Variety (July 1956)

28 RADIO-TELEVISION 1'A‘RlEi'Y Wednesday, July 18, 1956 From the Production Centres IN NEW YORK CITY ... Mutual’s "Sounding Board” becomes part of the net’s Sunday evening schedule effective July 22 . . . WLIB, New York indie, .has added a new sales account executive, John Wickliffe, formerly with WLOU, the all-Negro radio station in Louisville, Ky. . . . Buddy Clarke has joined the Rogers & Cowan public relations firm in the N. Y. office, where he will head the commercial and industrial division . . . Joeph L. Rau Jr., chairman of Americans for Democratic Action, was the guest on Monday 0 6) on Mutual’s "Re-porters’ Roundup” . . .MBS’ distaff com¬ mentator Helen Hall will begin a new Saturday afternoon series called "American Living” July 21 Iron 12:30 to 1 p.m. . . . Mutual’s Washing¬ ton new bureau chief, Robert F. Hurleigh, will .pinchhit for vacationing Fulton Lewis Jr. on his weekday programs for two weeks. Elwood C. Hoffman, the radio-tv scrivener whose play "Affair of Honor” was on Broadway during the just-closed legit season, is on spe¬ cial assignment in Chicago . . . Friend-Reese agency’s radio-tv lady auxiliary motor, Karen Collier, off to Bermuda on holiday. Walter Kiernan joins the AEC news staff covering the Presidential conclaves in August . . . J rry Carr, WHLI (Long Island) program chieftain, on a three-week jaunt through the Pacific Northwest . . . "Cocktail Time” celebrates its ICth anni on WQXR this month; an¬ other WQXR gourmet-type stanza, "Luncheon Concert,” will be 10 years old a lew months bene? . . . WHLI’s Gabe Viera (news depart¬ ment) became father of a third child, Cathy Ann, last week . . . Flack George Schreier on a fortnight at N. J. watering places. Helen Marmor, news editor on NBC’s outgoing "Weekday,” switches to the news desk on "Today” . . . Steve Gross of the NBC promotion dept, sold a western non-fiction piece, "The Last Wild -Indian,” to American Mercury . . . Jim Dukas, Cliff Owen, Margate Burlen and Nina Hansen into the cast of “Y'endy Warren & the. News” . . . John J. Schneider and (William Mahu, both v.p.’s and account supervisors at Biow, shift to Lennen & Newell in the same capacities, working on the Armstrong Rubber account . . . Grace Matthews and Ken Lynch into tne "Aunt Jenny” cast . . . Sarah Barber, 19-year-old daughter of Red Barber, working at Saks 5th Ave. while on vacation from Rollins Col¬ lege . . . AI Hamilton, station manager of WRCA, on a two-week vaca¬ tion with his family in Camden, Me. . . . Bill Anderson, NBC trade press editor, off for a two-weekrr to his Virginia oyster farm . . . Alice Yourman and Richard Waring into "This Is Nora Drake” . . . Harold L. Tuers, former ad manager of Elizabeth Arden and previ¬ ously ad chief of Richard Iludnut, joined the Product Services agency as v.p. and account supervisor . . . Young Rex Thompson plays him¬ self as a teenage beauty contest jucTge in "My Son Jeep” tomorrow (Thurs.) on CBS . . . Edmund W. Birnbryer and Frank Hopkins, both out of the N. Y. network and agency field, moving to Detroit as radio- tv staffers at Campbell-Ewald agency . . . Helen Shields, Charme Allen, Cameron Andrews and Lawson Zcrbe into the cast of "Right to Happi¬ ness” . . . Betty Mandevillc, producer-director of "FBI in Peace & War,” on a brief vacation at Ca’ e Cod . . . Phil Alampi, recently named Secretary of Agriculture for New Jersey, thrown a luncheon Friday (13) by WRCA and WRCA-TV department heads . . . Wal'er Latzka, writer for Jack Sterling’s WCBS morning show, off on a two-weeker to the midwest . . . Carol Burr.e-vs of the WRCA "Pulse” staff to Ber¬ muda . . . Martin Weldon, heed writer for Bill Leonard’s "This Is New York” and producer of "Civil Defense Means You,” in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic gathering material for both programs. Defense show is heard on 60 stations in New York State . . . George Dietrich, director of radio spot .sales for NBC Spot Sales, olf on vaca¬ tion after a business trip to .the Coast . . . Fred Nassif and James I. Moore named account execs at CBS Radio Spot Sales . . . Jerry Landay, producer of the Tex & Jinx shows, vacationing in Montauk . . . Irving* Gitlin, director of pubaffairs for CBS, on a three-weeker in South¬ hampton before returning for Ihe conventions . . . Herman Hickman at Boca Raton . . . Sy Mann, Bob Haymes accompanist on WCBSs vaca¬ tioning in the Catskills. Laurie Ann Vendig, whose falher is radio-tv. writer Irving Vendig, will marry medical Major John Adams Logam of Air Force Hospital at Dayton in Sarasota, Fla., Sept. 8. Bride-to-be has been a N. Y. legit (Shakespearwrights) and video <her dad’s serials) actress the last cou¬ ple of years . . . Vendig is an e’d Procter & Gamble hand, one of few serialises able to operate out-of-New York. He writes the two CBS serials "Search for Tomorrow” and "Edge of Night” . . . Dan Blumen- thal, a Dave Alber flack, off to Martha’s Vineyard for a 10-day respite . . . WWRL’s assistant program director, Andy Benedict, to Europe for a fortnight, while Grace Meehsn, station’s continuity chief, vacationing in Canada. Dean Martin doing guest stand on Martin Block’s WABC’er tomor¬ row (Thurs.) . . . Samuel Norlhcross, William Esty agency veep, starts a vacation on his yacht this week. IN HOLLYWOOD . . . FCCommissioner Robert Bartley will be feted by So. Cal Broad¬ casters at a black tie dinner Aug. 2. For $9 per head licensees can break bread with the man who has a lot to do with their future in radio and tv . . . Irving Gray has a production berth with NBC coming up in the fall. He was Milton Berle’s executive producer last season . . . Michael Patrick Casey, onetime actor, signed in at Erwin, Wasey as aide to Jack Wormser, radio and tv producer . . . Bob Finkcl moves to Manhattan next fall to stage and produce the Perry Como show. Grey Lockwood stays on as dirt cl or. . . . Den Quinn, who likes to move around to get the feel of fresh locale, will soak up six weeks of Hawaiian sunshine while completing his play . . . Jean Meredith, pub¬ licity director at Benton .& Bowk s, reached over to Television City to bring in Bill Corcoran as her aide.... Pat McDermott, formerly sec¬ ond in command at CBS Television City and RKO flackeries, hung out her own shingle in public relations . . . Amos ’n’ Andy laid out a week of radio' programming to try their hand at Variety vernacular. They’ll Imitate the mugs in laying out an ad to get an acting job . . . Sieve Dunne and Ben Alexander will be the summer standbys on "Truth or Consequences” and "Queen for a Day” while Jack Bailey loafs through August . . . Art Baker, Cran Chamberlain and Don Henderson have cameras and will travel through Europe to pick up some fall progi’ams for ABC’s "You Asked for It” . . Frank O’Connor of the Bates agency became a pappy for the third time. US CHICAGO . . . Lester Goldsmith, formerly a tv producer with Jules Power Produc¬ tions, and Stephen Lehner, formerly radio-tv director at the Rothbardt- Haas ad agency, have launched their own radio-tv packaging firm with offices here and in New Yorit . . . WGN has set its second “Big 10 Party” for next Tuesday <24) f om the Loyola Community Theatre in cooperation with the Nortown Civic Council . . . Foote, Cone & Ber¬ ing’s radio-tv headman Jack Simpson and public relations chief Al Welsman on the Coast this week to sit in on the lensing of a new batch of Danny Thomas’ “Make Room for Daddy” telepix . . . H. Wynn Buss- man has been called back from A. C. Nielsen’s New York office to handle the firm’s Broadcast