February 1944

One thing television managed to accomplish during the war years was to out the sports people who were a little too casual with their play-by-play calls.

If you were watching TV, you could see the play. The announcer couldn’t make up plays to correct himself if he got it wrong. The viewer would know. This reminds me of the famous incident involving NBC radio’s racing specialist Clem McCarthy and announcer Bill Stern, who invented fake lateral passes in football games whenever he had the wrong player with the ball. After Stern clucked at McCarthy for blowing a race call, the track announcer simply said “You can’t lateral a horse, Bill.”

At least one print writer gleefully seized on this as NBC’s WNBT carried more on-location sports events as World War Two progressed. You can find it in a trade paper review as we examine what happened in television in February 1944. There wasn’t a lot, actually. WCBW, the lone CBS station, broadcast no live programming. WNBT was on Mondays and Saturdays, DuMont’s W2XWV took up Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Bill Still's W2XJT in Jamaica, Long Island applied again for an okay to go on the air. The station did, but never went commercial. The owners of W6XYZ in Hollywood got approval to continue work on a relay transmitter.

Schedules below for the New York stations (papers in other US cities didn’t publish any) are from the Herald Tribune. We’ve also found a reference to television in a serial comic.

Tuesday, February 1
W2XWV Channel 4
8:15 to 9:15 p.m. “WOR Television Party.”

Wednesday, February 2
W2XWV Channel 4
8:15 p.m. Studio varieties.
8:30 Film shorts.
9:00 “The Face of the War,” analysis by Sam Cuff.
9:30 Film
9:45 Glorianne Lehr, fashions.
10:00 Film short.
10:15 “Interesting People.”
DuMont Television
Reviewed Wednesday, 8:15-10:15 p.m. Style—Variety and films. Sustaining on W2XWV (New York).
The Charles M. Storm Agency presented two commercials and variety entertainment in a crowded half-hour show. A magnet-manipulated figure waltzed before a Tintex sign to the strains of Viennese music. Off -screen voice unobtrusively plugged the dye in a romantic monolog announced by a sign thrown on the screen reading "Thoughts While Dancing." Commercial could be intensified by shortening, but was other-wise most effective.
Ingenuity was displayed in an exploitation of Real Story magazine which had actors posing before a blow-up of the current issue's cover and walking out to enact portions from the wag's feature story.
Phyllis Jean, George Spelvin, Warren Morton and Bruce Travis capably handled their parts, but direction was a little careless. No attempt was made to solve the problem of transmission. In the one-set drama, wine bottle and glasses remained in their same positions on a table despite a two-year time elapse. Condensation and adaptation of the story was nicely handled in this, the best Storm offering to date.
A singer and a mime appeared between the commercials. Thrush Nancy Goodman's novelty numbers might have had a chance if a suspended mike had been used. Instead, true to radio technique, she sang to an upright. Bernie George's impressions were interesting when he appeared on the show a couple of weeks ago, but the performance didn't hold up in a repeat.
S. O. S., a Tida film, and pix, Dangerous Conversation, released by the British Ministry of Information, and Earthquake served to break the agency show schedule.
Ruthrauff & Ryan, which has consistently improved the Lever Bros.' half hour, came up tonight with an excellent presentation. Charming Pat Murray demonstrated to another girl how much laundry a box of Rinso will wash by the highly illustrative device of pulling it out of a box of the product. A switch to entertainment was made before the proving palled. Later a brief glimpse of the two fems showed them with a huge pile of garments. Tightening of script and modulation of plugs make the show progressively more entertaining and effective.

Roberta Hollywood seems to be permanently slated for the program. This lovely singer, who accompanies her own chantings, is a most welcome fixture.
Sam Cuff was on hand with his informative map talk, The Face of the War. Boxes of Rinso rotating to the accompaniment of musical ditties were slowly faded out at end of show.
Glorianne Lehr's Style Program for Abbott-Kimball Agency exhibited dresses and suits from William Bass, and Roy Lycie Hats. Miss Lehr has toned her patter down, cut the description of items of dress considerably, and emerged a lady of streamlined clothes conversation.
Interesting People, produced by Irwin Shane, and with Dick Bradley as emsee, debbed as a short but well-paced variety show. Marie Howard, I. J. Fox model and singer, and John Sebastian, harmonica virtuoso of Cafe Society Uptown, proved interesting video people. Program introduced two new songs by Flight Surgeon Leon Greene and Grace Whistler, Hero of My Heart and A Dime a Dozen. They won't make the all-time Hit Parade right away but are clever and catchy.
Shane's show, based on the idea of bringing in interesting personalities for interview and performance, is definitely good. Bradley, armed with well-rehearsed script as tonight, should be kept on. His poise and easy way with people make him a natural for the job. Wanda Marvin. (Billboard, Feb. 12)

Thursday, February 3; Friday, February 4
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 – 10:00 p.m. Films

Saturday, February 5
WNBT Channel 1
8:30 to 11 p.m. Millrose A. A. Track Meet from Madison Square Garden.
The one and two-mile relays of the Millrose A. A. Games, taking place at Madison Square Garden tonight will be described by Ted Husing and Jimmy Dolan over ABC at 11:15 o’clock . . . Television station WNBT will transmit all the events from the Garden tonight beginning at 8:15 o’clock. The station may be tuned in on television channel No. 1. (Home News, Feb. 5).

Sunday, February 6
W2XWV Channel 4
8:15 p.m. “Plays on Parade.”
8:35 Film: “Chief Neeley Reports to the Nation.”
8:45 “Theatre House,” serial.
9:15 Film Cartoon: “Gypped in Egypt” (Van Beuren, 1930)
9:25 Bureau of Missing Persons.
9:30 Sketch: “Matrimony Bound.”

CHICAGO, Feb. 6.—WGN has filed an application for a television wave length and a construction permit with the FCC, and has placed an order for a 40,000-watt transmitter.
GE will build the transmitter and studio equipment as soon as priorities permit. WGN's new building, to be constructed after the war, will be designed to take full advantage of television, FM and facsimile reproduction, as well as the standard AM system now in use. (Billboard, Feb. 12)

Monday, February 7
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 p.m. Films: Eyes on Russia; Exotic Egypt; Wrestling, Detton vs. Raines.
8:30 Feature Film: “Roar of the Press” with Jean Parker and Wallace Ford. (Monogram, 1941)
9:40 Televues: Film, Jose Iturbi, Pianist.

NBC and RCA, with cooperation of General Electric Co., have begun installation of 45 additional television sets in hospitals in and around New York, through which wounded service men can watch the telecasts of WNBT, NBC's video station, and other television transmitters in the area. General Electric Co. is supplying 25 of these receivers, which are in addition to the 10 installed by NBC last fall. As part of this program of serving the wounded veterans, NBC, in cooperation with Army and Navy officials, secured permission to televise boxing bouts, hockey matches and other sporting events from Madison Square Garden. (Broadcasting, Feb. 7)

Tuesday, February 8
WNBT Channel 1
8:12 p.m. Basketball: N. Y. U. vs. Rochester; L. I. U. vs. Canisius, at Madison Square Garden.
W2XWV Channel 4
8:15 to 9:15 p.m. “WOR Television Party.”
WOR-DuMont Television
Reviewed Tuesday, 8:15-9:15 p.m. Style—Variety and films. Sustaining on W2XWV (New York).
WOR, while retaining the original format of its weekly show, has made revisions and additions in the talent line-up which have improved its television party. Bob Emery, new emsee, contributes professionalism and pace. An entertainer, Magician Count Artel, who gave an excellent performance on tonight's program, relieves the home talent atmosphere.
The producers apparently still feel that experimentation excuses the use of amateur entertainers. It would be fairer, however, to the new ideas to have them tried out by pros. Of the five vocalists heard tonight, only one, Mary Burnett, had ability and personality to rate a tele appearance. Miss Burnett is a singer of versatility whose brunette beauty projects but well.
One of radio's moldly mechanics, the telephone gag, was dragged into the script at intervals. The "audience," who had made the repeated calls commenting on the program, finally showed up to do a bit of drama. It was an inane skit. Paul Killiam was on hand again for news commentary, this time sans script. His "new" tele technique added spice to his stint.
An animated cartoon pic filled in for 10 minutes while studio equipment was undergoing repair. On the whole, the WOR technicians did a much better job than on previous programs. Focus and transmission from close-ups to other shots showed improvement. Despite the acting up of one camera, the boys in the back room held up their end of the production.
Emsee Emery's piano-accompanied monolog was an enjoyable bit of variety, but his facial expressions didn't register because of his glasses. Until they wear contact lenses that won't pick up and reflect studio lights, performers should leave them home.
Innovation at program close was the announcement by Emery of the tele shows available during the week to set owners in this area. Listing included not only DuMont's, but those of competitive stations ... sort of an exchange no doubt for RCA's ad bow. Wanda Marvin. (Billboard, Feb. 19)

First tele application of the new year was filed by Jamaica (N. Y.) Radio & Television Corp., which put in for channel three, previously unassigned, it was learned. Applicant, a set-servicing outfit and pre-war studio equipment manufacturer in an outlying part of New York City, had filed once before with the FCC, but the papers were returned for additional data and were put through a second time Dec. 31.
Plans of the prospective Jamaica telecasters call for a 250-watt audeo [sic] and a 1,000-watt video transmitter, it was stated by William B. Still, president of the company. When questioned about a possible tie-up with Philco, which has had considerable experience broadcasting over channel three in Philadelphia, Still promptly denied any affiliation. However, there may be a hook-up with a New York radio outlet, he indicated.
Equipment for the new sight-and-sound station, if approved, will be built by the Jamaica applicant, Still stated, except for frequency modulation equipment. Studios and transmitter are contemplated in Jamaica, a center of business and residential development in Gotham’s Queens County. (Radio Daily, Feb. 8)

Wednesday, February 9
W2XWV Channel 4
8:15 p.m. Television Play House
8:45 Film short.
9:00 “Face of the War,” analysis by Sam Cuff.
9:30 Film
9:45 Glorianne Lehr, fashions.

