Variety (May 1956)

44. TV-FILMS PSSOETY Wednesday, May 2, 1956 Filmways Sets Own ‘Tailored for TV’ Opticals Dept.; See Wide Tint Use First New York producer of tel-j evision commercials to sport its own fullscale, made-for-television special effects department is Film- ways Inc., which has purchased the first new Oxberry Optical Printer. New machine, which costs about $25,000 and can provide up to' 100 different special effects plus new accomplishments in color op¬ ticals, will be used by Filmways for its own production but may also be employed by Filmways, for an optical service for the industry. Up to now, virtually all commer¬ cial producers have used the half- dozen or so major optical houses in N. Y. to create their special ef¬ fects in commercials. A couple of producers have some equipment oi their own. But Filmways, with the purchase of the new Oxberry unit from Animation Equipment Co.- machine gets its first public dis¬ play at the Society of Motion Pic¬ ture Engineers convention this week at the Statler, N. Y.—be¬ comes the first fully equipped pro¬ ducer with optical facilities under Its own roof. Moreover, most pres¬ ent optical equipment is tailored for motion picture use, with the special effects running two feet or more, often too long for the quickie 30-second or 60-second commercial. Aside from the variety of different opticals, Filmways will be making shorter—one and one- and - a - half - foot opticals. More¬ over, opticals have a growing im¬ portance in , television because many commercials use them ex¬ tensively, since the blurb itself is supposed to be an attention-getter. Machine’s greatest possibilities, however, lie in the field of color, according to Filmways exec v.p. Martin Ransohoff, and Sid Greene, who recently jointed Filmways as ■head of animation and special ef¬ fects after a 25-year span in the field that started with Warner Bros, and has embraced several top firms in the lab and special effect fields. They point out that the new Oxberry unit is the first which is able to provide enough light in¬ tensity' to permit the use of the variety and effectiveness in special effects for color that is already available for black and white. Be¬ cause special effects essentially in¬ volves taking another picture of a positive print, light loss sometimes makes opticals impossible and al¬ ways makes them difficult in color. New machine has a lamp housing unit and a lens combination that provides enough light to overcome this obstacle, they say. Filmways is currently negotiat¬ ing an agreement under which it will provide optical service to a limited group of other producers It would, provide the optical “mats’ either on a library basis or on a rental arrangement. Filmways, in¬ cidentally, has claimed other “firsts'" to its credit: the first specially- built camera car in the east, the first new rear-screen projection unit in the east, and the first N. Y, producer to set a reciprocal serv¬ icing arrangement with a Coast production outfit, in this case Me- Cadden Productions. ‘Code 3’ Regional Sales With signing of National Biscuit Co. to a regional alternate-week buy in the northwest, ABC Film Syndication put its new “Code 3’’ series on the regional syndicated market on a national basis. ABC enters the field with about 30 mar¬ kets already sold, via Liebmann Brewery, Signal Oil and Nabisco sales, all in the west except for a couple of eastern cities taken by Liebmann. Opening of the series for sale followed last week’s an¬ nual sales meeting in N. Y. of ABC Syndication’s field force. Nabisco took on the series alter¬ nating with Signal in Seattle, Spo¬ kane and Sacremento, but is clear¬ ing time in additional markets for the show, which is produced for ABC by Hal Roach Jr. and Ben Fox. Zivs Down Under 8-Show Upbeat Ziv’s International Division in¬ vaded Australia with a vengeance last week, selling a total of eight shows Down Under, six of them to commercial telecasters and two to government-owned channels. In¬ ternational chief Ed Stern then proceeded to the Philippines where he'sold three Spanish-dubbed ser¬ ies to DZAQ-TV in Manila. Six-show deal, covering “Man Called X,” “‘Highway Patrol,” “Mr. District Attorney?* “Cisco Kid,” “Boston Blackie” ahd “Times Sq.