Variety (September 1954)

26 RADIO-TELEVISION • • : - ' ■— Vednceday, Septemltcr 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 duringj three days of hearings last week," but did uneairth some evidence supporting the agency’s case. With Lamb’s counsel; Russell Brown and J. Howard McGrath (former attorney general), and Commission attorney Walter Por well engaging in continuous, wran- gling over the admissibility of tes- timony, : Examiner Herbert Sharf- lan 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 Sharfmari 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 dull. Brown frequently comes up with earthy ad libs. On one occasion, when Powell insisted that names must be mentioned to bring out facts and can latex- be 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 "Skimk in a jury box and then throw it out but the smell still stays/’ Oh another. occasion Brown charged Powell with putting on a Broadway show because of the lat- ter’s u$e of “ prepared script” (Continued on page 36) Oops, Wrong Nitery “Latin Quarter Revue” Slated for “Colgate’ Comedy Hour” Sun- day (26) wll feature comic Joe E. Lewis, Who has never played the Lou Walters spot in New York, but has been a staple at the compet- ing Copacabana since the latter cafe opened in 1940. Situation was brought about by the inability of the Bernard Bros., originally pacted 1 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'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 Coco abut Grove m anagement wouldn’t let the Bernards Out. 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 i P Playhouse Saturdays, 7 P.M. WNBT-TV Tuesdays, 8 P.M., WABCrTV LExington 2-1100 Personal Representative ALBERT ROSS 132 West 43d St, New. Tor CHickering 4-3741 ‘See It Now’ to With Maine’s Sen. Lotsa. changes at CBS radio. Stan F.reberg’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 ih “Mr. and Mrs. North,” which has been a once-a- weeker 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. “S.top 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 Gds 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 jJurrow’s "Person to Person” pro- gram (Oct. 1). Muri’ow; 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 & Desi Arnaz, but this plan was jetti- soned in favor o.f 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 Hor and David Moore. Settel Worked out of CBS-TV press info as a publicity specialist with Jack Pa«urs “Morning Show.” he’ll dou- ble on publicity with the Murrow stanza. The web has been inter- viewing candidates to replace Set- tel on “Morning.” Chicago, Sept. 21. Twenty additional stations have applied for membership in the Quality Radio Group, newly-formed roster of 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 hew 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 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, Schreiber, 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, arid Ralph Evans, WHO, Des Moines. Details of Edward R. Murrow’s upcoming global show to end global shows was to be made pub- lic last night (Tues.) 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‘ filin-and- , sound recording to be displayed j on the show. The senator accepted j 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 Mairie campaign successfully concluded, Sen. Smith will take off -from New York Oct. 12 for Lon- 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 have (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 lining up any network’s sched- ule with any particular station in Columbus. WTVN-TV, the Taft station here, cut bait with AfiC 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 in Columbus and a five-and-a-half year basic affiliate of NBC, signed a primary affiliation contract with ABC, retaining, of course, its basic NBC. , It was at this point that network shows started popping up 4ri 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 somp 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 airing “Super.Circus,’.’ “Voice of Firestone” and will air NCAA Football;.ail ABC shows but hasn’t been carry- ing ABC’. “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 1 commitments* (Sept. 22-Oct. 2)' FRI., SEPT. 24 One Minute Please. Panel, DuMont, 9 to .9:30 p.m., Serutan, via Edward Kietter. SAT., SEPT. 25 Gene Autry Show (film). Western,' CBS, 7 to 7:30 p.m,, Wrigtey 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 Liebmait 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 (ohe-quarter national sponsorship), plus regional sponsors. Professional Football. DuMont, 2:05. p.m; to conclusion, Schick via -op sponsors. Now and Then (Dr. Frank Baxter). 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 pirn;, Serutan, Edward Kietter. 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. Comedy, NBC, 8 to 9 p.m. (three out of four weeks); American Chicle via Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample, RCA vi Kenyon & Eckhardt, Speidel via SSG&B (co-sponsors). Tonight (Steve Allen).- Variety, NBC, 11:30 p.m. to 1 a.m., Moft- day-.thru-Friday, participating. TUES., SEPT. 28 ' Calvacade of America (film). Historical dramas ABC, 7:30 to 8 p.m., E. I. du Pont, via BBD&O. Martha Raye Show. Comedy, NBC, 8 to 9 p.m. (once every four weeks). Hazel Bishop, via Raymond Spector. Make Room for Daddy (Danny Thomas). Situation comedy, AfeC, 9 to 9:30 p.m., Pall Mall via SSC&B, Dodge via Grant (alt. weeks). WED., SEPT. 29 _ Masquerade. Party. Panel-quiz, ABC, 9 to 9:30 p.i Reinington Rand via Young & Rubicam, Kriomark 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 p.m. every four weeks), Chrysler, via McCann-Erickson. Ford Theatre (film). Drama* NBC, 9:30 to 10 p m. Ford, vi J. Walter Thompson: Four-Star Playhouse (film). Drama, CBS, 9:30 to 10 p.m., Singer Sewing Machine via Young & Rubicam, Parker Pens 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. I Red Buttons: Show. Comedy, NBC, 8 to 8:30 p.m. (three out of four weeks), Pontiac,.via MacManus, John & Adams. Dollar a Second (Jan Murray). Audience participation, ABC, 9 to 9:30 p.m:, Mogeri Dayid, 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.m;, Sterling Drug, via Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample. The Lineup (film). Mystery, CBS, 10 to 10:30 p.m., Brown & Williamson, via Ted Bates. SAT., OCT. 2 Imogene Coca Show. Situation comedy, NBC, 9 to 9:30 p.m. (three weeks out of four); Lewis Howe (Turns) 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 Jimmy 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 week* out of fourJ, Pet Milk via Gardner, Armour via Foote, Cone &> Belding (alt, weeks). BARTH, VAN ELLIS IN CROSLEY CINCY EXIT Cincinnati, Sept. 21. Bernard C. Barth, yVLW 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. Dunviile, 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- Hasbiirg, 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 front 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* Garroway” a couple of seasons hack, is return- ing to the network in. November. Firm has ordered three insertions weekly in the “Fibber - McGee & Mollie” evening strip and the Fri- day segment of the “It Pays to Be Married,” Jay Stewart-emceed and aud-participation strip.' 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 Dan 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 Brown) of the upcoming Coast-based “Climax” series for. Chrysler on CBS-TV, with Allen Reisner sighed to fill the Petrie gap. Reisrier’s first effort \vill be “The 13th Chair,” Oct. 14. “Jystice” has used A. couple of name ringmasters-thesps . in the last fortnight—Robert Cummings 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 thd Sept. 30 stanza the music direction will be taken over by Ralph Nor- man, relieving Bernard- Green who’s headed for California. ■