Variety (September 1954)

26 RADIO-TELEVISION Wednesday, September 22, 1954 By JACK LEVY Washington, Sept. 21. FCC’s inquiry into Commie charges against Edward Lamb, To- ledo broadcaster-publisher, pro- duced more heat than light during, three days of hearings last, week,* but did unearth some evidence supporting the agency’s case. With Lamb’s counsel, Russell Brow and J. Howard McGrath (former attorney general), and Commission attorney Walter Po- well engaging in continuous wran- gling over the admissibility of tes- timony,- Examiner Herbert Sharf- man has', had to display the pa- tience of Job and the wisdom of Solomon in filling .his assignment. Observers generally agreed he has succeeded ' meeting the chal- lenge. So far the hearings have devel- oped plenty of dramatics, if not testimony, and. might well draw a good tv audience — if Sharfman would; allow them to be televised, which he almost certainly would not;. Outstanding actor is Brown, who can always be depended on to liven up the proceedings should they show a tendency to become (lull. Brown frequently comes up with earthy ad libs, Oh one occasion, When Powell insisted, that .names must be mentioned to bring out facts and can late; he stricken if unsubstantiated, Brown* ‘protested: “This is more than a matter of legal, procedure. The reputation of Lamb’s family is involved. You can throw, a 'skunk in a jury box; and then throw it out but the smell still stays.” On another occasion Brown charged Powell with putting On ai Broadway show because of the lat- ter’s use of ‘‘a prepared script” (Continued on page 36) Oops, Wrong Nitery “Latin Quarter Revue” slated for “Colgate' Comedy Hour” Sun- day (26) wll feature cojnic Joe E. Lewis, who has never played the Lou Walters spot in New York, but has been a staple at the compet- ing Copacabana si the latter cafe opened in 1940. . Situation was brought about by the inability of the. Bernard Bros., originally pacted for that date to get out. of the Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles, for the night of the showing. It had been planned to fly. in the Bernard 1 'Bros, to New York, and have, them plane back to Los Angeles immediately after the show, therefore losing • only one night at that spot. .However the Cocoariut Grove management wouldn’t let the Bernards, but; Thus Lewis was rushed into the breach. Colgate is also dickering for a onenighter /on the Friars Club. The vet theatrical Organization is now working out a deal. It’s pos- sible that Milton Berle may head that show. If So, it will be done Oct. 17. NATALIE CORE Hostess “The A & P Playhouse” Saturdays, 7. P.M., WNBT-TV. Tuesdays, 8 P.M., W ABC-TV . LExington 2-ilOO * Personal Representative ALBERT RQSS 132 West 43d St., New York 86 CHickering 4-37.41 Lotsa changes at CBS radio. Stan Freberg’s “That’s Rich” and the sound, version of “Meet Millie,” with Elena Verdugo, are. being dropped by the web after this, week, with the Thursday 8 to 9 p.m. : pairings going to “Suspense” and “Night Watch." Latter are also sustainers. ^ Also axed is the Friday night 8-8:25 “Mr. Keen” series, but. the crossboard “Keen” is retained, “Crime Photog” goes into the Fri- day vacancy Oct. 8. Another strip is on the way i “Mr. and Mrs. North,” which has been a once-a- veeker since its debut. Whodunit will take the 9:15 p.m. quarter starting Oct. 4, with Barbara Brit- ton, and Richard Denning continu- ing in their roles. “Stop the Music,’' Tuesday 8:30- 9:30 p.m., moves up a half-hour to 8 o’clock and adds 15 minutes in the process in a new slotting from 8.to 9:15 that kicks off Oct. 5. On NBC He G«ts Paid, ’Person To Person’ Stint Four days after the Sept. 27 opening of his new 60-minute show on NBC-TV, Sid Caesar will cross over to CBS to “for free” it on Ed Murrow’s “Person to Person’’ pro- gram (Oct. 1). Murrow