Variety (November 1954)

Wednesday, November 17, 1954 • f^BIETT In the noble game of galloping dominoes, the phrase /‘come seven, come eleven"'has special significance. Mark down Sunday, Nov. 7, through Thursday, Nov. 11, as a week in television dra- matics of 60-minute range that produced the magic numbers and set the five days into a special vault of video’s archives, Not that every play was fine and dandy/ but for the group as a whole it was a blue chips week for the livingr^m theatres. The cluster began on a climactic .note with the NBC-Goodyear “TV Playhouse" in ja combo tough and tender winning production of "Flight Report," with outstanding performances by E.. G. Marshall, Walter Matthau and Bill Gideon.* Playwright; J. P. Miller.: On Monday, Robert Montgomery was presenting the first of the two-part "Hunchback of Notre Dame" on NBC. Granted that ambition should be made of sterner stuff; granted that the open- ing chapter set its sights more on elaborate production .(huge set, cast of 80) than on developing the characterization and conflict laid down by Victor Hugo; but "Hunchback” showed the Mont- gomery stanza willing to tackle a superb book and .multiple film classic; willing to give it that good old college try, and by so doing, elect to subject itself to the. inevitable comparisons, Adaptor; Alvin Sapinsley. (For full treatment see Followup Reviews.) In Monday’s unfortunate time conflict, only the last half of CBS'. "Studio One" was viewed. This was an adaptation by Reginald Rose, one of the most skillful of telescripters, of Justice William O. Douglas’ “An Almanac of: Liberty," issued that day (8). by Doubleday. Like; Judy Holliday says, "I don’t like to come in in the middle of the picture, but the last half, at least, seemed full of "think" merit, with perhaps more of a philosophical, tract on its subject matter than orthodox playwriting, 1 yet it had the virtue of graceful movement and finely wrought words punctuat- ing the problem of freedom, liberty and tolerance, Tuesday night’s :XJ. S. Steel Hour on ABC was one of the finest that Alex Segal has brought in, with Jack Carson, June Lockhart and Geraldine Brooks distinguishing themselves in Raphael Hayes’ problem-and-psycho drama, "Goodbye—But It Doesn’t Go Away," a thoroughly absorbing work handled with delicacy arid dare and eligible to enter the circle, of "perfect" tv plays. Wednesday’s NBC-Kraft "TV Theatre" treatment of family and occupational mores, "The World and the Werners" showed warmth and a kind of personal identification without, going too maudlin, and Mikhail Rasumny’s presence was a plus factor. Playwright: Joseph Schrartk. v Thursday’s last lap of an exciting five-day relay was a case apart. The principal figure, coincidence dr not, was Dorothy McGuire. The film star arid ex-legitress had opened the season for NBC- Lux "Video Theatre” two months back in "To Each His Own." There were mixed notices—-from bravo to veto, With Variety put- ting in for the former oh both counts—McGuire and play. Colossal or catastrophic, Lux has never been the same since the premiere. So in came Miss McGuire, along With Franchot Tone _and Eduard Franz, but this, time for the CBS-Chrysler "Climax." •This series has barely been able to get off the ground in its five excursions. With "Gioconda Smile,” by Aldous Huxley, the melo- dramatic package got into full, flight for the; first time via the combination of top thesping by the principals, slick mounting and staging, and fast moving production that, judged within the meUer-thriller Confines, was a rewarding example of how to do what on tv. For the records, there was no hint that "Gioconda” was a Broadway entry (short-lived) of a couple of seasons ago. John Monks Jr. adapted; producer, Bretaigne Windust; director, William H, Brown Jr-; announcer, William Lundigan, presenting the automaker's products with polish and poise. (Kraft’s Thursday entry on ABC—not Viewed—was "One Sun- day’Afternoon.” A click legiter of a generation ago, and w.k. as a straight pic and the "Strawberry Blonde" filmusical Version, it had everything in the