Variety (March 1956)

30 RAMO-TEEJEVISIOiV Variety Wednesday, March 21, 1956 Mayor Wagner Again Blames Webs for TV City Stalemate New York’s Mayor Robert F.4- Wagner last week pinned the blame directly on the networks for the failure of the webs and the city to establish a television centre that would halt the exodus of live and filmed programs to the Coast. The Mayor was backed strongly in his contention that the industry itself is to blame by George E. Spargo, general manager of the Triborough Bridge & Tunnel Authority, rep¬ ping Parks Comr. Robert E. Moses, who also heads the authority. Statements by the two city of¬ ficials were made in reply to a letter to them by Eaves Costumes exec Andrew Geoly, who made the correspondence public. Geoly spe¬ cifically took the officials to task on their backing of a sports centre in Brooklyn to house the Dodgers, commenting that “it must be much more important to concern yourself with the plight of a baseball club, which charges exhoribitintly for seats, instead of interesting your¬ self in a major industry which em¬ ploys thousands, spends millions in New York City, to provide won¬ derful free entertainment for each and every set owner in all areas.” Mayor Wagner referred to the 10-year history of talks with the networks on the matter, and stated that “every one of these conscien¬ tious attempts was unsuccessful, because each network has its own peculiar problems which make it difficult for one station to get to¬ gether with the others on a com¬ mon lot. Only last week one of the large companies reportedly evinced interest in a site in Man¬ hattan. We shall certainly encour¬ age them. We want the television stations to remain in New .York and to that end we shall continue our efforts to induce them to stay. I hope that some satisfactory solu¬ tion can be worked out eventually.” Hizzoner referred to sites that have been talked up, specifically mentioning the Washington Sq. Title I project, the N. Y. Coliseum and more recently the Lincoln Sq. Title I project (ABC-TV, incident¬ ally, is headquartered presently just one block from the borders of the Lincoln Sq. setup). “In June of last year, at Governor Harri- man’s instance,- the whole problem was restudied and a number of sites reviewed again. The sites in¬ cluded, among others, the Jamaica and Aqueduct race tracks, the Oak¬ land golf course, the Flushing air¬ port and part of Idlewild airport, all in Queens; the Curtiss airport and the Edenwald-Seton Falls area in the Bronx.” Spargo, replying in the absence of Comr. Moses, was more direct, stating that “it is just about 10 years ago that we started to work with the various concerns in the television industry to encourage them to stay in N. Y. I cannot re¬ member how many conscientious attempts we have made to be of help. Every effort has been unsuc¬ cessful because each of the sta¬ tions has its own problem and seems to want to attack it in its own way If portions of the indus¬ try move from N. Y. it will not be because the City and State offi¬ cials were negligent. It will be because some of the people in the industry decided they want to move and no one can stop them.” (Wag¬ ner said essentially the same thing in an interview with Variety two months ago.) Westinghouse-WINS Dickers Collapse; Bob Leder to WOR Deal under which Westinghouse Broadcasting Corp. would have purchased WINS, N. Y., from J. El¬ roy McCaw for considerations amounting to nearly $2,500,000 has fallen through and is now com¬ pletely dead. McCaw, who pur¬ chased the station from Crosley a couple of years ago for $450,000 and built it to its present poten¬ tial, appears set to hold onto the property indefinitely, although he’s reportedly now been approached by Storer Broadcasting on possi¬ bility of selling. Exit of Bob Leder, who as gen¬ eral manager of WINS, is given the lion’s share of credit for the suc¬ cess of the operation, is said to have had nothing to do with the negotiations for sale. Leder signed last week to take over as general manager of WOR, General Teleradio’s outlet in N. Y. and the Mutual flagship station. Leder’s switch cued a reshuffle of Gordon Gray’s posts, with Gray becoming v.p.