has had per- sonalities from the rival web be- fore (including RCA-NBC board chairman David Sarnoff, to name only the topper). Originally slated for that Friday date with the CBS interviewer Were Lucille Ball & Pesi Arnaz, but this plan was jetti-. soned in favor of Ed Sullivan’s “Toast of the Town” (same web) which has. blueprinted an “I Love Lucy” cavalcade. “P to P,” incidentally, has. ex panded its editorial associate staff, with Art Settel tapped for the chore that joins, him with John Horn . and David Moore, Settel worked out of CBS-TV press info as a publicity specialist with Jack Paar’s “Morning Show ” he’ll dou ble on publicity with the Murrow stanza. The web, has been inter- viewing candidates to replace Set tel on ”Mof irig.” ‘See It Now* to Ride With Maine’s Sen. Smith ■A Chicago, Sept. 21. Twenty additional stations have applied for membership in the Quality Radio Group, newly-formed roster qf key AM outlets hooked up in joint, nighttime sales and taped programming package. QRG board held its first formal session here yesterday (Mon.) and set up screening procedures for unidenti- fied new applicants to be added to: the original 24 announced at the Outfit’s, incorporation three, weeks ago. A five-man executive committee was named to work out details of the. addition of the new stations to the. QRG string and also to hunt for a paid topper for the organiza- tion which hopes to be formally signing national advertisers by Oct. 15. Ward Quail, of the Crosley sta- tions, was confirmed as prexy; William Wagner, WHO, Des Moines, secretary; and W. H. Sum- merville, WHL, New Orleans, treasurer, Frank P. Schretber, WGN, Chi- cago, was elected exec committee chairman. Other members are: John DeWitt, WSM, Nashville; Donald Thornburg, WCAU, Phila.; Charles T; Lucy, WRVA, Rich- mond, and Ralph Evans, WHO, Des Moines. On Her Global Air Tour Details of Edward, R. Murrow’s upcoming global show ■■ to end global shows was to be made pub- lic last night (Tries.) on his CBS- TV “See It Now” through an ap- pearance by Sen. Margaret Chase Smith of Maine. When. Murrow and co-producer Fred W. Friendly learned that Sen. Smith was plan- ning. a World tour, they asked if she Would agree to have a small crew of “See It” cameramen ac- company her to make a 1 film-and- soiind recording to be displayed on the show. The senator, accepted the invitation to have her round- the-worlder picturized for a simul- taneous national audience. The Maine legislator’s itinerary is so extensive that it may result in “See It” expanding to an hour or even 90 minutes, or possibly a larger spread elsewhere on the CBS schedule, if not a short-run series, based on the travelog. With Congress not in session and her. Maine campaign successfully Concluded, Sen. Smith will take off from New York Oct. 12 for Lori-: don and will talk to government toppers in such spots as Paris, Madrid, Rome, Frankfurt and Bonn, Istanbul, Beirut, Pakistan, Delhi, Bangkok; Hongkong, Manila, Formosa, Tokyo and Honolulu, bringing her flight. string to Oct. 31. In a brief talk last night (and as a tipoff on the type of material to be made available to the show), Senator Smith,, according to a rough draft of a text made avail- able; was to say in part: “This world trip is an important event in my life and I want to say ex- actly What I mean to say. During my service in Congress, I^llave (Continued on page 32) * Columbus, Sept. 21. Following WTVN-TV’s severance of basic affiliation with ABC, network-station identification has become so scrambled that it is doubtful if the average viewer is certain about any studio’s affilia- tion here. Besides that; newspaper tv log caretakers are grinding their teeth over the impossibility of linirig up any network’s sched- ule with! any particular station iri Columbus. WTVN-TV, the Taft