The name John Reed King is pretty much forgotten today but he had one of the first hits on CBS television when its sole station—WCBW in New York—resumed live programming in mid-1944.
King hosted an audience participation show on radio with a title that likely wouldn’t fly today—“The Missus Goes A-Shopping.” Into the 1950s programmers, and certainly critics, felt television couldn’t be static; it had to show people doing something other than standing or sitting. Audience participation shows certainly filled the bill. CBS simply took King’s radio show and put it on TV. And it stayed there for a number of years.
August 1944 marked another CBS television highlight—an interview with a Merchant Mariner who owned a guitar inscribed with the words “This Machine Kills Fascists.” This must have been Woody Guthrie’s first appearance on television. There was a no-show on the same broadcast. A round-table discussion was abruptly cancelled when all the panellists decided they didn’t want their views known publicly, and bailed.
One of the shows on DuMont’s WABD was “Star Dust.” You might think it got its name because it broadcast a silky smooth songstress who filled the air with Hoagy Carmichael’s immortal song and similar ballads. Nah. It was named after a brand of underwear.
Meanwhile, in Chicago, a guest on a quiz show was the most famous clown of the 20th Century, Emmett Kelly. Incidentally, most of the staff at WBKB at the time were women. That began changing in 1945 when they started quitting for better jobs in the industry.
Reviews and other stories are found below. We’ve also posted a list of TV stations of the day. It’s a little complicated because Don Lee in Los Angeles was not operating under a commercial license yet and the Zenith station in Chicago, which was on the air sporadically, never did broadcast commercially and finally shut down. Meanwhile, the Paramount station in Los Angeles was on the air. The William B. Still station in New York has a fascinating history. The owner was a black man who transmitted occasional shows from his radio shop in Queens. It was never mentioned in any newspaper TV listings and it’s unclear when he decided to stop broadcasting.
Tuesday, August 1
WABD Channel 4
8:15 to 9:15 p.m. “WOR Video Varieties” with Bob Emery.
A WAC television show has gotten the second highest "audience approval" rating in the 10-year history of GE's WRGB, Schenectady, Army Public Relations has revealed. Show, televised April 30 last, got a rating of 2.87 out of 3.00, second only to a New York production of Gilbert & Sullivan's "Iolanthe," which went video several years ago. (Variety, Aug. 2)
William B. Still, trading as the Jamaica Radio-Television Co., Jamaica, Long Island, N. Y., was granted a construction permit [on Aug. 1 by the FCC] for a new experimental television station on Channel 13 with power of 400 w visual and 100 w aural. Gus Zaharis, South Charleston, W. Va., also was granted a construction permit [on Aug. 1] for a new experimental television station on Channel 1, with power of 200 w visual and 110 w aural. (Broadcasting, Aug. 7)
Wednesday, August 2WABD Channel 4
8:15 p.m. “Televisual Specialities.”
8:45 Film: “Dates and Nuts” (Educational, 1937).
9:00 Variety
9:30 Film: “Target Berlin” (NFB Canada, 1944)
9:45 “Today’s Fashions.”
DuMont Television
Reviewed Wednesday (2) 8:15-10:45 p.m. Style—Variety, fashion show. Sustaining on WABD (New York).
Last Wednesday DuMont tried to put on three major shows within two and a half hours. Considering the limitations of its studio, it's a wonder that they came off at all. Surprisingly enough, all three were quite good.
The evening's piece-de-resistance was a fashion show sponsored by Aldens, a Chicago mail-order house. Buchanan, agency handling the show, put the thing across nicely. Once the static screen and the spotty volume that are part of every DuMont show are discontinued, and once the comparative inexperience of some of the personnel is taken into consideration, it can be said that the presentation was good commercial video as well as adequate entertainment. Even tho the lighting was, in many shots, little better than kerosene lamps and, the camera handling was as uninspired as WOR-DuMont shows (today's low standard), it was still capable of selling Aldens' clothes.
The announced theme of the show, a "behind-the-scenes" story of the making of the company's mail-order catalog, wasn't followed thru when the program went off into a puppet show and a short dramatic playlet, but both were tied up with the sponsor's products and both were fun.
Emsee Jerry Lawrence, WMCA disk jockey, is telegenic, poised and intelligent, but he suffered from the old DuMont problem—equipment. What must have seemed to the home viewer as poor cuing, cuing that had Lawrence standing before a camera staring blankly until he realized that he was on the air, was caused by a blown pilot light on one of the cameras. That was also the reason for a blank screen between camera changes.
Nevertheless, all credit to Producer-Director Dick Hubbell; Alan Hahn, his assistant; Patti Sears, the script editor, and to Jerry Lawrence for a good show under trying conditions.
Storms Agency, for Park & Tilford, presented a condensed version of its Television Follies of 1944. It was not exactly a musical but a series of nearly unrelated variety acts none of them too good. It looked lavish but suffered from some of the vilest gags that have ever insulted a video audience. Otherwise, it was a well-done job with the usual camera, mike and light sluggishness. Someone should tell Ray Nelson that even tho Conover Girls are pretty, they can't dance.
Lever Bros.' Time was more sprightly than this department has ever seen it. Pat Murray, Roberta Hollywood and singer Jerry Wayne all acted and ad-libbed competently, and a quick sketch artist did some backgrounds, which, while not inspired, fitted in well with the routines. It wasn't great stuff but it was an evening's entertainment, which is a lot more than many telecasts are at this time. Marty Schrader. (Billboard, Aug. 12)
"FASHION TELECAST"
With Lee Clarkson, Bert Pagano, Henry Bluestone, Jerry Lawrence, Norma Gene Marshall, Virginia Smith, Michael Edwards, Conover Cover Girls (9).
Producers: Richard Hubbell, Alan Hahn, A. P. Clarkson.
30 Mins., Wednesday, 10 p.m.
ALDENS CHICAGO MAIL ORDER CO.
WABD-DuMont, New York
(Buchanan)
That television isn't ready yet as a medium for selling fashions was demonstrated Wednesday (2) night when an attempt was made to bring the Alden Co.'s mail order catalog to life. Presentation, first in a series of three, was hampered from the beginning by belief that it's necessary to sugar coat a fashion show with bits of entertainment in order to make it palatable. Stanza's producers might have taken a tip from the success of the annual Israel Orphan Asylum benefits and the newsreels in putting over the latest fashions by serving it up unadulterated. A little entertainment before and after the style parade might help to set the stage and ring down the curtain but injection of a male singer, Michael Edwards, into the scene willy-nilly added nothing, interpolation of puppet sequences, while not having the same effect on the audience's humor, nevertheless had very little to do with presenting fashions. However, Bunin's puppets were by themselves good entertainment and show a good deal of promise if used properly.
Airer also suffered technically. with the greater percentage of shots being long-distance and therefore not allowing very much detail. In a fashion pitch, where specific details of each garment are important the washed-out effect of long shots does not help to give a clear picture of what models are wearing. That's fatal, particularly when you're trying to sell those garments. Best approach to the fashion medium on his show was a short dramatic sketch in which two gals, sitting in a hotel lobby, discuss the clothes worn by passing femmes.
Emcee chore on the session was weakly handled by Jerry Lawrence who might have been more familiar with his material before going on. He stumbled badly at times, even introducing the wrong model at one time. Remainder of the cast was badly used with even the Conover Girls not showing to advantage due to a silliness which may have been induced by their awe of the tele medium. The medium itself, in spite of its manhandling, should provide an effective vehicle for garment merchandising when long-distance shots can be cleared up and accurate focus on closeups becomes possible. Turo. (Variety, Aug. 9)
NEW YORK, July 29.—The wind-up of the three television fashion shows being presented by Airless' Chicago Mail Order Company over WABD, August 2, 9 and 16, will be marked by the selection of "Miss Television of 1945." Nine Conover models, selected from out of 300, are finalists. The winner will be picked by a panel of three judges, Arthur William Brown, president of the Society of Illustrators; Russell Patterson and Anton Bruehl.
Aldens' Chicago Mail Order Company is said to be spending approximately $15,000 on the series of television shows which marks a new high for tele dough. (Billboard, Aug. 5)
Thursday, August 3
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 p.m. News, Everett Holles.
