He did it on radio. On television, two CBS newsmen put aside their war coverage briefly to present the adventures of popular comic strip characters.
On the other side of the continent, the same thing was happening, though there was no strike. W6XYZ had a deal with the National Enterprise Association to put their comics on TV. Doing all the voices were one newsman and host Dick Lane, who did all the women in falsetto like Don Messick years later at Hanna-Barbera.
Radio shows had summer replacements for years, but this month marked the first TV summer replacement show, as Lever Bros. took a month off and a substitute show aired for five weeks.
There aren’t a lot of highlights you’ll see below. The trades were still reporting seemingly endless predictions and pontifications about “the future” but had cut back on programme reviews. The experimental station Zenith had in Chicago was trying to show signs of life. Bill Still’s experimental station on Channel 13 in New York supposedly started tests in July 1945.
And we note what may have been the first appearance of someone familiar on television for years—the future host of “Wild Kingdom,” Marlin Perkins.
Sunday, July 1
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 Film: “The War as It Happens,” newsreel footage; Play: “Copperhead” by Augustus Thomas.
"THE COPPERHEAD"
Cast: Philip Foster, Grandon Rhodes, Mary Patton, Richard Keith, Douglas Dick, Gayne Sullivan, Roger Sullivan, Jim Tansey, Barbara Winchester, Rand Elliott, Renee Terry; Roger Bowman, announcer.
Writer: Augustus Thomas
Adapters: Helen Morley, Ernest Colling
Producer: Colling
Technical director: Reid Davis
51 Mins.; Sun. (July 1), 8:15 p.m.
Sustaining
WNBT-NBC, N. Y. NBC's video department is doing less talking than some of its competitors about dramat experimentation, but goes right on producing solid legit fare for its audience. Having recently tucked under its belt three full, unabridged acts of Robert E. Sherwood's "Abe Lincoln in Illinois," WNBT last Sunday (1) tried a special version of another famous American play. This time, the vehicle was Augustus Thomas' "The Copperhead," adapted for video, and running 51 minutes.
If this production was not quite as satisfactory as "Lincoln," the fault was clearly that of the play itself. "Copperhead" belongs to a different era of American theatre. The switcheroo at the end, when it turns out that the spy was really a counterspy, would be much too thick for the present legit stage. But once the play is accepted—and it is still a great play despite its occasional clumsiness—the television version must be applauded for smooth transportation into the new medium.
Producer Ernest Colling and Helen Morley did a good job at adaptation, and Colling chose a thoroughly competent cast. Richard Keith as Capt. Hardy, Douglas Dick as Joey, Philip Foster as the younger Milt, and Mary Patton as Ma "played their parts with nice balance. Two of the actors were not too easy to take, but it was hard to decide whether it was their fault or the original playwright's. One of these people (Barbara Winchester) had to play the rather ungainly comedy part of Grandma, while the elder Milt of Grandson Rhodes was an unenviable assignment at best.
The sets were good, lighting seemed effective, and the camera work okay. A particular word, however, must be said for the sound, which came under the technical directorship of Reid Davis. As background for Roger Bowman's smooth narrating, the sound provided extremely effective dramatic nuances. At one time a sound montage rose to symphonic beauty, blending with the narration to create lifelike images of action beyond the camera. Maybe it was just good radio, rather than video—but it was sock, nevertheless. Cars. (Variety, July 4)
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 Film: “Wings of Democracy,” “Romantic Mexico.”
8:15 Feature Film: “Slander House” with Adrienne Ames, Esther Ralston and Craig Reynolds (Progressive, 1938).
9:15 Film: “Kennel Kings,” narrated by Andre Baruch (RKO-Pathe, 1939).
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 News with Dwight Cooke.
8:15 “There Ought to Be a Law,” discussion by high school students.
8:45 Film.
9:00 Amateur Boxing Bouts.
RAYTHEON MFG. Co. has been granted FCC authority to erect five experimental relay stations between New York and Boston as first leg in a national microwave communications system. Stations are at New York, Bristol and Holland, Conn., Webster and Lexington, Mass. Power will be 100 w, between 1,900 and 26,500 mc.
New techniques for transmitting and relaying FM and video programs as well as other communications will be tested. An aeronautical safety system of traffic control is contemplated. Raytheon will erect two experimental FM stations, W2XRA and W2XRY, 105 and 107 mc, on top of the Lincoln Bldg., New York, where it has offices. Company has on file applications for television and FM stations in Waltham, Mass., and Chicago, as well as a video station in New York. (Broadcasting, July 2)
Tuesday, July 3
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 News with Tom O’Connor.
8:15 Fourth of July Program.
8:30 War Bond program: Army Ground Forces film: “Action at Anguar” (OWI, 1945).
9:00-9:30 “The Missus Goes A-Shopping” with John Reed King.
WABD Channel 4
8:00 “Women of Tomorrow” with Nancy Craig.
8:30 “Inside Facts About Food.”
8:45 Film program.
