Variety (March 1959)

RADIO-TELEVISION . Wednesday, Man'll 18, 1999 SERIALS CA BUILD MUSCLES IN YOUR MARKETS We mean the kind of rating-muscles that stick to • your ribs! ' 406 thundering episodes of 31 thrilling subjects like: PHANTOM RIDER GANG BUSTERS JUNGLE QUTCN SCOUTS TO THE RESCUE SKY RAIDERS ...TOP PERFORMERS ALL! For details...call SCREEN GEMS.mc. B'casters Ceme Out Fighting ^ Continued from page 1 ———— true image” of the medium in a tidns to the knowledge and enjoy- bid to gain universal respect and men t 0 f the American people .*’ recognition. • From still another front came a The temper of^ the convention warn] - ng f or the broadcasters to was reflected in the action' “speak up” and do something in today (Tues.) to impleipent tte the Q Verw heiniing spate of fer- Samofl proposal for the industry- mell ^ turnmoil and activity in wide campaign. (See separate Washington, as CBS corporate story.) f’.p. Dick Salant updated the Col- The Mysterioso Public umbia affiliates as to how they’re From Stanton, in his address currently being hit from all -di- before the fifth general confer- factions. His talk, “Bewitched, ence of the CBS-TV affiliates, Bothered &‘Bewildered,” was an came the warning that “to survive educational,, comprehensive and and grow in an atmosphere of pub- authoritative primer on who’s-do* lie confidence and freedom, we ing-w h a t-to-whom. Broadcasters have got to be far more resource- Went away a little wiser; a lot ful and energetic than we have /bore apprehensive, been in the past in communicating ————— with the people about ourselves. We do not know enough of What- DauIair* the American public thinks of 1910 flOVIBWS television, of how much under- .. , continued from page 55 - s tandin g it has of basic issues in¬ volving the conditions under “in-front-of-the-cigar-store” ! fight, which we operate. We are beyond talk among Breit, Gabel and Ross the stage where talking does any was particularly enjoyable because further good and we are going to it was unforced and natural, act.” Then in a display of courage, A dramatic bit between Gabel he lashed out on the “equal time” and his wife, depicting Victor crisis with a blistering condemna- Hugo’s difficulties with an actress tion of “abridgement of our free- com plaining about her lines, was dom” and an avowal to take the overdone and not terribly amusing, issue "to the people themselves. Gabel’s opening bit from Julius fSee senarate storv) Caesar, however, was a rich high- (bee separate story;. . spot. Mrs. Gabel, .Who shines From Sam off, in his most im- ^ pro she ^ fo fmut 0 f a porfcmt utterances since •‘assuming ynikp, in this instance also served the board chairmanship of NBC, as unofficial director of the show, came a plea for the formation of frequently alerting her hubby an industry-wide information cam- when to sign off for a commercial, paign, to develop .a clearer under- One of the commercials on “the standing of broadcasting’s func- show was for Vigo Danish Hams, tion and contributions as he called certainly a fitting spot on-this type on all facets of the industry to of program. With articulate guests “subordinate differences and riv- on hand and a chance to let them dries to the nfted for greater -sound off without interruption the lin itv» Gabdl once-a-weeker could latch xr ah* on its companion conyersa- Revoit vs. «abt tion pieces during other nights Qn Even within the NAB itself, it the same channel. Rails, is an “open secret” that a^ long , festering rebellion is reaching a climatic crescendo over the con- .. n.l... duct of the parent industry or- 191X19 lC 9S D9I9F9 ganization for its alleged "do nothing” stance in facing up to —— Continued from page 39 ■ many critical challenges, partic- ,,f finals explained that it “wanted ularly on the public relations bring managers to this conven- front in “selling” the broadcasting tion to consider problems.” “We industry to Congress and the can control equipment manu- White House. It’s no longer a sec- facturers in that we have definite ret that a sizable bloc comprising hours during which they can ex- some of the nation’s major hroad- jjjbit, but since most television casters have threatened to pull film distributors exhibited in stakes and resign from “the indus- their rocJfcns (not on the conven- try association unless there is a tion floor), we didn’t feel we change in leadership. This may should tell-them (when they could crystallize into action one way or exhibit).” the other before the convention None of the ^ film companie s, nreaxs up. which j>ay $1,500 apiece for an Stanton implemented his “do associate membership in NAB, in- something” m a nif esto with an an- tended