appearing • with Miss Bankhead on the .show will be Groucho Marx, doing his first live bit. and Ethel Barrymore. Boili are veterans of the ill-fated radio “Big Show," w'hich Bankhead femceed. .Meredith Willson, who was mu- sical director on “Big Show." will h.ijon the TV program. Settings ''ill be by Richard Day, of films. '^ lio was scenic designer on the pic 'ersion of “SU'eetcar Named Dc- and the forthcoming Danny J''a\e. pic, “Hans Christian Ander- C'horegraphy will be by Ron- ni(> Fletcher, of Bill Miller’s Riv- nilery in Fort Lee. N. J. Mori Green and George* Foster «"• H'ripiing the show. Miss Bank- ''‘•in IS scheduled for six “All ap'K'arance during the ’52- '-en.-on, Hiiz Bros, have been signed for *^"'. 0 . They’ve been given $50,000 I;" I lie total package, with $25,000 iig to the comedy trio. CBS Radio wrapped up 100?o af- filiate acceptance of its new dis- count formula this week, almost a month after the network and af- filiates committee had gotten to- gether on the plan. Last holdout, the Goodwill stations in Cleveland and Detroit, came through this week, accepting the same deal as had previously been adopted by the other CBS outlets. John Patt, prez of the two Good- will stations—WGAR, Cleveland, and WJR, Detroit—had nixed the new rate setup originally on the general principle of being averse to any type of rate cutting in radio at this time. Under the plan as finally worked out, no actual rate cut is involved, but the web’s ad- vertisers benefit up to a 35*"o cut- back in nighttime charges via new discount formulas. Patt had report- edly mulled the idea of dropping out of CBS entirely to go independ- . ent. 'but reconsidered and inked a ! new deal with the web this week. ! CBS’ San Diego outlet, KCBQ, j will not be included in the plan, since it is shifting its affiliation over to ABC late ne.xt month. CBS at that time will pick up KFMB as its new outlet in that city, and the latter station has already agreed to the new discount structure. NBC, meanw'hile, says that thus far it has obtained 90% affiliate acceptance of its new rate setup. i.y. THEIlTflE: i A-BEGGINb In sharp contrast to only a year ago, when the major television net- works were buying up all avail- able N. Y. properties, including legit and film houses, lofts and other makeshift buildings extend- ing through Manhattan into the Bronx and Brooklyn, today a flock of these properties are going beg- ging. There’s no longer the danger of a legit famine because jf iny housing problem. The majority of theatres have or wall revert back to their original owners in short order. Increasing number of show's go- ing on film is main reason for the turnabout. Plus the fact that more and more network TV shows, though still live, are shifting to the Coast. Result is that the webs, committed to longterm deals on some of their acquisitions, are stuck with them while they re- main vacant. It’s been the case with NBC, CBS and ABC. There are 48 coast- to-rcoast sponsorship shows now pacted to. celluloid. In the “live era" of TV that w'ould have neces- sitated facilities for at least two dozen studios, either in N.Y. or on the Coast. Since CBS-TV’s acquisition of the mammoth Sheffield Bldg, floor space on West 57th St., New York, the network has been relinquish- ing all the properties around town that w'ere used for storage and equipment purposes. Within the ‘next year, the renovated Sheffield building, in addition to housing all equipment, w'ill also be converted for studio purposes. This wull per- mit for the release of still more theatres. NBC-TV reportedly plunked down about $500,000 for a lease on the ex-Warners studio in Brooklyn. Since the .abandonment, at least for the present, of the pro- jected “Hometown, USA" daytime TV series, which was scheduled to premiere this fall, it's now planned, however, to shutter the Brooklyn plant completely only sting that can change NBC’s mind is a sale on “Hometown" and the web this w'eek started a concerted ' push to wrap up clients, i Status of the Center