-g.m. over WOR-TV instead of both WOR radio and tv. Leder moves into the Teleradio shop ApriV 15. Motorola’s ’55 Record Chicago, March 20. Motorola’s ’55 sales were a rec¬ ord $226,653,953, up 10% from the previous year, for net earnings of $8,490,539, or $4.39 a share. Last year’s net was $7,572,024, equal to $3.91 a share. NCAA-NBC 9-GAME 1 TV GRID SKED SET Kansas City, March 20. Slate of nine games has been set by the National Collegiate Athletic Association for televising next fall, according to an an¬ nouncement by Howard Grubbs, chairman of the television com¬ mittee, and Tom S. Gallery, NBC sports director. Network rights went to NBC at a meeting of the committee in New York recently. Setup includes seven Saturday games and dual broadcasts on Thanksgiving Day. Opener is to be Kentucky- Georgia Tech Sept. 22. Others: Texas Christian-Arkansas, Oct. 6; Notre Dame-Oklahoma, Oct. 27; a Big Ten game to be selected, Nov. 10; U.C.L.A.-Southern Cali¬ fornia, Nov. 24; Army-Navy, Dec. 1; Miami-Pittsburgh, Dec. 8. This is in line with the plans announced a few weeks ago at NCAA headquarters here, after a careful review of previous ap¬ proved football telecasts. Masters Golf Tourney Set for CBS Radio, TV The Masters golf tourney, one of the year’s prize fairway packages, has been snagged by CBS (radio and tv) for April 4-8 coverage. Both the aural and homescreen sides are skedding special pickups from the Augusta Natl. Golf Club, with John Derr, CBS exec pro¬ ducer of sports (radio), handling commentary for both. The tv end will spotlight three special. shows, 5-5:30 on Friday and 5 to 6 on the weekend days. CBS Radio, al¬ ready fortified with NIT basket¬ ball, Olympics hockey, Florida horseracing, etc., will give the golf show a more extensive play with a dozen pickups over the four days. Derr, incidentally, is a top golf¬ er, having recently bagged No. 1 in the radio-tv-press division end of the 16th annual Baseball Players Tournament. Inside Stuff—Radio-TV Frank M. Folsom, as president of RCA, has sundry other posts in national and civic affairs in Washington that run the gamut from the Defense Dept., the Atomic Energy Commission and the national USO. At a recent D. C. powwow with another industrialist, while conferring with Secretary of Defense Charles E. Wilson, the only thing one manu¬ facturer seemed to remember about Folsom's wartime job as Chief Procurement Officer of the U. S. Navy was, “You’re the so-and-so who edicted no vests and take the pleats out of pants as one means -to save cloth while the wartime shortages were on!” It was Folsom, as a mem¬ ber of the War Production Board, who told manufacturers of Govern¬ ment Issue that this would result in a great saving of needless materials. The 13th annual commentator award of the Alfred I. du Pont Radio and Television Foundation was awarded Friday night (16) to Howard K. Smith, chief European correspondent for CBS news. In Smith’s absence, it was accepted by Elmer Lower, CBS News director of special projects. Smith is in London. The award committee cited Smith “for his service to the American people through his emo¬ tional insight into the meaning of European events and his ability to communicate that meaning with clarity, liveliness and warmth.” Station WTIC, of Hartford, won the award for large stations and WICC, of Bridgeport, Conn., was selected for top “meritorious service .to the American people” among the smaller power stations. Presen¬ ilation were made at the annual awards dinner in Washington. ABC Radio’s eight-man Station Planning & Advisory Committee goes into a full-day session tomorrow (Thurs.) at the Hotel Plaza, N. Y., for a full-scale workover of the nighttime programming problem and a looksee at the questiTJR of network option hours. Understood the SPAC will o.o. nighttime programming plans to be submitted by the web for “New Sounds for You,” the 7:30-10 block which got good critical and clearance reactions but was unable to latch onto any sponsors. Web has been working out several replacement possibilities, but wants to give its affiliates a gander before making any decisions. Also up for consideration, reportedly, is the Campbell Soups system of cue spots, which has aroused some ire on the part of stations as an “invasion” of their spot business. Cullen’s Tax Party’ Wanna know more about how to make with the statistics on the in¬ come tax returns due April 15? Hear and see “The Bill Cullen Tax Party,” carded by WRCA and WRCA-TV, N.Y., March 24, from 11:15 to midnight. Show, of which the first version was presided over by A1 (Jazzbo) Collins, was readied with co-op of Internal Revenue’s regional office, and will consist of questions from studio audience thrown at a board of tax experts. For the glam side there will be six taxettes—three “Miss Long Forms” and three “Miss Short Forms”—who’ll