Variety (November 1957)

32 TELEVISION REVIEWS THE SEVEN LIVELY ARTS (The Changing Ways of Love) With John Crosby, host; S. J, Perel- man, Mike Wallace, narrators; Piper Laurie, Jason Robards Jr., Rip Torn, Hick York, Pat Eng¬ land, Gene Saks, Charles Men-. dick, . Joyce Lear, Adnla Rice, Larry Robinson; Alfredo Anto¬ nin!, conductor Executive Producer; John House- man Producer: Jud Kimberg Director: Sidney Lumet Writer: Perelman 60 Mins.; Sun-, 5 pan. Sustaining CBS-TV, from New York For its premiere show, “The Seven Lively Arts,” CBS-TV’s new soft-boiled-egghead entry, decided on a television essay, a Frederick, Lewis Allen-type onceover of the mores d’amOur of the‘American people over the past three and a half decades. With script by S. J, Perelman, gab by John Crosby, Perelman and. Mike Wallace, a load of film clips and a trio of dramatic inserts, “Arts” exec producer John Houseman, producer Jud Kimberg and director Sidney Lumet turned out a lively If not entirely inspired hour. Trouble with talking about love on television, of course, is that it can’t be. talked about too seriously, though the combination of Perel- rtan and pre-talkie Hollywood got some neat suggestions under the Wire. So “Arts” didn’t take it seri¬ ously, and at times the tongue-in- eheekism was so pronounced as to burlesque the entire business and give rise to the thought that per¬ haps love’s ways aren’t so chang¬ ing, in spite of Messrs. Perelman, Crosby & Wallace. ' Gettirfg down to cases, Perelman, who’s about the most photogenic writer to hit television in many a year, took on the ’20s, Crosby the ’30s, and Wallace the war years and the current “beat” generation, in a series of film clips, stills (of John Held Jr. cartoons) and a skimpy slice of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “Win¬ ter Dreams,” capably enacted by. Piper Laurie and Rip Tom, Perel-* man fared nicely. He himself came over best, as something of a sly cross between Groucho Marx and Jerry Colonna, and showed a re¬ markable sense of poise and timing for a gent who usually shuns the limelight. Critic (N.Y. Herald Tribune) Crosby, with the 1930s, had a tougher row to hoe, painting the town black with the marital de¬ pressions of the Depression. But Jason Robards Jr. and Miss Laurie registered strongly with a scene, from Clifford Odets’ “Awake and Sing,” and James Thurber’s “War of the Sexes” cartoons came over nicely, though their appropriate¬ ness wasn’t quite discernible. Crosby himself needs, as the say¬ ing goes, work, and plenty of it. In the hour’s opening sequences, Crosby, as host, forgot entire sen¬ tences and cues at a time, and while his memory served him better in his narrating chores, he didn't show up well there either. A cure may lie in his flubs—when he goofed, he let out an embarrassed laugh, but the smile was a natural one and he ought to use it more often— he’s far too deadpan. Beyond this, he has a tendency to speak stiffly as if by rote, and he’s going to have to concentrate a little more on his speech lessons. Wallace, who had the closing por¬ tion of the show, did the most workmanly professional - job but had the least rewarding material to work with. The scene from Regi¬ nald Rose’s “Three Empty Rooms,” again very capably enacted by Miss Laurie with Dick York, seemed stilted out of its context and didn't appear to make a point insofar as the overall theme was concerned. And after that, Perelman gave up on the script, by the simple expe¬ dient of stating that any love mores that currently exist are monopo- ized by the teenagers, making way for a series of film clips of Marlon Brando, James Dean and E’.vis Presley. This was followed by a series of quickie filmed interviews with teenagers by Wallace, a. series of ^.monosyllabic replies that got him nowhere. As a picturebook essay, “Chang¬ ing Ways of Love” was pleasant viewing, with rewarding memories and occasional chuckles, enhanced by some truly professional acting and direction. But beneath the