Television hadn’t begun copying radio with a splashy revised line-up of shows every September. Programs would last as long as sponsors wanted then go off the air; the time of year didn’t matter.
There was one exception. The men who were put in charge of the two Los Angeles stations did not come from radio, movies, or any form of entertainment. They were engineers, more at home with fixing transmitters than setting up programming.
In September ’47, Philco decided to advertise heavily on KTLA and its agency hired Larry Finley to get the shows on the air. He was an ex-announcer and dance hall operator who operated a small radio transcription service. The end result was a good portion of KTLA’s line-up was overhauled with new shows and new hosts. Dick Lane's variety show was out. Ventrioquist Shirley Dinsdale, who won an Emmy the first year they were awarded, was in. So was KLAC disc jockey Al Jarvis. A couple of years later, Al Jarvis hired a young lady to assist him who eventually took over the TV show. Her name was Betty White.
The Philadelphia Inquirer’s station, WFIL-TV, began regular programming just before the middle of the month.
The big issue facing East Coast stations in the first half of September was whether the World Series would be televised. Baseball Commissioner Happy Chandler rejected the idea of a beer company sponsoring the games and no one else wanted to put up the kind of money Chandler demanded for the rights.
Some big sponsors pulled out of TV, while others got in. American Tobacco would eventually have hugely popular ads with stop-motion dancing cigarettes.
Below find schedules for almost all the stations on the air (they weren’t always consistent from newspaper to newspaper), some news and reviews. The schedule I have for WRGB Schenectady simply says Sundays, 8 p.m. to sign-off; Monday through Friday, 7:30 p.m. to sign-off.
Monday, September 1
WCBS-TV Channel 2, New York
1:30 Baseball at Ebbets Field, Dodgers vs. Philadelphia, play-by-play with Bob Edge, sponsored by Ford and Post Cereals.
WNBT Channel 4, New York
8:00 NBC Television News.
8:10 Film: “Fighting Sea Monsters,” narrated by Ted Webber (Astor, 1943).
9:10 Trotting Races, Roosevelt Raceway.
10:10 NBC Television News, repeat.
WABD Channel 5, New York
6:45 News with Walter Compton (from WTTG).
7:00 “Small Fry Club” with Bob Emery.
7:30 Jean Chadwick, songs.
7:45 Film shorts.
8:30 “Know Your New York.”
8:45 “The Music Album.”
9:00 Amateur Boxing from Jamaica Arena, with Dennis James.
WBKB Channel 5, Chicago
1:25 Baseball at Wrigley Field, Cubs vs. Cincinnati Reds, play-by-play with Joe Wilson and Jack Brickhouse, sponsored by Commonwealth Edison and Ford; Post-Game “Scoreboard” for Kass Clothing.
8:00 Jack Brickhouse.
8:30 Wrestling from Midway Arena.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
1:00 INS Television News, sponsored by Good House Stores.
1:20 Baseball Double header at Shibe Park, Phillies vs. Boston Braves, Claude Haring play-by-play, sponsored by ARCO and Philco.
7:45 INS Television News, sponsored by Wilf Bros. Appliances.
8:00 NBC programming.
WFIL-TV Channel 6, Philadelphia
2:30-4:30 and 7:30-9:00 Test Pattern.
WTTG Channel 5, Washington
6:45 Walter Compton, news; 7:00 DuMont; 7:30 Step ‘n’ Fetch It; 7:45 DuMont; 9:00 Film Featurette; 9:30 Step ‘n’ Fetch It; 10:00 DuMont.
KSD-TV Channel 5, St. Louis
1:10 Baseball Closeups with Harry Caray and Gabby Street, sponsored by Griesedieck Brothers Brewery; 1:25 Baseball at Sportsman’s Park, St. Louis Cardinals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, play-by-play with Ellis Veach and Ray Stockton, sponsored by Purity Bakeries.
3:00 Test Pattern and incidental music.
3:30 Film: “Yosemite National Park.”
3:40 Film: “The Man Who Missed Breakfast” (Ag Dept., 1944).
3:50 to 4:30 Test Pattern and incidental music.
