Variety (July 1955)

30 ' RADIO REVIEWS Wednesday, July 20, 195S AQUATENNIAL TIME SHOW With Bob & Cathy Crosby; J*n Murray, Modernaires, City Mitchell, Carol Richards, Bob- cats, Bob Mahtzke’s Choralaires, Wally i Olsen 1 * prch, Cedric Adams, Bob DeHaven, Others Producers; Bob McKiusty, Ed Viehmah Directors: Jack Huston, Val Linder 120 Mins.: Sat* (10), 8 pm. Participating ’ WCCO, Minneapolis*St. Paul Chalk up another success for WCCO Radio with its ninth annual Aquatennial Star Show staged 1 in, the local municipal Auditorium be-: fore a capacity audience of 10,000 that paid up to $5.50 per seat. Now established as one of the summer festival's regular outstanding at- tractions, the show, which also is aired in its entirety, landed as solidly as its predecessors. As a matter of fact, the current affair hit one of the series' enter- tainment highs, what with Bob Crosby and his tv and radio gang going all out and comic Jan Mur- ray making the funmaking end something to write home about. At his funniest best, Murray proved a' veritable gem, whipping up constant laughter while he held the spotlight. Unknown. here ex- cept for his tv shows, he undoubt- edly exceeded all expectations while devoting himself solely to the task of laughmaking. • His re- cital anent his domestic affairs was yock studded. As the show’s star, Crosby ably filled the shoes that have been worn previously by such perform- ers as Bob Hope, Arthur Godfrey, Victor Borge, Eddie Cantor, George Jessel, Edgar Bergen, etc. In ad- dition to his tv cast, he brought along his 16-year old daughter, Cathy, to make her first songstress p.a. He proved a genial, affable, friendly ringmaster and he and his cohorts supplied plentiful agree- able diversion. With the vocalistics in the hands of such accomplished warblers as Crosby and his daughter, Guy Mitchell, Carol Richards, the Mod- ernaires and last, but not least. Bob Mantzke’S local choral group of GO, one of the nation’s best, lobar ex- tremities enjoyed a succession of' pleasantries. Tossed in musically, too* • were the Crosby' Bobcats' Dixieland jazz contributions. Adding to ther Murray merriment was a session of Crosby’s tv show’s “Happy Game Time’* with blind- folded married women attempting to identify their Husbands by feel- ing the noses of the men lined Up in front of them. This' provided much glee for the theatre audience, but failed to register over the air. For good measure Randy Merrl- man and Bess Myerson and their “Big Payoff" cohorts were in- troduced and allowed a brief in- ning. The show is originating from here this week. WCCO ace staffer Cedric Adams and Bob DeHaven’s witty emcee- ing added considerably to * the proceedings. Wally Olsen’s WCCO prch backgrounded the show with the utmost efficiency. For the fast pacing and the smooth routining a hand must go to all of the produc- ers and directors. In toto this was another rich and abundant dish of mirth, song and music with commercials skilfully blended in. Hees. HAWAII CALLS With Webley Edwards, A1 K. Per- ry, Jim Wahl 30 Mins.; Sat., (2), 2 p.m. Sustaining Mutual, from Honolulu _ Lots of things have changed in ttte past 20 years, but not “Hawaii x, Week] y stanza is one of the nation’s oldest network shows and, as far as Hawaiiana addicts are concerned, one of the best. This session marked show’s 20th anni and Webley* Edwards, pro- gram’s originator and still major dorao, duly noted that milestone. Tunes most often requested by lis- teners were featured by the Ha- waiian musicians and singers, with runnerup songs held back for sub- sequent broadcasts. Show is broadcast before lunch- eon audience, usually at Moana Hotel, with hundreds of sightseers and beachgoers also on hand each Saturday. A1K. Perry, longtime musical di- rector, .has some top Hawaiian tal- ent and makes effective use of it. Production costs are subsidized by Hawaii Visitors Bureau and show is shortwaved to Mutual as a sus- tained Edwards Isn’t the most informal emcee ever to