gloss, there wasn’t much substance, or logic, for that matter, and this must have given pause to CBS, which is footihg the thus-far-sus¬ taining bills, whether it was worth it all. There’s more to come, of course, and the answer remains to. be seen, but on the basis of the first outing, CBS and the viewer have the right to be Mr. Dubious. Chan . MBtiEFr .Wednesday^ November 6* 1957 SHOWER OF STARS With Jack Benny, Fred MacMur- ray, Carol Channing, Lennon Sisters, Jimmie Rodgers, Bill Lundigin; music, Lud Glusldn Producer-Director: Ralph Levy Writers: Hugh Wedlock, Howard Snyder, Sam Perrin, George Bai¬ lor, A1 Gordon, Hal Goldman Choreographer: Miriam Nelson 60 Mins., Thurs., 8:30 pan. CHRYSLER CORP. CBS-TV, from H’wood (McCann-Erickson) For the most part, the stars rounded up for Chrysler’s “Shower of Stars” opener should have kept the sponsor’s product handy for a fast getaway after their hour caper. With but one exception, there, was nothing in that hour that could justifiably warrant their sticking around for the opening night sal¬ vos. It was a mediocre hour, at hest, and no credit to the pros In¬ volved. The lone kudos goes to Carol Channing for her hilarious miming of “See What the Boys In The Backroom Will Have” a la Marlene Dietrich. It was a grade-A spoof seldom captured by tv. Unfortunately, Miss Channing was forced, to stick around for an odd job In a sketch that followed later. She should have quit when she Was ahead. The sketch; which was the back¬ bone of the show, was ostensibly created to poke a satiric finger at the cowpokes on tv. It missed by a mile. Even an old cowhand like Jack (Buck) Benny and a cinema boots-A-saddler like Fred Mac- Murray-couldn’t pull it out of the cliche corral. Wyatt Earp Sc Co. have nothing to fear from thrusts such as this, in fact, .they’re way ahead without even having to draw. The banter between Benny and MacMurray at the show’s start left much to be desired, too. It was fashioned from the material that old shows are made of. It was rou¬ tine and predictable. Perhaps more stress should have been put on the musical side of the production.- The Lennon Sisters (out of Lawrence Welk) came -off charmingly with “Getting To Know Yoii” (out of Rodgers Sc Hammer- stein) and Jimmie Rodgers was quite appealing in a workover of his disclick, “Honeycomb,” (out of Roulette Records), but there wasn’t enough of them. A production number dedicated to Halloween had some charm, too. Chrysler went all-out to sell Its line, recruiting personality-pitch¬ man from shows on rival nets to do the “Shower of Stars” spiel. Traveling 'ABC-to-CBS was Law¬ rence Welk for the glories of Dodge and traveling NBC-to-CBS was Groucho Marx to talk for the DeSoto boys. Bill Lundigan,-“Show¬ er of Stars”-“Climax” regular pitc hma n, was outclassed * on this one. Gros. THE NATION’S BUSINESS With Prime Minister John Dlefen- baker Producer: Michael Hind-Smith 15 Mins.; Mon., 7:30 pjn. CBC-TY, from Ottawa -Designed to provide federal poli¬ ticians with a national soapbox, “The Nation’s Business” preemed a second season with the Prime Minister of Canada, John Diefen- baker, keynoting for the Progres¬ sive Conservative party. Aired every- two week£ series^ will also have, talks by representative's of tfie Liberal (official government opposition), CCF and Social Credit parties. Canadian Broadcasting Corp. produces the tv shows and airs a parallel radio series. This is a relatively painless method of political stumping—it’s easier to flick a switch than to walk out of a meeting. Chances are, though, that, watchers in for the teeoff stayed- for the whole stanza. - x Diefenbaker. whose public speak¬ ing suffers from nervousness and sermonizing - techniques, fidgeted, preached and scowled for the first half of the session. Then he sat behind a desk and seemed to relax with evident improvement in his. presentation. His nervous habits of arm twitching and henpecking head motions are probably okay on; a platform or on the floor of