Variety (September 1953)

Vi’ednfsdav, September SO, 1933 Tf:i.KVIKIO:V IIKVIKWS 35 to\st to wtae With Ed SoIIWmi. Eebert Q. Lewis, Ann* Russell. Lam ^reh. Fwu Warren. Mel Tme. ^^ur CM- frey, Ntnd Cr#«pUB, Bebby Winters. “HeBejdresmers,** Ray Rloeh orch. Barbara Cbllton, Producer: Dick Lewlne Director: Jerry Shaw _, . _ ,,,; Production coordinator: Dick Brill | 60 Mins.; Frl., I:##. I Suxtaininr i WTAR-TV, Norfolk, Va. ! Helping its new affiliate cele- brate its 30lh anniversary. CBS j (liM>.‘tclied a planeload of top talent to Nortolk last Friday <25t to give \\ T \R-TV a rousing welcome and to enable the station to host a big. show 'invitation only) at the local I Munitipal Auditorium. With f:d Sullivan as emcee, FCC Chairman Hosel Hyde appearing briefly to »‘\ierd congrats and CBS pre.\y l i.dik Stanton taking bows from ‘ itucli«nce. WTAR’s anni was realh soineihing to crow about. | ‘ Toast” teed off with Nanci i f roiMpton. ballet dancer, in a goo<l twirling routine. She was followtd , l)\ Hobby Winters, who.se non- ih.dant juggling act got more than tlie solicited audience-directed np-; plans**. Fran Warren, substituting j toi ,Jane Froman who failed to ap- pear because of a mixup 'n travel .ICC onvmodations, wowed the spec- tators with her throaty “Soine- w here Over the Rainbow." Roheii Q. Lewis managed to get laughs with gags built around his role a.s substitute for Arthur God- frey. His best was a reference to Godfrey’s wealth and his "four or five hundred head of Cadillac.” A skit with the "Honeydreamers" in which Lewis tries on various types of eyeglasses, some of grotesque shape, went over big. Anna Russell has better material i In her large repertoire than the j takeoffs she did on professional < and amateur pianists and the modern style of singing. Larrj’ Storch’s less subtle imitations went over better. The comic's imper- sonation of the British prize fight announcer was a corker. To give local flavor to the pro- gram, Sullivan next introduced Barbara Chilton, a child singer from the Tidewater area whom he liad heard on a Navy relief benefit show last Spring. Miss Chilton has a remarkably hl^h voice with a dramatic quality reminiscent of the .vounger Margaret O’Brien. Some rough spots in her performance should disappear w'ith training. Godfrey then came in, via re- mote pickup from his Leesburg. • \a . farm, with neighborly com- irenfs and plugs for his show. The comic's ad libbing away from his siript, however, resulted in an a inuring boner. He couldn't re- mcml)er Virginia Beach. Show wound up with Mel Tonne in an excellent rendition of ‘‘Luck, Re a Lady Tonight” and ‘Tve Got a Cru.sh on You." With Ray Bloch’s orch furnish- ing the musical accompaniment, CHS cameramen (the web brought down a mobile unit) handling tlie teclinical chores, and Sullivan per- iorniing with his usual shy charm. Dick i.ewine put together a well knit ti.ickage which Norfolkian.s "111 long remember. Lenj. j ITTI.r. LADY STORY TiMF. Uitli Iroene Wicker, others Troducer: Raymond E. Nelson Director: Marjorie Mayer < horeography: Bunny Rosselli j^.