Variety (May 1953)

Wednesday, May 27, 1953 PS&ntfr? KtADIO-TELEVlSIOX 3$ CHI PROOF IN NIELSEN PUDDING I Chi Network Originations TELEVISION Camel News Caravan (NBC) 6:45-7 p. m., Wed., Fri., Clint Youle weather inserts. R. J. Reynolds. Dinff Dong School (NBC) 9-9:30 a. m M Mon. thru Fri., Scott Paper; General Mills; Minnesota Mining. Down You Go (DuMont) 9:30-10 i>. m., Fri., Carter Prod.; Helene Curtis. Hail the Champ (ABC) 10:30-11 a. m., alternate Saturdays. Fred W. Amend Co. Hawkins Falls (NBC) 4-4:15 p. m., Mon. thru Fri. Sustaining. Kukla, Fran & Ollie (NBC) 3-3:30 p. m., Sun. Radio Corp. of America. Mr. Wizard (NBC) 6-6:30 p. m., Sat. (Produced by Cereal Institute, carried as public service sustainer.) Paul Harvey News (ABC) 10-10:15 p. m. f Sun. Burton Dixie Corp. Quiz Kids (CBS) 9-9:30 p. m., Sat. Sustaining. Super Circus (ABC) 4-5 p. m., Sun. Kellogg and Mars. Today (NBC) 7-9 a. m., Mon. thru Fri. (Occasional five min. live pickups’ on this N. Y. show.) The Music Show (DuMont) 8-8:30 p. m., Tues. Sustaining. Welcome Travelers (NBC) 2:30-3 p. m., Mon. thru Fri. P & G; Ecko; Nash-Kelvinator. Wrestling From Rainbo (ABC) 8:30-10 p. m.. Wed., Co-op. Wrestling From Marigold (DuMont) 8:30-10 p. m., Sat. Co-op. . Zoo Parade (NBC) 3:30-4 p. m.. Sun. Quaker Oats Co. RADIO Alex Dreier (NBC regional) 7-7:15 a. m.-, Mon. thru Fri. Skelly Oil. American Farmer (ABC) 11:30-12 n., Sat. Sustaining. Back to God (Mutual) 8:30-9 a. m., Sun. Christian Reformed Church. Big City Serenade (NBC) 4-4:30 p. m.. Sat. Sustaining. Breakfast Club (ABC) 8-9 a. m., Mon. thru Fri. O’Cedar; Bobbi and White Rain; Swift; Philco. Carnival of Books' (NBC) 8:45-9 a. m., Sat. Sustaining. Chicago Theatre of the Air (Mutual) 9-10 p. m., Sat. Sustaining. ClifFs Family (Mutual) 8:15-9 a. m., Mon. thru Fri. Co-op. Clifton Utley News (NBC) 10:15-10:30 p. m., Sun.; 9:30-9:35 p. m., Mon, thru Fri. Sustaining. Club Time (ABC) 5:45-6 p. m.. Sat. Club Aluminum. Concert Studio (ABC) 8:30-9 p. m. f Mon. Sustaining.- Crime Files of Flamond (Mutual) 7-7:30 p. m., Wed. General Mills; R. J. Reynolds. Design for Listening (NBC) 1:30-2 p. m.. Sat. Sustaining. Discovery (ABC) 7-7:15 p. tn., Tues. Sustaining. Down You Go (Mutual) 6:30-6:55 p. m., Sat. Sustaining. Enchanted Hour (Mutual) 7:30-8 p. m., Sun. Sustaining. Fascinating Rhythm (ABC) 4:45-5 p. m., Sat. Sustaining. Faultless Starch Time (NBC regional) 10-10:45 a. m., Sun. Faultless Starch Co. Fifth Army Band (Mutual) 1:30-2 p. m., Sat. Sustaining. Fine Arts Quartet (ABC) 10-10:30 a m.. Sun. Sustaining. Fun Factory (ABC) 5:15-5:30 p. m., Mon. thru Fri. Sustaining. * Game of the Day (Mutual) 1:30-4 p. m. (Averages about two games daily from Chi.). Falstaff Beer. Hall of Fantasy (Mutual) 7:30-8 p. m., Mon. Co-op. Headline News with Holland Engle (Mutual) 10:25-10:30 a. m., Mon. thru Fri.- S. C. Johnkrn & Son. Ladies Fair (Mutual) 10-10:25 a. m., Mon. thru Fri. Sterling Drugs. Man on the Farm (Mutual) 12-12:30 p. m., Sat. Quaker Oats. Music For Moderns (NBC) 11:05-11:30 p. m., Sun.; 10:30-11 p. m.. Wed. and Fri. Sustaining. National Farm and Home Hour (NBC) 12-12:30 p. m.. Sat. Allis Chalmers Mfgr. Co. Northwestern Reviewing Stand (Mutual) 10:30-11 a. m., Sun. Sus-** taining. Paul Harvey, News (ABC) 9-9:15 p. m., Sun. Burton Dixie Corp. Paul Harvey, News (ABC) 12-12:15 p. m., Mon, thru Fri. Co-op. Quiz Eads (CBS) 9-9:30 p. m.. Sun. Sustaining. Robert Hurleigh (Mutual) 8-8:15 a. m., Mon. ttyru Fri. Co-op. Silver Eagle (ABC) 6:30-6:55 p. m., Tues. and Thurs. General Mills. Sky King (Mutual) 5:30-5:55 p. m., Tues. and Thurs. Derby Foods. Sports Roundup (ABC) 10:15-10:30 p. m., Tues. thru Fri. Sustaining. Surprise*Serenade (NBC) 10:30-11 p. m., Mon. Sustaining. This Fanning Business (NBC regional) 7-7:15 a. m., Sat. Skelly Oil. This Week in Music (ABC) 4:30-5 