the I House of Commons; itf fact, sdme parliamentarians deliberately cul¬ tivate trademark habits to type themselves. But on the little tube- end, particularly in closeups and semi-doseups, these habits are painfully exaggerated. A series like this could bring improvement in political speaking. Although CBC produces the Business” stints in its Ottawa stu¬ dios, with! Michael Hind-S£nith in charge (his production during the visit to Ottawa of Queen Elizabeth brought him plenty kudos); speak¬ ers are selected and scripts written by the political parties concerned. Gorrn. Ex-Con Loses Stop-Plea On CBS-TV‘FBI’Story In Which He Figured in ’43 Los Angeles, Nov. 5. Russell Eugene Alexanderson, an ex-convict, lost out over the week¬ end in a move to halt CBS-TV’s presentation of “The FBI” on Sun¬ day (3). Alexanderson had sought a temporary restraining . order in connection with a $135,00(J invasion of privacy suit he brought against the network, but Superior-Judge Bayard Rhone declined to issue the order. Alexanderson said the program was advertised as including footage lensed by the FBI back in 1943 when Alexanderson was inter¬ rogated prior to his-conviction on charges of sending a threatening letter to an unidentified, film star. He said that he served time until 1947 when he returned home and moved to Whittier, Cal., where he has since .led an exemplary life. Suit charges that the use of 'his name and his likeness in the film is unjustified JESS OPPENHEIMER IN TOP NBC‘CREATIVE’JOB Hollywood, Nov. 5. Jess Qppenheimer will bemamed by NBC this week to head a new creative program development unit. This is the long-promised post on which prexy Bob Sarnoff’s hopes are riding for “a new cre¬ ative era,” both in area of live and film programming, as answer to “static and unimaginative” criti¬ cisms. Oppenheimer is under longterm contract to NBC. He is producing the upcoming General Motors two- hour spec, which represents his initial live production venture. Foreign TV Reviews CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES With Dr. Allen H. Benton Producer: Donald Schein 30 Mihs4 Mon.-Wed.-FrL, 11 a.m. MOHAWK-HUDSON COUNCIL on EDUCATION TELEVISION WRGB-TV, Schenectady TEe second, open-circuit video course for college credit offered by State Teachers Gollege in Albany and sponsored by 'Mohawk-Hudson Council on Education Television, this ohe conducted by Dr. Allen H. Benton, assistant professor of bi¬ ology, shows improvements over last spring’s series on introductory geography—the first of its kind in the state. A number of the adults enrolled in the new course (there are also a few high school students) took the initial one. They pay a tuition fee of $30 and purchase a $6.50 textbook; if passing—are ex¬ pected to spend , a minimum of six hours weekly , on homework—earn two credits of undergraduate col¬ lege credit.. Still in- the experimental stage. Dr. Benton’s lectures are supported by'SCT’s extension program, to' determine whether they /are the most effective medium for bringing the college’s resource potential tp the public. “Conservation of Nat¬ ural Resources” is a topic .vitally important to every thinking viewer, and every serious-minded Ameri¬ can, although at first 4 here it may seem dry, abstract and remote — sometimes uneven. However, Dr. Benton did considerable -to place the subject in proper focus and perspective, with a half-hour dis¬ sertation oh the “contribution” the wrongful use of the soil had made to “the downfall of cultures, civili¬ zations and empires” in Babylon, Greece and Romo, as well as to the great harm it had caused in China. A liberal use of- photographs, maps and charts illustrated. Dr. Benton’s commentary. He was off camera, wisely, 40 to 50% of the time. A youthful-appearing, crew- cut, bow-tie, sports-coat, bespec¬ tacled chap, the professor would do well to- loosen a tight voice and to smooth a choppy delivery. Jaco. Fred de Cordova Talks Hollywood, Nov. 5. Negotiations for renewal of its