8:00 Test Pattern and incidental music.
8:25-11:00 Wrestling from the Hollywood Legion Auditorium, Maurice LaChapelle vs. Wild Red Berry.
KTLA Channel 5, Los Angeles
3:00 “Tune Up Time,” test slides, recorded music, sponsored by Leo. J. Meyberg.
4:00 Films for television dealers, sponsored by Leo. J. Meyberg.
4:30-5:00 “Your Town—Los Angeles Presents.”
7:00 Al Jarvis, sponsored by Philco.
7:30 “Uncle Phil,” for kids from 6 to 60, with ventriloquist Shirley Dinsdale and Judy Splinters, sponsored by Philco.
7:40 Adventure Serial.
8:00 Magazine Magic
8:30 Amateur Boxing.
Tuesday, September 2
WABD Channel 5, New York City
7:00 “Movies for Small Fry” hosted by Bob Emery.
7:30 “Highway to the Stars,” dramatic serial; a Caples Co. Production.
8:00 Western Feature Film, sponsored by Chevrolet.
9:00 “Reel Jockey” with Bob Emery.
9:15 Boxing from Jerome Stadium, Julie Bort vs. Lulu Costantino, eight rounds, four other bouts, Dennis James announcing, sponsored by Teldisco.
WBKB Channel 5, Chicago
7:30 “Behind the Headlines.”
7:45 Film.
8:00 “Streamliner Parade,” sponsored by Union Pacific and Northwestern Railroads.
8:20 Film.
8:30 “You Should Ride a Hobby Horse,” with Russ Davis, sponsored by Arbee Food Products and The Fair.
8:45 Milt Hopwood’s Sports Show.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
9:30 to 5:30 Test Chart.
7:45 INS News Tape, sponsored by Wilf Bros. Appliances.
8:00 Motion picture short.
8:35 Baseball at Shibe Park, A’s vs. Washington Senators, Claude Haring play-by-play, sponsored by ARCO and Philco.
WFIL-TV Channel 6, Philadelphia
2:30-4:30 and 7:30-9:00 Test Pattern.
WTTG Channel 5, Washington
6:45 Walter Compton, news; 7:00 DuMont.
W6XAO Channel 2, Los Angeles
3:00 Tests and Recorded Music.
3:30 Film: “Kentucky Pioneers.”
3:42 Film: “You Belong To My Heart.”
3:50 Tests.
KTLA Channel 5, Los Angeles
3:00-5:00 “Tune Up Time,” test slides and music, sponsored by Leo. J. Meyberg.
7:00 “Star Views” with Lois Andrews.
7:15 Home Economics.
7:30 “Uncle Phil,” for kids from 6 to 60, with ventriloquist Shirley Dinsdale and Judy Splinters, sponsored by Philco.
7:40 Adventure Serial.
8:00 Film: “A Man, a Gun and a Dog.”
8:15 Pacific Coast League baseball at Gilmore Field, Hollywood vs. Seattle Rainiers.
YOU SHOULD RIDE A HOBBY HORSE
With Russ Davis
Director: Beulah Zachary
Writer: Russ Davis
15 Mins., Tues., 8:30 p.m.
ARBEE FOOD PRODUCTS
WBKB, Chicago
Similar pattern to the "Hobby Lobby" show of radio fame is reflected in this 15-minute stanza. What the show lacks however, is the "H-L" standout—different hobbies with human interest and a touch of comedy. On the night caught (2), Davis, who acts as m.c, interviewed three model airplane enthusiasts, who explained their models and demonstrated how they work. Unidentifed wood-workers projected well as they had no hesitancy talking about something they knew.
