Klaus was ready.
Electronic engineer Klaus Landsberg had left Nazi Germany in the ‘30s and found his way to Los Angeles, where he convinced Paramount Pictures’ television subsidiary to let him take care of the station the film studio wanted to put on the air.
After what he considered an appropriate number of test broadcasts, experimental station W6XYZ was ready for a regular schedule in 1943. It wasn’t much of a schedule at first because the U.S. government told stations they could broadcast a minimum of four hours a week. That’s what most of them did.
W6XYZ joined the older Don Lee station W6XAO in providing television to what viewers there were in southern California.
Here’s a look at television programming in March and April of 1943. The listings focus on New York as they come from the pages of the Herald Tribune. The NBC (WNBT) and CBS (WBCW) stations broadcast films. The DuMont station (W2XWV) was the only in the city with live programming. There’s an Associated Press story explaining the WNBT schedule and a couple going in depth about DuMont’s Sunday night offerings. We’ve linked to a couple of the films W2XWV showed.
Dan Cubberly later announced network shows including “Frontier Gentleman” and “Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar.” Bobby Hastings was the title character in the radio version of “Archie” but is famous for playing Lt. Carpenter on “McHale’s Navy.”
One of the big stars of what TV there was at this time is the long-forgotten Doug Allan. His obituary in the Hastings Enterprise, Sept. 2, 1988, tells us a bit about him:
Douglas Allan, of Dobbs Ferry, died Saturday, Aug. 20 at St Agnes Hospital in White Plains of heart failure. He was 94.Mr. Allan, a radio host and television writer and producer, had previously lived in Tarrytown.
His career spanned the 1940s and '50s, and he is well known for his interview shows, “Little Moments With Big People” which ran for more than five years on New York radio station WINS.
He wrote and produced “Thrills and Chills with Doug Allan” for Channel 5, for four years, and then NBC.
He also authored “How to Write for Television” [1946] and lectured at Yale University's Drama School.
He wrote four other books, including a collection of interviews and novels.
Mr. Allan was born June 9, 1894, in Monticello, N.Y. to Theodore and Hattie Louden Allan. He spent his childhood in Liberty, N.Y. and was a printer's apprentice.
He and Margaret Sabo were married on June 27, 1939, in Fredericksburg, Va.
He is survived by his wife, of Dobbs Ferry, and a daughter, Judith Braatz of Valhalla, and two grandsons.
A sister, Madeline Karl, died earlier.
Funeral arrangements were made in Dobbs Ferry.
Something the obit failed to mention was recorded in the New York Daily News, April 24, 1956:
By order of Supreme Court Justice Thomas A. Aurelio, Doug Allan of 3 Detmer Ave., Tarrytown, and the Doug Allan TV and Film Productions were barred yesterday from selling securities in this state. According to Attorney General Jacob K. Javits, who obtained the injunction, Allan in 1953 falsely represented to the public that he was assured of 1,500,000 feet of color film for television release, when actually no film was “committed or contracted for.”
Televiser magazine wrote a fine piece on Allan's show in 1946 which you can read HERE and HERE.
MARCH
Monday, Mar. 1
WNBT—55.75mc
4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Air-raid warden instructions.
8:30 Films.
W6XYZ TELEVISION OPERATIONS BEGIN WITH FCC special authority, tele vision station W6XYZ, Hollywood, owned and operated by Television Productions Inc., a subsidiary of Paramount Pictures Inc., began experimental program operations recently, in charge of Klaus Landsberg, director of television.
Station transmits on 100 watts video and 200 watts audio, on television channel No. 4, with picture carrier frequency of 79.25 megacycles and sound carrier frequency of 83.75 megacycles. FCC construction permit to Television Productions Inc., was granted Aug. 5, 1940. Du Mont cameras and transmitting equipment augment several custom-built units designed and constructed under direction of Mr. Landsberg for W6XYZ. Station is also using a special experimental antenna system.
Mr. Landsberg, who joined Television Productions Inc., in August 1941 as chief engineer, was named director of television a year later. Previously he had been affiliated with Farnsworth Television Inc., Philadelphia; NBC New York, and the Allen B. Du Mont Labs., Passaic, N. Y. Associated with him in W6XYZ are Adeline Jay, technical assistant and stage manager; H. A. Strothers, transmitter operator; Eugene F. Hagemeyer, studio operator, and Rita J. Williams, sound operator. To conserve equipment, no heavy program schedule is planned, according to Mr. Landsberg. Activity will be almost entirely confined to Civilian Defense, with two programs weekly, in which civilian defense workers will receive instruction in the use of emergency equipment via television. Receiver sets have been installed in Hollywood police stations by Television Productions Inc., augmenting some 200 receivers in private homes.