contract with producer-director Fred de Cordova have been initi-.j ated by CBS, although his pact doesn’t expire until April Currently director of “Decem¬ ber Bride,” de Cordova was pro¬ ducer of 39 “Burns & Allen” seg¬ ments and 13 “Mr. Adams 8c Eve” vidfilms, all for the web. ANN VERONICA With Joan Greenwood, Robert Urquhart, Desmond Walter-Ellis, Joyce Wren, Lloyd Pearson, Christine Silver, Richard Bur¬ rell, Margaret Dale, Annabel Maul, Ambrosine Philpotts, Lio¬ nel Burns, Doris Speed, John Salew, Vi Stevens, Jean Marlow, Joan Lovelace, Anne Wrigg.' Producer-Director: Vivian Milroy Executive Producer: Dennis Vance Designer: Timothy O’Brien TV Adaptation: Miles Fleetwood 60 Mins.; Sun., 9:30 pjn. ABC-TV, from Manchester „ H, G. Wells' novel about a jtfrBs fight for equal- rights hi ifcWlale- domiuated community did not stand the test when potted into a 60-minute ty version. The plot lacked real meaning and its emo¬ tional values were lost in the effort to cram everything into the allotted time. Production was jerky and failed to build any set tempo. Sav¬ ing grace were good sets~and the use of original film of suffragette Uprisings which were edited into the action. Joan Greenwood, in the title part, was unconvincing and with iter attractive husky voice and wide-eyed look, appeared alto¬ gether too naive and sweet to be the strong-minded girl who wanted to make science her career and didn’t mind What steps $he took to achieve her ambition, including imprisonment and a starvation diet. Robert Urquhart (the profes$pr at University who wound Up with Miss Greenwood) was robbed of a part which suited him perfectly because of the trimmed story, hut managed to get the most out of what was left: A notable perform¬ ance was giyen by Desmond Wal- ter-ElIis as Hubert Manning, Ann' Veronica’s milksoppish suitor. Bary. writer was “talking out of the top of his hat.” The Queen's tickertape welcome to New York Was the next “exaggerated” story smashed flat by the reporter. The actual amount of tickgrtape showered on the Royal party was, he claimed, only one and one-quarter tons, whifch was several tons- below the amount estimated by British papers. The killing of Albert Anastasia, the Murder Ipc. hood, came in for sim¬ ilar treatment over the number of slugs pumped into the body. Though he was "entertaining and obviously informative. Cook had on major fault. Every newspaper¬ man believes that his paper is the one that carries the/true story, but this was no reason for Cook to up¬ hold the Herald Tribune as the Gospel against the entire British press, as he did several times to prove a story. Bary. SIX-FIVE SPECIAL With Josephine Douglas, Pete Mur¬ ray, Shirley Bassey, Freddie Mills, Colin Hicks, Terry Wayne, Black Diamonds, Rock ’n’ Roll Sinners, Don Lang, Barbara Law, Neville Taylor Director: Jack Good Writer: Trevor Peacock 55 Mins.; Sat. BBC-TV, from Glasgow BBC-tv unit staging this weekly stanza for teenage and moppet fans emerged into Auld Lang Syne ter¬ ritory for this lively edition. Shir¬ ley Bassey, dusky thrush recruited from her local hill-topping stint at key Empire vatidery, scored with her sexy style of singing in “You Can Have It” •' and “Please, Mr. Brown.” Local rhythm outfits added to modern note in the Rock Roll Singers, jiving to music of “Red-Planet Sinners,” and the Black Diamonds in “Move Along.” Terry Wayne, 15-year-old guitar¬ ist-warbler, • scored strongly^ in “Teenage Boogie,” Colin -Hicks, 16-year-old brother of Tommy Steeje, and bearing a likeness faci¬ ally, will need to divert from his brother’s style and hit a *seam of his own, but garnered moderate | results and scored in “Empty Arms Blues.” Barbara Law, warbling looker, was topical in “Sack Dress,” and the Chris Barber band, singers Don Lang and Neville Taylor, plus comedy from ex-boxer Freddie Mills, filled out the hour-minus- five. 1 As per usual, Josephine J Douglas and Pete Murray did their let’s - get - in - the-mood emceeing, with interruptions from the