Variety (October 1953)

Wednesday, October 14, 1933 It.% 1)10 IKKVIKHS 33 JOHNNY MERCER SHOW | N. Y. PHILHARMONIC SYMPII with Paul Smith Trio, The *Nota- With Janies Fassrtt, commentator; ” n W rknnla 1 'lnvJ f- Rliip L IT ..i pics, Roter Wagner Chorale, Johnny Jacobs, announcer Director: Bill Brennan Writer: Glenn Wheaton DO Mins., Sat.; 7 p.m. Sustaining 1 BS, from Hollywood (transcribed) In bunding the ‘ Johnny Mercer Show” up to a 60-mi nuter < it Parted as a quarter-hour stanza i as t June*, CBS lias a solid back- to-back lineup for its Saturday eventing programming schedule. N»*l gets an early start with Mercer teeing oil at 7 and followed by rGunsinoke.” “Win Elliot Salutes.” ‘Canghusters ” “Two For The Money” and “Saturday Night Coun- li v Sty le ” CBS is pegging its A M ad campaign on "Radio Goes Floyd G. Blair, Edsar F. Kaiser, Adrian Murphy 90 Mins., Sun., 2:30 p.m. WILLYS-OVERLAND CBS, from New York (Canad.v, EireM, Thhrber' For the first time in years the two major radio network'—NBC and CBS — are hitting the sun- phonic sponsorship jackpot this season, what with Socony-Vacuum negotiating for bankrolling of the NBC Symphony Orchestra Sunday evening broadcasts iwith "Arturo Toscanini batoning 14 of the 22- week cycle . and Willsx-Overland dedicating itself anew to a 7)3 7>4 perpetuation of the N. V I Mi 1 1 - harmonic concert-*'" on the CHS kilocycles. As such, the AM Sab- \\ luuever You Go.’ With this Sat- ; b . » , day setup, dialers will go wher- talh t "»'>-ner neve had n m ...ml ” in terms o Qualitative lunch.in ever CBS is. Mercer hour is a diverting pot- pourri oi song and spiel intelligent- j lv knit together by Glenn Whea- ton’s sharp scripting. The easy-; flowing pace is set by composer- ’ crooner Mercer, whose Georgia drawl, in song and gab, makes for soft and pleasant listening. * The preem 60-minute stanza Sat- urday <10> worked in a college, moliil of rah-rah tunes and a salute to universities around the country. ' |t was all neatly put together with Mercer sharing the vocal assign-; merits with The Notables, show's; regulars and guest group The Huger Wagner Chorale. The Paul Smith Trio came in for some ex- citing instrumental workovers. Announcer Johnny Jacobs does a fine job as Mercer’s gat* pai d. In- cidentally Mercer and CBS ought 1 to get together on the patter and institutional ad blending. After a satiric rap at TV hv Mercer the net came in for an institutional plug, dicing the station break, with a strong spiel for its CBS-Columbia tele sets. (iros. COLLEGE QUIZ BOWL With Allen Ludden, Roger Tuttle. others Producers: John Moses. Don Reid Director: Ken Macgregor 30 Mins., Sat.; 8 p.m. NBC, from N. Y. After a long and steady stream of sound-alike audience-participa- j turn (piiz shows, radio has come ; up with a welcome change, a quiz with tough questions and quick p.icir.g. personable and knowledge- aide contestants and a minimum of cornhal! “entertainment” involving contestants and audience. “College in terms of qualitative longhair programming This is the 2 4th season for the CBS identification with the Car- negie Hall-originating Philharmon- ic musiefests, and in recent years the showmanship values of these broadcasts have been heightened considerably by the overall "pack- age” delivered to CHS listeners in which the intermission-time James Fassett commentary and interview- ing of major virtuosi play a large part in audience acceptance. Sunday's < 11 > impressive ppenei had the mill’s musical