- Playhouses,” was set with Amal¬ gamated Television Services Pty. Ltd. for Sydney and Melbourne. Australian Broadcasting Commis¬ sion deal for two shows covered ‘Science Fiction Theatre” and Favorite Story.” Three Philippine entries Ire “Highway Patrol,” “Science Fiction*’ and “Favorite Story.” Sterling Expands Vidfilm Catalog Sterling Television now has dis¬ tribution rights- to the George Raft vidfilm skein, “I : Am the Law,” which MCA-TV has handled for the past couple of semesters. “Hollywood Preview,” the Halsan Production, also goes over to Sterling. It was formerly dis¬ tributed by Flamingo Films. There are 26 half-hours in the “Law” package. “Preview,” with Conrad Nagel hosting, is produced on a weekly basis. Sterling has made the first sale of its complete package of short subjects to WABD, N.Y. Labeling the 2,000 shorties as the “largest library” of its kind for video, Sterling wrapped up the entire list in a new catalog, to kick off the “one - 'big - package” sales scheme. 12-Market Sale Of ‘Crusade in Europe’ Unity, the Jerry Hyams vidfilm- ery which reactivated “Crusade In Europe,” the series which played on ABC-TV about five years ago, has sold the skein of 26 20-mlnute pix in a dozen markets in the past three weeks. Produced by March of Time for 20th Fox, vidfilms were based on the Eisenhower book of the same name. Hyams released the package at the NARTB convention. Unique- lengthed show has been picked up by WABD, N. Y., and XETV, San Diego, among others. Gotham s 'Battle Of the Features With NBC-tV cutting away the Howdy Doody” show 5:30 weekdays and returning the 5:30-6 p.m. half- hour to the stations, its N. Y. flag¬ ship, WRCA-TV, is moving into a feature film operation that will cut across rival WCBS-TV’s two fea¬ ture shows, “Late Matinee” and “The Early Show.” New feature showcaser, airing cross-the-board at 5:30-6:45, will be called “Movie Show Time” and jvill have deejay Johnny Andrews as host. Station isn’t cdntemplatihg the acquisition of any new feature product for the segment at this point, but will use product it al¬ ready has under contract, mostly Motion Pictures for Television fea¬ tures. If more product is needed, it will -go into the market for it at a later date. “Movie Time” re¬ places “Howdy,” along with syn¬ dicated film and some live audi- ence-participationers. It cuts di¬ rectly across the WCBS feature shows, since “Matinee” runs 5 to 0 and “Early Show” 6:15 to 7:10 p.m., with news in between. New WRCA- TV show starts June 4. From the Production Centres ; Continued from page 40 ; JAY SMOLIN EXITS NBC TO JOIN HYMAN Next week Jay H. Smolin ankles NBC Television Films to take over overall chief of promotion, pub¬ licity and advertising for Eliot Hy¬ man’s Associated Artists Produc¬ tions, company with video rights to the Warner Bros, feature film backlog. Smolin was director of sales promotion for the NBC arm. Paul Kwartin, who a few weeks ago was scheduled to take the new Smolin post, will continue as head of AAP’s national .sales unit in¬ stead. Carol Levine continues as director of publicity under Smolin. WPIX BUYS 112 ‘FOUR-STAR’SECS In a deal with Official Films, WPIX has pacted for 112 half-hour “Four-Star Playhouse” reruns in N. Y., beginning next fall on the Daily News-owned outlet. Actually, Official acquired 153 “Playhouse” pix in its recent Four Star Pro¬ ductions deal, but Fred Thrower, boss of the tv station, is only tak¬ ing those in the series that star Dick Powell, David Niven, Ida Lu- pino and Charles Boyer. Thrower doesn’t plan to pick a time for, the series until later in the semester. ' NBC’s Coast Telepix Facilities Expanded Hollywood, May 1, In move to concentrate produc¬ tion of pilots and series under his own aegis, NBC is taking over four stages at California Studios on a yearly rental. Thomas Sarnoff, NBC-TV director of production and biz affairs here, closed the deal. Film department manager Fenton Coe will supervise the studio activ¬ ity. As yet, it hasn’t been determined which of the net’s filmed shows will move to California lot at Melrose and Bronson, but Sarnoff indicated that “Life of Riley” and “Medic” may be among them. NBC-TV’s telepixing activities are currently scattered among Goldwyn, Roach and General Service studios. Sar¬ noff added that other of Califor¬ nia’s nine stages may be acquired on a rental basis, if available and needed for future series, should pilots sell. ‘Secret Mission’ Into Syndication for NTA National Telefilm