9:00 WOR’s Brownstone Theatre presents: “What Makes Television Tick?”
CBS
Reviewed Tuesday (3), 8-9:30 p.m. Style—News, film, documentary, audience participation. Sustaining over WCBW, New York.
Columbia's Fourth of July show was hardly an extravaganza; in fact, it was hardly a show. For 15 minutes a young actor stood, sat or walked in front of the camera, meanwhile delivering a turgid monolog, poorly written and badly delivered.
The general theme of the thing, how the G.I. thinks, was an important one, but it's doubtful that any of the voluntary audience stuck around long enough to see the finish—which, by the way, was stock video. To put it over, Director Paul Belanger lined up several members of the studio audience (stooges, we suspect) along with the actor, dressed in a sailor's uniform. As the group recited the Pledge of Allegiance, camera one scanned a flag, fluttering in a man-made breeze. With the two pictures superimposed, camera two panned along the faces of the people. A good effect. Direction all the way thru was technically on a high plane, but the content.
News with Tom O'Conner, a film and the Missus Goes A-Shopping rounded out the evening. Marty Schrader. (Billboard, July 14)
Wednesday, July 4
WABD Channel 4
8:00 “Ike on Sports” with Tom and Bill Slater.
8:30 Motion Picture.
9:00-9:30 “Wednesdays at Nine”: Independence Day Program.
Members of the 86th infantry (Blackhawk) division, now home in Schenectady on furloughs before going to the Pacific, will be featured on tonight's program over WRGB, General Electric's television station. They will relate their experiences, some amusing, some serious, display souvenirs and tell how they acquired them while fighting in Germany.
Among those who will be telecast on tonight's program will be Lt. Harry H. Hart Jr., Pfc. Robert J. Armstrong, Sgt. Donald Brightman, Sgt. William E. Peterson, and Pfc. Joseph Valachovic.
Also tonight, the WRGB Minstrels will celebrate Stephen Foster's birthday with a minstrel show built around the songs of the popular American composer. David Kroman will be Mr. Interlocuter, Don Putnam and Herb Slate will be the end men. A quartet of Don Uren, Hubert Lee Hayes, M. R. Marston Jr., and Chester D. Vedder will be featured. (Schenectady Gazette, July 4)
Thursday, July 5WNBT Channel 1
7:00-8:30 Children’s Program: Mary Chase Marionettes, Donald Bain (animal imitator), Film: “Arizona Stage Coach” with the Range Busters (Monogram, 1942).
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 News and analysis by Dwight Cooke.
8:10 Film: “Salute to the Farmers.
8:30 “Opinions on Trial”: Labor Relations.
WABD Channel 4
8:00 Magazine of the Air.
8:30 “Thrills and Chills” with Doug Allan.
9:00 Film shorts.
9:30 “Thanks for Looking” with Patricia Murray and John Reed King.
Friday, July 6
WNBT Channel 1
8:15 “The World in Your Home.”
8:30 Boxing at Madison Square Garden, Jake La Motta vs. Tommy Bell.
WALTHAM WATCH Co., New York, starts its first television series July 6 on WNBT, NBC television station. Sixty-second video spots will be shown twice each Friday. First 45 seconds will be devoted to a telecast filmed dramatization showing the value of correct time in its relation to business, aviation, travel, the mail, etc. "Time Story" will then dissolve into 15 seconds of "live" time showing the face of a new style Waltham wrist watch. Agency is N. W. Ayer. (Broadcasting, July 2)
JULIEN BRYAN, photographer, has been engaged to narrate his own series of films on WNBT, New York television outlet of NBC. Titled "Small Town, USA", films will be presented on RCA Victor Division Friday evening [6] "The World for Your Home” program. (Broadcasting, July 2)
Saturday, July 7
WNBT Channel 1
2:30-5:00 Baseball: Giants vs. Reds at the Polo Grounds.
Sunday, July 8
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 Film: “The War as It Happens,” newsreel footage; “Teen Age”; Ballet: “Adventures in Natural History.”
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 Film: “Wings of Democracy”: Morocco.
8:15 Feature Film: “The Eagle’s Brood” with Hopalong Cassidy (Goodwill, 1935).
9:14 Film: “Kennel Kings,” narrated by Andre Baruch (RKO-Pathe, 1939).
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 News with Dwight Cooke.
8:10 Film.
8:15 Amateur Boxing Bouts.
Tuesday, July 10
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 News with Dwight Cooke.
8:15 Motion Picture.
8:40 OWI Message.
9:00-9:30 “The Missus Goes A-Shopping” with John Reed King. Hal Sherman, guest.
