Variety (July 1955)

Wednesday, July 13, 1955 RADIO-TKLEVLSION 39 * Frisco’s Tele EducT Station Saved; Town Rallies in Support San Francisco, July 12, A three-week whirlwind cam- paign *has’ saved KQED, Frisco’s non-commercial tv educational- out- let. The drive for $65,000 started in thfe third week in June, included a 14-hour telethon and a 12-hour tv auction, and resulted in wide pub- lic support for chanhel 0 just when it -looked as if the 12-man staff would have to close the station for lack of funds. . General Manager James Day, in reporting the campaign’s success last week, said the outlet would stay on the air "indefinitely” as a result of the $65,000 collected, though the money was supposed to be - budgeted for the next six-month period. ]pay, presumably, has promises— or, at least, intimations—of heavy corporate Support now that the S. F. Bay Area public has shown it wants the station. In addition to an excellent public response, KQED got all out support from AGVA, AFTRA, NABET, local 6 of the AFL Musicians Un- ion, Television and Theatre Au- thorities, the IBEW and the North- ern California Television Academy. All three local TV outlets—KRON, KGO-TV and KPIX—helped, as did most of the Bay Area's radio stations, One indie radio outlet, KSFO, kicked in with $1*,000 now and the promise of $1,000 a year for the next four years. Last $5,000 of the drive was con- tributed by the May T. Morrison trust estate of Sain Francisco, which had promised the money if KQED could reach $60,000. Radio Luxembourg Repacts Doris Day Hollywood, July 12. Doris Day, who* returned last week from three months in Europe, signed for her second year on Radio Luxembourg. Pact calls for two taped musical radio series to England, the Continent and behind the Iron Curtain next Fall. Chirp also inked a deal for a new half-hour taped variety show which will be heard over BBC starting in October. NALLE Piano • Organ 1 Celesta allho I REMEMBER MAMA CBS-TV • Radio Rigiilry • Gtii’s Racial News Continued from page 28 This is ho academic matter in this city with its record of group and Individual violence. Even be- fore the final details .had been worked out,'the plan was used last week, in CNB's handling' of a brawl in Trumbull Park, a name that has become a /Symbol of Windy City neighborhood tension over the past two years Four cops were beaten and one of the esti- mated browd of 150 persons was shot during a July 4 brawl, in the park. The police, were present as part of an augmented detail as- signed to., the area since August, 1953, when the* neighborhood was thrown into - an uproar when the first Negro family moved into the hew public, housing development in the heretofore all-white section. Although racial friction was not directly involved in the most re- cent clash, resentment toward the police and their presence. over the past two years because of the ex- plosive racial situation was be- lieved largely responsible for the altercation. CNB’s first flash to the radio-tv stations on the fracas carried the "not for Broadcast” edict and was followed by a series of FYI notes pointing out all .persons involved were white and .that the situation was still not under control. Then when the police had the disturb- ance in hand, the first broadcast story went but under a "use with caution” warning. Because of the possibility, of another demonstra- tion, next day’s followups also car- ried a precautionary nbte. Working with Gershman in the development of the project were: Spencer Allen, WGN and WGN-TV news director; Bill. Ray, WNBQ and WMAQ news^ director; Bill Garry, WBBM and WBBM-TV news director; DOn McCarty, WCFL as- sistant program director; Les At- lass Jr., WIND program director; Irving Rantanen, WAIT news di- rector, and Milt' Golin, City News Bureau radio-tv news editor. WMAQ Continued from page 28 strategy for the two stations with sales director John Keys who, in turn, rides herd on the activities of WMAQ; gales manager Rudl Neubauer, his WNBQ counterpart Floyde Beaston, and ad-promotion merchandising manager Howard Coleman. Likewise with program- ming director George Heinemann and his production staffers, and Bill Ray’s news and special events department. And some of the new WMAQ projects being launched by the Herbuveaux-Sjogren combo . indi- cate there’s no lack of willingness to open up the pursestrings to brighten • the station’s hometown countenance. For example, un- doubtedly the most ambitious and expensive item, is the "Night Desk” evening half-hbur. Show, put to- gether by Ray’s crew, features Chi- cago Sun-Times city editor Karin Walsh at the studio helm of an around-the-city news pickup. Re- porter Jack Chancellor roams the town in the WMAQ mobile unit, feeding his stuff back to Walsh and HIGHER RATINGS! BIGGER RESULTS! r v vavw;w.