Variety (May 1955)

42 RADIO-TJELUVISIOIV Wednesday, May 25, 1955 4 M ♦♦»»+♦♦♦♦♦»♦♦»»»»♦♦+♦♦»+♦♦♦♦+» From the Production Centres 4 ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦»♦»»♦♦ + »♦ 4 ♦♦ ♦ ♦♦♦ ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ ♦ ♦ IN NEW YORK CITY ... Jim Boles and wile Athena Lord busy in daytime soap operas, she commuting to Philly for hers. They'll take a fortnight off this sum- mer to appear on Cape Cod in a tent version of “Annie Get Your Gun" with their two young daughters . , . CBS talks director Helen Sioussat honor-certificated by American Red Cross for her work in ’55 cam- paign , . . Production manager Mel Goldbeck of Gardner agency marked 35th anni with ad house and was given stock . . . After free- lancing in art for eight years, Hal Taylor has joined the Wm, Esty agency. . , Irwin Spiegel becomes> traffic boss of WMGM, with his first staffs] addition, being Jerome Ellner . . , Ernest Koss is new sales director for Mutual-WOR Recording Studios . . . WNEW inked David Simmons 7 new “radio only" company as its station rep. He comes from John Blair, which was dropped by the indie some weeks ago . . . Judith r-**—<»-- O tour through new gas stations in metropolitan area this past week for WMGM sponsor Shell Oil . . WNYC to specially broadcast annual honor ceremonies of the American Academy of Arts & Letters, with Archibald MacLeish. Marc Connelly and Douglas Moore . Bruno Walter guests via WQXR’s “Music Magazine” Friday (27) , . . Phyllis Stollmack to WMGM publicity . . , Broadcasting Foundation of America elected Robert Redfield, of U. of Chicago, as chairman of the board; Frank Freeman, of U. of.’California, first president, and Sy Siegel, of WNYp, exec v.p. and treasurer. New outfit, designed “to Increase common cultural interests of the world through intercultural commu- nication” sets up offices in N. Y. .. . Mutual's “Sgt. Preston” kid stanza stretches from Tuesday-Thursday airing only to a 5-to-5;30 strip on June 13. CBS west-coasters visiting N. Y. include Jules Duiides, new general manager of KCBC-Frisco, and Anne Nelson, director of business af- fairs,, H’wood . . . WRCA’s Bill Berns attending Nat’l Headliners Award shindig in Atlantic City this week (27-28) . . . Ben Grauer emceed an- nual Merchant Marine Book Drive from lifeboat afront Esso Bldg. Monday (23) . . . WCBS librarian Irving Faskow to wed Evelyn Nasberg June 19 . . , Dubuque Packing Co. account to Perrin-Paus, mating the meatpacker to Sunbeam Frypan . . . NBC v;p. Ham Shea, the WRCA- plus-tv factotum, on special panel, quizzing Governor Harriman at “Citizens Union Searchlight” dinner at Waldorf, yesterday (Tues.) . . . CBSports chief John Derr to Baltimore for coverage of Preakness Stakes (28) . . The -Red Barbers planning fortnight's holiday in Mexico in July. WRCA program manager Steve White on jury duty . , . Barbara Rost, program assistant on “Gangbusters,” downed by measles . . . Patty Tolchin, 14-year-old daughter of Art Tolchin, director of WMGM, won title at Kenilworth horse show in Harrison . . . Keith Baldwin to sales development' department of CBS- spot sales working out of De- troit . . . Johnny Falk to take over Pat Richer's publicity chores at WRCA while Miss Richer vacations in Europe . . . Bill Leonard and family (wife and six—count ’em—sons) to spend the summer again in Bermuda with Leonard to commute for his WCBS-plus-tv shows .. . . WRCA roving reporter Gabe Pressman did rempte interview at Armed Forces Day parade (21) from cockpit of a grounded F-84 jet in Wash- ingtbn Sq. for “Pulse” show . . . WCBS’ Bob Haymes is in with a coK lector’s album (vocals by Bob Ellis) going on sale next week . . . Al Collins doing the narration for Box Records’ new hi-fi album, “Per- cussion” . . . Mary Pickford guesting on CBS-“Make Up Your Mind” Tuesday (31) . . . Larry LeSueur initiated into Sigma Delta Chi, the pro journalism frat. Briggs Baugh switched fronp ABC Radio's co-op department to. sta- tion relations . . . Bill Stem to deliver the commencement address June 5 at Father Flanagan’s Boys Town . . . John MacVane gets a quarter-hopr news strip of his own on ABC Radio starting next Mon- day (30), with the show sold on a co-op basis in the 8:45 to 9 a.m. time.. IN CHICAGO Bill Weddell, the Leo Burnett agency’s veep in charge of broad- casting, is shifting his base of operations to the Coast next month and will commute back and forth to the* Chi homeoffice . . . John Allen, ex-Lever