Say you started a brand-new, anxiously-awaited television station. Who would be the first person you would put on the air for an interview?
Naturally, the answer is Joe Garagiola.
That was the situation at KSD-TV in St. Louis, which officially began broadcasting on Saturday, February 8, 1947 (Garagiola was the youngest catcher to play in a World Series, age 20 with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1946. His Today show gig came much later).
Mind you, we’re speaking “officially” here. There were test broadcasts showing other people prior to The Big Day.
The sign-on of the tenth station in the U.S. was likely TV’s big event of February 1947, lovingly covered by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, which just happened to own the station.
Elsewhere in the month, CBS was yet again demonstrating its colour system to the FCC. It made no decision. Don Lee was still operating W6XAO in Los Angeles with an experimental license. The FCC hadn’t made a decision about a commercial one. At the other West Coast station, Dick Lane continued to be the star on KTLA. DuMont’s WABD in New York remained off the air for the month, installing a new antenna.
Below you’ll find reviews, news and schedules. Last month, we added Chicago and Los Angeles listings, thanks to local papers. This month, besides St. Louis, we’ve included Philadelphia. The Inquirer started publishing WPTZ’s shows in an ad. Compiling these is turning into quite a chore, and I don’t know how much farther into 1947 I’ll dive. We are still almost two years away from what you could call regular network programming and Uncle Miltie sparking the huge popularity of television and the demise of radio, a medium where he wasn’t exactly a star. WPTZ and WBKB offered sponsored shows during the afternoon so radio and department stores could demonstrate models.
The Gulf drawings below are from the ads that ran on the CBS newscast.
Saturday, February 1 WCBS-TV Channel 2, New York
7:45 CBS Television News, Marcelle Hirschmann, guest.
8:00 Variety Showcase.
8:30 Millrose Track Meet at Madison Square Garden, sponsored by Ford.
WNBT Channel 4, New York
8:00 Feature film and shorts.
WBKB Channel 5, Chicago
No Time Listed: Central A.A.U. swimming meet.
KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood
8:00 Test Pattern and recorded music.
8:30 Hockey (PCHL) at Pan Pacific Arena, Hollywood Wolves vs. San Diego Skyhawks.
Sunday, February 2
WCBS-TV Channel 2, New York
7:15 Film Feature.
8:25 News Briefs.
8:30 “Party Line” with John Reed King, sponsored by Bristol-Myers.
9:00 Hockey at Madison Square Garden, Rangers vs. Canadiens, sponsored by Ford.
8:00 “Shall We Dance?” with the Astaire dancers, sponsored by Standard Brands (debut).
8:20 “Tele-Varieties,” sponsored by Minit Rub/Trushay.
8:35 Film short.
8:45 “Television Theatre: Terror House” with James Mason, Mary Claire, Wilfred Lawson (UK, 1942).
9:15 Film short.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
8:00 NBC programs.
KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood
7:30 Test Pattern and Recorded Music.
8:00 Telefunnies.
8:10 “Shopping at Home.”
8:20 “Hits and Bits,” variety with host Dick Lane.
8:50 News Highlights.
9:00 Basketball (ABL) at Pan Pacific Arena, Los Angeles Shamrocks vs. Oakland Bittners.
CHICAGO.—A general cutting down in an attempt to take in a few notches in the budget belt is taking place at WBKB, Balaban & Katz video station here. Station has let go about five of its staff and is about to put more accent on selling of programs to increase revenue. Bill Eddy, head of the station, stated moves were in the nature of assuring operation at a continued pace of expansion, but on a hard-headed, business-like basis. He said the station was not going to put out unnecessary dough but was going to make sure that programs continued to be in the best interest of the public.
One of the biggest bones of contention between WBKB and local dealers, distributors and video manufacturers was the station's recent decision to eliminate afternoon programs. Reason for the elimination, according to Eddy, is that altho station was footing a big bill with these shows few of the dealers in town were willing to come across with money to support the shows at cost.
Daytime situation was cleared up this week when RCA Victor, Chi's electric association, and WBKB made a deal to again air afternoon shows, Monday thru Saturday. Starting Monday (3), the three will co-operate in the presentation of programs from 3 to 4 p.m. These shows will be remotes, film and studio material and will be aired primarily for the purpose of giving video dealers demonstration programs. Cost will be split between the three. Co-operative shows will be aired until April 19, when station will begin airing baseball games in afternoon.
Eddy had proposed that each of the dealers kick in with $15 a week for the programs. Few did. As a result, for a series of shows that WBKB did when RCA introduced its new receivers here, station put out about $12,000 and got back only $2,000. Since most set owners, Eddy believes, want to see shows at night, he'd rather put that kind of dough into nighttime programing. If the dealers, manufacturers and distributors are still willing to come thru, Eddy is willing to put on seven hours of daytime programing a week, one hour a day, for $1,000 per week. Eddy explained the staff dismissals as part of an attempt to operate more economically. Station has been losing about $8,000 a week.
Station will air all the new commercial programs it can get. Its sales staff, which in reality is a special events and sales org combined under the direction of Reinald Werrenrath, will begin to make more of a pitch to sell the many sports remotes station does each week. (Billboard, Feb. 8)
Monday, February 3WNBT Channel 4, New York
8:00 Ice Carnival, Brooklyn Ice Palace, for the March of Dimes.
9:00 Esso Reporter, newsreel narrated by Paul Alley.
9:10 “Voice of Firestone Televues.”
9:20 Gillette Cavalcade of Sports: Boxing at St. Nicholas Arena. Sanders Cox vs. Harry Berntsen.
WBKB Channel 4, Chicago
8:30 Wrestling from the Midway Arena.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
8:00 to 11:00 NBC programs.
W6XAO Channel 2, Los Angeles
6:30 Test Pattern.
8:30 Original Drama by Jack Haigler, Films.
The Highway
Reviewed Monday (3), 9-9:20 p.m. Style—Dramatic. Sustaining over W6XA[O] (Don Lee), Hollywood.
Don Lee did a competent job of selling home viewers on the dangers of reckless driving via an effective dramatic playlet. University of California thesps worked up a well-written, easily produced telescript in which the message was skillfully interwoven with simplicity and force. What the cast lacked in acting talent was counterbalanced by smoothness of delivery. Production maintained interest and built for suspense, lacking only in sustained pace. Over all, however, the show was definitely on the credit side of the ledger.
Producer Jack Stewart used film inserts at the beginning and end of the playlet to establish mood and set the play's theme. Sound track was killed and a tailor-made studio narration was used to segue from pix to live. Transition was near perfect at the beginning, but marred at the end when lensers focused too long on fading film. Quicker work by control room button pushers would have made the final fadeout as smooth as the opener.
Sound effects, including some effective musical backgrounds inserted at the climax, were above the outlet's past average in quality. Meggers used good judgment in choosing passages to highlight with special effects, while at the same time avoiding any flossy over-effects.
Lensing and pix quality were slightly below average. Lense box pilots were slow in panning and consequently lagged in covering movement. Long range camera cast a poor pic, short on detail and lacking in definition. Close-up camera, on the other hand, produced a top-quality product. Alan Fischler (Billboard, Feb. 15)
Tuesday, February 4
No Television in New York today.
WBKB Channel 4, Chicago
3:00 Variety program.
5:00 Coin Machine convention, man-at-the-show interviews with Don Ward and Bob Barron.
7:30 Paul Battenfield, cartoonist.
7:45 Short subjects.
8:00 Behind the Headlines.
8:15 “Tommy Bartlett Time,” variety show.
W6XYZ Channel 5, Los Angeles
8:00 Test Pattern, records.
8:30 Your Town: “Protect Your Home.”
8:45 News Highlights.
9:00 Wrestling Bouts.
Reviewed Tuesday (4), 5-5:30 p.m. Style—Man-at-the-Show, special events. Sponsored by The Billboard over WBKB (Balaban & Katz), Chicago.
This show was a textbook on verve in programing. The "man-at-the-show" format had freshness and a stimulating quality because of the smooth patter and transitions by emsee Don Ward, the mixing of novelty and industry bits and the fast pace of the show. There wasn't a lag in the entire 30 minutes.
Highlights' intro was a capsule but adequate explanation of the industry and its convention with an overhead panorama shot of the exhibit floor. A switch to a second camera on the floor followed, closing up on Ward. Equipped with a roving mike, he visited some of the booths set up on the floor. Conversation at these exhibits, which were well selected for interest, was light but to the point (describing the product of the exhibit).
At the Packard juke booth, Monica Lewis, Signature recording artist, was "discovered" by Ward, and the situation offered a graceful opportunity to work in her For You, For Me, Forevermore platter. Disk was played on a music machine and Miss Lewis synched her lip movement with the record. Miss Lewis's timing was slightly off, but not enough to detract from a top-notch performance.
WBKB's engineering staff showed nice presence of mind by cutting in a platter when the sound went out while Ward was discussing an ice cream vending machine. Fortunately, the sound was off for only a few minutes. The instance was a vivid demonstration of the necessity for having emergency material handy in face of a breakdown such as this. Otherwise there is likely to be a stampede away from the receivers.
Ward worked in interesting interviews with Dave Gottlieb, prexy of Coin Machine Industries, Inc., trade association staging the convention; James T. Mangan, public relations director, CMI, and The Billboard's Walter Hurd. Three of the hired glamour girls working in the various convention booths were brought in for s. a. and the telecast closed with a mob at a popcorn machine, probably the weakest bit of the program outside of the sound trouble. George Berkowitz. (Billboard, Feb. 15)
THE Golden Gloves was the first sports event to be televised in St. Louis. KSD-TV, the Post-Dispatch new television station, installed two cameras and microphones on a platform 40 feet from the ringside. The program was received last night [4] at the Hotel Statler, where 750 RCA dealers and guests crowded around television sets and stood on chairs to watch the pictures of the fights.
This also was the first sporting event to be televised anywhere with all new post-war equipment, and RCA engineers said the reception was remarkably clear. From the ringside camera platform, the programs were carried by wire to a new micro-wave relay transmitter on top of the Arena. From there the program was beamed on a narrow radio wave to an antenna on the Post-Dispatch building, five miles away. Then the program was amplified and broadcast on KSD-TV's main transmitter for reception at the Statler. (Post-Dispatch, Feb. 5)
Wednesday, February 5
No Television in New York today.
WBKB Channel 2, Chicago
2:30 Coin Machine Convention, tour of the convention with Don Ward and Bob Barron.
3:00 Variety program.
8:30 Hockey: Blackhawks vs. Rangers, sponsored by General Mills.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
2:00 to 3:00 Philadelphia Electric Company Presents Television Matinee. “Your Menu of the Day” with Judith O’Flaherty, Home Economist; “Rhythm in the Rich Manner,” Paul Rich, harmonica; Selected Short Subjects; “Guest Time,” hair styling by Gimbel Brothers Beauty Salon.
8:15 ABC Sports: Ice Hockey direct from Phildelphia Arena, St. Louis Flyers vs. Philadelphia Rockets.
KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood 8:00 Test Pattern and recorded music.
8:30 Ice Hockey (PCHL) at the Pan Pacific Arena, Hollywood Wolves vs. Los Angeles Monarchs.
Your Television Tour of the 1947 Coin Machine Convention
Reviewed Wednesday (5), 2:30-3 p.m. Style—Man-at-the-show, special events. Sponsored by The Billboard over WBKB (Balaban & Katz), Chicago.
From the diskery booth, Ward proceeded with his hand mike to the National Vender (ciggy), Tradio (coin-operated radios) and Mercury Records exhibits, interviewing company reps about their products at each. While the attempt to give viewers some idea of the kind of equipment featured at the show was in keeping with the program format, interviews for the most part were dull, and Ward made the mistake of asking some reps questions leading into semi-technical explanations which were quite deadly. This and some later shots of the show proved, too, that focusing a camera on the mechanical innards of a piece of equipment makes for hodge podge, messy and uninteresting pictorial values.
Spotted after the exhibit interviews was Bob Barron, whose pin-ball fanatic panto routine, done to music from a jazz disk, proved a sock comedy bit. Kid is definitely the pin game tilter type and his bit is solidly laugh loaded.
Lawrence Welk and vocalists Joan Mowery and Bobby Beers were picked up next, and tho the kids' half -breezy, half-effacing manner made a pleasant interview spot, Ward stayed with it too long. Next the emsee "bumped into" model Peggy Dexter playing a bowling game, and managed to develop an interesting boy-meets-girl routine thru the rest of the show. Ward took the photogenic model thru the Chicago Coin exhibit, playing her a game of coin-op hockey and basketball.
Ward is a personable and easy working emsee and this portion of the show gave the viewer a good idea of the machines entered at the convention, while at the same time building a quiet "romance" with Miss Dexter. Ward will have to find some way, despite inherent difficulties, to seek means of interview- ing more carefully before show time. He referred to Eddie, the Mercury midget, as "Johnny," and called Bobby Beers "Beerman."