8:15 Balleretta
8:30 “Showcase.”
8:45 Motion Picture
9:15 “Missus Goes a Shopping.” (debut)
9:45 Vera Massey, songs.
CBS Television
Reviewed Thursday [3], 8-10 p.m. Style—Variety, Sustaining on WCBW, New York.
If radio people are to become the leaders in post-war video, they are bound to incorporate in it radio techniques, ideas and formats. Whether or not a standard radio show has any place in the medium, plus the problem of daytime scanning, have been, until now, moot questions. CBS gave a partial answer Thursday night. That answer was the telecast of the Missus Goes A-Shopping.
Missus is a lively, ad-lib early morning quiz-gag show, emceed by John Reed King. It is clever audio entertainment. In video, it is commercially sound, rib-tickling daytime tele. The entire radio show, with no special tailoring, was put before the cameras. Only addition was a store counter and a few props. A normal audience was put into the screen along with King and his assistants. Gag questions, some visual, some strictly audible, were the base on which it lot of corny but funny cracks and actions were built. With eyes closed, it was entertaining, with eyes open, it was even so. But the importance of The Missus experiment lies in the first fact, not the second.
(1). The woman who is busy with her housework can look in occasionally and still hear a good show when her eyes are elsewhere. That's tremendously important.
(2). It is pure radio, but it's also good video. That, too, is important, particularly in the face of recent blasts by film people who say that tele will be their baby, not radio's. No matter who has the most money to spend, the gravy will go to the industry that has the entertainment. And if Thursday's show is any indication, radio is in there with the stuff.
The second preem over CBS was something called See Yourself As Others See You. In direct contrast to the Missus, this program was purely visual. There was little audio interest. General format is the before and after gimmick, this time applied to an over-dressed woman. Show opened with a "reporter" interviewing Rose Mary Bourdellon, beauty consultant. After three or four minutes of explanation, a "client," good looking but badly dressed and groomed, was brought in, and Misa Bourdellion gave her a going over. Despite bad timing that caused a very hurried last four minutes, it was interesting to both sexes, end handled cleverly and with enough showmanship to make it entertainment, too.
The commercial possibilities of this show are limitless. Cosmetics, clothing, girdles (et al) and beauty aides of all sorts can be plugged with endless variation.
Ev Hollis was on hand with his tele-cast, Vera Massey was up to her usual high standards, and two Canadian war film provided the seventh-inning tele stretch. M. S. (Billboard, Aug. 12)
“MISSUS-GOES-A-SHOPPING"
With John Reed King, Paul Mowry, Guests
Producer: Paul Mowry
Director: Worthington Miner
Writer: John Reed King
30 Mins., Thurs., 9:15 p.m.
Sustaining
WCBW-CBS, New York
Television during the past few months, like the Allied armies fighting in Europe, has gone a long way toward achieving its objective. Widening of the scope of video cameras, clearing up blurred imaging, and great strides toward the improvement of the technique of production have combined toward making this medium the one “most likely to succeed” in the postwar.
This was brought out definitely last Thursday (3) night when CBS staged the first of what is slated to be a long series of video shows transposed and produced from that network's regular radio programs.
Stanza, “Missus-Goes-a-Shopping,” is especially adapatable and suitable for televising because it is an audience participation program, with many stunts and gimmicks that add up to topflight enjoyment when seen, as well as heard.
Job done by Worthington Miner, who directed, must come in for the highest commendation. He kept those taking part in the program and the audience background in excellent focus practically all through the program. The technical crew kept its ringers on the pulse at all times, result of plenty of pre-broadcast rehearsals and run throughs.
Going on from here, television is not only "here to stay," but commercially has removed all doubts as to its postwar future. The boys proved it Thursday night. Sten. (Variety, Aug. 9)
B&K Television
Reviewed Thursday (3), 7:30-9 p.m. Style—Variety. Sustaining on WBKB (Chicago).
Except for the work of Ann Hunter, beautiful commentator who always comes up with new ideas, and the few good points in the offerings of other talent, tonight's program at WBKB was a definite television flop. And that's taking into consideration the studio space and equipment limitations of the medium today.
Might as well talk about the poor part of the show first and get it out in the open where its odor will have a chance to dissipate with airing. By far the least entertaining part of tonight's bill was the singing (at least that's what they call it) of a barber shop quartet, the Misfits. This could have been good television if the boys had done a little burlesquing and made fun of the barber shop style. But they played it straight, taking their work very seriously. Evidently the girls operating the cameras didn't consider the Misfits' work worthy of the small attention it would have required to keep them in focus. Sometimes the end men, during what were intended to be group shots, were half way out of the picture.
Another bit of unadulterated boredom was an interview of Forrest Orr, featured actor in Goose for the Gander. Orr has been in the theater for over 40 years. During the interview he tried to describe his career month by month and would have done it if Fran Harris had not cleverly stopped his egotistical monologue and made him talk about some of the great names of the theater he had known.
The interview was so dull the audience's attention unconsciously drifted to the setting and background. A simulated parlor, it was home-like, informal and well lighted, the only redeeming part of this show.
June Merrill had the essence of a good idea in the quiz program she presented with the co-operation of John Stebbens, a team of sailors and a team of telegenic girls. But because she has been ill and because she has programs at two radio stations in town, she has very little time for rehearsal. The results showed it. In the future, when she has more time for preparation she should have commercial possibilities. Such old but comical stuff as having a boy and girl start chewing opposite ends of a string to reach a marshmallow on the center of the string is good television material when the cameras pan in for close-ups. The confusion during the quiz, which incidentally was 35 minutes—at least 15 minutes too long, will be absent when June can give her work more preparation. Then there will be cues, lines written and memorized in advance by June and Stebbins, and instructions given to the participants.
Ann Hunter followed the Misfits. What a contrast! Because of the present heat wave, Ann's ideas tonight had especial appeal. Ann deserves a round of applause because she planned her part of tonight's program with the purpose of doing something partially hinged on the heat wave. She explained how the natives of Tahiti, where she has spent a number of years, make an icebox with a wooden box, a tin can, some sand and stones. She explained how the same natives make a cooling fruit salad and get refreshingly cool milk from coconuts. She even demonstrated how the island Dorothy Lamours make a sarong. This part of the program, at least for the men, was not too cooling.
The secret of Ann's success, in addition to her telegenic figure and face, is her informality. She makes such perfectly normal remarks as "darn it, I got lipstick on my teeth," and she wins television friends who see her as a friendly woman, "Just like Mabel, who lives next door."
Studio lighting during Ann's work was not good because no white cloth or blotter was placed on the table behind which she sat, to reflect light upward onto her. There was electronic "spiking" and the waistline of her black dress looked like a light grey. Even one baby spot on that part of her dress would have helped.
WBKB will have to find a way to keep their audience's attention during the time sets are being changed. At present they show patriotic slides—sometimes one slide for more than five minutes. Many a viewer, bored with seeing only a slide, undoubtedly turns off his receiver during their programs and doesn't turn it back on. A short film, as bad as they are for television today, undoubtedly could be used instead of the slides, and with much more interest-holding results. Cy Wagner. (Billboard, Aug. 12)
NEW YORK, Aug. 5.—Little tricks with water, little strands of string make the toughest tele trials melt like ice in spring.
Sounds silly, but believe it or not, a six-inch piece of twine plays an important role in telecasts at WRGB, Schenectady television station. The dangling string is attached to the boom mike and warns the technical director that the mike is near camera range, but doesn't show up in the pic.
The problem of how to make the station puppet, Montana Slim, appear convincing when he sings sentimental songs and weeps, was overcome by the simple device of pumping milk thru his tear ducts. Plain water was found useless since it doesn't register on the tele screen. (Billboard, Aug. 12)
Friday, August 4
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 p.m. News Reports.
8:15 “Opinion on Trial.”
9:00 Film Short.
9:15 “They Were There,” interviews.
9:30 Variety Show.
Saturday, August 5
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 p.m. Film: “City of Missing Girls” with Astrid Allwyn, Patricia Knox, H.B. Warner (Select, 1941).
9:17 Film: Short Subjects.
Sunday, August 6
WABD Channel 4
8:15 p.m. Video Vistas.