Division public relations out of the home shop . . . ABC veeps John Mitchell and Slocum (Buzz) Chapin here this week for huddles with the midwest sales crew . . . Redd Gardner proidwor exec for Kling Film Enterprises . , . ABC’s Don McNeill commuting , to Gotham next four weeks to front CBS-TV’s "I’ve Got a Secret” . . . J. Leonard Reinsch, factotum for the Demos’ national convention, grilled Saturday (14) on WBBM’s "For the Record” . . . Geraldine Kay spelling Dorsey Connors while she vacations from her WNBQ strip for two weeks . . . Dqfjay Jim Mills, helming a Sunday night record- trafiic bulletin hour via WBBM . . . Betty Johnson, warbler on ABC’s "Breakfast Club,” has a spot on the sister tele web’s "Fddy Arnold Show” tonight (Wed.) . . . It’s Laurence Arnold, not Laurence Alexander, as erred, who is scripler on WBBM’s "Out of Your Mind.” US WASHINGTON . . . Radio-tv reps playing active roles in town’s newly created United Givers Fund. WRC-NBC topper Carleton Smith is general campaign chairman; WTOP-CBS boss John Hayes is v.p.; WWDC prexy Ben Strouse named chairman of public relations beard; and WRC promo¬ tion head appointed campaign assistant . . . WRC’s Kennedy Ludlam recent guest on Voice of America’s "Mailbag” airer answering ques¬ tions from overseas on hunting and fishing in U. S. . . . CBS newsman Grilling Bancroft has developed a tongue-in-cheek political dictionary for the ’56 Presidential campaign year . . . "Record Hop,” new d.j. show on WTTG-DuMont promised as a "constructive approach” in battle against juv delinquency, debuts Sunday (22) with blessings of Police Dept., YMCA, YWCA, PTA, and with Milt Grant spinning the platters, which will be chosen on basis of Variety reports . . . WMAL- ABC announcer will host a new Monday through Saturday recorded music show, “C’Mon and Dance,” with seven local business firms pick¬ ing up the check . . . ABC’s "College Press Conference” features an all- girl” show Sunday (22), with femme leaders of both political parties, COP’s Bertha Adkins and Demmies’ Katie Louchheim, quizzed by four college students, distaff side, including Smith college student Lesley Lowe, daughter of Variety’s Washington correspondents, Herman and Florence Lowe. Moderator Ruth Geri Hagy completes the all-femme lineup. IIS BOSTON . . . Jerry Harris, former newspaper editor in Wilton, Me., appointed new p.r. chief for WBZ radio, with Fran Corcoran handling WBZ-TV publicity . . . WBZ-TV shoots off a fireworks display Tuesday (17) in front of the studio with "Big Brother” Bob Emery narrating 20-minute display climaxing the Big Brother Jimmy Fund birthday party . . . Louise Morgan, WNAC-TV, interviews Dick Button, Olympic skating champ, on her show Tuesday (17) . . Peter’s Pontiac Village signed with WNAC-TV for "Adventures of the Falcon” Sunday nights starting July 29 at 10:30 . . . Monmouth Canning Co. signed for long sked start¬ ing in August on WNAC-TV for "Homemaker Beans” . . . Duncan Mac¬ Donald interviewed Dolores, Del Rio on her WNAC-TV program Mon¬ day (16) and took off for Portland, Me., for a series on the Maine sardine industry for R. J. Peacock Co. . . . Kellogg renewed “Wild Bill Hickok” series on WNAC-TV this week . . . Top value Stamps in sponsoring "Curtain Call” on WNAC-TV Thursdays at 10 p.m. and Pearson Pharmacal bought a feature film hour to be called "Pearson Playhouse” ... V. La Rosa & Sons, signed for 26 weeks of Sunday nights film oldies at 7 on WNAC-TV . . . Lever renewed “Big Town” Monday night at 6:30 on WNAC-TV and station preems "Sheena Queen of the Jungle,” Monday (23) at 6 ... E. B. Rideout, WEEI weathercaster, celebrated his 48th wedding anni with a broadcast from home on Friday (13) . . . Paul McNeese ankled WEEI for WLNH, Laconia, N. H., where he is newscaster