Variety (March 1955)

Wednesday, March SO, 195$ RAttIO -VEMJO-TV FILMS 25 OF POLITICS 9 S Not content with merely competing with ABC-TV in the latter’s 7j30-8 strip operation, CBS-TV is, actually going out and trying to raid the network for three of the shows that have made ABC the toprated web in the time period. CBS-TV's plans tor half-hour shows in the'7:30-8 strip include “Bin Tin Tin,” “The Lone Ranger” and “Name's the Same,” and it’s, now making strong overtures to their, respective sponsors to woo them over in their same time periods. “Rin Tin Tin” and “Lone Ranger,” particularly, are two' of the very shows which by their solid ratings cued the decision by CBS to switch to the half-hour format rather than the current music-and-news quarter-hours. CBS has an inside track on at least one of the shows and a strong argument on another. Web and General Mills are chummy, what with “Lone Ranger” running repeats on CBS for GM on Saturday afternoons, with gpod results. And, since Nabisco, which bank- rolls “Rin Tin Tin” on ABC, also sponsors “Halls of Ivy” alternately on CBS, the latter is inducing Nabisco with a contiguous rate ad- vantage if it brings “Rinnie” over. Finally, the weak sister, rat- ingwise, of the trio, “Name’s the Same,” is also the subject of a pitch to Ralston, its ABC bankrolled These three are all that CBS can touch, since “Disneyland” is an exclusive ABC property and “Cavalcade of America” is firmly pacted for another year. Fact that CBS is imitating ABC’s program setup, let alone raid- ing its shows, is the first indication by the other webs of the new bigtime status ABC now occupies. The program raids, combined with CBS’ grab of the U. S. Steel business, are the first time either CBS or NBC have condescended to look at ABC in any way but as an upstart. ABC, of course, appreciates the compli- ment, but isn’t too happy over the raiding tactics with Which it’*, expressed. Major Network Shows Compete With Sleep In Reshuffling of Station Schedules Mobile, March 29. f Many of the top-ranking tv shows come on in the deep south just about the time Steve Allen’s “To- night” is bowing in in New York. Or with central time, often an hour after he has started. What makes It doubly bad is that two-thirds of viewers here hit the hay hard and fast at 10 p. m. Apparently tv space buyers in the big ad agencies do not realize this. Or they believe in representation (and billing) at all odds. In Mobile, on Sunday at 11 p.m. comes “Medic.” This has been pre- ceded by a kine of ""Toast of the Town” two weeks after the pro- gram has been shown live at 7 p. m. in Pensacola. (Mobile gets Pensacola with a special Pensacola aerial and the right conditions.) On Sunday, New Orleans tosses “Ozzie and Harriet” at 10, “Meet Mr. McNulty” at 10:30 and. “Make Room for Daddy” at 1L “The Whistler” bows at 11:30 in New Orleans Sundays With “This Is the Life” at midnight. But Channel 3 in Pensacola has had Jack Benny or “Private Secretary” at 6:30. So far as VHF set owners are concerned Pensacola Mobile and New Orleans are onerstation cities. New Orleans has a UHF station, (Continued on page 46) ‘Toast’ 30.7; NBC 26.2 . CBS-TV’s Toast of the Town” took the Trendex meas- ure of NBC-TV’s “Entertain- ment ’55” colorspec dedicating its Burbank studio Sunday (27). Ed Sullivan show wound up with a 30.7 vs. 26.2 in the 8 to 9 rivalry, putting together half-hour clusters of 30 and 31.4 against 24.7 and 27.6. ' The NBC spec kicked off at 7:30 with 25.5 to beat the 19.4 '■ of “Private Secretary.” For the 90 minutes, NBC’s score was 25.9, to 26.9 gor Columbia. Miltie & Martha $ 3-Way Sponsor Spread in ’55-’56 Next season’s sponsor setup in the 8 to 9 Milton Befle-Martha Raye NBC-TV “all new but the Buicks” Tuesday showcase has been resolved on a tripartite basis. ‘Gunsmoke’ TV’er As CBS’ Answer CBS Radio’s “Gunsmoke” show Is the latest of the audio-only attractions to get the tv treatment, with the network planning a major buildup for a newcomer. Jim Arness (said to be a John Wayne discovery), in the lead role. The interesting aspect of “Gunsmoke’s” conversion, -however, is that this will be first entry in the web's 7:30 to 8 cross-the-board frontal attack on the inroads by the ABC- TV with its “gotta get 'fern young” credo (“Disneyland,” “Lone Rang- er,” “Rin Tin Tin.”) CBS is projecting its 7:30 - to 8 overhaul in terms of next fall, which will mean the dispossessing of the Monday-throUgh-Friday news & music format that’s been a CBS early-evening staple since the beginning. Still to be resolved is what happens to Doug Edwards, Perry Como, Jo Stafford and Jane Froman. But one thing looms as a certainty—the kids’ll get the early evening play, . a formula which will probably become uni- versal in practice to encompass all networks and all stations (on£ re- port is that the present 7:30-8 lay- put , Will be plowed, yp to ^7:30)., With Buick ankling the- spot to move in with Jackie Gleason’s half-hour “Honeymooners” tele- films, Whirlpool Washers and American Chicle are joining the- previously pacted Sunbeam in