Thursday, February 10; Friday, February 11
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 – 10:00 p.m. Films

AN EXPERIMENTAL television show featuring a new type of puppet will be presented Feb. 11 on WRGB Schenectady, General Electric Co., station, and repeated Feb. 16 on W2XWV New York, the Allen B. Du Mont Labs., station. Program is a project of Compton Adv., New York, and may be the forerunner of a regular series for the agency's clients.
Duz, a product of Procter & Gamble Co., Cincinnati, will be highlighted, the commercial blended with the entertainment. A puppet show has been chosen in the belief that the dolls can do foolish and amusing things which human actors cannot do successfully. Guest artists will also participate.
A new type of wooden puppet, created for television by Rem Buffano, famous puppeteer, will make its appearance. Alexander King, playright, [sic] has written the script. Program is under the di- rection of James Manilla, formerly with GE. (Broadcasting, Feb. 7)

FCC Application, Feb. 11
W6XLA Los Angeles—Granted modified Construction Permit for extension completion date new experimental television station to Mar. 1. (Broadcasting, Feb. 14)

Saturday, February 12
The 18th annual mid-winter figure skating carnival, to be held at the Lake Placid Olympic arena Saturday and Sunday evenings, Feb. 10 [19] and 20. will be presented over General Electric's television station WRGB at 7:30 o'clock Sunday night. Feb. 20. This half-hour show will not only feature some of America's and Canada's ice champions but exhibition ski jumping from the high Olympic run and horse racing on Mirror lake. To present this television feature General Electric will send a crew of motion picture operators to Lake Placid to film the Saturday night show. This will be rushed to Schenectady on Sunday and the films with a commentator describing the event, will be telecast simultaneously with the second show being presented at Lake Placid Sunday night. (Schenectady Gazette, Feb. 12, 1944)

Sunday, February 13
W2XWV Channel 4
8:15 p.m. Television Canteen
8:45 Film: “Brothers in Blood.”
9:00 “Theatre House,” serial.
9:15 Film Cartoon: “Jungle Jazz” (Van Beuren, 1930)
9:40 “The Pixie Pipers,” songs.
9:50 “Thrills and Chills” with Doug Allan, Armand Denis.

To the Radio Editor:
In your radio news column of Jan. 30 I happened upon an item that I think should be corrected. You credit the new program “Theatre House” of W2XWV as starting a new era with television’s first serial. This is wrong. Back in 1941-42, WPTZ, Philco’s station in Philadelphia, under about the same experimental conditions as I understand the Dumont people are working under at present, did a weekly show called “Last Year’s Nest.” It was frankly soap without the suds or a sponsor—but it did get fain mail. It ran for ten weeks until WPTZ finally had to drop all its live shows in June, 1942.
Looking back on what will go down as the custard-pie days of television, I remember it as a hazardous but exhilarating undertaking because the cast had to be made up from what could practically be called volunteer talent. Ernest Walling was directed the serial was lucky, however, in finding among the little theatre groups and college societies some nuggets of pure gold which is find handling beat into the shape of skilled television actors—something else again from stage, screen and radio actors, as anyone in the game can tell you.
How do I know all about this? I wrote the darn stuff.
Claire Wallis, New York City (New York Times, Feb. 13).

Monday, February 14
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 p.m. Films: Land of the Cree; Wrestling, Rayburn vs. Hagen.
8:30 Feature Film: “Dancing Pirate” with Charles Collins, Steffi Duna and Frank Morgan (Pioneer, 1936.
9:40 Televues: Film, Mildred Dilling, Harpist.

WPTZ, Philco television station in Philadelphia, has inaugurated a new series of remote pickups from the Philadelphia Arena. Each Friday evening, the television cameras pick up the wrestling bouts and other sporting events staged at the Arena. During the course of the season, WPTZ also hopes to be able to televise the circuses, rodeos and ice shows presented at the local sports centre. (Broadcasting, Feb. 14)
FCC Application, Feb. 14
Gus Zaharis, South Charleston, W. Va.—CP new experimental television station 50,000 -56,000 kc, A 5 and special emission, 110 w aural, 50 w visual.(Broadcasting, Feb. 21)

Tuesday, February 15
W2XWV Channel 4
8:15 to 9:15 p.m. “Rainbow House.” [WOR children’s programme].

Wednesday, February 16
W2XWV Channel 4
8:15 p.m. Demonstration, War Equipment by U.S. Army Ordnance Dept.
8:30 Puppet show.
8:45 Film short.
9:00 “Face of the War,” analysis by Sam Cuff.
9:30 Film short.
9:45 Buffano, Puppeteer.
10:15 “Claudia.”
"COMPTON TELE SHOW"
With Yvette, Stan McGovern, Will Geer, Jim Bowles, Roger DeKoven. Gertrude Flynn, Steve Chase, Rupert LaBelle
Director: James Manilla
Writer: Alexander King
60 Mins., Wed., 10-10:30 p. m.
COMPTON ADV. AGENCY
DuMont, W2XWV. New York
Last Wednesday's (16) tele session emphasized the lack of showmanship current in the sight and sound medium. The skedded highlight, a puppet show, put on by the Compton agency and sponsored by them, missed the boat by a wide margin. It was neither juvenile nor adult, which made a sort of disorganized, hybrid out of it. The script was poorly written and completely lost all the clever effects that the intelligent use of puppetry permits. "The Saga of Steve Cranberry." as this puppet portion was tabbed, turned out to be just so much sauce. Only noteworthy feature of the whole thing was the introduction of commercial copy in the action of the skit and the fact that this was the first time that puppets had ever been televised.
The live portions of the evening's presentation fared much better with Yvette registering via sight as well as hearing. Stan McGovern, staff cartoonist on the New York Post, provided good entertainment for the eye, but was radically silent while drawing a strip of his "Billy Milly" drawings.
Intervals between prepared, parts of the program were filled by public service films provided by the British Information Service. Tura. (Variety, Feb. 23).

TECHNIQUES for television commercials were demonstrated by Compton Adv., Ruthrauff & Ryan and Charles M. Storm Co. last Wednesday on the DuMont sight-and-sound station W2XWV New York, when the three agencies produced programs advertising Duz, Ivory, Mobiloil, Spry and the Fats Salvage Campaign as part of a 22-hour variety telecast.
The first Compton television show, a three -part production, opened with Yvette, popular songstress, who handled the commercial herself by singing a specially written song "That Ivory Look". Stan McGovern, cartoonist of the New York Post, followed up the announcer's statement that automobiles are disappearing at the rate of one every 30 seconds by drawing a four-part strip cartoon in which Silly Milly tried unsuccessfully to grab one within that time, giving the announcer the chance to explain that Socony-Vacuum service will help keep your car from disappearing like that.
Duz Drama
For Duz, Compton presented a burlesque western drama "The Saga of Steve Cranberry," whose characters were a set of puppets specially made for the production. Commercials were an integral part of the script, with a magician using the magical properties of Duz to clean up the drama's characters, landscape and plot problems.
The use of Spry in biscuits and shortcake was both recommended and demonstrated in the telecast for this product put on by Ruthrauff & Ryan. Show opened with a closeup of a revolving display case of jars of Spry and a jingle, fading to a kitchen scene.
Charles M. Storm Co. gave up its regular commercial period to produce a program in the interest of the Fat Salvage Campaign, in which Army Ordnance experts demonstrated their duties. (Broadcasting, Jan. 21)

Thursday, February 17
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 – 10:00 p.m. Films
WNBT Channel 1
8:10 p.m. Basketball: St. John’s vs. Temple; C.C.N.Y vs. St. Joseph’s, Madison Square Garden.
BASKETBALL, MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
Producer: Ira Avery
Announcer: Charles F. McCarthy
Camera: Edward Wade
Technical Director: Edwin C. Wilbur
165 Mins.; Thursday, 8:10 p. m.
Sustaining
WNBT-NBC. New York
Sporting events need lose none of their appeal when seen at home while sitting in front of a television set. This was proven conclusively last Thursday night (17) when NBC's video outlet. WNBT, took its audience to N.Y.'s Madison Square Garden to view a collegiate basketball double-header. True, the features of the players on the floor were not clear at any time; true, on several occasions, because of the angle at which the camera was slanted, one could not tell whether the ball went through the hoop for a score or not, but aside from these two factors, the thrill entailed in any sporting event was definitely caught via the television medium.
Entire screening was even more pointed because the first of the two court tussles was a see-saw affair, close from beginning to end. First St. John's, of Brooklyn, was ahead, then Temple, of Philadelphia, forged into the lead. The camera followed play closely, and despite the fact that the screen is necessarily small, it did a surprisingly good job of nabbing all the essentials. Crowd noises added to the excitement, and the house announcer who spieled the scare after each point was made, was heard clearly despite the roar of the crowd.
Charles F. McCarthy, the NBC sportscaster, is not an amateur at announcing sporting events. But he certainly seemed lost when it came to saying something in relation to what was occurring on the court. Following some slick ball handling by several of the players. McCarthy would make the obvious observation, "Slick ball handling." When one of the hoopsters dribbled down the floor and made a try at scoring a basket. McCarthy would make some other inane remark.
There is still plenty of room for improvement in synchronizing chatter on what is taking place. As far as basketball is concerned, less said during the actual contest the more enjoyable the viewing. But when a score is made, especially a foul shot when play is not resumed immediately afterward, the announcer should state whether the play was a score or not. He also should personalize the game more, pointing out who is handling the ball, and who is playing opposite the ball-handler. These things would add to the enjoyment and excitement. When caught, the only times McCarthy would mention players, in the main, were when they were being put out of the game because they committed too many fouls, or when substitutions were being made.
Between halves and the two games an intermission sign was screened and college songs were sung from the studios in Radio City.
Montage and technical angels of the entire screening improved as the evening wore on. The second contest, between City College of N. Y. and St. Josephs. Philadelphia, also was a nip and tuck affair. With the heat of the tussle captured by the video cameras. Sten. (Variety, Feb. 23)

Friday, February 18
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 – 10:00 p.m. Films.