Klaus Landsberg, director of Television Productions, Inc., begins a series of televised comic strips over station W6XYZ, every Friday night. The deal, which was concluded with NEA, gives the station the exclusive rights to televise such comic strips as Boots, Freckles, Captain Easy and Our Boarding House in the Los Angeles Area. Landsberg told us his reason for the tie-up and a more logical one we have never heard. Said Landsberg, “All America loves the funnies, they are a natural for television in the home—an ideal program for the entire family.” He was honest enough to admit, “I am going to conduct experiments to find out just what is the best method to present each of these strips. Some are going to require character voices, others will necessitate the use of background music and others animated cartoons.” It is a new step in television programming that proves that some of the video execs are thinking far ahead of today. Apparently, getting back to the comic strip idea, sound alone is not enough to carry that type of program—these was an attempt to do a transcribed comic strip on an early Sunday ayemer—but it ran its course and died without a tear being shed—expect, of course, by the voice animators, who did make a living doing it. In video, however, it looks as though it is a natural. (Karl Sands, Hollywood Reporter, July 10)
Wednesday, July 11
WABD Channel 4
8:00 “Fashions Coming and Becoming.”
8:15 Motion Picture.
8:30 “The Magic Carpet.
9:00-9:30 “Broadway and Hollywood Televiews.”
9:30-10:00 Motion picture.
Thursday, July 12
WNBT Channel 1
7:00-8:30 Children’s Program: The Ribbon, Donald Bain (animal imitator), cartoon.
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 News and analysis by Tom O’Connor.
8:10 Film.
8:30-9:00 “Women in Wartime.”
WABD Channel 4
8:00 “Magazine of the Air.”
8:30 Motion Picture.
9:15 “Thanks for Looking” with Patricia Murray and John Reed King.
9:45 Film program.
CBS
Reviewed Thursday (12), 8-9 p.m. Style—News, film, drama. Sustaining over WCBW, New York.
Gilbert Seldes (producing) and Frances Buss (directing) teamed up Thursday to bring viewers one of the best Women in Wartime shows Columbia's WCBW has put on the air to date. Based, like all the others, on material from the pages of Mademoiselle, slick women's mag, the current edition of Women in Wartime dealt exclusively with G.I. opinions on several subjects: among them rehabilitation, pin-ups, the gal back home and the working wife.
Presented with good, altho sometimes overdrawn touches of sentiment, satire and humor. The several sequences moved with sure pace and precise direction thru a number of extremely effective settings. Camera work by Howard Hayes and Edward Leftwitch was at an unusually high level and recorded background music added a great deal to the program. Particularly pleasant was a sequence in which an India-based G.I. dreams of the girl at home and the life he wants to lead. Like almost everything else on the show, it was tasteful in content and professional in form.
One section of Women in Wartime, the one dealing with the effects of would-be psychologists to "rehabilitate" a returning veteran went too far in its satire, becoming a slice of slapstick. But more important than its custard-pie atmosphere was the false impression of psychiatry which it might give the viewer. All analysts are not crackpots and many are doing a tremendous job on war-shattered minds.
None the less, great credit belong to Miss Buss and Seldes, to writers Fred Rickey, George Davis, Jeri Trotta and Frances Hughes to Hayes and Leftwitch on the cameras and to James McNaughton for a top-notch job of scenic designing. Frances Greene assembled a good cast that contributed much to the presentation.
Tom O'Conner, PM reporter, who is doing some of the CBS newscasts, seems to be making gradual improvement in his style and approach. If he can get rid of his obvious nervousness and stop fluffing words, he'll work out very well. A Canadian film, Hot Ice, rounded out the hour's program. Marty Schrader. (Billboard, July 21)
Friday, July 13
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 “The World in Your Home.”
8:15 Film.
8:30 Boxing at Madison Square Garden, Willie Joyce vs. Bobby Ruffin.
Balaban & Katz
Reviewed Friday (13), 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Style—News and variety. Sustaining and commercial on WBKB Chicago.
To use a pun as bad as the program, tonight's Pullman Company show certainly was a sleeper. The department that designs the company's most restful sleeping accommodations must have had a hand in formulating the program content.
The Pullman endeavor might have been an example of good company personnel relations, because it used amateur talent from among its employees ranks and this made them happy. But it certainly wasn't video entertainment worthy to be called advertising for a company as wealthy and large as the Pullman outfit.
Talent (if it could be called that) consisted primarily of the company's choral group backed up by acts of other Pullman employees. This backing up consisted of tap dancing of a member of the auditing department who never should have left his adding machine, a boogie-woogie piano recital: a gal soloist, a male barber shop quartet, and for the amateur act to end all amateur acts, a short, bald-headed guy simulating the feet tapping feat of a tap dance by hitting his hands on his head and on his chest, dressed up with a little comedy routine. Latter might have gone over but it was presented straight.
Only good video in entire Pullman show was technique of slowly dissolving shot of director into shot of chorus so it looked as if the director's arms appeared to be waving right over the heads of the chorus members.
Good stunt tonight was about five-minute segment, What the Stars Say. This had printed horoscope readings telecast with background of Capt. Bill Eddy's kaleidoscope designs.