carrying the Berle-Raye banners. Sunbeam remains with the Sunday night specolas, with Hazel Bishop pulling out, though latter will be repped in the first half of Tues- day hour with a summer show that returns “Place the Face” to video in revised format (other 30 min- utes going to Toni and Associated Products with another stanza). Sunbeam, Whirlpool and Ameri- can Chicle entries maintain the “Miltie & Martha” gaits of never having been without a tv sponsor. The funsters will carry on with about two-thirds of the exposures, with another show understood to be in the making for the slot for the balance. It may be a four-way show, with Martin & Lewis and Bob Hope doing four or five shots apiece to constitute * Tuesday “Comedy Hour.” The Chicle bankrolling is par- ticularly interesting since the gum outfit is one of three, sponsors of Sid Caesar's Monday night hour (along with RCA and Procter & Gamble). It may indicate that Chicle is preparing to move out as a Caesar -participant next sea- son., I By GEORGE ROSEN It isn’t likely that any single sponsor will be in a position to pick up the tab for the kind of coin it’ll necessitate to bankroll the '56 Demb-GOP national con- ventions in Chicago and San Fran- cisco, respectively. And-In view of the Chi-Frisco shuttling process and the added rap on tap in con* trast to the one-city-only (Chi) coverage in ’52, the tv networks know only too well the millions that will be involved and how im- portant the sponsorship picture I looms this time up. To cite but one network’s plight, back in '52 it cost CBS some $2,- 400,0b0 to do the two-convention job; Westinghouse was the spon- sor, spending $1,800,000. Loss to the network: $600,000. Translated in terms of Columbia, NBC and ABC, the tv out-of-pocket rap came to an approximate $2,000,000, But that could be peknuts com- pared to what the webs are up against this time. It’s figured it’ll take at least a $3,000,000 sponsor- ship price tag on each of the tv networks to make the coverage a black-ink operation because of the added cost factors. Increase In network time charges since '52 (plus the new stations. that have since joined the webs) are the major factors that will hike the cost for each web some $1,000,000 since the last conventions. Tech- nician salaries have gone up some 30% since '52 and this time it's going to involve eafch network ■sending a crew of about 100 people to Sail Francisco after the Chi meet. Technicians alone (CBS, NBC, ABC) will number 'in excess of 200. . The ™ combined network chief- tains responsible for the ■ putting the two-convention show on the air scouted the Frisco picture a couple weeks back and came to the conclusion that the Repubs' Cow Palace coverage snags can in all probability be hurdled, but that it’s gonna be pretty rough going. They found a balcony to house the installations, etc., but in contrast, they, conceded, Chi is a “dream job.” GOP Arrangements Group Washington, March 29. Alvin Cast, Republican State Chairman for Indiana, will head the subcommittee on arrangements for radio, television and motion pictures for the Republican Na- tional Convention in San Fran- cisco, in August, 1956. With him on the subcommittee will be Mrs. Marshall E. Cornett, of Oregon; Mrs. F. Peavey Heffel- finger, of Minnesota, and George Longmire, of North Dakota. Con- vention committee appointments were announced Sunday night (27) by Leonard W. Hall, chairman of the Republican National Commit- tee. The Real Stuff Members of the Manischewitz Wine family will go to the tv bat. themselves to describe the tradi- tional Seder ceremony in advance of the Jewish Passover season. Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Manische- witz will appear on “Jinx’s. Diary” over WRCA-TV, N.Y., tomorrow (Thurs.) and show a table set with characteristic silver and china that passes from one generation to the next. Passover season start next week. GOLDEN JUBILEE YEAR 1905-1955 A Steve Aden & Paar JZMIHHI Kap CBS Gels D. S. Steel Issue of wh'o gets the ABC-TV “U; S. Steel Hour” was finally re- solved late yesterday (Tues.) when CBS romped home with the Theatre Guild dramatics. All- live show will go into the slot that Columbia had pitched at the giant Ben Fairless outfit—10 to 11 p.m. Wednesday in the web-imposed void made by Pabst telebouts "be- ing pushed.over to ABC. It.will rotate with General Electric’’? prospective ihajor film showca£er. Steel preem on. CBS-TV will be July 6. NBC hacf entered the bidding (with ABC in the retention ring) by ottering Tuesday 9:30-10:30 time,-same as at ABC, aiming to ditch or reslot “Pircle Theatre” •and'“Truth or Consequences.” ABC was pointing to its Tuesday build- up next season via Warner Bros, series. Everybody’s Out For Como, But It Looks Like NBC Shift of Perry Como from CBS to NBC-TV is in the works. With CBS attempting to end the 15- minute partitions in the 7:30 to 8 p.nn period, it is knocking the Chesterfield biz out of its ledgers. Result is that virtually every net- work is angling for the alignment of Como. The offer from NBC-TV looms as