Saturday, February 19
Response from the editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer to a letter:
The only television station in this vicinity is the Philco Corporation’s WPTZ at Wyndmoor which broadcasts every Wednesday and Friday evening at 7:45 P. M. programs from 1½ to 2½ hours long. Generally the station averages about four hours of broadcasting a week. Although WPTZ has a studio for “live” production, that is, entertainment by actual people in the studio, it is not in operation at the present time. Television programs now consist of motion pictures or direct pick-up from remote points by means of remote pick-up equipment. In this way wrestling matches, ice hockey games and other sports are televised. (Inquirer, Feb. 19)

Sunday, February 20
W2XWV Channel 4
8:15 p.m. “Plays on Parade.”
8:40 Film: “Destination Island X.”
8:50 “Theatre House,” serial.
9:20 Film Cartoon: “The Mill Pond,” (Van Beuren, 1929)
9:30 Forum: “Pattern For Peace,” Dr. John McDermott, Dr. David De Sola Poole, Dr. Henry Atkinson.

Monday, February 21
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 p.m. Films: Grand Manan; Day in Venice; Wrestling.
8:30 Feature Film: “Son of the Navy” with Jean Parker and James Dunn (Monogram, 1940).
9:40 Televues: Film, Coolidge Quartet.
War newsreels made by the United States Army Signal Corps and the Army Air Forces over WBNT [sic], the National Broadcasting Company station, beginning at 8 o’clock tonight, it was announced yesterday. Tonight’s program will present official films taken at the Anzio beachhead in Italy, air views of the bombing of German cities and troops in the India theater. Other war newsreel programs will be presented later.

Tuesday, February 22
W2XWV Channel 4
8:15 to 9:15 p.m. “WOR Television Party with Bob Emery” and film cartoon.

Wednesday, February 23
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 p.m. Basketball: N.Y.U. vs St. John’s; C.C.N.Y vs. West Michigan, Madison Square Garden.
NBC Television
Reviewed Wednesday, 10 to 11 p.m. Sustaining, Sports-Special Events. Telecast by WNBT, New York.
Television still has a long way to go before it will be able to hold audience-attention during a basketball game. This show, a telecast of match between St. John's College and NYU at Madison Square Garden, couldn't hold the viewers' attention for more than 10 consecutive minutes.
Responsibility for the poor video quality could not be laid in the laps of the technicians, who did the best they could with a medium that is still limited by technical deficiencies.
Principal fault of the show was the lack of good lighting. The corners of the floor were dark, and each time play went on in these sections the viewer at home must have wanted to raid the icebox for another bottle of beer—perhaps four or five, so he could give his eyes a long rest. Altho cameraman Ed Wade followed the play with great skill and seemed to know in advance where the best action was to [take] place place, his skill was wasted. When the ball was tossed around the middle of the floor it appeared to be a blurred disk. And when the play passed down to areas under the baskets the ball couldn't be seen at all. Never once was it possible to see the ball after it left the hands of a player shooting for a basket. Wade followed the flight of the ball each time it went toward the basket, but his quick eyework was wasted because poor lighting made it impossible for the viewer to see the ball in flight. This gave the entire show a ghost-like quality that was disturbing and disappointing.
Altho this show did not please its audience, it definitely hinted at the potentialities of tele. If receivers were equipped with larger screens—as they will be after the war—shadows would have been dissipated. If the game had been played for the television audience and not for the auditorium crowd--as they will be some day—arrangements could have been made to flood the entire floor with lights too strong for eyes of any paying customer present. And, of course, with the use of new-type iconoscope, which will be able to pick up even minute details without the use of powerful lights, most of the problems encountered in this telecast will be solved.
Given all these technical improvements television could do an interest-holding job viewing a basketball game, or any other sporting event. Until that happens America is going to prefer the Quiz Kids.
Cy Wagner. (Billboard, March 4)
W2XWV Channel 4
8:15 p.m. Variety
8:45 Film short.
9:00 “Face of the War,” analysis by Sam Cuff.
9:30 Film.
9:45 Sketch: “Interesting People.”
DuMont Television
Reviewed Wednesday, 8:15-10:30 p.m. Style—Variety and films. Sustaining on W1XWV [sic] (New York).
Without diversity of entertainment a variety show is misnamed. Producers of tonight's (23) programs evidenced a singular lack of imagination, spotting eight warblers, one after the other.
Shuttling the singers under the mike failed to weave a colorful entertainment pattern. Instead, a monotonous vocal parade resulted. Of the throaty group, only two registered; the remaining six ranged from so-so to bad.
Two excellent performances highlighted the evening. For one, the emseeing of the Charles M. Storm show, Key-Bored Televisual Presentation, by pianist Sam Medoff brought a lift to that agency's offering. Medoff, with amazing assurance in his first audi-video stint, carried off his task with zest. After bringing on a male and three femme singers and accompanying them brilliantly, Medoff put over a song of his own, saluting, gesturing and pounding out a terrific boogie-woogie.
Margaret Spencer, of Rosalinda, sang a portion of her role. Her presentation was a delightful example of how an attractive, talented performer comes thru on the tele screen. She'd probably give a good performance anywhere, but she's a video cinch. Most of the singers tonight looked straight into the camera with glassy stares or frozen smiles, while Miss Spencer moved with grace and sang with authority.
Storm's Tintex exploitation was long and lame. For five minutes a magnet-manipulated figure moved slowly in a tiny circle on half the screen. The other half was taken up by a printed legend about the use of the dye. An off-screen voice talked at great length about the product. Cutting the plugs by 50 per cent would up their effectiveness.
British pic, Song of the Islands, was thrown at the audience without benefit of intro or beginning. The movie seemed to be hexed. Thruout its showing it would suddenly flicker with eye-torturing irregularity like a Penny Arcade movie out of sine and then revert to normal. The same imperfection marred three other one-reelers, Spring on the Farm, Richard Himber's Tempo of Tomorrow and an Artie Shaw pic.
The Lever Bros.' show wasn't quite up to form either. Commercials on Rinso lacked the sparkle they've attained other nights. From a mag ad of the soap, a freckled -faced kid emerged to sing the jingles associated with the product's radio plugging.
Devy Edwards, back from a USO tour, told of his experiences and sang a medley of sentimental songs that had appealed to the servicemen. Her warm personality came thru nicely, and judging from her performance, the unassuming and attractive girl must have made a lot of uniformed boys a little happier.
Ben Pulitzer presented Interesting People, introduced by a newsreel of milling throngs of people. Dick Bradley interviewed NBC's Marian Loverage, tagged the "Betsy Ross of Radio." The youngster sang pops in a strong, rich voice. Knowing that her hands would loom up to enormous white shadows if flayed about, she intelligently kept them quietly at her sides.
Bradley and a playwright discussed the construction of a play, and two young actors, using excerpts from Ibsen's Doll's House, illustrated the various elements in a work for the stage. Script cutting would have been welcome, but the idea was an admirable experiment and has excellent possibilities for further development.
Commercials for Ben Pulitzer ties were windy and need polishing to make them click. Cravats on display in a shop were examined by Bradley, but camera failed to permit a close-up of their patterns. Marie Howard, pretty brunette, exhibited poise and restraint when she sang pops.
Two and a quarter hours of vocalizing and bad films is too much. These programs could be improved immeasurably by eliminating the pix, cutting station breaks to a minimum and by a general tightening of productions. Audiences, used to split-second radio timing, won't sit to watch time drag by. Wanda Marvin. (Billboard, March 4, 1944)

FCC Applications, Feb. 23
WKY Oklahoma City—CP new commercial television station, Channel 1.
(Broadcasting, Feb. 28)

Thursday, February 24
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 – 10:00 p.m. Films

Friday, February 25
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 – 10:00 p.m. Films

FCC Applications, Feb. 25
N. B. C., Cleveland—CP new commercial television station, Channel 1
N. B. C., Chicago—CP new commercial television station, Channel 1.
N. B. C., Los Angeles—CP new commercial television station, Channel 3.
N. B. C., San Francisco—CP new commercial television station, Channel 4.
N. B. C., Denver—CP new commercial television station, Channel 2. (Broadcasting, Feb. 28)
WGN, Chicago—CP new commercial television station.
Philco, New York—CP new commercial television station.
Philco, Washington—CP new commercial television station.Radio Daily, Feb. 28

Sunday, February 27
W2XWV Channel 4
8:15 p.m. “Eddie Dowling Presents.”
8:45 Film: “No Exception.”
9:00 Television Canteen.
9:30 Film cartoon: The Office Boy (Van Beuren, 1930).
9:40 “Theatre House,” serial.
10:00 Forum: “Swing vs. Sweet.”
First network airshow with a repeat television performance bows in next Sunday (27) when Eddie Dowling preems "Wide Horizons" on the Mutual web at 4 p. m. and brings the entire cast into the DuMont studios, N. Y., for a video presentation of the half-hour program at 8:15 p. m. Repeat policy holds throughout life of MBS show which goes in for the customary 13-weeks.
“Horizons” is sponsored by the Boots Aircraft Nut Co. Decision to televize the series is considered one of biggest boosts tele has received since war caused postponement of skedded large scale expansion of the new medium. Industry observers point to fact Boots show not only brings bigtime network show to tele for first time but also provides real star in Dowling. Lack of big names in tele on permanent basis has been one of chief drawbacks in attracting advertisers to new field, it's pointed out and opinion is that acceptance of the electronic screen by Dowling will do much to attract other top-notchers to tele.
Separate scripts for MBS and DuMont shows are in final stages of preparation under supervision of Thomas G. Sabin, radio exec of Cecil and Pumphrey agency which handles Boots account. Several writers are collabing on scripts with Sabin handling transformation and production details in adapting straight radio performance for repeat tele screening.
“Horizons,” in addition to Dowling, will have Casey Jones, aviation expert, as a permanent member of cast and plans to intro talent finds spotted by Dowling in war plants throughout the country. Two such newcomers will be on each show, it's planned, with one name guest from the amusement field also showcased each week. Outstanding industrialists, engineers and other figures from aviation also will appear during Boots-Dowling series.
Glenn L. Martin, plane builder, will be show's guest on preem and remote hookup with Baltimore will be used for an interview with his aged mother in that city. Interview with Mrs. Martin will have to be scratched from tele performance.
Auditions for guest artists from ranks of warplant workers are under Dowling's supervision with most performers likely to be picked from casts of morale-building shows staged at the various factories. (Variety, Feb. 23).

