Variety (October 1958)

VcdntiJiy, October S, 1958 28 RAilO-TEtEYlSlON _ AS You Need Is One Giant Client And Your Agency Is in Business —On Other Madison Aye. Fronts By JACK BERNSTEIN While the larger Madison Ave. ad agencies have scores of accounts In the house, in most instances it’s the three or four major advertisers that account for the hefty tv bill¬ ings and the accompanying 15% reward. Benton &' Bowles, an agency whichlias an estimated $70,000,000 la air media billings derives most of this from two major accounts, General Foods and Procter & Gam¬ ble. General Foods out of B&B Is sponsoring Ann Sothern, Danny Thomas, “December Bride,” “Zane Grey,” “Person To Person,” and part of “Perry Mason.” P&G is In the fall nighttime lineup with “This Is Your Life,” “Loretta Young Show,” and “Tic Tac Dough.” While the agency has other clients committed to televi¬ sion it’s these two bluechip ac¬ counts which make up the bulk of the business. What is true of Benton & Bowles Is true of most other agencies along the avenue. Of the $83,- 000,000 that Lennen & Newell bills, only one major advertiser has more than one program on the nighttime network schedule. The client, P. Lorillard, accounts for most of the house’s tv billings, sponsoring “Rough Riders,” “$64,000 Ques¬ tion,” “Arthur Murray Show,” and '•Masquerade Party.” Only one otheF client The American Gas Assn, comes into the nighttime picture picking up part of the tab on “Playhouse 90.” At William Esty it’s the JL J. Reynolds business that has the agency in the top 10 circle. The tobacco firm is the bankroller for “Anybody Can Play,” Bob Cum¬ mings, “I’ve Got a Secret,” “Law Man,” and “People Are Funny.” Campbell Ewald enters the scene by way of one account, the Chev¬ rolet billings, backer of Pat Boone and Dinah Shore. The bread and butter accounts at other agencies include Whitehall, American Home Products, Colgate- Palmolive, Brown Sc Williamson and Carter at Ted Bates. Kaiser, Goodyear, Bristol-Myers and Beech¬ nut for Young & Rubicam. Two accounts General Mills and Liggett & Myers sum up most of Dancer- Fitzgerald-Sample tv billings. At D. P. Brother it’s the A.C. Spark¬ plug and Oldsmobile backers. Top air media agency, J. Walter Thompson, has nine supporters on its network lineup, but for the most part it’s the two or three large spenders in each agency that keep it active in the network tele¬ vision picture. Switches: David P. Crane, veepet In charge of media at Benton & Bowles, has left the agency and will join Ogilvy, Benson & Mather on Oct. 15 as a veep and account supervisor. Crane, while having the title of media director at the agency, was more active in the ac¬ count field. Lee Rich, agency v.p. in media steps in to head up the department. L. C. Barlow, v.p. and director . of media and marketing of Brooke, Smith, French. Sc Dorrance, has been transferred to the Detroit of¬ fice. Robert J. Gillen Jr., formerly of the J. M. Mathes agency, joins Hazel Bishop as station relations manager and coordinator of adver¬ tising and merchandising. Stephen D. Smoke and Kendall J. Mau have earned senior veepee stripes at Gaynor Sc Ducas. - Franklin J. Hennessy, financial veepee of Kenyon & Eckhardt, named to head up the agency's corporate services. Dick Keibold has switched over from BBDO to Lennen & Newell in Bev Hills as commerical pro¬ ducer on “Queen For A Day” and “It Could Be You.” Daniel E. Charnas, formerly with Lennen Sc Newell, joins P. Loril¬ lard as media director for Kent, Old Gold and Newport cigarets. The board of directors of Cal¬ kins & Holden has accepted., the resignation of Merlin E. Carlock, vice-chairman of * the board, and one of the major partners of the agency. At the same time the agency upped Walter B. Geohegan to a senior v.p. and William A. Chalmers was given exec veep status. R. C. Brown has been named manager of the corporate p x. sec¬ tor of BBDO. He succeeds Rich¬ ard M. Detwiler, who has resigned to become director of publicity of the Wool Bureau. Walbeth Ludwig appointed comptroller, and assistant treas¬ urer of Cohen & Aleshire^and Al¬ vin E. Jaderlund joins the agency as offic manager. Lost and Found: A relationship which has extended over 39 years will terminate on Jan. 1 with the J decision \£y the General Baking Co. to yank its $1,500,000 account out of the BBDO shop. While the agency lost the General Baking ac¬ count it picked up other billings by being named to handle