Variety (January 19, 1955)

Record Details:

Something wrong or inaccurate about this page? Let us Know!

Thanks for helping us continually improve the quality of the Lantern search engine for all of our users! We have millions of scanned pages, so user reports are incredibly helpful for us to identify places where we can improve and update the metadata.

Please describe the issue below, and click "Submit" to send your comments to our team! If you'd prefer, you can also send us an email to mhdl@commarts.wisc.edu with your comments.




We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.

Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.

Wednesday, January 19, 1955 A TV-FILMS 43 Hackett Envisions Biggest OF Year Yet; Set Program Expansion 'OUTSIDE 1 VIDPIX GEs Click Live-&-Film Formula (With Stars) Hits Top 10 Jackpot Hollywood, Jan. 18. With an expanded program in- volving at least four new series, Official Films faces the biggest \ear of its history, prexy Hal Hack- ett said here just before returning to N. Y. after business confabs on the Coast. Hackett described Of- ficial’s picture as “a bullish one,” and said distribution company is swinging right along with tv’s demand for better product and good salesmen. Hackett signed a deal to take over distribution nationally for Jack Denove’s “This Is Your Mu- sic” series, currently seen on the Coast only. He also discussed with Jack Chertok a deal for a western series with w.k. names, in which Official would arrange the financ- ing, in return for which it would receive national and syndication distribution rights. Official exec also mot with top- pers at Four Star Productions to discuss syndication of "Four Star Playhouse.” They had what Hack- ett called “a meeting of the minds.” and agreed “in principle” that Official will syndicate, but actual release date is indefinite pending continuation of show’s cur- rent sponsor. Official is also going to handle syndication of 39 “Robin Hood.” vidpix, rolling Feb. 10 in England with Richard Greene starring, and Hannah Weinstein producing for Saphire Pictures Corp. Also to be syndicated by Official is Thetis Films’ “The Three Musketeers,” being filmed in Rome with Jeffrey Stone starring in the 26 episodes. Herman Rush to Coast Herman* Rush, Official Films veepee and assistant to prexy Hal Hackett, is being transferred to the Coast by the firm to head up all west coast sales activities and pro- duction liaison. Move is part of a three-way divisional split in Offi- cial's sales setup, which previously was completely supervised from New York. Decision was made in Chicago over the weekend at a meeting of Official’s sales execs helmed by national sales veep Herb Jaffe. Other two divisional toppers haven’t been set, but they’ll oper- ate out of N.Y. and Chicago. Offi- cial will also open three additional offices, in San Francisco, Seattle and Denver, all of which will come under Rush’s domain. Cincy’s ‘Shock’ A Late-Nite Shocker Cincinnati, Jan. 18. Cross-the-board programming of syndicated film In the late-night hours has spread to Cincinnati, with WCPO-TV picking up the trend via a five-a-week spread of mysteries with which to buck Steve Allen’s “Tonight” on WLW-T and feature films on WKRC-TV. Only WCPO-TV is doing it in spades, running two syndicated half-hours each evening, at 11:15 and at 11:45 to compete with the full scheduling on the other out- lets. Series is called “Shock,” and is emceed by Bud Chase, who will surround the film showings with such prop trappings as simulated shrunken heads. Initial run of films, which will be played off in seven and one-half weeks, is the NRC Film Division’s “Inner Sanc- tum” series, with assistant general manager Ed Weston currently dickering with Ziv, MCA-TV, Flamingo Films and National Tele- fi'm Associates for additional series. Weston says the multiple- run scheduling has cut the cost of programming (as opposed to reg- ular-run film costs or live pro- grams) by as much as 50%. Chase, incidentally, kicked off the series promotion-wise by riding through downtown Cincinnati in a 75-year- old hearse. SAG's ‘Beware* Hollywood, Jan. 18. Screen Actors Guild has warned its members