Other principal part of the show presented by the Admiral Radio Corporation with the co-operation of the Chicago Park District was slightly worse than fair. P.a. for the Grant Park Concerts merely explained how, why and when the concerts were presented and introduced some of the talent that had appeared at the concerts. Following introduction the talent did its stuff. Good radio, but certainly nothing unusual for television.
Rounding out the show was the news commentary of Gil Hix. His continues to surprise and please his audience by giving a 15-minute terse, informative news show entirely without the use of a script. Now that he has developed ability to go entirely without script, however, he should do something more, something worthy of television. He should improve his shows with the use of something more unusual than the ordinary maps he utilizes for discussions of places in the news. Cy Wagner. (Variety, July 21)
CBS tele stepped into the breech created by the newspaper deliverer’s strike. WCBW editors included the front pages of the New York dailies and kept video viewers up-to-date on the comics. Much in the manner of Mayor La Guardia, commentators Dwight Cooke and Tom O’Connor read the balloons but had the added advantage of projecting the actual strip. (Radio Daily, July 13)
Saturday, July 14
WNBT Channel 1
2:30-5:00 Baseball: Yankees vs. Indians at Yankee Stadium.
Sunday, July 15
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 Film: “The War as It Happens,” newsreel footage; variety.
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 Film: “Wings of Democracy”: Morocco.
8:15 Feature Film: “Jeannie”with Barbara Mullen, Michael Redgrave (General Film, 1941).
8:40 Televues: Big League Baseball
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 News with Dwight Cooke.
8:10 Film.
8:15-9:30 Amateur Boxing Bouts.
First experimental testing of W2XJT, independent Long Island television station, erected by William B. Still, owner of the Jamaica Radio and Television Manufacturing Company, will be conducted within the next few days in compliance with FCC regulations. The station will operate on Channel 13, 230-236 megacycles. (Radio Daily, July 16)
Tuesday, July 17
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 News with Dwight Cooke.
8:15 “There Ought to Be a Law,” discussion by high school students.
8:45 Film.
9:00-9:30 “The Missus Goes A-Shopping” with John Reed King.
Washington, July 17.—An application by 20th-Fox to construct a commercial video station in New York has been placed in the FCC pending files.
Present indications are that the Commission will begin action in the fall on the FM and television applications which have piled up in the pending files since early 1943. (Variety, July 18)
Wednesday, July 18
WABD Channel 4
8:00 “Ike on Sports” with Bill and Tom Slater.
8:30 Motion Picture.
9:00 Coast Guard Film or “Wednesdays at Nine.”
9:30 Motion picture.
10:00-10:30 American Television Society: “Broadway’s Ranch.”
Additional heat and illumination for your home may be derived by designing it so that living room, dining room and kitchen have a southern exposure with plenty of window area or glass walls, according to Norman Barnes of the General Electric Co.'s research laboratory, who discussed solar housing last night [18] over station WRGB, the company's television station.
A solar house as defined by Mr. Barnes, is one designed to take advantage of the sun's radiation as an auxiliary source of heat and light.
"Until a few years ago the use of large window areas meant exceptionally high heat losses in the winter with correspondingly costly fuel bills," Mr. Barnes said. "With the development of an insulated window pane, called thermopane, these objections! factors were overcome and the solar house becomes practical for all climates", he explained.
Thermopane, as Mr. Barnes described it, consists of two pieces of glass sealed together with an insulating airspace between the two panes of glass. For extreme temperature conditions additional pieces of glass can be bonded, together with the insulating air spaces in between. The insulating air is scientifically cleaned, dried and sealed in place by a metal-to-glass seal. This dehydrated atr, according to Mr. Barnes, prevents condensation and frost from forming on the inner glass surfaces.
In the summer the solar house can be equipped with roof overhangs, Mr. Barnes said, which act like the brim of a hat to keep out the direct sun rays but still admit the lights "Basically", Mr. Barnes concluded, "the solar house is a design for better living measured in terms of comfort".
During the telecast Mr. Barnes introduced Bernard J. Pearson, of the Libby-Owens Ford Glass Co., manufacturers of thermopane. (Schenectady Gazette, July 19)
Mutual Broadcasting System will inaugurate a series of programs over WRGB, General Electric’s television station, on Wednesday, August 1. The show will be a television version of the radio show “The Better Half,” now heard Monday evenings over WOR.
Tiny Ruffner is named as the emcee. The series is scheduled to run at least six weeks. (Radio Daily, July 18)
NBC’s television station, WNBT, claimed another “first” at the closing of the San Francisco Conference when it recorded at that session the address delivered by President Harry S. Truman. These motion pictures, flown to New York, included signing of the pact by diplomats of the United Nations. (Radio Daily, July 18)
Thursday, July 19WNBT Channel 1
7:00-8:30 Children’s Program: Playlet “The Magic Ribbon” part 2, Donald Bain (animal imitator), Film: “The Lone Rider Fights Back” (PRC, 1941).
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 News and analysis by Tom O’Connor.
8:10 Film.
8:20 Chemical Warfare Exhibit with Dwight Cooke.
