Variety (November 1955)

28 RADIO-TELEVISION JSamety Wednesday, November 23, 1955 Hayes Revolving Door at CBS Radio Answer to 'Whats Cookin’ Queries That there is “something stir-4' ring” on the radio side of CBS is reflected in the shifting of person¬ nel from one area to another, along with posting longtime staffers for departmental takeovers. The re¬ volving door has been in continual action since Arthur Hull Hayes was named president of the aural web last April. A couple of strategic moves last week may have been keyed, at least in part, to the upcoming (Dec. 8) New York meeting of the board of. Columbia Affiliates with exec¬ utives of the network. Irving A. Fein, the- p. r. man on the Coast (“in charge of Jack Benny public¬ ity”), has been transferred to N. ,Y. and given v. p. chevrons in tales promotion, advertising and press information. Another new veep is I. S. (Zac) Becker, put in charge of business affairs. It marks a return for Becker, since he held the v. p. post for several “months in 1952, having previously been stripe man of the department for CBS-TV. It’s understood that the two ap¬ pointments represent the “final blueprint.” Hayes is said to feel that the network is now. stocked at N. Y. hq with' the proper top manpower for the new era of “seg¬ mented programming” bearing fa¬ miliar names or titles. It’s interesting to trace Hayes’ more recent moves on the Holly¬ wood checkerboard. Shifted from CBS there were Carroll Hansen, as coordinator of news and sports; Bill Shaw as network sales manager, succeeding Dudley Faust; Dick Jolliffe as administrative manager of sales services, and within hours of that appointment, the naming of Fein. Some of these are created berths. Hayes gained a familiarity with west coast operations via his bossmanship of the web’s Frisco station, making many a trip south¬ ward to L. A. Meanwhile, sales v.p. John Karol has. made several alterations on the Coast and elsewhere, Jack Dona¬ hue is named Pacific Cpast sales manager, effective Dec. 12, and William W. Firman is tapped as manager of the Detroit office. Don¬ ahue is an account exec (spot sales) in the Chi office, and Fir¬ man is ditto on network sales. In addition, Charles Burge becomes sales chief of KMOX, the CBS-St. Louis outlet. CBS will be huddling with the new officers and new members of the affiliates group for the first time since the Detroit elections in September. Heading the CBS links Is Kenyon Brown as chairman of the board. He’s prexy of KWFT, Wichita Falls, Tex. CBS will be repped by Hayes; James M. Sew¬ ard and J. Kelly Smith, adminis¬ trative v.p.’s; William A. Schudt, v.p., and Ole Morby, manager, sta¬ tion relations. Representing parent CBS Inc. will be v.p. Richard Sal- ant. Hard Nut to Crack Hallmark is “seriously” (li nking of buying NBC-TV’s “possible” production of the "Nutcracker” ballet. Xatter will “probably” go into the 2 to 3:30 p.m. Christmas Day slot and show will be tinted up “if” studio facilities are avail¬ able. It. will be presented “only” if sponsored. Anyway, it’s been definitely .learned that “Nutcracker” is by Tchaikovsky. ‘Front Row Center’ For Sun. TV Matinee Bumps ‘Penny’ Revival Plans Chicago, Nov. 22. Plans to revive the “Penny 'to a Million” quizzer have been tabled now that CBS-TV is prepping the hour-long Sunday afternoon “Front Row Center” dramatic entry to pre¬ cede “Omnibus.” Brown & Wil¬ liamson tobacco firm for its Raleigh cigs had hoped to install the Ed Wolf package as an alternate spon¬ sor in the Sunday 3:30 (CBS) slot currently occupied by the “Let’s Take a Trip” sustainer. Quiz stan¬ za checked off ABC-TV last month. Ford Foundation masterminders of “Omnibus” weren’t too happy over the prospects of being pre¬ ceded by the giveaway and had a voice in CBS’ decision to supply some heavier Sabbath afternoon ammunition after the first of the year. " Meanwhile, the Russel M. Seeds execs handling the B&W account have just about given up on hopes of finding a suitable time slot for “Penny.” Showcasing of “Front Row Cen¬ ter” actually is a double-edged sword. The hour’s dramatic pack¬ age will be reprised from its night¬ time dress of last June through September as a General Electric skein that since has been refilled with GE’s “20th-Fox Hour.” But the prime consideration in such a scheduling is the fact that NBC-TV has been hitting Colum¬ bia segments over the head with a threesome of regular 3 to 4:30 Sun¬ day bills consisting of the biweek¬ ly "Wide Wide Wobld,” eight slots for Maurice Evans’ specs and with the NBC Opera Theatre