Variety (April 1953)

TV-FIOIS April 22j 1953 JEMMY NELSON DANNY O'DAY AND 'HUMPHREY HIGSBYE Featured—Texaco Star Ibeatre NBC-TY with Milton Berle PERSONAE MANAGEMENT LOUIS W. COHAN 1736 Broadway, N. Y. Maxwell Sets ‘Lassie’ For TVJftt Series; No Metro Objections UTP Takes Exploitation Page From Pix Kz Book As Hypo on Campaigns In a move which will probably cet a pattern -for other syndication outfits. United Television Programs is embarking on a project under which it will provide a complete packaged exploitation campaign for each of its vidpic series, patterned after the campaign books used by motion picture distribs. UPT has completed its first cam- paign book, for "Heart of the City,'’ the “Big Town*' re-runs, and prep- ping books for its other product. Book includes promotion ideas, l posters, ad layouts and mats, a four-page “copy** of the Illustrated Press, the "Heart of the City** newspaper, and stills of the prin- cipals. It will go to all sponsors and stations carrying the show. ‘CHINA SMITH’ TELEPIX BOUGHT FOR WABC-TV Schulte Cigar Stores has bought the "China Smith” vidpic series and placed it with-WABC-TV, N.Y., for local showcasing. Time hasn’t been set on the series yet. "China Smith” series, recently drew the fire of AFL Hollywood Film Council, headed by Boy Brewer. Pix v/ere made overseas and consequently "boycotted” by the Council as harmful to interest of American technicians. Ban was subsequently withdrawn. WABC- TV’s will be the first N. Y. tele- casts of the pix. Hamar’ Telepix Series Sold in 30 Markets Arrow Productions, Inc., has sold "Bamar of the Jungle,” ad- venture telefilm series of 26 half- hour episodes starring Jon Hall, to New York, Phoenix, Louisville, Portland, Ore.; Salem, Ore.; Spo- kane, Yakima, Wash., and Belling- ham, Wash., bringing total TV markets sold to 30 cities. Louisville contract represents expansion of the Gaseteria Co., al- ready sponsoring in Indianapolis. Northwest cities in Washington and Oregon were sold to the Rob- ert Nichols Agency of Seattle, which also contracted for the show in Seattle. Phoenix represents ex- pansion in tele market for the Frito Co., now backing the show in Dallas and Fort Worth. Phil Bloom Rejoins Snader Hollywood, April 21. s Phil Bloom, whose last film as- signment was casting director for Sol Lesser’s "3-D Follies,” has re- joined Snader Telescription Corp‘. in an exec capacity and as talent director. Snader outfit is currently filming the "Liberace” series for Guild Films. louree replied, ’“They can warn, i PI /T *11 but there is nothing warnings can Arl rllVIl I Alltinl [accomplish unless 30% of the m JU & Hill VUlillvIi writers at a company petition for an election. TWA can keep writ- Hollywood, April 21. ing letters until the end of time, Hollywood AFL* Film Council but ^ey must first have that 30% , . .. . . representation to get an NLRB strongly opposes the attempt by el £, aon> and ne ed over 50 r« to win the European Television Corp. of such an election. Our Guild has Berlin to sell 250 vidpix in the 80% of the writers in television.” American market, it's reported by t JWA prexy WdcJPowell rebut- _ , . . .. ted, there is widespread dissatis- Dolph Thomas, chairman of the f acUoc with the Alliance-SWG pact council’s foreign production com- in froth RWG and SWG.” mittee. He expressed council view — —- — on eve of arrival from Germany of ETC production chief Paul Gordon and H. H. Kaden, head of the firm’s Stuttgart office, due here to P w TIT w show product to U. S. stations, fOT iT^IiUl d€n€S, agencies and sponsors. it » . ai • 1 * "Inasmuch as we don’t have a f|Q HwTO UDW€u€HS jedprocal market, I don’t see how we can do anything but oppose Hollywood. Apnl 21. ♦hie it’s undue competition, and Metro’s onetime highly success- we cannot sanction it until and ful film series, "Lassie,” is to be when tdeplx made la this country produeed u * telepfcr series by have