Variety (November 1956)

40 RADIO-TELEVISION t^niVfY Wednesday, November 21, 1956 From the Production Centres \ Continued from page 24 ; month option falls due . . . J. Walter Thompson's Cornwall Jackson has put out feelers for original musicals to serve Gordon McRae's starring on five Lux Video shows this season . . . There's a deal cooking for syndication of 16 filmed shows made by Jimmy Durante the past two years . . . Jack Mulcahy is trying to-convince his Texas backers of "‘The Tracer" that the rating services are damaging their property and should be restrained from publishing their figures. Sez Mulcahy: "they don't check every set, therefore the ratings are inaccurate and injuri¬ ous to our property representing an investment of a million dollars" . . . Jack Benny booked Jayne Mansfield for his Jan. 10 "Shower cf Stars." In fact he can have anyone on the 20th-Fox lot, they are so won over to his way of handling guests . . . Jaime Del Valle, producer oi' CBS-TV’s "The Lineup," proclaims that there isn't a good mystery show on the air so he's bringing to tv an old radio property he directed, "Johnny Dollar." IN LONDON . . . Kazuko Yamaguchi, Japanese soprano will sing "One Fine Day" from "Madame Butterfly," in a guest spot on BBC-TV’S show "Vic Oliver Presents" . . . Gracie Fields starred in Val Parnell's Saturday night spec and also has a 20-minute solo spot on BBC-TV (Nov. 25) . .. Victor Feldman on drums and singer Ronnie Harris will appear in "Off The Record" (Nov. 26) .. . Original film version of Tolstoy's "Resurrection,” made in 1909 to be screened in "Movie Museum" on Nov. 30 . . . Johnnie Ray booked for two ATV appearances . . Larry Adler to give a BBC-TV harmonica recital . . . Leigh Madison, who's been a dancer up till now, joined the cast of “The Dave King Show" in the role of a singer . . . Rossano Brazzi featured in ATV's "Portrait Of A Star" . , . Audrey Hepburn and Mel Ferrer interviewed on ABC-TV in connection with premier of "War And Peace" . . . Clippings from "The Devil’s Disciple,” starring Tyrone Power shown in ATV’s "Armchair Theatres." IN CHICAGO . . . NBC veep Jules Herbuveaux named vice-chairman of Chi Better Business Bureau . . . WGN-TV sales topper Ted Weber in New York this week making the agency rounds . . . Barbara Van Haizmburg, as¬ sistant WBBM press info director, expected back at her desk this week after recovering from injuries sustained in the CTA El smashup earlier this month . .. John Andersen and Tom Powers added to the Needham. Louis & Brorby research department .. . WeDyck Quintet pinchhitting next week on WNBQ’s "Bob Sc Kay" daytimer while Art Van Damme and his instrumental group work a date at the Colonial Theatre in Toronto . . . Co-producers Herb Grayson and John Buckstaff taping the sounds at heavyweight title contender Archie Moore's training camp for airing Saturday (24) on WBBM’s "Ear On Chicago" . . . NBC news¬ caster Morgan Beatty's guidebook on the nation’s capital due out next week . . . WGN to carry the city high school football championship playoff Dec. 1 with. Jack Brlckhouse and Vince Lloyd handling the mike chores . . . Thrush Jean Williams is ankling WBBM's "Gold Coast Show" after mote than seven years. Marie De Rose is replacing. IN SAN FRANCISCO . . . Tip of the hat to KPIX's Phil Lasky: the CBS-Westinghouse station is now running its nightly "Big Movie" full length, which may—or may not—be the result of last month’s exchange between Lasky and a Frisco theatre owner . . . Northern California Academy of Television postponed its beaux arts ball until December because of a conflict (same night) with the Frisco Ballet Guild’s beaux arts ball . . . KRON celebrated its eighth birthday Nov. 15 . . . New business manager of KCBS is Malcolm G. Morehouse, taking over for George B, Stadt- muller who's now CBS Radio’s director of accounting . . . KQED gen¬ eral manager Jim Day reported on the growth of educational tv over lTis regular show yesterday (19) . . . KGO boss James H. Connolly got a HOLLYWOOD on VINE • FOR LEASE • BROADCASTING & TV STUDIOS Ample Modern Seating for Audience Participation • AIR CONDITIONED • Exclusive Agents 610 S. Main St. TRinity 1214 Los Angeles 14, Calif. NBC Radio’s Hike -—• Continued from*'page 22 am—. ting acceptance of his new blue¬ print for the network at the re¬ gional meets. The first, in N. Y. last week, at which the compensa¬ tion increase was announced, unan¬ imously endorsed the new program, which calls for on-the-hour news, "hot line” news links to stations, extension of, “Monitor" to Friday night, local sales of unsold com- merical slots on network shows and 70-second station breaks. The N. Y. meeting accounted for 30 stations; a second meeting in Chicago, which also unanimously endox*sed the plan, accounted for 26 additional affiliates. A meeting Monday (19) in Atlanta drew unan¬ imous endorsement from 27 more affiliates, bringing the total thus far to 83. special citation from the Redwood Empire