not to make filmed tv commercials unless they are sure the per- son or company- or advertising agency involved is a signatory to the Guild contract. Contract covering filmed tv commercials expires March 1. Negotiations for a new pact will get under way before Feb. 1. Guild’s financial report for 1954 discloses assets amount- ing to $737,002.35 and liabili- ties of $60,953.41, with a sur- plus of $676,048.94. MCA-TV’s 4-Ply Setup on Vidpix To Match Catalog MCA-TV is subdividing into four separate units (under one central head) for the sale of vidfilm. Out- fit, having the biggest fulltime sales staff (near 70 men) and the largest catalog for syndication (22 shows) plus responsibility for several network show’s, figures through the specialization to keep the organization from getting cum- bersome. In addition to a syndication sales setup and a closely allied but distinct station (library plan) sales force, MCA has just instituted a regional-national department to which it has assigned four of its longtime staffers, and soon expects to have an international setup (an idea particularly favored by MCA- TV topper David Sutton). To reinforce the topmost eche- lon of MCA-TV, Sutton has gotten himself another veepee. one who'll act as administrative factotum to help coordinate the complexity of subdivisions. New’ v.p. is Herbert Stern, an MCA lawyer, a role in which he will continue along with everything else. Sutton hasn’t yet picked a man to head the International division, nor hatf he chosen a topper for the national-regional setup. However, the four men appointed to the lat- ter department so far are Carroll Bagley, Kirk Torney, Mickey Dubin and George Vaughan. As- cording to Sutton, these men, all from the original MCA-TV syndi- cation end, will be responsible for large regional and national sales (Continued on page 46) Reynolds to Convert ‘Intrigue,’ ‘Sherlock’ To Color; Start in Spring Sheldon Reynolds is planning to convert his two current series. “Foreign Intrigue” and “Sherlock Holmes,” to color this spring. Such a move would mark them as the first regularly aired tinted series coming out of Europe. He’ll use the Eastman process, for which lab facilities exist in Paris, where he shoots all the “Holmes” pix and most of the “Intrigues.” Reynolds, now on the Coast for huddles about his upcoming “In- trigue” feature film, said in N.Y. last week that he’d start a new cycle of 39 “Holmes” films for Matty Fox’s Motion Pictures for Television in April, and at that time would turn to tint. Several in the current “Intrigue” cycle are still shooting, but when the new group goes into production in June, he’ll tint up “Intrigue” also. He’s not too enthusiastic on using color on “Intrigue”—“it’s the type of film that lends itself better to black and white,” he says, but nowadays color is a “must” for the telepix producer. Indie telefilm producers have had a field day this season in plac- ing their properties on the net- works, a far cry from the situation a year ago, when every producer, agent and agency was raising the cry of monopoly and “restraint of trade” re the networks’ propensity to clear time for their own shows alone. During the 1953-1954 season, only seven or so independent new film packages made the network grade—everything else in the way of new’ programs were network- created or network-owned. By way of contrast, a total of 19 new half-hour telefilms produced and owned by independents have hit the three major webs so far this season, with at least one more sponsored segment awaiting a time slot. Why the change in attitude on the part of the webs, which a year ago wouldn’t look at a package un- less it could ride on the ownership or production? Tradesters see one answer in the swing to film by the networks, with the accompanying economies effected in personnel, line charges, production and studio costs, et al. But the webs can’t do them all—the current' total of net- work footage during the year far surpasses Hollywood’s theatrical total. The networks must also con- tract their properties for filming, since union conflicts prevent the webs from doing their own physical telefilm production. Nor has any one of the