"WIDE HORIZONS" (TELEVISION)
With Eddie Dowling, Marie Mendoza, Bill Leach, Ben Harrod, Jean Parker, Alice Hatton, Jay Westey, John Farrell, Ruth Gates
Writer-Producer: Thomas G. Sabin
30 Mins., Sun., 8:15 p.m.
BOOTS AIRCRAFT NUT CO.
W2XWV-DuMont, N. Y.
(Cecil & Presbrey)
Repeat television performance of Boots Nut Co.'s Mutual preem Sunday (27) was a praiseworthy idea and undoubtedly is a signpost pointing way to future advertising policy to be pursued by many major accounts. Unfortunately, however, half-hour video production was rough, not only around the edges but in the middle as well. It seemed apparent that producer Thomas G. Sabin, with his hands full on the straight air shot, failed to give sufficient time and preparation efforts to the DuMont chapter.
The tele camera wasn't too kind to Eddie Dowling, aging him far beyond his every day appearance, and although he displayed his usual deftness and confident bearing, the star’s engaging personality failed to come through on the screen as in the flesh.
Unflattering camera lines marred rest of the cast as well, with Alice Hatton, songstress-pianist, normally of much better than average attractiveness, emerging far from that in the video version. Show followed pattern of afternoon MBS show closely with song specialties by Marie Mendoza, Jean Parker, Miss Batten and Bill Leach. Dramatic bit from life of plane builder Glenn L. Martin was also repeated but manufacturer himself did not duplicate his earlier network appearance.
Producer-writer Sabin made a brief appearance on show before turning things over to Dowling. It's planned to continue tele repeat policy during life of the Mutual series but for punchy effectiveness video version must be smoothed considerably with more time given to prepping working script and rehearsing before shows hit the screen. Donn. (Variety, Mar. 1)

Monday, February 28
WNBT Channel 1
7:55- 11:00 p.m. New York City Finals, Daily News Golden Gloves Tournament, Madison Square Garden, relayed to WRGB, Schenectady.

FCC Applications, Feb. 28
News Syndicate Company, New York—CP new commercial television station.
Loyola University, New Orleans—CP new commercial television station. (Radio Daily, Feb. 29)

Tuesday, February 29
W2XWV Channel 4
8:15 “WOR Television Revue.”
8:40 Forum: “Should Women Propose on Leap Year.”
8:50 Film short.
9:00 WOR Television Revue.
WOR-DuMont Television
Reviewed Tuesday (February 29), 8:15-9:15 p.m. Style—Variety and films. Sustaining on W2XWV (New York).
Helped by new cameras and a new 12-inch tube, WOR launched Here's Looking at You with a brother team at the helm. Keith Thompson, producer, and Hugh Thompson, emsee and singer, presented the program. It differed little from other variety offerings on the sick Tuesday-night hours.
The pic was clearer and in better focus than heretofore, but too little light often caused patches of white to block out the lower portion of the screen. Dark objects tend to absorb the light, and the faded appearance was more evident when the black piano was in the frame. With the exception of one or two instances of people walking between camera and performers and an occasional split-second disconnection when a studio wire was tramped on, the technical work was an improvement over previous weeks.
From a programing point of view, WOR has learned little. One singer, then another and another appeared, bowed on and off in the usual vaude manner. There must be some novel way of presenting a variety show. Dorothy Barton and Walter Stoker Jr. and Hugh Thompson and Mary Burnett were a double duo for duets. The latter couple sang Bess, You Is My Woman Now, while Stoker and Miss Barton delved into the semi-classics for an interesting medley.
Rosemae Lindau had pops on her sked. She's been better on other nights. Obviously nervous, the gal couldn't control her vocal chords and her face showed signs of strain.
Mary Burnett, charming and in fine voice, did a swell job of Mighty Lak a Rose and two other ballads.
A timely forum on the subject of leap year was a good idea, but Dorothy Barton, Walter Stoker Jr, and moderator Maurice Dreicer lacked the script and enough rehearsal.
Lucky Field cavorted thru a short and mildly amusing comedy skit, and Magician Weisbecker came on for five minutes. Bunny Harris sang Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, after being introduced by Cigaret-Puffing Emsee Thompson. Very subtle.
On With the Dance, a 35mm. pic, and more songs by Thompson rounded out the 60-minute offering.
Switching from the old electrostatic tube has added clarity and depth to the DuMont pictures. With constantly technical developments, programing looks weaker and more amateurish. Until time and talent is expended, until performers of top-flight caliber are introduced to the medium apparently little more than half-hearted attempts at entertainment can be expected.
It would seem that set manufacturers should start spending soon dough to improve programs as they do their equipment. Consumers won't buy an instrument, no matter how perfect, if it can't get programs on a par with stage, pix, niteries and radio. Wanda Marvin. (Billboard, Mar. 11)

The Short Life of New York's First TV Station

It’s 1928. Is the time ripe for daily television shows?

Hugo Gernsback thought so.

Gernsback was the publisher of a number of magazines dealing with radio. His company also had a radio license; WRNY’s opening on June 12, 1925 featured Bugs Baer as emcee and Elsie Janis smashing a bottle of champagne to christen the operation. Several of his publications became fascinated with television and Gernsback decided to act on it. He would broadcast television on his radio station.

It became the first station in New York City to broadcast on a regular basis.

Gernsback’s article in his own Radio News issue of August 1928 states he was sending out television signals on WRNY in June. But even at the time, there were conflicting reports as to when regular broadcasts began.

Here is the New York Times of Monday, August 13, 1928. It announced regular programming would start the next day, but gave specifics about a TV transmission the previous day, ignoring whatever Gernsback had done before.

WRNY to Start Daily Television Broadcasts; Radio Audience Will See Studio Artists
The first regular broadcasting of images by television over the radio from New York will begin tomorrow, it was learned last night from Station WRNY in the Hotel Roosevelt. WRNY, which is owned by The Radio News Magazine, has recently completed the installation of equipment for broadcasting images, and yesterday it conducted its first experimental broadcast.
The broadcasting was done from the station’s transmitting plant at Villa Richard, Coytesville, N. J. The images sent consisted of the faces of John Geloso, engineer of the Pilot Electrical Company, and John Maresca, chief engineer of WRNY. The first broadcast began at 5:43 P. M. and continued until 6:30. The second began at 11 P. M.
There is no telling how many persons saw the images, according to Hugo Gernsback, President of WRNY. He estimated that there are about 2000 sets in the metropolitan area equipped for television reception. Owners of sets unequipped for television heard the television transmission as an intermittent high-pitched whirr, varying with the action before the transmitter.
Officers of WRNY saw the images at a set installed in a private home a few hundred yards from the transmitting station.
The television broadcasting scheduled to begin today will be made a part of WRNY’S usual programs, Mr. Gernsback said. After a singer or other entertainer has finished, his or her face will be sent out over the air by television. Thus the schedule for the television will be the same as for the regular broadcasting of this station.
Considerable experimenting already has been made with television broadcasting by other stations. For some weeks C. Francis Jenkins has been transmitting silhouettes by radio, and other stations which have been developing the television field are WGY, at Schenectady; WLEX, near Boston, and WCFL, the labor station at Chicago.
Mr. Gernsback said that WRNY has received thousands of letters asking for television broadcasting.

The New York Herald Tribune published a special story in its Sunday radio section on the 19th, which ignored the August 12 broadcast and began with programming of the 13th.

Local Amateurs Pick Up WRNY In Television Broadcast Tests
———
Begin Indefinitive Transmission Schedule To-morrow; Hugo Gernsback, Sponsor of Experiments, Declares Programs Are Intended for Experimenters
Equipped with the special apparatus needed to translate into images the complicated picture waves emanating from the WRNY television transmitter in Coytesville, N. J., amateurs in New York, Long Island, Connecticut and Pennsylvania successfully saw moving images during the first week of the station’s tests.
Beginning with an indefinite transmission schedule on Monday, the station broadcast television images during five minute intervals on Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a. m. until 9:30 p. m. To-morrow the schedule has been announced as beginning at 11:30 a. m. for five minutes, and the same interval of time after 12:30 p. m., 2:30, 3:30 and 5:30 p. m. Persons at the station will be chosen as the subjects to be televised.
Following initial tests during the fore part of the week, on Tuesday evening the receiving apparatus was installed in the home of Hugo Gernsback, president of the station, at 180 Riverside Drive, where it is reported to have worked successfully despite the lack of synchronizing apparatus. The transmitting apparatus was located in the station’s broadcasting plant at Coytesville, N. J. The images were not perfect, but they were readily recognizable. Mrs. John Geloso, wife of the chief engineer of the Pilot Electric Company, who designed the apparatus, was the subject.
The tests were conducted over station WRNY and its associated short wave station, 2XAL, which operates on a wave length of 30.91 meters. Despite expert opinion that television signals broadcast in regular program channels would be apt to cause interference with those operating on adjacent bands, no “overlapping” was reported, due to the confining of the signals to a 5,000 cycle band.
“A number of other things should be straightened out,” said Hugo Gernsback, of the station. “First, the Pilot televisor is located at Coytesville, N. J., alongside of the actual WRNY transmitter, and is not in the WRNY studio in the Hotel Roosevelt, New York. Therefore, the images of artists performing before the microphone in the latter place cannot and will not be put on the air at this time. Neither will their photographs be broadcast, as has been mistakenly stated.
“At first we will have one of the WRNY operators act as the subject; other people present at the station on the occasion of a television broadcast will also be asked to sit before the televisor.
“This television broadcasting is entirely for the experimenter—the man who makes or assembles his own apparatus. It is not for the public at large, because there are no commercially-made television receivers, and there probably will be none for some time. We are assured of a large and appreciative audience—or rather observers—because the necessary receiving apparatus is really very simple and can readily be assembled at home.
“Please distinguish the true television work we are doing from the ‘radio movies,’ demonstrated last week by the Westinghouse company. That was no television, but animated radio tele photography. The pictures on a roll of cinema film were transmitted, not the image of a live person.
“The first public demonstration of the system will be held in one of the halls of New York University in the Bronx. At that time we will announce our plans for a definite schedule of television transmissions and we will also release technical data on the apparatus itself. We had planned to hold this demonstration Friday, August 17, but Mr. Geleso has asked for the extra time to perfect his synchronizing system.”