stand before a mike, but his voice reflects sincerity, which is one of the program’s key assets. Jim Wahl signs show on and off and does some scripted chatting with Edwards. Critics may carp that the format hasn’t changed over the years, but there’s an obvious answer to that. Why tinker with a successful formula? Walt. OUR FREEDOM’S BLESSINGS With William Smith* narrator; others Directors: Jeanne Harrison, Ed -King Writer: Lorraine Brands*e 15 Mins.; Fri.,.6:30 p.m. WROW, Albany Following up its first and prize- winning series dramatizing the contributions to our way of life by individual giants in .New York State industry (George Eastman et al.), the State Radio Bureau has produced a Second group of .13 recorded quarter-hours spotlight- ing the achievements and services Of companies which became out- standing through mergers. Some 35 1 stations are broadcasting the. new program. Bill Smith, as “Uncle York,” serves as narrator. Among the ac- tors are Alan Bunce, Barry Kroe- ger, William Liptpn, Jackson Beck/ Don Briggs, Joseph Curtin, Wil- liam Adams, William Griffis, Alice Yourman, Santos Ortega, Don. Mc- Laughlin, Patsy Campbell, Ches- ter Stratton, Lon Clark and Larry Haines. Jared Reed sings folk tunes on several of the transcrip- tions, while original music is played on each, by organist Charles Faul. Of the four platters heard, “Melody for Millions," the saga of Rudolph Wurlitzer, German Immi- grant, early importer of musical instruments frOm Saxony, and, suc- cessively, manufacturer of me- chanical pianos, pipe organs and .long-playing juke boxes, probably [-has as much popular appeal as any feature yet released by the Ra- dio Bureau. Historical as well as entertaining, with catchy musical interpolations, it can be appreci- ated even by youngsters. Dramatization would also inter- est show business people, espe- cially the segments on the develop- ment of player pianos, and then of pipe organs (designed by the Enlish- mah, Hope Jones) for motion pic-, turn theatres. De Kleist, No.Tona- wanda instrument manufacturer, and the Tonaphone were included l in the story, which ended with ail observation on New York’s place In the musical sun—Tin Pan Alley, concerts, musicals, broadcasts and telecasts. * Stratton played Rudolph Wurlit- zer; Clark, de Kleist; Haines, How- ard Wurlitzer; Lipton,. Farny, Wur- litzer. There is material for a Video origination the Wurlitzer family-r-if it has not already been done. " • “Men of Magic” deals graphi- cally with highlights in the life of Charles P. Steinmetr, hired by General Electric from a Yonkers concern in 1891 after he had de- livered a lecture indicating how alternating electric current could be measured, and who later spec- tacularly researched on lightning, natural and man-made. This is a fine program for student-listeners; timely for Capital District au- diences. . Griffis portrays Stein- metz. “The Fire-Eaters” dramatizes the development of fire-fighting equip- ment from .the old-fashioned buck- ets to the modem sky-projected ladder trucks—via the story of American LaFrance Foamite Co. in Elmira. “The Eighth Wonder" tells how the genius of Otto Mergen- thaler, inventor of the linotype, combined with the acument of Whitelaw Reid and other New York publishers to develop a machine "that in a single generation ad- vanced our.level of literacy by a full century.” Kroeger portrays Mergenthaler convincingly; Beck registers well as a patent lawyer. Series’ theme can be summarized in the final commentary on fire- equipment stanza: “Industry makes jobs. . Jobs make us secure and prosperous enough to enjoy our leisure and our freedom’s bless- ings." Ja co. Schlom Scrams ‘Flicka’ Hollywood, July 19. Herman Schlom has' resigned as producer of “My Friend Flicka” tv series at 20th-Fox Television Pro- ductions after three months on the job. Studio said Schlom’s exiting was “due to press of per- sonal matters." Schlom said he had no future plans. Sam White, other producer on the 20th tv subsid’s show, will handle the “Flicka" project. Dicker 'Mrs. Mike' Series Edward Gross is negotiating with Screen Gems for a telefilm series based on “Mrs. Mike," the Bene- dict and Nancy Freedman book which he and Samuel Bishoff turned into a feature film in ’49. The theatrical pic, which starred Dick Powell and Evelyn Keyes, was distribbed through United Artists. TUNE QUIZ With Gene Milner 60 Mins. Mon.