networks propelled the movement toward taking on indie shows. CBS and NBC are evenly split, with eight new indie packages each, while ABC, which a year ago would have welcomed the shows anyway, has three. On the NBC ledger are: Raydic’s (Ray Singer & Dick Chcvaillat) “It’s a Great Life” for Chrysler; the David Wayne-David Swift “Norby” for Eastman Kodak; the Peter Lawford-Alex Gottlieb “Dear Phoebe” for Campbell Soups; Mickey Rooney Enterprises- Voleano Productions’ “Hey Mulli- gan” for Pillsbury and Green Giant; Arrowhead Productions’ (Ed Beloin) “So'This Is Hollywood” for Toni; Television Programs of America’s upcoming “Captain Gal- lant of the Foreign Legion” for Heinz; John Guedel-Art Linklet- ter’s “People Are Funny” for Toni and Mars; and McCadden Produc- tions’ (Burns & Allen) Bob Cum- nr.ings show for R. J. Reynolds. CBS, Too CBS lineup includes TPA’s “Halls of Ivy” for International Harvester and Nabisco; Don Fed- derson’s upcoming “The Million- naire” for Colgate (in place of “Strike It Rich”); Desilu’s “Willy” for General Mills; TPA’s “Lassie” for Campbell; MCA-Revue Produc- tions’ “General Electric Theatre” for GE (BBD&O produced when Fred Waring was the regular, while Stuart Reynolds did the GE vid- pix); Screen Gems’ “Father Knows Best” fbr Kent ciggies, "Captain Midnight” for General Mills and Ovaltine, also via Screen Gems; and “Favorite Theatre” for Bristol- Myers (as a sub for the departed (Continued on page 46) Mortgage Firm Head To Roll Own Vidpix Hollywood, Jan. 18. In a new telefilm wrinkle, the president of a Beverly Hills mortgage company will personally produce his own series of 13 vidpix which he’ll sponsor on a Los Angeles sta- tion. Robert Bergman, prexy of Ideal Mortgage Co., said he’ll start production on the films at the end of the month. He’ll finance and produce as well as sponsor. If the show proves success- ful, Bergman, who’s also been active in film financing, said he’ll put it into syndication to • be sold to other realty sponsors. Pipe This! In these days of the ultra- important visual plug on a filmed <or live) show, Chcster- - fields and "Dragnet” came across with a refreshing change of pace last week. Principal character of the story, being questioned by Jack Webb and Ben Alexan- der, asked if he could smoke. Then he reached into his pocket, and instead of pulling out the usual pack of Chester- fields, took out a pipe and lit up with every sign of satisfac- tion and enjoyment. Telepix to Spark Rep s Tu Manchu Three-Way Deal Republic Pictures this week signed a three-way deal with Sax Rohmer for the writer’s “Dr. Fu Manchu” character, and stories with telepix stressed as the prin- cipal factor behind the deal. Re- public, via its Studio City Produc- tions and Hollywood Television Service subsidiaries, will shoot 78 half-hour telepix based on the mystery series. With plans also to produce three feature pix and separate half-hour radio shows. Telepix will go into production within two months on the Coast under the Studio City banper for distribution via HTS, with Roh- mer presently writing new “Dr. Fu Man Chu” stories for televi- sion and the author to be avail- able as a consultant during pro- duction. Rohmer planes to the Coast next week for pre-produc- tion huddles with Republic prexy Herbert J. Yates and HTS prexy Earl Collins. Star for the series hasn’t been tapped yet. Other facets of the deal, which was put at $4,000,000, are three features based on the novels “The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu,” “The Return of Dr. Fu Manchu” and “The Hand of Dr. Fu Manchu,” along with a radio series to be taped independently of the tele soundtrack. Deal was set by Yates and Douglas Storer, who repped Rohmer on the deal. A pilot film on the Fu Manchu character has been making the rounds of distributors and agen- cies for a couple of years now, but apparently it’s not involved in the Republic deal. Pilot was pro- duced by Charles Curran's Times Square Productions and directed by Herbert Bayard Swope Jr. Just what happens to this prop- erty isn’t known CBS Film Sales Pacts ‘Lineup’ for Syndication In Non-Network Cities Deal has been finalized whereby CBS Television