Weekly television digest (Jan-Dec 1960)

VOL. 16: No. 2 15 Film Export Assn. Adds Members: Several Hollywood telefilm production companies, including Desilu Productions, joined the TV Program Export Assn, last week, after hearing a talk by consultant William H. Fineshriber, outlining the purposes of the group (Vol. 16:1 pl5). Fineshriber told us he didn’t think the smaller, one-series companies would join because of the stiff annual dues ($7,500), but all the major TV-film companies are or will be members, he’s convinced. He and the interim committee will meet in N.Y. this week (Jan. 14) to discuss further plans and the first meeting of the association’s board will be held there late this month. Addressing the Alliance of Television Film Producers, Fineshriber emphasized the growing importance of the foreign market for syndicators. He said a first-run syndicated series, costing $30,000-$35,000 an episode, is a risky gamble on the domestic market today, and that about $20,000 is a good return for domestic syndication. The figures are lower than they were a year ago, and the returns now obtainable in the foreign market are far lower, but Fineshriber predicted the latter will eventually account for more than 50% of total income — as it does for the movies today. He hit the “inequity” of Japanese TV import regulations, the United Kingdom’s 14% quota, increasing difficulties for American exporters throughout Latin America and dollar obstacles in the Philippines, France, Brazil and Thailand. Revue Revs Up Pilots: Revue Productions, Hollywood’s leading telefilm company, has stepped up pilot-production tempo with 8 definitely scheduled and more than that number planned. The programming is versatile, with comedy a dominant factor in the new properties. Just completed is Barnaby Hook, an adventure series about a newspaperman. Dan Duryea stars, Richard Irving produces. An untitled situation comedy, starring Fred Clark, is also in production. A joint venture of Revue and producer Jack Chertok is The Brown Horse. Revue plans to pilot Bulldog Drummond, a private-eye series, the pilot to go into production in Feb. at Lake Louise, Canada. Another location pilot is the tentatively titled Texas State Trooper, not yet cast. It is aimed at the syndication market, will be filmed in Texas. Producer Nat Holt, who turns out Wells Fargo for Revue, has finished a pilot on The Tall Man, starring Barry Sullivan. It’s a co-production deal with Revue. Definitely scheduled for production, but not yet cast, are pilots of Love and Wahr, a comedy-drama, and This Gun for Hire, an action series. Producers Resent Payola Quiz: Hollywood telefilm pro ducers are receiving questionnaires from the 3 networks asking them to state whether they have ever received any benefits from anything heard or seen on their shows. Most of the producers we checked on this were resentful, and some said flatly that they wouldn’t sign. They believe the networks are going beyond the intent of FCC’s survey of TV stations seeking to determine the incidence of payola (Vol. 15:49 p6). Not being employes, producers think they are being unfairly dragged into a mess not of their making. TV film does imitate a practice of its cinematic older brother — that of using free props. Example: A car is obtained at no cost for use in the story; it thereby gets a hidden plug, so to speak, on screen. Not all, but most producers practice this and they see nothing unethical in it. Advertising Special ANA session “to give membership a first-hand account of the important developments affecting all advertisers,” since ANA’s annual meeting last Nov. has been called for Feb. 2 at the Hotel Plaza, N.Y. FTC Chmn. Earl Kintner will address the session along with representatives of newspapers & magazines as well as the broadcast media. “Definite action is called for on the part of responsible advertisers, agencies & media, in view of public and government reaction to certain advertising practices,” ANA Pres. Paul West said. “It is self-evident that there must be a higher degree of self -regulation & standards of practice for advertisers, agencies & media if private industry is to continue to employ advertising to the full extent.” TV camera trickery wasn’t used in its automobile commercials featuring Libbey-Owens-Ford safety glass in side windows, GM has asserted in a denial of FTC charges that the advertising was deceptive (Vol. 15:45 p2). Moreover, GM said in its formal reply to FTC’s complaint, the challenged commercials were discontinued voluntarily before the charges were filed. Asking dismissal of the case, in which L-O-F also was cited, GM said “everything that could be accomplished by this proceeding has already been accomplished by the voluntary good faith discontinuance.” The charges were disputed by L-O-F in a statement issued when the complaint was filed. TV’s a built-in salesmaker for rugs, TvB’s Louis Sirota noted for the Associated Merchandising Corp. Video has intensified family use of the livingroom, producing a gratifying & lucrative increase in the wear & tear on floor coverings, he told the meeting of department store rug buyers. “The market is a ready & ripe one for new sales,” he advised, and can be tapped by a TV ad campaign. Branham Co. will open a Minneapolis office Feb. 1 in the Northwestern Bank Bldg., with Robert Brockman in charge of TV-radio operations. New reps: WNEW-TV New York to Petry Jan. 1 from Weed. WISH-TV Indianapolis to H-R Television Jan. 1 from Bolling. Ad People: Henry R. Bankart, Henry A. Haines, Willard J. Heggen named Compton senior vps . . . Guy B. Mercer appointed vp & plans board member, Needham, Louis & Brorby, Chicago . . . Floyd G. Van Etten, Theodore E. Schulte, Mable C. Anderson elected J. Walter Thompson vps, Chicago office. Richard Mercer, Harold Longman and E. E. Norris elected BBDO vps . . . Brantz M. Braun, William L. Ballard and James R. Kavanagh elected Ted Bates vps . . . John Egan, ex-Compton Advertising, named Doyle Dane Bernbach TV-radio programming dir. . . . Michael Barnett named Doherty, Clifford, Steers & Shenfield vp . . . Henry M. Calder named a Lennen & Newell vp . . . Len Carey, ex-BBDO, appointed exec, vp, C. J. LaRoche. Obituary Willson (Bill) Tuttle, 47, vp for TV-radio on the Coast for Fuller, Smith & Ross, died in Hollywood Jan. 6 following intestinal surgery. Surviving is his widow. Edgar Parker Small, 50, a founder and retired vp of Ted Bates & Co., died Jan. 3 of a heart attack in Easton, Md. Surviving are his wife and 4 sons.