8:45 Film: “Slacks Appeal” (Educational, 1937).
9:00 Television Workshop
9:30 Film.
9:45 Missing Persons Report. 9:50 “Thrills and Chills” with Doug Allan.
Monday, August 7WNBT Channel 1
7:30 p.m. Test Pattern.
8:00 Film: “The War as It Happens.” 8:20 Feature Film: “I Killed That Man” with Joan Woodbury, Ricardo Cortez and Iris Adrian. (Monogram, 1941).
9:30 Televues: “Liebestraum
9:40 Film: “Trailing the Incas” (Central Films, 1941).
Tuesday, August 8
WABD Channel 4
8:15 to 9:15 p.m. “WOR Video Varieties” with Bob Emery.
DuMont Television
Reviewed Tuesday (8), 8:15-9:30 p.m. Style—Variety, fashion show and drama. Sustaining on WABD (New York).
This session began with the WOR Video Varieties, of which the chief variety was the singing Sinclair Triplets, along with a display of women's hats. The fashion angle was one of the WOR-styled How To Do It series, and reaction to that part of presentation was that "They shouldna' done it."
The supposed piece-de-resistance of the evening, a Betty (Tree Grows in Brooklyn) Smith-written drama, was disappointing in its content, altho technically and scenically the production, directed by Harvey Marlowe, wasn't bad. Aside from technical errors, the acting at times was a bit hammy, a throwback to the old mellerdrama days, tho we have seen other video that was worse.
The lighting at the introduction of characters was poor, but aside from that and a few spotty camera changes it wasn't bad. The mike slipped into view on a couple of occasions also, and the voice pick-up was none too clear at times. On the whole it was a slight improvement over past performances. Jim Whitfield (Billboard, Aug. 19)
Wednesday, August 9
WABD Channel 4
8:15 p.m. “Televisual Specialities.”
8:45 Film.
9:00 Variety Show.
9:30 Film.
9:45 “Today’s Fashions.”
DuMont Television
Reviewed Wednesday (9), 8:15-11 p.m. Style—Variety. Sustaining on WABD, New York.
Wednesday (9) was the first look this department has had at the Storm's Television University, and, it is hoped, the last. It is one thing to present an educational show that bores the viewer (radio does it all the time but those shows, at least, are educational); it is another to put on a program that has neither education nor entertainment.
First segment of the show was an alleged mathematics lesson. What came out was a series of tricks with numbers that were old and silly. The moth-eaten "magic square" formula, for instance, is old hat. Not only has it been done before, but it makes terribly repetitious scanning. The same goes for talks on how to add numbers with ease.
However, the material is only part of the story. The other is the production. The sight of a learned professor giving a lecture while illustrating his points with what were, after all, only blackboard scribblings put on a sheet of paper is the most efficient sleep-producer known to mankind. Ask any college undergraduate. And, talking of paper, practically anything can and has been stomached in video, but this reviewer draws the line when someone starts to crumple nice stiff sheets of it under a mike. It sounds like the crack of doom with invasion sound effects.
Just for the record, the camera handling was as bad as ever.
Buchanan Agency's second show for Alden's Chicago mail-order house was routine stuff. Altho it looked like a good try, the idea missed fire. Instead of using a live emsee, the central character of the Buren puppet troupe did the intro job, The Benin puppets are a clever, entertaining act, but, like most novelty routines, the fun wears off after the first five minutes. After that, boredom sets in, and it did Wednesday.
A sincere attempt was made to integrate time types of shows, variety, "drama" and straight fashion parade, and it came off pretty well, even if a song popping out of the mouth of one of the models without the slightest provocation was a bit of a shock. The best that can be said for the Buchanan presentation is that if they continue to experiment, they're bound to hit on a workable formula. It isn't there yet but they are trying. It might be wise to take a tip from Hollywood, where, without an ax to grind, the fashion pace is set. Pix method is simple, the star of the film wears stunning clothes and lets the public drool. The same technique might be followed here if an announcement following a play is made, saying that the styles worn during the show may be found in the Alden's catalog.
Lever Bros. Time seemed to be suffering from the heat, so they put on a film and a commercial and let Pat Murray become an announcer. Marty Schrader. (Billboard, Aug.19)
Getting a camel through the eye of a needle is a cinch compared to gaining entrance to NBC's television studio on the third floor of the net's N. Y. headquarters lately. Instructions recently issued put the “no admittance” curb even on NBC employees, with outsiders being barred even it armed with such credentials as a letter from J. Edgar Hoover or even an old Willkie button or two.
It's not that such earth-shaking developments are taking place in the tele studio. What happened is that recently a web exec, dashing in on business, stuck his noggin right in front of the camera while an experimental show was being aired. It didn't make for good programming and tele topper doesn't warn another such interruption, at least hot until tele is firmly established and can staud such an impromptu laugh situash. (Variety, Aug. 9)
Thursday, August 10
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 p.m. News, Everett Holles.
8:15 Una Mae Carlisle and others.
8:30 “Margaret Arlen Entertains.”
8:45 Motion Picture
9:15 “Missus Goes a Shopping.”
9:45 Vera Massey, songs.
CBS Television
Reviewed Thursday [10], 8-10 p.m. Style—Variety and film. Sustaining on WCBW, New York.
In advocating intensification of experimentation to bring tele programs to the standard attained by radio, it is always pointed out that until shows of real entertainment value are possible, the public won't buy video sets. CBS, surprisingly enough, with no stake in the manufacturing or distribution of tele receivers, is doing a splendid job in hastening tele's general acceptance.
Tonight's 90-minute program, divided into five segs, was for the most part highly entertaining, technically smooth, and varied enough to hold the interest of a wide audience. Thirty minutes of poor pix served as intermission fare, giving watchers a chance to stretch their legs, mix a drink and check on the sleeping youngsters. It is indeed unfortunate that the pic industry refuses to release its good films to tele and that the baby biz must be content with American and British documentary-type pictures that are usually far below Hollywood's output.
Everett Holles continues to give a zestful news coverage and analysis, despite his reading script into a table mike. Credit goes to Rudy Bretz, of the studio, for evolving a simple and effective way of moving ships, planes, pointers, etc., across the illuminated snaps to illustrate and intensify Holles's commentary. Two technicians were handling the little cardboard figures tonight, closely following directors indicated on the news- caster's script. In the studio they were tense and somewhat nervous, but their work came thru the screen flawlessly.
Leo Hurwitz directed the news show and the Una Mae Carlisle slot. Both were fine directional jobs. In an earlier appearance of the group some weeks ago, it was pointed out by The Billboard that the mike was too near the piano.
On tonight's show the piano was not predominant. Instead it served its purpose of backgrounding Miss Carlisle's warbling, and it was perfectly modulated to accompany the Southern Sons quartet and dancer Ray Sneed Jr. Miss Carlisle has a lovely personality and handles announcements well. It is a good program and shows adequate rehearsal.
Tony Miner took over to direct CBS Showcase, The Missus Goes A-Shopping, and Will You Remember? Margaret Arlen, who has a program on WABC, brought Meredith Blake, Shep Fields's thrush, in for an interview. Both gals looked good and their conversation was smooth and unhurried, and didn't drag. Gimmick of an entertainer visiting in the home of Miss Arlen, the two discussing the guest's background and work is okay. Without a tight script, rehearsal and good direction it would have been an ordinary interview. Both gals have fine personalities and the easy manner in which Miss Arlen drew the singer into a couple of numbers is an example for other interviewers and emsees.
On one or two shots, Miss Arlen was a little out of focus, camera obviously being more interested in her guest. In handing a cup of tea to Miss Blake, the hostess's hand shook, sending the liquid dangerously near the spilling point. Action was only indication of nervousness. Couldn't a cup be painted inside or some solid matter placed in it for such instances?
