Variety (April 1957)

Wednesday, April 10 ; 1957 P’Srie^ty IIAMO-TELE VISION Ashley-Sleiner & CBS Romance Somewliat paralleling the NBC and MCA "programming nup¬ tials,” though perhaps' not on*as large a scale and involving fewer properties, 1 is the Ashley-Steiner agency's. "keeping company” status with CBS, • With millions of. dollar? in potential sponsor revenue at stake, the A-S & CBS alliance on recent negotiations has snowballed into a bigtime two-way enterprise, as witness: (1) . it was Ashley-Steiner that delivered the new Gary Cooper Jhour series to the network, with likelihood that it will'go into the Wednesday night 10 to 11 period as.the alternate-week attrac¬ tion. to the U. S. Steel Hour. (2) . 'It was Ashley-Steiner that wrapped up the Walter Slezak situation comedy series, "Slezak and Son,” already earmarked for sponsorship as a weekly nightime entry on CBS-TV next season. (3) . Not generally known to the trade is that the "Cinderella” spec a couple of Sundays, back came in as an "Ashley-Steiner pack¬ age,” with the A-S agency broaching the whole idea to CBS’ Hub- bell Robinson Jr. and subsequently delivering Julie Andrews and Rodgers & Hauunerstein. , Aside from its package enterprises, A-S has been expanding its literary division, notably as its affects its tv writers (Reginald Rose, Rod Serling,. et al.) who are moving into pix and legit, with Marian Searchinger joining the Alden Schwimmer division of A-S in mar- ketlng th e agency’s Stable. __ . _ KYW Gets Ticket to Traffic Court Cleveland “Station Greenlighted to Tape-Record Proceedings of Actual Cases ,0(10,000 Four-Sponsor‘Crisis’ Blueprint as Kintner’s No. 1 ‘Baby’ In the face of a virtually com¬ plete - programming ' changeover and a program & sales rebrganiza- tiqm which saw a top-tO-bottpm personnel reshuffling during the past two months, NJBC-TV is?still running two* months ahead of last year in nighttime time & program sale? and renewals with s6me $79,- 000,000 ‘already in the 4 house for the fall. Apart from the two-months- ahead angle, the network is $29,- 000,000 ahead of this,' date last last year, when the new business and renewals mark was at the $50,000,000 level. And that doesn’t include the $26*700,000 in daytime and Saturday business that’s come into the house in the past couple of months, nor the separate one- shot spectacular business already --+ If enthusiasm is running high Evelyn’* Gambit “"T 3 ° v «' th « P° ten « a l J . of its full-hour Monday night Tad 1 a" “Crisis” series which bows in the LftSt W0GK> oil the set QI A . 11 ... , . Man Greatly Beloved”. an Al- a ^ s because of the bigtime fred Hitchcock telefilm, se- proof-tested production auspices quence "called for a game of surrounding the entry, chess, but no one present Hailed as -Kintner's baby” as knew the game, with one ex- .. _ _ • .... . J ception. the No. 1 acquisition m exec vee- Seven-year-old moppet thesp pee . r>s multiple ne ~ Evelyn Rudie, co-starred with gotiationsi for MCA-packaged prop- Sir Cedric Hardwicke, dou- erties, Crisis . has been blue- bled in brass as instructor printed to permit for a $10,000,000 • 1 ■ i. i . ■ — ■ ■ annual sponsor revenue split up into an alternate half-hour four- 1 I.. client spread. icoa-uooovear breaks ,. d ° wn thusiy: UWW,I J vwm There will be 22 live hour shows y. . . ' t m fm • originating in New York under the EvtA Ntftviv K vUw general supervision of S. Mark IWr liCW Ljldl Smith. This will be accomplished J r by reactivating the MCA-TV pro- Four Star Playhouse,” which “2 Alcoa-Goodyear Eye New ‘4 Star’ " - Cleveland, April 9. In an effort both to help "edu- Western Pards on the books. ■ , "Four star playhouse” which ductl0n unlt that brought in the Web’s upbeat status is even was bumped o££ CBS-tv’last sea- Thcatro® m w °L CBS ‘ T tT S “ G ? more remarkable because (1), son to make wav for "Plavhniisp Theatre last season. There is most of the money in the house on” mav reaoDear next fall hut nn evep * alk Mort Abrahams will ($52,000,000) represents new NBC-TV 1 Alcoa and Goodvea” return tfl the MCA fo,cI (fle has business, • stemming from drastic searching for a half-hour adven- since t> een toiling in the Showcase overhaul of the nighttime sched- ture-type series to fill their Mon- deductions vineyards as exec pro- ule; thif- compares; tp only $20,- day 9:30 spot, are reportedly hot ducer on “Producers’ ‘Showcase).” 