director. Dimitri \liU'opo:u!us, conducting a two-number program, in Schu- mann's Third Symphony ("Rhen- ish") and Berlioz's "Harold in Italy." In tlu* latter, the mill's first viola player. William I.nicer, was the able soloist. Instead of a musical figure. Fas- sett olTered Floyd (J. Blair. Phil- harmonic pro/; Edgar F Kaiser. Willys-Ovei land head, and Adrian Murphy, prez of CBS Radio, as his intermission guests. Kaiser wel- comed return of the PliFharmomc warmly, referring to it as a "cul- tural mark in radio." lie also added the felicitous remark that he didn’t lose himself in music Rather, lie said, in music lie found himself. Hron-. BENNY FIELDS & BLOSSOM SEELEY Director: Frank Manriui 120 Mins., Mon.-S.it.. 11 a.m.. 6 p.m. Participating WMG.M, N Y. Benny Fields A- Blossom Seelvy will give WMGM. NY. a show- business accent for two hours daily. This couple, who have prob ably as wide an entertainment industry background as any two people still active on tlu* boardv give an aura of prestige and iu Hjority to this disk jocke.v show Couple started originally during the summer a> a one-week replace- ment tor vacationing Ted Husing They were extended for the lull run of the Hdsmg hiatus and h ive been retained on a t w icc-u-dnv basis for an Imur-ai a dip Miss Seeley and Fields jUst brim over with their showbiz back- ground. They’re on a familiar ha-as with virtually every name in the field. They can discourse authori latively on any aspect of the field and their chatter is entertaining On their opening show, their talk was almost limited to thanking show hi/ luminaries for their •e- corded telegrams. Some of the a* were extremely diverting The Goodman Aces and the Georje Buills 'Grade Allen' sent some ex tremely funny recordings Fair lend an add d dimension to disk jockeying. Their nostalgic moments are warm and their dis courses on modern d tv luminaries are knowing. They indicate a knack of keeping listeners interested through disk selections as vvell as through their gab. Jose. Rill Radio Follow-Up ▼ l FORI) THKATRK IIOFR With Austin Willis, Kate Reid, \l Bertram, Peg! Brown. Sammy Sales. E. M. Margolese, Edward McNamara. Ben Leuuick. Larry McCance. George Robertson Producer-Director: .Van Savage Writer: Leo Orenstein l(> Musical Director: Luigi Agostini (^iii/ Bowl " is one of the most sat- poRD*^!OT()K CO. OF CANADY isfymg radio quiz entries since CBr , from Toronto Information Please In this John Moses-Don Reid 1 ( od>’ ,; hl-Hroirn > package, two collegiate teams make, On filtli consecutive season. vvPh up the contestants, with the win- Ford of Canada Ltd., handing Alan ners getting a $500 Savage, their original producer- f-ollege and the Sl r > ^dt^ng in- ■ djm . ( , )r> aimt tu*r 55175.0011 budget tinned 'at ^NBC affiliate in their ; -' ' ( Vt' r utVo''piavs”CM -“V’T [j fl .V-' 1 ',- ' h „ ,l '„;V- lor-m .k.-t spoil.«>!•> ki. k.-d off Willi l.-n l.ud.U-n in N. V is Ihe quti- ,* •• v ji "'"'dii-r of MON for {he "™wfnrd <>n's2.wm'k ski-/"'Knl r.irm l answers. Team with Hie „ Ml „„ ■, largest point total w ins and returns tli * following week to face another college team. T *ams on the initialler were Theatre Hour" will he carried on a 4fi-slation coast-lo-eoast network ol the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. "The Big Leap” has the novel from Northwestern and Columbia‘‘twist of a "nature hoy" in hr. N’oithwes‘ern won*, and tin* itieni- h m s showed intelligence and good humor, interspersing with their actual answers comments and ob- serv.diors that made the session more entertaining. Questions them- selves embraced literature, music, politic-., art. sports and general in- formal inn. and presented a ehal- len 3 * to both teams and li-teners. Chav. FOP BETTER LIVING With lU*n C-rauer. guests Producer: Henry .'lorgenthau. 