the Forstinann Woolen Co. division of the J. P. Stevens & Co. Effective immediately, the company . will handle the men’s fabric line. It currently represents Forstmann’s women’s wear and retail fabrics. Compton picks up where BBDO left off by being named to handle the billings of the General Bak¬ ing Co. Marscbalk & Pratt has been named to handle the account of the Downflake Foods, a division of DCA Food Industries^ Compton Advertising has land¬ ed. the institutional and service advertising programs of the Guar¬ anty Trust Co. of N.Y. Albert Frank Guenther will continue to handle the bank’s financial adver¬ tising, .. Campaigns: Lysol Pine Scent : will embark on a major radio campaign using netwotk radio in! addition to a heavy spot schedule. Lysol, a product of Lehn Sc Fink, has not had a major radio cam¬ paign in several years. ! United States Pool Corp. 'has set aside an estimated • $100,000 : budget for its Gertrude Ederle Swimming Pools. All media is to be used. Lever Bros, is mapping a spot tv drive in behalf of its Handy Andy detergent in the top markets. The schedule set via Fuller & Smith & Ross kicks off in Nov. and is ticketed to rnn for 52 weeks. Cunningham & Walsh starts a drive for Coldene* cold medicine this month using a A 12-week spot tv schedule. Chi Agencies By LES BROWN Chicago, Oct. 7- Geoffrey Wade agency, -chalk¬ ing it up to burgeoning _ biz, has leased two floors of the Kem¬ per Insurance Bldg., increasing its previous office space twofold. Herb Grayson, onetime publicity chief at CBS Chicago, caught in personnel cutbacks at Mohr St Ei- coff agency along with Herb Ross. Both had been account execs. Ernest W. Eversz rejoined Foote, Cone Sc Belding from Leo Burnett agency as veepee and copy di¬ rector. Jack Holden left WLS after 27 years to become radio-tv field rep at Geoffrey Wade agency. Gourfain-Loeff plucked Conti¬ nental Manufacturing Co. account, makers of men’s slacks and blue jeans. National Restaurant Assn, has named Reach, McClinton & Co. for its advertising. William A. Moore and Peter A. ! Nelson upped to asst, account execs at Needham, Louis & Brorby. [ Erratumed here several weeks ago that Maryland agency will rear the monetary rewards of the Okla¬ homa Oil balteasts oil WGN-TV next season, although Needham, Louis Sc Brorby now has the ac¬ count. That was the case in 1958 (NL&B got the account in July, when the baseball season.was weil under way) hut won’t be the case in 1959. NL&B said Oklahoma Oil will continue to sponsor base¬ ball next year. London Agencies ■ - By BARRY BARNETT London, Oct. 7. The Clifford Bloxham & Part¬ ners agency is handling a tv ad campaign centred'bn the North of England to promote retail sales of Swish Products Ltd., a firm of plas¬ tic drape runner manufacturers. Theme of the drive is the product’s silent action. Promotion will use a large number of 15-second spots on both ABC-TV and Granada-TV until Oct. 26. The same agency is also working on a 12 weeks campaign for Ultra Electric Ltd,, makers of radio and television sets, which, it’s, claimed is its biggest fall drive to date. Products' to he spotlighted are a “Vertical Precision” tv set, a port¬ able tv and a new portable radio. Campaign will use eight mid-week advertising magazine programs on Associated-Rediffusion and large spaces in five national newspapers, plus the three London evenings. A tv commercial, based on mo¬ tivational research carried out by the W. S. Crawford agency and developed by the outfits tv divi¬ sion, to promote the habit of wet shaving, won first prize in its cate¬ gory at the Advertising Film Fes¬ tival in Venice. It was the first Gillette tv commercial of a cur¬ rent series on the theme of “water, lather and Gillette.” The sole Gil¬ lette identification appears at the yery end of the commercial.. David Plumb has been appointed a producer for TV Advertising Ltd. He joined the firm two years ago from the Films Division of the British Transport Commission and since that date has been one of TV Advertising’s assistant producers. Fanners Union, KFGO Slander Suit Settled Bismark, N.D., Oct. 7. Radio station KFGO, Fargo, NJD., has settled out of court for $10,000 a $2,400,000 slander suit brought against it and A. C. Townley, an unsuccessful candidate for the U.S. Senate in the last election, by the National Farmers Union. The case now is under considera¬ tion by the U.S. Supreme Court to determine for the first time at'that