The Missus, with John Reed King as jovial emsee, maintains the tele pace set in its initial appearance recently. Seg was thoroly reviewed in The Billboard August 12, and little more amplification is necessary since format and participants are unchanged. Tonight the shoppers were pliable, all good sports and they contributed to a dandy show. Vera Massey in Will You Remember? communes with her soldier in song. Tonight she appeared awkward and without grace while walking from piano to chair. She failed to sustain the delicate, sentimental mood on which the seg’s success depends. Her singing was up to par, but she's been much better. It is possible that the format is wearing a little thin, both with Miss Massey and her audience. Wanda Marvin. (Billboard, Aug.19)
B. & K. Television
Reviewed Thursday (10), 7:30-8:30 p.m. Style—News and variety. Sustaining on WBKB (Chicago).
Only one of the acts originally scheduled for tonight's WBKB video show was able to appear on the actual telecast. Perhaps it was just as well that things turned out this way for the results were above the average of station's usual work.
Originally skedded to appear on the news portion of tonight's show was Robert Hurleigh, WBBM commentator, Hurleigh got last in the shuffle and at the last minute Ensign George Dean, former NBC newsman in the East, who is now attached to navy's radio school here, had to pinch hit. Dean was one of the best male commentators we have seen at WBKB in many a week. He knows what is news, but more important, he knows how to give news to a video audience He read very little. Most of the time he did a crisp, concise ad-lib job that went over well because he presented his thoughts in a style that was logical but conversational. Cameras had him in just the right angle and lights were handled so well there were no shadows too deep nor high lights too glaring.
Winnie Hoveler's gal dancers, who incidentally, were originally skedded for the show, were next on the bill. Miss Hoveler's line, which is now appearing in the Pan-American Room of the La Salle Hotel here, did a few military dance routines that lasted only about seven minutes. Too bad that this part of the show was that short, because the Hoveler dancers had plenty to offer as above average tele entertainment, A team of six, the Hoveler dancers, dressed in white and gold uniforms and carrying long, slashing swords, proved that in the future dance teams utilizing, as they did, precision steps and easily followed movements, will have a place in television programing. They are psychologically stimulating and give the viewer a feeling of exuberance which acts as a mental and physical pick-up.
Genevieve Wright tried to do a Cornelia Otis Skinner monolog impression of woman's wedding night conversation with her husband as she rides a train to her honeymoon site. Miss Wright just did not have the acting and writing ability that a successful monologist needs. Her impressions were seldom comical (as they should have been) and in the main, quite dull. The WBKB production staff did not do much to help Miss Wright's work, either. They used a gold colored curtain back drop and a wooden, straight-backed chair. It would have helped much if they had heightened the illusion of the scene by using a simulated train background anti by seating Miss Wright in a replica of a Pullman accommodation.
Lorraine Larson, WBKB staffer who is allowed to appear on the station's shows much too seldom, appeared in the closing act of tonight's program. She did a piano-singing impression of what she thought the singing commercials on future television shows might be. Her work proved that she had given much thought to her subject matter. She also proved that she has an active, caustic but humorous imagination. Her singing and piano playing was as unforced as the movement of tide water. One member of the audience, an experienced, blase Washington correspondent for one of Chicago's largest newspapers, was bored with most of tonight's show, even tho he was witnessing his first television program. But after Miss Larson had finished he said: "Damn it, but that's good stuff." When you can get a dyed-in-the-wool newspaperman to admit that anything in radio or television is good, it's good. Cy Wagner. (Billboard, Aug.19)
Friday, August 11
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 p.m. News Reports.
8:15 “Opinion on Trial.”
9:00 Film Short.
9:15 Major George Fielding Eliot.
9:30 Variety Show.
"Opinions On Trial," weekly CBS tele feature, has spotted subject “Jazz Has a Demoralizing Effect on the Younger Generation” as subject for this week (11) verbal tussle over WCBW, N. Y. Greg Abbott, as usual, will occupy judge's chair.
Upholding the jive set will be an international board of ''experts," Leonard Feather, Esquire mag jazz scribbler and WMCA disc jockey, an Englishman: Harry Lim, the Java jive ptindit, and Teddy Wilson, Negro pianist-maestro formerly featured with Benny Goodman now on the Mildred Bailey CBS sustainer. George Malcolm Smith's their attorney.
Opposition includes Eugene O'Neill, Jr., asst. prof, of Greek at Yale as attorney with Leo Schrade, of the Yale music faculty, and Frances Roth, of WTIC, Hartford, among the witnesses. (Variety, Aug. 9)
Saturday, August 12
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 p.m. Film: “Love From a Stranger” with Basil Rathbone, Ann Harding (British-UA, 1937).
9:30 Film: Short Subjects.
HOLLYWOOD, Aug. 12.—First move on the part of cartoon makers to study the forthcoming television market is under way here, with announcement that Robert Clampett, director for Warner's cartoon division, will step into the Patrick Michael Canning video set-up. Clampett will retain his position with Warners, but will work with Cunning on ideas for slanting cartoons expressly for television. (Billboard, Aug. 19).
BOSTON, Aug. 12.—The entry of newspapers into radio continues. Last week Anthony & Sons, Inc., publishers of The New Bedford (Mass.) Standard-Times, filed application with FCC for authority to establish a new commercial television station in Providence, on channel No. 10.
The same company note operates WOCB, West Yarmouth, Mass., and WNBH, New Bedford, under the name of Standard Stations. Two weeks ago the group filed application to establish an F.M. station in Boston.
Hearst Radio has applied to the FCC for permission to erect a commercial video station in Baltimore, operating on Channel No. 6. This is the first tele application to be made by the Hearst interests. (Billboard, Aug. 19)
Sunday, August 13
WABD Channel 4
8:15 p.m. Video Vistas.
8:45 “Gilbert and Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore.”
9:30 Film: “Girl From Paradise” with Sylvia Froos (Educational, 1934).
9:45 Missing Persons Report.
9:50 “Thrills and Chills” with Doug Allan.
"H. M. S. PINAFORE"
With Ione Di Caron. Joseph De Stefano, James Gale, Robert Feyti, Josephine Lombardo, Charles Kingsley, Cecile Carat, Andrew Duvries and chorus of the Light Opera Theatre
Producers: Irwin Shayne, Tony Ferreira
Writers: John Grahame, Norman Rosen
50 Mins., Sunday, 8:15 p.m.
Sustaining
WABD, DuMont. New York
Gilbert & Sullivan's “Pinafore” was successfully transposed in a cut version to the television screen on Sunday (13) night by the Television Workshop with the cooperation of the Light Opera Theatre of the Provincetown Players. Performance was only so-so, with talent used not of the highest caliber, but as tele fare it showed a definite improvement over most of its predecessors in production and overall entertainment values. Although talent deficiencies made for uneven results, session was generally interesting and showed promise of what the medium will ultimately be able to do.
Minor technical improvements such as improved lighting of background and clearer cut treatment of group scenes would have rounded out the production. Then, too, focus in camera movement was uncertain at times, but current outdated cameras undoubtedly were a limiting factor. Opening credit flashes were handled in novel way, with model of sailing ship used as a spacer, but overlong exposure of the ship between credit listings dulled the effect.
Adaptation of the G&S opus was admirably handled by John Grahame and Norman Rosen, who managed to cram the action into 50 minutes without noticeably sacrificing any episodes in the Savoyard saga of the transcension of class lines. Turo. (Variety, Aug. 16)
Monday, August 14
WNBT Channel 1
7:30 p.m. Test Pattern.
8:00 Film: “The War as It Happens.” 8:20 Feature Film: “Western Mail” with Tom Keene. (Monogram, 1942).
9:15 Televues: “Wine, Women and Song”
9:25 Film: “Play Ball,” “Land of the Free.”
Tuesday, August 15
WABD Channel 4
8:15 to 9:15 p.m. “WOR Video Varieties” with Bob Emery.
Wednesday, August 16
WABD Channel 4
8:15 p.m. “Televisual Specialities.”
8:45 Film: “Tars and Stripes” with Buster Keaton (Educational, 1935).
9:00 Variety Show.
9:30 Film: “Wings of a Continent” (NFB Canada, 1941)
10:00 Fashion Show.
DuMont Television
Reviewed Wednesday (16), 8:15- 10:30. Style—Variety and film. Sustaining on WABD (New York).
The last of three half-hour shows sponsored by Alden's Chicago mail order company finished the series in less than a blaze of glory. Relieved only by the antics of the Bunin Puppets, two short vocal numbers and the speedy selection of Miss Television of 1945, 20 garments (suits, dresses and coats) were shown and described.