station here, cut bait With ABC on Aug. 24 after a five-year-plus basic affiliation, and reoriented its schedules to DuMont, which it has always carried in tandem with ABC, and a flock of film packages. A few days later, WLW-C, the Crosley tv outlet iri Columbus and a five-arid-a-half year basic affiliate of NBC,, signed a primary affiliationcontract with ABC,, retaining* of course, its basic NBC. It was at this point that network shows started popping up^ i strange locations. This is the way things are: WLW-C has first refusal on ABC shows, but Since the station only can take certain shows that won’t interfere with its NBC listings, the rest of the ABC shows are up for grabs. That means some ABC shows are turning, up on the schedule of the CBS affiliate, WBNS-TV, thus making two stations carrying ABC .shoWs, neither one of which is a basic, although one is a.primary. So, WLW-C (NBC) is airirig “Super Circus,” “Voice of Firestone” and will air NCAA Football, all ABC shows but hasn’t been carry- ing ABC’s -‘Game of the Week.” That’s being telecast by WBNS- TV (CBS), which has several other ABC shows pencilled in for the Winter. For the final fillip; WTVN-TV (DuMont), which has been carry- ing CBS afternoon serials since last spring, even while the station was carrying a basic ABC-TV contract, is now showing Edward R. Murrow’s “Person to Person” (CBS), which WBNS-TV (CBS) has never carried; last year due to regional contracts on the show, this year due to local' commitments,- -» (Sept. 22-Oct. 2)' FRL. SEPT. 24 One Minute Please. Pariel, DuMont, 9 to 9:30 p.m., Serutan, via Edward Kletter. SAT., SEPT, 25 . Gene Autry Show (film). Western, CBS, 7 to 7:30 p.m., Wrigley via Ruthrauff & Ryan, . Jackie , Gleason Show. Comedy, CBS, 8 to 9 p.m., Schick, via Kudner, Nestle via Bryan Houston, Sheaffer via Russell M. Seeds,. Max Liebman Saturday Night Spectaculars (color)—Lady in the Dark (Ann Sothern). NBC, 9 to 10:30 p.m. (every fourth week), Oldsmobile via D. P. Brother. : ; SUN., SEPT. 26 General Sports Time (film). Football, DuMont, 1:50 to 2:05 p.m., General Tire & Rubber, via N. W. Ayer. Professional Football. DuMont, 2:05 to conclusion, Schick via Kudner (one-quarter national sponsorship), plus regional sponsors. Professional Football. DuMont, 2:05 p.m. to conclusion, Schick via co-op sponsors. Now. and Then (Dr. Frank Baxtef). Literature, CBS, 3 to 3:30 p m., sustaining. General Electric Theatre (Ronald Reagan) (13 film). Drama, CBS. 9 to 9:30 p.m., General Electric, via BBD&O. Life Begins at 80. Panel, DuMont, 9:30 to 10 p.m,, Serutan, Edward Kletter. MON,, SEPT. 27 Morgan Beatty and the News. DuMont, 7:15 to 7:30 p.m., Mon- day-thru-Friday, Miles Labs, via Geoffrey Wade. Jamie (Brandon de Wilde). Situation comedy, ABC, 7:30 to 8 p.m., Duffy-Mott, via Young & Rubicam (alt. weeks).. Sid Caesar Show. Cornedy, NBC, 8 to 9 p.m. (three out. of four weeks); American Chicle via Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sariiple, RCA via Kepyon & Eckhardt, Speidel via SSC&B (co-sponsors). Tonight (Steve Alleri); Variety, NBC, 11:30 p.m, to 1 a.m;, Mon- day-thru-Friday, participating. TUES., SEPT. 28 Calvacade of America (film). Historical drama, ABC, 7:30 to 8 p.m., E. I. du Print; via BBD&0. Martha Raye Show* Comedy, NBC, 8 to. 9 p.m. (price every four weeks), - Hazel Bishop, via Raymond Spectpr. Make Room for Daddy (Danny Thomas). Situation comedy, ABC, .9 to 9:30 p.m., Pall Mall via SSC&B, Dodge via Giant (alt; weeks). WED., SEPT. 29 Masquerade, Party^ Panel-quiz, ABC, 9 to 9:30 p.m., Remington Rand via Young & Rubicam, Knomark Mfg. via Emil Mogul (alt. Weeks). •. This Is Your Life (Ralph Edwards). Personalities, NBC, 10 to 10:30 p.m., Hazel Bishop; via Raymond Spector, . Big Town (Mark Stevens). Mystery, NBC, 10:30 to 11 p.m., Lever Bros, via J. Walter