When it is considered that the WBKB crew was working "tough circumstances" (combating noises, uneven lighting, bustling, hard-to-handle crowds, etc.), they did a better than fair job. The camera was out of focus in several spots of the show, but on the whole the crew delivered a thoroly lookable picture. The Billboard commercials were poor, particularly the closing commercial in which an open page of the paper was flashed before the magazine cover was dropped over it. The page just looked like a smudgy mess. Joe Csida. (Billboard, Feb. 15)
Thursday, February 6
WCBW Channel 2, New York
8:15 “CBS Television News” with Larry Lesueur, sponsored by Gulf.
8:30 “There Ought to Be a Law,” high school forum.
9:00 Courtroom Drama: “Case of the Midnight Murder.”
9:30 Aviation Show, Grand Central Palace.
WNBT Channel 4, New York
7:50 Television Newsreel.
8:00 “Hour Glass” with Eddie Mayehoff, sponsored by Tender Leaf Tea/Chase and Sanborn Coffee.
8:45 Ski News and Film short.
9:00 “You Are An Artist,” with John Gnagy.
9:15 Film shorts.
WBKB Channel 5, Chicago
3:00 Variety program.
7:30 “Over Shoemaker’s Shoulder,” drawing show.
7:45 Short subject: “A Day with a Fawn.”
8:00 Book Review.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
7:30 to 8:45 NBC programs.
8:45 “Sears Visi-Quiz.”
KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood
8:00 Test Pattern and recorded music.
8:30 Basketball (ABL) at the Pan Pacific Arena, Los Angeles Shamrocks vs. Idaho Simplots.
WASHINGTON.—Allen B. DuMont Laboratories is readying to renew with increased vigor its fight to get commercial TV stations in Cincinnati and Cleveland in the event of a decision by the Federal Communications Commission for retention of present downstairs standards which DuMont is stoutly urging.
FCC, which January 16 dismissed DuMont bids for new commercials in Cleveland and Cincinnati, granted DuMont this week (6) a lengthy extension for requesting hearing on the dismissal action. Commission gave DuMont until 60 days after FCC issues its decision on the Columbia Broadcasting petition for moving video to ultra-high frequencies.
DuMont would be expected to withdraw its request if the commission decides to move standards up, but DuMont is banking on retention of existing standards.
FCC took similar action in bids of Interstate Circuit, Inc.; New England Theaters, Inc., and United Detroit Theaters Corporation for commercial TV stations at Dallas, Boston and Detroit, respectively. (Billboard, Feb. 15)
Friday, February 7
WNBT Channel 4, New York
8:00 “Campus Hoopla” with Clair Bee, coach of the Long Island U. basketball team, and the Andrew Jackson High School cheerleaders, sponsored by U.S. Rubber Co.
8:20 Ski News and films.
8:30 “I Love to Eat” with James Beard, sponsored by Borden’s.
8:45 “The World in Your Home,” sponsored by RCA.
9:00 Gillette Cavalcade of Sports: Boxing at St. Nicholas Arena. Phil Terranova vs. Maxie Shapiro. lightweight, ten rounds.
WBKB Channel 5, Chicago
7:30 “Telechats,” sponsored by The Fair.
7:45 Short subjects.
8:00 “Telequizzicalls,” sponsored by Commonwealth Edison.
8:30 “Stump the Authors.”
9:00 Boxing from Rainbo Arena, Ray Barnes vs. Charley Zivic, welterweight, ten rounds.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
2:00 to 3:00 Philadelphia Electric Company Presents Television Matinee. “Your Menu of the Day” with Judith O’Flaherty, Home Economist; “Rhythm in the Rich Manner,” Paul Rich, harmonica; Selected Short Subjects; “Guest Time,” Kitchens on Parade by Ruth Welles.
8:00 to 11:00 NBC programs.
KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood
8:00 Test Pattern and recorded music.
8:30 Hockey (PCHL) at Pan Pacific Arena, Los Angeles Monarchs vs. San Francisco Shamrocks. CAMPUS HOOPLA
With Clair Bee, Bob Stanton, Jack Kilty, Anne Crowley, others
Producers: Ernie Colling, Ken Young
15 Mins.; Friday, 8 p.m.
U. S. RUBBER
WNBT-NBC.N. Y.
(Campbell-Ewald)
After several months as a half-hour show on WNBT, "Campus Hoopla" has been condensed into half that length in an apparent effort to make it perk a little more. Resembling a variety show in format, the cut in time must also have meant a cut in cost, since the other 15 minutes was necessarily given over to outside acts. Program in its present form is good entertainment, running smoothly and offering the right kind of fresh, young divertissement.
"Hoopla" replaced U. S. Rubber's "Friday Night Quarterback" on WNBT and, with the current emphasis on basketball, Long Island U's cage coach Clair Bee has succeeded Lou Little, Columbia U's football coach. In a set resembling a college corner drugstore, Bee is interviewed by Bob Stanton on the current basketball games in Manhattan. On the show caught (7), Harry Boyko, St. John's lanky cage star, sat in to offer his views.
Song and dance was provided by Jack Kilty and Anne Crowley, both of the "Oklahoma" cast, and a bevy of cheesecakey young gals as cheerleaders. Kilty and Miss Crowley both sang one tune in good style, obtaining their own music by the clever expedient of apparently putting a nickel in the juke box, which formed the focal point of the set.
Uncomplicated show offered few problems for the cameras and producers Ernie Colling of WNBT and Ken Young of the Campbell-Ewald agency carried it off okay. Agency is currently working on the idea of integrating its single commercial into the script, which didn't come off too well in last Friday's show because of carelessness with production of the filmed plug. Stal. (Variety, Feb. 12)
Saturday, February 8 WCBS-TV Channel 2, New York
7:45 CBS Television News, interview with John Daly.
8:00 “Saturday Revue”: Fashions.
8:30 Basketball at the 69th Regiment Armory: Knickerbockers vs. Toronto
8:00 Feature film: “Accused” with Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Dolores Del Rio (UK-Criterion, 1936).
8:20 Highlights of Italian Activities of Gen. Sir Harold Alexander, Canadian Governor General, Who Was Commander of Allied Ground Forces in Italy.
9:30 Governor Dewey and Gen. Sir Harold Alexander, at Golden Jubilee Dinner of Canadian Society of New York, Hotel Biltmore.
WBKB Channel 5, Chicago
3:00 Science Museum.
8:30 Basketball: Loyola vs. Bowling Green and DePaul vs. Oklahoma A and M.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
2:45 Philco Presents Swimming Meet from U. of P., Palestra, Lehigh vs. Penn.
KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood
8:00 Test Pattern and recorded music.
8:30 Hockey (PCHL) at Pan Pacific Arena, Los Angeles Monarchs vs. Oakland Oaks.
The history-making telecast began at 2:30 p.m. and continued until 4 p.m., when the station signed off. It opened with a flag ceremony and the playing of The Star-Spangled Banner, and was followed by introductory remarks by Frank Eschen, special events director of Radio station KSD-TV.
Then J. Roy Stockton, sports editor of the Post-Dispatch, and Harold Grams, program director of KSD, interviewed Joe Garagiolia, catcher with the St. Louis Cardinals; Fred Hofmann, coach of the St. Louis Browns, and Bill Longson, heavyweight wrestler.
A dramatic illustration of the news-covering usages of the new medium occurred at 3 p.m., when the regular telecast was interrupted for the station's first "news flash," telling of the dismissal, by United States District Judge Frank A. Picard, of the Mount Clemens Pottery Co. portal-to-portal pay case. At 3:30 p.m., on the regular "News and Views" section of the telecast, Eschen introduced "still" pictures of Judge Picard in elaborating on the verbal part of the news.
Hundreds See Telecast.
Hundreds of St. Louisans witnessed this first telecast program from facilities set up by downtown department stores, hotel lobbies and shops. At the Scruggs-Vandervoort-Barney department store, television viewers and hearers filled one audition booth and 250 more watched the program from the store's auditorium.
About 200 persons crowded around two television transmission sets in the radio department of Famous-Barr store, and others heard the telecast from a booth.
Groups of 50 to 60 persons braved the cold weather to watch the telecast on the street in front of sets put up in the windows of the Aeolian Co., 1004 Olive street, and additional crowds gathered at Union Electric Co., Twelfth boulevard and Locust street.
Most exuberant welcome to television came from customers of the Cocktail Lounge at Hotel Statler. Lounge attendants reported a "standing room only" situation in the lounge all afternoon, with "neck-craners" trying to see and hear through the doors leading to the lounge from the hotel lobbies.
A number of invited guests filled the studio's "gallery theater." Judging from comments by members of the studio audience and persons in the Hotel Statler Lounge, the most exciting portions of the program, visually, were the wrestling-holds demonstration of Longson and Grams, and the ballroom and Latin-American dance numbers of a group of dancers of the Arthur Murray School of Dancing.
Wrestling Demonstration.
The procedure in the wrestling demonstration was for Grams to ask Longson how you put on an arm hold, and then for Longson to "put it on." Transmission, both in sight and sound, was reported to be perfect. In the demonstration of an "airplane spin," where in Longson lifted Grams to his shoulders and then whirled him about a numbed of times. It seemed to many as if Longson, before setting Grams down safely, was going to hurl him through the television screen and into the laps of the audience.
This illusion, sports fans said, made them feel as though they were at the ringside.
In the Murray dance demonstrations, participated in by Miss Agnes Klein and Robert Cowles, and Miss Audrey Houston and William Harris, rhumbas, tangos, foxtrots and waltzes were demonstrated.
Two of the events—the wrestling demonstration and the "Man in the Street" interviews, conducted on the street by Eschen in front of the Post-Dispatch annex, were "ad lib" or improvised programs.
Schedule of Programs.
Beginning tomorrow, at 12.30 p.m., and continuing thereafter during the week through Saturday, the station will go on a regular weekly schedule. Programs will run until 4 p.m. tomorrow, Thursday, and Saturday; until 3 p.m. on Tuesday; until 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, and until 8:30 p.m. on Friday.
The week, designated as Edison Centennial Week, will open with a 15-minute program consisting of talks by Mayor Kaufmann; Frark M. Mayfield, chairman of the Board of Trade; and J. Wesley McAfee, president of the Union Electric Co.
It is expected that, beginning tomorrow, 100 receivers will be delivered to buyers for installation in homes and additional public places. RCA-Victor expects to have 300 receivers on sale tomorrow, and General Electric Co. also plans to have sets on sale.
The week's schedule, beginning tomorrow, calls for 25 hours of telecasting. (Post Dispatch, Feb. 9)
NEW YORK, Feb. 8.—Until the AFM can satisfy itself that it will not create unemployment among its members by letting them play on tele shows, the union does not intend to give video the okay to hire musicians, declared James C. Petrillo, AFM prexy, in a press conference called today to explain the plan under which the union is spending the fund it has accumulated from its royalties on disk and e.-t. profits.
"Television," Petrillo said, "to us is a separate engagement. It is as far apart in our minds from radio as records are. We don't stop our men playing on television because we want to stop them, but because we remember the bad experience we had in 1928 when sound motion pictures came in and, out of our 22.000 members, we lost 18,000. We have asked the radio companies if they can supply the answer as to whether we will hurt our members by playing television shows. They can't give us the answer. We can't find out, and until we do we'll not change our present policy." (Billboard, Feb. 15)
HOLLYWOOD, Feb. 8.—Don Lee's tele station W6XAO will begin telecasting full-length feature films to become the first West Coast video outlet to regularly schedule longer pic products. Outlet has been using film shorts and cartoons, but under terms of a new deal closed by Don Lee film director Marjorie Campbell, the station is now guaranteed a continuing flow of films to present on alternate Monday evening tele sessions.
Flicker fare will be of pre-Petrillo-ban vintage, mostly in the B pix category, with the oldie Panama Menace, with Roger Pryor set for the series kick-off February 10. Don Lee's film budget, which has been practically nil till now, has been upped to buy up available releases for tele.
Paramount's KTLA, which has heretofore avoided any pic telecasting, is completing plans to begin pic-casting within the next few weeks. (Billboard, Feb. 15)
Sunday, February 9
WCBS-TV Channel 2, New York
7:15 Film Feature.
8:15 “Draw Me Another,” with Lawrence Larriar.
8:30 “Party Line” with John Reed King, sponsored by Bristol-Myers.
9:00 Squash Rackets.
WNBT Channel 4, New York
8:00 “Dancing on Air” with the Astaire dancers, sponsored by Standard Brands.
8:20 “Tele-Varieties,” sponsored by Minit Rub/Ipana toothpaste.
8:35 Film short.
8:45 Television Theatre presents Robert Sherwood’s “Abe Lincoln in Illinois”.
9:15 Bound Brook Chorus.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
8:00 NBC programs.
KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood
7:30 Test Pattern and Recorded Music.
8:00 Telefunnies.
8:10 “Shopping at Home.”
8:20 “Hits and Bits,” variety with host Dick Lane.
8:50 News Highlights.
9:00 Basketball at Pan Pacific Arena, Hollywood 20th Century Fox vs. Idaho Simplets.
Televiews of the News
Reviewed Sunday (9), 8:15-8:30 p.m. Style—News. Sponsored by Tupman Motors. Agency—J. Walter Thompson, KTLA (Paramount), Hollywood.
Viewers can recall the sponsorless days when the same format of slide-illustrated newscasts, stilted as it was (and still remains) had a measure of appeal. There was more punch and color to the scripting then, and tho the news items treated were oftentimes older than yesterday's newspaper, the dramatic flavor with which they were presented spurred renewed interest. At least then, an effort was made to treat each item completely.
To make room for three unconvincing Tupman Motors plugs (in a 15-minute seg), news items have been trimmed to the bone and telescoped into the remaining time. Since the material covered is already known to the newspaper reading audience and seg at best is but a review of the week's news, the few sentences devoted to each item are woefully inadequate. For some unknown reason the quality of the writing has dropped considerably. The stock shots (stills) that are flashed on during the reading add little spark. Pix used, with few exceptions, were previously seen elsewhere and stills hold little interest to an audience nurtured on motion picture newsreels. Furthermore, little if any marked integration exists in the script between the spoken word and the pic on the screen. If what the announcer reads is self sufficient, there is no reason why the set-owner should look to the receiver. If stills are to be used, announcer's patter, like the caption to a phonograph, should complement rather than parallel what is to be seen and should be so worded as to capture the attention of the viewer.
Stills were also used for each of the three commercials. From the standpoint of sales impact, Tupman need not fear a buying spree from these drab and unimaginative plugs. If there's anything that can be displayed to its best advantage in motion it's an auto, and why KTLA must stick to the unflattering stills is unexplainable. It's going to take more than a shot of a Mercury grill or the pic of an auto's interior to convince the average on-looker. If that's the way KTLA is going to sell, it offers advertisers nothing more than they have been receiving from the printed page.
Tupman Motors is KTLA's first account and, as a result, all Coast ad men's eyes are focused on this show. With this in mind, outlet should waste no time to get on the ball and give this seg quick hypo. First of all, the slide system must be chucked out of the window and be replaced by a motion picture newsreel. If the station is not adequately prepared to make this change-over immediately, it should lose no time in doctoring the scripting and choice of pix. Above all, the slide plugs should be replaced almost immediately by one-minute movies.
On the credit side are Keith Hetherington's clean-cut voicing, increased use of title slides and in- creased dumber of pix per news item. Latter device tends to slightly improve the static quality of stills. Lee Zhito. (Billboard, Feb. 22)
Snow and cold-bound (cold in the head as well as the weather) over the week-end [8 and 9], we used television as window to look out on various Chicagoland activities. WBKB brought into the living room a boxing bout from the Rainho arena, the double header basketball feature between Northwestern and Purdue and De Paul and Kentucky from the Chicago Stadium, and the Blackhawk-Bruins hockey match.
Besides these sports, the television camera, trained on the Science museum Saturday afternoon, gave the family the opportunity vicariously to navigate the link trainer in the Jackson park building.
Then there were studio shows: Telechats, with Bill Hamilton: Telequizicals with Joe Wilson and Meg Haunt and Stump Authors with Jack Payne, Dorothy Day, and Louis Zara spinning three more original stories. We also saw travel films, animated cartoons, and other movie shorts. It was a varied fare of entertainment, mindful of the fact that it was all viewed without stirring from the house.
Basketball lends itself well to telecasting. The playing area is limited so the camera can keep within easy range. The game is action crammed, the ball easy to follow, and always within full view when scores are made.
The week-end was pleasant, thanks to television and tonight at 8:30 comes telivision’s comedy show, the wrestling at the Midway arena over WBKB. (Larry Wolters, Chi. Trib., Feb. 10)
Monday, February 10
WNBT Channel 4, New York
8:00 Feature film.
9:00 Esso Reporter, newsreel narrated by Paul Alley.
9:10 Gillette Cavalcade of Sports: Boxing at St. Nicholas Arena, Johnny Colan vs. George Kochan, light heavyweight, ten rounds.
WBKB Channel 4, Chicago
3:00 Variety.
8:30 Wrestling from the Midway Arena.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
2:00 to 3:00 Philadelphia Electric Company Presents Television Matinee. “Menu of the Day,” Florence P. Hanford, home economist; “Rhythm in the Rich Manner,” Paul Rich, harmonica; short subjects; “Guest Time,” Elizabeth Arden Beauty Hints.
8:00 to 11:00 NBC programs.
KSD-TV Channel 5, St. Louis
12:30 Edison Centennial Week Inaugural—Talks by Mayor Kaufmann, Frank M. Mayfield, Chairman of the Board of Trade, and Judge McAfee, President of Union Electric Co.
12:45 Counter Talk — Dramatic program presented by the Trimfoot Co.
1:00 A film presentation.
1:15 Meet St. Louis — A man-on-the-street program presented by Hyde Park Breweries Association, Inc.
1:45 A film presentation.
2:00 TeleQuiziCalls—A viewer audience participation quiz show presented by Union Electric Co.
2:30 News and Views—newscast.
2:45 A film presentation.
3:00 Caught In the Act—A dramatized mystery-audience participation program.—sponsorship open.
3:30 The Gold In Meat [OPA, 1942]—A film presentation of the American Meat Institute, sponsored by the American Packing Co.
4:00 Sign Off.
W6XAO Channel 2, Los Angeles
6:30 Test Pattern.
8:30 Film program.
FILM made by the television department of ABC in cooperation with the Automobile Manufacturers Assn. Feb. 10 was televised on WRGB Schenectady, with a studio audience including many Ford dealers in that vicinity. The half-hour film, "New Automobiles," which explains the reasons for the delay in the output of new cars, will be shown in 18 New Jersey motion picture theatres, starting Feb. 20, under an arrangement made by the Automobile Club of Southern New Jersey. (Broadcasting, Feb. 17)
The commercial television station will be placed in operation by KSD-TV with programs each day from 12:30 until 3:30 p. m., starting tomorrow. Three downtown department stores, Hotel Statler and Union Electric Company will have television receivers in operation for the public. RAC-Victor [sic] and General Electric, will put hundreds of television sets on sale.
Other events include a special meeting of electrical engineers at Brown Hall, Washington University. at 7:30 p. m. tomorrow with J. W. McAfee, president of Union Electric, as the principal speaker. Several demonstrations of Edison's work will include an old-time movie produced in the Edison studios.
A joint luncheon will be held by the St. Louis Advertising Club and Electrical Board of Trade Tuesday at Hotel Statler when an original Edison phonograph will be demonstrated.
Tuesday evening Union Electric is sponsoring a party at Kiel Auditorium Convention Hall for all employes and families. (Post Dispatch, Feb. 9)
Washington—FCC hearing on CBS ultra-high frequency television standards resumes today with representatives of the network, RCA, Philco and Du Mont expected to be called upon to add to testimony furnished at the New York and Princeton hearings two weeks ago.
Today’s session resumes with additional technical information acquired from a series of field tests made last week in New York by CBS with engineers of its own video department and those of its opponents in the black-and-white versus color argument participating. Tests were made at the request of RCA, Philco and Du Mont officials at the New York hearing who wanted to measure performance of CBS’ equipment in various sessions here in December and in Federal Courthouse in New York in January. (Radio Daily, Feb. 10)
Tuesday, February 11
WNBT Channel 4, New York
8:00 Film: Tribute to Thomas A. Edison.
9:15 Thomas Alva Edison Centennial Dinner, Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.
WBKB Channel 4, Chicago
3:00 Variety program.
7:30 Paul Battenfield, cartoonist.
7:45 “The Magic of Electronics.”
8:00 Behind the Headlines.
8:15 “Tommy Bartlett Time,” variety show.
KSD-TV Channel 5, St. Louis
12:30 Dress Rehearsal—An educational semi-dramatized talk on the uses of newly-developed plastics and resins in the treatment of fabrics—presented by Monsanto Chemical Co.
1:00 A film presentation
1:15 Meet St. Louis — A man-on-the-street program—presented by Hyde Park Breweries Association, Inc.
1:45 A film presentation.
2:00 TeleQuiziCalls—A viewer audience participation quiz show presented by Union Electric Co.
2:30 News and Views—newscast.
2:45 A film presentation.
3:00 Funtime—An audience participa¬ tion stunt show presented by the Dazey Corporation.
3:30 Sign Off.
KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood 8:00 Test Pattern and recorded music.
8:30 “Your Town: The House of 10,000 Costumes.”
9:00 Basketball (ABL) at the Pan Pacific Arena, Hollywood 20th Century Fox vs. Los Angeles Shamrocks.
House of 10,000 Costumes
Reviewed Tuesday (11), 8:45-9 p.m. Style—Skit, slides. Sustaining over KTLA (Paramount), Hollywood.
Maybe the ladies' aid society would have gotten a kick out of this one, but it's a 10-1 cinch the average looker switched off his set to save the tube for better days. One of the corniest offerings ever to travel this outlet's channel, tonight's scanning was devoted to the city playground system's wardrobe of kiddie costumes.
Seg opened with a series of stale-looking slides showing youngsters in various costumes and dance poses. Calendar of the month of February filled the screen with small pix of Lincoln, Washington and a valentine superimposed on the appropriate dates. Kids in period garb go thru a couple of ho-hum routines showing how costumes are put to use. Kids can be cute if handled properly but there's nothing quite so sad as the old "grade school technique" of monotone recitation, stiff-legged minuets, etc.
As if this didn't provide a sufficient corn ration for the evening, the wind-up provided a double dose. Costumed kids paraded before cameras, each with its own identification tag: "I'm a little girl from Sweden, I'm a little boy from merry old England," etc., and KTLA labeled this one public service.
Same station recently proved public service could be entertaining as well as informative. Having already set high standards (outlet won TBA public service award) it must stand comparison with what it had offered in the past. Lee Zhito. (Billboard, Feb. 22)
WNBT Channel 4, New York
8:00 Film: “Abraham Lincoln” with Walter Huston, Una Merkel (Art Cinema, 1930).
9:30 National Republican Club Lincoln Day Dinner, Hotel Waldorf-Astoria, with Harold A. Stassen and Rep. Clarence J. Brown.
WBKB Channel 2, Chicago
3:00 Variety program.
8:30 Hockey: Blackhawks vs. Montreal, sponsored by General Mills.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
2:00 to 3:00 Philadelphia Electric Company Presents Television Matinee. “Menu of the Day,” Florence P. Hanford, home economist; “Rhythm in the Rich Manner,” Paul Rich, harmonica; short subjects; “Guest Time: Plastics in Fashion and Decoration” with Mrs. Mary Northrup.
8:15 ABC Sports: Hockey direct from the Philadelphia Arena, Hershey Bears vs. Philadelphia Rockets.
KSD-TV Channel 5, St. Louis
12:30 Counter Talk—A dramatic program presented by the Trimfoot Co.
12:45 The Telephone Hour — A film presentation of the Southwestern Bell Telephone Co.
1:15 Meet St. Louis — A man-on-the-street program presented by Hyde Park Breweries Association, Inc.
1:45 A film presentation.
2:00 TeleQuiziCalls—A viewer audience participation quiz show presented by Union Electric Co.
2:30 News and Views—newscast.
2:45 A film presentation.
3:00 Caught In the Act—A dramatized mystery audience participation program—sponsorship open.
3:30 Sign Off.
KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood 8:00 Test Pattern and recorded music.
8:30 Ice Hockey (PCHL) at the Pan Pacific Arena, Hollywood Wolves vs. Los Angeles Monarchs.
Thomas A. Edison Centennial Dinner
Lincoln Day Dinner
Edison Show reviewed Tuesday (11), 9:20-11 p.m. Style—Special event. Sustaining on WNBT (NBC), New York. Lincoln Show reviewed Wednesday (12), 8-11 p.m. Style—Special event. Sustaining on WNBT (NBC), New York.
These shows are reviewed as a single unit because they were similar in form, and graphically point up the problems with which video is, and will be, faced in covering such special events. While it is unquestionably public service of a high order for a tele station to bring to viewers occasions of this kind, it is equally unquestionable that "great man" banquets will drive spectators away from their sets in droves ... unless TV producers can solve some excruciatingly difficult inherent problems.