2d 1”» Mies.; Sun.. 1 p.m. Sms' lining NPC. from N. Y. "For Better Living" came across »s an intelligent and in orm:Pive l‘•-minute aiier on kiekoff show S»o>f| iv <! l >. Program's format i i! 1 > for listeners to stuicl in quci- i s ed iting to pei onal problems. F tch ouosi ion is answered by a t Mi ison ilitv considered qual- ifi d to renrl'M’ authoritative conl- f "d on the subject brought into pl i- Fm st vt.j't-e on opener was enm- piised of Dr. Lawrence Ktibie. t'sv ctii at l ist and psvedroanalist ; Dr. N i mi. m Vincent I Vale, a rector; AP <* Thompson, editor and pub- [■ o' Seventeen Ma" - Sylvi'* . financia* columnist; ard oo’Pvn Dodgers’ Jackie Roh- Subjecfs ran the gamut ••cr.-a st-eady dating to editi- on inflation and mental i!l- I »:!.•: t h . r» . in son f rom t n >••*»»•» s 71 Hr . V : •! in ■ I • ' r lilt > »or •’i is on tape allow ing for vi>t •cMvdv in th * clio*ee of B'-ii Gr.’m -r oitched th * 'nr's •,*•>0 bandied the proceed* f* M.'i lively, J C;,S. with the Niagara River and tin* lure of conquering the Falls hv going over the brink in a barrel only will'll a moll talks him out ol the venture when she convinces him that Hie g.uigsl er-gumbl-u s have cut the gentle simpletons monetary returns into verv small pieces. Conipiicatioos include Hi- jacking hv a rival gang ot the $3,000 barrel hut I.wckie Keeler, a diver who whimsically phi's vvi’ii dolls, insistin'’ that "the Niagara River is my gul Irientl" and "vvh n 1 g»*t into that barrel. I II he ' • drunk that I Won’t know anv thing. Ja< ku*. th** sui t ice dumb dm k convinces tin* bairel-lioy that he is being played for a sucker by Hu* gamblers and why should lie be killed wh'*i he can live his lite to some good married use, Kun-mH of I.uekie sees .i finale .surprise twi-t in which the galig.ste.r-g.'iiu- 1)1 -I s demand that the gl.o pro- moter. ,0 gun uiorit. eniei tlu* iiai- rel for tlie Niagara Falls drop Ho v he talk-, hr, way out ol it and’ m- pthi'i substitute goes o'er He falls 'siiceessju 11 x i> a novel tvvi.sl that holds plentv of suspense, couiph-te with helicopter radio announcing for linalc buildup Script has plenty of stage an I pix possibilities on noveltv theme, as evidenced in th,* 60 -mtHs. i .dr» pre/ of the Orenstein p!a' -script "Big Lean tees oil to a hedy 't ilt of the "Fold Th'/tie Hour s. ii '-. with a how to the perceptive di- rection of Alan Sava u* and lus disciplin ,*'I ( !'t. plus the sitbdii d mi.'si' .d breaks Of Lui.o A'-'o>. :m at- I b. Hi*n m orchestra On Hm l- i i ;.,r*' ■ • ' -t ’’ ; ' in 11 i:gi . dnecUon. . F > • j- Criticism rampant a'amml tlu* "Welcome Travelers ’ offu '* a while hack that tin* video version got all the best interviews with, radio gelling the slougholl' have been stilled now that the AMer is a delayed simulcast. All guests herded in by la's Lear .and stall now get till* TV treatment first, then are heard again on NBC radio a week later. Judging from show caught <H the change, for purposes ot econ- omy. hasn’t hurt the radio version at all. The uninformed vv.ll prob- ably never realize while listening that Tommy Bartlett-.Bull Cunning- ham directed interviews are now lilted by tape recorder