Bros, radio-tv manager, joined Tatham-Laird's media depart- ment as radio-tv program director . . . Mary Jane Lynch, ex-Tatham- Laird, named Chi office manager of AFTRA’s pension and welfare fund . . . WBBM assistant manaager Ernie Shoitlo heading up the Chi . CBS delegation to the NARTB Washington conclave .. . NBC commen- tator Clifton Utley cited by the disabled American Veterans for “out- standing service to his fellow man by his exemplary courage in a fight to overcome physical adversity” . . Chi CBS veep H. Leslie Atlass on Sunday (29) receives an honorary degree from Lincoln College, Lincoln, 111., the original hometown of WBBM . ■* . WGN newscaster Bruce MacFarlane back on Mutual's “America’s Business” strip after a month’s trek to Europe . . ; WLS netfs chief Bill Small off to Atlantic City this week to receive the* National Headline Club’s top local radio news award . . . Dick Becker, ex-KOA, Denver, working Vacation duty on the WBBM announcing staff. IN CLEVELAND . . . Robert Smith left WGAR public relations and advertising berth for director of sales promotion for CBS in Chicago . . .-'WERE reports SRO on broadcast time with sale of Van Lane’s “Knothole Club,” Phil McLean’s “Baselines,” Jimmy Dudley “Dugout Interviews” and Ed Edwards “Tenth Inning” . . . George Condon, radio-tv editor of the Plain Dealer, to Washington for NARTB* and then. New York George Gobel skedded for June 28 News-Plain Dealer^ftalle shindig , . . Arleen Workman named hostess on WEWS daily Fern-Features program, replacing Cele Klein . . . Kay Halle pacted for WHK weekly Washington commentary ... WNBK’s Jean Walker back from Acapulco trip . . .Joe Bova slated for ABC kiddie spot in New York . . . Lynn Sheldon back from Texas for tv stint here . . . WNBK’s George Cyr home from honeymoon . . . Harry Black ankled WXEL for' McCann Erickson production staff . . .Edward Noll left WXEL productibn for Lang, Fisher & Stashower . . . Joe Epperson, WEWS chief engineer planning upcoming color TV session for American Institute of Elec trical Engineers. IN PHILADELPHIA . . . Charles Vanda, v.p. in 6harge of television, returned yesterday (Tues., on the Liberte, after a five-week European tour. While overseas Vanda addressed station seminars and clinics . . . Holland V. Tooke, general manager, and Stan Lee Broza, program manager of WPTZ, received special citations from the U. S. Treasury for help in the Savings Bonds Campaign . . . Sam Serota, WIP special. events director, emceed the Armed Forces Day Parade (21) from reviewing stand on Parkway . . . Mary Dorr, hostess on “At Home,” WFIL-TV, emceed the Homemakers Exposition” of the General Federation of Women's Clubs. • Jack Wilson, recently added to the WPTZ staff, will sub on the “Let Scott Do It” morning sessions, while Scott vacations beginning Decora- tion Day . . . Vivian Cooper, WIP program department, leaves June 10 to take up permanent residence in California * . • Taylor Grant, (Continued on page 52) Seattle AFTRA, Stations. Huddling on Pay Shifts Seattle, May. 24. Negotiations are now under way between the Seattle local of Amer- ican Federation of Television & Radio Artists and all Seattle radio stations with first meetings out of he way and decks cleared for ac- tion. AFTRA local is asking , an in- crease in announcers’ scale from present $105 per-week to $145 and is also asking for on-shift talent fees, particularly for commercial spot announcements. For the first ime, stations are handling negotia- tions themselves, although Wash- ington Employers Assn., labor ne- gotiating outfit, is acting as a co- ordinating agency’ for station man- agement. made up of 11 members, with in- dividuals serving as their work al- lows and Don Courtney, president of the local, working closely with George Peckham,. executive secre- tary. Union’s bid for an increase is based on the fact of no raise for four years and also because all an- nouncers here now. work as com- bination men. NARTB Convention Chatter * By FLORENCE S. LOWE Brevity and pace will accent show at Thursday (26) night’s closing banquet, rather than the variety of past years, BMI has lined up Peter Lind Hayes and Mary Healy as headliner, wtih Hayes possibly filling in as emcee. Chantoosey Yma Sumac will wind up hour show, and Air Force Band’s famed Singing Sergeants will kick it off, with Szonys, terp team flown in from Hollywood for the evening, rounding it out. ASCAP will line up next year’s talent for first time in NARTB convention history. It