Television, in March 1945, had to, first, deal with a war preventing new sets and tubes from being made and, second, an order from union boss Petrillo banning his musicians from playing on camera. Then came a decision by the Director of War Mobilization and Reconversion, James F. Burnes. His edict was “all places of entertainment close by 12 o’clock midnight each day, effective February 26, 1945. This midnight curfew is necessary to conserve coal, and also to help alleviate the man-power shortage and the burdens upon transportation and other facilities.” That had an unexpected effect on some TV shows that used night-club acts.
Other than that, the industry was very slowly moving along. It was getting ready for consumer demand after the end of the war, as RCA and DuMont both announced bigger, brighter TVs of the future.
In programming, DuMont’s partnership with the Blue network brought viewers the Quiz Kids and Paul Whiteman (he only talked from the audience). The station (no TV networks yet) also debuted a sports show with Jack and Bill Slater as well as a new show with John Reed King. Over at NBC, a ballet was mounted. And at CBS, acclaimed newscaster Ev Holles took himself out of becoming a forerunner to Walter Cronkite by accepting the news director’s job at WBBM Chicago.
Stations were still airing brief war films, B movies and occasional cartoon and live-action shorts from the defunct Van Beuren studio. You can read reviews below; the New York writers still hated Bob Emery, who oversaw WOR’s Tuesday night shows on DuMont. Appearing on screen this month were Danny Thomas’ sitcom-wife-to-be Marjorie Lord; Clyde Crashcup-to-be Shep Menken, and a man who later became known to millions of ‘splainin’ fans. He appeared this month on a Los Angeles station to sing “Babalu.”
Thursday, March 1WCBW Channel 2
8:00 News with Everett Holles.
8:15 Films: “South Chile” “Partners in Crime.”
8:45 Amateur Boxing: Guest, Thomas G. Parisi, Deputy, State Athletic Commission.
CBS
Reviewed Thursday (1) 8-10 p.m. Style—Boxing, film, news. Sustaining on WCBW, New York.
Studio boxing, once the initial problem of setting up the ring, arranging the lighting and the seating and finding suitable camera locations is licked, becomes almost exclusively a cameraman's headache. Both CBS's lensmen, Al Kleban and Howard Hayes, did their job very well Thursday night.
The cameraman's two major problems are focus and framing. The boxers move fast and keeping the focal depth correct is a job that we wouldn't wish on our worst enemy. Both of Columbia's boys kept their heads in the rough corners and both of them rate a nod for their skill. Framing, keeping the boxers in the picture as they move laterally is another toughie. Here again Hayes and Kleban did a pretty good job. With only two exceptions, the fighters stayed in frame.
And Tony Miner, directing up in the control room, did a good piece of backstopping the boys. Most of the time he was able to help one or the other out of a tight spot by switching from one camera to the other and he led them around from spot to spot with smooth timing. Once or twice Miner started a pan and then cut it, and once or twice he cut from ike to ike for no reason. At one point camera No. 2 was moving into what started to be a nice shot in one of the fighter's corner when the director broke to camera No. 1.
There are still several bugs in the machinery that have to be worked out, but over-all CBS has a fine feature. The chief bug is the announcing of Albert T. Gore, CBS's new director of video sports. Gore tried to give a blow-by-blow in some spots and just an explanation in others. When he tries the blow-by-blow he gets flustered and ends up about four punches behind the action. And when he simply tries in a general way to tell the viewer what's going on, he becomes dull, dry and almost speechless. CBS ought to bring Ted Husing down to handle the commentary.
It's unfortunate that only one of the WCBW cameras is on a hoist mount. The other one, on a dolly, had to work thru the ropes and the effect was disconcerting. GE, in its boxing shows on WRGB, has mounted one or two of its cameras on catwalks to get all-inclusive shots. It's possible that CBS's lower hanging lights may prevent this, but if it could be done it would help. It might have been well if the faces of the ringsiders who gave between-rounds opinions were shown. Off-screen voices are deadly.
In spite of small technical errors, fight fans will like Columbia's boxing shows.
We're no expert on the manly art, but the bouts looked good to us. And to a fan, one of the peculiar breed who pay $20 for a hard seat in a smoky arena, this will be heaven. Marty Schrader. (Billboard, Mar. 10)
Balaban & Katz
Reviewed Thursday (1), 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Style—News, variety. Sustaining on WBKB, Chicago.
Bothered by curfew troubles, like a great part of showbiz at the present time, WRKB was able to present only a weak allow tonight, using no outstanding talent whatsoever. Station had arranged to have Phil Regan and Dianne and Edward, dance team now at the Blackhawk Restaurant here, on the program, but the acts discovered they could not appear on the video show and perform in the curfew-necessitated earlier dinner show at the Blackhawk so they had to cancel out.
All that the station had left was a news program, World in Action, by Howard Malcolm and Don Faust; Lee Phillips and his magical mysteries; Jenya, pianist, and Jeanne Bennett, currently with Bernie Cummins's orchestra at the Latin Quarter. Jeanne was able to slip out, curfew or no curfew, but because the station, with only a short notice, was not able to rehearse her, she was able to do nothing but sing a few songs, accompanied by a piano. Her singing was good. No complaint about that. But the potentialities of video are not realized when a vocalist merely stands in front of a mike and does her stuff with piano accompaniment sans trick shots or other tele techniques.
Malcolm and Faust's program would have been good radio, because the boys did nothing but read the news, altho they did that well. But they used no maps, nothing to appeal to the sense of eight so, an video fare, they fell flat.
Lee Phillips did his magical work in his usual competent style. After seeing him do just about the same type of work week after week, with very little change, we can find little to say about him except that he's good, but we're getting tired of seeing him so often.
Jenya again proved that she is an excellent pianist. Camera work on her hands was too static during most of the program. Twice, however, the station used slow dissolves so that it appeared as if four hands were playing at the same time. Her hands, naturally, in this trick were caught by two cameras focused at different angles. By means of the dissolve the picture on each was transmitted at once for a short time, and thus the appearance of four hands on the keyboard. Trick stuff like this should be used more often. Cy Wagner. (Billboard, Mar. 10)
Friday, March 2
WNBT Channel 1
8:15 “The World in Your Home.”
8:30-11:00 Boxing at Madison Square Garden, Ike Williams vs. Willie Joyce.
Saturday, March 3
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 Feature Film: “Caught in the Act” with Henry Armetta and Iris Meredith (PRC, 1941).
NEW YORK, March 3–WGN, Mutual outlet in Chi., will be presenting video shows over the Balaban & Katz station, WBKB, within the next two months, according to reliable reports here. WGN, which has its construction permit and part of its equipment in the house, will do video versions of local and net radio shows an well as develop new formats over B&K outlet until the time comes when it can act up its own scanner.
When the deal goes thru, Mutual will have its stations in the three major production centers, New York, Chicago and Hollywood, in the tele picture. WOR, MBS shareholder here, has been doing a show called WOR Video Varieties on the DuMont station, WABD, since July 13, 1943. The Don Lee web on the Coast, also MBS shareholders, have their station W6XAO in operation now. The WGN-B&K tie-up will make the third. (Billboard, Mar. 10)
Sunday, March 4
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 Live program: “The Perfect Alibi” by A.A. Milne
WABD Channel 4
8:00 WNEW Presents: “Society for the Prevention of Disparaging Remarks About Brooklyn.”
8:30 “Thrills and Chills” with Doug Allan.
9:00 Film presentation.
NBC
Reviewed Sunday (4) 8-9:30 p.m. Style—Mystery play and travelog. Sustaining over WNBT, New York.
The Hollywood alibi that you do a better job in video by shooting on film and televising the film was blown up over WNBT this evening. Production-wise, the Edward Sobol tele production of A. A. Milne's The Perfect Alibi didn't have to bow to any motion picture. The camera work was, if not as perfect as Hollywood's, at least so good that the average moviegoer couldn't possibly tell the difference. There were, of course, shots where the focus was on one person instead of split between two characters, but that wasn't too often. There was also a touch of carelessness when the opening line of the play was miked before the cameras were cued in, but it was only the supercritical who would have caught the "hang it all" of Marjorie Lord, as Susan, while the credits were being scanned.
The first episode—they've adapted it for a two-part mystery—ran an hour and didn't drag, except when the director erred in having the constable, A. P. Kaye, go back and forth to the door to bring in each character for questioning by the Scotland Yard sergeant. Hall Shelton. The iconoscope can't stand repetition unless the repetition means something. It didn't this time. The large cast was well handled and the ease with which the cameras moved was nothing short of a miracle with today's equipment and NBC's thumbnail studio.
If there was one criticism it was that the character of the Scotland Yard man was underplayed. Underplaying is usually a plus, but it must be watched so that it doesn't make the part seem drab and monotone. There were times when Hall Shelton seemed just that.
The set, by Robert Wade, like everything else associated with the show, was solid, real and believable. The script was literate, as might be expected of Milne. But what was important is that NBC, in bringing it up to date, didn't date it.
Credit also Ray Kelly, technical production supervisor, otherwise chief cook and bottlewasher, who handled props, make-up and the other pestiferous details. with giving a major assist. Man, how this k. p. job could have loused things up—but didn't.