Samuel Kaufman’s column elsewhere in the section reported that anyone who tuned in WRNY at the time it was broadcasting television signals “may have been rewarded with nothing more than rapid sputterings and hisses” as the audio portion of the TV transmission was on a different frequency. Such was the technology of the day.

As for the special public broadcast, the Times had this to say on August 22:

TELEVISION ON WRNY WAVE.
Image Is Carried From New Jersey to New Your University Hall
———
Reception of television images transmitted over the regular broadcast wave length of WRNY was demonstrated last night in Philosophy Hall, New York University, before a group of radio engineers, scientists and newspaper men. It was estimated that about 500 persons passed before the televisor receiver and saw the received image of a face as it moved before the televisor transmitter of the station at Coytesville, N. J., atop the Palisades across from 181st Street.
The broadcast image was that of Mrs. John Geloso, wife of the engineer who perfected the apparatus. Mrs. Geloso closed her eyes, opened and closed her mouth and moved from aide to side. The images were about one and one-half inches square, but were magnified by a lens to twice that size.
The demonstration was characterized by Hugo Gernsback, owner of WRNY, as the first successful accomplishment of its kind over broadcast waves from s transmitter in New York. Only 5,000 cycles, half the available 326-meter channel of the station, were utilized. The images were also sent out simultaneously on the 30.91-meter wave of 2-XAI [sic], the short wave broadcasting apparatus at the station.
In an address Mr. Gernsback said television was still in a crude state, fit only for the amateur who wished to experiment.
“In six months we may have television for the public,” he said, “but so far we have not got it.”
Mr. Geloso operated the apparatus for the guests, who included Dr. Lee DeForest, inventor of the three-element vacuum tube.

To the right you see the first television schedule for WRNY published in the News Tribune. It for Tuesday, August 21. At least we know there was a pianist and violinist.

The Washington Star printed the story below on its front page of August 14. Note the description of the TV set and Gernsback’s somewhat naïve attitude toward TV commercials. Still, it was extremely early.

DAILY RADIO MOVING PICTURES WILL GO ON THE AIR THURSDAY
———
Station WRNY Will Begin First Regular Television Broadcasting Into the Homes Ever Attempted
———
By Consolidated Press
NEW YORK, August 14.—Station WRNY of New York will begin Thursday [16] the first regular daily broadcasting of moving images by television ever attempted. Other broadcasts have been made intermittently for the last few months by stations throughout the country, experimentally, but not for the benefit of the fans, who are now expect to hook up their receiving outfits and get their pictures on the air just as they rigged up their hay-wire radio sets 15 or 20 years ago.
Hugo Gernsback, who first used the word “television” in 1909 and who is president of station WRNY says “television is here” but that it will assume a vastly different form and be greatly increased in effectiveness within the next few years. His office, on one of the upper floors of a New York skyscraper, is decorated with pictures suggesting an H. G. Wells conception of a scientific millennium, which reinforce the impression that almost anything may happen as Mr. Gernsback talks of the future.
“This is really television, which means instantaneous sight at a distance,” he said “and not telephotography which means the broadcasting of a photograph or other still picture. Our brief television broadcasting session will come in between our regular sound numbers, as with the present apparatus you cannot broadcast sight and sound simultaneously. Then we will make quite extended broadcasts after midnight.
“Any person wishing to receive can get the small equipment necessary to add to his radio receiver for about $50 and can install it in about three hours. The equipment consists of a disc, a neon lamp and a small motor—that’s all.
Attached to Regular Radio
In his adjoining laboratory, Mr. Gernsback displayed a typical receiving set. It was attached to a standard radio. A perpendicular black disc, with its face toward an observer seated before the radio, was revolved at an even speed by a small motor, behind this disc was a neon lamp. Toward the edge of the disc was a spiral of small holes. As the disc attained full speed, the pinpricks of light coming through the holes were gathered in a dull square of pink light, made by the neon light background. This square is, of course, stationary and this is the screen upon which the image of the subject at the transmitting station gradually takes form.
At the transmitting station, light falling upon the face of the subject is broken by a similar perforated whirling disk. Then this reflected light is caught by three huge photostatic cells, the largest ever made, and converted from light impulsions into electric impulsions. These latter are governed by the breaks in the light caused by the interposition of the whirling disk. Hence it is these same variations which the neon tube retranslates into light at the other end of the process.
Possibility for Advertising.
Mr. Gernsback was asked whether television would make possible advertising by which goods would be both displayed and described, and whether this might be expected to become the main source of revenue from the invention.
“Advertisers are already pressing in,” he said, “and we are getting new inquiries daily. Of course, it would be possible now to display any article in this way, but I do not think this is going to happen. Television later may be used on a large scale for good will advertising, but I do not think it will get down to a level of petty merchandising.
“There are big concerns now ready to manufacture and sell television outfits, but they are holding off for purposes of their own. We are going ahead with our systemic broadcasting, because we feel that we must go along with the public and develop a television audience.”
Mr. Gernsback is a member of the American Physical Society and of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and is editor of the Radio News.

There was a great flurry of television activity around this time we’ll talk about in future posts. To your right is a list of stations from the October 1928 edition of Radio Broadcast.

The end was near. On September 10th, the Federal Radio Commission ordered WRNY to share its time with two other stations by November 11th, retaining three-sevenths of the 1010 frequency by the end of the year. The Commission also ordered all television off the a.m. frequencies. Then Gernsback’s Experimenter Publishing went bankrupt. Its assets were bought on April 3, 1929 and both WRNY and 2XAL were immediately sold for $100,000 to someone who, according to the Herald Tribune promised plenty of aviation news. But no television. That would be up to other pioneers.

January 1944

If you were one of the comparatively few who owned a TV set in the New York City area at the start of 1944 you could finally see programmes every night of the week.

Depending.

At that point, Saturday was the only night there was no television in Big Town. NBC’s WNBT had been broadcasting on Mondays since war-related cutbacks in mid-1942, but then promised to offer films on Saturday nights. The only thing was the station had straightened out a sponsorship flap, allowing it to air events from Madison Square Garden. The drawback was Saturday programming was cancelled if the sports aired on another night.

NBC kind of had a network then. Stations in Schenectady and Philadelphia were allowed to pull in NBC sports and special events coverage. They had to do it over the air. Philadelphia was also expanding its live arena broadcasts.

DuMont’s W2XWV was carrying on with its three-nights-a-week of programming, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays. The station was experimental, so different ad agencies came in to put on shows, tweaking them along the way. Fred Waring and Elsa Maxwell were among the celebrities who appeared. The company was also forming the basis of the DuMont network, getting approval to go on the air in Washington, D.C.

CBS’s station, WCBW, was beaming short films for two hours every Thursday and Friday.

Here’s a look at what was happening with TV for the first two month of 1944. We’ve linked to some old cartoons and other films; the quality of the dubs is pretty poor at times. An interesting film is a Warners short starring Jack Carson urging people to conserve food; it sounds like Bill Lava’s score in the background. We will spare you the unending pontifications in printed speeches about the future of television.

Sunday, January 2
W2XWV Channel 4
8:30 p.m. Kaaren Gibson, songs.
8:45 Film: “Food for Thought,” with Jack Carson.
9:00 “Manhattan Cocktail,” novelty musical sketch.
9:20 “Thrills and Chills,” Doug Allan, Armand Dennis.

SCHENECTADY, N. Y., Jan. 1.—WRGB, General Electric's tele station, will operate on a revised telecasting schedule beginning tomorrow (2) night when a regular two-hour program debs. Station will be on the air four nights a week, Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday, instead of three nights and two afternoons.
Audience surveys recently conducted by WRGB have indicated a preference for Sunday night shows which resulted in the switch. The first half of the 7 to 9 p. m. Sunday programs will be devoted to religious and news telecasts and the remainder to films or dramatic productions.
First Sunday's show features two live one act plays, Columbine and Rehearsal. (Billboard, Jan. 8)

Monday, January 3
WNBT Channel 1
3:30 p.m. Test Pattern.
4:00 and 7:30 p.m. Air-Raid Warden’s course.
8:30 Films.
9:30 Feature film.

FIRST application for construction of a new experimental television station in the Rockies and surrounding territory was filed by KOB, operated by the Albuquerque Broadcasting Co. Even if the application is approved, the station probably will not be constructed until after the war, because of the equipment shortage. The company operating KOB plans to install several "standardized" receiving sets in Albuquerque. KOB will stress experimental telecasting of local events, such as football games, etc., in addition to using film. A new television library in the east is to supply the films. (Broadcasting, Jan. 3)

NEW YORK, Dec. 25.—Irwin A. Shane has set up a television program laboratory, television workshop, which opens its doors for business Monday (3). Shane is director of what he calls the "first independent tele program producing unit in the country." Experimental shows ranging from simple variety to full-length plays and grand opera are on the workshop sked. Productions will be made available to agencies and stations on a cost basis of around $100 per half-hour telecast.
The Reiss Agency has signed for TW's Hobby Hall of Fame, which has been a regular feature on the DuMont station, W2XWV for the last three months. The agency will also have Shane's Plays on Parade series which debs on W2XWV January 9.
Shane, who is also president of Publicity Features, Inc., has placed Nathan M. Rudich, head of the radio and drama departments of the New School for Social Research, in charge of the television workshop players, newly formed dramatic group.
Staff members of the new firm are Helen Gaubert, assistant director of the players; Glorianne Lehr, women's features; Gilbert Lawrence, puppets and children's shows; Austin O. Huhn, technical director, and Charles A. Gunther, special effects.
The workshop will have a rehearsal studio with cameras and boom mike located in the Salmon Tower. (Billboard, Jan. 1)

Tuesday, January 4
W2XWV Channel 4
8:30 to 9:30 p.m. WOR presentation.