-Fri. $ Participating WIP, Philadelphia “Tune Quiz" breaks an hour into three segments, each- having sepa- rate: game, with giveaways for disk data and. info. In a “What’s the Year?" frame, Gene Milner spins tunes current at time of news head- lines such as “Roosevelt Delivers Fireside.Chat* 1 > Walter Hampden’s first appearance in country, Okla- homa added to Union, etc. A “Where in the World” session, however, seems aimed at third, grade geographers. Percy Faith’s “Land 1 of Pharaohs" drew the ob- vious question. “Je Vous Aime Beaucoup" received a proper an- swer; but listener was stumped by Leroy Holmes’ /'Brazil". Loss of loot isn’t heartbreaking, consisting mainly of wallets; ice-buckets, car wash. Consolation'prizes are tick- ets to film “Not As a Stranger”. Biggest take available is offered in the stretch segment, called “Rec- ord Roulette." ahd the program’s outstanding- new gimmick. Player has choice of five out of six plat- ters, picked by number. Pick the -wrong number, a buzzer rings and- you’re out. Plan is based on the. idea of Russian Roulette. With the right selection you are entitled to a prize ahd to gamble on further j awards. For one who shoots the | works and wins, the grand prize •is color tv set. ? Milner changes the segments daily and has a score of different quiz posers to work with. “Rou- lette" is the only constant and closes each program. Deejay han- dles chotes with ease and the wide, range of quiz subjects permits him to go far afield in selection of rec- ords. Platter choices are unhack- neyed and of, good calibre. Gagh, THE OLD RECORD SHOP With Bill Buchanan .55 Mins.: Sat. 7:05 p.m. W VP A, Boston This-is the only radio program In Boston that doesn’t play the Top 10 new platters, or the customary run of the mill stuff. Bill Buchanan concentrates on the great swing era, the 1930’s and 40’s and oa bis second anni show (16) the disk spinner with the penchant for the oldtime big band numbers, get off 15 records in 55 minutes. Buchanan is one disk jock who devot.es his program to spinning records with very little talk. But, what he says delivers a point with a punch , and his highlights and nostalgic comments on the plat- ters are bringing a big mail re- sponse. He al^P talks up the big bands oq his snow and pas, done much in his self appointed p. r. role to bring the big bands back into Yankeeland ballrooms throughout the area this summer. Giiyl. Radio Followup Tex McCrary was just about get- ting to some “$64 questions" in his Interview with Bob Harrison, the publisher of Confidential; who in the' past week or two has been getting as much cuffo publicity , as* NBC’s Pat Weaver. The chain’s prexy has been no slouch, what with a Newsweek cover story and Life- in the same week. So with Harrison whom the Wall St. Journal, Time and Newsweek covered In the preceding semester. McCrary, an old newspaper hand, was objective and perhaps a shade askance in his attitude on the bimonthly publisher’s, freak circu- lation appeal. The $64 questions bordered oh “sacred cows” in the 'Harrison menage. Both he and his editor, Howard Rushmore, stressed the “expose" aspects from a some- what. lofty approach. There was even a dash of “public service" interspliced. McCrary, in turn, chose not to bear down too heavily on the sensationalism aspects. As a footnote, Jinx Falkenburg (Mrs. McCrary), who normally comprises the Tex & Jinx team do- ing the pre-midnight interviews over WRCA, N. Y., disclosed the following day that Harrison had told her husband that she, herself, had once, been the subject of a possible Confidential “treatment”, but. Harrison, after expending around $1,000 for “research", filled it as a bum steer, Harrison Im- parted in his extended interview with McCrary—editor Rushmore was also a glib gabber, almost a 50-50 joint subject—that the least cost per article, especially of the “expose" type, is the basic writing. Major overhead is to lawyers and researchers; he had even sent one private-eye abroad to check a fact, which proved to be false. Incidentally, the McCrarys prob- ably have one of the top listening audiences around midnight, as against the assorted deejays, long- hair music purveyorsTopinionators, other “interview" snows Sr ? do- gooders. " Abel. ♦♦♦ » ♦»♦♦ f ♦ »4 » t ♦»»»»♦♦ » M I» f t» ♦ ♦ + ^ . :: From the Production Centres ;; ’ +++♦♦»♦♦ ♦ ♦♦♦♦♦»♦♦♦ 4 » ♦♦»»+4 + ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦#» IN NEW YORK CITY ... Murry Harris, Nielsen pub-ad chief,, off on three-week European tour . , .Ethel Merman did her bit on the Mutual Ruby Mercer casing last Monday (18), Al Schacht makes his appearance on the same network strip this Friday (22) . . . Dick Jackson, who’s just been' upped to di- rector of public relations for WOR and. WOR-TV, marries anbther sta* tion: staffer Marlene Miller on Oct. 15 . . . Sportsgabber Bill Stem turning out special feature article for a London sports mag, Shooting Times, on a popularity wrapup of various U. S. games.,. ,. ,\WNEW flack Alan (Bud) Brandt engaged in Manhattan apartment swap (for larger quarters now that he’s become a father) . . . Programmer Dave Yarnell of same, station-off to Coast for several days vacation ... Hyry Landon, v.p. at Olmstead Sound Studios, to Detroit for powwows on recorded promotions for ’5G auto models . . . WLIB cocktail-partied pianist -PhJllipa Schuyler last week. Station’s Mike Jablons to D. C. fori testimonial to Frieda Hennock today (Wed.). Kenny Baker, soloist on CBS-“Church of Air” Christian Science service Sunday (24) . . . Sy Mann, Bob Haymes’ MCBS accompanist, to: vacation In borscht belt. Haymes Will do three weeks in Europe late next month, to be followed in by his wife, Eunice, while John New- house, jack Sterling’s producer, is on 10-dayer with wife and three sons out on Montauk Point . . . Family affair on CBS-“Suspense” pro- duction of “Kaleidoscope 1 * last week (12). Show, directed by Antony Ellis, featured his son, Jonathan, 6, and wife, Georgia, with kid making his radio debut . . . Martin Weldon to bat for Bill Leonard on WCBS- “This :Is N. iY.,” with Leonard vacationing. ; . • Deejay Bill Randle slated for Universal'short,/“Top Jock" . .-Carl?ward,? MCBS g.m., sojourns first Week in.*August, while Ken Regan; Jack Sterling’s direc- tor, will spend his in training at Camp . Drum and Joan Carroll, secr’y to publicist Milt Rich, is back from hers ... Harry Feeney, CBS trade news ed; to his vacation hideaway in Narrowsburg-on-Delaware .next week . > . Frank S. (Bus) Drake named.sales and merchandising direc- tor of O-Cel-O division of General Mills. . Wickliffe W. Crider; radio-tv v.p. of Kenyon 8c Eckhardt, and G. Maxwell Ule, Research veep, named to agency’s board of directors . .■. Arthur Settel, CBS news and public affairs publicist; giving-course in radio-tv journalism at Long Island U. next fall. In second semester, Settel’s students have their own radio series on WINS ; . Ed Kobak back from Rio de Janeiro . . . Dimitri Tfomkln, three-time .Oscar win- ner 'for music, appeared on some 15 radio-tv shows while in town to promote Warners’ “Land of the Pharaohs" ... Maxine Keith due in today (Wed.) from midwest after lining up six more states for her syn- dicated “From Me to You.” IN CHICAGO . . , George Dubinetz and Harry 'Jacob* new salesmen at the Chi -NBC radio spot sales office . . . Lee Adams In from KCBS, Frisco, to work Paul Gibson’s numerous WBBM slots while he sojourns in Europe ... Atlas Film Corp. lensing a bowling film for the Anheuser-Busch pro- motion department with Bill Stern slated to gab