Davis, who is garbed as a chef to tie in with company product, hurries back and forth for the commercials to demonstrate the scrapbag, disposable waste container. While effective as the housemaid's friend, he could have done a better job if contrast of costume and kitchen could have been tinted darker. Show looks as likely prospect for long stay if it varies its interviewees and introduces a note for the femmes—after all they are logical prospects for the item. Incidentally, out of a home viewing aud of about 3,000, pitch for direct sales brought in 56 telephone calls that night, which demonstrates the impact of video presentation. (Variety, Sept. 10)
Hollywood, Sept. 9.—Arrival of Philco (via Gough Industries, Inc., distributors) on the local video programming scene has added a change from the monotony of films and other veterans of video that have for too long made a stereotype—if not antiquated daguerrotype—of the 3,000 odd screens here. The combined efforts of the stations directorial staff, largely Albert Cole, plus station head Klause Landsberg, and producer Larry Finley and his aide, J. Clinton Stanley (for Gough) offer a welcome freshness, if not altogether startling initial results at changing the old order. New ideas, productional innovations, fresh talent (to video) and some plenty acceptable — and selling—commercials contribute, albeit the thought occurs that there is still too much radio thinking in television.
Lois Andrews' bow in tele [Sept. 2] was also an interesting if not too absorbing experiment. As video's first Hollywood gossiper she came off with aplomb, acquitting herself largely via a breezy and flippant delivery of the usual "scoops," giving the straight dope on inquiries, guest interview, dictation to a secretary (also in the picture), etc., all standard radio gimmicks. Backgrounded with a den-like office set and other productional enhancement, she alternately draped her svelte figure and pert puss behind or atop a desk, both items a video asset. There were a few delivery fluffs (or is it bloopers in this trade) but never anything serious enough to detract from her physical attributes throughout the quarter hour. George Jessel as first guest came off with flying colors in a snappy repartee during which each jibed the other much anent their previous connection as man and wife.
The letdown of the lineup came with the third show, "Home Economics," [Sept. 2] a Philco kitchen equipment demonstration that was nothing more than the standard, unenhanced, dreary store-window variety of showcasing, and further damned by poor delivery on the part of Phyllis Frost, obviously stage named, and indistinguishableness of food objects carrying the ball for the deep freezers, refrigerators, etc. demonstrated. She and possibly the entire show will be replaced, it was later stated. Monotone of the store demonstrator prevailed throughout Miss "Frost's" quarter hour, there being absolutely no entertainment values contained in her stiffly mouthed and even more stiffly written material. Idea of guestar amateur chefs and gourmets taking over is being happily suggested.
Plugged are Philco's familiar, portable AC-DC radio and the equally familiar 1201, portable phono-radio combo. Terry O'Sullivan handles the non-jarring wordage ably but the visual tinkering proved the oldie of a picture telling—and selling—better than 10,000 words. (John Hurley, Variety, Sept. 10)
Stephen St. John's school is accepting registrations for the fall and winter season In the study of guitar, mandolin, Hawaiian guitar, banjo-mandolin and tenor banjo. A beginners' orchestra will be organized this fall. Those who progress sufficiently will participate in a musical to be staged at one of the local theaters this winter. The advanced orchestra will also resume rehearsals in the near future for the event. Plans will be made to stage a show at the Saratoga Veterans' facilities.
Pupils of the school may be heard on WSNY Saturday morning broadcasts, on WOKO, Albany, and the local PM station and WRGB, television. (Schenectady Gazette, Sept. 2)
Chicago. Sept. 2.—WBKB here pulled out the juiciest tele plum of the 1947 sports season last week with the signing of the home games of the Notre Dame and Northwestern Universities football teams. Games will be sponsored by American Tobacco Co. through Foote, Cone & Belding. Lineup will give Chicago station the heaviest game schedule of any video caster in the country.
Schedule includes the coveted Army-Notre Dame game Nov. 8. Other N. D. games are Iowa-N. D., Oct. 25 and Tulane-N. D., Nov. 22. Northwestern tees off with University of California at Los Angeles on Oct. 4, followed by Michigan, Oct. 18; Wisconsin. Nov. 1, and ending with Notre Dame at Northwestern Nov. 15.
WBKB also televizes the Chicago Rockets, pro football, who opened with game against the Los Angeles Dons (29). Other contests are Buffalo, Sept. 19: Cleveland, Sept. 26; Brooklyn, Oet. 7; New York, Oct. 21; Baltimore, Nov. 7, and San Francisco, Nov. 21. Remotes are sponsored by Keely Brewing. (Variety, Sept. 3)
Wednesday, September 3
WCBS-TV Channel 2, New York
7:45 Test pattern, time, music.