Following the hour-long mystery, WNBT scanned a travelog. Television traveling is already drifting into a rut. They all start with the interviewer, in this case, Adelaide Hawley, asking the explorer, world traveler or what have you, some stupid questions, and then easing into the excursion. What's bad about this is that the lecturer starts talking to the interviewer instead of the viewer, and the personal contact between audience and the man-who-has-seen-the-world is lost. Andre De La Varre, the victim this time, tried to bring the viewer into the picture, but failed because Adelaide's voice always asked questions that the girl in the home wouldn't have. Also, because of the formula, De La Varre was always about a half minute behind the picture while it was being scanned. The charm and appeal of a travelog is lost when the narrator doesn't give you the feeling that he was there. This isn't an exclusive NBC fault. They're all doing it. A couch with a library set behind it is regular studio equipment for traveling at home, via video. Throw it out. Joe Koehler. (Billboard, Mar. 10)
Monday, March 5WNBT Channel 1
8:00 “The War as It Happens,” pictures of General McArthur’s liberation of Manila, and President Roosevelt receiving Middle East potentates.
8:17 Film: “Talk Fast, Mister.”
8:23 Feature Film: “Mr. Celebrity” with Buzzy Henry and Doris Day (PRC, 19419).
9:31 Film: “The Violin.”
9:40 Cavalcade of Sports: Boxing from St. Nicholas Arena.
Tuesday, March 6
WNBT Channel 1
8:30 Wrestling from St. Nicholas Arena.
WABD Channel 4
8:00 Film program.
8:30 WOR Presents: “Seeing Is Believing.”
9:00 Blue Network Presents: “Quiz Kids” with Joe Kelly.
DuMont
The Blue web is following what seems to be an intelligent policy in attempting to transfer radio shows to video. But in so doing the net should be careful that it does not transfer the evils of radio along with its virtues. On the first tele showing of the Quiz Kids, one of those evils, the overlong, cow-catching hitch-hiking commercial, ruined a potentially fine program.
The Kids should have been good and, in spots, they were, but the commercials, not to mention the lack of rehearsal time, overshadowed the few funny spots. The plugs, written and produced by the Wade Agency, which handles the Miles Laboratory account (Alka-Seltzer and One-a-Day Vitamins) were bad enough to be used as exhibits for a course on what not to do in tele. Get this for programing: DuMont's regular announcer, Dotty Wooten, a personable youngster, came on the screen to say that the Kids were next. Then came the Blue announcer, Walter Herhily, to tell that the Kids were next. Then the action moved into a school-room scene in which the teacher first has a headache and can't work and then takes Alka-Seltzer with the inevitable result. (The teacher was played, incidentally, by one of the hammiest, most theatrical young women we have seen outside of Louis Berger's since the summer stock season closed.)
Following the school-room turn, an announcer, trying pitifully hard to look sincere, stood in front of the camera, holding a box of Alka-Seltzer stiffly in his hand and explained its virtues. Then, if you're not too exhausted, the Blue announcer came back in and said that the Kids were next. By this time everyone was too worn out (the pitch took almost four and a half minutes by a fairly accurate watch) to care much that Joe Kelly, the show's emsee, proceeded to announce that the Kids were next. (Since we are paid to do this, we stayed awake by thinking of dirty words.)
In all honesty, we have to admit that the Kids did a good job within limits. Mikes were placed on their table, obscuring their faces and forcing them to lean over to talk into them and their gowns and mortar boards were superfluous, but the questions were visual and the kids themselves were funny and clever as usual. In one or two spots Director Harvey Marlowe did not have his camera trained on the children while they were talking, but in general his direction was good. Several of the questions required that Kelly hold up pictures of one sort or another. It could have been handled much better if the pix had been placed on an easel so that the camera could have moved in for a close-up. Kelly allowed Harve Fishman too much time on a mathematics question and consequently broke the show's rapid pace.
Most important, both the children and Kelly did not look into the camera. Perhaps a birdie would have helped but a good rehearsal is more likely the answer. The closing commercial was as long and as dull as the opener, but we won't go into that again.
Bob Emery's Seeing Is Believing was a cute idea and in spots a funny one, but it was far too ragged to deserve any but the faintest praise. His format was to televise a radio set and produce the sounds (effects and scripts) that are usually heard on the air. Then he scanned a drawing of the way the show must appear to the listener in his mind's eye. Then he showed what actually goes on before the mike. However, he held each shot too long, some of the scenes were not synchronized with the narration and in one place there was no drawing to go with the announcer's chatter. If it were sharper, more precise. Emery would have a cute, inexpensive series there.
A couple of those films that are the blight of video on all stations, filled out the evening. Marty Schrader. (Billboard, Mar. 17)
"QUIZ KIDS"
(Blue Network)
With Joe Kelly, Richard Williams, Joel Kupperman, Harve Fischman, Pat Conlon
Superviser: Paul Mowrey
Director: Harvey Marlowe
30 Mins.; Tues. (6), 9 p.m.
MILES LABORATORIES
WABD-DuMont, N. Y.
(Needham, Louis & Brorbry)
Until such time as the technical kinks in television are ironed out will be a tough proposition to put a video program for 30 minutes which will meet the approval of an critical eyes. But the Blue last Tuesday (6) cameraed a highly entertaining radio package on DuMont's WABD that lent itself readily to smart video fare.
Joe Kelly and the "Quiz Kids," in N. Y. on a tour for the Red Cross, came under the heated kleig lights. and while their portion of the program was swiftly-paced and grooved with showmanship, the youngsters really suffered from the heat and glare of the mazdas. They fussed, fidgeted, sweated, blinked and were noticeably uncomfortable. Even then they came through with answers to questions that drew plenty of hearty chuckles.
An obvious technical flaw with television at present, as revealed by at least one of the sight questions, is the inability of the cameras to be focused for closeups. This flaw spoiled the commercials, too, when closeups would have pointed tip the package encasing the sponsor's products. But that is something that will be worked out by equipment manufacturers. Seated in a schoolroom setting and dressed in cap and gown, the kids and their quizmaster got down to business following an overlong plug for Alka-Seltzer and 1-A-Day tablets. Initial question was answered by seven-year-old Pat Conlon, who named the bones of the head and body. Followed a query concerning Broadway plays with cards setting ihe scene. However, this question missed fire because video audience could not see the cards due to lack of closeup. Then Joel Kupperman was given the floor tor a math question scripted on a blackboard. Surprisingly, the youngster, who is a crackerjack at this type of gimmick, slowed up the whole show because he didn't know the answer. The youths were then asked to describe the hats their mothers were wearing that night, and this query led to best remarks and situations of show. Kids were in the groove on this one. Cards with the names of military leaders scrambled came next, followed by a question on college songs, a Bible quiz and an airplane query. In panning, out at the close of the "Quiz Kids" portion of the program the cameras were moved too quickly, resulting in a too-hasty fadeout. Commercial at the end was trite and far too long. Sten. (Variety, Mar. 14)
Wednesday, March 7
8:00 News with Everett Holles.
8:15 “Opinions on Trial.”
8:45 USO From Burma.
9:00 Films: “Battle of Europe” (NFB Canada, 1944) and “Help in War.”
9:30 “Bruno of Hollywood.”
WABD Channel 4
8:00 “Fashions Coming and Becoming.”
8:15 “The Magic Carpet.”
8:45 Film.
9:00 “Thanks for Looking.”
9:30 Shopping talk.
9:35 Presentation War Bond 4-Star Insignia to Mrs. Ruth Karp.
CBS
Reviewed Wednesday (7) 8-10 p.m. Style—News, forum, documentary and interview. Sustaining over WCBW, New York.
Everett Hollis's news segs get better and better every time they're scanned. He mixes news pic, animated maps and diagrams with his chatter so smoothly that the entire news show is thru before you know it. And CBS has learned that it is wise never to get too far away from the scanning of the tonsils that are doing the commentating. There may be better news formulas developed in video time to come. Until they're developed Hollis will satisfy—but definitely.
Opinions on Trial has gone a little off balance in its formula, judging from its talking air pic of this evening. The opinion being tried was that it was necessary to have a law to end racial discrimination in employment. That's dynamite for the air, pic or just ear stuff, and it was well handled. In an effort to make it move quickly, however, the time allotted for both sides and for their witnesses was so short that what the viewer got was a truncated version of both pro and con. A forum, and that's what Opinions really is—is useless unless the opinion's are expressed. When the legal routine is laid on so heavily that it permits little or no development of the ideas, the show falls in its purpose. Both sides had something to say in this pitch. Neither side had the opportunity of saying it.
It's still a great formula, one that ought to be just as swell without the visual side. This is a show that should be aired both with and without pix. Since CBS has an FM station, why not air the voice section of the Opinions on the FM station while it's being telecast? That should prove something. i. e., that a show can be done for both ear and, or sight at the same time.
Third attraction on the bill was an intro to a USO-CSI troupe that has been touring the CBI (China, Burma, India) theater of war. The intro was terrific. It was well staged and the beat of the drum, as the narrator told his story of the slx girls who had made the trip, was swell. Even the beginning of the girls' entertainment routine was swell, i. e., a jitterbug contest with G.I.'s and then it fell apart, ending up with the boys and girls looking over the girls' picture album. Ouch! It's bad video to build up to a letdown.