p. m., Sun. Sustaining. Top Tunes with Trendler (Mutual) 2-2:30 p. m., Sun. Sustaining. Univ. of Chicago Round Table (NBC) 12:30-1 p. m.. Sun. Sustaining. Welcome Travelers (NBC) 9-9:30 a. m., Mon. thru Fri. Procter & Gamble. TELLSTHESTORY Chicago. No matter how good the ideas and talent offered by Chicago ra- dio and television—and no matter how many recognized awards are won by Chicago originations, the ultimate question which must be answered about Chicago show's it: “What happens when they are put to the commercial test?" Is there anything to indicate that the ge- ography of a program's origination has any influence upon the win, place and show positions in the ratings sweepstakes? To find out, Variety asked A. C. Nielsen & Co. to run some special tabs on Chicago-originated, spon- sored network TV and radio stan- zas and to permit publication of this usually restricted material. In addition. Variety also checked April, 1953, ARB ratings to con- firm the Nielsen findings. The overall conclusions that emerged from this two-way rating analysis have some rather startling implications for network advertis- ers who are concerned about what they are getting for their radio or TV dollar. Four Conclusions ’ ■ Four key conclusions emerged: 1. Virtually all Chicago spon- sored network TV and radio originations rate well above average for that program type and/or have a lower cost per thousand homes reached than their type’s average. 2. Irrespective' of network, the vast majority of Chi TV and radio network show's hold the top rating in their time periods. 3. Most Chicago created pro- grams in both radio and TV are among the top rated ve- hicles on their particular net- works in the daytime, in the evening, and on Saturday or Sunday. 4. Most Chicago shows are among the top tw F o or three in their program category and often 'rack up respectable digits against some rather formidable competition. It’s apparent too that this per- formance record is so consistent and the number of show's involved sufficiently large to make these conclusions valid. Before getting into the specifics of the rating picture, however, it might be w ell to examine the sig- nificance of these findings for cost- conscious sponsors. The average sponsor is a guy who is most likely to buy an av- erage show. When he goes out to purchase a vehicle he isn’t likely to get a Lucy, a Godfrey or a (Continued on page 48) The Class and the Camera By BERGEN EVANS (B. A., ALA., B. Litt. ( Oxon ), Ph.D., Emcee *Down You Go*) Chicago. People are always asking which is more fun, teaching or television? Is it easier to face a class than a camera? Who is more tyrannical, a student or a sponsor? Well, it's an open secret that television pays more money, and onty 25 years of teaching can really prepare a man to appreciate money. But other values are more difficult to weigh. The teacher certainly has some immediate and lasting satisfactions. The flash of under- standing in'a student's face, the burst of laughter that marks a class’ sudden comprehension of a new point of view—or the murmur of amazement, or even disapprobation, that greets an unpopular assertion— are solid rewards. The television or radio performer knows that he is reaching a much larger audience, but he is reaching them with much less. Most of the important things in life are strictly taboo on the air and what can be said must be implied or hidden in wit. Bootlegged, as it were. This, of course, offers a challenge and an excitement in itself and among the millions—as many amusing and often learned letters testify—there are many thousands who are listening in a double sense. Television has one great advantage over teaching: there is much more friendliness among the performers, far less egotism and pom- pousness. As far as the mere physical surroundings go, the classroom is cer- tainly more peaceful than the studio. An instructor has to keep an eye only on his notes, the clock and.