the commentary . . ; JohnnyErp holding down the Chi NBC newsroom, fort while chief Bill Ray vacations in Michigan . . . WJJD veep Fred Harm signed Polk Bros, as the bankroller on the station’s “Breakfast Frolic" running Mondays through Saturdays from 4 to 5 a.m, ... Ron Terry doubling into nitery work with, a six-week stand at the Club Hollywood fea- turing the talent package used on his WGN-TV late night shows . . . Bob Banner, producer of Dinah Shore’s NBC-TV’er, lectured at the NBBC-Northwesterfl U summer television institute yesterday (Tues.) ... Don McNeill* majordomo of ABC’s “Breakfast Club" again this year is hosting 80 Chi boys at his lake lodge . . . Nancy Wright fea- tured femme Vocalist on WNBQ’s “Contact” for a two-week stint . . , Hendrix Blue, ex-Webster-Chicago, new Hallicrafters sales promotipii [ manager . .• . Newscaster Frank Reynolds and weatherman P. J. Hoff working a dew Sunday night WBBM-TV feature based on the top local news yarn of the week . . . WNBQ-WMAQ sales director John Keys and WNBQ salesman Toininy Horan checked out on their Vaca- tions. Ditto WMAQ producer Ralph Knowles. IN SAN FRANCISCO ... New announcer at KRON is Vic Sonenherg . • . scene of a future “Line-Up" scrijptwill be one of S. F.’s- “little” theatres, The Playhouse Repertory . > . Speakers at a special luncheon for agency personnel and advertisers were C. Richard Evans 'and Ralph Davison, general manager and sales manager, respectively, of KGMB-TV, Honolulu . . , KPIX had visiting Johnny Carson and local radio-tv writers up for a breakfast huddle . . . After swimming from Alcatraz to San Francisco ini 56 minutes—handcuffed—tv strong-man Jack LaLanne remarked, “you know, I feel a little dizzy" ... Guest chefs subbed for Edith Green while the KGO-TV kitchen mistress visited her month-old granddaugh- ter in Washington, D. C. . . . Paul T. Scheiner, ex-KGO general man- ager, has jqined Ziv Television program as S. F, rep. ... Joseph Henry Jackson, newspaper and radio book critic, suffered a stroke while tap- ing material at KNBC Thursday (14) for use on NBC’s “Monitor” week- end show. He was taken to St. Clare’s Hospital in critical condition. IN DALLAS .. . . Art Magee, KGKO deejay, will join Paramount’s Coast ,tv dept. Aug. 1 . . . Eddie Dunn Jr, joined WFAA as a cross-the-board d.j. . . . KLIF wax spinner, Kenny Sargent, ex-Casa Loma orch singer, vacationing In N. Y. . . . William J. (Bill) Edwards,. ex-KGKO deejay, rejoined the station as a time salesman ... Denise Foster, ex-hillbilly singer, signed for daily “Early Birds" stint at WFAA; but now is a pop canary . . . Jerry Haynes, who once emceed his own dally show on WFAA-TV, now doing an “entertainment editor" segment on the station’s new daily “Magazine” show . . . Jack Rayel, NBC-T.V exec producer, in to confer With managing director Charles R. Meeker Jr.*, of State Fair Musicals, on the Aug., 27 N. Y. telecast of “One Touch of Venus,” with Janet Blair and Russell Nype. It’ll be virtually the same show that Meeker is staging here Aug. 1-14 at State Fair Auditorium. IN MINNEAPOLIS . . . As an attraction for the Aquatennial, local summer mardi gras, “The Big Payoff," CBS network show, is originating from Lyceum Theatre, legit house here, five days this week. Entire cast, including Randy Merriman and Bess Myerson, in from New York and WCCO-TV has distributed tickets to public. Merriman, former Minneapolitan, was grand marshal for Aquatennial’s big morning parade ... At 11th hour, NBC-TV cancelled plan to telecast “Today" from here 5 to 7 a.m. July 18 in connection with Aquatennial. Jack Hein, the network show’s director, informed local committee that free plane transportation from New York to Minneapolis wouldn’t be available and the cost of bring- ing the show here, about $4,000, was considered too great. KSTP-TV already had distributed several thousand tickets for the called-off tele- cast ... As result of appearance on Arthqr Godfrey’s “Talent Scouts” (Continued on page 36)