offerings on a now and then basis. It’s no secret that the 4 to 5:30 “Omnibus” has been about lack of inheritance from CBS shows, with the 3 o’clock brace of low-rated half-hours, “Face the Nation” and “Let’s Take a Trip.” not counting on to “do a job” for "Omnibus.” ABC IN NEGOTIATION FOR DAYTIME FILMS ABC-TV is already on the prowl • for top feature film properties j which it hopes to program in the .daytime starting in January. John H. Mitchell, v.p. over the televi¬ sion web, has been assigned the job of coming up with the pix and is already in negotiation with sev¬ eral companies, “from General Teleradio all the way down to National Telefilm Associates.” Mitchell, who negotiated the deal bringing 35 J. Arthur Rank features to the web (package was split between 4he web and its ABC Film Syndication subsid, with net¬ work using its allotment for the “Famous Film Festival” series), said he may also go directly to the major motion picture companies if necessary. Web is nowhere near a deal yet, Mitchell added, but must make one in time for a Janu¬ ary starting date. Pix will run 3-5 p. m., leading into the SRO “Mickey Mouse Club.” TV Can Use Some Good Producers, Sez Don Medford BBC-TV Outbids Com’l Web For Major Sports Event, But For a Price London, Nov. 22. Twice during the past week BBC-TV has outbid the commercial network operators for key sport¬ ing events. In a new bid to re¬ gain the viewing audience lost to the opposition, the state run web has bought exclusive rights to As¬ cot racing for the next five years and to Test cricket for the next three years. The two deals are reported to have cost over $250,000, but some of the investment may be recouped by sharing some of the time with the commercial network. Ascot is the most fashionable racing event of the year, always supported by Royalty, while the Test matches are as important here as the World Series in America. ROBERT YOUNG GOES OFFBEAT AS A 1-SHOT Scott. Paper and Screen Gems, sponsor and packager of “Father Knows Best,” are trying something in the way of an offbeat program¬ ming idea come Dec. 7, when for j a one-show special the “FatheV” | domestic comedy format will be discarded and Robert Young will star in a filmed western, “Stage to Yuma.” Regular “Father” format will be resumed the following week. Si age” isn’t being planted as a possible pilot, according to a Screen .Gems spokesman, but view¬ er comment.will be invited with an eye toward another such “special” within the "Father” framework. Young & Rodney picked “Stage,” based bn a Saturday Eve¬ ning Post: story written by Marvin DeVries in 1953. It’s Young’s first non-“Father” tv appearance since the comedy show hit the air last .October. “Special” will have the regular “Father” opening with .tyne Wyatt, Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray and Lauren Chapin, but then Young will explain the purpose of the “speciaL” and “Stage” will be aired. Hollywood, Nov. 22. “Nine out of 10 television pro¬ ducers don’t know what they’re do¬ ing,” and that’s the chief trouble in teevee today, it’s asserted by Don Medford, who directs the live “General Electric Theatre” shows which originate from both coasts. Medford said he f personally has turned down a number of producer offers principally because he pre¬ fers directing, and doesn’t think you can both produce and direct at the same time. Medford, a. New Yorker here to direct nine GE originations from Hollywood, commented N. Y. tv has come up with better live shows only because they have more of them, pointing out “Climax” (CBS) is the only coast dramatic night- timer, since Lux Video (NBC) con¬ sists chiefly of adaptations of films. On the subject of tv producers, Medford said he believes there is such a scarcity because video Is still a comparatively new medium, and there wasn’t any great demand for good creative producers until fairly recently. “A good creative producer in tv today is a rare com¬ modity. He acknowledged that be¬ ing a tv producer is n6 bed of roses, observing “most of the time unhappy j you’re stymied by client resistance, but it’s a commercial aspect you have to face realistically. A good tv producer must have intelligence and perception to fight an agency, if necessary; must know how to bring the .show in on budget; must understand the agency situation, the eccentricities of his writers, and so on. He must also be a good executive. It’s a frightening job—I wouldn’t want to produce.” The native New Yorker com¬ mented most tv is moving to the Coast, and fervently expressed the hope that the majority of it does wind up here. “In fact. I wish all shows would originate from Hollywood. N. Y. technicians are bitter and feel they’ve been stepped on by inexperienced pro¬ duction personnel. They’ve gotten jaded. Facilities are very bad in N. Y. They ask you to do top qual¬ ity shows out of antiquated stu¬ dios.” Hartford—New faces at WGTH, Mutual affiliate; Bob Andrews in from WKNB, New Britain, as pro¬ gram director; Bobby Lloyd back as platter spinner after a few Laredo, Tex.