cir¬ culate in the aud with portable mikes. WRCA’s .mobile unit will cruise the city to pick up queries from street paraders. Program’s being offered to Bromo-Seltzer and other headache vanishers. Philadelphia lawyer Irving Segal joins Abe Lastfogel and Manie Sacks as one of the chief speakers at the testimonial dinner for Martha Raye being given tomorrow (Thurs.) night at the Waldorf-Astoria, N. Y., by the National Nephrosis Foundation. Segal, president of the Foun¬ dation, has been in the show biz picture for sometime via represen¬ tation, of Hollywood majors in anti-trust and other suits. Segal is a member of Schnader, Harrison, Segal & Lewis. Radio and television continues its gradual lifting of the legal curtain which traditionally has stymied electronic coverage of courtrooms proceedings. Milwaukee Journal’s WTMJ and WTMJ-TV had their day in court last week with an exclusive sound film report of the. sentencing of Robert O’Connor and John Johns, who were handed a life rap for killing a local tavern keeper. WTMJ news director Jack Krueger got the okay from Criminal Court Judge Clarence E. Rinehard who agreed the filming of actual sentencing would not jeopardize the defenders’ legal rights. Phil Nalle, musical director of CBS-TV’s “Mama” stanza rang up a double anniversary last Friday (16). Since that was the 300th tele¬ cast of the series (in its seventh and perhaps last year, incidentally), it was also the maestro’s “300” batting average. Same show marked Nalle’s 3,000th chore in tv since his preem on the homescreens back in 1946. Dual milestone was celebrated by Nalle at a party after the “Mama” show. * . . ... . . . : From die Production Centres IN NEW YORK CITY ... WRCA’s Keil Banghart takes two-week lease from newcasting chores, sailing today (Wed.) on the Homeric to the Caribbean . . . WCBS' Lanny Ross to m.c. kickoff fundraising dinner of Nassau County Committee of American Cancer Society March 21 at Garden City Hotel . . . Richard F. McGeary to NBC Spot Sales in L. A. . . . Cliff Jenkins, son of Lillian Jenkins, publicity director of Madison Sq. Garden, has joined CBS Press Info to learn the ropes under George Crandall . . . WRCA’s Johnny Andrews m.c.’d N. Y. Press Photogs Ball at Plaza Hotel (17) . . . Martyn Green on CBS “Make Up Your Mind” (23) . . . Herman Hickman celebrates second anni with WCBS and sponsor Shell Oil . . . Jack Sterling returns to legit next month for a role in “Lighnin’ ” at Stamford, Conn. . . . Isabel Finnie of WRCA traffic lost her mother , . . William Conrad of “Gunsmoke” to narrate CBS Radio Workshop’s “Legend of Jimmy Blue Eyes,” based on Edmund Brophy poem with special music by Ray Noble (23) . . . Charles Collingwood subbing for Ed Murrow’s newscasts March 26-April 1. John Mulvihill switches from WOR-TV where he’s, been a salesman for the past three years to sales in another RKO Teleradio arm, Mutual . . . Also at WOR-TV-AM, John Fogel becomes Ted Steele’s exec pro¬ ducer on all shows; started with Steele as cameraman . . . Nick Pitas! to head radio sales at H-R Representatives . . . Don Dunphy, Russ Hodges, Bill Stern, Red Barber, Bryan Field, Jimmy Powers and Sam Taub comprises N, Y. Sports Broadcasters’ new advisory committee . . . WQXR got that new 50,000-watt transmitter going this week; upped from 10 kw . . . WHLI, Hempstead, L. I., breaking ground next month on new $250,000 radio centre, and execs expect to move in by summer’s close ... Frank Lovejoy into MBS’ “Family Theatre” tonight (Wed.); wife Joan Banks, up for this one too . . . Joe Given, longtime chief gabber at WOV, ankling for freelance and film work. He’ll be succeeded on the 7 to 9 ayem “Wake Up New York” by Jack Walker, shifting from an evening trick . . . Alma John will moderate a Saturday integration series (in co-op with the Church of the Master and the Fifth Ave. Presbyterian) on WRRL . .. . Vern Hendrickson tagged as WMGM as¬ sistant' sales chief under Sam Faust . . . Arthur C. Nielsen, boss of A. C. Nielsen Co., back from Europe . . . WNYC will be taking appli¬ cations for film editor and program production assistant until March 27; N. Y. C. Department of Personnel doing the examining. . . . Diahann Carroll guests on Kathy Godfrey’s CBS radio show Satur¬ day (24)... WLIB “preeming” Jan Peerce’s new recording of the Pass- over Seder services Sunday, with Mrs. Peerce on live as commentator . . . Latest ad in Calvert’s “Man of Distinction” series features Henry Olmsted, whose prez of Olmsted Sound Studios . . . WABC’s Claire