Then came two moom pix that were okay and then the final live shot, Ethel Colby visiting Bruno, of Hollywood, who told the video viewers what makes a good still picture and how it's shot. It did a swell commercial, if corny job, of selling Bruno, his profile, and his entourage that work with him getting a good picture—of stars and just ordinary people. CBS did a job of making you feel a shot was a still picture and then having it come to life. It was as commercial as hell . . . or is hell commercial.
Also on the bill was the first video spot announcement, a plug for war employment. It was well sold with a war pic and then a switch to a cartoon of a Who Worries. Fast moving, taking the approximate time of a station break, it proved that the audience is not going to escape commercial spots on the video air ... they're too effective. Joe Koehler. (Billboard, Mar. 17)
Television Productions, Inc.
Reviewed Wednesday (7) 8:30-9:30 p.m. Style—Wrestling, music, puppets. Sustaining over W6XYZ, Hollywood.
This show gave tele viewers well-rounded hour that went well in all departments, Opening was wrestling bout, featuring Linn Madnay and Frank Gerris. The boys put on a show with all the appropriate facial expressions, interspersed with sprinkling of grunts and groans. Madray took the bout, and running true to form, his opponent threatened to tangle with Referee Jim Davis, claiming a bum decision.
Second bout was the top, featuring Pat McGill versus the Hood. As might be guessed, Hood came out with black mask completely covering his head and was immediately tagged the villain by the audience. Only drawback here was that both wrestlers were attired in black trunks that were not too telegenic. One thing proven tonight was that in order to present a good wrestling show over tele the contestants have to be good actors. Straight wrestling does not go without the proper mugging. Jim Davies, physical culture director for Paramount Studios, deserves a nod for lining up good performers for each bout. His refereeing is tops, with ad lib remarks helping to keep up the general effect of tension.
Southern Puppeteers presented a three-act version of Hansel and Gretel that clearly showed the potentialities for this type of act for tele. Story is familiar to all. All the essential props were on hand, first act showing the interior of the home, second the woods and third the witch's gingerbread house. Puppets were life-size on the screen and gave the illusion of reality not possible in seeing this type of show in the flesh. Sound effects were good, blending in with the action. When the witch put the spell on Hansel, Director Klaus Landsberg raised and lowered the light level, which helped create the illusion of hypnotism.
Landsberg believes that puppets offer one of the best sales possibilities for plugging products that appeal to the kids. There is no limit to what can be done with these presentations. In addition to the standard puppet plots that can be used, there is always the original story which a smart writer, familiar with the limitations of the medium, could concoct.
Desi Arnex [sic] appeared with his guitar, offering a trio of selections that came over nicely. Best of the selections was Babalu. He is top performer, who makes the viewer feel at ease, and should contribute much to tele. His style is strictly informal, which is a great help in selling his numbers to the public. Dean Owen. (Billboard, Mar. 17)
CBS television is preparing a special half-hour telecast for Wednesday evening, April 12, demonstrating how a daytime serial episode is rehearsed and performed. CBS' own serial, "Thin Life Is Mine," will serve as the model, an actual episode being used. The leads, Gertrude Warner and Michael Fitzmaurice, are expected to appear and director John Becker will also be pictured in the act of doing, his stuff.
Explanatory material will be used fore and aft, based upon the presentation now being made to advertising agencies by CBS’ France Wilder.
Ben Feiner is handling the setup for Gil Seldes of CBS television. (Variety, March 7)
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 News with Everett Holles.
8:15 Films: “Bello Horizonte” “Naples is a Battlefield” (UK Govt, 1944).
8:45 Amateur Boxing. Guest, Patrick J. Callahan, deputy commissioner New York State Athletic Commission.
Balaban & Katz
Reviewed Thursday (7) [sic], 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. Style—Drama, news, variety. Sustaining on WBKB, Chicago.
WBKB hit the video jackpot tonight. Everything the station presented was good television, good for the present, and good enough for five years from now. Don Faust, their newscaster, used maps for a change; their drama, Welcome to the Walker, left little to be asked for; Lee Phillips was in top form for his Magical Mysteries; and the presentation of Loretto Pagels and Lee Lindsay in a dance presentation entitled Voodoo Moon utilized the dramatic technique potentialities of the video medium to the best advantage.
Voodoo Moon was danced to Carmen Cavallaro's famed recording of the same name. In an excellent interpretative dance perfectly portraying the torrid mood of the music, Miss Page's and Lindsay did a job that can be termed creative artistry. One of the most novel and striking effects, however, one of those transcending the artistry of the team and illustrating the effectiveness of video as an artistic medium, consisted of showing the dancers in silhouette. As they danced in front of a painted background depicting a South Sea island, the lights in the studio were turned on and off giving some very weird effects. To present them in silhouette, the banks of lights on the background and the back portion of the stage were kept on while those in the front, near the camera, were turned off. Then, as the dancers came closer to the camera their bodies were in darkness and the light from the back outlined their dance movements with great impact on the visual sense. One of the best shots consisted of nothing but Lindsay's hand in silhouette, moving to the tempo of the music.
Adrian Rodner, author of the Walkers drama, pulled plenty of video tricks out of his hag tonight. His opening shot was very effective. A camera panned in on a picture of a house and the walk leading to it. Then there was a dissolve to another camera focused on a large, life-size door. By transposing the titles, picked up by one camera on the picture of the door picked up by the other, good titling work giving cast and sponsor credit was done. By this time the first camera was refocused on a home scene, while the second (the third is used for slides) was left on the door. A man came up to the door. knocked on it, a voice said: "Welcome to the Walkers," and there was a dissolve from the camera on the door to the scene in the Walker's living room.
The only thing found wrong here was that, as the door swung open after the voice gave its welcome salutation. Walker was pictured with his back to the camera. It would have been much better for him to be facing the camera, for it appeared unrealistic for a man to welcome guests with his back turned to them. Even tho in the first scene Walker. (Art Seltzer) was talking to his wife (Beverly Taylor) about income tax, he could have welcomed the audience and still started the show off right by merely saying a line like "Come in, my wife and I are trying to figure out my darn income tax." and then gone back to his wife and right into the show.
For the most, Rodner used excellent transition techniques. He used quick changes of scenes, with camera dissolves, for example, to and from the home of the Walkers and their friends, the Murphys (played by George Cisar and Fran Allen). But always he connected lines of thought. If at the Murphys, the talk was about income tax and there was a switch to the Walkers, the conversation was about the same subject. Rodner deserves a bow for his planning and writing of this show. So do its producer. Beulah Zachary, and camera handlers, Esther Rajewsky and Ray Stewart. While we're passing out bouquets we should Include special praise for Helen Carson. She produced Voodoo Moon. Cy Wagner. (Billboard, Mar. 17)
BALABAN & KATZ TELEVISION
"Voodoo Moon," with Loretto Pagels, Lee Lindsey, Dolores and Irmgard; "Welcome to the Walkers," Fran Allen, George Cisar, Beverly Taylor, Art Seltzer; "Magical Mysteries," Lee Phillips, Jean Minetz; news, Don Faust
Directors: Helen Carson, Beulah Zachary
Cameras: Esther Rajewsky, Rachel Stewart
90 Mins.; Fri. (Mar. 9) [sic], 7:30 p.m.
WBKB, Chicago
Standouts in a program dragged out as usual by long waits for scene changes were "Voodoo Moon," sexy South Seas dance routine to both sides of Carmen Cavallaro's "Enlloro" platter, illustrating just a few of the possibilities of trick camera effects in video; solid performances of pro-AFRA-scale radio actors in Commonwealth-Edison's "Welcome to the Walkers," which is the new tag for "What's Cookin' with the Scotts," and WBKB staffer Jean Minetz' adlib cracks, brightening up an otherwise flimsy magi stint by Lee Phillips.
Discounting hazy camera work, "Voodoo" number, danced by Lee Lindsay, Loretto Pagels and Dolores and Irmgard and directed by Helen Carson, showed imagination and taste. Native wiggles. Balinese head movements, et al, were dressed up with background of palm trees and beach that looked tricky but consisted merely of a few leaves and waves painted on brown wrapping paper.
"Walkers" skit, plugging C-E's postwar refrigerators, Red Cross drive, and prompt payment of income taxes, is second show in which Balaban & Katz have used pro radio actors, with C-E paying the AFRA B-station freight. Formerly written, produced and acted by C-E employees (all amateurs), it shows great improvement under new pro formal, directed by Beulah Zachary and played sharply by George Cisar, Fran Allen, Beverly Taylor and Art Seltzer ("sharply" here referring to those named in a descending scale). Particularly clever bridge noted was where the word "trouble," used by guys in tax discussion, was picked up by gals talking over Red Cross when the camera moved their way. Commercials—the usual kind —were missing, which helped, only references to C-E's kitchen appliances being "What a lovely refrigerator" and suchlike.
Downright cynical—not to mention nasty—adlibs by Miss Minetz, while Phillips did mysterious things with cards, eggs, telephone and milk in a paper cone, suggested big things for the attractive stooge. Gal has plenty for any magi who wants to build an act around such a gimmick, only trouble being she'd probably swipe the show.