8:40 Selective Service in Reverse, Maj. Edward D. Millea, speaker.
WABD Channel 4
8:00 “Magazine of the Air.”
8:30 Motion Picture.
8:45 “Thrills and Chills” with Doug Allan.
9:15 Motion Picture.
9:30 “Thanks for Looking” with Patricia Murray and John Reed King.
"SELECTIVE SERVICE IN REVERSE"
With Lt. Col. David Brady, Harold Waldridge, Emil Harris, Mary Patton, others
Producer-Director: Ben Feiner
Cameras: Ralph Warren, Ed Leftwich, Milton Steinberg
20 Mins.; Thurs. (19), 8:40 p.m.
Sustaining
WCBW-CBS, N. Y.
There are a few good radio shows devoted to the problem of the newly demobilized war vet. CBS television also started into that field of useful showmanship last week (19) with "Selective Service in Reverse." Idea is reported to be considered as a possible series. With some tightening productionwise, and more attention to simplification of script, the show could well turn into a series combining genuine help to the returnee with interesting video technique.
Show sets out to explain work being done by New York Selective Service h.q., which is now busy assisting servicemen and women in finding the right road hack to civilian life. After over-all plan of the "reverse" process was explained by Lt. Col. David Brady, exec officer of N. Y. selective service office, three ex-GI's—one woman and two men—appeared before real-life staff members of Col. Brady's office, asking questions and receiving sensible guidance.
Here is an instance where video could do a job. In this instance, the GI's asking for advice were actors, while the advisers were regulation sergeants. Had these latter appeared over the air, invisible to their audience, they would have sounded clumsy by comparison with the smoothness of the professionals. Result would have been extreme unevenness. On the television screen, however, they were seen as natural guys, sincere men trying sincerely to do their job well. Their very amateurishness as actors added authenticity to their effort as practical guides.
The scripting, however, might have been simplified considerably. It's doubtful whether, in real life, these sergeants speak as they talked on the show—in stilted, social-work language obviously taken from the book of administrative instructions. They should have been permitted to talk naturally.
Pacing of the production, too, was slow, and that's something for which the amateurs were only partly responsible. However, since experimentation is in order, the entire stanza could be put down to the more positive side of the ledger. Cars. (Variety, July 25)
Sereno will direct the play. Miss Ayres is the producer. The cast includes Lyle Sudro, Alice Scanlon and Bob Jackson. Art work is under the supervision of Henry Schlosser. (Radio Daily, July 18)
Balaban & Katz
Reviewed Thursday (19), 7:30 to 9 p.m. Style—Dramatic, news, variety. Sustaining on WBKB, Chicago.
One of the best in weeks was tonight's video offering at WBKB. Show had variety of program content, attention-holding drama, better than average camera work and direction and, in the dramatic portion something that has become a rarity at WBKB, ingenuity of staging and special electronic effects.
Easily high spot of the show was Bill Vance's X Marks the Spot murder thriller. Vance in the past has merely told his stories about weird murders of history, but tonight he started a new bi-weekly series for which he writes a dramatic script that is the basis for enactment of the crimes by live talent. Use of live talent was a 1,000 per cent improvement in entertainment content.
Story on which Vance based his script was the history of England's Jack the Ripper murders. Of course, such a story will always provide dramatic interest. But it was the television tricks that Vance and Helen Carson, who directed the show, used to adapt the story for video that made the production noteworthy.
For the opening, a hand holding a brush, painted the title on a simulated brick wall. Mood of the production was established by the use of a thin paint that gave the impression that the titling was done with fresh blood.
Next shot was on a drawing of a darkly lit street scene, then a dissolve to a closer shot of the same scene, then a dissolve to studio scene having background and props reproducing setting depicted in the introductory drawings. All of this accounted for attention-getting opening. Thruout the rest of the production other video effects, such as having night scenes, darkened by use of control on moderating panel, were used. It was plenty good video. Remarkable thing about the 25-minute dramatic show was that it had only one hour of camera rehearsal and two hours of pre-camera rehearsal.
Rest of program was newscast by Don Faust (not very good), five-minute horoscope that is a new gimmick station uses to replace printed patriotic slides during changes between programs. Allwyn Dwight's "he does but he doesn't" routine a la the Imaginators; a golf-playing instruction bit featuring Betty Hix, national women's open champion, and George Cisar. Cisar is rapidly becoming the best actor around WBKB. He had a substantial role in X Marks the Spot and he pulled the Betty Hix show out of the fire by some fast thinking, comedy ad libbing that kept things going just when the golf instructions were getting boring. Cy Wagner. (Variety, July 28)
Friday, July 20
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 “The World in Your Home.”
8:21 Film: “Country Fair.”
8:30 Boxing at Madison Square Garden, Toni Janiro vs. Johnny Greco.
Television Productions, Inc.