|) Mins., Sun.. 11:30 a.m. IHI.KNK PK.SSL " New York I here are few people around in ftirl;in»'s today who can spin a kid- <ii'* yarn with the warmtli and vo- jal-\ariely of Irccne Wiek'^jr, She's ix'en .at this story-tellinc game for some time 'on radio as ‘‘The Sing- jn.g r.adv" and as tele hostess of '•ItHe Ladv Story Time”) and *>' 1 '“ s got the moppet mcnlaliiy d'»"n p.it Show is strictlv for the hives and the way Miss Wicker dishes it out they can't help but eat It up. In its fall season bow Sunday 'l.ittle Lady Story Time" of- ter<*d the kiddie.s. in narrative and pintomime the tale of "Aladdin and Mis Wonderful I.amp." Weight tiie stanza, as in last vear’s '''ties, was on Miss Wicker’s stiouldcrs but .she carried it Oi7 "ith ease. In ruiating the ''.Alad- din fable, .she used a variety of voH'cv (init helped build interest and suspense. The narration was ‘ '‘ar and unpretentious and never 1 i.i\efl down to the young viewer. I ht* panto, eleaborately st iged. '•“j!"’d make the stanza a toddler’s f'lrghr The co.stuming and the f oioo'.'raphy brought an added ' ’ to the narration. Bunny tto cili rates a bow for her lerp f i' . lions as do the miming young ' " 'ps (fjr sustaining tlie charming I ’. '" I l.-'d down by Miss Wick'T. '!■ Wicker also did a fine Job sponsoi’.s toiletry »''’diicl>. Cro.s. RED SKELTON SHOW I JA.MIE WItk Marjorie Bennett, Phyllla With Brandon de Wilde, Ernest Tniex, Folly Rowlea, Kathy Nolan, Harry Sheppard Coates. Jamet Flavin, Nelson Barellh, WUda Taylor, Mi^ie Barton. Yvette Vlekera, Mary Producer: JuiUn Claman Lynn; David Rote orch : Director: Dan Levin Froduoer: Ben Brady i Writers: David Swift, Michael Exec producer: Cecil Barker Morria Director: Seymour Bems ' 30 .Mins., Mon., 7:30 p.ni. Wrtten: Arthur Stander, Howard Dl’FFY-MOTT; EKCO PRODl’CTS Leeds, Arthur Julian. Arthur ARC-TV. from New York Murrow’s Mission to Berlin ’53 Didn’t See or Say Enough in 'See It Now’ (Y<tR. D f’Si Second of .AHC-TV’s star-name i and fully-sponsored new video i vehicles got under wa\ Monday night '28» in "Jamie.” the Bran- RoOa 30 Mint.: Tues., 8:30 p.m. PH.ARMACEUTICALS. INC. CBS-TV, from Hollywood (Edu\ Kletter Associates) Red Skelton isn’t going to make ^ .. ... . Kowles staita>r. Senes, the story It in his new time new day new oj or|>han wh*) ct»im*s to live network without an uphill fight, with his grandfather, aunt and Last Tuesday was his opportunity showcased last spring to get In there solidly a week be- fore Milton Berle launched his in Duffy-Molt and Fkco Products, show for Bulck yesterday 'Tues.i Initial segment, shghtlv rewrit- in Berle’s sixth seasonal teeolT to ten Irom the ".Mbum’' original, strapglehold the 8 to 9 period proved disappointing, and if the • which the CBS rival has already series is to move into tin* tele hlg- cha’lenged with the Gene Autry time, scripting will have t«> he con- half-hour oaters), siderahly improved uptui Not that It may be up to the 8-8 30 .Autrv there weren t Hashes of under- to hold ’em for •Skelton, now a live standing and tenderne. s in the comic after filmed and combo set- writing on the initiab'i, but the ups of the last two seasons. And'^tory lacked the im|)avt to sustain Berle isn’t expected to constrirct intiuest throughout. And if the his initial 30 minutes in such a segment had some repe- way as to invite tuneouts favoring titious and diillisii moments lutiire Richard Skelton of Vincennes. Ind. programs don’t look too promising. 