Variety (February 1955)

24 RADIO-TELEVISION CBS & NBC RADIO FLAG-WAVING GETS A HOTFOOT ON VARIETY OF FRONTS CBS and NBC were hanging out the banners for network radio on multiple fronts in "Operation Co- incidental" last week. Both relied heavily on listener surveys, with the chips falling as freely as protocol would allow on "hate tele- vision — hate newspapers — hate magazines,” though in varying de- grees, depending,- apparently, on how far the aural side was per- mitted to go by the higher brass in nuasuring its graphs versus the same webs’ younger tv cousins. CBS "just happened” to be in a position to have a spot sales meas- urement announcement coincide with a program purchase bundle amounting to nearly $3,000,000 wrapped under the aegis of sales v.p. John Karol. The gross billing spanned daytime and nighttime and involved ^General Foods and Campana, with both getting back into the nocturnal picture after dropping several shows. The major coup brought OF into camp with two nights of Bing Crosby’s crossboarder- (Wednesday and Friday starting this week), thus giving the Groancr a thrce- for-five sponsorial score since Con- solidated Cosmetics handled the Monday freight. GF’s increased daytime outlay takes in the “Wendy Warren” dramas Tuesday and Thursday, and another of its afterdark latchons is Galen Drake’s new Saturday gab stanza, also as of current week, with Young & Rubicam handling the deals. Campana Sales Co. rides into full underwriting of Rosemary Clooney's 9 to 9:15 Thursday show starling early next month. It also goes for co-sponsorship (with Philip Morris> on the Sunday "My Little Margie” and buys into the web’s Power Plan for cross-the- board Tennessee Ernie on Fridays (via Wallace-Ferry-Haniy of Chi). Starch Analysis Carrying the ball for NBC’s listener survey via the Starch or- ganization (made originally for the magazine field, with supplemen- tary material built in on the web’s arrangement with.the sampler) was radio v.p. William Fineshriber Jr. It was long and detailed and dem- onstrated to the press as a slide- show. Running theme was “last night on the radio”—with the big point being that 56,250.000, or ’al- most one out of every two persons over 10 years of age in the U. S., dialed in during the prime night- time periods <6 to 11*. The main (Continued on page 38) Barber Fed Up With Desk Job Red Barber has “had it”—he couldn’t see himself deskbound any longer, and hence has quit as coun- selor on sports for CBS, effective March 1. Hereafter he’ll divide his time between his prime grooving, that of broadcasting <radio-tv), to which he’s devoted himself for 25 years, and finishing his autibiog- raphy for Doubleday. Barber’s exit jrom his chairborne vise has the same overtones as Ed Mur cow's ankling of the web’s news and special events veepeeship a few years ago to return w holly to broadcasting. It’s not expected that the counselor's berth will be continued by the network. Barber, who left his longtime Brooklyn Dodgers niche a season ago to cover the N. Y. Yankees with Mel Allen, joined CBS in 1946 as sports director and switched to the counselor post four years ago (John Derr was named two-ply- sports director for both radio and tv a few' months ago in the web’s decision to merge that and other departments (news and public af- tairs. for instance). Barber hopes to bring in the first couple of chap- ters of his book, tentatively titled “Sittin* in the Catbird Seat.” in March, the month he marks up his quarter century as a sportscaster. His previous tome was doing the text for the profusely illustrated “The Rhubarb Patch,” about the Dodgers' life and times. ‘Hey, What About Me?* Chicago, Feb. 1. Due apparently to an over- sight, ABCs Don McNeill was a last minute entry in Ed Sullivan’s Sunday night “Toast of the Town” toast of radio’s down-through-the-years head- liners. When Chi ABC pub- licity chief Ell Henry noticed McNeill was among the miss- ing in the advance guest line- up last week, he immediately called the omission to the at- tention of Hal Davis, Kenyon & Eckhardt veepee .and the rest was a cinch. After all. McNeill only owns one of network radio’s long- est continuous track records. He’s now in his 22d year as host of "Breakfast Club,” first on NBC and now on ABC. ABC Counter-Suit In B. B. Pen Action B. B Pen Co.’s suit against ABC-TV, charging the network with breach of contract in connec- tion with last season’s “George Jessel Show,” has resulted in a countersuit by the network against the pen company, asking monies allegedly owed the web by the company. Summons were handed B. B and Hilton & Riggio, its agency last week, returnable in New' York Supreme Court, asking payment of “a balance of consid- erable proportions still owing ABC under facilities and program ar- rangements” for the show. ’ABC claim that B.B’s suit, filed two weeks ago in Los Angeles “os- tensibly as an affirmative action,” is “really a defensive move.” Web’s general counsel, Geraldine Zor- baugh, said. “It is evident that the B. B Pen Co. action was intended to blunt the effect of ABC’s action commenced in N. Y. to collect that balance. W’eb has retained the firm of Hawkins, Dellafield & Wood to handle the counterclaim, while the L. A. firm of Lillick, Geary & Mc- Hose have entered a defense to B. B’s suit. Balance owed to ABC, a network attorney said, is “in the upper five figures.” ‘Lone Ranger’ as 1-Shot Full Hour TV Showcase Vs. Sullivan’s ‘Toast’ “Slotting of the year” will find an hour-long version of the history of “The Lone Ranger” bucking Ed Sullivan’s “Toast of the Town” come Feb. 13. ABC-TV has sched- uled the one-hour special, w’hich Jack Chertok has whipped up for Lone Ranger Inc. toppers Jack Wrather and Helen Alvarez on the occasion of the show's 22d anni, at 8 p. m., right opposite “Toast.” Filmer, incidentally, will run as a sustainer, since it’s a promotion piece and General Mills isn’t foot- ing the bill. CBS-TV is trying to clear an hour of sustaining time for the special, with the probabil- ity that it will slot it on a Saturday afternoon, which is w'hen the web carries the repeats of the regular show. An ABC wag queried: “Why don’t they put it opposite ’Disney- land?” ALAN GALE AUDITION SETS TERESA BREWER • With Teresa Brewer as the initial guest, the proposed half- hour comedy-variety series star- ring Alan Gale undergoes the au- dition route on Feb. 10. This is the Irving MansAcld-Ted Ashley package which NBC-TV is under- writing as a proposed nighttime series in a bid to find new talent in the tv comedy sweepstakes. Coleman Jacoby and Arnie Rost n have been pacted as the show’s chief writers. WRCA-TV ‘Go for Broke’ As Daytime Showcased Bill Hayes Also Set Veteran announcer - personality Normal Brokenshire is being set by WRCA-TV, N. Y., to take over a daytime cross-the-board slot with a variety show under his name, stanza, will have some service as well as standard entertainment ele- ments and will include a mixed pair of singers, Bill Hayes featured vocalist and an orch. There’ll be guest interviews. Slotting of 1:05 to 1:30 repre- sents an overhaul by program chief Steve Krantz, with “Sentimental You” getting the axe and with no word on the future of that short- termer. It follows the newest trend (as per WABC-TV) in spot- ting daytime entertainment. Ken- neth Banghart will lead up to the Brokenshire showcase with a news capsule and Richard Willis remains at 1:30 with his “Here’s Looking at You” beautifier. Richard Eck- ler will produce and direct and Bobby Lane script. Show will kick off middle of this month. WOV&WATV In Open Warfare On Italo Programs Bad feelings are high in N. Y. between Italo radio station WOV and the producers and star of a new block of Italo video shows on WATV. In the past two weeks mud slinging and tactical counterfire have been rampant on the airwaves and even in the dailies. Uniquely, WOV has become the virtual critic of another station's programming, and it’s also believed the first time that a radio station has indulged in open warfare with a tv station in N. Y. First the radio outlet, which has held almost sole electronic sway among N. Y.’s large Italian popula- tion for a long time until advent of the tele shows on WATV a few weeks back, allegedly began with a dig at Aldo Aldi, who left after eight years with the radio station to take up as emcee of an hour daily in the WATV Italo sked. As Aldi himself reports it, a regular WOV announcer, explained on the air to Aldi’s replacement why the former left after five years in the same time spot. Without mention- ing Aldi by name, he was said to have declared that WOV had told the emcee not to leave, because in time the station would have its own tele show. But, the announcer added, he decided to go anyway. Aldi noted that the entire tone of the conversation was of the “I told you so” genre. Shortly thereafter a regular cam- paign against WATV Italo pro- gramming, which runs until noon, was said to have begun in strength on WOV. First, the radio outlet told its Italo audience to read an upcoming article in the Italian-lan- guage newspaper II Progresso. Then the paper printed an editorial blast of the new tv shows. (The video shows are run by Aldi and the Fernand Pcttinella ad agency as well as WATV having a hand in policy matters.) The article started with “the mountain has had labor pains and has given birth to a lit- tle mouse.” The article also stated: “What has been offered us to date is a jumble of variety numbers badly put together. We have seen finer performances in the small amateur theatres that are formed by elementary schools.” It con- tinued in the same tone, adding that the Italo video in which Aldi 'by name) is starred "doesn’t touch the high quality of Italian talent which is presented in other spheres of entertainment.” The production and low regard for the tv audience were also taken to task, and Aldi (Continued on page 38) Wednesday, February 2, 1955 Hurok’s Got Himself a Poser Sol Hurok’s newly-established consultancy with NBC-TV (he’s currently in Europe negotiating for talent for the network’s “Pro- ducers Showcase” spec series), has raised the. question in some quarters as to Hurok’s future status in relation to Ed Sullivan's “Toast of the Town” on the competing CBS-TV. Until now the concert impresario has had an almost exclusive tv identity with the Sullivan show, as with the guest appearances of such personalities as Roberta Peters, Moira Shearer, etc. In view of the current “stay on your own side of the street” talent schism which finds both webs steadfastly rejecting any talent interchanging, the assumption is that from here on in it’s to be a one-way thoroughfare where Hurok-pacted talent is concerned. The fun, some say, will start when Sullivan dangles those offers for performers in Hurok’s already-existing stable, with attendant reading of the fine print to