Actually the clothes made 29 appear ances, as some were repeated when nine Conover models vieing for tele honors took a second turn. This rapid-fire exploitation of the products may have pleased the sponsor, but it was sadly lacking in entertainment value. Radio learned a long time ago that straight selling has to be dressed in showmanlike Clothes. The public just won't take it straight.
Pat Geoghan, Conover model who won the tele title, was chosen by Arthur William Brown, prexy of the American Society of Illustrators; Anton Bruehl, photographer, and Russell Patterson, artist. The judges sat in the studio during the entire proceedings, making it impossible for them to view the contestants on the screen. The validity of their judgment must be questioned, as it is impossible to judge how a person televises by merely looking at them in the flesh. It is well known that the tele camera sometimes lies. It may make a plain face beautiful or rob a glamour girl of her gilt. On the credit side of the Alden show, produced by Buchanan Agency, is Leo Clarkson's patter as the pretties prance, Dick Hubbell's direction and Don Baker's organ accompaniment. How Hubbell crammed so much product exploitation into 30 minutes, whipped the models in and out of the crowded studio and still maintained a semblance of order is unknown.
Lever Bros. show, with Pat Murray, Roberta Hollywood, Jerry Wayne and Sam Cuff, was one of the company's better productions. Muffins made with Spry were mixed for the audience, plugs integrated painlessly into the script end the conversational and musical abilities of Murray, Hollywood and Wayne nicely presented. Cuff's war commentary could be improved if camera would show the newscaster in action once in a while. Tonight, Cuff's face was seen only briefly when he was introed. He didn't bow off.
Rhythm Round-Up, Charles M. Storm's musical, featured hillbilly talent. Emcee Seymour Penzner doubled in song; Chuck and Ella Storey yodeled to Chuck's guitar accompaniment; Ray Martell did impersonations; Tex Hobgood, with Virginia Smith as stooge, made with magic tricks and rung in Tintex commercials.
An effectively painted backdrop behind grouped entertainers helped sell the show.
Everyone turned in a good job. Tintex plugs sounded the only sour note. They are still too ack-ack in character and too lengthy.
Camera and lights operated exceptionally well thruout tonight's program. Buster Keaton in Tars and Stripes, a Canadian documentary, and Artie Shaw's Swing Crass were served as pic fare between the live shows. Wanda Marvin. (Billboard, Aug. 26)
Thursday, August 17
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 p.m. News, Everett Holles.
8:15 Balleretta: Singers and Dancers.
8:30 Combat Photgraphy.
8:45 Motion Picture
9:15 “Missus Goes A-Shopping.”
9:45 Vera Massey, songs.
CBS Television
Reviewed Thursday (17), 8-10 p.m. Style-Variety. Sustaining on WCBW, (New York).
We presume that Gilbert Seldes's intention when he directed Combat Photography was to prove that video experts, even when they work in air-conditioned control rooms, are susceptible to the heat just like the rest of us. If that was his purpose, he succeeded admirably. If, however, there was another purpose in mind, we can proceed to say that the Photography was the most inept show that CBS has put on since it returned to the air, and that includes the late unlamented Television Quiz.
In all fairness, it must be admitted that a considerable number of the brick-bats should be aimed at the young woman who conducted the interview of three U. S. Army combat photographers, one Lee Paige, but to Mr. Seldes falls the singular honor of having directed a program that reached new lows in camera handling. Reminiscent of the early days when CBS resumed tele activity, the two cameras and the films that were interspersed suffered from blank screens, heads that burst in from nowhere, static pix and, with a leer to the boys on the lights, heavy boarding. The switches from live characters to pix to illustrate points in the talk had the germs of an idea, but the screen went blank during the change-overs and the films themselves suffered considerably from elimination of their original sound tracks and the substitution of the inane things that were said by the performers.
The actual interviewing, which had two albatrosses around its neck (obvious lack of adequate rehearsal and poor talent), was, to be as kindly as this reviewer knows how, vile.
The only nice thing that can be said about this "educational" show is that Miss Paige has a lovely blond streak in her hair that scanned okay.
John Reed King and Paul Mowrey continue to make The Missus Goes A-Shopping a corny, lively and entertaining program. The show has commercial possibilities which can easily be exploited. The awarding of prizes is one easy gimmick that a sponsor could use without any high-priced copy writing. Tony Miner handled his control board, as usual, with great competence, but, in the early minutes, the camera was a little sloppy. Small focusing details should be watched.
Balleretta was fun, and Ev Holles, aided by some of the swellest animation this side of Disney, gave a very clear, authoritative analysis of screen developments hi the European theater of war. One of Holles's greatest assets is the cool-headed, highly professional direction of Leo Hurwitz.
But that Combat Photography... Marty Schrader. (Billboard, Aug. 26)
B & K Television
Reviewed Thursday (17), 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Style: News and variety. Sustaining on WBKB (Chicago).
Tonight's program at WBKB might have contributed something to the expected future excellence of television programing, but if it did it was only because so many things went wrong that if B. to K. were using the theory that by mistakes it will learn what not to do, what to do eventually might have been seen. One camera was not working properly most of the time. The picture often flickered. Program content was far from interest -holding, except in a few isolated moments during June Merrill's Merrily We Roll Along quiz and Ann Hunter's news commentary.
Ann was not up to her usual standard of interest-holding tele tonight. She talked about the new invasion in Southern France. Because she had traveled in this region and knew the inhabitants' characteristics thoroly she was able to present intimate facts not covered by usual newspaper and radio accounts. She had planned to use a map for a chalk talk during her commentary, but just before the station went on the air the map fell down and the plan was thrown in the wastebasket. Station should not have allowed that to happen. Television by now ought to be out of the hit-or-miss stage, and Ann shouldn't have told her audience that the map had fallen.
Another mistake here was that blonde and light-complexioned Ann wore a light gown and was seated in front of a light backdrop. She faded right into the background.
June Merrill's Merrily We Roll Along quiz improves a little each week but there is still room for improvement. Biggest forward step this week was the use of assistant emsee, Jim Gray. He has good television appearance, a better- than-average sense of humor and the ability to think on his feet and express his thoughts in logical, coherent style. June read a clear outline of the purpose of the quiz at its beginning. That was as effective, sensible opening, but it would have been much better if she had memorized her lines. In general, however, the quiz remains the same in format from week to week, and that is a mistake. More variety and closer co-operation before the show between June and the production staff, which would result in smoother, less confused presentation, is still needed.
Low ebb of show was singing of Olga Kargau, who has sung for NBC and the Chicago Opera Company. She used an operatic style of vocal and dramatic presentation that might be good on the opera stage where volume and exaggerated gestures are required, but the intimacy of the tele medium tequires more subtle work. To realize its greatest potentialities, tele demands that operatic singers (if any are used at all) have the telegenic qualities of a Lily Pons or a Gladys Swarthout. Cy Wagner. (Billboard, Aug. 26)
Friday, August 18
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 p.m. News Reports.
8:15 At Home, Variety Show.
8:45 Motion Picture
9:00 “They Were There,” with Sgt. Walter Bernstein.
9:15 to 10 “Opinion on Trial.”
"AT HOME"
With Paquita Anderson, Jeri Sullivan, Hildegarde Holliday, Eunice Healey, Youl Bryner
Director: Worthington Miner
30 Mins.; Fri., 8:15 p.m.
WCBW-CBS, N. Y.
Experimentation by Tony Miner to evolve a smooth and lively variety format for tele audiences has been partly solved, only serious hitches noticed Friday night (17) [sic] being occasional awkward seconds at conclusion of specialties when remarks of appreciation by other “guests” at the simulated house party didn't quite ring true. It’s planned on future sessions, however, to try and bridge these gaps by inclusion of a host-emsee gifted in the ad lib department which should help. Understood Arthur Godfrey is in line for this spot within the next few weeks.
Entertainment values of "Home" when caught were excellent, as they should have been with the talent lined up by CBS's tele director. Jeri Sullavan chipped in with swell interpretations of "Long Ago" and "Memphis Blues," combining her acknowledged mike capabilities with professional assurance before the camera. Eunice Healey, from N. Y.'s Copacabana, niftily contributed her tap ballet routine segueing into a straight tap specialty with piano accompaniment. Tootsie work was top-grade, with mike picking up tap rhythms in proper volume to avoid earlier tele mistakes in this studio when tap dancers have been known to sound like thundering doom.