from the video version, with open, do e and commercials inserted later. Radio format that fornmtly fea- tured four interviews Ins been cut to three following the TV pattern and the result is a tighter show. Interviews Were of the familiar heart tugging varielv. starling with unhappy plight of a drought — stricken farmer of West Texas and his w ife who is going blind. Act II <so hilled by Hu* WT staller.si served as a balance to the heavies that came before and after and concerned happy life of a 67 year-old newlywed couple. As otttimes happens on the show, one act. the third, had a tearful break- down at tlu* mike as a woman guest revealed she had married a man she didn't love only to find >ame some 16 married years and 10 children later. Even without tlu* TV versions’ closcwp of facial expressions as gifts are presented at end of in- terviews. indications of excitement come across quite nicely by aod’bh means FIBBER McGEE & MOLLY With Marian A Jim Jordan. Thompson. Arthur Q. Bryan Producer-director; Max llutto Writer: Phil Leslie IT> Mins,: Mon. thru-Fri.. 10 p.m. NBC. I roiu IF wood (transcribed* Fibber McGee A Molly" is down to a cross-the hoard sliip at ter its 18 seasons as a once-a-week 30-minuter. "I p” might he a bet ter word in view ot tlu* tael that Marian A- Jim .Ionian are now ped illing their tongue-in-cheek cracks and crossfire that often Only a tailed sophisticate might object to the vet duo's approach and "old vatide" weapons, but the Jordans could give many a "sophisticated" coiuedv setup cards and spade' ami clock more genuine laughs Tins is the only thing they live tot and m iv they go on forever 4u Hu/ new deal, they're part ot the network's NB3" participation plan 'with tlu* morning "Second Chance" and late afternoon "It Pays to Be Married"' and Tunis latches on to tlu* threesome as ot (K t 13 via one sp.0 weekly Re gardlc's of the commercial con sideration. Tt* W’isllul \ ist i re- mains one ol tlu* heller residences, in radio and should more than earn the overhead Show caught last week '7' was pegged around hirdlife, the Jbi dans playing house with a |>ai i keel What doe E Lewis lias done for lliis leathery Inriid '"she’s got the biggest parakeets hi town, rlc i the Mr. and Mrs. team mm aged to accomplish with less shock treatment In a sea on ol AM l \ that has been replete with edinci denies in theme the parakeet i. no exception For instance. CBS radio's Boh Trout also teed otV on the Imd last week via data from Fail Schneider, author ot "Ml \ bout Parakeet " Granting th* c- 11 M 111 ; 1 1 excellence of tied Imok we II tak»* the Fibber A- Motlv vr sum because it’s probahlv luiuir i Back at tlu* same old stand ai ‘ Bill Tbomnson as the (>hl Tinier and V.’allv YVimph* 'since 15136' a*’ii Artliur Bryan as I lor (lainlde And ot course* there’s Mix licit!?* a- producer and director and tlu* Phil Leslie* MSS Trim NBC I ECU ItE II M L W’iMi lleoiry .Cassiclv. moclc*rater; Mine. V'ljayj Lakslimi Pandit, guest PrcMtucer: Mrs. Doris C’orwitli 30 Mins.. Sat., 7:30 p m. Sust lin'tiR NBC. from N.Y. NBC has an excelU tlu* making lie*re*,, in setut) of lec’lures tiy (inures, held before* an Invited an diene** in Studio 6B. at Radio ( it* Jlic III series this we< in k* out -.1 iiidin, "The Eternal Eight" remains one of the best religioso shows on Sunday midday, trom the histri- onic production and general show- manship perspective. (*n the occa- sion of the 10 th anniversary of the series, Gen David SarnolT arid Dr. Louis