Wednesday, January 5
W2XWV Channel 4
8:30 p.m. Glorianne Lehr, fashions
8:45 Film short
9:00 “The Face of the War,” talk
9:30 Studio Variety Show, Prof. Irving Fisher, demonstrating the Globe-Map
DuMont Television
Reviewed Wednesday, 8:30-10 p.m. Style—Variety and films. Sustaining on W2XWV (New York).
Abbott-Kimball Agency made its tele bow with a fashion show which rang in the products of a half-dozen AK clients. Glorianne Lehr introduced a drab little creature whose hair and clothes were all wrong. After she was faded out by the cameras, the annotator described the virtues of Revlon Nail Polish and Lipstick, Ogilvie Sisters' hair products, Vera Maxwell coats, Maurice Renter dresses, Knox hats, handbags by Jossett and Kinney shoes. Presto—a made-up and made-over Cinderella appeared for inspection, decked out in the clothes just described and with a new hairdo and face renovation. The now glamorous gal pranced about, a walking before and after testimonial.
Idea was excellent, but some of the wearing apparel was poorly chosen. A two-piece dress with figured skirt and contrasting blouse photographed badly. Single color dresses look best on the tele screen for a technical reason that will probably be overcome in the future.
Film fillers were Brazil at War, released by the Office of the Co-ordinator of Inter-American Affairs, and a British pic, Czech Falcon.
Lever Bros.' half-hour featured Spry. View of product revolving to show entire jar, accompanied by off-screen musical rhymes, opened and closed the show which included Sam Cuff's' Face of the War, Roberta Hollywood, singer, and radio's Aunt Jenny as guest star.
Aunt Jenny was shown visiting announcer Pat Murray in her home. After a brief conversation about pies and pastry, the two moved into the kitchen, where the older woman demonstrated the mixing of Spry and flour and offered Miss Murray a recipe book. Offer was extended to listeners.
Aunt Jenny is undoubtedly a solid sender of daytime radio, but her high-pitched folksy gushing was a little off key for the more sophisticated audience tele claims.
Miss Hollywood played piano while she sang. The blondeshell was anything but a dud in a white strapless evening gown with her soft sexy voice cooing It Had to Be You and I Can't Give You Anything But Love.
The Charles Storm Agency's variety offering entitled Dear Diary opened with an attractive model reading her script from the diary in which she was supposed to be writing. The decorative but decidedly non-dramatic miss did her best, but it wasn't enough.
Idea was to show the entertainment mentioned in her diary. The Harding Sisters, trio, sang a long medley from Oklahoma. According to the diary, the girls were Swing Frolics entertainers. It also tabbed magician Harvey Dunn from La Parisianne and singer Dorothy Simms from the Stork Club.
Miss Simms could very well fill the bill at any night spot, even if Sherman Billingsley doesn't use vocals. She uses her tall graceful body well in putting over a song, with just a suggestion of movement. Her voice has a deep throaty beauty. Sam Medoff, who accompanied the show's vocalists, has written some highly interesting arrangements for Miss Simms.
Professor Irving Fisher of Yale University demonstrated and described the 20-sided globe-like World map called Likaglobe which he has developed. The prof suffered stage fright while attempting to assemble and take the map apart, yet from his explanation of the invention it appears that he has plenty on the global ball. Wanda Marvin. (Billboard, Jan. 15)

FCC Applications, Jan. 5.
Jamaica Radio & Television Co., Long Island, N. Y.—Construction Permit for new experimental television station. 66000 -72000 kc, 250 w A 3 and special emission.
W3XWT Washington, D. C.—Mod. CP as modified for new experimental television station for extension of completion date. (Broadcasting, Jan. 10).

Thursday, January 6
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 “Through the Center.”
8:35 “Learning to Live.”
8:50 “Peg of Old Drury” with Anna Neagle (B & D, 1935).

A different method of telecasting news events will be demonstrated tonight [6] over WRGB, General Electric’s station, by a staff member of the Schenectady Gazette. Local and international news events will be presented by telecasting slides of news photographs. Previous methods of news presentation by television have included movies, maps and charts and models. Included also on tonight's program will be a scene from "A Waltz Dream" with Connie Moulton and Ashley Dawes; a demonstration of Chinese painting by J. D. Hatch Jr., director of the Albany Institute of History And Art, and a discussion of postwar products. (Schenectady Gazette, Jan. 6)

Friday, January 7
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 “Nevada Cyclone.”
8:30 “Battle of the Books.”
8:40 “Inside Russia.”

Billy Haggas, 133, Clark Mills, decisioned Ted Vedder, 138, Albany, in the five-round feature of the televised amateur boxing program at General Electrlc's station WRGB last night [7]. (Schenectady Gazette, Jan. 8)

Saturday, January 8
WNBT Channel 1
8:15-11:15 p.m. Basketball: St. Johns vs. Rhode Island State and N. Y. U. vs. Connecticut at Madison Square Garden.

Sunday, January 9
W2XWV Channel 4
8:30 p.m. Forum: “Dr. New Deal vs. Dr. Win-The-War,” William S. Gailmor, Richard J. Cronan.
9:00 Film Cartoon: “Snow Time,” (Van Beuren, 1930).
9:10 Charlie Taylor’s “Television Auditions.”
9:30 Missing Persons Alarm.

The Octavo Singers will present a number of the choruses of Handel's "Messiah" over Television Station WRGB, Sunday evening [9], at 7:30 o'clock. Schenectady Gazette, Jan. 7)

Monday, January 10
WNBT Channel 1
4:00 and 7:30 p.m. Air-Raid Warden’s Course.
8:00 Films: “Feathered Follies,” (Van Beuren, 1930); “Ships of the U.S. Navy,” (OWI, 1942); Mildred Dilling, harpist.
8:40 Feature Film: “The Scarlet Letter,” with Colleen Moore, Hardie Albright and Alan Hale (Majestic, 1934).
9:30 Film: “Home on the Range.”

Tuesday, January 11
W2XWV Channel 4
8:30 to 9:30 p.m. “WOR Television Party.”
WOR NEW YORK is converting its experimental television series on W2XWV New York into an informal-party type of program, and at the same time is setting up a WOR Stock Co., made up of amateur television talent. New series, which starts Jan. 11, 8:30 -9:30 p.m. on the DuMont station, is under the direction of Keith Thompson, script editor of WOR. Ed Brainard, ex-actor now on the station's continuity staff, will serve as host at the "Television Party," introducing guest personalities, and conducting games for the guests. Products made by WOR sponsors will be offered as prizes, as an experiment in display advertising. (Broadcasting, Jan. 10).

Wednesday, January 12
W2XWV Channel 4
8:30 p.m. Glorianne Lehr, fashions
8:45 Film short.
9:00 “The Face of the War,” talk with Sam Cuff.
9:30 Film short.
9:45 Studio Variety Show.

Thursday, January 13
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 “Atmospheric Waves.”
8:15 “Last Will and Testament of Tom Smith.”
8:30 “Bizarre, Bizarre.”

Friday, January 14
WNBT Channel 1
8:30 to 11 p.m. Professional Boxing from Madison Square Garden: Bobby Ruffin vs. Tippy Larkin (heavyweight), sponsored by Gillette.
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 “Heritage.”
8:20 “Water Rustlers.”

"Miss Electronics" and her lady-in-waiting, who are the winner and runner-up, respectively, of the "100 per cent American Beauty War Production Queen" contest conducted at General Electric's Bridgeport plant, will arrive in Schenectady this noon and will visit the local company plant in the afternoon and will be televised tonight over television Station WRGB.
The two young ladies—Miss Jean LaRose, as "Miss Electronics," and Miss Jean Guinta—will be accompanied by officials of the Bridgeport works.
Coronation of "Miss Electronics" took place in Bridgeport Wednesday evening. Miss LaRose and Miss Guinta were chosen from the girls in the G.E. receiver division who during December attained high attendance records at their jobs. The winners were presented with appropriate awards and were given a two-day trip to New York city and Schenectady, will all expenses paid.
The contest was sponsored by the all out war production committee of the G.E. receiver division. Judges at the cornation [sic] ceremony were experts from the fields of art and advertising. (Schenectady Gazette, Jan. 14)

Saturday, January 15
no programming

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 15.—Philco's Radio Hall of Fame will be the first regular network show to be picked up by the television cameras, according to plans being made here by the sponsor of the Sunday Blue net feature. Philco's video station here will make a direct pick-up from the Ritz Theater-Studio in New York. In addition, the New York television stations will be invited to train their cameras on the broadcasts. Gesture is in the spirit of co-operation for allowing Philco's WPTZ to rebroadcast the New York tele shows.
Pick-up of the Philco show for tele will depend on how fast engineers can set up a relay transmitter at some high spot in New Jersey at a point halfway between Philadelphia and New York.
New Technique Developing
More important than the show itself is the technique being devised to pick up the air show, setting a pattern for tele remotes from a theater stage both near and far away. Accordingly, Philco has decided to make its own pick-up in New York for local audiences instead of rebroadcasting the show from New York video stations. Setup evolved by engineers calls for tele cameras to beam the show as is direct from the Ritz to the relay station to be set up in New Jersey. Philly transmitter will then pick it up from relay. (Billboard, Jan. 22)

NEW YORK, Jan. 15.—WRGB, GE's television station in Schenectady, N. Y., is presenting a Phone-In show each Friday.
The title of the series gets its name from the fact that during each show the audience at home is invited to phone in suggestions and criticisms directly to the studio while the acts are hitting the ether.
Using the idea, the technical and program staffs of WRGB have been able to collect coincidental information on audience preferences as to plan of presentation, lighting and reception. The tastes of the public will be incorporated into future programs.
Similar idea was used several years ago in radio during an Amateur Script Writers' Hour, when Station WBNX (Bronx, N. Y.) asked listeners who didn't like a particular script to phone in and request its being yanked. When five people called the playlet involved got the hook. It was no surprise to broadcasters, however, that very few fans called. Dialers are known to be patient. (Billboard, Jan. 22)

Sunday, January 16
WNBT Channel 1
8:45 p.m. Hockey: Rangers vs. Bruins, Madison Square Garden, relayed to WRGB, Schenectady.
W2XWV Channel 4
8:15 p.m. “Television Canteen.”
8:45 Film: “Day of Battle.”
9:00 Play: “The Pearls.”
9:15 Film Cartoon: “The Fly’s Bride” (Van Beuren, 1929).
9:30 Musical Comedy: “What the Doctor Ordered,” with Bernie West.