Banquets' daises, as anyone knows who is forced by the nature of his business to attend, are almost invariably loaded with stuffed-shirts who have made careers of cliches. And at "great man" eatfests these oratorical ogres invariably pull out all the stops. Few of them are photogenic, so that the video producer is faced with the dual problem of bales of boring blather plus as unappealing a picture as can be imagined. Shooting other dais deities while the speeches are in progress is a partial solution, but it is probably disrespectful for the telecrew to stay off the pop-off at the mike too long. And it may be a little uncricket to shoot some of the unsuspecting celebs, who may, and often are hiding yawns behind upraised hands, picking their schnozzes, or otherwise attempting to stay awake.
Probably no real answer will be forthcoming until video gets enough sets around to make professional banqueteers aware of the importance of delivering a good visual as well as oral performance. In the meantime, it may be that a production genius somewhere will come up with some ideas to make these shows a little less painful.
In the case of these two offerings, of course, each banquet proper was preceded by appropriate films. On the Edison program, NBC did a fine job of selection, using early newsreel shots with real nostalgic quality and full footage of the movie classics, The Great Train Robbery and The Eagle's Nest. Both films would draw as sock comedy material in any house in the country. Bob Stanton's commentary on Edison's career was well written and delivered, too.
Lincoln film job was another story. D. W. Griffith's Abraham Lincoln, starring Walter Huston, was shown and Huston in those days was high quality hamola. His portrayal of the great President was tantamount to a burlesque, and the inane script and performances of the other players were no help. NBC could have done better elsewhere, perhaps, but tale's problem in securing rights to decent film is well known. At any rate, what would have made the Great Emancipator to whirl in his grave were some of the speeches made about him, and the tasteless Republican attempts to build for the '48 elections on his great contributions to the nation. Aside from Thomas Edison's son, Charles, ex-governor of New Jersey, the speeches at the inventor's dinner probably caused him to do some whirling on his own too. Joe Csida. (Billboard, Feb. 22)
“As I Remember Lincoln,” documentary depicting the Civil War president at Gettysburg, will be telecast by WRGB, Schenectady tomorrow, Feb. 12, at 7:30 p.m., EST.
Written and produced by Irwin A. Shane, program will utilize a cast from New York including Gregory Dean as Lincoln; John Rossie, who will handle three roles; Norman Duberstein and William Teufel.
Program is produced by the Television Workshop under direction of Peter Strand. (Radio Daily, Feb. 11)
Thursday, February 13
8:15 “CBS Television News” with Larry Lesueur, sponsored by Gulf.
8:30 “All-News York Junior High School Quiz”: Woodside Junior High vs. Edgar D. Schimer Junior High, both of Queens.
9:00 Drama: “Till Death Do Us Part.
9:30 Dog Show, Madison Square Garden, with Bob Edge and Mrs. Hoyt of the Dog Show.
WNBT Channel 4, New York
7:50 Television Newsreel.
8:00 “Hour Glass” with Eddie Mayehoff, sponsored by Tender Leaf Tea/Chase and Sanborn Coffee.
8:45 Ski News and Film short.
9:00 “You Are An Artist,” with John Gnagy.
9:15 Film short.
WBKB Channel 5, Chicago
3:00 Variety program.
7:30 “Over Shoemaker’s Shoulder,” drawing show.
7:45 Short subject: “A Day with a Fawn.”
8:00 Book Review.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
7:30 to 8:45 NBC programs.
8:45 “Sears Visi-Quiz.”
KSD-TV Channel 5, St. Louis
12:30 Dress Rehearsal—An educational semi-dramatized talk on the uses of newly-developed plastics and resins in the treatment of fabrics—presented by Monsanto Chemical Company.
1:00 A film presentation.
1:15 Meet St. Louis — A man-on-the-street program — presented by Hyde Park Breweries Association, Inc.
1:45 A film presentation.
2:00 TeleQuiziCalls—A viewer audience participation quiz show presented by Union Electric Co.
2:30 News and Views—newscast.
2:45 A film presentation.
3:00 All American Gallery of Fashions Preview—A style show with a touch of Ziegfeld — presented by the St. Louis Fashion Creators, Inc.
4:00 Sign Off.
KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood
8:00 Test Pattern and recorded music.
8:30 Basketball (ABL) at the Pan Pacific Arena, Los Angeles Shamrocks vs. Phillips 66 Oilers.
TILL DEATH DO US PART
With Naomi Campbell, Stiano Braggiotti, Marga Ann Deighton
Producer-director: Phil Booth
20 mins., Thurs., 9 p.m.
Sustaining
WCBS-TV, N. Y.
It's been said before that television is the perfect medium for a near-forgotten literary art, the one-act play. In this Thursday drama slot WCBS-TV opened its facilities to a one-act murder story that emerged as excellent video program fare.
As a story, “Till Death Do Us Part” was not particularly good offering little in the way of suspense and suffering under a burden of dramatic cliches. As a production, however, the show was polished and well done. Acting by the principals was convincing insofar as the story limitations allowed and the single set by Jim McNaughton was perfectly planned.
Plot was unoriginal in its fundamentals, limning the story of a husband driven into a psychotic state by jealousy of his younger wife and a youthful doctor-friend. His mind twisted he plots the death of both by pretending to poison both himself and his wife after knocking the doctor and tying him in the closet. He plans to have his wife run from the house and die on the road and then to burn everything down with the doc inside and leave things become mixed up but turn out alright in a contrived ending.
Whatever sympathy was built for the wife by obvious false accusations of infidelity, was quickly lost in the end when she took a switch and embraced the doctor over the body of her former mate. Direction of the program was okay, if unoriginal. Tomm. (Variety, Feb. 19)
All-American Gallery of Fashions Preview
This was one show that should have been seen by the FCC, in fact by anyone who is trying to make up his mind whether black and white television is good enough now to be given the go-ahead signal, good enough to be promoted and sold all the way. If all television stations could consistently put on shows with the high caliber of production, planning, direction and execution of this one, television would be assured a rosy future.
Just as its name implies, show was a television preview of a St. Louis fashion show ate the Chase Hotel Friday (14) in which the country's top designers displayed their newest creations. Video program showed the same designs, but had the additional value only television could provide.
As just a fashion show, it would have been a success. But the production extras woven in gave it top showmanship and entertainment and the value which distinguishes the best from just the good.
Program's high quality was surprising in view of the fact that KSD does not have all the equipment it needs, and the confusion encountered in last-minute rehearsals and production arrangements, with the production staff working until about 3 a.m. the morning of the show making sets, rewriting and rehearsing.
Despite this, precision and smooth execution was one of the most notable attributes of the program. Each model, as she showed her clothes, knew what to do and did it well. Camera work was tops, with the lenses accurately following each model. Latter is especially surprising since cameras used were not equipped with view-finders, and therefore the cameramen were sighting along the tops of the camera. Even video tricks, such as having models' hats shown as notes on a set painted to resemble a musical score, went off well.
Examples of the showmanship and program's plus value were an originally written ballet, a song routine featuring tenor Leroy Busch and interviews with designers as well as demonstrations of how designs are created. All came off without hitch. Don Faust narrated the show, which was a television advertising production supervised by John Gibney, written by Leonard Nathanson and directed by Lorraine Larson. Particularly noteworthy was Gibney's low level lighting and use of image arthion camera, which resulted in a well modulated picture with a deep plane of focus.
Of course, there were some mistakes. But none which could not be attributed to a lack of proper equipment or time for rehearsal. On the whole, the program was one of which KSD-TV could have felt proud, one which must have done plenty toward helping to sell television to the people of St. Louis. Cy Wagner. (Billboard, Feb. 22)
With Bob Edge
Producer-director: Herbert Bayard Swope, Jr.
60 mins., Thurs. [13], 9:30 p.m.
FORD MOTOR CO.
WCBS-TV, N.Y.
(J. Walter Thompson)
Providing such little action as it does, the Westminister [sic] Kennel Club Dog Show could have been extremely dull video programming, but forethought rescued this show from complete loss. The Madison Square Garden pickup slotted it for Ford Motors and this fact, plus the large number of people interested in dogs, were probably the only excuses for this remote.
Too many factors militated against a televised dog show. Foremost was camera position. The CBS cameras were in their usual spot, high above the floor, extremely advantageous for their basketball pickups but much too far to catch detailed characteristics of the various breeds parading for Westminster judges. Had the cameras and mikes been up close, the judging would probably have had greater interest for listeners, most of whom have only sketchy knowledge of what's looked for in a champ. Also, viewed from a distance, action was too slow.
Program's saving grace was the setup in the Garden's basement which had Bob Edge and expert Mrs. S. Hoyt discussing various breeds. Each type of dog being shown was brought before the belowdecks camera and its characteristics pointed out by Mrs. Hoyt. Edge's choice of himself to handle the show was unfortunate. Somehow he can't avoid being unpleasantly pompous and he's not a particularly good subject for the cameras. Write this one off as experience. Tomm. (Variety, Feb. 26)
Washington— With FCC Chairman Charles R. Denny pledging an “early decision,” the Commission yesterday [13] closed its lengthy television [sic] hearing. While no target date was given, Chairman Denny said the Commission recognized the “importance of an early decision.” The hearing wound up as RCA and NBC continued their barrage against CBS color system. (Radio Daily, Feb. 14)
Friday, February 14
8:00 “Campus Hoopla” with Clair Bee, coach of the Long Island U. basketball team, sponsored by U.S. Rubber Co.
8:20 Ski News and films.
8:30 “I Love to Eat” with James Beard, sponsored by Borden’s.
8:45 “The World in Your Home,” sponsored by RCA.
9:00 Gillette Cavalcade of Sports: Boxing at St. Nicholas Arena. Tippy Larkin vs. Charlie Fusari, welterweight, ten rounds.
WBKB Channel 5, Chicago
7:30 “Telechats,” sponsored by The Fair.
7:45 Short subjects.
8:00 “Telequizzicalls,” sponsored by Commonwealth Edison.
8:30 “Stump the Authors.”
9:00 Boxing from Rainbo Arena. Pete Bolos vs. Reuben Rivers, junior lightweigh, eight rounds. Five other bouts.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
2:00 to 3:00 Philadelphia Electric Company Presents Television Matinee. “Menu of the Day,” Florence P. Hanford, home economist; “Rhythm in the Rich Manner,” Paul Rich, harmonica; short subjects; “Guest Time: Keep Yourself in Stitches” with Dolores Boland.
8:00 ABC Studio Presentation: “Art Today.”
9:00 NBC programs.
KSD-TV Channel 5, St. Louis
12:30 Rhythm Steps—A dance presentation by Arthur Murray Instructors, sponsored by Johnson-Stephens & Shinkle Shoe Co.
12:45 World Series of 1946 — A film presentation.
1:15 Meet St. Louis — A man-on-the-street program, presented by Hyde Park Breweries Association, Inc.
1:45 A film presentation.
2:00 TeleQuiziCalls—A viewer audience participation quiz show presented by Union Electric Co.
2:30 News and Views—newscast.
2:45 A film presentation.
3:00 Caught In the Act — A dramatized mystery audience participation program—sponsorship open.
3:30 Sign Off.
8:30 St. Louis U.-Oklahoma Aggies basketball game—sponsored by Shell Oil Co.
KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood
8:00 Test Pattern and recorded music.
8:30 Hockey (PCHL) at Pan Pacific Arena, Los Angeles Monarchs vs. Fresno Falcons.
Meet St. Louis
Reviewed Friday (14) 1:45 to 2 p.m. Commercial man-on-the-street program produced by Television Advertising Productions for Hyde Park Breweries Association, Inc. Telecast on KSD-TV, St. Louis.
As an example of a cheap but effective video show that could sell merchandise as well as provide good public relations for the sponsor while presenting interest-holding entertainment, this program was quite good. It provided publicity and public relations for the sponsor when about 200 people (some of them waiting since 11:30 a.m.) gathered front of The Post-Dispatch building to watch its progress. It was good entertainment as a result of the top job emsee Don Faust did in handling members of the street crowd and showing off the talents of each to best advantage. Selling advertising was the very essence of a specially produced TAP film explaining the merits of Hyde Park Beer.Altho man-on-the-street radio programs are far from the best in radio fare and altho many video programs of the same type have popped too, enthusiasm with which St. Louis populace is co-operating with anything that has anything to do with television made this show good. There were amateur singers, professional dancers and singers and semi-pro comedians who volunteered to appear on the show. None, Faust insisted, were ringers. Presence of these people gave the show a real entertaining quality and since they could be seen as well as heard what they did had double impact.
The two-minute opening and closing films, both completed in three hours of rehearsing and camera shooting, proved again that any sponsor getting into television must investigate closely the advantages of film presentations. First constituted a title and showed a cartoonist at work drawing a Hyde Park bottle and glass, with credit lines for the program. Last featured the same cartoonist, but this time he drank some beer, and, of course, was caught with a close-up shot as he smacked his lips and indicated how good the beer was. Behind all this was a running commentary of commercial copy and music.
Program's advertising sold. Its show content entertained. What else could be asked? Cy Wagner (Billboard, Feb. 22)
Saturday, February 15 WCBS-TV Channel 2, New York
7:45 CBS Television News.