to attend this conclave, un- nouncement that a plan to achieve til CBS Films broke the line and fuller public understanding of the decided-to return for another sea- facts, the conditions and the prob- son, regardless of the circum- lems of broadcasting today has stances, been evolved by CBS and will be transmitted to the affiliates short- ly via closed-circuit. „ £TL* L* II f f Saraoff in his keynote address 1JURKNIE ffidR $ projected a two-plan frontal as¬ sault: (1) a campaign through -Continued from page 29 “Out There,” space series being produced in association with Para¬ mount and using over 100,000 feet of special film shot by Par for the new show, which will mark the studio’s initial venture into the tv arena. For the Wednesday en¬ try CBS has earmarked $500,000 Robinson disclosed, in a search for the right property.. As lor daytime, Robinson ap¬ pealed to the affils for station clearance to permit-a new 10 a.m. program ealled “On the Go,” star¬ ring Jack Linkletter. “It’s some¬ thing brand new to television,” says Robinson. I Wefe’s 7506 Rap Continued -from page 1 ventions will ease the moving ex¬ penses, which totalled nearly $900,- 000 in '*56. Total three-network costs in ’56 ran to nearly $9,000,000, McAndrew estimates, but he can’t supply a projected figure for next year, though it’s likely .to run higher because of increased ^osts overall, including transportation. Since the Sports Arena is still under con¬ struction, McAndrew wasn’t able to get n final facilities survey, but. -on the‘basis of .plans believes some of the builtiin’tv facilities may help lick problems which existed in pre¬ vious years. Trend toward miniaturization of .equipment for more mobile cover¬ age will continue, he says. One new source of miniaturization develop¬ ments has been RCA ! s missile work, with one small.microphone and transmitter to be used adapted from a recent rocket fired at Cape Canaveral. Jlixiire as Before ‘Thinking Man’s’ --Continued from page 29 ss tv and radio to explain broadcast- p _ . ‘ inc’s role in American society: Robinson spelled out the new tv and radio to explain broadcast- H _ . * ' ing’s role in American society; Robmson spelled out the new (2) that consideration be given to program plans for 59-’60, point- an independent survey of public m 6 ou *» R W1 ll be another 30 to attitudes toward tv. 88 days before we are able to get attitudes toward tv. 88 days before we are able to get «»__ imoffA* all the uneasy bedfellows to lie Sarnvff s-True Image Sown together.” He told of: Saraoff outlined a broad five- . point credo (see box) that might f n f w,r’ H it rb (“serve as the tapestry on which ? r ° d £f lp hi we seek to weave a true image” of ff ale st °rm Saturday nights, hrnadoastin* ■ ’ Jt S the stor y ° f tW0 New York broadcasting. He suggested that the informa¬ tion campaign be aimed at three groups: a minority critical of pop¬ ular programming; lawmakers at cops—father and son. “Twilight Zone,” the new 30- minute Rod Serlmg series. “Like ‘Blue Men,’ said Robinson, “we had state and nahonal leveh who “» re s P°f° r 1 ? rders «>an we could may be influenced by this attitude; accommodate. and the public whose interests may be injured as a result Saraoff emphasized that broad¬ casters, to achieve greater under¬ accommodate.” Four new situation comedy en¬ tries (“there has never been any¬ thing wrong with situation come¬ dies except bad situation come- ‘Pack’s Bad Girl’ —— Continued from page 33 —. Loves of Debie Gillis” in the time period that “Peck’s Bad Girl” was tabbed for. Bale was based on the pilot turned out by Martin Manulis at 20th-Fox and bought for the Marlboro brand. Max Shulman, who created the original' stories, will script the show. Rod Amateau produces and directs. Unique aspect of the deal is that Shulman will do a commer¬ cial on each show. With "Gillis” moving into the 8:30 Tuesday night period, “To Tell the Truth,” presently holding down the slot, may be moved up to 7:30 p.m. Hal Fallows Continued from page 29 being exerted by legislators and educators and the professional critics. Some are influences ex¬ erted by the public itself, taken in small, isolated segments, and in whole, as we see the public in the terms uf audiences. “But some of them, these in¬ fluences, are those felt within our own immediate circle—within, one might say, our own professional ‘primary coverage’. There are the rating services, the film producers, the program suppliers, yes, and the agencies and advertisers. There are the music copyrighters, the news suppliers and the manufac- nrers of talent. “Here, close at home, in the fi¬ nal analyses, you must rest your case as broadcasters—the case as to