material box; to make a go of it on tv.) Thursday’s winder-upper was the pyrotechnical "Five Star. Final," also of the long ago Broadway-to-pix genre, on "Lux Video." It revealed its arthritic character even with'updated passages, but nevertheless came through neatly as a study in vin- tage journalism practices, as lived by the late Louis Weitzenkorri, the more so in the performances of Edmond O’Brien and the ever attractive Mae Clarke, the ex-film star, as well as Joanne Wood- ward. Adaptor: Stanford Barnett. Trau. PLAY MARKO With Frank Buetel, Donna Thayer Producer: Jerry Reshki Director: Don Neff 60 Mins.: Sat., 11p.m. WISH BONE SALAD DRESSING WTCN-UV, Minneapolis Under the name of "Marko" here because of legalities involv- ed, tv bingo has finally hit the air- ways. And it looks like a certain click that’s calculated to keep a sizeable number of people up late and glued to their sets Saturday nights when it comes on at 11 and continues until midnight. This estimate is based on the game of chance’s popularity generally, the fun many people seem to have playing it and the opportunity it affords to win such valuable prizes" as Florida, trips, fur coats, electric refrigerators and ranges and Wrist Watches. Evidence to support the appraisal also * found in the: claimed 2,000 to 2,500 telephone calls to the studio from the preem’s- participants.. It . looks, too, as though; word-of-mouth should increase the audience and as though in consequence the usual late hour ancient featured film and other video fare will encourit- , er a worthy rival for dialers’ at- tention. . . Format was originated in Los Angeles and copyright owners may have struck gold. They- have a game of chance that comes within the law and they’re leasing the franchises. In addition to the Twin Cities, Los Angeles .and Chicago already ate in . their camp. The syndicate which placed the .pack- age and its sponsor.here has the rights for 21 markets. Frank Buetel, one of WTCN- TV’s top personalities, "runs" the five games within the 60 minutes, and the affable and glib good-look- ing young man does a smooth and workmanlike job. A pretty girl, Donna Thayer, is an added fillip, repeating the numbers' called out by Buetel and otherwise making herself ornamental as well as use- ful. In order to play the game set- owners must obtain cards from the grocery stores throughout the city that are distributing them. The grocer nb doubt is glad to plug the show because it brings potential customers in. During the first show there were many phony and kidding calls, some of them undoubtedly from persons under liquor's influence, and the emcee found them bother- some. One game, follows another until five are completed. On each show, adding human interest, one of the previous’s week’s .winners is introduced and interviewed before the, camera. Commercials aren’t disturbing. Rees . BILL BAILEY SHOW With Marilynn Lovell, Audrey New, Ronny Born; the Vormits (5) Producer-Director: Sam Vantura 60 Mins.; Mon.-thru-Fri., 2 p.m. WLW-D, Dayton (Crosley Chain) Bill Bailey, a seasoned performer before microphones^ and cameras, is supported by. a capable crew in this new series for Crosley Net- work outletting in Cincinnati, Co-. liimbuS and Dayton areas. Handsome and natty in sports attire, he’s homey to midwestern folks with, rural: stories. A song seller, in show caught, he started the ball rolling with "This Ql’ ^ouse" and registered later with "As Far As I’m Concerned,” Audrey New and Marilynn Lovell, personable pop thrushes, change dresses for their numbers;, 'all backed with settings above par. Ronny Born also Was backdropped well for his vocals of "Getting to Be a Habit With Me" arid "Count Your Blessings." The Vormits do okay by the rhythm chores. They’re Pete Conn, guitar; Atvie Recore, piano; Dick Shafer, accordion; Danny Martin, sax and clarinet, and‘Jep^ Walt her, bass. Koll. PANAMA HATTIE (Best of Broadway) With Ethel Merman, Ray Middle- ton, Karin Wolfe, Neil Hamilton. Jariis Carter, Art Carney, Jack E. Leonard;. Buster Davis, musical director; Others Producer: Jule. Styne Executive