Associates has acquired distribution rights to “Secret Mission,” series of 13 half- hour adventure dramas based on incidents in World War II and is placing this series, together with its new Lilli Palmer-hosted “Thea¬ tre” drama series, on the syndica¬ tion market for regional and local sale. “Mission” had been produced on the Coast by Films for Television of Hollywood Inc. and beqn taken over by producer Jack Skirball, who made the deal with NTA. “Theatre” is the anthology series produced in Britain by Harry Alan Towers, with Miss Palmer hosting What are for the most part plays based on classic stories. Stars in the latter series include Flora Robson, ^Wendy Hiller, Marius Goring, Margaret Leighton and Eric Portman. man and collaborator with CBS-TV Boston originations. Romine was looking for data on African bushmen to be used in forthcoming episode of “Adventure” -. . . WBZ-WBZA radio’s documentary on rock *n’ roll, presented Sunday (22), with Duke Ellington, disk jocks Alan Dary and Norm Prescott, Anthony LaCamera and Bill Buchanan, radio-tv edi¬ tors of the Boston Record-American, Cecil Stein of Records, Inc. and a panel of four teenagers and Mons. John P. Carroll, director of the Catholic Youth Organization of the Archdiocese of Boston and Rev. Norman J. O’Connor, C.S.P., jazz authority, received such a heavy deluge of mail that a rebroadcast is planned . . . Traveling WEEI re¬ porter Priscilla Fortescue tljped several interviews at the AWRT con¬ vention . . . Duncan MacDonald, hostess-director of WNAC and the Yankee Network’s Monday through Friday “Home and Food Show,” had Archduchess Alexandra of Austria, daughter of Princess Ileana of Rumania, as guest Tuesday (24) and on-the-spot interviews with visiting delegates of the AWRT convention. IN SAN FRANCISCO . . . AFTRA’s local board and exec secretary Charlotte Cohelan have “reconciled disagreements on operating procedures,” according to local President Wanda Ramey, and board has voted unanimously to rehire the exec on a one-year agreerrfent ... Good break for Logos Films, spotting its first commercial just in front of “$64,000 Question” in Western markets . . . ABC brass from New York—Don Coe of news and special events, Bill Trevarthen of engineering and director Don Diskind—due in next week to huddle with KGO personnel on GOP convention problems . . . Chet Rhodes is new radio-tv production boss at Bascom & Bonfigi ... KRON has placed orders for two tv tape recorders with the Ampex Corp. of suburban Redwood City . . . Lucille Lando’s taking on a new chore—an ll-p.m.-to-midnight deejay show at KLX, Oakland . . . Director Gerry Marans of KQED is teach¬ ing two courses in phases of television at San Francisco State College . . . Hearst Metrotone News has hired Leo Diner Films, Frisco, to produce telefilms of the Republican convention here in August. IN CLEVELAND ... John J. Richards named WEWS film director . . . Jay Miller left KYW for NBC-TV. production spot and Charles Lloyd succeeds him . . . Frank Gilhooley of Toledo signed for baseball tv commercials ... “Snuffy” Smith appointed KYW radio sales service manager . . . Ken Armstrong, WJW-TV, named banquet chairman for Akron Sports Car Races . . . Herman Spero exited local broadcasting scene for Raleigh . . . Diane Bacon is new WHK flack . . . Bud Wendell returns to radio scene with nightly WDOK ‘disk show, . . WJW-TV’s Doris Spoth is music editor of new mag Office Gal . . . Plain Dealer President Ster¬ ling Graham reelected to Mutual Board. IN DALLAS ... KIXL launched -a “Voice Your Choice” contest, with phoned re¬ quests taped and played back on Saturdays, with lush prizes as a lure . . . Bob Mitchell, KGKO, d.j., quit his slot to help hypo the new Dallas Jazz org . . . Don Keyes, KLIF was sinner, shifted to sister station KTSA, San Antonio, and Sid Knight replaced here . . . Wm. S. Mor¬ gan upped to general manager at KLIF, taking over Cecil Hobbs* job, with the latter staying in the sales dept. . . . Alphonse Simon is new head of KRLD’s photog section, now equipped to produce color slides for KRLD-TV . . . KFJZ-TV, Fort Worth, Saturday (5), will do live pickups from five local bowling alleys, with bowlers in for merchants’ prizes. May 8 tv’er starts a live weekly half-hour kids’ western show, .