As usual, newscast was too obviously read, and war maps were hard to see Don Faust was the culprit in the newsreading dept. Mike. (Variety, March 21)
The first close-up films of the landings on Iwo Jima will be a highlight of WNBY’s television broadcast in conjunction with WRGB of Schenectady, Sunday evening at 8. (Daily News, Mar. 8)
Friday, March 9
WNBT Channel 1
8:15 “The World in Your Home.”
8:30-11:00 Boxing at Madison Square Garden, Bill Arnold vs. Rocky Graziano.
Saturday, March 10
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 Feature Film: “The Lone Rider Ambushed” with George Huston (PRC, 1941).
9:05 Film shorts.
Sunday, March 11
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 p.m. Iwo Jima newsreels, sports film, “The Perfect Alibi” mystery, fashion show, ballet by Leonide Massine.
WABD Channel 4
8:00 “Death From a Stranger,” mystery.
8:30 “Thrills and Chills” with Doug Allan.
9:00 Film program.
With Katherine Lee, Anna Istomina, Ivan Kirov, Serge Ismailoff
Producer: Dr. Herbert Graf
Choreographer: Leonide Massine
Scenery: N. Ray Kelly
Technical director: Howard Gronberg
Asst. producer: Ronald Oxford
15 Mins.; Sun., 9 p.m.
WNBT, N. Y.
The three ballet numbers staged especially for television and presented on WNBT Sunday (11) night, proved an interesting but quite inconclusive venture. Numbers consisted of a solo and two duets; there was no corps de ballet to answer the question how a group of dancers spread out or leaping over a wide canvas would show up on the televised screen. And that was what one viewer was constantly conscious of on Sunday—the limited space, the narrowed focus, in which the dancers performed. Apparently quite deliberately the choreographer kept his dance-patterns to a limited sphere, afraid that the lens couldn't follow a dancer fast enough, it he or she made any long leap or jetes that would carry them swiftly from one side of the hall to the other. This caution may also account for what was in the main uninspired choreography, especially in the last of the three numbers. "Antar."
The three ballet bits were prepared by Leonide Massine, brilliant dancer-choreographer now connected with the Ballet Theatre, and produced under the eye of Dr. Herbert Graf, Met Opera and NBC stage director. The presentation as a whole was disappointing for all the brilliant names behind it. Only satisfactory ballet was the first, a solo by Katharine Lee to the music of Bach's "Chaconne." The choreography being in abstract classic style. Miss Lee's pirouetting, toe-work and graceful arm-movements suited the mood of music and stayed in the period style. Second ballet, a scene from Massine's "Blue Danube." set to the familiar Strauss waltz, and depicting a flirtation between a street dancer and Austrian officer, was a complete bust. Bad studio lighting kept the characters indistinct, so that they were merely silhouettes. Effect was all wasted, which was a pity, since this promised to be the most colorful of the three numbers. Final work, danced by Miss Lee and Ivan Kirov, to Rimsky-Korsakov's "Antar," was dull, pedestrian ballet, consisting of posturings instead of dance, with various unattractive acrobatic movements and contortions passing for ballet. Bron. (Variety, March 14)
Monday, March 12
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 “The War as It Happens.”
8:12 Feature Film: “I Met a Murderer” with James Mason and Pamela Kellino (UK-Gamma, 1939).
9:13 Televues: “Children of the Sun.”
9:22 Film: “Jungle Playmates” narrated by Alois Havrilla (Van Beuren, 1937).
9:30 Cavalcade of Sports: Boxing from St. Nicholas Arena.
Tuesday, March 13
WNBT Channel 1
8:30 Wrestling from St. Nicholas Arena.
WABD Channel 4
8:00 “Teleshopping.”
8:05 “Okay on the Air,” farce comedy.
8:30 WOR Presents: “This Wonderful World.”
9:00 Blue Network Presents: “On Stage, Everybody,” variety.
DuMont
Reviewed Tuesday (13) 8-9 p.m. Style—Burlesque and educational quizz. Sustaining over WABD, New York.
The one place the playboys don't belong is in a television studio. Ray Nelson has done some interesting experimental work in the video medium, but this evening with feeble idea, feeble direction and feeble scripting above which not even good actors could rise, something called It'll Be Okay on the Air used up a half hour of perfectly good time. It lost audiences that might have enjoyed the Blue Network show later in the evening. Burlesque is the most difficult of all mediums. Nelson underlined the fact with this show. It wasn't funny. The same idea by an elementary school cast couldn't have been worse.
Following the Nelson waste of good DuMont air time, WOR's Bob Emory did a quiz with a Forest Hills High School vs. a Boy Scout team. Emery worked with his back to the camera most of the time, and while the verbal essay on how to make models, by a member of the staff of the Museum of Natural History, might have been good educational stuff, night-time is entertainment time on the air.
What Emery gave them wasn't that by any stretch of the imagination.
Isn't it time that DuMont reclaimed its time? Joe Koehler. (Billboard March 25)
Blue-DuMont
Reviewed Tuesday (13) 9-9:30 p.m. Style—Talent showcase. Sustaining over WABD, New York.
Everything that On Stage, Everybody wasn't on its first video shot over this station, it was on this, its second pitch. The show ran with a smoothness that is big-time. The marquee had the moving credits large enough for even a blind man to see; the intro. by Dotty Wootin and Walter Herlihy, altho unnecessary duplications of each other, were so short as not to get in anyone's hair, and the emsee, Denton Walker, handled his chores okay.
First piece of talent showcased was Bob Hopkins, billed as an "impressionist." Bob does an adequate voice mimic but that puss of his is hardly mobile enough to run the gamut from Joe E. Brown to Bob Hope. Good viedo [sic] is going to be, just as motion pictures are today, three parts sight and one part sound. However, Hopkins was so well handled, his material so tight, that you liked his contrib even if you didn't like his work. In other words, there wasn't enough of him to bore.
Paul Whiteman, guest stooge for Dan Walker, worked smoothly with him from the audience. He had something to say and said it, which is a help in a stooge any place, any time.
Ann Simpson, while not a great Spanish dancer, did an excellent air visual job. She always kept in frame and the trick of having the camera first catch her with her black lace fan in front of her face was effective. Besides, her use of castanets gave life to the recorded music that backgrounded for her dancing. It's quite a trick to dance a Latin routine on a dime, but Ann did it with plenty of skirt swishes and vitality.
Recorded play-offs, studio applause and a word about the act going off and coming on, brought the viewers into the show and picked up any ends that might have been loose around the studio, which was all to the good.
Tight timing which Harvey Marlowe, director, achieved was made possible because he himself handled the director's mike and didn't have to tell the technical director to tell the cameramen, performers, etc., what to do. No matter how quick a t. d. is, a producer is quicker giving his directions to the min on the floor. Marlowe proved it with this shove.
Final and sock attraction was the Hall Johnson Choir. It's not easy to get modeling on colored faces in a group and to be able to pick up the solo singer and make them look like individuals. Marlowe did that without making the camera jump. He also did a trick opening by having one of the boys put on his overcoat backwards and having him direct the choir with his hands. The shots of the hands weaving against the cloth was perfect, with the choir doing its traditional humming.
There was just enough of the choir and its music to build a sock ending for a visual and oral show. Walker handled the wind-up with Whiteman; the cameras switched to the marquee with some more credits that could be read without strain.
The Blue show had everything—color, movement, integration, format and theme. Certainly it was the same On Stage, Everybody in idea that smelled up the DuMont air two weeks previously, but it was professional. It had the necessary rehearsals and there hasn't been anything on the air in a variety format that has been better.
It proves that the professional whip must be held over every production, no matter how perfect a visual idea it may seem. Cameras don't like fooling. Joe Koehler. (Billboard, March 24)
Wednesday, March 14
8:00 News with Everett Holles.
8:15 “The Missus Goes A-Shopping.”
8:45 Red Cross Drive.
9:00 Films: “The Battle For Oil” (NFB Canada, 1942) narrated by Lorne Greene and “Into the Blue.”
9:30 “What’s Now?” readjustment of discharged servicemen and families.
WABD Channel 4
8:00 Sports, Tom and Bill Slater. Lou Nova, guest.
8:30 Film program.
9:00 “Wednesdays at Nine.” Play: “The Commander and the Navy,” a repeat performance.
WCBS, CBS television outlet, went off the air suddenly Wednesday night (14), due to a breakdown in the audio system. Fault was repaired by the next night, however, and regular Thursday schedule was put on. (Variety, Mar. 21)
Impending switch in the news department al CBS has Everett Holles, asst. to Paul While in charge of news broadcasts, being transferred to the web's Chicago office to head up the editorial setup there. Holies, in addition to his N. Y. news room duties; has been doing the twice-weekly television current events panoramas via WCBW, CBS video outlet in N. Y.
No replacement has been named for Holles in either capacity, but rumor channels are carrying the name of Ted Church, GOP radio topper during the 1944 presidential campaign. He is a candidate for the secondary berth under White.
Holles' switch to Chi occasioned surprise in the trade in view of hypoed European and Asiatic situation and the news accent all webs are giving the United Nations confab in San Francisco next month. (Variety, Mar. 14)
Thursday, March 15
WNBT Channel 1
5:00 Special Broadcast.
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 News with Everett Holles.
8:15 Films: “Labor Front” “Dig For Victory.” (UK govt-1940).
8:45 Amateur Boxing.