8:00 Variety Showcase with comedian Bernie West.
8:30 New York Athletic Club’s Annual Track Meet, Madison Square Garden, sponsored by Ford.
WBKB Channel 5, Chicago
3:00 Special Program.
8:00 Test Pattern.
8:15 Basketball: Northwestern vs. Wisconsin and DePaul vs. Bradley.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
8:00 Atlantic Refining Co. Sports: Basketball direct from U. of P. Palestra. Harvard vs. University of Pennsylvania.
KSD-TV Channel 5, St. Louis
12:30 Food for Thought—A home economics program — presented by St. Louis Independent Packing Co.
12:50 A film presentation—sponsored by the Bemis Bag Co.
1:15 Meet St. Louis — A man-on-the-street program, presented by Hyde Park Breweries Association, Inc.
1:45 A film presentation.
2:00 TeleQuiziCalls—A viewer audience participation quiz show presented by Union Electric Co.
2:30 News and Views—newscast.
2:45 A film presentation.
3:00 R. U. R.—A dramatic program, presented by the St. Louis Community Playhouse, and sponsored by the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad.
4:00 Sign Off.
KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood
8:00 Test Pattern and recorded music.
8:30 Hockey (PCHL) at Pan Pacific Arena, Los Angeles Monarchs vs. Hollywood Wolves.
Lawn Bowling Championship
Reviewed Saturday (15), 3:15-4 p.m. Style-Lawn bowling remote. Sustaining over KTLA (Paramount), Hollywood.
Tailor-made for the Saturday afternoon looker, pick-up of the international lawn bowling finals ranks with the best field work yet seen in these parts. With numerous contestants here from England, Scotland and Ireland, tele director Klaus Landsberg was wise to throw the full spotlight on the overseas visitors, making this more of a human -interest program than a sports remote. More stress was put on interviewing the players than the game itself. Scottish and Irish brogues heavily flavored the seg as the foreign sportsmen related their experiences and viewpoints. An air of informality predominated as the bowlers in their clipped accents chatted easily with KTLA's Bill Welch. In the meantime it was a field day for the cameramen as they moved in for highly effective facial studies of the interviewees. Lensmen strove for composition and often achieved their goal, rounding out the scanning with a touch of professional polish.
Best shot: A visiting Scot rolling his own cigarette as he discusses the game with the announcer.
Welch, who so capably guided the interviews, was equally fine in narrating the play-offs. Game itself befits the Saturday afternoon mood. It's a leisurely sport for the observer, holding just enough action not to be dull yet not too much to tire the viewer.
The Paramount touch could be sensed in the fade-out shot. Just as Para newsreels use a motion picture camera grinding away as the end-mark, Landsberg focused on the multi-eyed lens board of an image orthicon. Lee Zhito.(Billboard, March 1)
R.U.R.
Reviewed Saturday (15), 3 to 4 p.m. Produced by Television Advertising Productions and presented by Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad on KSD-TV, St. Louis. Style—A special video dramatic adaptation of a well-known play.
Fitting end to a successful week of television programing was this ambitious dramatic undertaking. Producer Jack Gibney and Director Lorraine Larson worked out plenty of special video effects, dramatic lighting and powerful camera shots to give the show the quality of complete and high standard professionalism. The paring of the original successful Broadway futuristic hit and the video adaptation by Leonard Nathanson gave the video audience all of the necessary details, with effects that only video could provide. What mistakes—and there were some naturally, since KSD-TV's equipment is still not complete, studio space is inadequate for large dramatic shows, semi-pro actors were used-could in the main be attributed not to lack of work, production and planning, but rather to an over-exercising of dramatic ambition without the best possible circumstance in which to give the ambition free and full play.
The plot of the story, for those who don't remember the legit runs, is built around a successful revolt of robots thruout the work against a scientist who has created them with- out regard for anyone or anything but his lust for power.
Cast of the show composed of members of St. Louis' Community Playhouse did, in the main, top work. Especially good were the lead players, Wallace Hoss, as Domin, the head of the Rossum Universal Robot (R. U. R.) factory; Betty Godwin, as Helena Glory, daughter of President Glory, and Maurice Savore, as Dr. Gall, Domin's physiologist who co-operates with Helena to give the robots powers of defiance which enable the revolt to be a success. The production staff used plenty of forceful shadow lighting and close-ups of heads, hands and props that added to the dramatic impact. But at times, because one of the image orthicons used had too contrasty a picture, low-level lighting resulted in pictures that were too dark. It was at these times, and only at these times, that the dramatic portion of the program was unsatisfactory. When the attempt to use unusual lighting effects were successful, it was when the other of two cameras used was getting the shot going out over the air. When this camera was in action, the validity of Gibney's theory that image orths can be used for effective studio work because they can, with their sensitivity, reproduce pictures of fine gradations of lighting, was most forcefully shown.
Not the best possible production plan was the way in which narrator Don Faust appeared during intermissions and introduced MKT officials who participated in presentation of commercial copy. Contrast between abrupt change from a shot of robot to Faust dressed in business clothes was too great. It would have been better to cast him as a theatrical host dressed in white tie and tails. He could have been the supposed theatrical guide who was witnessing the show with the video audience. With use of this technique, transition would have been much smoother, commercials could still have been handled by MKT officials and an off-stage narrator when one was required and illusion of make believe and an interest in a dramatic venture would have been sustained during the entire presentation. Cy Wagner. (Billboard, March 1)
WCBS-TV Channel 2, New York
7:15 Film Feature: “Girl Loves Boy” with Eric Linden, Cecilia Parker, Roger Imhof (Grand National, 1937).
8:25 News Briefs.
8:30 “Party Line” with Gil Fates, sponsored by Bristol-Myers.
9:00 National Sportsmen’s Show, Grand Central Palace, announced by Bob Edge, sponsored by U.S. Rubber.
WNBT Channel 4, New York
8:00 “Dancing on Air” with the Astaire dancers, sponsored by Standard Brands.
8:20 “Tele-Varieties,” sponsored by Minit Rub/Ipana toothpast.
8:35 Television Theatre presents Ben Hecht’s “Miracle in the Rain” with John Forsythe, Nydia Westman, Phyllis Ryder, sponsored by Borden.
WBKB Channel 5, Chicago
8:30 Hockey: Blackhawks vs. Detroit, sponsored by Henry C. Lytton and Sons.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
8:00 NBC programs.
KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood
7:30 Test Pattern and Recorded Music.
8:00 “Shopping at Home.”
8:15 “Hits and Bits,” variety with host Dick Lane.
8:45 Tele-views of the News.
9:00 Basketball at Pan Pacific Arena, Hollywood 20th Century Fox vs. Phillips 66 Oilers.
DANCING ON AIR
With Fred Astaire dance instructors; Radcliffe Hall, emcee
Producer: Stan Quinn
Director: Ernie Colling
15 Mins.; Sun., 8 p.m.
STANDARD BRANDS
WNBT-NBC, N. Y.
(J. Walter Thompson)
"Dancing on Air" represents what's probably the least professional job on WNBT's current programming schedule. Show is a replacement for the recently-deceased "Face to Face" and probably represents the efforts of Standard Brands to hang onto the much-desired 8-8:15 p.m. slot on Sunday nights until the firm decides to do something better. With good potentialities for presenting an interesting dance instruction show, it bogs down in a morass of production errors, emerging as a tough session for the audience as well as the talent.
"Air" ran into non-controllable difficulties on the night caught (16) because of a 40-minute delay when the WNBT transmitter went dead and a turret on one camera conked out. Latter reason would probably explain why agency producer Stan Quinn and WNBT director Ernie Colling couldn't get a shot of the dancers' feet, rendering practically worthless any attempts to teach the rhumba. That wouldn't explain away, however, the atrocious backdrop and the reason why one of the props from the commercial appeared in a scene where it had no business being.
Show's format is okay, with dancers from the Fred Astaire studios first presenting a particular dance and then showing the audience how it's done. Interspersed are several comedy bits and an interview with a weekly guestar (in this case, a girl from Panama demonstrating a native dance). NBC announcer Radcliffe Hall makes an affable emcee but there's no reason why he should have to read from a script—not in front of all those people.
Plugs for Instant Chase and Sanborn are kept down to the basic minimum, which makes them unobtrusive. They don't represent any special production efforts, either. Stal. (Variety, Feb. 26)
Monday, February 17
WCBS-TV Channel 2, New York
8:00 Golden Gloves Amateur Boxing at Madison Square Garden, called by Caswell Adams and Bob Edge, sponsored by Ford.
WNBT Channel 4, New York
8:00 Books on Trial: “Austrian Requiem,” Ralph Ingersoll and Dorothy Thompson, from Barbizon Plaza Auditorium. Simulcast from WHN.
8:30 Film short.
9:00 Esso Reporter, newsreel narrated by Paul Alley.
9:10 Gillette Cavalcade of Sports: Boxing at St. Nicholas Arena. Tommy Garland vs. Billy Grant, heavyweight, ten rounds.
WBKB Channel 4, Chicago
3:00 Special Program.
7:00 Opening of Marshall Field annex in Evanston.
8:00 Alderman Bertran B. Moss (Fifth District), interviewed by Bob Elson, about re-election bid.
8:15 Test Pattern.
8:30 Wrestling from the Midway Arena.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
2:00 to 3:00 Philadelphia Electric Company Presents Television Matinee. “Menu of the Day,” Florence P. Hanford, home economist; “Rhythm in the Rich Manner,” Paul Rich, harmonica; short subjects; “Guest Time,” Powers Models.
8:00 NBC programs.
KSD-TV Channel 5, St. Louis2:15 Film show.
3:00 Newscast and picture-cast.
3:15 Film show.
4:00 Man on the Street.
4:30 Film show.
7:00 Special Film: “The Black Doll” with Donald Woods, Nan Grey, Edgar Kennedy (Universal, 1938).
8:30 Boxing bouts in the Convention Hall of Kiel Auditorium.
W6XAO Channel 2, Los Angeles
6:30 Test Pattern.
8:30 “Plastics of 1947” and Film Bill.
BOOKS ON TRIAL
With Kurt von Schuschnigg, Ralph Ingersoll, Dorothy Thompson; Sterling North, emcee
Producers: Raymond Katz, Burke Crotty
30 Mins.; Mon., 8 p.m.
Sustaining
WNBT-NBC, N. Y.
After a one-shot experimental tryout several weeks ago of televising "Books on Trial," radio show aired every Monday night by WHN, N. Y. indie, WNBT decided the show offered good enough video possibilities to ink a 13-week contract with WHN for exclusive tele rights. WNBT's belief will probably pay off soon via a sponsor picking up the tab for the show, because although it's designed strictly for radio's audio audience, it makes for excellent television fare.
Last Monday's (17) show, first in the 13-week series, offered excellent possibilities for full video dramatic effects and WNBT producer Burke Crotty capitalized on them. Carting two Image Orthicon cameras into the Barbizon-Plaza, N. Y., the show's point of origin, Crotty installed his lenses in the correct places to get a variety of shots and so overcome the show's lack of action. By good timing technique, he trained his cameras on each speaker at the correct moment to get the full by-play between the author, whose book was on trial, and the prosecuting and defense attorneys.
Responsible for much of the dramatic tension achieved in Monday's show were the principals, including Ralph Ingersoll for the prosecution and Dorothy Thompson for the defense of former Austrian chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg's "Austrian Requiem." Ingersoll made of his prosecution a direct attack on Schuschnigg's alleged pro-Hitler collaboration, with Miss Thompson attempting to defend the book as a legitimate and valuable piece of history. Caught between two such vociferous speakers, all Schuschnigg could do, with his faulty English, was sit and squirm in discomfort. Tieup between non-affiliated radio
and television interests opens up wide fields of new video programming possibilities and it's to be hoped the tele broadcasters make the most of it. Stal. (Variety, Feb. 19)
Plastics of 1947
Reviewed Monday (17), 9-9:20 p.m. Style—Interview-demonstration. Sustaining over W6XAO (Don Lee), Hollywood.
While the industry's seers look to tele as a powerful instrument for mass education, total effectiveness of television as an interesting educational medium is still relatively un- explored. Tonight's tele seg, for example, disclosed genuine possibilities for demonstrating arts and crafts to home viewers, and in many ways the stanza was a successful experiment. But before such shows can tempt tele fans to shell out big dough for receivers, production and presentation of educational features must be thoroly expanded and improved.
For its classroom lesson tonight Don Lee demonstrated the techniques of making household objects from raw plastic. High-school students and teachers doubled as thesps, doing a creditable but far-from-polished job. Scriptwise, the show had the usual amount of loose ends and awkward switches, but the visual demonstration of actual manufacturing processes partly made up for rough production.