Association , . „ KCBS gen¬ eral manager Henry Untermeyer was* named a director of the big tax¬ payers' Down Town Association , , . Frisco visitor; Marslaud Gander,* London Daily Telegraph's tv critic . . . John Highlander, assistant pro¬ gram manager at KPIX, and John’K. Chapel, news director of radio station KLX, Oakland, were two of six Northern Californians honored ] for 1956 industrial safety work. j IN WASHINGTON ... i All webs expected to telecast lighting of White House Christmas tree by President Eisenhower Dec. 21 . . . WRC-NBC d.j. Willard Scott j bows out for Navy duty,.with Ed Walker taking over some of his chores’; . . . WARL chief announcer Don Owens and general manager Ray Ar- mand plane to Nashville, Tenn., this week to participate in WSM’s 31st anniversary celebration of “Gran Ole Opry" . . . WWDC D.J. Jon Massey, who is also assistant art director for Dept, of Labor, inter- j viewed by Voice of America on opportunities given to American Negro . . . WGMS-MBS currently conducting contest to select town's first d.j. for a new midnight show. . . . Betty Konisbcrg, ex of WAAM and WITH, Baltimore, new sales promotion topper at WHOP-CBS . . . U. S. Dept, of Agriculture releasing a telefilm, "Agriculture Story," being used in connection with current observances of National Farm-City Week. | IN BOSTON . . . WNAC-TV inked Frank Luther as full time consultant on children’s programs and public affairs . . . WEEI beginning remotes frpm Rick¬ shaw, Chinese eatery, for after theatre party, 11:15 to 11:45 p.m. with.; Jerry Howard as "Slim Pickins" and interviews with stage and screen celebs . . . Frank Tooke, gen. mgr. WBZ-TV, back from Europe . . . New program, "Teacher of Week," on WBZ-TV Saturdays with out¬ standing teacher being honored each frame . ^. Dave Maynard, WORL ] d : sk jock, won the national deejay contest conducted by Sammy Davis \ Jr. calling for best album title and suggested songs to be recorded by Davis at his next sesh . . . Alan Dary, WBZ-WBZA disk jock, conduct¬ ing "most beautiful lips" contest with entrants imprinting their lips on a piece of paper. Dary. and disk jocks John Bassett, Carl deSuze, Leo Egan and Norm Prescott will judge the contest which ends Nov. 30. . . 1 Priscilla Fortesque, WEEI's traveling reporter and celeb interviewer, taping legit show personalities in "Happiest Millionaire." "Happy Hunt¬ ing" and "Candide" current at Hub theatres .. . Arthur C. King, WEEI news and public affairs director, elected veep of United Press Broad¬ casters Assn, of Mass. . . . Morgan Baker, director Housewives Protec¬ tive League, WEEI, elected prexy Parent-Teachers Assn, . Collicott School, Milton. IN DETROIT ... WWJ's new high fidelity transmitters now are in service. E. J. Love, the station's general engineering manager, says the human ear cannot discern difference between WWJ-AM reception and that of WWJ-FM . . . Comedian Soupy Sales' across-the-board 11 p.m. show has been ex¬ panded from 15 to 30 minutes . . . J. L. Hudson department store an¬ nual Thanksgiving Day parade will be telecast nationally by WXYZ-TV over 93 ABC stations and locally by WWJ-TV .. . Jean Loach, WXYZ- TV personality is preparing for a tour of Europe with group of women broadcasters ’. . . Russell Gohring is new general manager of WPON, Pontiac . . . New WWJ-TV entry is the "Meet Blenda" show starring Blenda Isbey in a celebrity-shopper interview program from a shopping center. IN PHILADELPHIA . . .- Mac McGuire, ankling from WI*CV to WPFH, will also take on an all-day Sunday WPEN session . . . Joe Grady acted as emcee when his WPFH partner, Ed Hurst, received a citation from the Center City Chapter, B'nai Brith, in the Warwick (12) . . . Ministers from the Phila¬ delphia Council of Churches observing telecasts and attending weekly seminars; at WFIL-TV . . . Included in WPEN shifts are axing of the. mambo session eniceed by Art "Pancho" Raymond. Also Red Benson "After Hours" will move to a three-hour morning stint and deejay- vocalist Bud Brees will have the entire evening show . . . "Father Knows Best" cast, Robert Young, Jane. Wvatt, Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray visited sponsor's Chester plant . .. Dave Brubeck and his quartet, now at the Red Hill Inn, cut a one-hour tape for WHYY, educational FM station ... The Optimistic Club of Germantown presented its annual award to NBC producer Dan Lounsbery (15). Former local associate WRCV-TV’s Pete Boyle was guest speaker . . . Town's oldest continuously sponsored program "Television Kitchen" (Philadelphia Electric) with Florence Hanford debuted, in color on WRCV (12). IN CLEVELAND . . * Gene' Martin, author of Almanac, sold his five-minute daily radio weather script to WRCV . . . Radio-TV editors, Stan Anderson, Press, and George Condon, Plain Dealer, reelected to Board of Press Club; Sanford Markey, director news KYW, KYW-TV elected vice president, and Barbara Reinker, freelance, elected secretary , . Maggie