-;;./Jw!-/-' - ■?/. ■ /> CURRENT HIT St . VHE EDDIE CANTOR COMEDY THEATRE MEET CORLISS ARCHER MR. DISTRICT ATTORNEY I LED 3 LIVES FAVORITE STORY CISCO KID BOSTON RLACKII directly out on the air for that on-the-spot flavor. Also in the news category are new paetees Virginia Marmaduke, formerly a Sun-Times reporter and now a Trib Sunday feature writer, and Austin Kiplinger, ex-Chi ABC. Miss Marmaduke works a Monday- Wediiesday-Friday hausfrau-§Iant- ed news shqw with Frayn (Mrs. Cliftpn) Utley taking over the other two days with her reports. ; Kipr linger will work the two daily news shows being vacated for the next three months by Jim Hurlhut, who leavps shortly with the NBC-TV "Zoo Parade” film junket to Africa. In the straight entertainment idiom is the thrice weekly night- time quarter-hour featuring singer- actress Etta Moten backed by 'the Art Van Damme Quintet. New platter-chatter entries in- cludes "Montage,” . hosted by George Stone in the 10:35 to 11 p.m. cross-the-board slot; Nprm Ross Jr. with a Saturday qight 45 minutes; Tom Mercein’s late after- noon quarter-hour and a 40-minute expansion of Henry Cooke’s morn- ing "Scrapbook.” Nielsen Continued from page 26 tinuing with Nielsen is evidenced in, Dorrell’s explanation last week that the new report "is hurting the two radio stations as compared to other reports out there,” He said, he could not account for why the stations took the service, since the station. rep firm he represents doesn’t "dictate” to its stations. "We are only in a position to make recommendations,” he opined. . Dorrell, who made several public statements against NSI "methodo- logy”'’ in past weeks, „has more re- cently approached at least one pf the ad agencies, Dancer-Filzgerald- Sample, to complain of the service. It was explained by another Blair spokesman later on that Dorrell went to the agency in. behalf of WFIL, which, he said, lost a. "little business” there because of the NSI reports. Dorrell’s"* chief .gripe . seems .to have been that NSI’s measurement methods, "shortchange” radio as far as total audience is concerned, Nielsen’s answer: "We’re not short- changing anybody; we’re only tell- ing the truth, that’s all.” Blondeau Continued from page 29 radio and tv shows to France and other European countries. Among them are "What’s My Line,” "Two for the Money,” "Star of the Family,” ‘This Is Your Life,” and has taken an option on "Name That Tune” for foreign distribu- tion. The, producer., planed here from Rome last week after looking in on the Italian televersion of "Dollar a Second.” Other "Dol- lars” are showcased in England and Mexico, as well as in the original French edition, and com- ing up next fall is the German version for Hamburg. He said that France currently has six to eight hours of tv programming daily. Blondeau flew back to Paris last week. Crime Shows Continued from page ZT -; to prove that "children prefer well- told high-quality” .dramatic pro- grams to one dimensional formula crime westerns which depend on violence and chase sequences for appeal.” "Lassie” was a "graphic” example,* NAFBRAT claimed. It copped- an ARB 24.6, while the ones NAFBRAT disliked ran far less. For example, they mention Roy Rogers with a 6.5, "Chico and Pablo” with a 2.6 and "Cisco Kid” with 2.9. , Further comparison of ARB rat- ings showed the following declines from 1954 to 1955 in the Los An- geles market: "Gene Autry ” down from 5.6 to 1.4; " Hopalong Cassidy” (the tv film series) down from 9.6 to 6.2: "Kit Carson” from 12.6 to 6.8; "Lone Ranger ” (twice weekly) from 13.3 to 6.9 and from 4.5 to 3.3; "The Cisco Kid” (twice weekly) from 10.2 to 8.5 and from 4.3 to 2.9; and " Ramar of the Jungle ” (five times weekly) from 10.2 to 5.6 (average). These shows are classified by NAFBRAT as "objec- tionable” because of basically crime story themes. Two others of this group, "Annie Oakley ” and u Wild Bill Hickok” advanced their ratings .fjrom 1954, New York Warren Stevens, film player, in for. "Philco Playhouse” next Sun- day (17). Upon his return he will marry Lydia Minevitch, daughter of the late Borrah Minevitch who died two weeks ago in "Paris, age* 52. They were to have wed July 2 but .the showman’s sudden