Of particular interest were close-up shots of plastic creations (with clear, well-defined images) following the various operations from the raw plastic stage thru the buffed and finished product. Explanatory narration was easy and convincing, giving the entire seg a pleasant air of informality.
Don Lee has had to lean heavily on school program packages in the past, many of which have been a total waste of lookers' time and video tubes. It can be claimed that tonight's show was head and shoulders above other "book larnin' " features and a healthy step in the right direction. Next move is to put more showbiz savvy into education for the happy (and necessary) wedding of the two elements. In this direction Don Lee has a long, hard road to travel. Alan Fischler. (Billboard, March 1)
WITH THE END of the hockey season in mid-March ABC's contracts for sponsored telecasts over WBKB of Chicago Blackhawks' hockey games will expire and will not be renewed, it was learned last week. General Mills has been sponsoring the hockey telecasts on Wednesdays and Henry C. Lytton & Sons (The Hub), one of Chicago's big State St. stores, on Sundays. At the same time it was learned that ABC will drop WBKB television broadcasts of its own Chicago-originated program, Stump the Authors, on Feb. 28. This program has been broadcast on a sustaining basis for 13 weeks, and was used as promotion for the same show on the ABC network. It was indicated that since the network show is no longer on the air ABC feels there is no point to paying for video promotion.
In cancelling television programs, such as hockey, when they end, spokesmen for ABC indicated they have in mind the fact that if and when the network gets its CP in New York it will want to concentrate on getting its own television station on the air there, following up with other video outlets in Chicago and Detroit. The network was said to be proceeding on the basis that, once it has obtained permission for its own television stations, it will want to concentrate its expenditures on transmitters, studios and equipment rather than on buying time from other video broadcasters.
It is understood that ABC is still trying to sell shows for WBKB and will be on the air with them when such sales are made. For example, on March 15, General Mills will sponsor through ABC a one-time billiard and pool telecast featuring top ranking cue artists who will be in Chicago at that time. ABC also was scheduled to start a film series on WBKB last Friday. This was to be launched on a sustaining basis, with a possibility of sponsorship later.
WBKB to Double Rates
Meanwhile, Capt. William C. Eddy, director of WBKB, announced Wednesday that the station will double its present television rate schedule on March 15. There are now more than 1000 authenticated video receivers in WBKB's primary area, Capt. Eddy said.
Under the new rate structure WBKB will charge $200 for an hour's time, $120 for a half hour and $80 for a quarter hour. Capt. Eddy said all present contract holders would be charged at the old rates until the termination of their contracts. A further boost in WBKB rates can be expected within approximately two months, he added. (Broadcasting, Feb. 17)
Tuesday, February 18
No Television in New York.
WBKB Channel 4, Chicago
3:00 Special program.
7:30 “Tele-Topic,” forum.
7:45 Short subjects.
8:00 Behind the Headlines.
8:15 Del Hunter, songs.
8:30 “Tommy Bartlett Time,” variety show.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
8:15 ABC Sports. Ice Hockey direct from Philadelphia Arena, Cleveland Barons vs. Philadelphia Rockets.
KSD-TV Channel 5, St. Louis
2:15 Film show.
3:00 Newscast and picturecast.
3:15 Film show: Palestine and the Philippines.
3:45 Film: Growth of America.
4:00 Man on the Street.
8:00 Hockey at the Arena: St. Louis Flyers vs. Hershey Bears.
KTLA Channel 5, Los Angeles
ons 8:00 Test Pattern, records.
8:30 Cartoon, News.
8:45 “Your Town: The Fight For Water.”
9:00 Wrestling Matches.
Wednesday, February 19
No Television in New York.
WBKB Channel 2, Chicago
3:00 Variety program.
8:30 Hockey: Blackhawks vs. Toronto, sponsored by General Mills.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
2:00 to 3:00 Philadelphia Electric Company Presents Television Matinee. “Menu of the Day,” Florence P. Hanford, home economist; “Rhythm in the Rich Manner,” Paul Rich, harmonica; short subjects; “Guest Time: Ideas For Your New Home” by Ruth Welles.
KSD-TV Channel 5, St. Louis
2:15 Film show.
3:00 Newscast and picturescast.
3:15 Special film; "Eyes on Russia."
3:30 Catholic Lenten program; music by Kenrick Seminary a Capella Choir; talk by Rt. Rev. Msgr. John P. Cody, chancellor of the Archdiocese.
4:00 Man on the Street.
4:30 Film show.
7:00 Film show.
7:10 St. Louis personalities program.
7:30 Sportcast by J. Roy Stockton and Harold Grams.
8:00 To be announced.
8:30 Film show.
KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood
8:00 Test Pattern and recorded music.
8:30 Ice Hockey (PCHL) at the Pan Pacific Arena, Hollywood Wolves vs. New Westminster Royals.
Thursday, February 20
WCBW Channel 2, New York
8:15 “CBS Television News” with Larry Lesueur. “Is CIO-AFL Merger Likely?” A.H. Rask, guest speaker. Sponsored by Gulf.
8:30 “All-News York Junior High School Quiz”: Harriet B. Stowe Junior High vs. Galvani Junior High, both of Manhattan.
9:00 National Sportsmen’s Show, Grand Central Palace, announced by Bob Edge, sponsored by U.S. Rubber.
WNBT Channel 4, New York
7:50 Television Newsreel.
8:00 “Hour Glass” with Eddie Mayehoff, sponsored by Tender Leaf Tea/Chase and Sanborn Coffee.
8:45 Ski News and Film short.
9:00 “You Are An Artist,” with John Gnagy. Paintings by Robert Gwathmey, Yasuo Kuniyoshi and Ben Shahn.
9:15 Film short.
WBKB Channel 5, Chicago
3:00 Variety program.
7:30 “Over Shoemaker’s Shoulder,” drawing show.
7:45 Short subject: “A Day with a Fawn.”
8:00 Margaret O’Brien in “Finger Painting.”
8:15 Short subjects.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
7:50 NBC programs.
9:15 “Sears Visi-Quiz.”
KSD-TV Channel 5, St. Louis
2:15 Film show.
3:00 Newscast and picturescast.
3:15 Film show, "Palestine."
3:45 Film, Winter Sports.
4:00 Man on the Street.
4:30 Film show.
7:00 Film show.
7:30 Concert; Harris Teachers College Chorus.
8:00 p.m. D. R. Fitzpatrick, cartoonist for the Post-Dispatch.
8:30 p.m. News forum discussion.
KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood
8:00 Test Pattern and recorded music.
8:30 Short subject.
8:45 Film. [Note: all KTLA programming was cancelled. See story for the 21st.]
Friday, February 21
WNBT Channel 4, New York8:00 “Campus Hoopla” with Clair Bee, coach of the Long Island U. basketball team, sponsored by U.S. Rubber Co.
8:20 Ski News and films.
8:30 “I Love to Eat” with James Beard, sponsored by Borden’s.
8:45 “The World in Your Home,” sponsored by RCA.
9:00 Gillette Cavalcade of Sports: Boxing at St. Nicholas Arena. Tony Janiero vs. Beau Jack. welterweight, ten rounds.
WBKB Channel 5, Chicago
3:00 Variety program.
7:30 “Telechats,” sponsored by The Fair.
7:45 Short subjects.
8:00 “Telequizzicalls,” sponsored by Commonwealth Edison.
8:30 “Stump the Authors.”
9:00 Boxing from Rainbo Arena. Ray Barnes vs. Leon Thompson, five other bouts.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
2:00 to 3:00 Philadelphia Electric Company Presents Television Matinee. “Menu of the Day,” Florence P. Hanford, home economist; “Rhythm in the Rich Manner,” Paul Rich, harmonica; short subjects; “Guest Time: Cartooning Made Easy” by Pete Boyle.
8:00 NBC programs.
KSD-TV Channel 5, St. Louis
2:15 Film shows; "Fiddlin Furs," "Winter Wonderland," "Americana All" and "Sea Biscuit. 3:00 Newscast and picturecast.
3:15 Films shows; "News Parade of 1946," Man, "A Dog and a Gun," and "Growth of Mankind."
4:00 Man on the Street.
4:30 Film shows; "Life With Baby" and "India."
8:30 p.m. Wrestling matches in Convention Hall, Kiel Auditorium.
KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood
8:00 Test Pattern and recorded music.
8:30 Hockey (PCHL) at Pan Pacific Arena, Los Angeles Monarchs vs. New Westminster Royals.
Dramatic picture of ex-lightweight champ Beau Jack writhing in pain as he was carried through the ropes and back to his dressing room on a stretcher was effectively caught by NBC television cameramen last Friday (21) night. Jack's kneecap, recently operated on, went game on him in the fourth round of his feature bout with Tony Janiro at Madison Sq. Garden, N. Y. Fighter's "last mile" trek up the aisles, with close-up lenses showing the tears streaming from his eyes, was probably the most tense sports pickup yet recorded by a tele camera and figured as a feather in the cap of NBC producer Burke Crotty and his cameramen.
For an added fillip, the camera eyes also caught a group of bookies vociferously complaining to referee Eddie Josephs for having stopped the fight when Jack made it evident he wanted to continue. Entire show would have been tops with some better commercials from Gillette. Maxon agency, which handles the razor firm's account, is using the same set of innocuous slides that it used for the Joe Louis-Billy Conn fight almost a year ago—and they were just as bad then. With Gillette reportedly laying out $100,000 for a year's bankrolling of fight telecasts on NBC, impression is that firm should invest a fraction more and get some acceptable motion picture commercials. (Variety, Feb. 26)
HOLLYWOOD, Feb. 22.—The Coast got its first sample—and a dramatic one, at that—of tele's vast possibilities for fast on-the-spot coverage when both the area's video outlets (Paramount's KTLA and Don Lee's W6XAO) swung into action this week to cover the worst blast disaster in L. A. history. The downtown Los Angeles explosion which killed 20 and hospitalized more than 200 occured Thursday (20) at 10:00 a.m. Two hours later Don Lee's staff photographer, Bob Toneroy, was filming (16mm.) the scene of the tragedy. Footage was edited to 10-minute screening time and aired at 6:20 that evening.
Paramount, strong on field pick-ups and also armed with a film version of the disaster shot earlier in the day, moved its power generators, lights, cameras and relay equipment to the scene of the explosion. Canceling its regular Thursday night program sked, the station went on with a live pick-up from the scene of the blast and gave home viewers on-the-spot coverage.
By their on-the-toes response to this disaster, both outlets pounded home convincing proof of tele's ability to cope with emergencies. In airing their films the day of the tragedy, both Don Lee and Paramount were days ahead of newsreels.
Since Don Lee's W6XAO is on the air only on Monday nights, Tele Director Harry Lubcke was faced with the problem of notifying set owners of the special telecast. This was done by a series of spot announcements on Don Lee-owned KHJ.
While the telecine scenes were better than nothing, neither outlet offered much filmwise of which to be proud. This, of course, is understandable, since pix were shot and edited under emergency conditions. Don Lee's version was noticeably weakened by lack of fitting commentary. Instead of using a professional announcer and a prepared script, W6XAO turned over narration chores to the lensman who shot the footage. As a result, weak-voiced, redundant and ungrammatical patter detracted from the film's contents.
Don Lee's film was air expressed to CBS black and white tele in New York for Gotham viewers. This was in line with an inter-network deal (a rarity in this industry) whereby both outlets will exchange special news footage.
Paramount preceded its live pick-up with a three-minute film that was equally unimpressive. Lensman, apparently overawed by the disaster, resorted to extreme panning which annoyed more than satisfied viewers. Station, however, was prepared with a dramatically written script, capably narrated by Keith Hetherington, helped to somewhat cover up the film's roughness.
To KTLA goes credit for one of the most dramatic tele offerings in Coast history in the bang-up live remote that followed. Armed with image orthicon cameras and a battery of its own lights, viewers were given a truly realistic picture of the disaster. One camera was located on the second floor of a battered building opposite the scene of the explosion, another was placed near the spot where rescue workers sifted the debris.
Dick Lane turned in a memorable piece of ad lib commentary, describing the scenes of rubble and death in carefully chosen words that added dramatic impact to the picture on the screen. Lee Zhito. (Billboard, March 1)
Saturday, February 22
7:45 CBS Television News.
8:00 Variety Showcase with the Bernard Bros.
8:30 National A.A.U. Track Meet, Madison Square Garden, sponsored by Ford.
WNBT Channel 4, New York
8:00 Feature Film: “The Mill on the Floss” with James Mason, Geraldine Fitzgerald (1937).
8:20 “Tele-Varities,” sponsored by Bristol-Myers.
8:35 Film Short.
8:40 Washington’s Birthday Program.
[Herald Trib has 8:00 Washington Salute, film; 8:15 Feature film.]
WBKB Channel 5, Chicago
3:00 Special Program.