a European market, Thomas ,, « . . . , 4 sSd! . Bob Maxwell, who acquired rights I He also disclosed on a trek to from dog trainer-owner Rod Washington last week, he con- Weatherwax, who obtained them ferred with the Swedish Axnbassa- gratis from the studio, dor, registering a protest over the A studio spokesman said Metro, “Foreign Intrigue” series made in feeling it had tied .up Weather- Sweden, and sold here. He said wax for a number of years on diplomat replied 80% of pix play- series, had relinquished rights to ing Sweden are American-made, him with no compensation, only but he in turn told envoy there is condition being name of Metro no market there for U. S.-made cannot be used in any connection telepix, so its unfair practice. with further exploitation of prop- erty. Maxwell will shoot series of 26 IIKlfTETTER ARRAAA IN m Wisconsin, with Clarence Eur- LUiJVLJui AEiIV xlDAUiil/ lit 1st as ht< production manager, CIMUAUC rirrnui Tkr IT Maxwell exits "Superman” ven- OlIuMUIlMjUiiULL HEAL ture which he produced, although a nt-iT 91 he retains financial interest Whit- Hollywood April 21. EUsworth tacia . over „ pr0 . t Ira Simmons has closed a deal ducer of 26 more "Supermans/* with John Guedel Productions for rolling May 26 witiTbudget of ap* the foreign lights to the "Life proximately $550,000. Clem With Unklettcr” rtdpix lensed . e£ year ago. H a lf -hour programs will ^ 0 rth as production mana ger, be made into three 90-mmute pix . . for theatrical distribution in the British Isles, Canada, Australia, and South America. They will also be available to video abroad where there is a com- mercial market Simmons is nego- tiating a similar deal for Groucho Marx’s "You Bet Your Life,” LINKLEITER ABROAD IN SIMMONS-GUEDEL DEAL Hollywood, April 21- Father-Son Team Hollywood, April 21. William Beaudine, Sr., and William Beaudine, Jr., have been signed to pacts as direc- tor and assistant director, re- spectively, of the "Wild Bill Hicko.V’ vidpix series being prepped by Bill Broidy. Father-son team signed 26- week-contracts, which include theatrical direction as well as teevee. 100K PHOTOQUIZ’ IN TELEPIX ADAPTATION Latest entry In the telephone quiz packages making the syndi- cated vidpix rounds will be the p- I d .... * “Look Photoquiz,” tel epic adapta- tlflu Barrymore Vidpix tion of the magazine’s weekly fea- I C if n 1 ture being produced by Telenews 111 dyndicanoil ImMS Productions and distributed by Hollywood, April 21. Tete 'f ioI ‘ ^ 0£ralns - ,< “Ethel Barrymore Theatre of the catfon tads, and sales staff is'now lined up to handle regional SSSMS ta&E CUps' Mik Barrymore reported to Al- lied Artists over weekend for in- nf ^ troductions for new batch of tele- j ^be show will bediandied to lo* pix which rolled this week, first j one being "Fire in the Night,” original by Malrin Wald and Mortj ery on the films. Braus. Production is under super-1 * vision of Richard Heermance, while \ n , n r« * • r»i LKatiof Branton h€bns tekm Plans Robert Newgard heads sales TV Film SpriP* ilirflud staff in west, Terry O’Neill in * * riilH dCIICS fiUlUaU cast. While he’s abroad this summer, TV Film Series Abroad cast. While he’s abroad this summer, Billy Eckstine is planning to film Van Voorhis to Eurone a series of variet y programs, to be „ 15 10 £jUro P e produced by Mel Ferrer, for Westbrook Van Voorhis, voice American television consumption, of the telefilm March of Time. At the moment, at least a season planed for Europe last week to of half-hour shows is eontem- shoot opening and closing se- plated. quences for forthcoming programs Eckstine’s sailing date for his with cameraman Doug Downs. first trip abroad is now July 15. Vflfl Vn/irhie ttiill tnnr Ol rrflf AlKeC ! Van Voorhis will tour eight cities; Commitments include the Palla in 10 days fin England, France, I dium and a tour of the Scandina- Italy and Switzerland). ivian countries. Irian countries.