death and her necessity to fly- to France for the services deferred the nuptials. Rex Marshall taking hiatus from tv blurbing for four weeks in Eu- rope and his first vacation in over two years , . . George Konddlf, exec producer of "U.S. Steel Hour” on CBS-TV, to speak at New School for Social Research tonight (Wed) on the July 30 show, Irving Richin’s "The Gambler,” giving analysis of script. Pitch will be at Flora Rheta Schreiber’s radio-tv- filmwriting workshop. Peregrinations of "Person, to Person” personnel; John Aaron, to the Coast to scout talent for next season, with side trips to Frisco, the northwest and western Canada. Jesse Zoiismer, to Sands Point;. David Moore, fishing in' native Michigan; John Horn, to work on his new Brooklyn home; Chuck Hill, chores around his Hartsdale house; Bob Sammon, with wife and three kids to Niagara Falls; .Liz Scofield, holding the publicity fort until her vacation next month. . . WRCA-TV assoc, director .Lynn Landman leaving Saturday (16) for six-week Europer. . .Lester Lewis set Mike CaSe to direct, blurbs for Ralston PiTrina on "Nome’s the Same.” . . .Giraud (Jerry) Chester upped to mgr. of program sales administration at NBC reporting to Mike Dann. . .Herb Wolf, pro- ducer of "Penny to a Million” on ABG-TV, back from the Coast after initial telecast there of the giveaway series. . .Jack Kuney, assoc, producer of CBS-TV’s "Let’s Take a Trip,” has recovered from a long siege of hepatitis. Selig Akon, acting assoc, producer, be- comes story ed with Craig Gilbert filling Alton’s former berth as scripter. * .Aileen Paul (Mrs. Fred -1 die Bartholomew) to sub for FlOr- ida-bound Josie McCarthy week of July 18 on "Josie’s Kitchen,”. . . Marshall Stone’s first assignment as a WRCA-TV director will be ""Jinx’s Diary”. , .Fleetwood, re- turns to "Music Through the Night” next Monday (18) after a month in France. . .New date set for preem of the Nat & Irving Fields package, "Step This Way,” is July 23 at 7 p.m., WABC-TV. Martin Ashe in Bermuda this week for** "Crunch and Des” vid- film chores T . . Peter Rodgers is sales addition at National Telefilm Associates* Coast office ... Cartoon- ist Kay Kate does a guest shot via Maggi McNeills* WARD stanza to- day, (Wed.) ..: Don Morrow is host- ing the "Window” skein via CBS-TV Fridays . ,. Fluff Blome ankled her promotion post "at Television Pro- grams of America . . . Sy Kaplan, salesman for same vidfilm outfit, became father last week of daugh- ter, Jane Suzanne , Diahann Carroll planing to Coast for a one - shot in "Amos ’n’ Andy” telefilm . . . N.Y. Mayor Robert F. Wagner’s first "Mayor’s Confer- ence” since his European tour hits WjOR-TV this Friday (15) "Break the Bank” had its 10th anni last Sunday (10) . . . "Big Payoff” cast, Bess Myerson, Randy Merri- man, *et. al. leaving for week in Minneapolis after . Friday’s (15) casing with afternoon stanza com- ing from there ^ from the 18th through the 22d. Ronson taking Wednesday and Friday slices of the. Douglas Ed- wards CBS-TV newscasts, starting. Aug. 24, via Norman, Craig & Kummel (ex-Weintraub) . . . Xavier Cugat and Abbe Lane on "Pantomime Quiz” Friday (15). Vale to Do Scripting Chores on His GE ‘Sea* Hollywood, July 12. Eugene Vale has been assigned to screenplay his Own original story, "A Yacht on High Seas,” which he sold to 20th-Fox’s tv sub- sid, TCF Television Productions, for inclusion in its hour-long dra- matic series for General Electric. TCF hasn't yet begun production, on the filmer series, but. is busy buying scripts. TO THE 10 COMEDIANS... OR THE SECOND 10 WHO HAVE HIGH HOPES! If you can't afford 25 Grand for a writer . . • read no further. But if you're involved (or want to be) in a 6 or 7 fig- ure contract , . . I'm for you! I have been writing humorous stuff for so many years •«* it even mokes me laugh. A big city couldn't wait until the next day to lough (and heartily) at my gags. So for 10 years, I took the $50,000.00 and enjoyed every penny of the.$60,000.00 I spent! - Now, I'm ready for new fields to conquer. Since 100 top TV and radio Station owners and GMs have told me I have it (and paid me for it) .. . Presto! . . . it's yours for a price! Don't hurry to answer this ad, because I intend to run them every, week for months. I enjoy writing this kind. of stuff as much as people (who pin awards on me) tell me they enjoy reading it. So don't rush—unless you aren't waiting for th$>last laugh, but prefer the first. 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