determine whether he or NBC can stop it. A Local Makes AD Stops Case of When a Network Masterminds a Local Show The Station May Miss the Train Philly Nite Life Cues WPEN Sponsor Bonanza Philadelphia, Feb. 1. Unusual sponsorship setup finds 11 cafes and restaurants picking up tab for WPEN’s “After Hours,” early ayem (2 to 5) program of disk and interviews with show folk emceed by Bob London in station’s Ranch Room. Bill Rodstein, owner of Latimer Club, paved way for project by per- sonally sponsoring program for seven weeks to stir public interest in local night life. After having set pattern, Rod- stein turned program back to Yar- dis Advertising Agency, which set up deals with cafes. Participating are the Latin Casino, Celebrity Room, the Rendezvous, Sdolla’s, Orsatti’s. Frankie Bradley, the Wagon Wheel, P. M. Bar, 800 Lounge, Steve Brodie s and Hat- boro Inn. Weaver Tint Hint: Economic Plateau . Detroit, Feb. 1. Pat Weaver, NBC prexy, urged non-consumer facets of American industry* to get aboard television in support of the end products of their customers in a speech at the Detroit Economic Club yesterday (Mon.). Building a dream picture of individual earnings that would have to find an outlet in purchases. Weaver’s address was punctuated by constant reference to the color era, current and upcoming, declar- ing that: “An explosion which will lift business to another economic pla- teau is in the making, and the dynamite for its lifting is with us now. It is color television. It will sharpen the incentives, alert the minds, enlarge the spirits, build up hopes, harden the determination, and enlighten the view’s of our peo- ple.” Tint tv, he said, would "quad- ruple the impact of the incentive system on society itself. The trans- fer of information about the strength of the economy, which sets the climate for confidence or fear, is and will be done by the mass media,” and particularly by color video. He described the color medium as one which would “take people out into the wide, wide world—to the cascades of the Sierras, the Everglades of Florida, the glitter of Broadway, and to the romance of far places. It will give people a new sight of the present that they never saw before.” Denning as Margraf Aide 'On NBC Contract Deals James Denning has been taken out of the legal department of NBC and installed as manager of talent and program contract operations under Gus Margraf, veepee in charge of talent. (Margraf himself came out of the legal end of the netw ork operation a couple of years ago.) . | Moving of Denning has been oc- ! casioned by the stepped-up activity | in formulating new program-talent ; deals looking toward ’55-’5«. CBS-TV and its Gotham flag. | ship, WCBS-TV, are in the midst of working out a "purchase” | w hereby the station takes over “An Eye On New York,” which is strictly a local show to begin with. The web is regarded as having given the show too much of a black "Eye’ via an all-encompass- ing aura, sort of a panel on-t lie- channel view that, for all its high flown discussion and even more highflown guests, didn’t hit. New Yorkers with what they wanted to see and hear—what’s wrong with the town and how to go about im- proving it. This would call for up- dated, up-to-the-minute accent on the goings-on in Gotham, whether it’s smog or fog, garbage collection, the transit and traffic situation, or juve delinquency. And without pulling too many punches. “Eye” has had a hop-skip-jump history in slotting and panelmas- tering since its June ’53 premiere, with such CBS stalwarts as Charles Collingw’ood, Edward P. Morgan (now ABC), Jim McKay and Bill Leonard as the modera- tors. It’s been in various time periods and only recently got ousted from 3:30 p.m. Saturday to make way “Big Ten” basketball on the web. The pitch now is to install Leonard permanently as producer on-camera and to tailor t,he show strictly in the “for New Yorkers” groove, complete with spot news film under the overall supervision of Clancy Worden, head of public affairs for~*tiie station. The o&o is 'currently balking “Eye to Eye” to Leon- ard to work out the deal for switching him and the show from network public affairs. Idea is to give it a Sunday morning wharf- ing at 11 o’clock, preceded by the “Wake Up &c Live” religioser and followed by "Camera Three” (an- other localite that’s been all over the sectrum despite its bigtime edu- cational cultural-entertainment fa- cets ). When and if that’s settled and the show reaches an audience, the next move may be to provide a better time. The fussin* and feudin’ stem from the fact that “Eye” would be installed as the most expensive of the stations public service programs, with Leonard’s fee a not inconsiderable part of the bundle. Leonard is one of the best informed minds around when it comes to knowing the toyvn, including its restaurants, cul- tural and theatrical facets, streets and city affairs. BaUantine Biz In JWT-to-Esly A major shift in beer advertis- ing strategy brings the P. Ballan- tine & Sons account, the New Jer- sey outfit, into.the William Esty agency camp. J. Walter Thompson had been operating for that client for some time. Ballantine is heavily repped in radio-tv with the telepix end ac- cented by the spot-marketed Eddie Cantor new comedy series out of the Fred Ziv production arsenal, plus the longtime Shelley Rey- nolds "Foreign Intrigue” skein. Beer and ale company also is strong on the sports side season- ally.