Monday, January 17
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 Films: “Farmerette” (Van Beuren, 1932), “Trailing the Incas” (Central, 1941), “Chinook's Children” (Central, 1939), “Vronsky and Babin, Pianists.”
8:35 Feature Film: “The Unwritten Law,” Greta Nissen, Skeets Gallagher and Lew Cody (Majestic, 1932).
9:00 Film: “Televues.”

NEW YORK, Jan. 17.—Television takes its place in NBC commercial operations starting today. From now on there will be an increasing number of live shows with a serious attempt to present a balanced program, altho sporting events will continue for a long time to predominate scheduling.
NBC is not going to give time to advertisers, as General Electric and DuMont are doing. The RCA station will sell time (Firestone is paying for its weekly show now), and sales execs at the net state that there are any number of sponsors ready to sign.
Unlike other active orgs in the field of building visual air entertainment, NBC will not have a special television department, but will have the engineering, sales and program problems handled by the regular broadcasting net staff. Programs will be under Clarence Menses, v-p., and he's expected to make an announcement on NBC's visual program plans when he returns from his Florida vacation.
O. B. Hanson, chief engineer, will be handling engineering and will assign several engineers to brush up on scanning with the net's cameras. Sales will fall within the province of Roy Witmer, and promotion in the lap of Charles Hammond. Publicity will be handled thru John McKay's department. In other words, television is just one facet of NBC's operations. It's not going to be centralized as it was before the war and as it is at CBS and General Electric. (It's naturally a special job at DuMont, as this firm is not in the regular broadcasting field.)
There is a feeling among several top NBC men that the decentralized operation will not work, but they're all interested in seeing that it has an opportunity of making the grade. Television still falls under the vice-presidency of John F. Royal, altho his greatest immediate concern is in the post-war international aspects of commercial radio. The European trip which Royal made with Niles Trammell, net prexy, developed a great deal of thinking along the lines of sponsored broadcasting on the continent. (Billboard, Jan. 22)

Tuesday, January 18
W2XWV Channel 4
8:30 to 9:30 p.m. “WOR Television Party For Fourth War Loan Drive” (simulcast with radio).
A visual War Bond auction was featured on the WOR Television Party program on W2XWV, Dumont television station in New York, Jan. 18. Audience was shown a copy of Lt. William Lawrence Ryan's painting, "Harbor Light, Kingston, Jamaica," and invited to call in their bond bids. (Broadcasting, Jan. 24)

FCC Applications, Jan. 18
Industrial Tool & Die Works, Minneapolis—CP new experimental television station, 78000-84000 kc, A 5 and special emission, 5 kw visual, 3 kw aural. (Broadcasting, Jan. 24)

Wednesday, January 19
W2XWV Channel 4
8:15 p.m. Film short.
8:30 “Interesting People” with Jessica Dragonette, guest.
8:45 Film short.
9:00 “The Face of the War.”
9:30 Studio varieties.
10:00 Ray Nelson’s Brevities.
“FRED WARING PLEASURE TIME"
Cast: Donna Dae, Squires, Bees and a Honey, Foley McClintock, others
Writers: Larry Bruff, Fred Waring
Director: Larry Bruff
30 Mins.; Wed., 9:40 p.m.
LIGGETT & MYERS (Newell-Emmett agency)
W2XWV-DuMont, New York
Fred Waring brought intelligence, personality and showmanship into the DuMont television studios Wednesday night (19) for his half-hour show for Chesterfield sponsored on an experimental basis. The Pennsylvanans' leader and production head, at the same time displayed a powerful tele presence, steering the show with a deftness and informal charm that registered with outstanding effectiveness.
Waring wisely decided against clogging up the studio with too many members of his organization, confining the tele performance lo specialties by his, vocal crew and bringing in a pantomime comic skit, three male vagabonds facing the camera for a chucklesome takeoff on an oldtime film audience with a tinny piano creating mood music in the background. Comedy was decidedly “earthy,” building up to oldtime burley climax with shoe-removing gag. Waring apologized to any who might have been offended adding that, if no one had, "something is wrong with culture."
Musical fare stuck to formula established on Waring's fivc-times-a-week NBC aftershows and featured the Bees and a Honey, Donna Dae and two male groups. Things moved at fast pace with exception of Miss Dae's "Beguine." done in close-up, which was a little draggy. Gal sang and televised well but was on screen a bit too long.
Studio and camera technique was good, except for usual distortion near borders, and only real boner was once when Waring walked to mike with back to camera, blotting out nearly all the screen until he reached position. Success of the show was largely due to his masterful emcee job and wise decision to shun production numbers and concentrate on presenting good entertainment within limits of present day tele facilities.
Regardless of tele's future course or bow rapidly it develops, leader of Pennsylvanians demonstrated in this brief studio exhibit that he has nothing to fear from the new medium, its camera or technique. The same bits of biz he uses so effectively on stage shows grooved in tele and his confident manner of approach transmitted itself to the rest of the cast to make for smooth sailing all the way.
Commercials were spotted midway and at close. Intermediate plug presented a lonely soldier on deck of transport being greeted and gifted with eigaret by strolling seaman and sequence finaled with closeup of soldiers hand with smoke curling from eigaret. Final plug had Waring asking for Chesterfields at cigar counter after which femme clerk held aloft carton of the smokes with offstage voice giving with the sales chatter. Effective selling but not marked by any extremes of originality which, perhaps, was not being sought. Decision on tele repeat for Waring and crew is still pending but judging from first shot, his show and ideas of presenting It deserve encores soon and often. Tele, right now, needs more hypos such as it received last week. Donn. (Variety, Jan. 26)

Thursday, January 20; Friday, January 21
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 to 10:00 p.m. Films.

Winner of the Distinguished Flying Cross, Lieut. William E. Shomaker, army pilot who returned to this country after the completion of 50 bombing missions in the Mediterranean war theater, visited Schenectady Friday [21] to talk in the aeronautics and marine engineering division at General Electric about the action of U.S. planes in actual combat duty. Lieutenant Shomaker also visited the Red Cross blood donor center on Washington avenue, the first he had seen, participated in a broadcast on the G.E. FM station, WGFM, on which he was interviewed by Moorhead Wright Jr. of the aeronautics and marine division at G.E., and appeared before the G.E. television cameras at WRGB (Schenectady Gazette, Jan. 25)

Andy Ponzi of Philadelphia, the world's pocket billiard champion, gave an interesting exhibition last night [21] before a packed studio at General Electric's television station WRGB.
Preceding the exhibition, Ponzi was interviewed by Miss Helen Rhodes of the WRGB staff and during the questioning Andy brought out that he has been playing the game 25 years and in that time estimated that he has played about 28,000 hours.
Ponzi, several times holder of the world’s cue title, said that his most exciting match came a few years ago in a championship tournament when he set a new high-run record. Ponzi said he was concentrating so much on winning the match that he had forgotten about the number of balls he had run and didn't know he had set a record until told the number he had pocketed.
Ponzi explained the various fundamentals of pocket billiards, telling and showing the audience the correct position of the table, proper grip of the cue, etc. Following this brief mass instruction, the wizard of the green cloth ran off a couple of racks and then staged some fascinating trick and fancy shots that brought frequent applause from the spectators.
It was the first time a pocket billiards player had ever performed before the television cameras and it proved a great hit, both with the studio audience and those seeing it screened on the sets in other parts of the building. (Schenectady Gazette, Jan. 22)

Saturday, January 22
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 p.m. Film: “Hindu Holiday.”
8:10 “Angles of Angling.”
8:19 “Alexis Tremblay, Habintat.”
9:00 Film Feature: “Orphan of the Pecos,” with Tom Tyler (Victory, 1937). [Opening music is "In the Stirrups" by J.S. Zamecnik, familiar from Warners cartoons.]

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 22.—WPTZ, Philco's television station here, from the start pioneering in the field of remote pick-ups, has concluded plans to pick up the Friday night wrestling matches from the in-town Philadelphia arena. Remotes will start January 28, and according to Paul Knight, WPTZ program director, it is hoped to be able to pick up other events at the arena later in the season on other nights when boxing and other sporting events get going. In addition the Philco tele station also hopes to scan circus, rodeos and ice shows.
Arena remotes will find WPTZ employing still another pick-up technique, considered satisfactory for short distances. Calls for a combination of radio to transmit the picture images and regular telephone lines to carry the sound.
With the arena pick-ups, Knight has revised WPTZ's program schedule. With the Friday nights devoted to the arena events, showings of motion pictures will be concentrated on Wednesdays—making that day Movie Night. (Billboard, Jan. 29)

Sunday, January 23
W2XWV Channel 4
8:15 p.m. Doug Allan’s “Thrills and Chills.”
8:45 Treasury Dept’s “All Nations Telecast.”
9:15 Film: “Bowling Skill”.
9:25 Bureau of Missing Persons.
9:35 Preview of “Theatre House” serial.