Wulff, WJW-TV, named honorary recruiter for Air Force . . . Bill Tompkins, signed for 13-week 10-minute 6:05 p.m. KYW newscast by Buick . ♦ . Bill McGaw named director at KYW-TV . . . WEWS’ Don Penfound recuperating from pneumonia attack , , . Jerry Lewis pacted for tv- appearance with Bill Randle . . . Rob Evans, AFTRA executive secre¬ tary, rounding out successful contract talks with KYW, KYW-TV, witli final points to be announced soon. Negotiations with WJW WJW-TV slated for wrapup sessions this week . .. KYW program manager Mark Olds back at his desk following knee surgery. AFTRA ; Continued from page 22 ; CISCO KID SYNDICATED SHOW IN HOUSTON PULSE, May. 1951 # « AMONG ALL NETWORK SHOWS, ALL WEEK BEATING: DRAGNET $64,000 CHALLENGE CLIMAX I LOVE LUCY JACK BENNY AND MANY OTHERS; ‘Ding Dong’ ^Continued from page 22 ; hereafter given a minimum’of $155, plus the guarantee to reach $ 10 , 000 .) NBC is giving its announcers a $20 increase over the $135 base. And all NBC staff announcers mak¬ ing less than a total of $16,000 annually with commercial fees will be guaranteed another $20 a week in certain network commercial an¬ nouncements. Only real network trouble spot may be Mutual. That radio net¬ work is negotiating separately on staff announcers and no decisions hAve been reached. In the event of MBS-AFTRA agreement fail¬ ure, the union may wage a strike strictly against that web alone. Local contracts in L.A., N.Y., Chi and Frisco are still in the process of negotiation. Coast talks, with Claude McCue fronting AFTRA there, have been progressing more slowly than those in N.Y. and Chi. age kiddle show which began as a local tv'er in Chicago and will have run network for 1,105 perform¬ ances, doesn’t affect femcee-pro- ducer Dr. Frances Horwich, who re¬ mains on with the network as supervisor of children's programs. She's already set for a new off-the- air assignment, a study pf chil¬ dren's programming in Europe and the U. S., to start after the first of the year and to culminate in specific recommendations for future shows. No changes other than the time shift are contemplated for “Home." Show underwent a format change in September, and the network brass is biding its. time for a look at the results before trying any¬ thing else in the way of drastic change. Same staff continues as before, with Arlene Francis as femcee and Hugh Downs staying on as announcer-commentator and vis-a-vis to Miss Francis. Seward ; Continued from page 22~s fold Godfrey projects, apart from his additional duties. Smith was formerly v.p. in charge of station administration, but when he became an administra¬ tive v.p. the title was dropped (with Dundes now assuming it). He started with CBS at WBBM in Chicago in 1926 as manager of the station,, and after a stint as ad- manager of Montgomery Ward, re¬ turned to the station and moved up through the network to become general manager of CBS Radio sales in 1936, becoming director of station relations in 1945 and v.p. over station administration in 1948. His resignation is effective Dec. 31, and he assumes his consultancy status from that date'on. Plattsburgh, N.Y. — A1 Cahill takes over for Carl Stohn Jr. as program director of WPTZ under general manager George Baren- Bregge. New stanza chief was staff announcer and sports editpr for 15 months at the tv'er. (ADVERTISEMENT) On the Prowl for TV Producer-Idea Man i; We are convinced that some¬ where outside of New York*, •Chicago* and Hollywood* are some fresh, bright guys who have ideas, who can write, who know television production and who would like a crack at a big job. We have a spot for such a per¬ son. Ours is a network pro¬ gram with a fairly fool-proof format which depends uppn the light touch of a clever (not "cute") idea man to keep the show sparkling. If you are a fountain of ideas and know how to get them across to a top di¬ rector and his excellent crew, then you’re the guy we’re look¬ ing for. We're willing to give the title,; and the money that goes with it, to the one who convinces us that he should be our producer. But, please, don't write us un¬ less you know TV production thoroughly and are an original idea man. The present producer of our program knows about this "ad and will probably help us se¬ lect his successor. Ours is a daytime operation, five-a-week, and we think we have the great¬ est group of people in the busi¬ ness. That’s why we're being pretty fussy about the person we pick for this job. *We haven't a thing against New York, Chicago or Holly¬ wood but, frankly, all the top people we would like to have for this job are doing so well now that they don't want to change jobs, so we decided to conduct our own talent search. We really don’t care where you are working now or whether you're working. If you honestly think you can meet our requirements, let us hear from you—we’ll keep it confidential, of course. Reply to Box 1121, VARIETY, 612 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago 11, Ill.