8:15 Basketball: Northwestern vs. Illnois and DePaul vs. Kansas.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
3:00 Philco Sports. Wrestling direct from U. of P. Palestra. Columbia University vs. the University of Pennsylvania.
8:00 Atlantic Refining Co. Sports. Basketball direct from U. of P. Palestra. Lafayette College vs. University of Pennsylvania.
KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood
8:00 Test Pattern and recorded music.
8:30 Hockey (PCHL) at Pan Pacific Arena, Hollywood Wolves vs. San Diego.
NEW YORK, Feb. 22.—Swift & Company will bank roll a 39-week, half-hour tele series, tabbed Homemakers' Club, with Tex McCrary and Jinx Falkenberg, starting April 1. McCann-Erickson, the agency, has not yet chosen station or time, and is understood to be waiting for FCC's decision with respect to Columbia's application for a color video permit.
Homemakers' Club is a Sandra Gahle package. Tom Hutchinson will direct.(Billboard, March 1)
Sunday, February 23
WCBS-TV Channel 2, New York
7:15 Film Feature: “The Shadow Strikes” with Rod LaRocque.(Grand National, 1937).
8:20 “Draw Me Another.”
8:30 “Party Line” with Gil Fates, sponsored by Bristol-Myers.
9:00 National Sportsmen’s Show, Grand Central Palace, announced by Bob Edge, sponsored by U.S. Rubber.
WNBT Channel 4, New York
8:00 “Dancing on Air” with the Astaire dancers, sponsored by Standard Brands.
8:20 “Tele-Varieties,” sponsored by Minit Rub/Ipana toothpaste.
8:35 Television Theatre presents Ben Hecht’s “Miracle in the Rain” with John Forsythe, Nydia Westman, Phyllis Ryder.
WBKB Channel 5, Chicago
8:30 Hockey: Blackhawks vs. Boston, sponsored by Henry C. Lytton and Sons.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
8:00 NBC programs.
KLTA Channel 5, Hollywood
8:00 Test Pattern and Recorded Music.
8:30 Cartoon.
8:35 “Shopping at Home.”
8:45 News.
9:00 “Hits and Bits,” variety with host Dick Lane.
Miracle in the Rain
Reviewed Sunday (23), 9:17 to 9:47 p.m. Style—Drama. Sponsored by the Borden Company thru Young & Rubicam over WNBT (NBC) New York.
Borden dipped into teledrama (account heretofore has used audience participation and variety shows) with this adaptation of Ben Hecht's story, and considering the nature of the tale, plaudits are due all hands. Story concerns a young girl who has lived a dull, frustrated life, devoted to her mother, who hasn't spoken a word since her husband deserted her when the girl was 10. Going home from work one rainy night, lass meets a soldier brimming over with the joy of living.
After a couple of happy days boy goes overseas and is killed. He has taken with him, as a gift from the girl, a unique Roman coin. Girl sinks into the same despondent pit in which her mother has wallowed, until a girl friend takes her to church, where she finds solace in prayer. Later, she becomes ill, catches pneumonia and dies, clasping with her hands the Roman coin the boy took overseas with him. The symbolism indicates, of course, the reunion of the pair. Such religious and mystic overtones are far easier to achieve in the printed word than thru tele, but with the exception of one or two spots, Fred Coe's adaptation came close to doing it.
One weak spot was the happy-go-lucky, life-loving lad.
There were times when he seemed somewhat of a simpleton, this despite the fine playing of John Forsythe in the part. Mother’s role also lacked credibility, despite a competent job by Mary Kelton.
Good Performances
Phyllis Ryder turned in an excellent performance in the difficult role of the girl, and Nydia Westman, portraying the girl friend, made a more than adequate contribution. Sid Stone's unbilled bit added considerably in lending realism to the proceedings. He was the Broadway auctioneer (voice only) from whom the girl buys the Roman coin. Larry Seaman's off-stage narration was excellent, too.
Coe and Y. & R. Producer Wes McKee did a solid job of direction, with the difficult mood transition from bouncing gayety in the first portion of the show to somber mysticism in the latter part achieved smoothly. Blending of film and live portions of play were well planned and executed.
Poor Credits
Producers, generally, however, may find that they can make their job of securing competent talent easier by arranging to give performers more substantial "screen" credit.. In Miracle, performers' names were not shown at any time, an announcer merely reading their names at show's end. A special bow is due Bob Wade, WNBT art director, and his scenic designing staff for turning in realistic sets.
All in all this dramatic offering might not serve as a smash hit Broadway vehicle. It was, however, better than average Hollywood film fare and as good as or better than many radio dramatic offerings. For tele that's not good, it's great. And for video's critics who have been popping off lately that good tele drama is too expensive to produce—will be too expensive even when tele circulation hits respectable figures—we might add that this show's cost was well within economically sound ad budget limits.
Borden commercials were not especially forceful, the products sliding out, one after another, to front and center from a fixed row at rear of "screen," had certain eye-catching quality. Same sponsor now pays freight on James Beard's I Love to Eat show on WNBT Fridays. Joe Csida. (Billboard, Mar. 8)
Monday, February 24
WCBS-TV Channel 2, New York
8:00 Basketball at Madison Square Gardem N.Y.U. vs. Notre Dame, sponsored by Ford.
WNBT Channel 4, New York
8:00 Books on Trial: “One Damned Island After Another,” by Clive Howard and Joe Whitley; Colin Philip G. (Flip) Cochran, Ira Welfort and Clive Howard discuss. Simulcast from WHN.
8:30 Film short.
9:00 Esso Reporter, newsreel narrated by Paul Alley.
9:10 Gillette Cavalcade of Sports: Boxing at St. Nicholas Arena. Irving Palefsky vs. Vince La Salva, welterweight, ten rounds.
WBKB Channel 4, Chicago
3:00 Variety.
8:00 Golden Gloves Tournament.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
10:00-12:00, 3:00-5:00, 6:30-7:30 Test Chart.
8:00 NBC programs.
KSD-TV Channel 5, St. Louis
2:15 Film.
3:00 Newscast and pictures-cast.
3:15 Film shows.
4:00 Man on the Street; staged on Olive street outside the Post-Dispatch Annex building.
7:00 Film show.
7:10 Telecast from Boy Scout show in Arena.
7:30 To be announced.
8:00 Feature film show.
W6XAO Channel 2, Los Angeles
6:30 Test Pattern.
8:30 Film: “Love Takes Flight” with Beatrice Roberts and Bruce Cabot (Grand National, 1937).
Books on Trial
Reviewed Monday (24), 8 to 8:30 p.m. Style—Quiz type; public service. Sustaining on WNBT (NBC), New York.
An open letter to sponsors and their agencies.
Dear Sirs: What do you want—blood? Here's a teleshow that will get and hold viewers, and it's a safe bet they're viewers of a high enough intelligence level to do your product some good, even considering video's limited circulation.
Here's a program that's fairly good even when it does not come up to its own high standard. Two programs preceding this had Elliott Roosevelt, Leland Stowe and Norman Cousins discussing Roosevelt's As He Saw It, and Kurt Von Schuschnigg, Ralph Ingersoll and Dorothy Thompson kicking around Schuschnigg's Austrian Requiem. Program reviewed was somewhat less fortunate in its book selection, as well as in personalities representing prosecution, defense and author. Tome was One Damned Island After Another, by Clive Howard and Joe Whitley. Prosecutor was Ira Wolfert, and defense chore was handled by Colonel Philip G. Cochran (model for Flip Corkin of the Terry and the Pirates (comic strip). Book deals with exploits of the 7th Air Force in the Pacific, and Wolfert based his criticism on the one-sided, glory picture painted by the volume and its failure to include defeats, alleged stupidity of brass, etc. Wolfert's criticism and manner of presentation seemed petulant and off the point, but even worse was Cochran's defense. Apologizing for not being a professional critic or writer, the Colonel spent his defense time complaining about Wolfert's criticism as defiling with matters other than those covered in the book. Author Howard contributed little to the pace of the show, but his comments and the groping of the respective "attorneys" merely pointed up the fact that this book was simply not the type which lends itself to a "trial" style show.
Sterling North, in his judge's role, again took sides (at one point he defended the book), but in this instance with good cause, trying to bring the discussion back to the book itself, and presenting a point which Cochran had missed completely. Producers of this show, broadcast on WHN, would do well to get away from using non-literary people. Cochran no doubt is a helluva flier, but just wasn't capable of carrying on a sharp discussion of books, even books on fliers.
Nevertheless, this program is a real buy for a sponsor, since even this below par airing made for fairly interesting viewing, much more interesting than most (and many more expensive) video offerings. Trial will not only sell viewers on a sponsor's, bringing to the public intelligent, entertaining programs with a distinct public service flavor, but will get the sponsor plenty of newspaper and magazine publicity, provided there is any kind of exploitation support at all. Joe Csida. (Billboard, Mar. 8)
For the first time thousands of Chicagoans last night experienced the thrills of the Golden Gloves tournament of champions from easy chairs in their living rooms by television. The televiewers may have numbered nearly as many persons as the crowd that jammed Chicago stadium since numerous video set owners held parties for neighbors and friends. And at many bars and night clubs, knots of 25 or more persons clustered about the pictures and cheered the young boxers.
If they didn’t see everything the cash customers did they saw much of the action much more clearly. From the north balcony WBKB trained two cameras on the ring. One was used for long shots, the other for close-ups The close-ups provided just about the brightest, clearest television pictures seen up to now in Chicago.
Joe Wilson, the announcer, had beside him at ringside a monitor set enabling him to see the pictures just as the televiewers saw them. With one eye on the monitor and the other on the action about him, Wilson called for a switch to another ring when action slowed in one and a knockdown looked imminent in another. (Larry Wolters, Chi. Trib., Feb. 25)
Tuesday, February 25No Television in New York.
WBKB Channel 4, Chicago
3:00 Variety program.
7:30 “Tele-Topic,” forum.
7:45 Short subjects.
8:00 Behind the Headlines.
8:15 Del Hunter, songs.
8:30 “Tommy Bartlett Time,” variety show.
8:45 Golden Gloves at Chicago Stadium.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
10:00-12:00, 2:00-5:00, 6:30-7:30 Test Chart.
8:15 ABC Sports. Ice Hockey direct from Philadelphia Arena, Pittsburgh Hornets vs. Philadelphia Rockets.
KSD-TV Channel 5, St. Louis
2:15 Film.
3:00 News and picturecast.
3.15 Special film shows.
4:00 Man on the Street.
4:30 Film.
7:00 Film show; studio interviews.
7:20 Concert by choral group.
8:00 Feature film show.
KTLA Channel 5, Los Angeles
8:00 Test Pattern, records.
8:30 Short subject.
8:45 “Your Town: Driver’s Reaction Test.”
9:00 Boxing Bouts at Olympic Stadium: Bob Montgomery vs. Joey Barnum, lightweight, 10 rounds. Five other matches.
Safety on the Streets
Reviewed Tuesday (25), 8:30-9 p.m. Style—Film interview and demonstration. Sustaining over KTLA (Paramount) Hollywood.
With Los Angeles chalking up 4,000 traffic fatalities last year, the country's worst record, KTLA did an admirable job in training its public-service cameras on one of the area's greatest and toughest problems. To accentuate the necessity for studying the traffic situation, seg opened with a police department produced sound film showing accident scenes and how they could have been avoided by adherence to traffic regulations.
Scanning then unfolded with an interview with a Southern California Auto Club rep, capably handled by KTLA's Dick Lane, further pounding home the message of traffic safety. While educational in content, question and answer routine was so handled as to bring out facts and figures that would hold viewers' interest so that interview would not become boring. Cameras swung to one of the city's driver testing machines, checking action reflex. Constructed similarly to a cut-away car complete with windshield, steering wheel, accelerator and brake pedals, gimmick tests the seconds it takes for a driver to apply his brakes at a given signal. It also checks the autoist's steadiness at steering.
Close -Up Shots
Lass was placed in the driver's seat and given the test as lenses moved in for close-up shots of the machine in operation. After registering a n. s. h. score, an experienced city ambulance driver was then given the same test to show that an almost perfect score is possible. Seg was a good example of a pubserv program treating a vital problem yet retaining viewer interest thruout. Lee Zhito. (Billboard, Mar. 8)
Boxing Matches
Reviewed Tuesday (25), 9-9:30 p.m. Style—Studio staged boxing. Sustaining over KTLA (Paramount), Hollywood.
Moving into its new studio has given outlet elbow room, and the advantages can be easily realized in scanning the studio staged boxing exhibitions. KTLA has injected a realistic air into its home-made leather pushing displays.
Lens Area Expanded
With more space available lensers now can shoot the ring against the studio audience, so that pix showing crowd of lookers gives it the appearance of a regular fight at the stadium by using an actual ring and employing pro fighter. Final product is not too far from the boxing fare offered at local fights.