Smart bit of casting brought comedienne Hildegarde Holliday on for a slapstick horse riding bit and an encore shot, written by the performer herself, spotting her as a department store perfume counter clerk giving a handsome Marine service and attention beyond the wildest dreams of Lord & Taylor’s personnel manager. Miss Holliday's bits pointed up bright future for tele comedy contribs in this groove.
Paquita Anderson and guitarist-singer Youl Bryner rounded out the 30-minute show pleasingly and in same informal manner displayed by the others to add to house party illusion. Camera work for most part was straight, as was lighting and direction. Main point is that all specialties were attention grabbers well within present-day limits of tele. It looked like the sort of stuff people will stay tuned in on in the days when tele receivers are among the more common pieces of household furnishings. Donn. (Variety, Aug. 23)
Saturday, August 19
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 p.m. Film: “Laburnum Grove” with Edmund Gwenn, Sir Credrick Hardwicke (British-Associated Talking Pictures, 1936).
9:00 Film: “Wild Innocence” (Australian-Cinesound, U.S. 1937).
9:30 Film: Short Subjects.
Sunday, August 20
WABD Channel 4
8:15 p.m. Video Vistas.
8:45 Film.
9:00 Television Workshop: “The Eighth Step.”
9:30 Documentary Film.
9:45 Missing Persons Report.
9:50 “Thrills and Chills” with Doug Allan.
Monday, August 21
WNBT Channel 1
7:30 p.m. Test Pattern.
8:00 Film: “The War as It Happens.”
8:20 Feature Film: “Criminal Investigator” with Robert Lowery and Edith Fellows. (Monogram, 1942).
9:15 Televues: “Farmer at Work.”
9:25 Film: “Play Ball,” “Land of the Cree.”
Tuesday, August 22
WABD Channel 4
8:15 to 9:15 p.m. “WOR Video Varieties” with Bob Emery.
DuMont
Reviewed Tuesday (22), 8:15-9 p.m. Style—Variety. Sustaining on WABD, New York.
Miracle at Blaise, the WOR Video Varieties piece de resistance for the evening, was a trite piece of tripe about the French underground, a fallen woman and an angel, which should give you some idea.
Marlowe and Bob Emory [sic] collaborated on the presentation, the credits announcing that Emory produced Miracle and Marlowe directed it. To both of them therefore goes a mild accolade. It was a decent job. Acted competently by a cast headed by Claire Luce, who knows her way around a stage, the play was paraded across a neat set, scanned, if not sensationally, then intelligently, and rehearsed for a longer time than most video offerings.
At times the "angel" was shot with a three-quarter or half dissolve on the camera to give a translucent effect. This trick might have been effective had more than the "angel's" face been shown against full views of the more substantial members of the cast. A large face, super-imposed on an entire scene, doesn't give the desired etherial [sic] effect.
Emory and one of his cheerful colleagues, Maurice Treiser, tried a new gimmick, heckling a commentator from off camera. Altho it was heralded as the opening gun in an era when the listener will be able to heckle the poor guy himself, two questions arise, how is the two-way transmission to be achieved (is each home to become a station ?) and how will Mr. Emory or some other bright man prevent a bedlam when everybody wants to talk? No further questioning is necessary.
Outside of the Miracle, the thing liked best on Tuesday's seg was the thing Emory so proudly and grandiloquently announces as Station Break. It's sensational. M. S. (Billboard, Sept. 2)
"MIRACLE AT BLAISE"
With Claire Luce, Dorothy South, Nancy Straus, Janel Dowd, Rochelle Heller and Ruth Lesher
Producer: Bob Emery
Writer: Josephine Niggli
Director: Harvey Marlowe
20 Mins., Tuesday (22), 8:30 p. m.
Sustaining
WABD. DuMont, N. Y.
"Miracle at Blaise." drama about a French town under Nazi occupation, telecast Tuesday (22) at DuMont studios, N. Y., was interesting entertainment, even if story suffered by virtue of its stodgy quality and trite development. Heavy-handed in treatment and talky, play nevertheless held interest because of its pertinency [sic] to the day's headlines and because of story's obvious analogy to miracle-days of France's historic past.
Story revolved around a mysterious American woman, widowed in France, secretly aiding the Underground against the Nazi overlords. A pass had to be procured to permit a patriot to filter through Nazi lines and set a signal for Allied planes.
American woman volunteered to procure the pass, despite the difficulties. Story was a little confusing in the appearance of a spirit, Tabitha warning her of the dangers and reminding her of some unfortunate incident in her American past.
Drama came off very well visually, characters being distinct, vision being clear, and show being refreshingly free of fadeouts. Occasionally studio lights seemed a little too bright, dimming faces of the actors, but in the main lighting was good. Acting was of excellent quality, particularly Claire Luce as the American transplanted in France, and Dorothy South as the querulous, self-centered sister-in-law: Direction was good, with dramatic elements pointed up well, the fadeouts of spirit and knife incident, especially well handled. Camera was in good focus throughout. Set was by Lila Allen. Bron. (Variety, Aug. 30)
Wednesday, August 23WABD Channel 4
8:15 p.m. “Televisual Specialities.”
8:45 Film.
9:00 Variety Show.
9:30 Film: “Atlantic Patrol” (NFB Canada, 1940), narrated by Lorne Greene.
9:45 “Star Dust.”
DuMont
Reviewed Wednesday (23), 8:15-10:30 p.m. Style—Variety. Sustaining on WABD, New York.
The Television Workshop staff and Norman D. Waters produced for the Industrial Undergarment Corporation a rather mediocre DuMont radio program called Stardust. This radio show, put before the video camera, was palmed off as tele. It was not.
There is one prime requisite for any tele show, whether it be designed for day or night scanning. That requisite is visual appeal. Altho the producers may have thought that Stardust was excellent material for daytime, it must be pointed out that, in addition to being listenable, the video program for the housewife must not completely miss its initial raison d'etre. It must be something that can be looked at with pleasure.
Stardust was a talking piece with an astrologer telling 12 young women their futures. Make no mistake, it wasn't a bad program, it simply was not video. Thruout, the cameras were handled in the best way that they could be, considering DuMont studio limitations. The director, Waters, tried for and achieved several acceptable angle shots; the cast groupings were well done and the lighting was adequate and at no time glaring. In fact, the entire production effect was most times what it should be, unobtrusive. You never got the feeling that they were making a hard try for som thing that couldn't be achieved, a common fault these days. Stardust, incidentally, is the brand name of a line of slips made by Industrial Undergarment.
We would like to point out that dissolve shots are strictly a camera trick and shouldn't be overdone. In this case, they were. The primary functions of dissolves are to convey the spirit of a flashback in so- called "artistic" shows like ballet or music, or to help express a mood in a dramatic show. They should not be used to change from a close-up to a long shot that includes the same performer who was close- upped. This technique was used several times during Stardust and gave the effect of an unsuccessful attempt to be arty. A straight take would sit more easily in the viewer's favor.
From the fertile brain of Ray Nelson came another Television University show that had in it the seed of a whacky but funny and instructive idea. General thought, after an illustrated lecture on primative [sic] man, was to make one of the cave dwellers come alive. It was a cute skit that faltered only because it was played by a rather untalented group of actors.
The lecture itself, conducted by Dr. Otto Bettman, an expert in anthropology, was rather bad. It doesn't do to simply take any old series of pix, as long as they pertain to the subject and televise them as illustrations. The pix used in this case were unclear, had too much detail and lacked, most of all, thoro explanation by means of a pointer. Further, they were not mounted, and changing a pic meant a blank screen for the flip-over period. Off-screen noises were there in great profusion. Dr. Bettman seemed to have forgotten his script on several occasions, necessitating very obvious promptings and explanations.