'It may be that when Bishop' Perhaps because it w;»s introduc- Fulton Sheen comes along again Jtory in character, setting the rela- for DuMont on Oct. 13 at 8 o'clock,' tionsliips between de Wilde as the he’ll give Berle a shot in the head j orphan and Ti uex as the grand- and make 8:30 a real brawl. What- father, the story seemed to drag, ever the outcome in that three-way But at the same time, it was lack- fracas, a hot segue is bound to ing in inventiveness of situation develop between NBC’s "Fireside and punching a little too hard at Theatre" and Columbia’s "This Is character. Saving grace of the pio- Show Business" at 9, plus the re- gram was the thesping. w ith Truex spective followthroughs of "Arm -1 in particular coiitrilniling a fine strong’s Circle Theatre" vs. "Sus-1 job as the old man. sometimes pense,” Fred Allen vs. "Danger,"} wistful and sometimes aggiessive. etc., plus, of course, Danny but always understanding. Young Thomas’ entry for ABC, 9 to 9:36, * de W'ilde, who's proven himself an starting yesterday.) actor of stature in his own right, Skelton didn't show enough on was convincing as the independent- his first '53 venture to raise more Rowles and than some mild titters. lie tried Kathy ^)^Ian were impressive as hariFin opening salvo to depict the ; various styles in which people hit 1 J'heppard. not a icgul.ir on the sack, but these were oldhat and 1 *|;®' **‘* f uninventive. His Freddie the Free i I..oader was strictly an unfortunate it.s ca.st, who m.i> pull audi- fellow .sans the deep sympathy ac-' their own cent that would warm viewers to his series of plights (J. Gleason's Poor Soul counterpart and .some Overall production was a credit- able job, with some excelb‘nt in- terior and exterior sets by Fred of Ben Blue’s down-a^-heels char- Stover and good background music acterizations are perhaps the tops by .Jacques Press. Dan LeNins dl- in this grove). Business of his rectiaD didn’t pick u|) the s ack yearning for baby’s milk bottle in : but if was a clean and fluid carriage via the nipple, had pos- 1 camera job. Dufty-Mott conimer- sibilities that were floored by poor cials, on the opener, were easy on con.struction. the eye.s and e.irs. C'la/i, Skelton’s Cauliflower MePugg (with sweat shirt underscoring oftp\i’i, KILMA.M SHOW the “Pu") is a hot piece and be Producer: Killiatn carried it through with verve, but 15 >|jns.. Sat., 6:30 p.m. 'twas only in comparison to the WCBS-TV, from New York Bowery bum workout that it.seemid 1 paul Killiam has whipped up a to take on a superior frame. But 1 fgjj, series out of old pix what’s so inherently funny about' - - - — antithetical eyes and St. Vitus dance’’ (filmed by Thomas ,\, Kdison he tween 1909-14' and ad lih narra- tion. Formula wa.s launched Between the two sketches wa.s a I initially by Killiam as a nitery act dream stanza in which Skelton saw a quintet doing a ballet—very neat and although it's more suitable to cafe environs, it should win some and all that but not sufTiciontly fans on its WCBS-TV run. 1 clicko to serve as a breather. There’s usually a tendency to place the blame on the scripters • and there are four listcdt, and while they could be partly respon- sible. the strength of a Skelton s^'ssion must still reside in his pan Killiam kicked off his new series Saturday '26' grinding "Daughter of the'Wilderness.” Quality of the film is the most amazing part of the pic. .After 40 >e.irs it’.s still sharp and clear Thesping and plot line, of cours<*. are another tomime. his vi.sual bits and the [matter. Hoke and ham are the "style” associated with the Skelton i ke> words and go(»d for occasional rep. Geritol with it.s “tired blood” theme latched on to the show m an 11th hour parting. And that finishing Skelton business of Nocks. It’s a small-si/e iok»*. how- c\<*r. that doesn’t fiinie hold up through the (luarter-liour stan/a. Killiam’s comments, as the pi<' thanks for allowing me to come unreels, are erratic. Hi.s humor into \our living room” is just as ranges from pure cfirn to deft tired and tlie biggest cliche in