8:30 Harvest Moon Ball at Madison Square Garden.
WNBT Channel 4, New York
7:30 “Kraft Television Theatre—Mr. Pim Passes By,” sponsored by MacLaren’s Imperial Cheese.
8:30 “In the Kelvinator Kitchen” with Alma Kitchell.
8:45 Ninth Annual Tribune Fresh Air Fund Football Game at the Polo Grounds, Eastern College All-Stars vs. New York Giants.
WABD Channel 5, New York
6:30 “Disc Bar” with Judy McGee and Don Roper.
6:45 News with Walter Compton (from WTTG).
7:00 “Small Fry Club” with Bob Emery.
7:30 “Bob Wolff Sports Clinic” (from WTTG).
7:45 “Swing Into Sports” with Vincent Richards.
8:00 Nickelodeon—Old Time Movies.
8:30 Film shorts.
8:45 Boxing at Jamaica Arena with Dennis James, Georgie Small vs. Eddie Lee (middleweight, eight rounds), Eugene Hairston vs. Bernard Harper (six rounds), sponsored by American Stores.
WBKB Channel 5, Chicago
1:25 Baseball at Wrigley Field, Cubs vs. St. Louis Cardinals, play-by-play with Joe Wilson and Jack Brickhouse, sponsored by Commonwealth Edison and Ford; Post-Game “Scoreboard” for Kass Clothing.
7:30 Frank Wood, Private Detective.
8:00 Film, short subjects.
8:15 Jack Payne, sponsored by Terman Television Sales.
8:30 Wrestling from Rainbo arena, with Russ Davis.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
9:30 to 5:30 Test Chart.
2:00 INS Television News, sponsored by Good House Stores.
2:20 Baseball Double header at Shibe Park, A’s vs. Washington Senators, Claude Haring play-by-play, sponsored by ARCO and Philco.
7:30 INS Television, sponsored by Wilf Bros. Appliances.
7:45 Sports Scrap Book with Stoney McLinn and Bill Campbell.
8:00 Motion Picture Featurette.
8:15 West Philadelphia Choral Society.
8:30 NBC programming.
8:45 Feature film.
WFIL-TV Channel 6, Philadelphia
2:30-4:30 and 7:30-9:00 Test Pattern.
WBNW Channel 4, Washington
4:00 Test Pattern; 7:30 NBC.WTTG Channel 5, Washington
6:45 Walter Compton, news; 7:00 DuMont; 7:30 Bob Wolff Sports Clinic; 7:45 Film: “The Town Went Wild” with Jimmy Lydon, Edward Everett Horton, Will Wright (PRC, 1944); 9:00 Wrestling from Turner Arena.
W6XAO Channel 2, Los Angeles
3:00 Tests and Recorded Music.
3:30 Film: “Children of Switzerland.”
3:42 Film: “Three Little Kittens” aka “Rough on Rats,” (Van Beuren, 1933).
3:52-4:30 Tests.
KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood
3:00-5:00 “Tune Up Time,” test slides and music, sponsored by Leo. J. Meyberg.
7:00 Al Jarvis, sponsored by Philco.
7:30 “Uncle Phil,” for kids from 6 to 60, with ventriloquist Shirley Dinsdale and Judy Splinters, sponsored by Philco.
7:40 Adventure Serial.
8:00 Ski Chase featurette.
8:30 Wrestling at the Olympic Stadium, heavywright championship, Enrique Torres vs. George K.O. Koverly.
New series “R. F. D. Manhattan,” produced by Video Associates, Inc., tele packaging outfit, will make its debut today over WRGB, the G.E. station in Schenectady. First of a family-comedy series, “R. F. D.” is based on incidents in the life of a typical American family.
Douglas McLean, who plays the lead role, also scripted the opener, which is directed by Barbara Jones. Included In the cast are Helen Marcy and Patsy Coogan. (Radio Daily, Sept. 3)
Young & Rubicam's dwindling television billings will take it on the chin again after Sept. 25, when General Foods is slated to drop sponsorship of the Thursday night 8:30 to 9 slot on WNBT (NBC, N. Y.). Money that G-F saves via the move will be channeled into "a more extensive television research program this fall," according to Howard M. Chapin, head of the firm's tele committee.