“The Bar Hi-C,” With Don Mahoney as emcee . . . WFAA-TV adds two live segments, with daylight saving time sked. . “Open House” and “Juke Box”—afternoon musicals—both will feature Ray Plhgens Trio. IN MINNEAPOLIS ... KSTP-TV inked Kellogg Co. for “Superman” sponsorship . . . Geno Godt, WCCO-TV public relations head, attended NARTB convention in Chicago . . . WTCN feeding its play-by-play radio broadcasts of Minneapolis American Association baseball games to 16 other out-state radio stations, first time there ever has been such a network here. WLOL is broadcasting St. Paul contests this season for first time, while 42 Minneapolis and St. Paul games will be televised over KEYD- TV during the season . . . Minnesota Optometric convention here warned eye strain results from watching tv in a darkened room and suggested room should be lighted to about half of brightness needed for reading and light should be evenly diffused . . . Vern Morrissette an addition to the KSTP art department . . . Rolf Hartsgaard, WCCO newscaster-announcer, named National Lutheran Council’s new radio and tv departments’ secretary out of New York, and, resigning from his WCCO post, will coordinate radio and tv activity for five of the eight partiepating church bodies . . . Don O’Brien, veteran sports- caster, switched from WDGY to WCCO . . . KSTP-TV has a “Karnival Karousel” available for advertisers. It includes a merry-go-round and tilt-a-wheel. ALAN LADD’S ’BOX 13’ Hollywood, May 1. Alan Ladd’s Jaguar Productions, which produced the “Box 13” radio series three years ago, is planning to make a telefilm series from the property. While Ladd will pro¬ duce, but not appear in the video version, he starred in the pilot film, already in the can. He’ll seek an unknown for the continuing role of “Dan Holiday.” ABC-TV is reported interested ‘Kid Alley’Series Set Hollywood, May 1. Thirty-nine stanza comedy tele¬ series featuring an all-moppet cast, “Kid Alley,” will be the first project of the newly-formed Joyce Inter¬ national Picture Inc., with A1 Joyce and scrip ter Jay Ingram co-produc¬ ing. Shooting on three half-hour pilots will tentatively get under¬ way within, three weeks, according to Joyce, with Jodie Copejan, who recently finished directing the "Sky King” teleseries, essaying like duties on “Alley.” Joyce dis¬ closed a nationwide search for moppet talent between six and twelve-year-old age bracket, for the series. IN PITTSBURGH . . . Nancy Young has left the KDKA-TV staff to marry Don Blanchard of Cleveland . . . Harold C. Lund, WBC^veep and g.m. of Channel 2, named to the board of directors of the Community Chest of Allegheny County . Hillary Bdgden, WJAS deejay, and his wife have dated the stork . . . Ray Downey will pinchhit for Bob Prince »on daily WCAE sports show When Prince is out-of-town broadcasting the Pirates games . . . Bill Jewett, of KDKA-TV traffic department, nad his wife. celebrated their 11th wedding anni . . . Carl Stasko elected president of the KDKA (radio) Club .... Cyrilla Mansmann’s Saturday morning Story Chest program on WJAS has chalked off five years . . . Josio Carey-Fred Rogers “Children’s Corner,” which airs daily on WQED, the educational channel, has lost its Saturday morning half-hour on the NBC net ... Jan Andree has resigned from WPIT announcing staff to go with Packard, Inc., in a sales-promotion berth. IN PHILADELPHIA ... Stan Lee Broza, WRCA-TV program director, to speak at WTTM (Trenton, N. J.) Radio Workshop and clinic (7). Fred Walker, WTTM’s general manager was formerly publicity director at WRCA-TV . . . Herb Cameal, WRCV sportscaster, made tv debut on WRCV-TV with “Baseball Preview,” session preceding Phillies Sunday games . . . Julio Galino, of the radio-tv . dept, of J. Walter Thompson in Mexico City, spending 12 weeks at WCAU-TV observing techniques and op¬ erations . . Molly Goldberg at Llts Dept. Store (April 30) to plug her plus size dress line . . . Donald W. Thornburgh, WCAU president and general manager elected to board of directors of the Chamber of Commerce . . , George Gobel due here (8) to tout “Birds and Bees” in the four segments of WRCV-TV's 11-11:30 p.m. slot . . . Ralph Col¬ lier exiting producer’s post on “Morning Shoyr” to give full efforts to his newly extended (60 mins.) “Wonderful Town” series . . Claire D. McMullan, assistant director of advertising and promotion at the .WFIL stations, resigned to become advertising director of a real estate firm and bank.