The United States Treasury Department will employ television as a means of exploiting the Fourth War Loan campaign tonight when a half-hour telecast, starring Elsa Maxwell, famous socialite, columnist and lecturer, is presented on the Du Mont station, W2XWV, Channel No. 4, at 8:45 o’clock.
The program is being produced and directed by Will Baltin, program manager of the station and motion picture editor of The Sunday Times. Stars to be heard include Igor Gorin, noted Russian baritone; Zinka Milanov, Metropolitan Opera star; Ilse Bois, French pantomimist, now appearing at the Ruban Blue in New York; Gertrude Ng, Chinese sword dancer; the famous Yugoslav United Chorus and others. Arrangements for the telecast were made with the foreign origin section of the Treasury Department’s War Finance Committee. Approximately 50,000 people in New York, New Jersey and sections of Connecticut and Pennsylvania will watch the parade of stars as they appear on the “All-Nations Telecast.”
Miss Maxwell will serve as master of ceremonies and will interview the guests. She will also deliver a talk on the Fourth War Loan and urge support of the $14,000,000,000 national drive.
In addition to the Treasury show, the New York City Police Department’s Bureau of Missing Persons will present its regular bi-weekly series of missing persons telecasts and Doug Allan will bring before the cameras at 8:15 o’clock a noted explorer, who will show films of his travels to the jungles of Africa. (Home News, Jan. 23).

NBC’s plans for televising fights from Madison Square Garden apparently hit a snag again. It is understood the sponsor of the fights over Mutual objected to NBC’s participation, having purchased exclusive radio rights to the events. (Jack Gould, New York Times, Jan. 23).

Monday, January 24
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 Film: “War on the Seas.”
8:40 Feature Film: “I am a Criminal” with Kay Linaker and John Carroll.
9:00 Televues: “Air for the G String.”

AS AN EXPERIMENT, a program based around the reading of comics was tried over the G.E. television station WRGB. Gene Graves was reading the funnies and to provide atmosphere a boy and a girl, each about five, sat on either side of him. He came to the point where Dagwood remained out until the wee hours of the morning and Blondie was shown waiting up for him by the front door, anger flashing in her eyes. At that point the little girl piped up: "That's nothing. My Daddy stayed out all night the other night." (Schenectady Gazette, Jan. 24)

Tuesday, January 25
W2XWV Channel 4
8:30 to 9:30 p.m. “WOR Television Party.”
DuMont-WOR Television
Reviewed Tuesday, 8:15-9:15 p.m. Style—Variety. Sustaining on W2XWV (New York).
After three tries on the DuMont station, WOR has not yet approached the program caliber achieved by agency groups who share the production burden on the station's Wednesday night shows. Format remains unchanged; the WOR Television Party idea continues with no improvement in presentation or talent.
From Producer Keith Thompson, of WOR'S program department, to Emsee Edward Brainard and student singers and actresses, it's a tyro tele troupe. WOR technicians manning cameras, lights and controls still have to master basic tele fundamentals.
Direction is slipshod. Occasionally a figure streaks across the screen between the audience and the show's participants. Brainard Is unable to hold either the watcher's attention or his flutterby crew together.
Program design might be made to function with imaginative scripting, a more experienced, personable emsee and entertainers of some professional proficiency, aided by technicians able to follow the blueprint of a producer conversant with the medium's abc's.
One glaring example of the show's lack of tele-tech is Brainard's reading of a newscast. Rank amateurs know that television's first don't is reading. It just won't work as it does in radio. The error is repeated by others in the cast who evidently refuse to believe that this radio routine is a tele inexcusable. Unfortunate attempt to show cast's reaction to war news resulted in garbled, indistinguishable chatter.
Tonight's program (25) introduced commercial product mention by the simple and ineffectual device of playing a parlor game. Blindfolded girls stepped gingerly between Coca-Cola bottles spaced at intervals on the floor. A carton of Chesterfields served as prize for the winner; no plugs were inserted; merely the smoke's name.
The WOR group might very well whip up some visual entertainment by carefully studying and sidestepping mistakes made by others in the tele field and by experimenting with new ideas. Now while the medium's program development is still adolescent, it is only by tedious trial and error that a workable entertainment formula will evolve. Wanda Marvin. (Billboard, Feb. 2)

Wednesday, January 26
W2XWV Channel 4
8:15 p.m. Glorianne Lehr, fashions.
8:30 Film shorts.
9:00 “Face of the War.”
9:30 Movie miniatures.
9:45 Hobby Hall of Fame.
10:00 Film short.
10:15 Studio Varieties.

Thursday, January 27
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 p.m. “Prelude to War.”
9:00 “The Nazis Strike.”

Friday, January 28
WNBT Channel 1
8:30 p.m. Boxing from Madison Square Garden: Beau Jack vs. Sammy Angott, sponsored by Gillette.
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 p.m. Film Feature: “Trigger Pals” (Grand National, 1939).
9:10 “The Flaming Signal.”

Saturday, January 29

WNBT Channel 1
7:00-7:15 p.m. Film: “Launching of the U.S.S. Missouri,” relayed to WRGB.
SCHENECTADY (AP)—General Electric workers who built the propulsion units and other electrical apparatus for the U.S.S. Missouri, the world’s most formidable battleship, will witness its launching Saturday—via television.
Receiving sets are being installed throughout the plant to receive the relayed telecast from Brooklyn Navy Yard.

Sunday, January 30
W2XWV Channel 4
8:15 p.m. “Television Canteen.”
8:45 Film: “Oil is Blood.”
8:55 Vieda Carran, songs.
9:00 Forum: The Polish Crisis.
9:30 Film Cartoon: “Oom Pah Pah” (Van Beuren, 1930).
9:40 Serial Play: Theatre House
10:00 Charlie Taylor’s Television Auditions.
"TELEVISION CANTEEN"
With Bernie West, Tony Manino, Jane Martin. Blanche Fellows, Lou Kleinman, J. Anthony Lapenna, Hannah Carroll, Madeline Lee & Bill Corf, Jane Blair, Del Hughes, Emily Remmson, Rose Bartholomew, Lorraine, Norma Ferris
Producers: Ernie Glucksman, Bud Gamble, Jay Strong
60 Mins.; Sun., 8:15-9:15 p.m.
Sustaining
Dumont—W2XWV, Channel IV
Production, while not measuring up to usual standards, adds up to a diverting session, aided by several strong individual bits, although majority of the talent still needs professional polish. Session indicates that producers still haven't found a clicko video formula and are still groping for surefire stuff.
Instance of inability to set talent off properly major fault of the stanza, was had in the opening presentation of Lorraine, ballerina, who worked in front of a stationary camera and was hampered by inadequate stage space. Cameramen made the mistake of using early portion of her terp turn on a closeup of her upper torso in a type of routine where footwork is of the essence.
In the opening series, titled 'Sketch Book.' there was some unusual production wherein pages of song-sheets introed the performers, among them Norma Ferris, juve girl violinist, who nervously ran through Kreisler’s ‘Tambourin Chinois.’ Emily Remmson, a televisionable miss, gave out with 'Sweethearts' in passable manner, displaying weakness in the upper registers. Rose Bartholomew took the spot in a Hawaiian dance for an okay impression.
Attempts at drama and gab were not the forte part of the program. Jay Strong directed an amateurish two-people melodrama 'The Pearls' with Jane Blair and Del Hughes in which performances and direction were not up to par. Unskilled use of the camera didn't help matters here either, and was reminiscent of the early days of the talking films when Hollywood hadn't found the proper metier for the added dimension of sound.
The last sequence, produced by Ernie Glucksman added up to a highly satisfactory panel, because of the inclusion of a steady flow of musical talent. Although tied together by a weak book, session had some diverting individual bits. Scoring best was Bernie West, in a series of impressions that have done him well in niteries and vaude. His Mr. Anthony satire and rendition of 'Invitation to a Dance' were productive of chuckles. Blanche Fellows also impressed with good material, strong spot being a satire of the 'Rinso-White' transcription.
There were other bits here, notably a meaningless jitterbug routine by Madeline Lee and Bill Corf, who were again hampered by inadequate dance space, and Lou Kleinmann, accordionist, who gave out with ‘Beer Barrel Polka.’ Curtain closer was Jane Martin's warbling of "Summertime." Good.
Jose. (Variety, Feb. 2)

Department of Television
(1) Difficulties between NBC and the Gillette Safety Razor Company over the televising of fights from Madison Square Garden have been settled. Gillette, which already offers the fights over Mutual, also have agreed to sponsor the NBC television version. The arrangement sets a precedent for sports in that it is the first formal acknowledgment that purchase of “radio rights” does not include “television rights.”
Incidentally, receiving both the “radio” and “television” versions of a fight at the same time offers some interesting contrasts. By comparison with the picture program, the “radio” account lags appreciably behind the actual punches. Even more important, however, is that with television only a minimum of chatter by the announcer is necessary. The “personality” sports announcers of radio apparently are headed for the dire day when the listener himself will be able to prove for a change that the flow of words is milarky.
(2) An era, or something, opens tonight when television’s first serial makes its bow at 9:40 P.M. over W2XWV (Channel 4). Jay Strong and Will Baltin are the authors of the script, which deals with performers in search of success. “Theatre House” is the title and the cast includes Jean Lewis, Loretta Schere, Marian Gardner, Toni Darney, John Kullers and Milton Stewart. The series is scheduled for thirteen weeks. (Jack Gould, New York Times, Jan. 30)

A piano trio composed of Phyllis Pearson, Joan Stewart and Betty Ann Harrison will play "Hungarian Dance No. 6" by Brahms tomorrow night [30] at 8 o'clock over WRGB, the General Electric television station. (Schenectady Gazette, Jan. 29)

Monday, January 31
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 p.m. Films: Train Busters; Pencil Mania (Van Beuren, 1930); Circus Winter Quarters; Venice of the North (Van Beuren "World on Parade," 1936); Wrestling, Weider vs. McGuirk.
8:45 Feature Film: “Secret Valley,” with Richard Arlen, Virginia Grey, Russell Hicks (20th Century Fox, 1937).
9:35 Televues: “Dance of the Hours.”