Producer: Martin Manu- lis Director: David Alexander GO Mins., Wed. (10), 10 p m. WESTINGHOUSE CBS-TV, from New York (color) •' (McCann-Erickson) . "Best of Broadway’s” televerslpn of Cole Porter’s "Panama Hattie” last Wednesday (10) had all the earmarks of a resurrected Fanchon & Marco ; tabloid presentation. It Was just about as inspiring. But whereas F & M have always known how to parlay a buck Into. maxi- mum roadshow values, enough coin Went into this overpretentious.. overdressed, overproduced (and even, overtinted) adaptation to smother either a black-and-white or a prisrriatic horse. The whole thing was an.unfor- tunate attempt at piayirig theatre, . and more’s the pity when one con- siders the marquee values that were superimposed over this West- inghouse-sponsored rainbow clam- bake. Ethel Merman, back at her - old familiar stand as Hattie Male- . ney, was seldom more uncomfort- able in this butchered-up Video version of what, even in its origi- nal legit facade, Was far from Cole Porter's most inspired effort. A Jule Styne, who knows his way around the Broadway show marts; certainly doesn’t come cheap, but tinder his production aegis this tv "Hattie" was in sum total a wasted effort. It did the medium no good (save to demonstrate how a lot of money can be spent on dated . ma- terial better left' buried) and it . hardly served to eriharice the stat- ure of ither Miss Merman, Styne or the : other personality compo- nents involved, "Hattie" Was "Best of Broad- way’s" first attempt at a musical (previously it had done "Royal Family” and "Man Who Came To Dinner"). Coming up is "Philadel- phia Story." Certainly the better part of wisdom would be to stick to straight-comedy or dramatics if ; this is CBS’ tclethinking on musi- cals. For“Hattie," and the singing arid dancing capers of the "Canal Zone Girls” Was singularly lacking in spirit. Even such gifted comics as Art Carney and Jack E. Leonard in their sailor roles suggested that they were struggling Valiantly to overcome the poof material on hand. Only once, in a madcap dance turn With the show’s she- villain, were, they able to rise above the pedestrian lines or by- phay in which they were strait- jdckctBd Musically,, "Hattie" has little to offer out of the Porter tune cata- log, Which perhaps accounts for the; fact that the only standard itei ("I Love You") had to be "borrowed", out of another Porter show, "Mexican 'Hayride," in an effort to make the Merman-Ray Middleton teamUp a little more re- warding? There was no stinting in the scenic — costuming depart- ments. Indeed, it was probably the most ambitious production to Come out of the Columbia tinted spec stable. But the trappings were a poor substitute for real, alive musicorriedy theatre. Rose. WUNDA, WUNDA With Ruth Prins Producer: Gloria Chandler Director: Carol Ellerbe 30 Mins., Mon.-thru-Fri, (noon) Participating , KING-TV, Seattle ! Ruth Prins’ acting ability brings pervading air of wonder to this daily program for children. Done with simple set and with .standard format, the program is exclusively for young uns. Re- sppnse from the kids and awards won by show are evidence that program is a success. On day caught, Miss Prins opened, with a "Good morning" song, tied into stretchy exercises, followed by a sugar-coated speech lesson that immediately made the world of Wunda, Wunda a real and ' fascinating place. Two standard characters, Albert and Hepry, go searching for ad- venture-—and find' it, and Miss Prins did the story fof the day.: This was the one about the three brothers, youngest , of which— Boots—is always wondering about things. His curiosity pays off. when he Wins half the King’s domains arid the hand of a prin- cess. Back to Henry and Albert and the climax of their adventure and to Windup with exercise- dance by Miss Prins arid sleepy ending noting, time for naps for little ones. - It’s obvious that children’s in- terest and imaginations are cap- tured by show, which surely should be a bright spot iri the day’s tv fare for mothers Of three to six year-olds, Reed. TEUEVISIOtf REVIEWS 35 The Howard Lindsay-Russel