—KHAD-TV. owned semesters with other New England and operated here by Vidlcon In¬ radio stations; Steve Gilmartin, dustrios of America, of Midland, formerly with WEIM, Fitchburg, Tex., is being constructed here to Mass.; Dick Richards, formerly with take to the air within the next sev- V/STC, Stanford, Conn., and Mike oral weeks. Outlet will joip the Lawless, WTWN, St. Johnsbury, CBS-TV network on Dee. 1 under \t., all added to announcing staff, the wclj’s Extended Market Plan. WATV’s Italian Language News Show; Landi Host First Italian-language television news show will be launched on WATV. N. Y., Dec. 4 by adman Er- berto Landi, whose “Italian Fea¬ ture Film Festival” is a regular on the station. News show, airing Sundays from 10:30-11 p.m., will use Italian language newsreels from Attualita It.aliana, the Italian newsreel service, flown in to N. Y. by Landi. Latter will also emcee the show r , doing live commentary from newspaper and magazine arti¬ cles from Italy. Hormel & Co. will sponsor for its “Italian Salami.” “Feature, Film Festival,” hosted by Lew Dana, switches to a new time the day before (3), moving up from 2:30 p.m. Saturdays to 3:30 p.m. because of WATV’s new col¬ lege basketball schedule. 1 44444444444 4 4 4 444 44 ^ 4 ^ 44 4 - 444 ^ 4 - 44 - 444-4 44 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 44 - From the Production Centres 4444444444444+4444 4 4444 ♦ 4 4 4 44 444 4 44 4 4 . 4 4444 4 4 4 44 + IN NEW YORK CITY . . . Hope Lawder Richie, ex-legit actress and radio producer, is “warm¬ ing up” to return to creative programming in i*adio-tv. She’s been spending the last few years as reiner of CBS Talks Programs, one of which was the award-winning “Man’s Right to Knowledge” . . . Bill Leonard’s swelled head is of the physical variety. The WCBS’er was knocked cold after walking into a glass door at, 485 Madison Ave. hq. Doorman Mike Donovan revived Leonard and sent him on his way with a buzzing in his head for the rest of the day . . . Sportscaster Bill Rickey returns to alma mater Harvard Nov. 29 to be toastmaster at football banquet. Hickey played centre for the Crimson in ’49. His Columbia colleague, Herman Hickman, made his final appearance of the season in his home state of Tennessee for a gab at the Touch¬ down Club (19) . ; . Shirley Eggleston did “True Story” (17), “Ethel & Albert” (18) and “Our Gal Sunday” (21-22) in extra-busy radio¬ tv hop-skip-jump . . . Maureen O’Hara to be 300th name guest on CBS’ “Amos ’n’ Andy Music Hall” tomorrow JlTurkey Day) . . . WCBS program mgr. Sam Slate sidelined again last week—the third time, this month—with an injury to his left foot. General manager Carl Ward and sales chief Henry Untermeyer take off for Chi and the Coast Dec. 5 . . . Red Barber emceed Bergdorf-Goodman fashion bene¬ fit show . . . Actor-announcer-narrator Jim Campbell addressed Lions Club of Greenwich, Conn., on “Radio and TV—In Chicago As Op¬ posed to New York” yesterday (Tues.) after just returning from his lead stint in an eight weeks’ tour for the Coca-Cola Bottlers Conven¬ tions, which followed a sixmonth in an industrial sales promotion trek for Westinghouse. Lu Ann Simms, ex-Godfrey thrush, guest stars on two CBS radio shows this Sunday (27). In the afternoon, she takes over the top singing chore on “Woolworth Hour” and that evening guests on Mitch Miller Show on' same network. WOR-and-tv chief Gordon Gray to chair radio-tv division of the United Hospital Fund’s '55 drive. Gray’s also quite active in Travelers’ Aid Society work . . . Bertram (Bert) Hauser, lately a veep at Mutual, joins'Hardy Burt Productions as a consultant . . . John Boesel has been upped from client services to radio-tv salesman for A. C. Nielsen re¬ search house ... WAAT (Newark) has started concert thrush Mary Bothwell in a weekly Tuesday late-night, d.j.