was more politics than broadcasting for CBS v.p. Earl Gammons* first day of Huddle. Gammons spent the morning at the White House , where he received the ■ distinguished service citation ;'from President Eisenhower for his service as member and former vice-chairman ~of the President's Committee on Employment for the Physically Handle capped. Evening was spent at big GOP Women's Committee dinner attended by most of administration brass. Most famed “fan” in MCA suite was Secretary of Labor James Mitchell, who dropped by several times to chat with uncle Thomas XhfL JSabhiet officer is slated to attend Wednesday (2$) night’s Radio Woneer’s“aV*^®'^tfi^^1fe^iVlit^eflk. , **'' k '^ Advertising Council sponsored NARTB’s first public service exhibit, featuring displays of 47 non-profit welfare organizations, each of which had a booth containing posters, tapes and film. ‘Leave Us Alone’ Continued from page 27 agenda recognition are monopoliz- ing corridor talk and off-the-rec- ord discussion and debate. (It’s hoped at least that before the con- vention winds up on Thursday (26) these highly-charged issues will erupt into the open). Best Foot Forward It’s because of the awareness of the implications behind these “outside”' encroachments on the behavior and pattern of American broadcasting that this year’s con- vention is marked by a record .turnout in excess of 3,000. It’s the reason, too, for the NARTB mov- ing. the convention put of Chicago and into the hallowed D. C. pre- cincts as a “best foot forward” gesture to demonstrate to Presi- dent Eisenhower personally (he’s the principal speaker- this year) and both the Congressional and FCC fraternity that “we’re a bunch of sincere, hard-working and well-intentioned guys who are operating in good faith, so why don’t you let us alone.” That’s the pattern for this year’s meeting. Just how effective it will be in translating itself into a Capitol Hill acceptance and un- derstanding of the broadcasters’ problems is something else again. Key sentiment appears to be that a sprawled-out, unwieldy jpublic show of 3,000 faces such as char- acterizes this year’s convention is hardly the time or the place to achieve the desired results. The broadcasters are quite jubi- lant over the President’s willing- ness to address them; over the fact that Vice President Nixon person ally handed out golf tourney trophies, and that a flock of Con- gressmen and the FCC in a body put in an' appearance gt the tv Pioneer dinner. But in terms of resolving the pressing problems of the day, it’s conceded, these add up to precisely nothing. (An FCC panel discussion is also on tap,' but here, too, it’s understood, the q & a kickaround is being restricted to non-explosive areas with questions prepared in advance so as not to embarrass the Commission). It’S recognized that an assem- blage within a more intimate framework or a few key, responsi- ble broadcasters playing the “boys in the back room” role with the one guy who counts, Sen. Mag- nuson, or again with FCC. chair- man George McConnaughey, could accomplish more in one fell swoop than the whole convention ka- boodle. It isn’t likely, for example, that McConnaughey, who has the un- qualified backing, of the White House and shapes up as a friend of the" broadcasters (specifically those broadcasters living up to their promises) will spell out his convictions and beliefs to 3,000 broadcasters, in this, his first con- vention appearance—yet within the more intimate confines of an orderly CBS-TVaffiliate luncheon last week in New York it was this selfsame McConnaughey who be- trayed an appreciation of the broadcaster problems and signifi- cantly hinted that he’ll have no truck with emotional or slanted reports directed against the in- dustry. Over 40 members of Congress, including Senator Estes Kefauver (D., Term.), John Brickqr (R., Ohio), John'Sparkman (D;, Ala ),, Lyndon Johnson (D., Tex) and Homer Capehart as well as members of the House of Representatives , beat a steady path to, CBS Newsfilm convention studio to be interviewed by home state station managers. Film was processed at local CBS lab and flown to home base for immediate use. Capitol Hill montage set used as background for tv interviews luill be gifted to Senate tv studio after convention , John Charles Thomas, radio-tv and concert singer, came as a dele- gate from his station, KAVR, Apple Valley, Calif., and sat in on ses- sions with a “strictly business” attitude. CBS prexy Frank Stanton