Grouse “State of.the Union" frolic, which parlayed romantic comedy, idealism and politics into one of the Broadway legit clicks of the 1945-46 season, served as the. sec- ond 90-minute, spectacular in the. Monday night "Producers Show- case" series on NBC-TV. And de- spite the intervening span of nearly a decade since its original presentataion, it held up surpris- ingly well in its video - tion. It took lot of collaborative do- ing on the part of the authors to. give "State of the Union” the needed pre-’56 political convention touch, but Lindsay & Crouse, al- ways ones for day-&-dating their material to match contemporary headlines,, met the situation arid conquered same. The truisms that held for ’45 were no less applica- ble :. as projected in compatible! color on Monday night (15 > arid, for that matter, many a hard truth was even more pointed in this newest updating of the Lindsay 6c Crouse PUlitizer Prize play. Thus the byplay on atomic po\ver plants, foreign policy circa '54, reference to the Sam Shep- pard murder trial, the Eisenhower- "Dick", Nixon appellations and con tempary *■ views on . the labor front, gave it a Page 1 facade with- out in any way distorting the STATE OF THE UNION (Producer’s Showcase) With Margaret Sulla van, Joseph Gotten, Nina Foch, John Grom* Well, Ray Walston, Muriel Kirk- land, Royal Beal, Ed Prentiss, Fred Ayres Cotton, Jack Leslie, Charlie Garrett, G. Albert-Smith, Helen Ray Writers, and Guest Producers: Howard Lindsay, Russel Crouse NBC Producer: Fred Coe Director: Arthur Penn Executive Producer: Jack Rayel Settings: William Molyneux 90 Mills., Mon. (15), 8 p.m. FORD, RCA NBC-TV, from New York (Kenyon & Eckhardt ) play’s original . inherent Values; For even stripped of the updated slant, first, and last it was the basic Lindsay-Crouse creation of the mid-’40s, with its nicely-turned lines and its refreshing look at politicians vs. idealism, that made. Monday’s “Producers Showcase" rewarding viewing. With the authors also doubling as guest producers (this marked their initial video adaptation), “State of the. Union" came off as a stunning tv production, which is all the more remarkable consider- ing that it played almost in toto as theatre, With little attempt to give it the broader dimension apd scope afforded* by rowing cameras and multiple sets. Margaret Sullavan and Joseph Gotten, who played. the leads in last season’s "Sabrina Fair" legiter, were once more teamed up for this “State of the Union” tv drama spec, portraying teh roles enacted in the stage version by Ruth Hussey and Ralph Bellamy, with Nina Foch also projected into ,the major role of the politically- wise “other woman." Since coin is no object, in translating color, speces into a tv reality, even the minor bits boasted such stage stal- warts as. Muriel Kirkland, Royal Beal, John Cromwell, Ed Prentiss, among Others, - But just; as important in achiev- ing the high professional standard and quality of the presentation was the production itself. The settings by William Molyneux, for example, were executed in the minutest de r Stale of The Union (ORIGINAL CAST) Leland Hayward production of three- act (four scenes) comedy-drama by How« ard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. Stars Ralph Bellamy, and Ruth Hussey: features Myron McCormick, Minor . Watson and Hay Johnson. Staged by Bretaigne Win- dust; settings by Raymond Sovey; opened Hudson, NiY., Nov. 14. ’43; $4.80 top. James Conover .......... Minor Watson Sjpike McManus Myron McCormick Kay Thorndyke ..'........ -Kay Johnson Grant Matthews . Ralph Bellamy Norah Helen Ray Mary Matthews Ruth Hussey Stevens John Rowe Bellboy *,* Howard Graham Waiter Robert Toms Sam Parrish Herbert Heyes Swenson . ........ Fred Ayres Cotton Judge Alexander...... G. Albert' Smith G. Albert Smith Mrs. Alexander .......... Maidel Turner Jennie Madeline King Mrs. Draper .......... Aline McDermott William Hardy ....... Victor Sutherland Sehator Lauterb&ck..George Lessey tail, with some lush and impres-. sive scenes in the first, .arid third acts, yet done tb a tasteful turn. In the compatible color edition, the multi-hued background arid furnishings Were beautiful to be- hold. Under the Lindsay-Crouse production aegis and Arthur Penn’s direction, the play moved smoothly (although perhaps slow in getting. started) and built steadily to a nice climax. . Undoubtedly the. fine perform- ances of both Miss Sullavan arid Gotten, did much, toward contribut- ing to the play’s tv success. As the Republican candidates for President (it(s assumed Ike isn’t running /again) who is torn be- tween his idealistic preachments and the necessary concessions for political backing, Gotten gave an always believable interpretation. Miss Sullavan played the part of the wife With her now standard charming mannerisms, yiet with all the necessary intensity and sin- cerity that the role demanded. Miss Foch seldom looked better on tv* but/the part unfortunately suffered iri the. adaptation. It’s Tegrettible, too, that she threw her lines, away. .John Crornwell as the big Republican Wheel Was too. stiff arid too often just recited. On the other . hand; Ray Walston the ex-newspaperman-turned- cai paigri-manager (in the roie origi- nally created by Myron McCor- mick) was ‘ happy casting choice. What tint tv cn do; for those new brilliantly-toned Ford models, can only be appreciated in the viewing. Monday’s display (a miniature pro-; duction in itself) was an extrava- gant treat. RCA prexy Frank Fol- som was spotted in one of the RCA commercials, making an award to the American Gas Industry. RCA commercials on the whole were far less eye appealing. Rose. FRANK LEAHY SHOW With Otto Graham, Dabbs Greer, Joyce MacKenzie, Ralph Moody, Mr. and Mrs. Mark Wilson, others Exec PrBducer: Don Sharpe Producer: Warren Lewis Director: Francis D. Lyon Writer: Joel Murcott 30 Mins., Tucs. (9), 7:30 p.m. DU PONT ABC-TV, from N Y. (film) IBBD&O) ■ Du Pont bought the first film in the "Frank Leahy Show" as a one- shot insertion in its "Cavalcade of America" Tuesdays on ABC-TV. While a departure from the usual historical drama, the segment fit neatly into the "Cavalcade" ap- proach of . pointing up Americana. Moreover, the pilot has. the quali- ties to project it into an entirely separate series on its bwh, both from the. commercial and entertain- ment standpoints. There’s an interesting genealogy to the series. Packager Don Sharpe signed ex^Notre Dariie coach Frank Leahy, then got ABC to finance the shooting of the pilot. ABC-TV still has rights to the property, but they expire soon and then it will go on the open market. Meanwhile, Shatpe, the web and du Pont agreed on the one-shot, in order to give it a wide showcasing, to gain back some of the coin spent in the filming and to supply du Pont with an excellent "Cavalcade" episode. Another of the films in the series has been completed meanwhile; and Sharpe will produce more in- termittently until the series is sold, When it goes on a regular production basis. Show is hard to categorize, but it combines the inspirational-type success; story with sortie excellent sports backgrounds. Pilot w r as the Story of. high school coach Mark Wilson, among whose proteges was the great Cleveland Browns back, Otto Graham. While Graham plays ah important part in the film—and plays it literally, appearing as him-' 'self—essentially its the story of . a man who lived and coached accord- ing to liis beliefs and got his pupils to do the same. Story of Wilson, ably played by Dabbs Greer, and his wife, Joyce MacKenzie, is in- teresting throughout and makes a point Without preaching. And the topnotch football clips inserted into the film give it a broad appeal that should prove a pleaser to all members of the family^ Leahy is an easy and informal narrator, who introes the story and returns from time to time, bring- ing on the subjects of the story themselves for an in-person bow at the* end. All Warren Lewis’ pro- duction values were topnotch, and Francis D. Lyon's direction was well-paced. Joel. Murcott's screen- play had the virtues of simplicity and ‘ straightforwardness. Graham, incidentally, proves to be a pretty good actor. * -ChUn.