—if he is conscientious—the yawns of the students. But a television M. C., under blinding lights, must gaze fixedly at the' lens of the camera and yet manage, somehow, to see the signals of the floor director, to catch the. warnings of a hidden light on his desk and to study the faces of the panel members to see which one to call on. Meanwhile he must .seem relaxed, think up clever things to say and refrain from saying even cleverer things that he does think up. A big class, of course, has its own kind of strains. The young have a dangerous surplus of vitality which is ready to erupt into horseplay at the slightest excuse, and the instructor knows (it is his most des- perately-kept secret) that he would be powerless to stop it once it got started. Yet he has to let it simmer continually if it is not to blow up. It’s always there, a cheerful menace. A student audience, even though a captive audience, is not a* studio audience; they can’t be cued to laughter and applause. They are often openly hostile or, worse still, sleepy. It’s a happy life that can have the rewards of both. They are well worth the strains of both. Herbuveaux Gets ‘This Is Your Life Treatment as Chi TV ‘Man of Year Chicago, May 26. Chicago television, acknowledged as a pace setter and not a copycat in production techniques, leaned heavily on Ralph Edwards’ “This Is Your Life” format when the indus- try paid tribute to one of the Windy City's top radio-TV execs as the Chicago Television Council named Jules Herbuveaux “Man of the Year” in TV. A turnaway crowd attended the CTC luncheon last Wednesday (20) to hear and see the treatment given the life story of Herbuveaux, as- sistant general manager of NBC o&o’s WMAQ and WNBQ. Walter Schwimmer, toastmaster of the “Man of the Year" Segment of the luncheon, gave a brief ac- colade to Chicago, past, present and future, then turned the mike over to Herbie Mintz, himself a $2,060,000 In Chi Biz For ABC-TV Chicago, May 26. ABC-TV Central Division sales department wrapped up over •$2,- 000,000 in network billings last week. John Norton, Jim Stirton, Jerry Vernon and their TV peddlers came up with three new sales and one renewal. Armour, through Foote, Cone & Belding, starts Oct. 9 with alternate week sponsorship of Paul Hartman’s vidpic, “Pride of the Family.” “Smilin’ Ed Mc- Connell,” which the net grabbed from CBS, start? Aug. 22 under the Brown Shoe banner. Ralston-Pu- rina renewed “Spacq. Patrol” start- ing Sept. 5. These three shows "ill ride a 50-station ABC-TV A regional hookup was set up for Standard Oil of Indiana’s full 12- game home schedule of the Chi profootballers. Cardinals and Bears. Sunkist is picking up the last half hour of “Super Circus” for the summer, subbing for Mars candy, which returns to this lot in the fall. Kellogg Is under contract for the first half hour of “Super Circus” for the rest of 1953, Chi Primer For TV Remotes (& Make Sure You Got Some Action) By DON COOK (Assistant program manager, WGN-TV) Chicago. In setting up a television re- mote, be ready and willing to com- promise, Whether you are or not you’ll have to anyway, because you’ll find that the field, stadium or arena you’ll be working in Was not constructed to accommodate television. You’ll also find that the cost of any desired remodeling to give you ideal conditions for your" pickup will be prohibitive. So com- promise from the start and hope for the best. In arranging a remote pickup, the initial move 1s to make an en- gineering and' production survey. The purpose of this is to select camera positions, to make sure that working facilities for reporters and announcers are available, to deter- mine whether the transmission will he via