Mann doing a Voice of America stint March 28 on dieting beamed at West Germany . . . S. L. Meulendyke, prez of Marschalk & Pratt, host¬ ing a VIP luncheon at the Metropolitan Club and a tour of the Mc- Cann-Erickson subsid’s new Park Ave. offices on Friday (23). IN HOLLYWOOD ... Raymond R. Morgan agency lost the White King account to Erwin, Wasey after 26 years. Bills better than a million a year . . . When Godfrey's “Talent Scouts” anchors here March 28 Bob Crosby will con¬ duct the competition ... Shirley Willson moved from Dancer-Fitzgerald- Fitzgerald to Compton as office manager . . . Tom Cole joined KNXT publicity staff replacing Mike Connolly, who becomes assistant city editor of City News Service and a benedict all in the same week . .. . Paul Masterson calls it a new low in commercial routining when a mortuary’s cremation pitch was followed by American Meat Institute’s plea to eat more roast pork . . . Phil Rapp is creating comedy ideas for Wally Cox, Imogene Coca and Nanette Fabray . ... Gen. David Sar- noff passing a week here after his Hawaiian holiday before returning east . . . Jim and Marion Jordan are once again interested in a tele¬ version of “Fibber & Molly” and a second pilot may be coming along soon . . . While at CBS Elliott Lewis produced a series called “Crime Classics” for radio. Now that he’s an NBC-TV producer he’ll be re¬ viving it for early piloting . . . Now that she’s a regular with Jack Carson, Sue Clausen becomes Sue Raney. IN CHICAGO . . . NBC veep Jules Herbuveaux addresses the annual Public Utilities Advetising Assn, luncheon next Tuesday (27). Subject: color, natch . . . British photographer Jack Whitehead has joined Fred Niles Pro¬ ductions as director of photography . . . Earl Steele, ex-WCCO, Minne¬ apolis, added to the WBBM production department . . . Producer-direc¬ tor Don Meier, assistant director Tom Arend and script girl Gwen Griffen in Marineland, Florida, lensing footage for an upcoming NBC- TV “Zoo Parade” . . . WCFL, indie owned by the Chicago Federation of Labor, made a $5,000 donation to WTTW, Chi’s educational tv sta¬ tion . . . Bernie Saber has ankled United Film & Recording to become Kling Film’s musical director . . . WNBQ-WMAQ news and sportscaster Norm Barry guestspeaks at today’s (Wed.) meeting of the Publicity Club . . . Richard Reinauer joined Foote, Cone & Belding’s radio-tv department after a hitch at Kling Films . . . Vince Garrity starting his 11th year with his “Inside on Sports” on WAAF . .-. Sears is drop¬ ping the “What’s the Pixie” quizzer on WNBQ but may- hang onto the Wednesday night slot ; . . Virginia Graham, hostess of NBC’s “Week¬ day,” comes in March 29 to help launch the Greater Chicago Cancer Drive ... . ABC ad^-promotion-publicity chief Ell Henry-and family driv¬ ing south this weekend for, a Florida vacation . . . Mars Inc. installing its ^Buffalo Bill Jr.” celluloid series on WGN-TV Thursday nights . . . NBC newsman Alex Dreier departs-next week for two weeks of rest in . Honolulu. Jim Hurlbut will sub on his network “Man on the Go” crossboarder and George Stone will work the Sunday night WNBQ news show. . IN WASHINGTON . . . Washington femmecaster Hazel Markel will cover the Grace Kelly- Prince Rainier nuptials for NBC’s “Weekday” and “Five Star Final” . . . CBS news, correspondent Bill Downs back in web!s, capital, bureau after a Rome assignment for past two-and-a-half years .. . : Radio sta¬ tion. WWDC's sales manager Herman Paris has chalked up an SRQ record for all program and spot adjacencies for entire season of Wash¬ ington American League baseball broadcasts. . . Ted Cott, DuMont v.p., due here April 5 to speak to town’s Women’s Ad Club . . . Carle- ton Smith, WRC-NBC boss and winner- of web’s management awards, off for a Florida vacation with frau . „ . Paul Norton added- to an-, nouncing staff at. WTOP-CBS . . . George Washington U student poll named WMAL-ABC’s Milton Q. Ford town’s top d.j. . . . Sportscaster Jim Simpson teeing off a new Saturday. (6:45-7 p.m.) interview and film show over WRC April 7 . . CBS newscaster. Bill Shadel was speaker at Tex;as. convention of Sigma Delta Cho, professional journal¬ ism fraternity, past weekend. IN BOSTON ... WBZ-WBZA sent out Irish pennies, flown in from Ireland, to press, ad agencies and VIP’s in honor of St. Patrick’s Day and-placed a full page, headed “Shure, and it’s greetings from Boston, U. S. A. to all of the boys at home!” in the Dublin Irish Independent Sat. (17) . . * (Continued on page 34)