Theatre, 'N.Y., NBC-TV’s No. 1 showcase studio, is still in doubt. Lease has another year to go and at present the “Hit Parade,” daytime “Kate Smith Show'," Milton Berle show and the upcoming once-monthly Buick circus-musical originate from the house. However, the ow’ners want to hike the tab to a commen.surate rental figure for office building space and NBC may decide to let it go. Practically the entire Times Square “theatre belt” is dotted w'ith ex-legit houses with NBC or CBS studio marquees. They were all SRO on the TV time a year or two ago. Toda> a number of them are shuttered. NBC, CBS in Major TV Splash On New Coast Bldgs.; Junkets n’ All Sporting Gesture NBC-TV found itself faced W'ith a sponsorship conflict in- volving the General Motors pickup of the National Col- legiate Athletic Assn, football schedule and the World Series telecast by Gillette. In view' of the high sponsor- ship coin at stake and the realization that neither client could be sluffed off, NBC-TV eased out of the situation by negotiating for a Coast foot- ball game pickup (Stanford vs. Michigan) on the World Series Saturday. Coast game doesn’t begin un- til 5 p.m. (EST). Baseball telecast is due for a 3:30 or 4 p.m. windup. U. of Penn Again Asks Out on NCAA TV Grid Blackout Philadelphia. Sept, 23. With 74.,711 Franklin Field seats sold out a week in advance and many thousands of ticket requests turned down, the U. of Pennsyl- vania, perennial foe of football telecast blackouts, asked the Natl. Collegiate Athletic Assn, yester- day (22) to ease its limited TV rule and permit a telecast of the Penn- Notre Dame game Saturday (27). Francis Murray. Penn athletic director, wired Robert Hall, chair- man of the NCAA television com- mittee, and Asa Bushnell, director of the NCAA television program, offering the telecast without com- pensation, with receipts going to an interfaith charity. Murray urged granting the request because of widespread interest in the game, inability of many to attend and the fact of no competing games by NCAA members in the Philadel- phia area Saturday afternoon. Penn offer also permitted tire NCAA to decide on charitable dis- position of the telecast receipts, j NCAA answer hasn’t been re-' ceived yet. ' The radio-TV junket season, which has lain dormant for several years, breaks out in a rash during October and November, with CBS and NBC involved in considerable promotional-exploitation ballyhoo attending new premieres and the official launching of their respec- tive TV centres on the Coast. Meanwhile both networks are engaged in blueprinting star- studded super-productions to offi- cially kick off the new buildings, W'ith considerable jockeying to see “who gets there first." Primary motive of the NBC-TV N.Y.-to-L.A. press junket, sched- uled for Oct. 9, is to kick-off the new General Electric-sponsored Joan Davis TV film show. Young & Rubicam, agency on the account, is sharing half of the $28,000 tab W'ith the netw'ork to underwTite the expense. That will give the visiting group a chance to o.o. the netw'ork’s new Burbank studios, w’hich officially preems with- a coast-to-coast full hour show, NBC is anxious to get in its showmanship licks before the more ambitious and widely publicized CBS-TV City officially unfolds, but the Columbia boys are all set to originate one of its own top airers the night before, with “My Friend Irma" getting the nod on Oct. 3. Meanwhile, starting this W'eek, local KNX live origina- tions begin from TV City. CBS has put back its TV City formal dedication until Nov. 15, when a 90-minute all-star attrac- tion W'ill emanate from the new building, w'ith "Columbia flying out a press group from New York. Fol- low'ing the show, CBS-TV w'ill stage a ball at TV City. This week found a veritable de- luge of Gotham cocktail parties/ luncheons and dinners to bally new network premieres, w'ith even “con- flicts" existing. Sheldon to CBS-TV James Sheldon, former director ! for Young & Rubicam who has i been directing “Mr. Peepers" on I NBC-TV as well as occasional I shows for Robert Montgomery, this summer, shifts to CBS-TV in a staff job. “Peepers" exits after to- morrow’s edition (24). First assignment w'ill be “There’s One in Ever>' Family," daytime strip which starts Monday (29). KILIAN ANKLES Y.