With addition of the twice-weekly program on W6XYZ, the Los Angeles City Defense Council is conducting an education campaign through 12 weekly broadcasts on 10 stations, Joe Micciche, Council radio relations director, disclosed. (Broadcasting, March 1, 1943).
Thursday, Mar. 4; Friday, Mar. 5.
WCBW—65.75mc
8 to 10 p.m. Films.
Sunday, Mar. 7
W2XWV—84mc
8:30 p.m. Doug Allan’s “Thrills and Chills.”
9:00 “Gotham Gaieties,” Jane Hoffman and Bob Fram.
9:15 Film: Sportsreel.
9:30 Sam Cuff, news.
Monday, Mar. 8
WNBT—55.75mc
4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Air-Raid Warden’s Course.
8:30 Film subjects.
Programs specialize in sight and sound subjects of interest to the community that no ordinary “ear” broadcast could adequately handle. (Hollywood Reporter, Mar. 8)
Thursday, Mar. 11; Friday, Mar. 12.
WCBW—65.75mc
8 to 10 p.m. Films.
Sunday, Mar. 14
W2XWV—84mc
8:30 p.m. Ken Whitmer, “King of the Instrumentalists.”
8:45 Film: Teddy Powell’s Orch.
9:00 “The Cowboy and His Gal.”
9:15 Film: “Paratroopers.”
9:30 Sam Cuff, news.
Monday, Mar. 15
WNBT—55.75mc
4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Air-raid warden instructions.
8:30 Films.
Thursday, Mar. 18; Friday, Mar. 19.
WCBW—65.75mc
8 to 10 p.m. Films.
Sunday, Mar. 21
W2XWV—84mc
8:30 p.m. “Vox Pop.”
8:45 Film: “Minstrel Days” (Warner Bros., 1941, starring Bud Jamison and Willie Best).
9:00 “International Serenade,” Jack Kelsey.
9:15 Sam Cuff, news.
Parks Johnson and Warren Hull, who conduct radio’s popular Vox Pop program over WABC Monday nights, will be seen and heard in an experiment television broadcast over station W2XWV on channel No. 4 (78-84 mc.) tonight at 8:30 o’clock. They will be guests of Will Baltin, radio-theatre editor of The Sunday Times, who is also program director of the Du Mont television station.
Two attractive young women, Harriet Van Horne, radio editor of the New York World-Telegram, and Charlotte Ordway, actress and Stage Door Canteen hostess, will appear on the tele show with Johnson and Hull.
Others to participate in the variety show to be telecast over W2XWV include Jack Kelsey and his “International Serenade”; Charlie Taylor, television’s original quiz master and Sam Cuff, news commentator. A film, “Minstrel Days,” is also shown. (Home News, Mar. 21)
Monday, Mar. 22
WNBT—55.75mc
4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Air-raid warden instructions.
8:30 Films.
Thursday, Mar. 25; Friday, Mar. 26.
WCBW—65.75mc
8 to 10 p.m. Films.
Sunday, Mar. 28
W2XWV—84mc
8:30 p.m. Doug Allan’s “Thrills and Chills.”
8:50 Film: “Troop Train” (1943, OWI).
9:00 “Shades of the Gay Nineties” with Lillian MacLellan and Bobby Hastings.
9:15 Film: “News Comedy.”
9:30 Sam Cuff, news.
Monday, Mar. 29
WNBT—55.75mc
4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Air-raid warden instructions.
8:30 Films.
APRIL
Thursday, Apr. 1; Friday, Apr. 2.
WCBW—65.75mc
8 to 10 p.m. Films.
CHICAGO—The latest program addition to B & K's television station, W9XBK, is "Radio News Room" heard every Monday at 7:30 p.m. Dan Cubberly and Jerry Campbell are handling the show. (Radio Daily, Apr. 2)
Sunday, Apr. 4
W2XWV—84mc
8:30 p.m. “Musical Madness,” Freddie Werner.
8:45 Film: “Canal Gypsies” (1933, Ideal).
9:00 Donald Bain (radio animal imitator).
9:15 Film: “Farmers at War” (1943, OWI).
9:30 Sam Cuff, news.
Monday, Apr. 5
WNBT—55.75mc
4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Air-raid warden instructions.
8:30 Films.
NEW YORK, April 5—(AP)—Television as a training aid to student air raid wardens, at least in the New York metropolitan area, is just as active as ever despite limited operation or picture stations under war-time conditions. Not only that, but it keep right in step with developments.
For instance, the NBC station WNBT has just revised its course of instruction, under way since Feb. 23, 1942, so that movies taken in England and explaining how to handle the latest explosive types of incendiary bombs are incorporated. The course, in co-operation with the New York Police Department, goes out for an hour each Monday afternoon and evening and is available to home receivers within the range of WNBT on television channel No. 1 in addition to sets in 82 precinct houses.
