Variety (November 1953)

Nature Boys Displacing Actors ALL-TAPE FUTURE In ‘Boom’ of Scenic, Wildlife Pixfflfj p|][ j|||[] y|g[|) Actors and writers who have left ♦ Hollywood in considerable num- bers during the past 18 months be- cause of a general curtailment of feature productions at the studios may recognize a cause other than television for the change. There has been a “small boom” in fea- ture length scenics, post-Martin Johnson safari stuff and nature-in- tlie-raw thrillers made possible by technical improvements in camera work. In effect This means that flesh performers are facing compe- tition from guys in pith helmets, naked natives and slithering pythons more menacing than Jack Tala nee. Nobody has the statistics on ex- pedition and exploration films but there never yet was a Museum curator or globetrotting millionaire who didn’t bring a camera crew’ along when he hit the jungle trail pour le sport. Whatever the cur- rent explanation, and the scenic thrills of 4‘This Is Cinerama” is un- doubtedly one, there is much play- time going to features of the back | to nature ilk. Moreover many story- ( telling productions of the Holly- wood studios have lately been photographed in darkest Africa— per “Mogambo.” “King Solomon's Mines" and "African Queen.” Walt Disney's True-Life Adven- ture series, with “Water Birds” and the upcoming "The Living Desert.” are other examples of films' redis- covery of nature. United Artists has just taken on a 77-minute fea- ture, "Song of the Land,” dealing with birds, animals and wildlife of (Continued on page 5(i) 21-Inch Color TV Sets In 3-4 Years for $500 Is DuMont Prediction Real Humility Hollywood, Nov. 3. Arthur Godfrey's humility may be a joke but Lauren Ba- call refused to plant her foot- prints in the cement forecourt of Grauman's Chinese theatre in connection with the open- ing of 20th-Fox’s "How to Mar- ry a Millionaire.” Such honors, she explained, should be for those who are "unforgetable and irreplaceable." Cinerama In Tents Coming Chicago, Nov. 3. S. H. Fabian of Stanley Warner Theatres, controlling partner in Cinerama, revealed here that the three-camera panoramic system may take to the road eventually 1 under canvas—thereby reviving in j new’ form the “tent shows” of yore. Fabian conceded many present the- 1 atres are architecturally unsuited I to Cinerama. Tent show’ possibility was de- : scribed bv Fabian at a special 10 a nt. showing of Cinerama at the Palace in connection with the ; current convention of exhibitors. Fabian also rapped absence of an industry-wide research committee which might have prevented pres- i ent confusion of many screen ( standards and no uniformity. Fx I hibitors themselves might yet be forced to initiative in the matter. Troy: NY. Nov. 3. Color television today is ready only tor the establishment of stand- d! ds, but in “three or four years" ’"‘•t manufacturers will be able to turn out 21-inch color receivers at ’ '-ties price of $500. Dr Allen B. DuMont declared last week. Speak- ing before the Industrial Council ,v Rensselaer Polytechnic Insti- 1 t<“. the DuMont Laboratories b'-'Yv also predicted that the world *' on the threshold of a “new a ” ( ’ in which “electronics with v -ability'’ would affect everyday living. He predicted that it would still ; ke from 10 to 20 years for color 1 ‘ *o be integrated with present ( k and white broadcasts. { He foresaw, however, new and o-d uses for television, espe- • v closed-circuit video, in cdu- ■ *on. medicine, factories, atomic ,n,s - financial institutions ar.d importation. He said the new electronic Age.” "electronics ' Hi visibility,'’ would "rfT’-rt tre- ’ I'Ous changes in our patterns 1 ’ought, morals, actions, com- * tal operations and everyday i ;J M&L Seek Trumans For Piano-Vocal Turn On Thanksgiving Telethon Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis have asked former President Harry S. Truman to appear on their Thanksgiving Kve telethon for Mus- cular Dystrophy a- the piano ac- companist for his daughter Mar- garet. An ABC TV exec said the ex-president was “receptive'' to the idea hut has given no definite answer yet. Telethon, which is now definitely set for Nov. 25 on ABC-TV, will run four hours, from 10:30 p m, to 2 30 a m . and will be divided into half-hour .sr-gmeals. so that sta- tions along the web can pick it up at any stage. F.rnie Glucksman. who stages the M & L shows for Colgate on N'BC-TV. will direct the program, with ABC producing Show will originalfrom the Coast probably the Cart hay Circle The i atre. By JACK IIEL1.MAN Hollywood, Nov. 3. A new and portentious era for TV. vitally affecting not only video but the future of the film industry as well, came in a surprise revela- tion today (Tues.) by Gen. David Sarnoff, RCA-NBC board chair- man. Sweeping in its implications, Gen. Sarnoff revealed that record- ing of color and black and white television programs on magnetic tape has been achieved. Announcement came following , demonstrations at NBC’s Burbank ! plant of KCA’s compatible color system. The half-hour show was close-circuited from N Y. over a 4.000-mile special Bell System re- lay. Prefacing his remarks with "Now I will let you in on a secret,” Sarnoff added, "we are so confident ; ot promises on this research and development work that I can an- nounce today that on Dec. 1 we will demonstrate in our Princeton laboratories the present status of j tape recording of TV pictures both in black and white and color.” He declared magnetic tape re- cording has many advantages over photographic film