the largest to date. With that deal, it’s said that Como would have the choice of continuing with a 15-minute segment, or could go into a half-hour or a full-hour show. ABC is also set to go into the Como sweepstakes. It’s still in the process of strengthening its over- all talent and program structure. However, CBS is also countering with an offer for Como to remain. The sifting of the various offers to Como will begin today (Wed.) when Thomas • G. ‘ Rockwell, head of General Artists Corp. which handles Comb, returns from Flor- ida, where he atterided the open- ing of Kay Starr at the Fontaine- bleau Hotel, Miami Beach. Como will also return from Chicago to- day where he attended the Music Operators of America convention. A decision is expected by the end of the week. t Heating up the transmitters early in the morning and keeping them burning Into the late night is costing the tv networks a barrel of money. In fact it’s estimated that the Jack Paar “Morning Show” is costing CBS-TV some- where in the neighborhood of a $1,000,000 rap, on the basis of present negative sponsor reaction, and NBC-TV a like amount on its Steve Allen “Tonight” show. It’s reported that up to a few weeks ago NBC was dropping $30,000 a week on the cross-board Allen frolic, but this amount was whit- tled down considerably via behipd- SceneS trimmings, etc. Even with the ^havings, however, it’s still about a $1,000*000 per annum nick. Whatever the ambitions or aspi- rations of the webs or their deter- mination to prove something, the networks have no intention of abandoning the .costly projects. It’s tough for Paar to? get a rating (Dave Garroway’s “Today” has the commanding lead) and on top of that the sponsors aren’t biting in terms of the CBS 7 to 9 a. m, spread. The Columbia program braintrusters are still ■ playing around with format changes, heightening the entertainment seg- ments, etc., still convinced that it’s got a winner in the Paar show- case. But in the meantime it spells out money. Ditto on the NBC-TV late night Allen show. Major advantage of the latter is that it enjoys the ben- efits of the three-way “T-H-T’* sales ride (in which sponsors get “Today,” “Home” and “Tonight” exposure) on a combined rate set- up, but it’s been tough going try- ing to peddle the Alien show solo. And the Competing late night pix (as with WCBa*TV in N. Y.) get the breaks on the ratings. Everybody seems to benefit from the networks. The stations, oddly enough, are receptive to the Paar and Allen shows, for they're cash- ing in on local cut-in sales while enjoying a free entertainment ride from the network. In terms of both Paar and Allen, the coin is satisfying and their respective shows have parlayed them into major prominence; each with his own loyal following. ’Mickey Mouse Club’ Piles Up the Clients; Kitty Now $8,000,000 “Mickey Mouse Club,” already half-sold last week, has added three more clients plus another “iffy” to its ABC-TV roster. Web has signed Carnation Milk, Ameri- can Dairy Assn, and Mars Candy for a quarter-hour weekly apiece, thus bringing the total sponsorship lineup on the upcoming Walt Dis- ney daytimer to 13 quarter-hours out of a possible 20. In terms of cold cash, it brings the kitty up to about $8,000,000 annually. The iffy client, which would make sponsor No. 8 and quarter- hour No. 14, is Welch Grape Juice, which hasn’t signed yet but is very close to a deal. Welch sponsorship would really be a feather in ABC- TV’s cap, since it involves cancel- lation of the firm’s participation in “Howdy Doody” on NBC-TV: “Mickey Mouse Club” is aimed di- rectly at “Howdy,” being slotted in the same time period and aiming at the same audience. Welch would be, the first “Howdy”-to^“Mickey” defection. Re the remaining clients, American Dairy becomes the first spill-over bankroller, doubling on the two Disney shows on ABC. It’s one of three sponsors of the nighttime “Disneyland.” NBC Dickers For Selznick Features Hollywood, March, 29. NBC and JDavid O. Selznick are huddling again, perhaps for the umpteenth time, but in this ses- sion there’s an added element. The network is not only dicker- ing for Selznick’s services as a producer but is negotiating for a flock of DOS’ features, which It would presumably spot on the net- work as “specials.” Re the nego- tiations for his services, NBC wants him to do occasional spec- taculars. Selznick’s tv efforts have been confined thus far to last fall’s two-hour, four-networks “Light's Diamond Jubilee” spec. Negotiations are being handled directly between Selznick and NBC prexy Sylvester L. (Pat) Weaver, here for last weekend’s opening of the NBC color studios in Burbank. PARKER PEN BILLINGS IN AGENCY SWITCH Chicago, March 29. The Parker Pen account, which has been berthed with J» Walter Thompson the past dozen years, switches to Tatham-Laird In late spring. T-L account exec Dave Watrous, a former Parker ad manager and a nephew of the family, was report- edly instrumental Jn getting for his shop the nod for the pen firm's billings, currently running about $2,500,000 annually.