level if a radio station is liable for slanderous statements made by a political candidate in a campaign. KFGO contended that it was obligated to permit Townley to give his political address and could not control his statements. The. de¬ lusion in the North Dakota district and supreme court favored it, and the Union, the plaintiff, appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court where the case recently was argued, but where no decision has been forth¬ coming yet. ; The Union claimed that inasmuch as it was not a candidate in the election a radio station would be- liable for slanderous- statements against it even though made by a political candidate in a campaign. Des Moines—R i c h a r d Covey, program director of KRNT radio and KRNT-TV, Des Moines, since 1950, has resigned and is suc¬ ceeded by Joe Hudgens, who has been promotion manager of the stations. Covey’s plans have not been announced but he intends to remain in radio and television in another section of the country. Nielsen’s Top 10 in Britain (Week Ending Sept. 21) Great Movies of Our Time— Great Movies of Our Time- Dotto . l TV-Radio Production Centres i: IN NEW YORK CITY . . . Nick Kenny, N.Y. Mirror’s radio-tv pundit and poet, has had 365 of his best poems featured in a new tv film series produced by Maurice Zouary . . . Jack Sterling’s book, “So Early in the Morning” will he published by Crowell Nov. 4 . . . Fortune magazine prowling the net¬ works once again'* for an in-depth piece on status of tv programming and reportedly prepping a hatchet analysis . . . Larry Daniels guest¬ ing on the Steve Allen Show Oct. 12 . . . Robert F. Lewine, veep of NBC-TV Network Programs, will be major speaker at Ithaca College Fall Convocation and dedication of its tv and radio studios on Sat¬ urday (11) . . . Jimmy Nelson, ventriloquist, set to appear on ABC-TV Paul WincheU show Nov. 2 . . . Rover Boys set for ABC-TV Dick Clark Bandstand Oct 27 . . . WCBS Radio’s Jim Lowe on two-week holiday starting 7 Oct. 11. Nelson' Olmsted substituting. Sue Salter back on her job as entertainment editor of NBC Radio’s (“Monitor” after three-week holiday in France and Switzerland . . . ! Gotham Recording this week cut the Christmas Show for the Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization with Dennis Day as the lead. Show will be aired on Christmas Day over many AM outlets via the “Stars For Defense” series. Also recorded by Gotham this week was a 15- minute show for the governmental agency' with Rise Stevens, Ray Block’s Orch and Jay Jackson . . . Doris Ann, NBC Public Affairs Dept, producer; was named “outstanding professional woman of the year” by Business and Professional Women’s Clubs of metropolitan N.Y. , . . Bob (CBS-TV Captain Kangaroo) Keestian was the feature attraction at National Press Club’s annual Father-Daughter banquet Friday (3) ;in Washington ... Ed Sullivan to address the 12th annual Southern Industrial Editors Institute at the Univ. of Georgia on Wednesday, ; Oct. 29 . . I»y Siegal, manager of CBS’s Photo Division, racks up 25 years with the web Nov. 6 .. . Bernard Flauin, film editor in WCBS tv film dept, is directing “Out of the Frying Pan” for PTA group of George W. Miller School, Nanuet, N.Y. to be produced Oct. 16. ABC-TV prexy Oliver Treyz addressing the Kansas 1 City Advertising & Sales Executive Club tomorrow . . . Bert Briller, ABC’s director of sates development, addressing Assn, of* Ad Men Sc Women in Nqw York today (Wed.) ... Jo Stafford, Gordon MacRae, the Paul Weston orch into “Voice of Firestone” Oct, 20 . . . Ira Marion, producer-writer for “This Is the Challenge” winged to Rhode Island to interview GoV. Dennis Roberts, who is appearing on the ABCast in two weeks: sub¬ ject of show will be R. I. Supreme Court Justice William B. Powers, blind since he was 19 ... Joe O’Brien began new platter strips (at 7 and 10:30 nightly) for WMCA . , . Look mag running yam on tv mu¬ sical-.director-nightciub owner Paul Tankman . . . WOR-TV presented special “Channel 9. Preview" on Friday ..