000,000 in new business and $30,- on the property. New series would In addition to the 22 live entries, cate and inform” motorists and to . Not ^ ar ® the networks push- 000,000 in renewals at this time star Jane p 0W ell, Jack Lemmon, there will be 20 full-hour fi'ras "reduce • the high rate of traffic westerns into the forefront of year; (2), it was accomplished with D a yid Niven and Charles Boyer i’n (all carrying the same suspense mishaps in Greater Cleveland,” *J e w program formats, but they re either personnel brand-new or in adventure yarns (rather than the motif as the live shows and all Judge George P. Allen okayed do V? g JL 0 * 1 a back it back ? asls : new jobs, in the persons of exec anthology-type series featured in utilizing major writers, directors KYW’s broadcasting of actual Both CBS - and NBC this week set v.p. Bob Kintner, sales v.p. Billy the old ser ies). and performers for originals and court traffic cases. 5 T i°^ b pai L ipg ! of kfdf-*iour shows, Goodheart program v.p. Manie Miss Powell and Lemmon would adaptations). Ten of thi films will The 30-minute program “lYaf- ^ • q ° n ^ on n a y nights and CBS Sacks, nighttime programs v.p. Bob he the newcomers in the series, be off the Alfred Hitchcock belt- 1 fic Court” beamed (5) at 10 t> m" on Saturdays. , Lewine and Friday nights is believed tube ..„ A / V W Tr a v P p“l a ?,7 ChiCk Abry ' the first time in Cleveland’s broad- H o^n’nabrpd I?S S52.0C casting history that actual court days at , 9 ' 30 ? aired A ? ff ^ 9^1 Uaauug mabUiy UUH ttULUdl CUUIl k ,) _i. A t XTTjp «< T ] 1p Restless Gun” at 8 will be the Mark Olds, KYW program man- iead in for "Wells Fargo” at 8:30. Lewine anti eastern sales manager with Niven and Boyer holding over, line and the'other 10 out of the Chick Abry. „ Previous quartet comprised Boyer, .MCA Revue Productions unit that $52,000,000 Nighttime Niven, Dick Powell ,and Ida Lu- is currently responsible for “GE Breakdown on the $52,000,000 Pino’. Powell, though not appear- Theatre.” Thus NBC takes a "how +i,int*. wrmlH 'still fiwn r>rrrt nf the min Yve misc?” attiturle nnfn'h'lvr in. In permitting tape recordings of "actual court cases,” Judge Allen said he hoped motorists listening "while they arp ’driving become' more alert tp traffic conditions arid traffic laws, while the listening, public a.t home realize, that acci¬ dents .and violations of traffic laws are not restricted to ‘the other fellow,’ but that they, too, can become, traffic violators.” ' . a *J}® nighttime business reflects the ing, would still own part of thg canwemiss?” attitude,notablyin- ft’Sn Chevrolet Sunday night Dinah show via his interest in Four Star sofar’as the Coast-originating film us rargo at e.au. ghore-Ginger Rogers 52-week full- Films, which is producing the series are concerned, on the basis . hour buy, the RCA-Whirlpool and stanza. _ that the same outfits that have cata- Liggett Myers Eddie Fisher- -' pulted Sunday night 9 to 10 on 1 ] hour buy, the RCA-Whirlpool and stanza. _ that the same outfits that have cata- mTT\/l i* . Liggett Myers Eddie Fisher- -' pulted Sunday night 9 to 10 on Mill AfITKC of n/lATI George Gobel Tuesday hour, Al- n niT/\ur/i l on minn CBS-TV (with the GE and Hitch- liDv llllllu ul ITIUIL coa-Goodyear’s Monday night half- JAFFE S SH0WfjA»SF TAP’S cock back-to-back entries) should hour,.the L&M-Max Factor Satur- Ifil J translate Monday 10 to 11 on NBC N -1 9 day night “Panic 1 ’ buy, the John- FFIfiAY AS FYFf PROD into tlie same Top 10 rating status. Ljir Kaeflacc l,lin son ’ s Wax alternate-week hour on lldUtXl LiALA/ I Some of the live shows will ‘ be 1 Ul ImCdllCdd MUM Steve Allen, Scott Paper's Gisele Paul Feigay, with "Omnibus” as done in color. As for properties MacKenzie • purchase and twd ad- associate producer for four years, and personalities, NBC says "we're 'The Restless Gup,” NBC’s new ditional half-hour sales still un- has -been namfed exec producer for' going after the best, -whether iTs in Payne western (retitled from ^ er wraps. Showcase Productions, the Saul writers, stars or directors.” Cited George Gobel Tuesday hour, Al- - - «««,« p IIA ur/i i on »r i r»D , coa-Goodyear’s Monday night half- JAFFE S SHOWCASE TAPS hour,.the