virtually commuted between New York and Washington because of concern over his wife's illness. After planing back to Gotham Sunday night, he returned Monday on same flight as 20 th boss Spyros Skourds. National Telefilm Associates suite did a boom biz with round-the- clock service of corned beef sandwiches and cheese cake flown in daily from Lindy’s . ♦ • Besidesusual scores of hats, canes, and routine give- aways, lottery prizes included a $1,500 color-tv receiver, courtesy of CBS Film, and Television Productions of America’s 700 $50 Stetson hats. Guy Lombardo planed in from Youngstown, Ohio, stopover on his current concert tour, to highlight MCA’s mammoth dance. And George Liberace came from West Coast to entertain impressive turnout of press at the Advertising Council-NARTB fete in the public service exhibit room. Presidential press secretary James C.. Hagerty copped two awards for his service in bringing President Eisenhower's press confeences to the nation's tv screens. In addition to Television Pioneer's citation , the popular White House press boss received the Radio and Television Society's first annual Achievement Award, presented to him by WQXR manager Elliott Sanger, v.p. of RTS , and G. W. ( Johnny ) Johnstone, a jnember of Society's board , and NAM's radio-tv public relations head . Jane Dalton,-WSPA, Spartanburg, S. C. national president of Ameri- can Women In Radio & Television, who came as an official convention guest, took time out from agenda to speak at luncheon* of Women’* Ad Club of Washington. Herbert Golden, former Variety motion picture staffer came on behalf of Bankers Trust Co. of which he is assistant v.p., and for which he handles station and tv film financing. Members of the' Kefauver Sub-Committee on Juvenile Delinquency , Senate and House Comittee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce mem- bers, as wed as FBI and FCC reps attended a Capitol Hill screening of Guild Film's “Confidential File" segments concerning narcotics and horror comics . BMI’s exhibit featured one of few existing collection of presidential autographs and letters, along with rare editions of early American songs that have been closely identified with U, S. Chief Executives. Delegates who wandered into Hotel Shoreham's Blue Room saw a show headlined by WRC-NBC weather girl Tippy Stronger, daughter of the lat& Art Stronger , NARTB director of Labor Relations. Radio Pioneers’ Dinner honored following with special citations! former President Herbert Hoover in recognition of his radio pioneering in the presidential office; NBC prexy Sylvester Weaver. Jr,, for “bril- liant leadership”; Jack Benny and Fred Allen for their years of •“con- sistent artistry” in broadcasting; and John J. Karol, CBS v.p. in charge of radio sales. ^ Head table guests included FCC chairman George McConnaughey, and ex-chairman Paul Porter, Rosel Hyde, Charles Denny and Paul Walker, KSO’s Tor Sale’ Tag Des Moines, May 24. Negotiations are on for sale of radio .station KSO here to an In- diana group, unnamed but said to represent an Indianapolis de- partment store and radio station, No ownership would take effect before July 1, according to Bill C. Baldwin, a vice president of Murphy Broadcasting Co., which operates KSO, Baldwin said plans discussed would not call for any change in the location of the sta- tion. Murphy Broadcasting recently withdrew its application for au- thorization to operate a Channel 8 television station here but authori- zation subsequently went to Cowles Broadcasting Co. In an agreement between the Murphy and Cowles companies which ended contest for the channel, Murphy was given a year to dispose of KSO and buy a 40% iterest in a new corporation. Kenton’s ’Music ’55’ Show Gets CBS-TV Summer Slot Stan Kenton’s “Music ’55” show will get a summer slotting after all on CBS-TV. It goes in for the can- celled General Electric-Ray Milland show at 8 o’clock Thursdays, start- ing July 7. Format will be “free form,” embracing all types of mu- sic levels and with a top name guest policy headed by Lena Horne for the kickoff stanza. There’ll be a 20-piece orch led by Kenton. Deal was worked out through Kenton’s rep, General Artists Corp., and web has the “for sale” tag out, Among the credits are Richard Lewine as exec producer. Bob Bach producing, Mel Ferber directing, jazz critic Leonard Feather scripting and Ray Harri- son the choreographer. Studio au- dience will be integrated into the live showcaser out of New York.