Variety (November 1952)

26 RADIO IIEVDEWS Wednesday, November 12, 1952 tOft HOPE SHOW Irtth Bill Goodwin, announcer, ADVENTURES OF MICHAEL SHAVNE | With Robert Sterling, Judith Par- rish, William Redfield, Ian Mar- tin, Jackson Beck,'Lee Grant Producers: Jack Barry, Han En- right Director: Enright Writer: Lillian Schoen 30 Mins.; Thurs., 0:30 P 4 n. I Sustaining Zsa Zs* Gabor, guest; others Producer-director: Bill Lawrence Writers: Howard Blake, Freddie yynj * 15 Mins,; Mon.-thru-Frl., 9:30 a.m. GENERAL FOODS NBC, from Hollywood (Young & Rubicam) This is the new Bob Hope day- time show and it may well set the ABC, from New York pattern for a complete reshuffle in Michael Shayne, novelist Brett network radio programming, in Halliday’s private eye, is now work- that a number of other name per- ing the a i r i an es in a mystery series into w £ lch em phasUes sonalities may follow Hope the after-breakfast hours if he can draw a rating. On his uutialer Monday (10), in fact, a group of such-stars (on hand to congratu- late Hope on his new venture) might have been indulging m a little kidding-on-the-square as they cracked about the dough Hope is pulling in. Hope's show is costing Jell-O $2,000,000 in a time and talent package deal, including a new nighttime half-hour which he preems in January. That Hope will draw a hefty day- time rating is virtually a certainty. Show is obviously taped at a more respectable hour than its airtime (which would make it 6:30 a.m. on the Coast) and, as a result, he and his announcer. Bill Goodwin, plus their guestars, are in top form. stanza Monday suspense ele- ments rather than violence or scientific detection. It should prove a good audience bet, since there’s a sizable group which has followed Halliday tomes over the years, and the radio version is effectively pre- sented. . . Story on Thursday’s edition (6) was unusual and of sustained in- terest. It dealt with a strange, lone- ly kid, who stares at girls but is afraid to speak to them, who hangs around bars jmd poker games but MR. SHOWBUSINESS With Jack Arthur, William O’Con- nor, Terry Dale, Larry McCajice, Wally Koster, Clautfe Rae, Howard Cable Orch (30), mixed chorus (12) Director: Jackie Rae Writers: Frank Peppiett, Alan Cullimore, John Aylesworth, Jackie Rae 30 Mins., Tues. 8:30 p.m. Sustaining CBC, from Toronto Probably the most heavily-budg- l-eted Canadian Broadcasting Corp. sustainer arid definitely the sys- tem’s top musical on production values, “Mr. Showbusiness" is a new weekly series to depict the colorful career of Jack Arthur. He started out as a boy-violinist with the late Sir Harry Lauder and was brought over here by the Scots singer-comedian, and then went into Mississippi showboats, George Primrose's Minstrels, prior to be- coming a top producer himself. Until the virtual vanishing of vaude, Jack Arthur produced all trans-Canada stage shows for Fa- is pushed around by others. Shayne mous Players (Canadian), of which »♦♦ > »»»♦ M Ml i u i found out that the youth (William Redfield) was bent on suicide. When the police came in to pick him up for the murder of a priest, Shayne persuaded them to let him talk to Redfield, lest he shoot him- self. Detective’s talk with the youngster drew out his history as While the a ii i youngster arew out uis History in Hrom I a twisted personality, afraid of and hating people, and finally trying to “gain his manhood" by killing. congratulations pouring in from - Yam was potent because it probed into a man’s emotions rather than working with crime meller gimmicks. It had some good psychological insight and a sub- theme in the danger of mob jus- tice. Redfield wqp particularly im- From the Production Centres IJV NEW YORK CITY . • . James M. Strain, former Coast exec for Capitol Records, has joined World Broadcasting System as account exec in the northeast region Jayne Smathers, ex-J. Walter Thompson, is a new time-buyer it Cecil & Presbrey , . . National Council of the Protestant Episcopal Church has opened a recording studio and AM-TV office in the Church Missions House . . . George