Lever Bros.' Time provided good entertainment Wednesday, with three young women from the War Weapons Exhibit at the Chrysler Building, New York, explaining the workings of the Garand rifle, the bazooka and enemy mines. Lighting on the good-looking emsee, Pat Murray, was as bad as we've ever seen it, with the entire right half of her face thrown into shadow. Crosslighting could have eliminated that. Marty Schrader. (Billboard, Sept. 2)
What is believed to be the first stock company of television actors will re-enact two plays already televised on the DuMont station in N. Y. on facilities of WRGB, the General Electric station in Schenectady, next month.
Irwin A. Shane, head of the Television Workshop, will direct the performances. They are "Crime in the Clubhouse," to be done Sept. 7 on the GE station, to be followed, Sept. 15, with a performance of "The Eighth Step" over the same outlet. Hal Stewart wrote former play, John Hugh the latter. (Variety, Aug. 23)
Thursday, August 24
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 p.m. News, Everett Holles.
8:15 Carlisle & Co., songs, dances
8:30 The Look of France.
8:45 Motion Picture
9:15 “Missus Goes A-Shopping.”
9:45 Vera Massey, songs.
Friday, August 25
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 p.m. News Reports.
8:15 At Home, Variety Show.
8:45 Motion Picture
9:00 “They Were There,” interviews.
9:15 to 10 “Opinions on Trial.”
CBS
Reviewed Friday (25), 8-10 p.m. Style—Variety and film. Sustaining on WCBW (New York).
Antique Furniture Is a Decorator's Racket turned out to be too touchy a subject for Opinions on Trial, and the professional decorators and furniture dealers skedded to battle it out renegged at the last moment, resulting in the program's cancellation. The pros probably couldn't bear to disillusion householders who collect the old stuff. Both sides indicated their unwillingness to go on shortly before show time. This sort of thing just can't happen in commercial tele. Show's substitute, a 45-minute government pic, was slotted at end of program.
The excellent They Were There, Frances Buss's interview with Woody Guthrie, was enough to placate viewers disappointed by Opinions' omission. Miss Buss, relaxed and charming in the show's living room setting, skillfully guided the merchant marine messman thru a highly entertaining half hour. She casually lit his cigarette and covered the verbal pause with adept ad libbing. Guthrie put on an altogether absorbing one-man show with exciting stories of his travels and work and the singing of several songs he composed at sea.
The guitar with which he accompanies his singing carries the painted slogan, This Machine Kills Fascists. Producer-Director Leo Hurwitz deserves kudos for either choosing a natural for the interview or rehearsing him and his hostess to letter perfect.
Ev Hollis is one of the few newscasters who appears to have blood in his veins. In describing an event such as the German robot bomb ravage of England, the CBS news editor's voice becomes compassionate. He's neither dramatic nor sentimental, but his delivery has feeling and understanding.
Technically, the quarter-hour shot is the best of its type to be seen. Camera movement from Hollis to map with pointer, to stills, to illuminated maps with moving arrows creates an easy fluidity. At Home, produced and directed by Gilbert Seldes, with Paquita Anderson as emsee, singer and pianist, is good informal entertainment. As the title indicates, the audience sees Miss Anderson surrounded by a group of performer friends who each do a turn or two to contribute to a pleasant if not hilarious party. Tonight's guest list included John Hendrik, baritone; Bobby Prince, dancer, and Frances King and Harry Noble, singers.
Miss King would have made a better appearance had her dress contrasted with the room's background. Both were light. In close-ups it was noticeable that the garment's fabric was taffeta-like and did not photograph well. A soft, clinging material would have been preferable.
She and Noble sang sprightly tunes eminently suited to the program's atmosphere. The duo makes a charming picture when Miss King joins Noble on the piano bench while he accompanies their performance.
Miss Prince's tapping was closely followed by mike and camera. Seems the crew is determined to whip the dance bugaboo. Seg wound up on songfest when group gathered around the piano and joined in the chorus of Lili Marlene after Hendrik had told the ditty's history and run thru it a couple of times. Miss Anderson handles the unstudied intros and her self-accompanied songs with dexterity. Wanda Marvin (Billboard, Sept 2.)
B. & K.
Reviewed Friday (25), 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Style: News and Variety. Sustaining on WBKB (Chicago).
Most significant point about tonight's program at WBKB was that it proved the value of top-notch, professional talent dressed in eye-catching costumes on television programs. This point was proved in a quiz program emseed by Fran Harris and using clowns from the Ringling circus as guest contestants. Quizzes have been presented by WBKB many times in the past, but tonight's hit a new high because of the comedy, showmanship and costuming the clowns contributed.
The clowns (Felix Adler, Paul Jung and Emmett Kelly) were witty in answering their questions. They used comical pantomime. Their costumes gave an eye-appealing quality which up to last night had been missing from the WBKB quizzes. The staff made the most of their opportunity to work with first-rate professional entertainers. They prepared a series of questions that called for answers in actions more than in spoken words. One, requesting a girl contestant (one of Ringling's aerialists) to dance in a style suggested by the playing of recorded music was especially effective.
Fran Harris did her part by playing a perfect foil to the clowns' antics. She conversed with them in a free, witty style that called for their response to take the form of entertaining comedy.
Kit Carson, who produced the show, did her part by calling for close-ups often to show the facial expressions and clothing of the clowns. If it were not for the fact that studio lighting was flat quite often, we could say that this was just about one of the most entertaining tele shows we have seen at WBKB.
Also on the program was Lee Phillips, a magician, who was assisted by Glen-rose Morgan, new member of the WBKB fem staff. Phillips did some close-up magic that was easy to follow by the tele audience. A couple of times, however, the equipment he was using (rings, for example) would fade into the background. A plan in advance to have all props contrast with the background would have helped here. Phillips used a clever gimmick in telling his audience that next week he would explain some of the tricks he used tonight.
Joe Wilson had the news commentary assignment, and did an above average job. A background of a map of the European battleground added to the interest of his newscast because, even tho he did not use it enough, it still increased the atmosphere of world scope which should be part of all tele newscasts. Cy Wagner. (Billboard, Sept. 2)
Saturday, August 26
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 p.m. Film: “Trigger Fingers” with Tim McCoy (Monogram, 1939).
9:00 Film: Short Subjects.
Sunday, August 27
WABD Channel 4
8:15 p.m. Video Vistas.
8:45 Television Workshop.
9:15 Film: “Food, Weapon of Conquest” (NFB of Canada, 1941), narrated by Lorne Greene.
9:30 Winthrop Program.
Monday, August 28WNBT Channel 1
7:30 p.m. Test Pattern.
8:00 Film: “The War as It Happens.” 8:17 Feature Film: “Turn of the Tide” with Geraldine Fitzgerald, John Garrick. (Monogram, 1942).
9:39 Televues.
9:47 Film Cartoon: “Tumbledown Town” (Van Beuren, 1933)
Tuesday, August 29
WABD Channel 4
8:15 to 9:15 p.m. “WOR Video Varieties” with Bob Emery.
Wednesday, August 30
WABD Channel 4
8:15 p.m. “Televisual Specialities.”
8:45 Film.
9:00 Variety Show.
9:30 Film.
9:45 Program.
DuMont
Reviewed Wednesday (30), 8:15-10:30 p.m. Style: Variety and film. Sustaining on WABD, New York.
Air-O-Quiz was apparently a sincere attempt to successfully blend audio and video into a half-hour of entertainment and product selling. The qualifying term is used because lighting and camera work was so bad that much imagination was required to follow the scanning.
Watching the Dumont screen tonight gave the impression that a flashlight with a nearly exhausted battery was lighting the studio. Occasionally a picture of some clarity came up and created a hope that quickly died. Studio equipment must be to blame because experienced technicians such as WABD's couldn't turn in such a sour job themselves.
Quiz show, produced and directed by Norman D. Waters, assisted by television workshop had Dr. Sigmund Spaeth as emsee, and Claire Luce, Jerome Meyer, Elizabeth Janeway and Edwin McArthur as guest contestants. The doctor conducted guessing games, using visual material—period costumes, acted-out headlines, and ship and service uniform identification.
Guests were a well-chosen group that Spaeth kept animated by having them examine and comment on the items. Hassen the Magician handled commercials for Daly Bros.' Air-O-Shoes. Fade-in and fade-out of product at the will of the Hassen wand was an idea that under normal technical conditions would probably help sell shoes.