Film Sales, the syndication arm of the CBS-TV web, will pick up syndication and rerun rights on “The Lineup,” the network-produced film series about the San Francisco police which Brown & Williamson Tobacco (Viceroy ciggies) bankrolls on Fri- day nights. Film Sales begins sell- ing the series firstrun immediately in those markets not included in the network lineup, and starts sell- ing reruns in all markets in June. Since Brown & Williamson sponsors the show in some 112 net- work markets. Film Sales gets only the leavings for syndication, about 115 markets of which only about 50 mean a payoff. However, re- run rights are effective in all mar- kets, including the major ones. Some 26 pix are already in the can, and by the time Film Sales starts peddling the rerun*, there will be 39 completed. Unheralded television success story of the season is the quiet but steady rating rise of “General Electric Theatre,” which bounced into 10th place in the Nielsen sweepstakes last week after only four months on the air. Not only did the last Nielsen-recorded “GE Theatre” register a 43.2, easily outranking the longtime Sunday- at-9 champ, “Philco - Goodyear Playhouse," but it has come out on top of "Philco” five times this season, thereby resolving a five- year-old Sunday night program- ming problem for both GE and CBS-TV. Both the sponsor and the net have been consistent losers in the battle against the hour-long “Phil- co” until this year. Then, GE preemed its live-and-film. New York - and - Hollywood - originated series, stressing star names in quality but unpretentious dra- matics. Initial Nielsen w’as a 27.1, compared with “Philco’s” 29.9. Second week, which starred Joseph Cotten, came out on top with a 32.9. Since then, it’s pulled in the high 30’s and low 40's, with Jack Benny’s “The Face Is Fa- miliar” starrer on Nov. 21 getting a 41.9 (more than he's gotten on his own show) and Alan Ladd in “Committed” Dec. 5 hitting the 43.2 high. Average Nielsens for 10 shows thus far this season give “GE” a 34.1 compared with “Phil- co’s” 31.07, a far cry from the days of “Philco’s” domination over Fred Waring and the filmed alternates. GE, BBD&O and MCA (which packages the show) exces believe the success stems from a number of factors, but mainly from that of approach. Sponsor decided what it wanted was quality dra- matics, but not “arty,” the term customarily applied to the “Philco” stanzas. Additionally, they wanted flexibility, something achieved via live production from both coasts, along with films (13 of the latter, with 13 repeats slated for sun\- mer). This flexibility could lead to another b.o. attraction, star names, of U'hich there have been plenty (Benny, Ladd, Joan Craw- ford, Cotten, Jane Wyman, Barry Fitzgerald. Burgess Meredith) and will be lots more (James Stewart, Johnnie Ray, Fred MacMurray, Henry Fonda, Cornel Wilde, Ray Milland, with negotiations on for Paul Muni, Ethel Barrymore, (Continued on page 46) Ballantine Keeps 10-City ‘Intrigue Ballantine’s Beer has settled its latest squabble with Sheldon Rey- nolds and has changed its mind about “Foreign Intrigue,” decid- ing to keep the series in at least 10 major markets after first drop- ping it entirely when it bought Ziv’s “Eddie Cantor Comedy The- atre” in 21 markets formerly de- voted to “Intrigue.” Decision was made at J. Walter Thompson agency last w'eek after huddles with Reynolds. Move will give Ballantine’s the sort of dual coverage which Rhein- gold Beer has been experimenting with via two-way sponsorship in the same markets with "Douglas Fairbanks Presents” and "Henry Fonda Presents” (latter being the “Star & the Story” series with Fonda as host in the Rheingold markets). Ballantine’s is also considering adding several smaller markets not previously covered to its “Intrigue” lineup. Deal gives Reynolds enough starting coin to assure continued production of "Intrigue.” Brewery, meanwhile, has moved its starting date for Cantor down from the end of March to the latter part of this month. Series starts on WABC-TV in N. Y. on Jan. 26, in the Wednesday at 10:30 berth presently occupied by "Intrigue.” Latter will probably be moved to Saturdays at 10:30.