NBC
Reviewed Thursday (15), 5-5:45 p.m. Style—News pic, variety and drama. Sustaining over WNBT, New York.
This is the first air pic pitch reviewed over the RCA 18 by 24 screen (actually 21½ by 16 inches). Despite the general technical excellence of the usual smooth NBC television airings, production for the new screen raises a great many problems. It's going to be a tough job to produce for both small and big screen video at the same time. With the small screen, the viewer sits across the footlights from the performer. With the projection job there is an uncomfortable feeling that the show is right in the room. There is going to have to be a great deal of underplaying it the big screen is kept in mind by directors, and those beautiful nuances will be totally lost on the direct viewing tubes which are to be the hearts of the $150-$200 video sets of the immediate post-war era.
Newsreel stuff was really swell. This is actually the first time that war film has come thru clearly on video—as clear as on most movie screens. First live seg was a Russell Patterson sketch session which unfortunately wasn't much better than sketch messes seen from other studios. The fade into the close-ups of the models, who were posing for the sketches, was good but the entire scanning didn't mean a thing. Even the sketch of Bojangles, Bill Robinson, fading into BR himself was just another error. Most of the time BR's face washed out due to lack of light modeling. Also the cameraman or the technical director must have been asleep. Bojangles needs foot, not head room. His feet were dancing plenty out of the pic. Reason for the bad lighting was evident in the studio. Due to the rather substantial sets for the main attraction, the drama Birthday, they had to stick the Patterson-Robinson stage away in one corner where cross-lighting was impossible. It's a shame they didn't light up BR. He's got humor in that puss of his that should scan like a million bucks when seen. For the main attraction, as indicated a moment ago, NBC presented a one-acter, Birthday, adapted by Herb Graf from Collier's magazine story. It was a simple tale of a little girl in a war-torn France who salted Le Bon Dieu for a birthday present of "Just a little piece of chocolate." Jimsie Somers, who played La Petite-Fille, was simple, unaffected and if she projected just a bit too much—it was that direction for the small direct tube viewing that did it. After all, the director saw the pic on the control ike, not on the big screen.
Here also was demonstrated bow careful video directors will have to be. They permitted the youngster to kneel at the altar in church with her head uncovered. Women, and that includes all ages, don't go to church, In Catholic France, with bare heads ... and there could be no doubt but that it was a Catholic altar. An excellent job of cutting war film into the story made the take seem all the more real—in fact, caused many of the press present to query John Royal, NBC v.-p., as to whether the show was live or film.
One other shot indicated how careful big screen tele production must be. This was the incident where the child backed into the American soldier, who to her was God in mufti. It was a tough job to play—a rough blustering G.I. with a heart of gold—and Philip Foster didn't come thru. It was especially tough because it was evident that he knew that God in uniform was an assignment-plus, Foster came thru that translucent screen with plenty of "ifs" In his playing. Camera work and production was beyond criticism. The choice of a play that tipped its plot hand in the first two minutes was less intelligent, NBC did prove, however, that there's nothing that can't be done in its tight little television studio. It only needs a little more adultness in its choice of play stuff. Joe Koehler. (Billboard, Mar. 24)
"A.A.U. BOXING BOUTS"
With Arthur T. Gore, others
75 Mins.; Thurs. [15], 8:45 p.m.
Sustaining
WCBW-CBS. N. Y.
Since CBS television is not as yet equipped with portable equipment enabling crews to go "on the road" to bring in outside sports events they solved the problem by bringing actual, bona-fide boxing bouts into their Vanderbill avenue, N. Y., studios. Through arrangements with the Amateur Athletic Union, weekly "simon pure" tourneys are conducted in a regulation ring, with authorized officials and all the atmosphere of a real arena.
One big advantage is that the ring, set up in the studio, is so situated that cameras may be moved back and forth for closeups, angle shots, etc., something impossible to do in regulation arenas arranged primarily for paying ringsiders.
CBS bouts are staged by Arthur T. Gore, recently discharged serviceman, who does a Joe Humphries from the ring announcing each bout and then scampers to the mike for a vocal accompaniment to the action. He's inclined to overdo the chatter, apparently forgetting that tuners-in are watching the same thing he is and don't need to be told everything that takes place. The best, thing a tele sports gabber can learn is when NOT to talk. Running gab only tends to distract from the visual end, which ain't good.
Bouts reviewed (15) provided lots of action and a small but enthusiastic gate kicked in with a little background noise which, unfortunately, lacked the full-throated roars and exciting hubbub picked up in larger punch palaces. Neverthless, it's good programming for male televiewers and CBS gets a nod for ingenuity in figuring out a way to share NBC's hitherto monopoly on boxing telecasts. Donn. (Variety, March 21)
Balaban & Katz
Reviewed Thursday (15), 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Style—News, variety. Sustaining on WBKB, Chicago.
WBKB still is struggling thru a period of television ups and downs. Last Thursday night the station presented one of the best video shows Chi has seen. Tonight's fare couldn't have been much worse. Last week's program was successful because a lot of sweat, thinking and planning had been put into the program. Tonight's effort in the main looked as if the station personnel was merely putting on something to fill an hour and didn't give a snap for results.
The news program by Don Faust was merely reading of teletype copy. A couple of times Don did use a map to explain happenings on the Western front, and then there was a sparkle of showmanship denoting advance planning. But that was only a tiny portion of his offering. June Merrill's Food for Thought showed a wee bit of imagination, but not enough. Show, a plug for the local Shangri-La Restaurant, opened with suitable mood music. First picture was Miss Merrill telling what was in store. after which she walked over to a table behind which was atmospheric scenery and at which were diners. It would have been much better if show had opened with shot of group at table, a shot simulating night spot gaiety. Then Miss Merrill could have her show. After this she could have taken her audience into the kitchen setting in which the famed dishes served at the restaurant were later explained. As it was, transition from opening, to group at table, and to kitchen was rough. Food demonstrated during program did not show up clearly. It would have been better if the production staff had placed a strong spot on the food. Then it would have stood out in the picture and not blended into the rest of the scene as it did on the program.
Chief Needehbeh, Indian now appearing at a Sportshow in Chi's Coliseum, would have made good video talent if he had been handled properly. As it was, he was ushered before camera after Fran Harris had given him a vocal introduction. Once during the show, in which he gave lessons in archery and explained sign language and Indian customs and music, he sang a little bit that roughly translated was the equivalent of our "hello or greetings." It would have been better for the chief to introduce himself with that song. Because he hadn't been rehearsed he walked off stage while demonstrating archery. And he made other mistakes, such as turning his back to the camera a couple of times. If the production staff, for some reason, hadn't time to rehearse him, they shouldn't have put him on. Lee Phillips, during his Magical Mysteries, showed the best video-wise imagination of all those on tonight's show. He did a little sketch in which he posed as a Hindu. He merely had his two helpers try to do a handkerchief trick that had them tied in knots. This sustained interest during his change. Cy Wagner. (Billboard, Mar. 24)
One of the first examples of a syndicated television show on film will bow in here today over the CBS sight-and-sound station under the auspices of the motion picture industry 1945 Red Cross War Fund Week.
The show, which has been arranged by Ralph B. Austrian, vice president of the RKO Television Corp. and national chairman of the drive, will feature a live appearance by Wendy Barrie. Substantially the same video series will be seen at WABD-DuMont and WNBT-NBC, as well as in Philadelphia, Schenectady, Chicago and Los Angeles. (Hollywood Reporter, Mar. 15)
Friday, March 16
WNBT Channel 1
8:15 “The World in Your Home.”
8:30 Special Live Talent film program for press. “Birthday,” “War Film,” Bill Robinson, Sports Film, Fashions.
9:00 Boxing at Madison Square Garden, Mello Bettina vs. Jimmy Bivins.
"MADISON SQ. GARDEN BOXING BOUTS"
Producer: Ed Sobol
60 Mins.; Fri. (16), 10 p.m.
GILLETTE SAFETY RAZOR CO.
WNBT-NBC, N. Y.
(Maxon)
Initial remote stanza televised on the new RCA large-screen video set definitely proved that there are many facets of this medium yet to be explored before it can be declared in workmanlike order.
Picture captured on the new postwar set being exhibited privately by the manufacturer displays a more clearly defined picture than the receivers now in use. Images captured were not clean-cut, however, in that the faulty lighting arrangements at Madison Square Garden last Friday night (16) could not be overcome from the spot away from the ring that the NBC cameras were placed. But with improvements of the lenses and closeups in postwar equipment these faults should be cleared up easily enough, and television should go on from there.
Bout televised was the Melio Bettina-Jimmy Bivins heavyweight scrap, which ended in a draw. From the set-viewers vantage point it was difficult to ascertain the amount of damage each man was wreaking on the other, and when announcer Bob Stanton, during one of the rounds, declared that Bettina was bleeding from a cut above the eye, it came as a surprise. At certain angles, too, it was difficult to gander the blows being struck. Fact that Bivins was a dark-complexioned Negro, whose movements blended into the background of the crowd at the fight, didn't help matters either.
Commercials and between-round chatter by Steve Ellis were lengthy, with the pictures of the Gillette products, and their users, flashed on the screen being rather crude, but nevertheless driving home the message. Sten. (Variety, March 21)
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 Film: “Seeing Them Through.”