Reviewed Friday (20) 8:30-9:30 p.m. Style—News, army show, comics. Sustaining on W6XYZ, Hollywood.Tonight's telecast offered good cross-section of video fare for home viewers, with high-spot being the second showing of the NEA comics. Klau[s] Landsberg has worked out some gimmicks that help put the strips across and make them much better subjects than they were on initial showing.
He balanced up tonight's show dramatizing some of the comics and depending on straight narration for other, trying both methods to see which one is more suitable. So far dramatization has the edge but a great deal depends upon the type of comic being shown. Brenda Breeze, Boots, Otis, Carnival, Boarding House and Captain Easy were shown. Latter strip was the best by far, as all-around entertainment. Keith Heatherington and Dick Lane dramatized this one, with Lane doubling the fem, it worked out surprisingly well. Landsberg is dispensing with the balloons on comics. Survey of viewers found that most of them would rather depend on narration instead of having to read blurbs. It is confusing trying to read balloons and listening to narrating at the same time. Picture quality on the comics was very good. Series went off without a hitch.
Paramount News this week offered shots of world events, narrated by Keith Heatherington. Tinting between the news pix and narrator is much improved and whole newscast keeps up a nice pace. New idea tried out by Landsberg this week was to have news pix interrupted for commentary by T. B. Blakiston on the war with Japan. Using his maps to good advantage, Blakiston gave the viewer a cross-section of what's happening in the Far East. Dick Lane's guest on Meet Your Heroes this week was Maj. Jack Finch, AAF. With Lane feeding the questions, the major had a comparatively easy time of it and proved to be a good tele subject. Boxing this week was good, with Paramount's physical culture director, Jim Davis, setting bouts as usual: announcing the fights was handled by Dick Lane, Bouts were fast this week, with plenty of leather flying. Dean Owen. (Billboard, Aug. 4)
New York.—Encyclopedia Britannica Films and CBS have closed a deal for the joint presentation of a series of four live-and-film telecasts over WCBW, the network’s station, beginning Aug. 7, it was learned yesterday. Britannica producers will be integrated in the dramatic framework so that the motion picture flows out of the drama as a visualization of the dialogue.
Aim of the experimental project is to develop a regular television-film educational series in the Fall and Winter. First program will combine a Britannica film on agricultural techniques through the centuries with a script titled “Hunger Takes No Holiday,” under the direction of Worthington Miner, manager of the WEBS [sic] television department.
Largest producer of classroom-teaching films in America, Britannica will be represented in the joint supervision of the series by Dr. V.C. Amspiger, vice president and director of research, and Dr. Miller McLintock, educational consultant and former Mutual prexy. (Hollywood Reporter, July 20)
Saturday, July 21
WNBT Channel 1
2:30-5:00 Baseball: Yankees vs. White Sox at Yankee Stadium, with Bob Stanton.
Sunday, July 22
WNBT Channel 18:00 Film: “The War as It Happens”; Film: “Greater Victory” with Louis Calhern (Filmedia, 1945); “Blackmail,” play by Ernest Colling; Milton Caniff, cartoon artist, guest.
A dramatic documentary film, built on the theme that we must conquer Nazi fascist ideas in this country, will be seen on NBC’s television station WNBT Sunday, 8 p.m. (Radio Daily, July 18)
What Station WABD calls television’s first program with multiple sponsorship is scheduled to start Sept. 1 under the guidance of John Reed King. The show will be called “King’s Corner” and Mr. King will introduce guest stars and interview visiting celebrities in a street-scene setting. Commercials will be introduced in “unusual” ways, the station says, such as snatches of conversations between people walking past, pitchmen’s deliveries or street-corner interviews. (Sidney Lohman, New York Times, July 22)
Beginning July 22, WRGB, General Electric's television station, will operate under a new telecasting schedule, according to announcement by G. E. Markham, manager.
The evenings and number of hours on the air will remain the same, the major change being a shift of time for relaying programs from NBC's station WNBT, in New York.
The revised schedule calls for live studio programs to be telecast on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings at 8 o'clock. These will be followed by motion picture films. On Sunday night the station will relay programs presented by WNBT.
Also, starting July 23, 10 minutes of tele-news will be featured over WRGB every Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening. (Schenectady Gazette, July 5)
Monday, July 23WNBT Channel 1
8:00 Film: “Wings of Democracy”: Morocco.
8:15 Feature Film: “Moonlight Sonata” with Ignace Jan Paderewski, Charlie Farrell, Steinway pianos (Pall Mall, 1937).
8:40 Televues: “Kennel Kings.”
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 News with Dwight Cooke.
8:10 Film: “Line is Busy.”
8:15-9:30 Amateur Boxing Bouts.
"Tip the Scales," a new television musical quiz show with cash awards for members of the audience and penalties for the orchestra when it falls on a requested number, will be introduced Monday evening over WRGB, General Electric's television station, at 8 o'clock.
Any cash awards won by the orchestrafor successfully playing the request will be donated each week to a worthy cause. The American Red Cross has been selected as recipient for the opening program.
