Variety (September 1957)

RADIO-TELEVISION WATY to Gradually Emerge As st Foreign Language TV Station | ABC Radio’s WSM Tie WATYV, Newark, is moving ever increasingly jnto the realm of foreign language telecasting on a schedule that in the near future is destined to become almost entirely foreign. It was reported that so far the metropolitan tv indie, which is currently trying to shake | off whatever major English language programming it has, has set 50 hours a week of programming in Russian, Polish, Greek, : Italo, Spanish and Yiddish. After a serious failure playing first-run American features in the New York area, the station seems to have decided to make itself as survive against the competition of i six other stations. It becomes the. first almost entirely foreign tv station in the country. At present, WCBS-TV, New York owned and operated station, is said to be in the lead in the bidding to buy WATV's 86 20th-Fox pix. Newark outlet is slated to start them under contract with distrib National Telefilm, at a cost of $12,500 a pic en Oct. 1, unless it can'sell them off before then. Stations with its facilities and studios in New Jersey, has closed. its Manhattan sales office. Tradesters believe that station topper Irving Rosenhaus is hereby capitalizing on the fact that most foreign language tv producers line up their. own bankroliers, obviating the need for a fullscale sales. staff of his own. From Telespano Productions, for instance, comes the report that the station is expanding its ‘“Perucho Show” and is adding “Mapy and! Papy,” a Latino situash comedy. Station will have two solid nighttime hours of Latino programming, Tight where the American features were slated to be. Telespano retains “exclusive” sales representation for its own shows. Foreign language WATV programming will begin at 3 p.m.|§ every weekday, it is understood, and run with only one break until at least 11 p.m. Some Englishlanguage shows will be kept earlier in the day. Many of New York’s radio stations hold to their specialized pro-. gramming schedules by mixing rock ’n’ roll, aimed essentially at Goatham’s Negro audience, with the foreign language sked. WATYV is going to do some of that too. Station has reportedly signed Jocko Henderson, r & r deejay on WOV, which does both Italian and Negro shows, to emcee a 6 to 7 p.mi. strip in the rock-roll genre. This will be one of the few breaks in the foreign sked, but it will come before Spanish and probably after another Janguage. Sheaffer in Bid To Ankle ‘Lucy’ Sheaffer Pen would like out on jts alternate-week sponsorship of the “I Love Lucy” reruns, which are scheduled to start on CBS-TV in the Wednesday night 7:30 sot starting Sept. 18. Picking up the tab along with Sheaffer is Gold Seal Wax.. Network has promised to be on the lookout for a client to take up! the Sheaffer sponsorship but unless it can find one, the pen outfit | Js committed to the rerun series until the end of-the current year. Desireto sell off its “Lucy” atake follows in the wake of a new Sheaffer management team, which Teportedly clings to the conviction that, as a gift item, the company would derive more benefits from seasonal sponsorship of one-shots (Father’s Day, Mothers’ Day, xmas, graduation time, ete). “More Allen Scripters Steve Allen is expanding his riting staff for his Sunday night to 9 entry on NBC-TV. Joining the staff under chief iter Leonard Stern will be Hal oodman and Larry Klein, both of whom ~have been berthed on the Coast. Initial assignment wil be the Sept. 22. Allen showcase from the Coast spotlighting NBC's array of '57-’58 tv talent. . e ae Hints Romancing Of NBC’s ‘Grand Opry’ Wednesday, September 4, 1957 Spanish-Dubbed Telefilms for WATV Shows that have appeared on the networks: or in syndication are ‘due to return—but this