tele, satirical barbs Once he learns to Tran. discipline his scripting, show will 1 he siirc-fire bait f‘>r a hep and. ' I Slotting then should be pushed ; LET’S TALK IT OVER ' back fi a later lumr. In its pres- With Betty Burnett. Dr. Monica p, berth. Killiam has to reach Keefe, others 1 such a wide \i«*w«‘r range that it 30 Mins.; Thurs., 11 a.m. makes a sock score difliculi. I Sustaining (f'ro.s*. hVRCB-TV, Schenectady. ^ . ' Panel program, conducted by — Mrs. Betty Burnett, of adult edu- I cation division. Schenectady pub- jnc morc 1 ningt CnangC I lie schools, will have Ur. Monica Keefe, of State Education Depart- ment. as one of the participants for the first four weeks. Dr. Mark Moeller, profe.ssor of hi.story at Skidmore College. Saratoga, was . the other speaker on premiere telecast. Mrs. Burnett. Vassar j graduate and a recent pait-time addition to the Schenectady sys- tem, moderates another feature on the same time segment Tuesdays. Both are included in the Mohawk- Hudson Television Council’s new ; multi-programmed project present- ed in cooperation with WRGB. First origination, dealing with "Public Opinion.” unfolded in slow, still, uneven fashion to the half- way mar**’. Then it began to pick up speed, integration and punch. During the final 10 minule-^. Dr. Moeller and Dr. Keefe hit on all cylinders. Necessity for a longer 'pre-air warmup seemed to h** in- dicated. Jaco. I Ilemcmh«*r the slid<‘s of the nickloodcons and the pioneer \iiude day>? The illii'lrat*’d lyric s, supci impo- ed on corny stercoptiem slides. w*-ie sup- plied cutTo by Tin Pan Alley to nahe heerhalD and picture houses. SongpIugg'Ms would inspire the cU'tom''rs to some- tlm«*s not loo spontan'-'ius ‘community singing.” It was all part of the songptiigging tc-chnique of tha) pio:ieer pe- riod. Well, they’re still with us— excepting it’s b<*en given the TV pitch, with more animated action, such as an alhnm being turned as the lyric s are fia-hed on the telescreen It’s in Peter Potter’.s "Juke Box .fury” (ABC-TV' Snnelay night show. Yea. veril.\. the more show biz changes t’n*.* n*ore it remains the same. ilhel. It h.is always b»>en the convic-, lion oi Kd .Murrow 'along with that I 1 of his co-prodneer Fred W Friend- ly that 'TV can most suceessfullv function h.\ recording present-di> history .and hnngink! it into the ' home. From the inception ot "See It Now." that has been tin* basic 'premise of the show, which has given a new and vit.il meaning to remote telecasts, and in the proc- ess has «*le\atc*d Murrow to new heights Us I n*porlc*r. For the opc'ning ot its ’.■)3-'.')4 season Murrow and a news task force of 17 topflight reporters and cameramen converged on H»*rlin to film "Hie Sights and .s«mnds ot the cold war." For the occasion. "See It .Now." which this s»*ason^h.is moved into the Tu«*sd.iy nighi 10 30-111)0 period, exp.incic^cl to a full houi 'With tin* 10 o’clock "Danv’er" show being pr«*-c'mpt«*d to pt*rmit toi a fullblown docu- mentation of ‘a city without a countiA" From tlu'ir regularly assigned posts cann* such keen oh- servers as Richard (’. Hott«*let ' iBonu'; .Alex Kendriek 'Vi«*nnai; I Howard K Smith 'London'; Hill Downs 'Washington'; l)a\e Seho<*n- ■ hrun (Paris'; Joe Wersliha 'India'. I et al.. to join with Murrow and tin* i five-camera crew for the hour-long j “This Is Berlin" story. ! With the ln*lp of a snpeilativo I camera crew, Murrow look the 'I’V viewer on a visit into the centre of . Berlin. How many feet of film were taki'n before the judicious* editing job is now a