whether you are making the decisions, or merely subscribing to them. You are being called upon now and will be in greater degree as time/passes to find reconcilia¬ tion with these peripheral but im¬ portant institutions whose influ¬ ences affect your own—but recon¬ ciliation without mitigation of the responsibility that you have sought and accepted.” Miiul Qsietis Continued from page 29 date on the negotiations to trans¬ fer Mutual to Smith. Godwin said he told them that there was nothing actually to buy, but Smith, which only had to as- [ sume the network’s mounting debt, “has already made a substantial cash payment” in meeting delin¬ quent debts. Godwin later told Variety that Smith & Co. had met a debt of approximately $400,000, that being to American Telephone & Telegraph for network lines, and the station relations boss added, to “correct an erroneous impres¬ sion,” that AT&T "has never given Mutual a deadline date” on which it had to meet its debt or else. Suggestion that Smith paid the $400,000 already, despite the fact that it has not yet “closed and ac¬ tual deal for. Mutual, contradicts a spreading rumor at the conven¬ tion hotel, the* Hilton, that the debts already assumed and paid for by Smith don amount to much more than ohesfoftieth of $400,000. MAAC committee members were told that the total Mutual 'debt at this point is about $1,000,000, ana’ that the shaky radio network has' a $2,500,000 • tax loss carryover. They were also informed that the Smith group “has given -every in¬ dication of-wanting to buy Mutual.” What reportedly remains to be completed before a transfer to Smith is concluded is a detailed accountancy on how hest the los¬ ing network operation caih best be inter grated with other Smith in¬ terests, which include, record com¬ panies. Much of the outcome hinges. MAAC was told, on how best Smith cab arrange the tax situation to his group's advantage. 1 THE LATEST f i DESIGNER & C0OTUHER | § CLOTHS I | AT INCREMBLE BARGAINS X jjfSo many Celebrities uvr thousands j| of dollars an «ur fabulous samp las || | and "closeouts" which tom* hot-off- || |tha-griddla 'from tha workshops of || |tho leading designers and manufac-1| I tursrs of tha most glamorous clothes || pin America. Our prices ??? but a.i £ small fraction of those advertised p £in the top fashion magazines. || | THE BON PRIX | "Bargain Stan far MifTtonarnt" p 11006 - First Ave. (cor. 55th St.) N.Y.C|| DCTAILED INFORMATION ON MERCHANDISING AVAILABLE FOR GROCERY OR DRUG PRODUCTS IN NY iNEGBOl MKT. Station WWRL Woodsido 77. Raw York City standing, must “clear . away the ^hich include “Dennis the semantic confusion” which auto¬ matically labels a discussion pro¬ gram “worthwhile” and a mystery Menace,”, based on the comic strip; “Peck’s Bad Girl,” starring Patty McCormick, Marsha Hunt and program “worthless.” “We must Wendel ! Core y; Gy Howard’s new challenge the use of the word Production of “The Wonderful ‘quality’ as applicable only to pro- World of Little Julius,” with Eddie grams of limited appeal. Is light H °dges, Gregory Ratoff and Sam entertainment ‘bad’ because it Levene, and “Dobie Gillis,” a co¬ does no more than meet the need production venture with Martin of most active Americans for re- Manulis’ 20th-Fox setup-, which has laxation? Is not this 3 principal been allocated the Tuesday night function of broadcasting—the rea- 8:30 period (see separate story on son most people purchase sets?” sponsorship, etc.). Saraoff called on the broad- Among the other new entries casters themselves to act prompt- will be a half-hour “Nero Wolfe” ly to seek by their own efforts “an series, and it is planned to install honored po.-ition in the ranks of two 60-i,iinute shows in the Tues- those free communications media day and Wednesday 7:30 to 8:30 which make enduring contribu- periods. Tuesday entry will be ‘Lily White’ Stamp Continued from page 1 —^ be denounced by competing media as over-commercial. The facts will disprove this. “That television program content will be denounced more violently in proportion to revenue lost by magazines and newspapers The recently accelerated qualitative program monitoring projected -of the Code. Board may counteract this to a certain -extent, but in a nation of 120,000,000 viewers there are as many self-qualified televi¬ sion critics.” AT LIBERTY Mora than 20 years of TV film and general technical know-how avail¬ able to you immediately. Back¬ ground Includes Mauager NBC Film Operations and Kinescope Record¬ ing, several years in TV develop¬ ment laboratory, equipment opera¬ tions, film analysis and utilisation, technical writing, etc. Drop Note to CHARLES TOWNSEND 49 Hillcrest Drive Dumont, New Jersey