8:10 Feature Film: “Father O’Flynn” with Tom Burke (UK-Hoffberg, 1935).
9:17 Film shorts.
HOLLYWOOD. March 17.—Further evidence that the West Coast is to become increasingly television-minded was seen in application filed with FCC by Raytheon Manufacturing Company, of Waltham, Mass. This will augment company's prospective Eastern tele web.
Mountain-top sites are being picked by company, with stations skedded for Mount Adams, Washington; Mounts Shasta, Lassen, Tamalpais, Whitney and San Gorgonio, Calif.; Wheeler Park, Nev.; Kings Peak, Utah and Gray's Peak, Colo. Elevations range from 3,000 to 15,000 feet. All transmitters would be located underground.
Company is asking FCC for assignments on channels up to 26,000 megacycles, which includes space heretofore unexplored. Circuits would also be designed for FM and standard broadcast relays, highway control systems, public call systems and other services. (Billboard, Mar. 17)
CHICAGO, March 17.—Staff of WBKB B&K video station here, is developing a map machine called the Shadow-Graph which uses lights, glass, transparent maps, paper figures of tanks, bombs and flags, and a mirror so that television camera can pick up a picture of a map on which movement of armed forces can be demonstrated with moving symbols. Machine is similar to that used by CBS in New York for months, first described for the trade by The Billboard.
WBKB Shadow-Graph has four 450-watt lamps placed beneath a horizontal glass on which are placed transparent maps. On these maps are placed, upside down and in reverse, the symbols needed. The figures are moved by hand during the show.
Above the maps is a mirror at 45-degree angle which rights the figures. Camera is focused on the mirror and the screen shows only the map and the symbols. (Billboard, Mar. 24)
Sunday, March 18
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 p.m. “Glory Hallelujah” and variety.
WABD Channel 4
8:00 “Voice in the Night,” mystery.
8:30 “Thrills and Chills” with Doug Allan.
9:00 Players present “Submarine,” drama.
Monday, March 19
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 “The War as It Happens.”
8:12 Film: “Wings of Democracy,” sponsored by PanAm Airways.
8:27 Feature Film: “Desperate Cargo” with Carol Hughes and Ralph Byrd (PRC, 1941).
9:34 Televues: “Children of the Sun.”
9:43 Cavalcade of Sports: Boxing from St. Nicholas Arena.
Tuesday, March 20
WNBT Channel 1
8:30 Wrestling from St. Nicholas Arena.
WABD Channel 4
8:00 “Teleshopping.”
8:05 Film program.
8:30 WOR Presents: “Al Bernard’s Minstrels.”
9:00 Blue Network Presents: “On Stage, Everybody,” variety.
Blue-DuMont
Reviewed Tuesday (20) 8-10 p.m. Style—Variety, film. Sustaining on WABD, New York.
The final test of any medium is neither its technical perfection nor the cost of its productions. The final test is the talent, its ability to entertain the audience, and the way it is presented. For the second week in a row, Harvey Marlowe and the Blue succeeded in making audiences laugh. And, in the last analysis, that's what counts.
The third televersion of On Stage, Everybody had faults, but for the most pars they did not interfere with the quality of the presentation. Bob Hopkins was back with a satiric impressions routine that tickled in spots; a Hindu dancer did a clever act, and the Robeshevesky Russian Choir turned in three pleasant numbers. Some of the material in a ventriloquist turn was far from amusing but, over-all, no one got bored. Director Marlowe should be more careful of his lighting so as to prevent one of the most unfortunate incidents in the show—shadows on what was supposed to be a window. And at the close of his vent act, Marlowe had bath his cameras trained on the performer. Emsee Denton Walker was next skedded on the bill, but there was a blank screen for close to 30 seconds while one of the cameras swung over to him. As an act nears its close, the off-the-air camera should be moved to the next set.
The Russian Choir would have been much more effective if someone, preferably the leader of the group, had announced each song and told something of its history. All of the tunes were Red Army songs and could bear elaboration. Some of the camera work on the Russians wasn't particularly good but little can be done with 40 singers in a small studio. Marty Schrader. (Billboard, Mar. 31)
CHICAGO, March 10.—A new style of television commercial, designed to be one of the type of "canned" vide sales pitches to take the place of the transcribed spots of radio will be shown at WBKB, local Balaban & Katz station, March 20. The commercial will be a three and a half minute show using slides, music and narration, all correlated to present a sales message for John Morrell & Company, meat packers. Officials of WNBT and WABD, New York video stations that will undoubtedly use the show in the future, have told Dave Dole, assistant radio director of the Henri, Hurst & McDonald Agency, which prepared the piece for their Morrell account, that it is a unique video sales pitch that has never been used before.
Idea is Dole's. Three and a half minute seg will use 40 slides, each telecast for about six seconds. Slides, together with transcribed narration and musical background will tell the story of a dog's adventure. Product advertised will be Red Heart, dog food prepared by Morrell.
Show, which will cost about $300 to film, is visualized by Dole as having value as intermission material to be used by stations with only one studio during changes of sets as well as a possible canned video spot for national distribution. (Billboard, Mar. 17)
Wednesday, March 21
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 News with Everett Holles.
8:15 “There Ought To Be a Law.”
8:45 “A Doctor’s Report.”
9:00 Films: “American Red Cross Newsreel” and “Celestial Sphere.”
9:30 “What’s Now?” readjustment of discharged servicemen and families.
WABD Channel 4
8:00 Fashion Revue.
8:15 “The Magic Carpet.”
8:45 Film program.
9:00 “Thanks for Looking.”
Reviewed Wednesday (21) 8-10 p.m. Style—News, forum and documentary. Sustaining over WCBW, New York.
This evening was "oh, so educational." There wasn't an ounce of entertainment in a carload. Alan Jackson subbed for Ev Holles in the newscast and was passable, if you don't expect personality in telenews. Touch of superimposing big block numerals on top of pix to show just how many ships of each class the U. S. Navy's last attack took from Japan was visual plus.
Juvenile forum, titled There Ought To Be a Law, was well staged and gave an accurate pic of how high-schoolers think. Camera work was too often split-focus when it should have been a one-shot most of the time. It seemed as tho the producer wasn't certain what he wanted to get and was shopping around with the camera that was on the air instead of camera two. Also it seems as tho the signs might have been placed in some relation with each school's personnel rather than indiscriminately around the hall. Someone also ought to have told the announcer "next week" isn't April 18. An air plug for what's really skedded "next week" might be a good idea. Doctor's Report was third on sked. It was ponderous, used the "news" technique developed by CBS too sparingly, and chased away viewers. It was a typical M.D. convention session.
Following the M.D. report, there were two pix. One was the Red Cross pitch shown two weeks' previously by NBC tele; other was a film on air navigation, Celestial Sphere. It lost the average viewer in the first minute and top I.Q.'s before it was half over. Tele may take its audience to school but not at 9:15 at night.
Final "offering" was Mademoiselle's Not What's New, What's Now, a heavy study of what the war wife faces in her returning G.I. Worthington Miner did a really magnificent psychostudy in production and writing. The cast was tops all the way thru. When it was all over we wanted to go out and get plastered. Atlas had nothing on the CBS audience this evening. View WCBW and carry the world's aches. Joe Koehler. (Billboard, Mar. 31)
NBC's television outlet WNBT, marks up a first in the video field beginning April 7, when the station inaugurates a series of one-hour shows geared for children.
Stanza will be televised Saturday nights from 7 to 8 o'clock, on a sustaining basis, with several sponsors interested in the program, watching developments.
Format of the show show will include live talent doing proven stints for the kids, plus some film footage, as well. (Variety, March 21)
CHICAGO, March 17.—The number of "commercial" programs telecast by WBKB, Balaban & Katz video station here, will be augmented in the near future by two new shows to be put on by companies that have plenty cash and can be expected to do first-class video. Altho these and all other shows plugging products on WBKB can be said to be commercial because of the sales pitches in them, the station does not receive any money for its facilities.
First of the two new commercial series will be started on WBKB next Wednesday (21) by Marshall Field's local department store. Thirteen -stanza series will be presented every other Wednesday afternoon. First one of series, to be titled Wednesday Matinee, will be a style show. Plans for subsequent shows in series have not been set definitely yet.
Second new commercial for WBKB will be aired, starting in May, by one of the biggest radio manufacturing companies in town. Plans are still hush-hush and name of company cannot be released yet, but it is known that outfit will undoubtedly use two night-time shows—one a news commentary and the other possibly an interview and special events format. No agency will be involved in either of these two new series. (Billboard, Mar. 24)
Thursday, March 22
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 News with Everett Holles.
8:15 “The Fourth Freedom” or “One God.”
8:45 Films.
9:00 Amateur Boxing.
Balaban & Katz
Reviewed Thursday (22), 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. Style—News, drama, variety. Sustaining on WBKB, Chicago.
There was little over which to enthuse in tonight's program on WBKB. The Welcome to the Walkers drama, which because of acting quality could have been at least above average video, was marred by poor production and camera work. Example, Adrian Rodner, author of the series, has figured out a plan to alternate close-ups and distant shots. Idea was to pace mood with changes, far shots for action that were not too forceful; close-ups where greater dramatic impact was wanted. Camera gals, however, didn't have the close-ups close enough and the distant shots were taken from too far away.