"Happy Bob Hayes" and his Korn Krib quartette will furnish the music with Miss Sylvia Frasso as vocalist. Ed Flynn will act as master of ceremonies.
The public has been invited to attend these telecasts. Tickets for admission may be obtained at the station, 60 Washington avenue.(Schenectady Gazette, July 18)
CHICAGO, July 23.—Added impetus to the development of television in Chicago will be given by the Zenith Radio Corporation when its experimental video station, W9XZV, returns to the air in 60 days. Zenith's station has been shut down for several months while revamping of its transmitter has been in progress.
When it returns to the air it will continue to use film. Reason for this is that its studios are on the Zenith war plant grounds, and anyone entering the grounds must be thoroly investigated before gaining entrance. Trouble this would cause if different live talent was brought in for series of shows is apparent. Altho a definite sked has not been worked out yet, Ed Classen, manager of tele for Zenith, said that shows will be on regularly scheduled times various nights each week.
Experimental Programing
There is the possibility that Zenith in the near future will do experimental television programing, even if shows are restricted to film. However, station will not operate on regular commercial basis charging for time, etc., until it begins operation of its television station, WTZR. Zenith has had a construction permit for this commercial station for years but its development was stopped by the war. Transmitter site for WTZR is atop the Field Building in downtown Chicago, where Zenith also has its FM station, WWZR.
Technical changes made in W9XZV's transmitting equipment, Classen said, will enable station to project a better picture. Principal reason for this is the increase of power station engineers have been able to utilize. Whereas before, the station operated with a 4 kw. peak, it is expected that in the future it will be operating with a 16 kw. peak. Increase of power Is allowed under stipulations of Zenith's license and according to Classen will enable the station's signal to have a greater strength to overcome interferences (from automobiles, etc.) that formerly hampered reception. Altho its transmitter has been revamped, W9XZV will continue to telecast a picture of 525 lines definition. (Variety, July 28)
CHICAGO, July 23.—Midwest's first telecast of a fire was presented last week by WBKB, Balaban & Katz television station, but indicative of the way some television programs have taken place here, it was a fluke of fate that made the show possible. It all came about when a fire broke out in a building across the street from the WBKB studios at 190 N. State Street.
Studio personnel, taking advantage of the situation, stuck a camera out of a WBKB window, got the focus and from 10:15 to 11 a.m., Chicago television set owners were able to see their first fire telecast, thanks to lady luck and an alert crew. (Variety, July 28)
FIRESTONE TIRE & RUBBER Co., Akron, has renewed weekly quarter-hour Voice of Firestone Televues on WNBT, NBC New York television station, for another 52 weeks. Firestone started series on NBC in Sept. 1943. Firestone agency is Sweeney and James Co., Cleveland. (Broadcasting, July 23)
Summer replacement for Lever Brothers’ Du Mont television program, during the month of August, will be a series of interviews with writers of current sellers titled “Author! Author!”, it has been announced. The program will be heard for five consecutive Wednesdays beginning Aug. 1, WABD. 9-9:30 p.m.
First guesting on the program will be Margaret Haymes, author of “The Haymes Way,” the book on acting. Mrs. Haymes is the mother of Dick Haumes, singer. Lessa Perrin will femcee the series. Program will be written and directed by John Hewlett, director of the United States Rubber Company’s WABD program. Ruthrauff & Ryan is the agency for the Lever “Wednesday At Nine.” (Radio Daily, July 23)
Tuesday, July 24
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 News with Dwight Cooke.
8:15 Film.
9:00-9:30 “The Missus Goes A-Shopping” with John Reed King.
Wednesday, July 25
8:00 Motion Picture.
8:30 “The Magic Carpet.”
8:45 Film program.
9:00 “Wednesdays at Nine,” Drama.
9:30 Motion picture.
Lever Brothers’ “Wednesday at Nine Is Lever Brothers Time” series over DuMont’s WABD will sign off for a full month following the July 25 telecast, 8-8:30 p.m., EWT, it was announced yesterday by Lee Cooley, television director of Ruthrauff and Ryan, and producer of the program. The program will resume tele operations Sept. 5, same time.
The closing program will be Edgar Allan Poe’s “Tell Tale Heart,” to be treated with a new tele technique, Cooley said. Regularly affiliated with this program series are: Joe Cross, writer, and Ted Huston, director. Spry is the commodity commercialized. (Radio Daily, July 18)
Chicago—The United States Navy will present a full-hour version of its weekly “The Recruiters” television show on WBKB, today at 7:45 p.m. Special 3/C Bill Thompson, formerly of the Fibber McGee and Molly show; yeoman 3/C Ada McKee, WAVE song star, and S1/C Ep Roller, formerly of Mutual, will be among the entertainers. (Radio Daily, July 24)
CBS television went strictly commercial last week (16), but the moola all went the other way instead of into the till. There wasn't a single paying customer on the net's local video outlet, WCBW. On the other hand, Lawrence W. Lowman, veepee in charge of television, was out of the Army, back on the job, and experimentation was under way. And that costs dough.