Finkelstein, ehaticellnr o) the Jewish Thcoio ;ieal Semi- nary. under vvlutse aiispi-ee.s "Li '.lit" ,s produced, spitke. The didin gliislied i a'.rhi -aluted Gen Sat null tor his "spiritual st it 'sin III , hip." *and the RC \ luiatd Hi.iirman ie- iter.Ved N'i’.C's pi tv dec to he a ,*ociab cl vvdh a program which reemphasi/es ,tlu*~TFFTTSiei hood ot man under tlu* fallirriibod ul («nd For tlu* anniversary e< lehrat-ion. lour of "Tlu* Ktern d Light high- lights are being reprised the first being "The Song ot Rerddchcv." \gain it was a skillful Motion Wtshiiigiad sctipting. unit Robert Segal prom.nerd m the cantorial ■sequences ti insla'e I by Judith Eisenstem. and with cad promi- nent.' including Roger d -Kuven * in the Idle rede'. Santos Ortega. Dan ()c!vO. John McGova rn. Fuv Repp Narrator was A'exmfler Scourljy Milton Ka*ims conduct'd the vvell- int* grated sec trljf tun ual pa-sages and I'dw ard K'ng rates a neat .credit for the direct, >m Abet. are. and vet- N \' Judged hv limup ol goes', 'll S< hary. Carl SatuRnii Dr Robert Hutchins Leopold Stokov - ski. etc.', this will he an impoit in! conlnbuliou In discussion <>l puhl r alTiirs as well as the arts Teenil niogtam last Saturday '10, with Mine Vi jav.i Lakslimi Pandit pr« / of the l riiled Stales General \ \- semblv as guest, was probably .Ms significant as any discussion p-t tod on the air that week ’This w as in spite, t at her t It iri bec.iit •* of Hu* presenre ot Henry Cassidy. NBC news comment at u , who is to lie moderator ol the e s -sions, and who covered 1 11 m-.*• 11 with anything hut glmv Salmdiv Generally pielentions or cub*, lie interfered m answers to cpre lion, and in one instatu ■ really pot hi toot into it But Mine Pandit's aplomb and knowhow olf .<*1 so - li -ilerelictions, to keep the alter to its high level. Ml in* Pandit gave a short 1‘! minute talk nn h u native India in to lav's woi Id, mainly living to pi ov e how closely India " d \nuu ic i were aile d, in po!i*u , [leoples. peaceful aims, e tc Spec!; itrg simply , sincerely and v-t v in telligihlv, she made a piofoun 1 impres inn. 'The nmistial!'. ho ' IM-m inn'e que tmn se,>ion th tollowed. a, is it ual. turned out to tie th<> most interevling put ot tl airei Studio audience who k• jit it up a It < i tlu* hruad< a t pO'tioo Was ovet asked j?*• r 1 1 n* rv 1 <|u, t on >.> htch Mo-e Pamlit handj* d. neat :*.. m an ch> tre nt d"Tefis • o! Ref country'' po-i'iott as it stj.v EDGAR HERfiEN With Jack Kirkwood, Viola Vonn, Gloria Cordon. Ray Noble, Paul Trees. Cordon MarRur, Candy Bergen Producer-director: Sam Pierce * Writers: Zeno Klinker. Norman Paul, Si Rose LANOLIN PLUS 30 Mins.. Sun.. 6.30 p.m. CBS. from Hollywood i nnn&()> More often than not tin* writers h ive taken the falls tor a hail show, it vvmks tlu* other way around, too, especially with Edgar Bergen's sea- sonal kick'd! Iasi Sunday They ' made" the show, with some valu- ably assistance trom Bergen and tics dummies, and here* they /ono klinker. Norman Paul Si Rose What they delivered to the era'll ventriloquist was a laugh* parked script without a letdown in (he hollo department. It was sock* ami-go all tlu* way and Bergen should lx* so Iti< ky as to have as , good the* test of the* way 'The* jokc*s y, m e strung out on a stor.v thread • fid snipped only from tlu* weight oi tlu* laughs. Writers hit on a situation that Bergen was through and Charlie McCarthy had the poll to prove it Bergen’s comeback was that llu re’s a good many years left