(3> from 9:15 to 10 p.m., fea¬ turing highlights from the station’s fall and winter schedule . . . Gene Fitts has been appointed director of station service for the Paul Rob¬ erts helmed World Travelers’ Club. Roberts is former prez of Mu¬ tual. Fitts had been director of station services for MBS. William Clemens just completed filming a “Naked City” show and starts rehearsals for his featured role in “Gazebo” next week . . . Joyce; Randolph will appear as “Julia” in the “U.S. Steel Hour” ver¬ sion of “Midsummer” today (Wed.) . . . George Charles has joined Mill s-Park-Milford Inc;, tv producers and packagers, in an exec capa¬ city . , . Oscar Brand has returned from Paris to do some concerts and tv appearances as well as a film for Gulf Oil . . . Ronald Dawson set for “Back Stage Wife” on CBS Radio as well as three more shots on the recorded “Objective” series » . . John C. Becher returned from Hollywood where he did “Wyatt Earp” and “Line Up.” He’s sched¬ uled to appear on “U.S. Steel Hour” Oct. 22 . . . Clarence Worden, WCBS-TV’s director of public affairs, will serve as "authority” on radio-tv during public relations workshop at the sixth annual chapter conference of NatT Multiple Schlerosis Society, Saturday (11) . . . Ruth Lawrence, formerly assistant to choreographer Ernest Flatt on “Hit Parade” is doing similar assignment for Matt Mattox on “Patti Page” show. Miss Lawrence is also one of the dancers on the program . : . Richard Heffner’s "Open Mind” show on WRCA-TV is also being aired over the Voice of America’s “University , of the Air 0 program as dally feature. His former “Man of the Year” program also getting air¬ ing on V of A schedule , , . Nat Asch, former WMGM sports director, . joined special events department of NBC-TV “County Fair” staff . , . Sid DuBroff, tv merchandising specialist and prexy of Prize Merchand¬ ising Inc., formed a new firm, “Sid DuBroff Associates,’,’ which will handle merchandising for “Haggis Baggis,” “Lucky Partners” and “Spino.” . . . Jackie Gleason invited the- CBS press information staff to ctine-drink to dawn on his tab recently but forgot to invite the CBS on-air promotion writers under Charles S. Monroe who have since been giving the comic private wisecracks, relayed via. Bob WeHman. Monroe and his promotionists claim only star who ever saluted their labors was Ed Sullivan who included their names in a recent full-page in Variety. Meantime the pressures put on top CBS management by all the stars eager for those cross-referenee (and free) air plugs has created a real headache . . . Howard Barnes, veep in charge of network programs for CBS Radio, this week became engaged to Miss Mary Ellen Mock. They plan, marriage in January. Frank Gifford of New York Giants pro football team takes over * CBS. Radio’s “Sports Time” program Monday through Saturday at "7 p.m. starting Monday (131. He replaces Phil Rfconto who returns on Jah. 5. Camel Cigarets sponsoring “Sports Time.” . . . Betty Ann Grove back from Easthampton holiday for more “Miss Sunshine” commer¬ cials . . . Bill Downs, CBS News Washington correspondent, addressed N.Y, Advertising Club luncheon yesterday (Tues,) on “Brinksville on the Potomac.” . . * Parker Fennelly into cast of CBS Radio’s “Second Mrs. Burton.” I . . Phil Sterling into cast of CBS Radio's “Road to Life.” . . . Marshall Flaum, senior researcher on CBS TV’s “Twentieth Century” series upped to story editor ... TV version of Vina Del- mar’s “Mid-Summer” on “U.S Steel Hour” tonight (Wed.) is being directed by Grey Delmar, author’s son. He’s been, a CBS-TV asso¬ ciate director for five years. Phil Bernstein, assistant director of press information at ABC, re¬ covering from surgery at the Hospital for Joint Diseases . , . Jerome K.- McCauley becomes assistant sales director of WMGM . . * Writers Guild lawyer Dleh Jablow to wed golf champion Judy Frank . Chuck Tranum’s talent agency had a hot week in tobacco, placing Norman Klhl with Newport cigs, to do the live blurbs on “Arthur Mur¬ ray Party,” and Harry K. Smith to make with the mouth for Viceroy on the Wednesday night fights. IN HOLLYWOOD . . . Jimmy Durante has no fears of overexposure on tv. He has taken only two guest shots so far and will spend the rest of his time in ni- teries . . . Panl Cunningham, ASCAP prexy, and Joe Bines, ex-band leader now with the Ayer agency, fell to reminiscing over their colla¬ boration and they rattled off more than a dozen numbers . j. An¬ drew White, first prexy of CBS, broke into the sheets last week by at¬ tacking the questionable morality of theatrical films. He’s now a prac¬ ticing psychologist in L. A. . . . Dick Keibold switched from BBD&O in N.Y. to Lennen & Mitchell in Bevhills. He’ll produce the agency’s commercials for two tv shows . . . Paul Gumbikner is here from N.Y. (Continued on page 48)