It is estimated that approximately 200,000 wardens have attended the tele-demonstrations which also include still pictures and lectures. Attendance by warden-candidates is mandatory. Besides the warden telecasts, the WNBT schedule has two hours of motion pictures made up primarily of films of the war—home and battle fronts—to complete the required four hours of transmission per week. The station broadcasts only on Monday nights.
Thursday, Apr. 8; Friday, Apr. 9
WCBW—65.75mc
8 to 10 p.m. Films.
Sunday, Apr. 11
W2XWV—84mc
8:30 p.m. “Nick Kenny’s Office.”
9:00 Film: “The Glacier’s Secret” (1930, Van Beuren).
9:15 Sam Cuff, news.
9:30 “What Do You Know?” quiz.
Monday, Apr. 12
WNBT—55.75mc
4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Air-raid warden instructions.
8:30 Films.
Thursday, Apr. 15; Friday, Apr. 16
WCBW—65.75mc
8 to 10 p.m. Films.
Sunday, Apr. 18
W2XWV—84mc
8:30 p.m. Doug Allan’s “Thrills and Chills.”
9:00 “Paper Magic.”
9:15 “Your Victory Garden,” Prof. Frank Helyar.
9:25 Film: “Community Transportation.”
9:30 Sam Cuff, news.
Victory gardening information will be wafted through the airwaves tonight aboard millions of electrons and sprayed on cathode ray tubes in television sets located in three eastern states when the Du Mont television station, W2XWV, presents the first of a series of four lecture-demonstrations in cooperation with the College of Agriculture of Rutgers University.Arranged by Will Baltin, radio-theatre editor of The Sunday Times, who is also program director in charge of the Du Mont station in New York City, the Victory Garden series is part of an ambitious war activity program schedule being radiated from atop the skyscraper at 515 Madison avenue, New York.
First speaker in the garden series, the first of its kind since television became a part of the American scene, will be Professor Frank G. Helyar, chairman of the New Jersey State Victory Garden Committee and director of resident instruction and short courses at the College of Agriculture. Other prominent agricultural leaders affiliated with Rutgers will be heard on subsequent telecasts, during which slides and motion pictures will be transmitted to show Victory Gardeners how to care for their crops.
The Du Mont station operates on Channel No. 4, between 78 and 84 megacycles, and will be on the air tonight at 8:30 o’clock. Other program features will include Doug Allan’s “Thrills and Chills” with Helge Larsen, noted Norwegian explorer as guest; an Office of War Information motion picture a sketch by the American Television Society and Sam Cuff, noted news analyst. (Sunday Times, Apr. 18).
Monday, Apr. 19
WNBT—55.75mc
4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Air-raid warden instructions.
8:30 Films.
Under the stage name of Jill Stephens, Lillian Zatt, assistant to Jack Banner, head of WNEW publicity and special events, will produce and emcee a live television show for Dumont beginning May 5. (Radio Daily, Apr. 21)
Thursday, Apr. 22; Friday, Apr. 23
WCBW—65.75mc
8 to 10 p.m. Films.
Sunday, Apr. 25
W2XWV—84mc
8:30 p.m. “Cowboy and His Gal,” Cowboy Jim Robertson and Jean Lewis.
8:45 Film: “Proudest Americans.”
9:00 “Your Victory Garden,” Prof. L.G. Schermerhorn.
9:15 “Play Ball,” with John Mottur.
9:30 “Face of the War,” Sam Cuff, news.
Lyman G. Schermerhorn, professor of vegetable gardening at the New Jersey College of Agriculture and olericulturalist at the Agricultural Experimental Station, will present the second in a series of four illustrated television lectures on Victory gardening tonight at 8:30 over Station W2XWV.The series, arranged by Will Baltin, radio-theatre editor of The Sunday Times and program director for W2XWV, started last Sunday night with an illustrated lecture by Prof. Frank G. Helyar of the College of Agriculture, chairman of the state Victory garden committee.
Prog. Schermerhorn was one of the Rutgers University representatives at the national conference on Victory gardens in Washington in December, 1941, and has been working with the State Office of Civilian Defense Director and the College of Agriculture to develop a sound Victory garden program for New Jersey. He has also collaborated in the preparation of Victory garden publications issued by the college and of other publications on vegetable gardening.
Prof. Schermerhorn, has been with the university almost 30 years, developed the Rutgers tomato, which has gained an international reputation, and, more recently, the Rutgers World Beater No. 13—a wilt resistant pepper.
W2XWV, a Du Mont station, operates on Channel No. 4 between 78 and 84 megacycles. (Sunday Times, Apr. 25).
Monday, Apr. 26
WNBT—55.75mc
4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Air-raid warden instructions.
8:30 Films.
Thursday, Apr. 29; Friday, Apr. 30
WCBW—65.75mc
8 to 10 p.m. Films.
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