&R., RETURNS TO CHI ABC Chicago, Sept. 23. In a sudden switch, Fred Kilian has ankled his berth at Young' & Rubicam to return to WENR-TV as director of the station’s and ABC’s central division tele pro- gramming. Kilian is back at a post j he held for nearly I'vo years, prior i to resignifig in July, 1951, to join i Y&R on the Joseph Schlitz beer ac- j count w'hich subsequently has gone to Lennen & Mitchell, ; The ABC job had been filled on an interim basis by Monte Fass- I nachl since the departure of James : Poliak last July. Fassnachl takes i over now as program manager. Schnoz, M&L’s Topdog Status In the season’s first major test of competitive network strength on television. NBC-TV swept the field 4 )ver the weekend W'ith its Saturday night (20) “All Star Revue" and Sunday night “Colgate Comedy Hour.” With Jimmy Durante starring in the Saturday opus NBC came up with a 2 to 1 edge over Jackie Gleason, mak- ing his bow' on the CBS-TV web in the 8 to 9 slot. With Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis taking the honors on Sunday night. NBC s Comedy Hour" beat out Ed Sullivan’s “Toast of the Town" by over 3 to 1. CBS-TV’s “Life with Luigi" preem Mondaj night (22) brought that w'eb back up in the rating honors, however, blasting the first half-hour of NBC’s Robert Montgomery show, which directly op- poses. According to Trendex figures, “Luigi" made a highly auspicious video bow' w'ith a hefty 42.6. as compared with Mont- gomery’s 18.0. Ratings were taken especially for the two w'ebs by Trendex. which surveys 10 cities, all with three or more stations. Rating outfit gave Durante a 28.3. compared with Gleason’s 14.2. and a 58'"f share of audience." exactly double Glea.son’s 29%. Martin & Lewis, according to Trendex. came up with a fat 37,6, compared with Sullivan’s 12.1, and copped a 70% share of audience, as against the 23^c for “Toast.” It’s pointed out. of course, that since Saturday night w’as Glea- son’s preem. he had no chance to build any audience prior to air time. His rating, how'ever, compared with what Ken Murray was dj-awing on CBS last season opposite “All Star" whenever Durante topped the NBC lineup. As for Martin & Lewis, their edge over “’Toast" about equalled their record each time out last season. Lucky Strike Buys Heidt Radio Show ^ First major half-hour radio sale in a longer period than the net- works care to discuss shapes up for the immediate future, as result of Lucky Strike buying the Horace Heidt Show. Which network gets the program, however, remains to be resolved. NBC, CBS and ABC are all in there, pitching like mad. NBC says it’ll clear the Thursday night 9:30 to 10 period, since “Counterspy" is being switched to Sunday after- noon. Client is taking ils time about a decision. Show isn’t scheduled to taka the air until Jan. 1. Heidt will tour the program. Heidt’s last lime up on radio was for.Philip Morris. OBJECTS TO HADAGOL SPIEL. ANKLES WCCO Minneapolis, Sept. 23. Reason announced by George Grim, one of the top local radio news analysts^and personalities, for quitting WCCO after 10 years with the CBS station and shifting to KSTP, the Twin Cities NBC affil- iate, with the expiration of his con- tract Oct, 31. is disagreement over commercial copy on one of his nu- merous shows. Grim objected to a patent medi- cine (Hadacol) spiel on the pro- gram and a.sked to be excused from doing the show, but. he says, his request was denied. On KSTP, he says, his contract will give him the right to approve or reject sponsors and commercials. On its part, WCCO’s spokesman, station manager Larry Haeg. said “Grim was unwilling to adjust \iim- sclf to the WCCO long-established policy, though the policy In no way changed the status under which he has been associated with the sta- tion,"