time with Spanish-dubbing replacing the original. English-language. version as part of the WATV, Newark, effort to convert to foreign language programs and to primarily . appeal to Gotham’s many Latinos. Station is trying to buy up half hour telefilms that were dubbed by their U.S. distributors essentially for use in Central and South America. Station wants ’to fit the dubbed pix into the schedule it is planning for the immediate future. It was reported the Jersey station tried to do this once before but only with one show, not many, and then—two or more’ years ago— the deal was aborted because one of the other New York stations, playing the original in English, Events conspire to make NBC Radio’s status with its longtime network friend “Grand Ole Opry,” shaky in the eyes of some observers. Evidently, American Broad casting Network is making an]. effort to win the Saturday show for | itself. specialized as possible in order to{ ABN just signed a radio affilia|. tion with the 50 kw WSM, home of “Opry” throughout the years. For the time being, an ABN spokesman said meaningfully, WSM will also continue as an NBC affil, with the two webs equally sharing the time. Incidentally, the ‘WSM-ABN pact won't take effect until Jan. 1 of next year, when the web’s_ affiliation contract with WSIX ends. It’s no secret that ABN is high on hillbilly music, and the Nashville originations would fit into the weekend picture nicely, once the entire weekday sked is set and underway. In this regard, the ABN boss hired Jim Reeves to do a daily country-western show: on the network. And this is the second factor adding credence to the possi-bility of a shift of the “Opry” show ultimately. Reeves will do his show from WSM. ¢* NBC countered this week: with the statement that WSM is only taking ABN as a secondary affiliate and that the major share of the NBC lineup will still be carried by the: station. TV Network Premieres (Sept. 4-14) FRIDAY, Adventures of Jim Bowie (film). Adventure, ABC, 8 to 8:30 p.m., American Chicle via Ted Bates (alt. wks.). ~~ SATURDAY; SEPT. Your Hit Parade (color), Music, NEC, 10: 30 to 11° p.m., Ameriean Tobacco via BBD&O, Toni via North. SUNDAY, SEPT. 8& Lassie ‘(film). Adventures, CBS, 7 to 7%: 30 p.m., Campbell Soups, via BBD&O. JIMMY NELSON DANNY O’DAY and FARFEL Currently TV spokesman: for the NESTLE. Co. Management—Mercury Artists Corp. 730 Fifth Ave., New York: JU 6—6500 3 ; je NBC’s Lehn & Fink, Slenderella TV Coin NBC-TV inked two new daytime advertisers this week, one marking its network sponsorship debut and the other a return to the medium after more than a year’s absence. Returnee is Lehn & Fink, the cosmetic house, which has bought alternate-week segments of “Truth or Consequences” and “Bride & Groom.” Newcomer is Slenderella, } which has used radio extensively but is new to network video. SlendereHla, via Management Associates of Connecticut, bought an alternate-week segment of “Queen for a Day” starting Sept. 11, The Lehn & Fink order, which runs 52 weeks on each show, starts the end of September on “Truth” and mid-November on “Bride,” and was set via McCann-Erickson. SEPT. 6 we MONDAY, SEPT. 9 ” The Price Is Right (Color). Audience participation, NBC, 7: 30 to 8 p.m., Speidel via Norman, Craig & ‘Kummel, RCA via Kenyon & Eckhardt. Tales of Wells Fargo (film), Western, NBC, 8:30 to 9 p.m.,, Buick via Kudner, Pall Mall via SSC&B. Bold Journey (film). 