processes and I kinescope recording “which I ain (Continued on page 3(i) Orchsters Into Own Diskeries In Wax Revolt In a revolt against the top pri- ority rating given vocal pactces by the major record companies, orch leaders are steadily moving into I heir own diskery operations. It’s a move, however, that flu* majors aren't trying to stymie. , According to major diskery brass, the orchs have meant little on wax in recent years and few of them have met the high guarantees that came with the initial parting. The orchsters, on the other hand, claim that the diskery de- fContinued on page 63> It Hadda Come Tunesmilhs have*, finally latched on to I'aflaire Godfrey* La Rosa for song inspiration. Marty Leed and Jack Vovais are entering "You Say That I’ve Changed” via Tin Pan Alley Music and Ruth Wallis has penned and etched "Dear Mr. Godfrey" for the indie Monarch label. Front Page Records also latched on to the key word in the allair with a Phil Gordon waxing tagged "Humility ’’ Gordon. inci- dentally. was winner on God- ' frey',s "T dent Scouts” show sew era! }i-ats ago. I Passion Pits With Pix’ in Danger Of Revival Via All-Nite Drive-Ins Int’I Incident? Cable received by a New Yorker last weekend from the Directeur Adjoint de la Police Judiciare, Prefecture de Po- lice, Paris; "What is this I hear about the trouble of Monsieur Ar- thur Godfrey? 'Is it true that your govern- ment may fall?” $250,000,000 Disk Gross Next Year The disk biz will continue it-, for- ward surge through 1954 when tin- industry's gross should go to \y „ over this year to top the $250,000. 000 mark, according to Manic Sacks. RCA Victor vice proxy and general manager of the disk division. Sacks made liis upbeat prediction at the meeting of the disk department's, top -cholon in Atlantic City last work. . Sacks found basis for his opti ' mistic outlook in three factors j <1 t. the boom in hi fi equipment which is making the public phono- graph and disk conscious again; <2> the steady growth in the nation's teenage population which buys the Ini Ik of the pop records, and CD, the steady buildup of syndicate and department store interest in disks. 1 Sacks underlined the latter fac- tor as being of key importance- in servicing the suburban areas, lie stated that the- population trend away from tin* cities was eontinu ing at an accelerated pace and that 1 lie chain stores were providing a sales channel into such areas where standard disk outlets were not functioning. Chi Stripper Tips Off ' Compulsory ’Mixing’ In 'Blind Voice’ Broadcast Chicago, Nov. 3 A former Calumet City exotic, who remained anonymous, testified to radio listeners last Week that working conditions in the State St. bistros were "rough" and that dancer.'? were forced to double as "B-Girls” at a commission per "slick” 'Stirring rod which the bar- tender keeps every time the girl is bought a drinks The "blind voice," interviewed by J.en O'Connor on NBC's "News on the Spot." further stated that the girls Were kept working until 5 am. each night and that they were afraid to quit because both dancers and agents are “threatened by the, guys who run Calumet City clubs." Arrangements for the broadcast were made largely by tl** Ameri- can Guild of Variety Artists here, t (Continued on page Chicago, Nov. 3 While seeking a more respect- able appelalion, drive in theatres are faced with the prospect of again being billed as ‘Tassion Pits with Pix” This was the libel piipu-d on the open top houses when they tirst came into being ami drew the romancers along with the pic entertainment seekers. Although not mentioning the “Passion" identilx which they’d prefer to forget, the drive in com- mittee of the Theatre Owners of America in a report yesterday (Mon 1 said that a new policy of o/oner operators is "Dusk to Dawn” operation which is putting hack tin- had label drive ins have fought to get rid of " The report, presented hv .l.ir k liraunagcl, at TOA’s convention, further staled "In addition, this has brought to drive ins unfavor- able publicity in the wax id iaids, the public going to aulhnnlies to have restrictive laws pul on drive- ins, and many other complaint*. We cannot feel that owe or two nights of a temporal y jump in the gross is worth such an allci mat li.” Coast 88’er Tricked Into Town’s Most intime Date; 13 Weeks in Men’s Room Hollywood. Nov 3. There’s many a small spot in the country, but none so small or inti- mate as I hr* one Ckie Slierin is playing for 13 weeks, Sherm, the Vine Street pianist who has been a gagster for years, has the tables reversed on him, tricked into a part to play in the men’s loom at the Santa Monica Ballroom, owned by Spade Cooley. Sherm .signed a 13 week par t for $2 Mid to appear on Cooley’s KTLA telecast emanating weekly from the ballroom, also to appear in the tei palace's “M” roo m. Tfr at last phrase baffled Sfierin. and he a-ked Cooley "what’s that'?" The orch leader suavely assured bun •Continued on page 5 Hi Nevada Racks Up Alltime High in Gaming Receipts Reno. Nov 3 Gambling activity in Nevada reached its highest maik in the last 12 months when a record $ 1 059.717 was paid to thr- state through the 2''< tax on gross -»••»»« mg receipts. 'Ibis is 2H'> higher than the previous yeai’s gambling tax Based on this figure, estimates pul thr* gambler's take at 50 tunes that amount, or $82,985,850. Car- ried still further, the amount wag- ered comes close to W\ of the ac- tual winnings, or $1,050,000,000. VaMness oi this figure r an best hi* compared to thr- stale's assessed valuation about $345,000 000.