figure in the CBS files, hut the footage th.'il was finally used was technically fine and vivid in the story It told. No matter how many times the terrific destruction suffered by Berlin is recaptured on film, it is still shocking to see that so many y»*ars after Worhl War II so much of the city, its buildings and its houses were still a yawning gap of stone and rubble. Murrow and his vast statT of able commentators took the home viewer into Berlin via plane, auto route and train, through the historic Brandenhurg Gate, the Reichstag ruins, the main streets that on«*e hotiseil the diplomatic embassies and lie.tiili- FRED HARING SHOW With Fred Warinsr Orch, Glee riub^ Poley McClintoek, Frank Davis, Cfurdfln Goodman. Leon- ard Kranendonk. Frances Wyatt. Bob Sands, Joe .Marine & Berna- dine Read, Keith ii Sylvia Tex- tor. Moreley Sc Gearhart. Daisy Bernier. Red Barber Producer: Cy Pitts Director: By*'op Kelly 30 .Mins., Sun. 9 n.m. GENERAl/ EI/ECTRir CBS-TV, from N. Y. (H/fDAO* The Fn*d Waring Show is a good musical di^plaj. {'ar»*iiil produc- tion. superior \oiccs. good instru- mentalists and airani'**mcnls are some of the eonfrihiiting factors. It mniTt he admitted tli.it callini.' this one of the best musical show on video is verv limited piai^e in- asmiieh as there aren't loo man\ in this category. Howcmt, thi' layout is cnl«Tlaining and h.i-. a pills .scoia* on all counts. The Waring Show runs true to formula. .Mlhough movi pi'igrqiji^ lia\e been lorced to tamper will) formats, the Waring s«‘>-sioii mu*.I remain as is since it is admittedlv an onistaiuling examph* musical presentation. Waring on his pri'cii G<*ne)-al F.lecIric-spoiisoi * d sclf*cled a s**rics of sor.gs k-I.iI tI to musical tilh*s Good i.ivi.'- pi.-- vailed, and there w«‘re sunu* im aginuti\e episodiS in t!i'* piodm lion. The on lieslra. :i glee i luh and soloists g:i\e pei toi 11 ,,trice- that were up to their nsii.d lii:'ti level. There was a g'lod coidiriiiilv excellent hackgroumls f'/ h< ighi'Mi the interest and inteic .tiii ' < mi- era work I’arl icip.-d ing soloi-is inrl.id'd fill homes and apartments, to the dividing line, the slieet separating the east and the west, wliere trolleys, autos, phones and all means of rommuniealiun slopped Here was the impasse th.it could only he solved by the (ireat Powers, and until their ileiisioii all would remain in this halt- dead. halt-alive status quo .M.iyoc Reuter in his talk with Miiriow. while escorting him throucli the ruins of' the old Reiclist.ig and pointing out the fallen stones ihal m.irked the plai'c where the speak- er h.id stood and where his eliaic iiM'd to he. acei*j>t«*<l tins sl.ile. hut lelt that the German people loiild do nothing alioul it. Murinw :ilso t.ilkeil It! r S High (’«Mnmissmner .1.lines H (.'onani Ills views wei«* difl«*renl. those of Hu* po>i|i\e diplomat witli di'linilt* job lu do. .Murrow followed his iisii.d *'1;. le, lli.d of le.iving Hu* story tell lUelf to tiu* eye. ami using a tniniiiuini of comment.UN Vet m.in\ limes It was apparent th.d Hu* .Aiiu>i le.m audience eoiiid h.t\e drawn diller- enl conclusions Hian illd Miiiro^v and Ills sf.ifl The contr.isis h**- tween cast and west Berlin w»*re not as positivt* to the viewer .is lo Hu* I'H.S stafl. flu* .streets in the .SEE IT NGW With Edward R. .Murrow, Howard K. .Smith, David Seho 4 ‘nhruii, Alex Kendriek, Joe H'rrshha, Bill Down.x. Richard C. Ilottelet, Kd Scott, othera Producers: Murrow, Fred W. Friendly Director: Dou Hewitt 60 Mins.; Tues., 10 p.m. ALCOA CB.S-TV, from Berlin