L&M-Max Factor Satur- v imv it tnjL tin u y day night “Panic” buy, the John- FFIfiAY AS FYFF PRflH son’s Wax alternate-week hour on * iiiU/l 1 i\u LiAljv I 1\U1/. ; Steve Allen, Scott Paper's Gisele Paul Feigay, with "Omnibus” as become, traffic violators.” ’ , John Payne western (retitled from der wraps. Showcase Productions, the Saul writers, stars or directors.” Cited Plans to record the traffic court "Sixshooter”), is now tentatively rtA ? n A ^ e . r ^ newa * front; the $27,- Jaffe outfit slated to bring in NBC- as an illustration: When NBC let were initiated more than a year slated for Mondays at 8 in the fall. 000,000 includes three renewals TV specials. it be known that "Crisis” would ago by Sanford Markey, KYW Series, out of the MCA stable, was from Procter & Gamble, ihe "Lor- . Feigay; will helm all of SP’s do an adaptations Daphne du Mau- news director, who along with originally slated for Tuesdays at ,, °^ g l r 1 £ w ’ . Is^Your specials next season. Feigay goes rier’s "Split Second,” Bette Davis Judge Allen was a member of the 7:30, but now NBC reported is „ e . Tuesday at 9 period, to work immediately on three proj- put in an immediate bid for the Greater Cleveland. Safety Coun- clearing the decks for a sponsor B&G J s slotting ,. Meet ects, "Mr. Broadway, the Legend lead. There will be 10 film'' repeats cil’s Educational Cofnmittee for bringing in his own package. • McGraw. P&G also renewed its of George ,M. Cohan,” May 11; at the end of the season—five Traffic Emergency. ’ As of nPw, the only thing that £ alf , of People s Choice, ’ as did "pinocchio,” late September; and Hitchcocks and five of MCA Re¬ in recording the-cases^ a KYW can dislodge the western from its ,T 1 S r ^f n>s ' ' wkl ^ e ® co ,^ j 138 okayed "Hans Brinker,” on Christmas vue’s Joan Harrisbn-produced en- engineer was set up in the court- 8 p.m. Monday slot is an extraor- Father Knows Best for another night. Feigay also has started tries. room but 3 t no time disturbed dinarily good hour kinescope ver- sea s°n and DeSoto-Plymouth and active work on a number-of other - court action. The "electronic cov- sion of the_ new "Escapers” series. Ton * wil1 he back with the specials under the SP banner. erage," said Gordon Davis, KYW The Pelbert Mann-David Swift- Groucho. Marx; "You Bet Your Feigay’s one-year deal was'-set by ¥\» I . TIP manager, "proved that no inter- David “Shaw series is being kined Ll Jf” q uizze 3» , t . . Ashley-Steiner. I IlFk KftflYlA I V PIT ruption of court proceedings re- in two versions on the Coast in a daytime total, consisting ---- A/ivIi 1/WIlts 1. f suits from the inclusion of a mi- couple of weeks, hour and half- i? 1 f ge J y ?, £ ^ to crophone on the bench to record hour, and unless the hour turns Theatre and Tic Tac Dough, Wcindci*. Hendrix in Pass # T I O A ITU testimony' Defendants made their out to be topnotch, the show will a l°ng with Lever Bros., S.O.S. and Hollywood, April 9. | A | PVPT Kf /Hir pleas, were not flustered one iota be cut back, to a half-hour and in- Dixie Cup, comes to $21,700,000. Wanda Hendrix is coming out of ^U lJvVi/1 UL iTIIl by a microphone. There were no stalled at 7:30 Mondays. "Wells Saturday business comprises Sun- three-year retirement to essay . • ’ special adaptations; no unusual ar- Fargo” will continue at 8:30, giv- bearrr and Bristol-Myers purchases femme lead in upcoming CBS-TV CBS-T’7 firmed up . another seg- rangements, no dnique * prepara- ing the web two back-to-back °f NCAA football;- R. J. Reynolds “Climax” play, "Avalanche at ment of its Saturday night lineup (Continued, on page 62). Devil’s Pass,” to air April 25. Senate Rating the Raters NBC for Bates tions for the recording.. It was a westerns. ‘ (Continued, on page 62). ‘Devil’s Pass,” to air April 25. by selling its highly touted Richard ‘normal day in traffic court.’” --- ! — -=--- : --- 1 - Boone western, “Have Gun, Will The traffic series, which may be ^ -r rh J Travel,” tp Levei; Bros, and Ameri- extended to-^a full hour, is ex- rv/lil?! /Y can "Hohio Products in the- 9:30 Pected to serve as an experiment Oo/I'Clf'fc/ lilcL Hits l\iXvtsl O period being vacated by "Hey to possible television coverage,of CD » . Jeannie” and Procter & Gamble, traffic court. Washington, April 9. and by advertising agencies and tee’s extensive