Padovani, director of Italian programs for WOV planed back over the weekend to N. Y. after three weeks’ pro- duction confabs in the hjdie’s Rome studios v . . Ex-radioite Tommy Tucker is now Master Sgt. Henry W. Tucker, assigned to Camp Kilmer, N J Elizabeth Lawrence, of “This Is .Nora Drake" cast, on “Whis- pering Streets" today (Wed.) . . . Lester Gottlieb, CBS Radio -program v p, named a co-chairman of the March of Dimes AM-TV committee Theodora Zavin, staff counsel to Broadcast Music, Inc., co-au- thored “Your Marriage and the Law" for Rinehart, with IJarriet F. Pilpel, partner in Greenbaum, Wolff & Ernst , . . Saul Carson, radio- TV critic for the N. Y. Compass, sold a piece on TV and the elections to the Nation mag two days after fold of his own sheet. Dwight Cooke, CBS Radio correspondent, off on a lecture tdur; ditto Emily Kimbrough, of the same web, who’ll fill dates at Tulsa and Kent, O this week . . . Larry Dorn, MBS producer, has a new record album og Biblical stories sung and narrated, by Jack Berch; Mary Gunn wrote the adaptations ... Mel Allen will chair the drive for the National Council to Combat Blindness, which will stage a benefit at Carnegie Hall Dec. 21 . . . Jack Sterling marked his fifth anni with WCBS last week . . . Federal Life & Casualty has bought a heavy spot sked on u WINS, via William Warren, Jackson & Delaney . . . Mutual’s sports association with big names in show chief, Paul Jonas, sporting an “S" from Michigan State, as a result of his early scheduling the eleven on web s Game of the Week . . , Harry-Marble, WCBS announcer, hunting in the Maine Woods this week . M&cmillan books will back the Monday edition of WQXR’s “Music Magazine" . . . John F. Hardesty and Kevin B., Sweeney on the road last week, addressing Michigan Assn, of Broadcasters; Hardesty also spieled for the Ohio radiomen. Palladium Productions’ “Planet Man" show sold to WCAU, Phila- delphia; WTAM, Cleveland, and WTIC, Hartford, to push the show’s outlets past the 100 mark . . . Ex-Ambassador James G. McDonald and he is still an executive, produced the Canadian Army Show; last year was appointed producer of the 24,000-seater grandstand show at the Canadian National Exhibition, which he’ll do again next year. It is this background, plus his business—and his development of several big names himself — that will form the basis of the series. This time, it’s the story of Jack Arthur’s dealings with George M. Cohan, with nostalgia the keynote, but there is plenty of top writing, apart from the inspirational motif, as Jack Arthur answers the ques- tions of a youngster, Danny, who the comic’s friends (Hope himself was on about 10 seconds), the Tuesday stanza gave indication that the show is Hope at his old- time radio best—and that’s good. Participating in the initialer, among others, were Jack Benny (a natural because of his long-time association with Jell-O, even thOUgh he failed to tltilize S ajlu, auu was uptneu uy a 5 <juu ■»»» ..... — ■ . -- - » ..... x —- - — — - - , _ . ,. , xiriimT »„ i| 1LL “Jell-O Again salute), Blng-^^ including Ian Martin, Jackson your-chin-up hokum here but its Christmas Fund Drive to benefit kids in city hosps . . . WWRLs Alma Crosby, GrouchoMarx, ™1 Harris, Beck and Lee Grant. Robert Ster- honest. Vessells John’s “Homemakers Club,” Negro-slanted senes, expands Dennis Day ana even NBC prexy jj n g h an( fl e( j tfie title ro i e com _ with just a brief announcement into the 9-9:30 a.m. strip . . . Richard D. Gillespie, formerly with Joseph H. McConnell, plus ^.s pe t e ntly (he took over from Donald of theme, Howard Cable’s 30-man Cresley Broadcasting, has joined Frederic W. Ziv s sales promotion Zsa Gabor, who is serving as l y ^ ur y s w hen the three-week old orch whams into “Give My Regards department . . . WNEW has added a jazz series by Marion McPartland editor on the series tor me stanza moved to a new time last to Broadway” and then Arthur into j n the 7-35-7:45 p.m. strip; it’s part of program director Bill Kaland’s - wmrn w - - - - - .... the narrative of the Cohan career, ' ’ Lice. XICUUCIU WftH pell LlUUlcW.1V llll- uwua vx « J u > ; w , .... fnr* rlriim presslve in portraying the psycho- seeks advice as how to succeed ex-UN chief Trygve Lie on WLIB s memorial services for Chaim Weiz- tic kid, and was backed by a good in the theatre. Plenty of keep- roann, first president of Israel . . . WOR is launching its eighth annual week, under the plan which will have a different femme star join Hope for each cross-the-board cycle. Even without Hope’s full- time participation, this fnade for.a lot of fun and served to get the show rolling fast. Regular cast got down to work Tuesday, with Hope concentrating on Iris customary stand-up mono- logging and kidding with Goodwin and Miss Gabor. Latter sounded okay as Hope interviewed her on her recent film-making in Paris with Jose Ferrer in Moulin Rouge." Also wrapped up in the week), with Judith Parrish playing his femme aide. Production was smooth, with an accordion used to set the initial and closing scenes and recorded bridges as music cues elsewhere. Bril. RAY ASHTON-STEVENS SHOW Producer-Director: A] Riidd 10 Mins.; Mon.-thru-Frl., 11:30 p.m. Participating WBBM, Chicago Kay Ashton-Stevens is back again on the. Windy City ether format Is an audience participation with this brisk nightly chatter ses- shill with Hope handing out slon on the theatrical world. On watches to the listeners sending this new assignment she’s working In “true- funny stories" that he under the discreet auspices of the ion rSS on the air Playwrights Co. and Gilbert Miller, Plugs for Jell-O‘were well han- who are sharing the tab as sort dledby Goodwin and the General of an “institutional" pitch for legit Foods product received plenty of in general, rather than as a spe- fide-blueainc in the Goodwin- clfic plugging vehicle for their re- Hope^powwows Stal spective productions. (Playwrights seguing into interpolated Cohan hits from “I Can’t Tell Why I Love You” to a rousing orchestral arid mixed voice chorus, blending “Over There” and “It’s a Grand Old Flag.” Outstanding is Terry Dale in her singing of “Only 45 Minutes from Broadway" and later with' the male chorus in “So Long, Mary," plus her duet of “The Bowery" with Wally Koster, with latter also in excellent voice for “Mary.” Also tops are Larry McCance, who plays the speaking role of George M. Cohan a la Jimmie Cagney, but good; and Bill O’Connor who Is the singing voice as Cohan tries out his new songs. But, although this is his first venture into radio, it is Jack Ar- thur’s show and he shows no sign p.m. strip; ........ . pitch to insert keyboard artists for 13-week rims . . . WQXR will beam the Philharmonic’s Young People’s Concert for the 10th season, start- ing Saturday (15) . . . John L.Sinn and Maurice (Babe) Unger of Ziv back from Europe where they worked on the outfit's new Adolph Men- jou vidpix. IN HOLLYWOOD . . . Norman Blackburn, late NBC* joins the Pat Geyer agency to ride herd on radio and television . . . Dinah Shore will be sparking jwitli Bing on his next two General Electric shows . . . Norman Winter moved ins platter parade, complete with sponsor, over to WRKD . , . Jergens is switching from Hollywood Playhouse to “Romance” on CBS after’fix si. of the year.. Guest stars will be used and Norman Macdon- nell produces . . . Guy della Cioppa is bringing back “Johnny 001101** to CBS radio and auditioning .for a successor to Edmund O’Brien, who is thesping back east . . . Jack Benny will put in a busy month making speeches at charity affairs and emceeing homage^paying banquets . . . Larry Harding, CBS client relations manager, took a cut at the in- firmary .. . Hugh Wedlock and Howard Snyder closed their typewriters on the Martin and Lewis show to go east and write for television , . . Ben Starr was voted Jack Mulligan named sa es manager of KLAC.. of nervousness. On delivery, plus veepee of western region of Radio Writers Guild and Hector Chevigny his youthful appearance, _ there unanimous choice .as national prexy. Chevigny, longtime Coast writer. QUIZ KIDS a „ «• With Joe Kelly, Pat Conlon, Sally