9 p.m., Ralston-Purina via Guild, Voice ofe Firestone. Music, ABC, 9 to 9:30 p.m., ‘Firestone Tire & Rubber via Sweeney & James. Studio One. McCann-Erickson. Adventure-documentary, ABC, .8:30 to Bascom & Bonfigli. Drama, CBS, 10 to 11 p.m., Westinghouse via * TUESDAY, SEPT. 10 Telephone Time (film), Drama, phone System via N. W. Ayer. ABC, 9:30 to 10 p.m., Bell Tele WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 11 Disneyland (film). Children’s, ABC, 7:30 to 8: 30 p.m., Derby Foods via McCann-Erickson, General Foods via Young & ‘Rubicam, General Mills via Tatham-Laird, Reynolds’ Metais via Buchanan & Co. and Clinton E. Frank. The Lucy Reruns (film). Situation comedy, CBS, 7:30 to 8-p.m., Gold Seal Co. via Campbell-Mithun, Sheaffer Pen via Russel M.~ seeds. THURSDAY, SEPT, 12. Tic Tac Dough (color). Quiz, NBC, 7:30 to 8 p.m., WarnerLambert via Lennen & Newell, RCA via Kenyon & Eckhardt. Playhouse 90. Drama, CBS, 9:30 to 11 p.m., Bristol-Myers via BBD&O, Marlboro via Leo "Burnett, American ‘Gas Assn. via Lennen & Newell, All-State Insurance via Leo Burnett, KimberlyClark via Foote, Cone. & Belding. FRIDAY, SEPT. 13 Saber of London (film). Mystery, NBC, 17:30 to 3. p.m.;, Sterling Drug via Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample. Life of Riley (film). Situation comedy, NBC, 8:30 to 9 p.m., Lever Bros. via: BBD&O (alt. wks.). Person to Person. Interview-remotes, CBS, 10:30 to 1+ p.m., Time Inc. via Young & Rubicam, Hamm Brewing via Campbell-Mithun, American Oil was Joseph Katz. SATURDAY, SEPT. 14: “People Are Funny (film). Audience participation, NBC, 7: 30 to 8 p.m., R. J. Reynolds via Wm. Esty, Toni via North. Perry Como Show (color) Music-variety, NBC, 8 to 9 p.m., Kimberly-Clark via Foote, Cone & Belding, Noxema yia SSC&B, RCA and RCA-Whirlpool via Kenyon & Eckhardt; Sunbeam via Perrin-Paus, American Dairy Assn. via Campbell-Mithun, Knomark Mfg. via Emil Mogul. Gale Storm Show (film). Situation. comedy,. CBS, 9 to 9:30 p.m. ” Nestle via Bryan Houston, Helene Curtis via. Edward H. Weiss. Have Gun, Will Travel (film). Western, CBS, 9:30 to 10 p.m. Lever Bros, via J. Walter Thompson, Whitehall Pharmacal via Ted Bates. Gunsmoke (film).. via Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample, Rubicam. neue . wis ae alee ”| Albany, N. Y., firm-in which Lowell July after KOVR had merged with Western, CBS, 10 to 10: 30 p.m., L&M Filters. Remington Rand. via Young & inia National Productions ‘setup. Against Mutual, AFTRA On Mysterioso Axing . A $641,400 damage suit has been brought against Mutual Broadcasting Co., American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and AFTRA’s New York local by Harry S. Goodman Productions, charging that AFTRA’s intervention caused MBS to cancel a series of mystery programs, distributed by Goodman Productions. The suit, filed in New York Supreme Court, Queens County, concerned five Australian produced radio series, titled “Crime Files of Flamond,” “Danger with Granger,” “Big City,” “It’s a Crime, Mr. Collins,” and “Peril.” Goodman Productions’ contract, according to the suit, executed in July, °56, called for the delivery of a total of 260 transcribed programs. Deal was upset, plaintiff alleged, in latter part of February, ’57, when AFTRA challenged Mutual’s right to broadcast the programs, demanding additional fees and that the dispute between Mutual and AFTRA be settled by arbitration. Goodman Productions, which received world-rights tq the programs outside of certain areas, contended that AFTRA had no jurisdiction in the Australian-produced shows and “maliciously stigma tised” the program. Until AFTRA’s intervention, the complaint stated, Mutual accepted and broadcast 153 transcriptions for which Mutual paid $30,600. Damages: sought include the balance of $21,400 of the contract, the destruction of rights to the total series,estimated at $520,000, and damage to the plaintiff’s ‘business reputation, estimated at $100,000. |KOVR SALE PRICE PUT AT $3,500,000 Stockton, Cal., Sept. 3. Sale price of KOVR, Channel 13, .headquartered in this valley city 80 miles east of Frisco, was approximately $3,500,000, -papers filed with the FCC showed last. Friday (30). Hudson Valley Broadcasting Co., Thomas is a principal stockholder, bought the independent outlet in KCCC (UHF Channel 40), Sacramento, and made plans to beam its signal into the Sacramento area, rather than the Frisco area. KOVR took over UHF Channel’s ABC affiliation and KCCC went off the air. Tom O'Malley as Talent Scout for TV ‘Tonight’ Tom O’Malley, ex-syndicated television columnist and for the past several months a publicist, is joining the “Tonight” staf at NBC-TV as a talent scout for the Jack Paar starrer. He’ll scout niteries, theatres, etc., for new comers with an eye toward. spot| booking them on the show. He'll leave Ursula Halloran’s flackery, where he’s: been a staffer ‘since his (Bob Cunniff) “Channel One” column folded, at the end of hext week. Ex-partner Cunniff, incidentally, is now also with NBC, handling publicity on the touring NBC Opera Co. out of the Califor ABC Radio Sets Daytime Strips Jim Backus, Merv Griffin Shows | Goodman’ s 6416 Suit Prexy Robert Eastman program veep Stephen Labwaskt have practically set the entire fall weekday sked for American Broadcasting Network, For one, actorcomedian Jim Backus will headline a daily 2 to3 p.m. live. trip and singer Merv Griffin will star in nightly hour, either at 7 or 8 p.m.. Jim Reeves was also set to do a live hillbilly show from Nashville from 1 to 2 in the afternoon. He'll be back-to-back to Backus. Only weekday time slot still unfilled is the evening hour that will act as mafe to Griffin’s showcase. Backus will be supported in his afternoon stint by singers Jack Haskell and Betty Johnson, the Honeydreamers and Ebiott “Lawe rence’s orch. The first of the new live musical formats devised by Eastman, who only took over as boss a few ‘months ago and has since made plans to revise virtually the entire radio network lineup, hegan Monday .(2).. Herb Oscar Anderson, who is still doing a local show on WABC, ABC New: York flag, started a 10-11 strip, directly after Don McNeill stanza at 9 a.m. ‘The Backus and Griffin shows “Breakfast Club” ‘will begin Oct. 7 from New York, where Anderson now does his show. Reeves Nashville emanation (via WSM) is in keeping with the express Eastman policy of doing some of the daily live strips from out of town. Probably the one remaining show to be chosen will be an .out-of-tawner too. Naturally, McNeill has. always come from. Chi and there is no intention on the part of ABN to change that status. Selmick to Helm 2 Sullivan Shows Hollywood, Sept. 3. David O. Selznick, who has not participated in any television activity for the last three years, has made a deal with Ed Sullivan under which Selznick will produce two of the Sullivan Sunday night CBS-TV shows. Understood one of the two will have:-an exploitation angle. for “A .Farewell to Arms,” which Selznick: currently is producing for 20th-Fox release. Selznick’s last televenture was production of the NBC-TV spec tacular “Festival of Light. ” NBC-TV’S SROON =. ROSE BOWL GRIDCAST Florists Telegraph Delivery Assn, is making the New Year's Day Tournament of Roses Parade out of Pasadena an annual sponsorship event. FTDA signed this week with NBC for half the coverage, the other half already set with {Minute Maid Corp., another re peater from last year. Quaker Oats, incidentally, has the CBS-TV coverage of the event. FTDA deal was set via Grant Advertising. That gives NBC a sold-out status on the Rose Bowl coverage, since. Gillette will be back as sponsor of ‘the Rose Bowl fame that afternoon. ‘Terry Tell Time’ A new pigtail set program, “The Adventures of Terry Teli Time,” with the Bunin puppets and other. kiddie performers, will premiete Saturday, Sept. 28, at 8:45-9 a.m. on WRCA-TV, N.Y. Lynn Duddy and Jerry Bresler_ will produce and write the music, _ i with Kevin Joe Johnson directing.