Thompson., THURS., SEPT. 30 Shower of Stars (color). Musicals, CBS, 8:30 to 9:30 pa . (once every four weeks), Chrysler, vi McCann-Erickson. ^ Ford Theatre (film). Drama, NBC, 9:30 to. 10 p.m., Ford, J. Waiter Thompson, Four-Star Playhouse (film). Drama, CBS; 9:30 to 10 p.ni„ Singer Sewing Machine via Young & Rubicam, Parker Peris via J. Walter Thompson (alt. weeks). Greatest Pro Football Plays of the Week (film), DuMont, 9:30 to 10 p.m., regional sponsors. FRI., OCT, 1 Red Buttons Show. Comedy; NBC, 8 to 8:30 p.m. (three but of four weeks), Pontiac, via MacManus, John & Adams. Dollar a Second (Jan Murray), Audierice participation, ABC, 9 to 9:30 p.m., Mogen David, via Weiss & Geller. Our Miss Brooks (Eve Arden): (film). Situation comedy, CBS, 9:30 to 10. p.m., General Foods, via Young & Rubicam, The Vise (film). Drama, ABC, 9:30 to 10 p.ril., Sterling Drug, via Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample. The Lineup (film). Mystery, CBS, 10 to. 10:30 p.m., Brown Si Williamson, Via Ted Bales. SAT., OCT. 2 Imogene Coca Show. Situation pomedy, NBC, 9 to 9:30 p.m. (three weeks out of four); Lewis Howe (Tunis) via .Dancer-Fitz- gerald-Sample, Griffin Mfg. via Bermingham, Castleman & Pierce, Johnson & Johnson via Young & Rubicam, S.O.S. via McCann- Erickson (co-sponsors). Texaco Show Starring Jintmy Durante. Comedy, NBC, 9:30 to 10 p.m. (alt. weeks on a three-week-out-of-four schedule), Texaco, via Kudner. George Gobel Show. Comedy, NBC, 10 to 10:30 p.m. (three weeks out of four), Pet Milk via Gardrier, Armour via Foote, Cone & Belding (alt. Weeks). , BARTH, VAN ELLIS IN CROSLEY CINCY EXIT Cincinnati, Sept. 21. Bernard C. Barth, WLW and WLW-T general program director, and Neal Van Ellis, program, di- rector of : the tv station, have sub- mitted their resignations to Rob- ert E. Dunville, president of the Crosley Broadcasting Corp. Barth leaves Oct. 15 to become v.p. and general manager of the U. of Notre Dame commercial UHF station. His appointment was an- nounced by the Rev. Theodore M. Hasburg, university official. Van Ellis plans to continue his tv. career in New York, where his wife, Phyllis, is one of the Mc- Guire.. Sisters on Arthur Godfrey’s staff. He exits from the Crosley fold Sept. 30. Dial Back To Radio Chicago, Sept. 21. Armour’s soap division, whose Dial soap and shampoo haven’t been represented on the AM air- lanes since the departure from NBC’s “Dial Dave* Garraway” a couple of seasons back, is return- ing to the network in November; Firm has ordered three insertions weekly in the “Fibber McGee & Mollie” evening strjp and the Fri- day segment of the “It Pays to Be Married,” Jay Stewart-emceed and aud^pai’tierpation Strip.' See Justice Done Talent Associates has pacted Gary Merrill to serve as actor-host on NBC-TV’s “Justice” and will start on the chore Sept. 30. That date will incept a number of other changes for the Borden’s-backed 8:30, p.m. drama series based on Legal Aid Society files. Brought in to alternate with Dari! Petrie on the direction is Robert Stevens;, who’s done “Suspense” and the old Ben " Hecht series, among other shows. Petrie stays with “Justice’* after all, having formerly been pen- cilled in as co-director (with . Wil- liam Brpwn) of the upcoming Coast-based “Climax” series for Chrysler CBS-TV,. With Allen Reisner signed to fill the Petrie gap. Reisner’s first effort. Will be “The 13th Chair,” Oct. 14, *'Jystice” has Used A couple , ol name ringmasters-thesps in the last fortrright—Robert Curiimings and Dennis O’Keefe, who appeared in the plays as lawyers for Legal Aid. Merrill is permanent, how- ►ever, in his previous tv series the Hollywood player was a private eye on ABC’s “The Mask.” With thb Sept. 30 stanza the music direction will be taken over by Ralph Nor- man, relieving Bernard Green who’s headed for California.