Screen player Dick Lane's tele versatility proving a godsend to this station turns in a bang-up job in describing the event. In typical fight broadcast fashion Lane creates suspense and excitement with his commentary which can arouse any home viewer to the edge of his seat.
Tele director Klaus Landsberg wisely splits his two cameras so that one is used for overhead shots, the other for ringside level scanning. By so doing, screen can carry fresh and novel angle shots as well as give the armchair enthusiast complete coverage of all the action that takes place between the ropes. Boxing is ideal tele fare since it packs a lot of action and yet is corralled in a relatively small area, making it easy on the lensers. Lee Zhito. (Billboard, Mar. 8)
Televiewers were talking about the first telecasts of the Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions yesterday, and their comment was enthusiastic. (Television station WBKB will be carrying the pictures of THE TRIBUNE bouts again at 8:30 o’clock tonight, and W-G-N will broadcast the fights at 11 p. m.) One of the points emphasized in the discussions was Announcer Joe Wilson’s admirable restraint in his commentary.
Wilson has learned the technique of letting the picture speak for themselves. And the pictures speak eloquently. The televiewers got a thrill a second for several hours.
Sharp, clear pictures showed them almost every blow (in one ring at a time). When action slowed in one ring, the cameras were quickly “panned” to another.
Wilson stationed at the ringside, not only views the fights, but he sees what listeners are seeing by means of a television monitor set. Thus he never calls out: “He shot out a left,” or “He’s going down,” because the televiewers can see that themselves. Instead, he supplements the action with light humorous comment. For example: One boxer was reeling and ready to curl up like a garden hose. “There’s a lot of rubber in those legs,” Wilson commented. (Larry Wolters, Chi. Trib., Feb. 26)
FORD MOTOR CO., Dearborn, Mich., and General Foods Corp., New York, will co-sponsor telecasts of the Brooklyn Dodgers 1947 home games on WCBS-TV New York. Contract, signed with CBS video officials last week [24 or 25], is the first to be drawn for commercial sponsorship of a major league team's schedule on television.
CBS last fall completed arrangements for televising the Dodger home games this year on an exclusive basis. Subsequently the New York Yankees made a similar tie-up with WABD, Du Mont television station in New York, and the New York Giants with WNBT, NBC video station in that city. Both of these stations are offering their baseball telecasts for sponsorship but to date neither has announced completion of a deal.
The Dodgers' 1947 season will start April 15 at Ebbets Field, Brooklyn, with the Boston Braves as opponents. A coin will be tossed to determine whether the opening game's telecast will be sponsored by Ford or General Foods, with the two alternating for the remainder of the season—77 games in all.
Bob Edge has resigned as television sports director of CBS to handle the descriptions of the baseball video programs as freelance announcer-commentator and he is expected to continue in this field on an independent basis. Following his handling of the mike for the station's telecast of the New York U.-Notre Dame basketball game last Monday—also under Ford sponsorship—he left for Havana, where the Dodgers are in spring training. Plans call for the collection of background information about the players and of films of training and of pre-season exhibition games, which will be used for television material by WCBS-TV in advance of the opening game as a buildup for the season's telecasts.
Ford is currently the major sponsor of telecasts on WCBS-TV and one of the largest purchasers of video time in the entire field through its sponsorship of track meets, basketball games, hockey matches, skating carnivals, horse and dog shows and other events staged at Madison Square Garden. The motor company's Parade of Sports series began last fall with telecasts of the home games of the Columbia U. football team and have continued through the winter with the Garden events.
General Foods, which signed its first television contract in agreeing to co-sponsor the Dodgers telecasts, will distribute the commercials among a variety of its products, with no decision made yet as to what treatment the commercial, will be given.
Howard M. Chapin, associate advertising director and chairman of the General Foods television committee, represented his company in negotiating the contract for the baseball telecasts, with C. J. Seyffer, manager of Ford's northeastern region, acting for the motor company and George L. Moskovics, commercial manager of CBS television, for WCBS-TV.
Three agencies are concerned with the General Foods part of the television schedule: Young & Rubi- cam, Benton & Bowles, and Foote, Cone & Belding, all of New York. The Ford advertising is handled by J. Walter Thompson Co., New York. (Broadcasting, March 3)
Wednesday, February 26
No Television in New York.
WBKB Channel 2, Chicago
3:00 Variety program.
8:30 Golden Gloves Tournament at Chicago Stadium.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
10:00-12:00, 3:00-5:00, 6:30-7:30 Test Chart.
2:00 to 3:00 Philadelphia Electric Company Presents Television Matinee. “Menu of the Day,” Florence P. Hanford, home economist; “Rhythm in the Rich Manner,” Paul Rich, harmonica; short subjects; “Guest Time: New Hints for Your Entertaining” by Miss Paula Schuyler.
KSD-TV Channel 5, St. Louis
2:15 Film.
3:00 News and picturecast.3:15 Film shows.
4:00 Man on the Street.
4:30 Film.
7:00 Film.
7:10 St. Louis personalities.
7:30 Sportscast; J. Roy Stockton and Harold Grahms.
7:45 Film.
8:00 To be announced.
8:30 News Forum; the City Plan Commission.
KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood 8:00 Test Pattern and recorded music.
8:30 Ice Hockey (PCHL) at the Pan Pacific Arena, Los Angeles Monarches vs. Fresno Falcons.
Thursday, February 27
WCBW Channel 2, New York
2:00 to 5:00 Test Pattern.
7:30 Test Pattern, Time, Music.
8:15 “CBS Television News” with Larry Lesueur, sponsored by Gulf.
8:30 “All-News York Junior High School Quiz”: Strauss Junior High, Brooklyn vs. Joan of Arc Junior High, Manhattan.
9:00 Suspense Drama: “The Keenest Edge.”
9:30 Basketball at Madison Square Garden. City College vs. Brooklyn; St. John’s vs. Indiana State, sponsored by Ford.
7:50 Television Newsreel.
8:00 “Hour Glass” with Eddie Mayehoff, sponsored by Tender Leaf Tea/Chase and Sanborn Coffee.
8:45 Ski News and Film short.
9:00 “You Are An Artist,” with John Gnagy.
9:15 Film shorts.
WBKB Channel 5, Chicago
3:00 Variety program.
7:30 “Over Shoemaker’s Shoulder,” drawing show.
7:45 Short subject.
8:00 “Cavalcade of Medicine.”
8:15 Short subjects.
8:30 Poe’s “The Tell Tale Heart.”
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
7:50 NBC programs.
9:15 “Sears Visi-Quiz.”
KSD-TV Channel 5, St. Louis
2:15 Films, "Coral Isle," "Story of Steel," "Stephen Foster."
3:00 News and picturescast.
3:15 Film shows, "It's Our America," "Debonaire New Orleans."
4:00 Man on the street.
4:30 "In Chile," "Riders of Riley."
8:00 Telecast of Boy Scout show in the Arena.
KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood
8:00 Test Pattern and recorded music.
8:30 Short subject.
8:45 Western Feature film.
Tell-Tale Heart
Reviewed Thursday (27), 8:30 to 8:50 p.m. Style—Dramatic. Sustaining on WBKB, Chicago.
Altho show was of top-notch dramatic quality, it was too gruesome for transmission at this early evening hour when kids could have seen it. A murder story, it depicted actual killing and such powerful but frightening dramatics as full-screen shots of a horrible looking eye, the sound and sight of a beating heart, screams and groans, and other weird sound effects.
A masterful television adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's Tell-Tale Heart was written by Bill Vance, who also starred in the role of the murderer who killed an old man in a frenzy of insanity. Helen Carson, who directed the show, showed her knowledge of television potentials by working in film, live shots and camera close-ups that intensified the interest-holding qualities of an already gripping story. Bruno VeSota, as the old man who was murdered, also did a realistic and moving piece of acting and devised make-up that was responsible for much of the show's dramatic strength.
If judged merely on its merits as a dramatic television production, program could easily rank with WBKB's best. But its merits as sound programing for a juvenile as well as adult home audience also must be taken into consideration, and here the show warranted little praise. Proof of this is the fact that in the public audience at WBKB studios were two children who started crying with fright at one of the more forceful points in the show.
Program emphasized again the need for caution on the part of video directors. It's bad enough to have blood and thunder brought into the home via radio, but when it's done with the added impact of visual action via television it becomes even more upsetting.
Of course it will be difficult for video programers to make a negative decision re shows if they have to consider, as they did tonight, top artistic work, but nevertheless, especially at hours when the young and impressionable can view them, programs that are too blood-curdling should be out. The average person, when reading such material can make his own mental pictures, and usually, thru a subconscious protective mechanism will conjure scenes that are not too upsetting. But when television creates the gruesome pictures for him a more powerful and harmful effect is created. Cy Wagner. (Billboard, Mar. 8)
GOLDEN GLOVES TOURNAMENT
Announcer; Joe Wilson
Director: Don Cook
Three Hours. Thurs. (27), 8:30 p.m. (CST)
GENERAL MILLS
WBKB (ABC), Chicago
(Knox-Reeves)
Video at ringside, whether it be boxing or wrestling, has always made for best televiewing from this outlet. This show, however, surpasses other sports remotes. Offering a clear three-hour picture of never-slowing parade of three-rounders. Golden Gloves via television was a ringside bargain for any fight fan.
WBKB, which has continuously aired bouts from smaller arena. managed to spot its cameras to nifty advantage in huge Chicago Stadium. One of two cameras overlooked ring at about 30-degree angle, showing a good overhead picture of entire goings-on. Other lens cape in for closeups which brought viewers sharp scenes of battle principals.
Long a sports must, Chi Tribune-sponsored Golden Gloves tournament brings fast-paced show, with short bouts following each other at two-minute intervals.
Announcer Joe Wilson's comment is tailor-made for video. Wilson cleverly leans more to commentary than description, allowing pix to speak for themselves. Without using regular broadcast type of blow-by-blow stuff, he acts as guide and asks, "Did you notice that left?" or "Smith looks tired, doesn't he?"
Interspersing the neat chatter with humor. Wilson kept show going between rounds with interesting bits of boxers' background and previous performances.
Pictures came through clear and sharp and cameramen did excellent job of catching every blow. And 32 bouts an evening ought to be enough for anyone. (Variety, Mar. 5)
Standard Brands, Inc. through J, Walter Thompson Co. is reported as cancelling its two television shows over the NBC outlet WNBT. “Hour Glass,” originally designed as a one-hour show which has been on the air since last spring, at 8-9 p.m., EST but which only utilized about 45 minutes each Thursday night, is going off March 6. “Face to Face also a longer show half-hour but which runs about 15 minutes Sunday nights at 8 p.m. departed last Sunday.
This altogether is a commitment of one and one-half hours of television time and cancellation is unofficially believed to be a matter of retrenchment. It is understood when the time was originally purchased, it was for the purpose of something in the nature of a franchise to acquire a desirable time slot. Production costs on the two shows was in excess of $3,000 weekly. (Radio Daily, Feb. 27)
Friday, February 28
WNBT Channel 4, New York8:00 “Campus Hoopla” with Clair Bee, coach of the Long Island U. basketball team, sponsored by U.S. Rubber Co.
8:15 Ski News and films.
8:30 “I Love to Eat” with James Beard, sponsored by Borden’s.
8:45 “The World in Your Home,” sponsored by RCA.
9:00 Gillette Cavalcade of Sports: Boxing at Madison Square Garden, Light heavyweight champion Gus Lesnevich vs. Billy Fox, 15 rounds.
WBKB Channel 5, Chicago
3:00 Variety program.
7:30 “Telechats,” sponsored by The Fair.
7:45 Short subjects.
8:00 “Telequizzicalls,” sponsored by Commonwealth Edison.
8:30 “Stump the Authors.”
9:00 Boxing from Rainbo Arena. Bob Amos vs. Al Jolson, light heavyweight, eight rounds.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
2:00 to 3:00 Philadelphia Electric Company Presents Television Matinee. “Menu of the Day,” Florence P. Hanford, home economist; “Rhythm in the Rich Manner,” Paul Rich, harmonica; short subjects; “Guest Time: Streamlining—What Is It?” by A.D. Hollingsworth, Franklin Institute.
8:00 ABC “Art Today.”
9:00 NBC programs.
KSD-TV Channel 5, St. Louis
2:15 Film.
3:00 News and picturescast.
3:10 p.m., Carl Mose, the sculptor. 3:20 Film, "Public Opinion"; Red Cross newsreel; Film, "Rough and Tumble."
4:00 Man on the Street.
4:30 Film.
7:00 St. Louis Academy of Natural Science.
7:30 Dancing America.
8:00 Feature film show; "Cavalcade of the West" starring Hoot Gibson (Diversion, 1936).
KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood
8:00 Test Pattern and recorded music.
8:30 Hockey (PCHL) at Pan Pacific Arena, Los Angeles Monarchs vs. San Francisco Shamrocks.
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