and copywriter. IN SAN FRANCISCO . . . S. H. Patterson, owner of KSAN and KSAN-TV, moving out of Frisco’s Merchandise Mart, has purchased a four-story Market St. building lor his independent radio station and the UHF outlet . . . Charlotte Cohelan, AFTRA exec secretary elected to Democratic County Committee . . . New merchandising director at KCBS is Theodore H. Conway . . . KPFA, Berkeley’s listener-sponored FM station, has added, as an experiment, six continuous hours of daily longhair music, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. ... In town this week are James T. Quirk, publisher, and Merrill Panitt, managing editor of TV Guide— they’re considering establishment of another Guide edition at Fresno . . . New salesman at KYA is David Mendelsohn, formerly with HEAR . . . KSFO contributed $1,000 to KQED’s fund campaign . . . KOVR’s weekly fights from Frisco are suspending for the summer, at least— no sponsors . . . KGO’ Tom Weatherwax, Vince Roman and Jim Baker will take turns directing segments of ABC’s coverage of Republican convention next month . . . New assistant to flack Marianne Goldman at KQED is Marilyn Sidwell . . . Leading Frisco’s delegation to the AFTRA convention in Chicago was President Wanda Ramey . . . Hal March and wife Candy are scheduled to return to Frisco, his hometown, this week . . .Doris Purdy, ex-KPlX, has switched to KRON’s promotion department . . . Deejay Bob Colvig was downgraded to a “broken” sked at KSFO—he’s been feuding with management . . . While “Science in Action” producer Ben Draper vacations in Colorado, Freda McCaig will handle the job . . . KQED telecast an hour-long adaptation of "Marriage of Figaro,” as done by the Company of the Golden Hind—it was Frisco’s first opera telecast . . . Helen Bradley, widow of WP1X newscaster Bill Bradley, is working in KFON’s film department . . . Don Mozley, KSBS news director, spoke on radio news to the Business & Professional Women’s Club of Berkeley. IN PHILADELPHIA . . . WCAU-TV dropped a bombshell last week when it cut off two tv newsreel cameramen, Charlie Gindhart and Lew Clark. Economy reasons were advanced for doing away with local tv coverage . . . Glenn B. Lau named to the newly created post of commercial manager of WPFH. He has been a member of the station’s sales staff . . . WHYY-TV, new UHF educational outlet due to debut Oct. 1, has signed $300,000 contract with RCA for transmitter and studio equipment . . . Fred Bennett, WPEN, is leaving local radio to accept position with "Voice of America” . . . Chief Halftown, WFIL star, has booked two outdoor eookouls at Best Supermarkets to give inside tips on cooking for outdoormen . . . Dave Bolton, formerly with Donn Bennett Produc¬ tions, has joined WIBG sales force . . . Phil Sheridan, WFIL weather forecaster and local d.j., will emcee local drama programs ... At same time Ed McMahon, local personality, will move into weather field over Channel 10 (WCAU) . . . George Smith, WFIL-TV, formerly music librarian, transferred to engineering staff . . . Toby DeLuca takes over music post . . . Ruth Heller, daughter of Harvey Heller, WIBG engineer, is currently in Austria with Women’s All-American Hockey team. IN MINNEAPOLIS Twin City Milk Federation taking over sponsorship of second KSTP- TV "News Picture” program . . . Gene Wilkey, CBS exec, here for physical checkup and vacation . . . Harry Reasoner, KEYD-TV news director since station’s inception, resigned effective July 30 to join CBS news staff in New York . . . Ray Christensen appointed WLOL sports director and will broadcast St. Paul baseball games. He succeeds Red Mottlow who resigned to return to his native Chicago. WLOL also upped disk jockey Dan Anderson to promotion director and added Leigh Kamman to its d.j. staff .... WCCO-TV inked Johnson Wax’s "Raid” . . . Prudence Dorn, National Biscuit Co. home economist, ap¬ peared cn Arle Haeberle’s WCCO-TV "Around the Town,” to unveil cwnpany.’s newest product locally . . . WCCO Radio talent contest win- (Continued on page^C) House Judiciary Committee Asks Lotsa Questions On Lee’s 1 ‘Advice’ to Stanton Washington, July 17. An effort to determine whether FCC Comr. Robert E. Lee "ad¬ vised” CBS prexy Frank Stanton regarding certain network matters about two years ago appeared to be the reason for three rather mysteri¬ ous closed-door meetings held last week by the House Judiciary Com¬ mittee. The Committee questioned Stan¬ ton quite extensively in executive sessions Thursday afternoon (12) and Friday morning (13). The same routine was repeated with Lee Friday afternoon. It was understood that the oues- tioning had to do with a telephone conversation between Lee and Stanton at the-time CBS was plan¬ ning the purchase of its Milwaukee UHF station (transfer application was approved in January of 1955). It was learned that ihe conversa¬ tion also had to do with the CBS tv station in Chicago which was in¬ volved in proceedings because of a court order won by Zenith which would have required a compara¬ tive hearing to determine whether Zenith had any rights to the chan¬ nel by virtue of a pre-freeze ap¬ plication. The hearing was never held. ’ It appeared that the lead to the telephone conversation came from a mass of correspondence which was subpoenaed last March lrom CBS and NBC by the House Small Business subcommittee headed by Rep. Joe E. Evins (D.-Tenn.). Evins charged at that time that these networks control FCC poli¬ cies. However, his planned inquiry has failed to materialize, except for two brief hearings at which little of consequence was brought out. W’honse ‘Disaffiliation’ From NBC Radio Ups D.J. Pittsburgh, July 17. Westinghouse’s decision 1o drop NBC radio programs has resulted in the addition of a third full-time deejay to staff of KDKA here. Job goes to Bob Michel, who for the last year has been doing the all- night record show over the WBC outlet. Michel’s name will be changed, to avoid conflict wi h similarly-sounding Jay Michael, platter-spinner on rival WCAE. Michel will join Rege Cordic and Art Pallan to form the KDKA turn¬ table staff. The all-night show has been handed over to his assistant, Bob Dickey, known on the program as "Mac Ryder.” He’ll do it on his own, at least for the time be¬ ing, without an aide. Michel came to Pittsburgh early last year from Syracuse for spot tv commercials prior to landing regular KDKA job. Both Cordic and Pallan were drafted from lo¬ cal indie station WWSW. Ampar Renews ‘Mickey’ ABC-TV’s "Mickey Mouse Club” picked up another sponsor for fall. Ampar, the American Broadcast¬ ing-Paramount Theatres record sub- sid, renewed the show for alternate weeks Thursday in the 5:15 to 5:30 p.m. seg. Ampar, which had approximately 33 segs during this season’s "MMC” daily hour, will alternate its 26 spots for the upcoming season with Pillsbury, which signed on the juver last week. The Ampar biz gives the show 11 out ol 20 weekly quarter-hours sold for fall. KNX Promotes Trio Hollywood, July 17. In a series of promotions at KNX and Columbia Pacific Radio net, Gordon Mason, program pro¬ motion manager, becomes national sales rep, succeeding William Wel¬ ler, upped to account exec. Robert M. Fairbanks, former sales promotion assistant, succeeds Mason, while Joseph Cochrane moves into Fairbanks’ slot. Boston—Donald Edgemon, ex¬ director of publicity and public re¬ lations for WKRC, Cincinnati, joins WBZ-TV here as assistant sales promotion manager. He joined WKRC last year, after two semes¬ ters of flack-advertising-promotio^- merchandising^fdrWLW, Colutti- bus.