"We are trying out all kinds ofideas, technical and programmatic," said Lowman. "We are set on nothing, and committed to nothing—except an effort to improve."
Technically, the biggest thing in the offing was the already-announced transmission in full color, expected to be ready by the end of this year. ...
WCBW is on the air four hours a week. But, according to Lowman, the station will increase its air time when, and if, it feels that it has something worth putting on the air. (Variety, July 25)
Thursday, July 26
WNBT Channel 1
7:00-8:30 Children’s Program: Playlet “The Magic Ribbon” part 3, feature film.
8:00 News and analysis by Tom O’Connor.
8:10 Film: “Global Air Routes,” narration by Lorne Greene (NFB Canada, 1944).
8:25 OWI Message.
8:30 “Opinion on Trial”: Ration Controls in the Post-war period.
WABD Channel 4
8:00 “Magazine of the Air.”
8:30 Motion Picture.
9:15 “Thanks for Looking” with Patricia Murray and John Reed King.
9:45 Selected films.
Friday, July 27
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 “The World in Your Home.”
8:21 Short subject.
8:30 Boxing at Madison Square Garden.
10:00 Feature Bout: Freddie Russo vs. Sal Bartolo.
Balaban & Katz
Reviewed Friday (27), 7:30 to 9 p.m. Style—News, variety. Sustaining and commercial on WBKB, Chicago.
Tonight's program on WBKB had as talent both animals and humans. The animals were better and more entertaining performers than some of the humans.
Portion of the program in which the animals starred and just about stole the entire show was presented by the Admiral Corporation in conjunction with the Chicago Park District. Leading characters were animals from the Lincoln Park Zoo, put thru their paces by R. Marlin Perkins, supervisor of the zoo. Perkins debunked many common theories about animals and used his park charges to prove his points. For this purpose he brought to the WBKB studios a couple of snakes, a lizzard [sic], crow, turtle, owl and a toad. Best performer of them all was the owl, who had stage presence, looked right into the camera and acted like a television veteran.
Point of all this is that special events shows of, for example, shots taken at a zoo like Lincoln Park, can be good, informative, entertaining and educational television material. And, best of all, they can be important parts of a very inexpensive television program.
As another portion of the program proved, the animals can be much more entertaining than human beings. Portion of the program proving this was a new show at WBKB, We'll Find Out. Idea behind this new show is: members of the home audiences are suppose to send in questions, which a board of "experts," composed of Sid Breese, Jane Elliot and Duke Watson, attempt to answer. Cast tonight went so far as to try to enact history behind developments that answered the audience's questions. Skits, supposed to be comical, were enacted describing incidents in the lives of General Grant and John Jacob Astor. It all added up to television fare that was not amusing, that was only slightly informative, and definitely was corny, in the worse sense of the word. Ted Wescott wrote the script for We'll Find Out. For our money, he needn't have bothered.
Also on the program was a newscast by Gil Gix [sic] and the piano playing of Jenya. Passable. Cy Wagner. (Billboard, Aug. 4)
Saturday, July 28
WNBT Channel 1
2:30-5:00 Baseball: Yankees vs. Athletics at Yankee Stadium, with Bob Stanton.
New York networks and independent stations, without undue excitement, gave one of the best exhibitions of straight reporting of a catastrophe in radio history Saturday [28] following the tragic crash of a B-25 Army bomber into the 79th floor of the Empire State Building...
[13 people, including three in the plane, were killed and 26 injured. The plane got lost in the fog.] NBC’s television transmitter on the 85th floor and antennas atop the tower of the Empire State Building were not damaged, it was revealed by John F. Royal, vice-president in charge of television. Royal said that the equipment was used Sunday and could have been used Saturday afternoon for the scheduled baseball game, which was cancelled due to rain. None of the WNBT staff was at work at the time of the crash. (Radio Daily, July 31)
Sunday, July 29
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 Film: “The War as It Happens”; feature film, short subjects.
WNBT Channel 1
8:00 Film: “Wings of Democracy”: Morocco.
8:15 Feature Film: “Spy of Napoleon” with Richard Barthelmess, Dolly Haas, Frank Vospe (UK-Twickenham, 1936).
8:40 Televues: “On the Trail.”
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 News with Dwight Cooke.
8:10 Film.
8:15-9:30 Amateur Boxing Bouts.
HOLLYWOOD, July 30.—New program idea is going to be tried by Klaus Landsberg director of W6XYZ, Television Productions, Inc., built around Edith Head, chief of Paramount's designing department. Program will feature practical advice to the fems on how to improve their appearance, via the clothes. Starlets will be models. (Billboard, Aug. 4)
Tuesday, July 31
WCBW Channel 2
8:00 News with Dwight Cooke.
8:15 “There Ought to Be a Law,” discussion by high school students.
8:45 Film.
9:00-9:30 “The Missus Goes A-Shopping” with John Reed King.
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