Hilm) > Fiillrr, Stinfli St Ro*': • east .sector were just as hare of autos and aelivily as those in Hu* west, Hu* men and wnmrn dre^sed just about alike, their face> jii^t as blank, with neither f»‘ar nor hunger too obvious. TIic children, of course, playefl ;is children do. .At no time did Hu* vi**wer see real reeonsfnietion, nor Hu* lMi>tle and hustle ot a city at work. We didn't see any fa<*toiies. or a hook, or work ol any sort U’e did see in the ea-'lein sei-for a large group of new. uncompleted ap.iitmeiil houses. In an inleivu*\v willi oiu* young unemplosed woman in the west s**ctor we lu'.ird Hial she could not gel work for moi** than a fi-w c*‘nts an hour and thcrotoie she would not work. The viewer got a good look .d Hu* happ\ laces u| HO,OOP (;**r- m.ins, clu'wing and eating and en- |o'irig themse|\«‘s whih* watcliing the par.ule ot Hu* j>«ilu-e force of H**rlin. .And quit** a n'sjiet t,d>le si/** piilici* fore** ;*n*l appaia-iilly w**ll tr.iin**d This )iapj>**tu*d last Sunday. S**pl 20, lO.Vf 1 lu* view- *•1 was shown a full slo* ked tiiiid slor** in Hu* w**'-l**iii zofu*. witii (.IMS nrul *hc*-scs ,irui hologn.is gahtK*. in c<*iili.)si to .1 sm.,|| vmu- dow displ.iy ol a ''iniil.*i sloit* in the eastcin s>'ctor with il (cw.- loav**s of hi cad and a lew p.nnph- Icls descrihing the food that incy w^ild h.ivc Hut in ,*11 horu'.iy the commciil w .is made, alici the lull .and plcnf\ o| the w'csl iliai if wa- on,Jhc holder ,ind could < 1 e iiscfni piop.ig.tiid.i pniposc- When 111** Viewer S.iw tlu* line, ot 1 ,•lu- ge**'' hoiu till* **a .1 in.ikon; apidi- inal mailer loo hnn.;i; . < )Me analo.! W.iS po lll e fiO ' Hu* lrag»‘d,'. in In- In <• at I lit. hoi I'tr in hi ' \>in <• c k f) ti n*- Hm M iOlow pointed to liie jiliv U i th'\,i-.l,(lion Ol '.'.Il ofte kio' V 11,1 lu* w.is sine of one Hoe * I .it .v.ii W.e liol Hu* solution Mill I ow k t III I .1 III,I Koi t I c {Hill w.c- hi'li'y tinofion 1! II ii'iilil lull h.'i'. <* h< e /1 (iHu r 1 •*. .1 Il '.‘.a a icjioit ot 001 fil 'o H,< ii an excellent ,\**gio hani< ni* I lanl; Davis, who did ■ \Vilhou‘ \ Somli , (ioidon (uiodman. Franc**' W . 't .loe .Marin** A H**rn;idine Read. Dais^ H«'rnier. Ki*iHi A .S*. I*, i * T**xlor, H'lh Sands. L‘*<)nard Kr.iiU’iidonk 1 he hand and gh*** cluh were in line shape .M')r**lev A (iearhart pianists did ok i*. in a hricfie, f)riginally. Hu* Waring sho-,* started its video career v.iih an hour sf*ssion. hut a coup)** ot sea- sons ago wa- pared down to li;ill that amount and it seems mote **l- fective iiiat way. Red Barhci did a plea it g joii on a (•omm**r( iai wlinh (ic.'lHi v. iHi GK-power**d jet engiru*s 'I h** ( A Pitts prodm tion. and Bvi'in Kel!,\'s direction aie fine and S.im I/e\*‘s sets are exccllcnl. Jo;**. o .'. n pooplc .11 I lu* K*ii'*.i .Mill I'I .'. w t p> oph* lu* kn**** f o'lhl t<*il I h< Il I'll If Vii!i t i* •f* dcalic:' ('<*1' iin • 01 III * 1 : I it. Whie|, Hu** dul 'III** I’eilin slo I’.' lu'i ',ii' I. h*** ri a fill! i«*n' one h "! .loiio p<*iiniHeil t)u* lii*ilin<*i to toil " At least d mighi hi.c told .a ,toi with wliu li Aiiici ii an . .11 <• not 1 niiluir 'I'hcM* v.cic onlv llii'c ir 1**1 view H'lm* *‘\''*n eoniTili*'I'l trarislai**'! Wov C'lnldn t lu* 1 i*. used many difler* nl G**im.i/i p* ■ ph* liOMi %.irioM walks lo tell 1 ol then liti* then hopes and Hu* f**ars'‘ Rciifi r ha ))(***n iri Snl**:!* 1 . V. kn*»w hi' 'lory, and he lr*d ii'it ing new to s.,,'. Ilk iintoitiin.i Ih.'d the commeritaiy tor ‘H*“il Storv" migtit just ;*s \*i*ll he been writt**n hci** I'o ■*