Rodner has been giving plenty care recently to his introes, For tonight he had a formula that would have worked perfectly if producer had not ordered a dissolve too late. Opening was camera on pce of house, dolly in; switch to shot of full-size door. Hand knocked on door, Mr. Walker opened door and had his wife look for visitor who wasn't there, which, of course, was the video audience. Then wife walked away while camera stayed for second on husband. As he started to walk away there was supposed to be a quick dissolve to wife, but because orders for dissolve were not quick enough, there was only shot of empty room.
Easily tops of show was Loretto Pagels's bolero dance. One good camera shot of entire night was used here in opening, when camera got close-up of Miss Pagels, with her arms crossed in front of her face and swaying to tempo of music.
Don Faust did an almost entirely ad lib news commentary using maps. If he increases ad lib and use of maps, Faust will become a good video newscaster.
Lee Phillips's magical mysteries work was slowed down too much for video because he used long tricks. Shorter tricks and more of them would be better. Cy Wagner. (Billboard, Mar. 31)
Television station WBKB and Admiral corporation, radio and electronics manufacturers, have joined forces to further television development in Chicago, E. C. Upton, director of the station, announced yesterday. Two evenings a week will be taken over by the radio company for experimental transmissions. WBKB broadcasts shows regularly Wednesday afternoons and Tuesday, Thursday and Friday evenings. (Chicago Tribune, Mar. 22)
Friday, March 23
WNBT Channel 1
8:15 “The World in Your Home.”
8:30 Boxing at Madison Square Garden. Lee Oma vs. Tami Mauriello.
Saturday, March 24
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 Feature Film: “Billy the Kid in Santa Fe” with Bob Steele, Fuzzy St. John (PRC, 1941).
9:06 Film shorts.
Sunday, March 25
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 p.m. Live Talent: “The Colner” by Bernard Duffy, and variety.
WABD Channel 4
8:00 “The Horla,” mystery drama.
8:30 Workshop presents Offenbach’s light opera, “The Apple of My Eye.”
9:00 WNEW presents “Soldiers With Coupons, O. P. A. program.
NBC
Reviewed Sunday (25) 8-9 p.m. Style—Drama and travelog. Sustaining over WNBT, New York.
With usual NBC perfecton [sic] of camera handling and acting that makes most video competition seem amateurish, WNBT presented The Coiner, by Bernard Duffy. It was a one-act set in Ireland, but unfortunately, despite the good-acting job turned in by James Rennie in the title role, it had little reason for being on the air. There wasn't a character in the entire half hour about which anyone would give a tinker's dam. Every character was unwholesome, and the twist of the cheater being cheated left viewers unhappy, to say the least. No doubt the "atmosphere" was what sold it to Edward Sobel, who produced it. If it did, then perhaps he's learned a new lesson, nothing is more deadly than a load of atmosphere without a common humanity that gets thru the Ike into the home.
M. Ray Kelly's sets were his usual solid, real, believable backgrounds. It's a shame that something interesting couldn't have happened in them.
Andre De La Varre came back for another video travelog this evening. This time without Adelaide Hawley and the sofa. He talked directly to the audience and kept the pictures of Ethiopia, which he presented, interesting and timely. Just one suggestion here. It's wise to flash back to the lecturer once in a while just to have the men and women on the other side of the iconoscope realize who's doing the talking. Credit Paul Alley here for doing a swell film cutting job, and Andre for keeping it alive and moving. Joe Koehler. (Billboard, Mar. 31)
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 “The War as It Happens:” Yanks in Manila.
8:12 Film: “Wings of Democracy,” sponsored by PanAm Airways.
8:24 Feature Film: “Gangs, Inc.” with Joan Woodbury, Linda Ware, Jack La Rue (PRC, 1941).
9:32 Televues: “Colonial Williamsburg.”
9:42 Cavalcade of Sports: Boxing from St. Nicholas Arena.
BOSTON, March 26.—Twentieth Century-Fox is in the television biz with its two feet, according to a group of trade figures here close to the General Television Corporation. Latter has been bought by the pic org with intention of putting the station, for which GT has an experimental license, on the air within the next eight weeks.
Call letters of the experimental station, W1XG, are expected to be changed as soon as possible to an identification that will tie up the air pic transmitter with the Coast organization.
General Electric is expected to co-op with 20th Century-Fox in getting the station on the air—but quick. When 20th Century-Fox execs were asked where the receiving sets would come from for the test airings during the pre-peace period, they admitted that they had tapped a source big enough to build an adequate consuming sample, and they're prepared to run on pic dough for as long as the war continues. (Billboard, Mar. 31)
Tuesday, March 27
WNBT Channel 1
8:30 Wrestling from St. Nicholas Arena.
WABD Channel 4
8:00 “Teleshopping.”
8:05 William Saroyan play, “The People With Light Coming Through Them.”
8:30 WOR Presents: “David Garrick,” drama.
9:00 Blue Network Presents: “On Stage, Everybody,” variety.
DuMont
Reviewed Tuesday (27) 8-9:30 p.m. Style—Drama, variety and household hints. Commercial and sustaining over WABD, New York.
Check this evening as an over-all advance on what's been happening on WABD.
Opening seg had Tom Hutchinson, for RKO, presenting a collection of R. H. Macy household hints for a tem war worker. The F. W. W. cut a banana correctly, made coffee while she ate her cornflakes and cooked eggs. It was all very real, but who in the name of video wants that stuff at 8 p.m.? And to make it worse, they had three femsees, Martha Manning, Helen Lewis and Gertrude Hayden, all in five minutes.
Surprise of the evening was Nat Rudich's presentation, with students of the new school, of Saroyan's People With the Light Coming Thru Them. The cast was good, imagination employed and details like having some of the atmosphere characters drawn in cartoon form on the set was Saroyan okay. Jack Bittner, as the young artist, did a swell run-thru-the-entire-play part.
Another surprise was the Bob Emery-WOR presentation of the Brownstone Theater. The play, David Garrick, was corn, but it was done in period manner that made it good fun. It was played straight—and that is what all good corn must be. Michael Fitzmaurice and Shep Menken as Garrick and Simon Ingot rate special bows. Emery handled the curtains well, and the fade-in from sketch to scene was so well cued that few realized that the curtain was in miniature and the cast life-size.
Final WABD bit of the evening was the Blue Network's Easter Parade presentation. Unfortunately it didn't quite come off. There was a notable lack of the bigtime handling that made the On Stage Everybody of a few weeks' ago sock. Nice work was done with Warner and Valerie, a team who have learned bow to waltz on the dime that the iconoscope handles best.
Joan Brandon, magician-band leader, dropped her band for the evening and did her collection of tricks. Unfortunately she didn't beta break. She did her tricks. with the audience sitting on its hands, and did several sequences so quickly that they seemed gags instead of well-handled tricks. The cameras worked in close, which is okay for the tricks, but not on Joan's make-up. She only permitted the camera to catch back-stage magic once.
The tricks were the best magic that we’ve video seen, but tele showmanship was missing a mile. Some time they ought to slow Joan down to a walk, permit the audience to indicate Ha enjoyment of her tricks and then watch the video rating go up.
Last feature wee the Easter presentation of the choir from St. Paul the Divine. Director Harvey Marlowe had a couple of beautiful shots worked out that were 'thrown overboard and not used. Because the show, had to be off the cuff, 10 minutes rehearsal, it was ordinary whereas it could have been sock. Thus far television hasn't produced a single director, that goes for NBC, CBS, GE, Don Lee, Paramount, B. & K. and DuMont, who can build a top seg off the cuff. Maybe no one will ever be able to do it. It's a shame that they have to go on trying, but they must, just in case an off-the-cuff formula can be devised or an off-the-cuff genius uncovered.
Credit the entire evening with being professional. If the programing seemed fantastic—well, that's just what tele is now. Joe Koehler. (Billboard, Apr. 7)
"DAVID GARRICK"
With Michael Fitzmaurice, Sheppard Menken, Joy Goffen, Richard Self, Victor Thorley
Producer-Director: Bob Emery
30 Mins.; Tues., March 27, 8:30 p.m.
WABD-WOR, N. Y.
An excellent performance of a good play was put on the video screen by WOR's “Brownstone Theatre” when it presented "David Garrick." The entire cast was competent, with socko performances turned in by the two leads, Michael Fitzmaurice as the famous Drury Lane actor who is in love with the daughter of a rich man from London's "City," and Sheppard Menken as the father who wants to break up the affair. Remainder of cast, including Richard Seff, Joy Gotten and Victor Thorley, also performed well.
That video is not quite mature entertainment, in spite of an excellent performance and really fine lighting, was proven again by the sets. These were so artificial they bordered on the amateurish.
But the telefan who is willing to overlook such things, during this stage of the game, could have viewed a performance that was grown up, screened very well, bringing out images that were clear and unblurred. Staging, too, was at par. the telescoping of the entire play into several short scenes, none of them requiring more than three people at a time, resulting in smoothness that was tailormade to the narrow confines in which the television actors must work. (Variety, Apr. 4)
New York.—Ralph B. Austrian, executive vice president of RKO Television Corporation, announced yesterday that his company has been selected by the Blue Network to cover the Blue’s V-E Day news room activities.