-interview stanza . . , Jim Reinke, veep of Colonial__Airlines, took a $40 spot via WMGM just to sell his super eight Packard convertible. Sold it too . . . Anita Ekberg was interviewed in Rome by-Lucio fiasco, WOV’s correspondent, re Italo pic-making for tape repeat on station here . . . Gabber Bill Ship- ley to KONA, Honolulu, for a fortnight of personal appearances and some vidfilm making. George Lewis, writer-publicist, has joined Rowe-Doherty Associates as radio-tv director. Most recently with the Community Chest and Councils, and with the United "Cerebral Palsy, he was formerly pub¬ licity director of WHN (now r WMGM) and exploitation director of Mutual. IN CHICAGO . . . WNBQ-WMAQ chief Jules Ilerbuveaux guest speaker today (Wed.) at the Broadcast Advertising Club with a report on the NBC-TV sta¬ tion’s color conversion, plus a kine replay of David Sarnoffs recent closed-circuit press confab . . . Lew Gomavitz, director of Burr Till- strom’s "Kukla, Fran & Ollie,” handled the tele staging last week when Adlai Stevenson tossed his hat into the Demo presidential ring . . . John Boesel shifted from client service to an account exec berth at A. C. Nielsen ... WNBQ-WMAQ program director George Heine- mann to help judge the Natonal Conference of Christians and Jews “Good Neighbor” awards . . . Producer Les Lear and assistant Hank Koval off to the Coast to prep the Dec. 5 launching of “Walt Disney’s Magic Kingdom” on ABC ... Vet Chi NBC exec John Whalley now filling newly-created post of director of business affairs and financial planning at WNBQ-WMAQ .- . . Jerry Wagner, formerly record libra¬ rian at N. Y. indies WMCA and WNEW, toiling in WBBM’s disk library . . . After a stint on WAAF, Sig Sakowicz is helming a 15-minute chat¬ ter cross-boarder on WJJD . . . NBC radio spot'salesmen Ed Gardner, George Dubinetz and Harry Jacobs on a get-acquainted tour to KOA, Denver, KNBC, Frisco, and KOMO, Seattle . . . Fran Allison spent Saturday (19) entertaining the kids at the Dixon state school as her contribution to the National Mentally Retarded Children’s Week . . . NBC newsman Alex Dreier narrated a film on automation circulated by Admiral Corp. IN BOSTON ... Three WEEI staffers planed out from the Hub this frame on projects. Harvey J. Struthers, general manager, flew to New York for a eon- fereifce with CBS radio network officials and CBS radio spot sales execs. Priscilla Fortcsque flew to Phoenix and Tucson with a group of New England broadcasters and newspapermen on v a five-day junket by American Airlines. Heloise Parker Broag, director of WEEI’s Food Fair program, and prexy of the New England District of AWRT, planed out for Manhattan to be guested by the Radio and Television Execu¬ tive’s Society at their luncheon honoring the distaff side in the broad¬ casting industry . , . WGBH-TV, Channel 2, is presenting a six-week series on how. school children learn to read . . . WLYN, Lvnn, has a complete reshuffling. Johnny Towne, ex of WESX, Salem, has joined the staff. Hank Forbes, out of radio.for one and one-half years, is in the 6 to 9 slot. Jack McDermott and Jack Chadderton remain. McDermott and Forbes disk jock on WCOP Saturdays and Sundays ... Aud reaction to WNAC-TV’s unique Heart to Heart Helmet promotion reported terrific this frame. Hub moppets buy a “Ramar of the Jungle” scout helmet and also send in donations for others. Money is matched by- the station each month for purchase of helmets for less fortunate kid¬ dies in the Hub . . . Bill Buchanan, WVDA disk jock, set some kind of a record by devoting four hours to the Glenn Miller Army Air Foice Band album on his Saturday show. Other local radio stations played the album in serial fashion. tr stoniiwrl ULV , . . William Hedgpeth switched from director of tv sales promotion to film director for WTOP-CBS . . . Joseph P. Dowling, ex of Hadley Reed in New York, and formerly with ABC research and sales de¬ velopment division, is new tv promotion head for WTOP . . . Patty W “ C - N . BC fcmmecasler, is sole radio personality in town to tover California Fashion Creators show, on which she taped shows for her own Capitol Byline” and for NBC’s “Weekday” . . . WWDC will broadcast Washington area finals for “Voice of Democracy” con¬ test and will tape winning speech for national finals. IN PHILADELPHIA . . . Frank Brookhauser, Bulletin columnist and broadcaster, has new b °° h S C ^’ M;N ! 0 u 1 Lay Me D(nvn .” with Philly nite clubs as locale • • • McMahon debuts late night session (20) on WIBG from Orsatti’s F. un )P ] •?'? m • * • Variet - v Club presented award to Stan Lee Broza on Si;. , Cblldr P n s IIour ” 28th anni . . . Harry, K. Smith takes over xMike Ellis 10 minute late spot on WPTZ (11:20 p.m.) , . . KYW’s Mac Mc- (Continued on page 40)