song- asDiring Mills. Jack Good staged with pace. ’ Gord. i WHAT THE PAPERS SAY I With Don Cook j Director: Mike Wooler 16 Mins., Molt., 10:30 pjn. GRANADA-TV, from Manchester How an American newspaper¬ man looks at the- British slant on current affairs, as reported by the British press, was demonstrated in this program when Don Cook, Lon-i don correspondent of the New: York Herald Tribune, took the chair to mull over the Week’s big news stories. He fore the national daily and Sunday newspapers apart methodically over several points by comparing one against the other to show up their inaccuracies. But the slaying was done pleasantly and in a forthright manner. . Stories to come under the watch- ; ful eye of Cook included a report that President Eisenhower would be coming to Britain for talks with the Prime Minister. Cook dis-. missed this with the warning that unless a story of this calibre was reported by all the press, then the ARMAND At MICHAELA DENIS Producer: Denis Productions 15 Mins.; Sun-, 2:15 pjn. Associated Television, from Lon¬ don Armand and Michaela Denis, hus¬ band-wife team of natural histor¬ ians, have long been established on British tv With several series on the state web, and now a 20-episode skein on Commercial tv. Well pho¬ tographed and with a pleasant commentary supplied by both of them, the telefilms have the nat¬ ural appeal of featuring wild ani¬ mals in their local surroundings. They are Suitable for both "adult and young audiences, and at the same time, instructive. The episode caught, “Flight to' Zambesi,” featured many of the animals from those parts as well as some of the beauty spots such as the Victoria Falls. Bary. before bedtime With Kenneth McKellar Director: Eddie Fraser ^Setting; Jack Notman IS Mimur Sat. BBC-TV, from Glasgow Kenneth McKellar, rising stage and radio, tenor north the England- Seotland line, gets his first main national spotlighting via this new BBC series, taken by all networks. He has a happy set of pipes, gives out pleasantly in ballads and pops, and generally offers an entertain¬ ing stanza whose only fault is its brevity. Another five to 10 minutes, with a guest dancer or the like, could have been used to advantage. At show-taught, McKellar, garbed in open-neck shirt and tbC Scotch kilt (which would be best; alas, in color tv), gave out con¬ fidently in' tunes ranging from “Bluebells of Scotland” through “Red\Rose” from-“Vagabond King” to “The Looks of You” from the Metro pic “Silk Stockings^! Minus any backing, he impressed with the Scot song "Till Our Wedding Day,” and wound with the soft, ppealing “Dream Angus.” An •wen Walters orch gave backing. Eddie Fraser, megger, scored in tuse of closeups. Gord. Foreign TV Followup Sunday Night At The Palladium That the squealing teenage, cult is still around was proved by Frankie Laine when he topped the bill of this Associated Television show (27). Laine, who planed in from Paris to appear on the pro¬ gram, was greeted with the famil¬ iar screams which were the vogue a few months back and still, ap¬ parently, in fashion. The*singer rendered several numbers, includ¬ ing “Black And Blue,” “Sunny Side Of The Street” and “Jealousy” in his usual style, to reap hefty mitts. French songstress Juliette Greco, sans. makeup but certainly not lacking any color in her voice, reg¬ istered Well with a couple of throaty Ftench numbers. Her sexy style came across well and the set¬ ting of a smoky Paris cellar looked good. Bob Hammond and his Feathered Friends, a roost of trained cockatoos who waltz and do mathematics on the orders of Ham¬ mond, provided a neat novelty spot. The Morton Fraser Harmonica Gang sacrificed their musicianship for a humor routine, wihch was mainly supplied by a midget, and had been seen on tv several times before. The resident dance troupe, the George Carden, outfit, gave Out with some good high lucks, ana emcee Bob Monkhouse held the acts .together neatly. The Cyril Ornadel orch supplied good ac¬ companiment Bary.