in m •" and on the* basis ot what came over lln* wires lu* is so right. Jack Kirkwood, a long * I mu* - around i mute, catiu* to Bergeii’s defense hH traded insults with Charlie for i sock routine*. Gordon IMacRae* broke it up with a straight roman- la* intoning ot "I Still Dream of •on." Ills vocal, a cross between P i tv Como and 'Tony Martin, was ivi i e .lung and car-caressing Ray Noble’s -music* was solid. tli *b mark ot the comedy profit* '■mi came when the* pollsters inter* ve-ved various charuders. At ITird Nations when Charlie* told I’:* Soviet delegate* his name* was '' C ullt\. In* broke* up the assetn- '; ’ > Pud f ices, Gloria Gordon and \ io'a Vmm proVeel excellent inii- I ri ve cli u .lelei s Otdv one voter ,!i i peed that Bereen was through be, daughter. ( amlv . v* ho ap- II >i i| through the courtesy ed Mr. iri VI r Bei gen I. triolui Plus, which comes from h •-o to sharpen the skin, is the ibern ite sponsor (’BS is liopelul led Hie parent eompanv «'TV s»*t s, i ■Toi ds etc » will split 1 lu* tab It*' I HI: >i\ VI ERY THEATRE i,fiis»»eetor Mark Saber* W ; *ii l,**s Damon, \X dte*r Itiirke, Join Alexander, Bob lla cue. l ens Van Itooten, Santos Ortega IN'tiilueer: liene Patterson ') rector: Erank Papp Writer: Iven Eietd ’’ ) Mins.. Wed., !) :*,() p.m. S t'EKLING DIM G ABC. trom New York (I )nicer Fit •(/•■reihJ-.S'fioipi,' > Sterling Drug has built a readily identifidilc* eliaiaelel in Inspector Muk Saber via its radio and 'TV exposure*' over the* past couple* ed isuii-;. and now it’s back again on \BC (AM A 'TV* lor what should h»* ;j good audience* payolT Pro- gi mi is a prole siohally linisliej iob with mure* than llu* customary pro hid ton trappings, and initialler was an i*xeellenl mystery ins1.il!- iii'iit W'th l.es D u* ei a. Saber and V/iJiei Burke* ";is hi' a isistard., , Ti'*', L’<d <dl to a good start will' i Ken Fields-scripteel miiiiiei yarn liiniit one Ot Sahel’s edd gal iii«'ud> who’s turned sum since In) I i I saw li«‘i 'I ogel In i with her i■'•cent Iv -acejuired hu-.baiul. slm :,iiIs hu look alike brother and i ei i'll e-, it t » appear as it the < ot p a* is her husband so they can collect Id, insurance and at the same time • i lid of tlu* hrotlg'i hv making it took as it tie's run away. Mean* ■yl ih* slu* make's a plav lor Saber, to throw <dl xusuie ion and l),-r III .•* Slice'S hOled Willi lie) (ills- In ul When 1 lu* Fit lei objef t s lor w hid it e ottsith t - it e. Qirgi u's covered Point Tour t !i:»ion political parties, relati a",- with III ita.ri. r;«-u* i alistn. etc It was here that C’assidv < i* tally bill ride re-el. deciding to put in i qneslioh and aris.vet of his ov i. n"Ut rail sin," and pip - into Mme. Pandit's hadn't used. She* v*.a to break iri with ‘No American would hr.< wav," and explained team g" i. t;i • pr-odiu t ion up nice l> h n a on India’ ting words mouth she final I v able one hut an put H that iter vv as lor ! live read position, so that Cassidy < a led on to apologize* I' made an exciUti'j as well as infonni- seSsion. Rrog. V\ VI.K x Mil.I. \\ ’ll Bill f uHcik iiiuuiurtci*r>. Joe Kbig. Joe Kipb v D'rectoft Merton Kolin ’,<) Mins,; Wed.. H p.m. H REYNOLDS TOB XCCO NBC. fr;»rn N. Y. i /•. ;t •/ • ‘Walk a Mile" tank; among Di.f* loighter giveaway aners Show's t! a "li impact |u*s in the give-and- * k* gat) sessions between cun- • t in♦ s and enu e*e Bill Cullen. brgram f. St 1 1 does a first-rale job in ('ting rpii/ees who windup a-? (Continued on page •} O . •J'J ’