Austrian said that a crew of cameramen will be on call so that the minute the news breaks, they will set up their equipment, regardless of the hour, in the Blue’s news room and will film scenes. Plans have been worked out to process this film in record time at RKO Television’s local laboratory.
It will then be rushed by relays of special messengers to DuMont’s WABD station, where it will take to the air with right of way over any other program. This is the first time that television has set itself up to give “priority service” to news events. Coordination of the undertaking is Paul Mowrey, television director of the Blue network. RKO Television’s entire personnel has been alerted until further notice. (Hollywood Reporter, Mar. 27)
A total of 112 applications for commercial television stations have been filed with the federal communications commission, a survey just released by the Television Broadcasters’ association discloses. No action on these requests is expected until the war is nearer an end. The association reported that the applications came from 31 states and the District of Columbia. In addition, applications are pending for various experimental stations. These include stations designed for network relay purposes. (Chicago Tribune, Mar. 28)
Wednesday, March 28
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 News and analysis, Allan Jackson.
8:15 “The Missus Goes a-Shopping.”
8:50 Films.
9:30 “American Fabrics and Fashions.”
WABD Channel 4
8:00 “Ike” on Sports with Tom and Bill Slater. Guest is Leo Durocher.
8:30 Film program.
9:00 “Thanks for Looking.”
DuMont
Reviewed Wednesday (28), 8-10 p.m. Style—Sports film, audience participation. Sustaining on WABD, New York.
DuMont Focuses the Ike on Sports, first of the series to be reviewed, is in capable hands talent-wise with Tom and Bill Slater doing the chatter, but Wednesday's production and direction job was far below the sports know-how of the Slater boys. In spots it was amusing, the final test after all, but over-all presentation was too sloppy to call it a good show.
Producer-Director Bob Loewi pulled enough elementary errors to ruin whatever real value the thing may have had. Perhaps the worst occurred when Bill Slater finished a "story of the week" bit and the camera switched to brother Tom. Instead of cutting to a close-up, Loewi called for a long show-a long shot that included brother Bill crouching over like an Arab folding his tent and quietly stealing away. And again, during a Slater family discussion of the basketball situation, the director hung up another dipsy. In this one he used one camera to catch both performers. To do it, the overworked cameraman (who should get time and a half for his efforts had to pan from one to the other each time the conversational ball carrier changed. And since the two were on different planes, the guy at the ike had to do some fast focusing. But the pay-off is the fact that Bill, in this arrangement, was sitting with his back to the lens. He had a nice haircut Wednesday—very clean neck.
Don't get the idea that the whole thing smelled. It didn't. The film was nicely handled, an interview with basketballer George Mikan went off fast and well. Loewi took a beating on his guests (Leo Durocher and Lefty Gomez were supposed to show up but didn't) so that may account for the slow pacing.
Thanks for Looking, the Lever sponsored John Reed King-Pat Murray gadget show moved much more slowly Wednesday than the first time caught. Producer Lee Cooley should work out some way to find out whether viewers phoned are at home before the show goes on the air.
The two hours of video were reviewed on the new DuMont almost flat-faced 20-inch tube. Pic is brighter and clearer than anything seen at WABD but there is still distortion around the edges. Nevertheless, it's a great improvement over the old tubes. Tube is big and not yet mounted in a cabinet, but DuMont officials say that it can be put into a box not much bigger than the one holding RCA's new big screen projection model. Marty Schrader. (Billboard, Mar. 31)
Thursday, March 29
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 News and analysis with Allan Jackson.
8:15 Films.
8:45 Amateur Boxing.
Balaban & Katz
Reviewed Thursday (29) 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Style—Drama, news, fashions. Sustaining on WBKB, Chicago.
The great potentialities of television as a medium for religious inspiration were apparent tonight at WBKB during Jerry Walker's original drama, Judy's Prayer.
Walker used a combination of drama, choir singing and—most remarkable of all—impressionistic dancing to interpret the mood of a recited Biblical passage. Show opened with shot of couple kneeling at an altar. Then Walker's voice began a narration giving story behind their being there. Following was flashback to a family scene at which a mother, father and daughter (Judy) were talking about a son and brother who was in the army overseas. Following this was a flashback to this soldier reading his Bible on a lonely outpost.
It was then that Walker used his most imaginative device, the one that showed what could be done with video religious programing. As the soldier watched three trees, there was a dissolve in which the place of the trees was taken by three girl dancers, dressed in long black gowns. As an off-stage chorus chanted a Biblical passage in a definite rhythm, the three danced to the chant and depicted perfectly a visual interpretation of the mood of the words.
Except for production mistakes that could be attributed to a lack of rehearsal (the show has two hours before the camera and two outside the studios) and inadequate facilities, Walker made only one other notable mistake. That was a lack of transition between scenes. In a couple of places there were no plausible, apparent connections whatsoever.
Marguerite Williams, who played the part of Judy who gave with real tears when needed, should be in Hollywood.
Also on the program were a newscast by Don Faust and a spring fashion display of hats and hair styles. Neither rated more than a "fair" and that for effort alone. Cy Wagner. (Billboard, April 7)
Friday, March 30
WNBT Channel 1
8:15 “The World in Your Home.”
8:30-11:00 Boxing at Madison Square Garden. Joe Baksi vs. Lou Nova.
Lois Fisher, Tribune artist, will interview Miss Herma Clark of The Tribune’s editorial staff over television station WBKB at 8 o’clock tonight. Miss Clark writes the feature, “When Chicago Was Young for The Tribune. Miss Clark will appear in a bustle costume and Miss Fisher will do sketches of her for television viewers.
The board of education, thru its radio council, is engaged in its first program of experiment with television. A weekly high school variety show is to be introduced in co-operation with television station WBKB at 7:45 p. m., Friday, April 6. The council has sent out a call to all high school principals to recruit potential television performers. (Chicago Tribune, Mar. 30)
Saturday, March 31
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 Story of Easter, special Eagle program, featuring Rob Shaw’s Collegiate Choir.
NBC
Reviewed Saturday (31), 8-9 p.m. Style—Church service and religious pix. Sustaining over WNBT, New York.
Bulova Watch Time was an okay commercial to precede The Story of Holy Week, but there's some question about how intelligent it was to follow that with the Botany Tie cartoon weather commercial (two station breaks one right after another). Even if latter wasn't as corny as it was, there is solid objection to preceding a beautiful religious show with a gag pic.
Dr. Herbert Graf did a terrif job merging still pic, a choir under the direction of Bob Shaw and narration of the story of the betrayal, crucifixion and the resurrection by House Jameson. He built a half-hour Holy Week session which took every beholder right to church and left him in a spiritual mood. The use of Jameson instead of a regular preacher was a great tribute to J.'s narration. If there were more House Jameson's in pulpits, there'd be more people going to church. Pictorially, the production was adequate with nothing especially camera, worthy except that Ray Kelly once again built a real set—a set as real as Jameson's telling of the Easter story.
The pix followed the live show. One was a travelog, The Holy Land, the other the story of the Mystic Lamb painting in Belgium. Both were in the season's mood. NBC, however, continues to let pix introduce themselves. They shouldn't. It would only have taken a word by House Jameson to have tied up the live show and the two pix into a continuous evening.
You can't have everything, I suppose. Joe Koehler. (Billboard, Apr. 7)
"THE STORY OF EASTER"
Narrator: House Jameson, with Robert Shaw's Collegiate Chorus
Producer: Dr. Herbert Graf
Scenic Designer: Ray Kelly
30 Mins., Saturday, March 31,8 p.m.
Sustaining
WNBT-NBC, N. Y.
NBC's television department last Saturday night (31) staged one of the best produced, most entertaining and yet dignified, programs on a subject that does not lend itself readily to such treatment. Memorable stanza was "The Story of Easter."
Coming as it did the eve of Easter Sunday, at a time when other video stations in the metropolitan area were off the air, set owners who turned to television to pass the time of evening that night were given a rare treat. Although dignity prevailed throughout, the closeups of religious paintings, displayed with the voice of narrator House Jameson in the background reading from the scriptures, plus the excellent choral work of Robert Shaw's Collegiate Chorus were excellently mounted and clearly televised.
Camera crew at NBC was in rare form on this video show, aided, of course, by the production guidance of Dr. Herbert Graf. They were on the beam, centering every pictorial closeup, garnering good shots of the choir, the narrator and the persons praying in the neat church setting. Incidentally, the stained glass paintings and reproduction of the inside of a church, including the choir stall, pulpit and pews was forthright staging, indeed, considering the limited studio space in which the setting was built. Sten. (Variety, Apr. 4)
NEW YORK, March 31.—CBS's video station in New York WCBW, will probably go on the air three nights a week instead of the present two, beginning May 1. Plan, now under consideration by web's toppers and head men at the station, would put WCBW to work Tuesday, Thursday and Friday but the total weekly air time would remain what it is now, four hours.
If the thing goes thru, and trade is betting it will, it will be the station's second time change since it returned to the air last spring. When it began transmitting again after a war-born hiatus, WCBW had two hours a night Thursday and Friday. Last month it went to a Wednesday .and Thursday sked.
New sked will have it competing with Blue on DuMont Tuesdays and NBC Fridays. Thursday is usually a free night in New York except for Columbia's shows. (Billboard, March 31)