study of the tv in- Placement of the western is some- —-■ ■ ^—-- Senate Interstate Commerce others?” dustry "a number of inquiries or what unusual, since it puts two . Committee is looking into the big "What effect, if any, does the complaints concerning the pation- oaters back-to-back, with "Have PmlrliAm 1? - audience research organizations in. type of service ordered by a al rating s6rvices which now pro- Gun” leading right into "Gun- 1 lilKIlalll rYlllnP the tv field - The committee wants broadcast interest 'have on the vide tv program ratings” were re- smoke” at 10 p.m. UAlllAl£ to know "the possible' impact of .manner in‘which you conduct your ceived. These communications, he Web’s Saturday 9 to 11 period ratings upon the service the pub- measurements?” said, prompted his questions. is now firm, with the Nestle-Helene 1J|J/ T r I) ■ lie receives and upon the overall ‘‘Is any attempt made by your Whether the committee plans to Curtis, Gale Storm "Oh Susannah” M||jl TAr KOfAC development” of the medium. organization to correlate your re- hold hearings on this phase of its series slated to continue at 9, the AVI l/UIVv In. letters sent last week to the suits with other rating services? inquiry has not been determined. “Have'Gun”-Gunsmoke” parlay at ' leading rating services, Chairman If not, why not? If so, how is It may be more than a coincidence, 9 ; §o to 10:30 and “New York Con- p. •_ Chicago, April 9. Warren G, Magnuson requested this done?” however, that the committee’s'let- fidential,” with Wildroot as blter- °*? e * be ^ as ^ answers to a series of questions "Does a quantity order by a ter follows close on the heels • of nate-week sponsor in at 10. “Perry ot the Weaver, boys * at NBC, is concerning their operations, specific broadcast group have any reports that the Network Study Mason” is currently the hottest resigning hi3 job as v.p. in cjiwge methods-emplpyed to measure aud- effect on the manner in which you Committee of the FCC is having contender for the 8 to 9 hour ot advertising for the network. He ience, services provided the indus- conduct your measurements?” difficulty obtaining certain info it which Jack Gleason will vacate. is moving over to the Ted Bates try, etc. Among the questions Other questions have to do with needs to^make its report, which is _ agency to helm the jadio-tv divi- are: services provided subscribers, cri- due by June 30. Any questions of I S10 ^; ■' "In your estimation, what effect, teria employed in developing sam- jurisdiction which may be raised 1 Andy’s Gan^ , Encore Pinkham was brought into the if any, . does the publication of pies taken, differences in services by facets of the industry not li- J . . ... Q network fro.m the New York Her- your measurements have on the provided by various rating organ- censed by FCC would not hold cnicago, April j. aid Tribune by ex-prexy Pat Weav- success, or lack of success, of vari- izations, timing of surveys in rela- against the Senate. The Frank Ferrin - produced er a nd under the latter’s regime ous^programsl or on the success or tion to actual broadcasts of pro- Meanwhile, Kenneth Cox, spe- "Andy’s Gang,” starring Andy De¬ served as v.p. in charge of televi- lack of success for a broadcasting grams measured, how results of cial counsel for the Senate Com- vine, is returning to the network sion programming. After Weaver’s station in obtaining an account?” telephone samples are .compiled, mittee, has returned to private wars in September in the Satur- departure he was,given the new "What percentage of your rev- and whether percentage of un- practice in Seattle. A report on day morning 10:30 to 11 NBC-TV post under v.p. Ken : Bilby. enue is received from the business completed calls are published. the network phase of the commit- period, with Minnesota Mining Pinkham’s successor has.not been placed with you by the networks, Magnuson informed the services tee’s investigation is expected to lifting the tab. every other week, determined yet. % « • ■ by individual broadcast stations, that in the course of the. commit-, be issued soon. Agency is BBD&O. so ),|(t uj ,) $j j .j i> i< t v { jft.it’s/iA it'c'/ 2 " j d . al > n ») r i <. f. ). :?&$ v ■ (i »* £Q 0 .2 r so \ a i*.* ?I rit'sa.ij ‘Andy’s Gang’ Encore Chicago, April 9. The ’ Frank Ferrin - produced