Ann Wilhelm, Naomi Cooks, Billy McHugh, Frankie Vender Ploeg Producer: Larry Woolf Director: Pat Weaver 30 Mins.; Sun., 3:30 p.m. Sustaining CBS, from Chicago Back on CBS after a y V. VUUVvAvlAOi AOJ VTAA^UOO 1 - j , • » A. 1- * * ‘a I U1IA1IAII1VUO VUVXVO im'AVAXWX VO/ i V has “Fourposter" currently here to keep him out j os t e y es ight several years ago but has continued active in the east, and Miller’s “Gigi" opened hist — ~ week.) With her own stage career and 13-Week subsequently as wife of the late , Ashton Stevens, dean of drama critics, Mrs. Stevens long has had her finger on the show biz pulse. So it’s a breeze for her to keep i this late-evening squib jampacked with anecdotes of the theatre and allied arts. She’s also spicing the strip with an occasional guest interview that contfnuin IT 'the * pre-hiatus" practice I should make for even broader ap- oftaphlgtoe airer atvarious high I peal. On the installment dialed (6) layoff, this Junior-size "Information Please" now in its 12th season is of TV that a little pancake makeup wouldn’t cure; and lad still has his hair. On production, Jackie Rae, himself a former Jack Arthur protege, has done an excellent job, with all members of the cast, to- gether with the Cable crew and phorus, making this the CBC’s top musical series and one that would have no difficulty securing a spon- sor but for that CBC policy of keeping commercial programs to the minimum. McStay. • • 19 schools around the city. Assem- bly visits may have some home- town promotional values but they add little for the network dialers. It’s still the mental agility and Ole Olsen (& Johnson) came aboard for a chat. Latter, besides a trailer for “Skating Vanities" with which O&J are touring, was an interest- ing roundrobin of things from the * ‘ * Dave , the flashes of youthful insight dis- vaude side, played by the current batch oi m SffggS thafgwe "L This Is Radio Salute To spark. On the program caught (9) the participation by guest quiz- zers from the visited school was pretty awkward and stiff and slowed down the proceedings. Bulk of the stanza stayed with the regular format with chief quiz-i one of those supe zer Joe Kelly firing the queries cally-produced radio shows was Medium Wins Kudos As Mich. B’casters Tribute Detroit, Nov. 11. One of those super-colosSal, lo- st the five regulars who continue to amaze with thpir broad range ©f knowledge. Session was giving a good topical twist as several of- the questions dealt with the recent elecuon. —The—p hysical —setup- st this.-par-. . if ticular location wasn’t too happy, di<>" was written, directed and pro- as Kelly had trouble a timejor two duced by Jack Rellis, of WXYZ. It presented Saturday (8) at the fifth annual meeting of the Michigan Assn, of Broadcasters.' It was tape- recorded and will be broadcast, this week over each of Michigan’s 68 radio stations. • -ire—errjnmr—cmTdW nrr ui- — rxmr —xtvr catching the answers. Dave. TRIBUTE TO GLENN MILLER Producer-Director: Ray Starr €0 Mins. KWWL, Waterloo, Iowa' The only thing missing from KAVWL’s 60-minute tribute to the late Glenn Miller is the famed Miller music. Against the back- ground of the Miller theme, “Moonlight Serenade," however, producer-director Ray Starr put to- gether a solid package of* music biz names who were associated (Continued on page 60) presented the story of radio in documentary form backed by a 12- piece orchestra and seven per- formers. WWJ donated its auditorium for the live presentation of the show before the Michigan Assn, of Broadcasters. WXYZ provided the orchestra under Phil Brestoff’s di- rection and paid the actors. “This Is Radio" told how. the lives of 6,500,000 Michiganders had been affected by radio and how it would continue to affect their fives. It told of the experimental broad- (Coptinued on page 60) . 