Lever Bros. gave up their regular commercial time for a playlet, You Give What You Got, presented by an American Theater Wing group for the Red Cross. The 10-minute skit was simple and eloquent in its appeal for blood donation. Eleven watchers called in, offering blood during the show.
Company's products were shown at program's beginning and end where they turned on a circular disk to the accompaniment of musical ditties.
Sam Cuff's Face of the War was almost meaningless because maps were improperly illuminated and much detail was lost. He used a white pointer which was painted black for about four inches from its tip. The portion of the pointer that could be seen was far off the countries described, giving a weird effect. Cuff would mean to indicate France but the stick looked like he was pointing to Russia because the deep gray of the map offered no contrast to the long black tip. It was funny at first but the audience lost interest and buzzed thruout the rest of his commentary.
Charles M. Storm's straight variety show for Tintex had Anne Barrett, emsee; Bernie George, mimic; Sylvia Opert, dancer, and Robert Welsh for vocal chores. Evelyn Juster and Roger Sullivan as jive-jabboring juveniles delivered the dye commercials effectively. The gal told her young boy friend how she'd reconverted an old dress into a practically new dud. Some of the patter may have passed over adult heads but viewers got the general idea and a good shot of Tintex plugs.
Due to poor visibility the watchers' eyes often left the screen in the studio viewing room thruout the two hours and discussion was heard on all sides. By straining and intense concentration it was possible most of the time to see what was intended, but most people are too accustomed to the perfection of movies to invite severe headaches by staring at inferior tele presentations.
Station's new studios promise more space, better lighting and all-round improvement. Continued delay in moving prolongs the admittedly unhappy situation for everyone concerned. Latest report is that it will take another two weeks to get set in the enlarged and better-equipped studios. Wanda Marvin. (Billboard, Sept. 9)
CHICAGO, Aug. 26.—New series of "commercial" programs presented with the co-operation of the Commonwealth Edison Company will start on WBKB, B &K television station here, Wednesday (30). Series, of interest to the trade because it will involve products that many have said will be sold best by television, will use subtle commercials, but Commonwealth, according to present WBKB policy, will not pay the station any money for the time used.
Members of the NAB, meeting in Chicago next week, are expected to witness next Wednesday's show, which will be broadcast for a half hour in the afternoon of that day. Series afterward will be broadcast next week on Thursday afternoons and alternate Thursday nights, with the nighttime shows using, for the beginning at least, only 15 minutes.
Afternoon programs will consist of demonstrations of use of electric devices in the home and will be a strict home economics series for the housewives who will be shown how to cook by electricity, etc. Night shows will be dramatic skits, in which electric home appliances will be used, with mention of the name of the products during the dramatic action, the only commercial plug given. Edison is using these series as an experiment to see how it can sell electrical equipment and promote the increased use of electricity in the homes having tele receivers in the future. (Billboard Sept. 2)
Thursday, August 31
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 p.m. News, Everett Holles.
8:15 Bibi Osterwald; Empire State Quartet, songs.
8:30 “On the Home Front,” interviews with executives of Sperry Gyroscope Company
8:45 Motion Picture
9:15 “Missus Goes A-Shopping.”
9:45 Vera Massey, songs.
CBS
Reviewed Thursday (31), 8-10 p.m. Style—Variety. Sustaining on WCBW, New York.
A bit of mild knuckle rapping with the critical ruler seems to be in order this week to get CBS back in the groove. After getting off to a good start with Vera Massey and her Will You Remember? they have fallen into a steadily deepening rut, until Thursday night they reached their all-time production low.
Miss Massey continues to be a fine entertainer, but the lighting and direction have slipped and slipped. Thursday glare on the Massey phiz was intense, shadows popped in a-plenty, and one particular angle, a side shot against the glare of a lit prop lamp and again against one of the baby spots, made the screen look like a rather poor radio-photo. The major function of the production Remember is to provide an easy, graceful and, this is most important, natural background for the Massey chirping and chatter. Trying for Orson Wellsian effects doesn't help at all.
The Massey gal is trying a new hair do which is intended to eliminate shadows on her forehead. Altho it does get rid of the shadow, it adds 10 years to her video appearance.
Director Leo Hurwitz preemed a new program that will alternate with They Were There. This one, called On the Home Front, follows the same general interview formula and deals with domestic problems. It's pretty routine stuff, but it may perk up with livelier personnel. The subject under discussion was methods of utilizing disabled veterans in an industrial plant. Two experts from the Sperry Gyroscope Company were quizzed by Margaret Miller. They explained some important ideas. And yet, no matter how important a message may be, it cannot be put over videoally without showmanship. An attempt was made to dramatize the issue thru the use of photos and diagrams, but it failed to bold much interest, principally because still pix simply do not utilize the full, active value of the medium.
If Hurwitz had gotten hold of the veterans themselves, had them tell part of their service records, how they were wounded and how they were adjusted to civilian life, it might have been a show. Handled delicately by a quietly, competent interviewer, such an idea would not be in bad taste.
CBS added another to its pleasant list of musical programs with Sweet and Loud, a Gay Nineties affair with Bibi Osterwald, last seen in the ill-fated Broken Hearts of Broadway, a beer and pretzles [sic] legit melerdrammer and the Empire State Quartet. It was sometimes amusing, sometimes foot-tapping entertainment. Miss Osterwald sings well and looks quite pretty on the screen. CBS might be wise to use her in some modern song sequences. She seems able to jazz it up well.
The Miasus Goes a-Shopping gets cornier and funnier each week, and Ev Holles' news analysis is still tele tops. Marty Schrader. (Billboard, Sept. 9)
B. & K.
Reviewed Thursday (31) 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Style: Variety, home economics and news. Sustaining on WBKB, Chicago.
June Merrill's Food for Thought home economics session was a television natural. It had interesting subject matter, a world-renowned guest who proved himself a perfect video personality, end before-show planning that made everything go smoothly.
June's guest tonight was Henri Charpentier, author, philosopher and world-famed chef who originated crepe suzettes and many other dishes that have for years been the greatest pleasures of gourmets around the world. Monsieur Charpentier, a tall, obese, white-haired, white-mustached gentleman of the famous French school of good living, carried with him an air of Paris at its best and managed to project it right into the home. Monsieur Charpentier made some of his famed crepe suzettes, he showed how to make Peaches Victoria, and he gave a demonstration of the best way to carve a duck. Camera work was so excellent the flames shooting up from his frying pan as he lit the crepe suzette sauce was plainly discernable [sic]. It was easy to follow his hands as he carved the duck and the audience got a number of good pointers.
Too often, however, the cameras showed a distant view of the chef at work, and then some of the finer points of his technique were lost. More close-ups should have been used. Henri's vocal explanation of his work was enough to set the scene: numerous fullview shots for that purpose were not necessary. Cameras should have been focused on his hands more often. A few times Miss Merrill committed the cardinal sin of television by saying that she hoped the audience could see what the chef was doing with the pans. If they could see it (and sometimes they could not) then there was no need to make that statement. If they couldn't, then there was no need to call their attention to the fact that they were missing something.
Tonight's news commentator, Ann Hunter, did something we have been hoping she would do for weeks. She used a map to explain the geographical location of the regions she was discussing. Tonight they were in China, However, Miss Hunter a few times pointed to the map when the camera was not focused on it but on her. This gave the impression that she was just pointing into space and made one want to say: "Come on, let me see what you're pointing to now."
Musical portion of the program spotlighted Patty Burke, former Chicago singer, who has just returned from a USO tour. Miss Burke has the figure, the face and gestures needed for television, but she did not have the voice. After all, air-pic shows are not optical only. Her voice cracked a few times just when perusal of her face and gestures were giving entertainment pleasure. Immediately attention was called to her singing only, and members of the audience winced.
Jim Whitehurst, magician, rounded out the program. Jim knew the value of sight and sound and got off some good ones while going thru his paces. His magic work was good for television because it used large props that were easy to see. B. & K. seems to be using too many magicians. Even a good thing loses its enjoyment if presented too often. Two magicians a week, the WBKB average, is telecasting one too many. Cy Wagner. (Billboard, Sept. 9)