AT&T lines or micro- wave relay, and to make sure that there is adequate power, which us- ually is not available. Other prob- lems incliide securing parking space’for the remote unit, outlin- ing the general format for cover- ing the event and, if it is an in- door pickup, making sure that there is sufficient light. In planning a remote from a production viewpoint there are three important aspects to con- sider: (1) Will we be able to pre- sent a’good clear picture? (2) Will we be able to put together se- quence of pictures that makes sense? (3) Will be prepared to han- dle the unpredictables or “emer- gencies?” In*this category are Such things as a second baseman drop- ping the ball, a skirmish with ref- erees or umpires, an unexpected move on the basketball court or the football field. Following the production engi- neering survey, our next step is to get a commercial script, which is usually provided by the agency. This gives its a chance to map out a plan for integrating commercials with the activity to be covered. Frequently we find that the com- mercial requirements sometimes are a determining factor in the placement of the cameras, .some- times mean the addition of another camera for commercial purposes. Also, in advance, we have to de- vise a working plan for coordinat- ing slides, film and live studio com- mercials, depending on >vhich are used. , | Briefing the Cameramen j Another important preliminary step in. planning coverage of a re- mote assignment is briefing cam- eramen in advance, so that each man knows the role or phase of activity he Is to cover. WGN-TV carries one of the heaviest remote schedules in the country. At the present time we average about 35 programs from ^remote locations in the course of a week. Our schedules Include all the daytime home games of both "major* league teams In Chicago— the Cubs and the White Sox. And fortunately, now in our sixth year (Continued on page M) vet of over 30 years in Chi radio and television. Mintz, sitting at the piano as he does on his nightly WNBQ program of reminiscences, began unfolding the life story of the as-yet un- named man of the year, Herbuveaux was sitting at the speakers’ ^able, unaware that he was the man to be honored, but he did a- knowing double take when Mintz told of the man being born in Utica, and later moving to Mon- treal and Chicago. Without mentioning his name, Mintz told of Herbuveaux forsak- ing his math books for his saxo- phone in high school. After a war- time navy hitch, Herbuveaux took a daytime job as office manager for Booth Fisheries, but kept playing his sax at weekend affairs. A year of so later Herbuveaux organized his band—with such names as Benny Goodman, Ben Pollack, Bix Beiderbecke, Louis Panico, Roy Bargy and Jack Russell, now an agent. Herbuveaux got into radio in 1924 when his band was picked up on a remote from a westside ball- room by WTAS, Elgin, III. When playing at the Palmer House, tfie band got a Brunswick recording contract. At this point in the narration, Mintz paused to play a- 1926. re- cording of “Rose Colored Glas§es” by the Herbuveaux outfit—and named the bandsmen — vocalist Frank Sylvano, now, a Chi restau- rateur; pianist Bernard (Whitey) Berquist, now assistant musical di- rector of NBC,jChi.; trumpeter Rex Maupin, now Chi ABC musical di- rector; saxophonist Joey Mangano; trombonist Johnny Carsella ‘and drummer Harry Buddinger, both now with NBC. Mintz then turned the program back to Schwimmer, who intro- duced the bandleader and sax solo- ist on the disk, and “Man pf the Year” in Chicago TV, Jules Herbu- veaux. This was the day’s first mention of the Herbuveaux name, and the luncheon guests gave him a standihg ovation. Schwimmer told |he audience of Herbuveaux’s behind - the - sgenes work, with little Recognition be- (Continued on page 48)