1 1 i i it < c 1 I I ( 'm * . *. SATURDAY NIGHT—COUNTRY STYLE With Sunshine Sue, Little Mary, Leonard Jones, Wcsternaires, Benny Kcssingcr, others 30. Mins,; Sat., 10:30 p.m. Sustaining CBS, from.Richmond The country cycle, on radio, as in the music biz, is still gathering speed and that apparently has’ cued CBS to climb aboard with this new airer for fuller Saturday night coverage of the hoedown belt. This series is originating from various key mountaineer music cities with the kickoff coming from WRVA in Richmond, where the “Old Domin- ion Barn Dance" has been on since 1946. This whole genre stems from WSM's “Grand Ole Opry" corn- fest and this show adheres to the standard cider-jug format of hill- billy vocalling, yodelling and guitar Instrumentals. 2. . Sunshine Sue,' a WRVA cornball favey emceed the preem with the usual vitality. She also piped “Sweet Molly Malone" and “What. You Gonna Do" in a duet with an- other femme vocalist, Little Mary. A vocal combo, the Westernaires, contributed a couple of numbers, while Benny Kessinger scored with his yodelling. A guitar solo- was. delivered by Leonard Jones and the show also included some har^ monica and accordion instrumen- tals in a’familiar backwoods vein. This ’show should click with the" hillbilly fans who apparently can’t get too much of this kind of twan- gy country music. Helm . lit ***»'• r t * IJS CHICAGO Don McNeill, after a trial run, to berth his ABC “Breakfast Club permanently at the Morrison Hotel’s Terrace Casino. Morning waker- upper previously has been housed at the web’s Civic Theatre . . . Peter Finney has taken over all radio-TV activities, except time buying, at the. Harry B. Cohen agency . . . AFTRA chief Ray Jones in New York this week for web negotiations . .‘ . Mutual director Herb Rico and presentations manager Fred Schneier in for conferences with Car- roll Marts’' Chi echelon . . . Jack Cloud has joined the Jim Jewell package shop as merchandising director*v . . CBS’ “Life With Luigi" airs from here .next Tuesday, (18).. WCFL unwrapped a new daily afternoon amateur show featuring Chi Federation of Labor members and their families. Show is directed by Fred Herendeen, with Marty Hogan hosting . . . Ex-NBC publicity topper Jack Ryan in town last week on a buying trip readying the opening riext week of his specialty shop in Appleton, Wis. . . . Sun- Times columnist Irv Kupcinet will again emcee the Chi Federated Ad Club’s annual “Off-the-Street Club" party Dec. 11 . . . Nancy Carr and Thomas L. Thomas booked in as headliners on Mutual’s “Chicago Theatre of the Air” Saturday night (15). IN SAN FRANCISCO ... CBS President Frank Stanton to address San Francisco Ad Club’s radio-TV department luncheon, Nov. 17 . . . Katherine Kerry dropped her ayem series on KYA . . . Mrs. Hans Klussman, cheer-leading cham- pion of the local cable cars, nominated for a Mary McBride achieve- ment award . . . Jimmy Lyons moves his midnight progressive music session from KNBC to KGO . , . KROW, Oakland, opened’ San Fran- cisco sales office at 681 Market with Charles Johnson in charge . . , More KGO wedding bells: Laura Zarubin of music ^clearance to wed Ensign Stanley Anderson in January . . . Wanda Ramey added “Kid of the Month" feature on her daily femme series with Oakland Junior Chamber of Commerce presenting awards to outstanding youngsters IN WASHINGTON .. . George Flax, ex of Republic Pictures here and in New York, has been upped from production staff of WTTG-DuMont to director of publicity and promotion . . . Morris Siegel has left sports staff of the Washington Post to join WT,OP as radio-TV sports commentatof . . • FCC Commissioner Frieda Hennock will be guest of honor at dinner of Americaq^Women in Radio and Television’s loc^l chapter, and will speak on “Opportunities for Women in Educational Television" . ... WWDC-MBS d.j. Willis Conover has turned night club columnist via a new chore in the “Washington Spectator" . . . Ruth Crane, WMALr ABC femme topper, will present a new TV playlet, “Here’s Mr. Smith, chpsen by her as winner of a competition sponsored by National League of American Penwomen . . . RTMA donating radio and TV sets to each of the state and territory winners of the annual Voice of Democracy contest, sponsored, for high school students, by RTMA, NARTB, and * * (Continued on page 64)