Y. & R. earner lost another half-hour on WNBT, when Bristol-Myers decided to cancel its sponsorship of the “At Home With Tex & Jinx” show on Sunday nights. Agency is now left with only, the Gulf-sponsored "You Are an Artist" show, which is aired on WNBT Thursday nights from 9 to 9:10. G-F, meanwhile, continues as sponsor of the 8 to 8:30 Thursday night slot on WNBT through Benton & Bowles, the weather signals on DuMont and as co-sponsor with Ford of the Dodger baseball games over CBS tele.
Decision to drop the half-hour time segment doesn't mean that G-F is losing interest in tele. Chapin declared. With the firm's decision to conduct more' research into the medium, however, it was necessary to find additional funds for the work from the fixed video budget, and so the time was dropped. G-F tele director didn't specify what form the "expanded research" was to take, but it's believed to have been started already via a "television diary" which B. & B. has mailed out to tele set owners throughout metropolitan New York. Since the only tele show handled by B. & B. is that of G-F, it's believed that at least a part of the funds for this type of research will come from the food organization.
Diary is to contain a record pf televiewing of each family, its guests and neighbors who might drop in to watch a show. Set owners are asked not to change their habits of viewing because of the diary, but to keep an accurate record of viewing by 15-minute periods of times when the set is turned on the station tuned in and who is viewing. B & B. "investigator" is to collect the diaries at the end of each week. Under the "who is viewing" category, set owners are left space to differentiate between men and women and children from 5-11 years and 12-18. (Variety, Sept. 3)
Thursday, September 4
WCBS-TV Channel 2, New York
7:15 Test Pattern.
8:00 CBS Television News with Douglas Edwards, sponsored by Gulf.
8:15 “Party Line” with John Reed King and audience participation (return).
WNBT Channel 4, New York
7:50 NBC Television Newsreel.
8:00 “Leave it to the Girls,” sponsored by Certo.
8:30 “Author Meets the Critics,” moderated by John K.M. McCaffery’s. Edward J. Flynn, guest.
9:00 “You Are an Artist” with John Gnagy, sponsored by Gulf Oil.
9:10 Baseball at the Polo Grounds, N.Y. Giants vs. Brooklyn Dodgers, play-by-play with Bob Stanton.
WABD Channel 5, New York
6:45 News with Walter Compton (from WTTG).
7:00 “Small Fry Club” with Bob Emery, sponsored by Fisher Baking.
7:30 “Birthday Party” with Bill Slater.
8:00 Feature Film.
9:00 Wrestling at Jerome Stadium with Dennis James.
WBKB Channel 5, Chicago
1:25 Baseball at Wrigley Field, Cubs vs. St. Louis Cardinals, play-by-play with Joe Wilson and Jack Brickhouse, sponsored by Commonwealth Edison and Ford; Post-Game “Scoreboard” for Kass Clothing.
8:45 Girls baseball from Parichy Field, play-by-play with Guy Savage.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
9:30 to 5:30 Test Chart.
7:35 INS News Tape, sponsored by Wilf Bros. Appliances.
7:50 NBC program.
8:00 Philadelphia City Planning Banquet.
8:45 Selected motion pictures.
9:00 NBC program.
9:10 Short subject motion pictures.
9:30 Philadelphia City Planning Exhibit.
WFIL-TV Channel 6, Philadelphia
2:00 Test Pattern.
2:30 Test Program: American Legion All-Star Baseball Game.
7:30-9:00 Test Pattern.WBNW Channel 4, Washington
4:00 Test Pattern; 7:40 Illustrated Newsreel; 7:50 Test Pattern; 8:00 Capital Citizen.
WTTG Channel 5, Washington
6:45 Walter Compton, news; 7:00 DuMont; 8:20 Baseball at Griffith Park, Senators vs. New York Yankees, Bob Wolff play-by-play.
KSD-TV Channel 5, St. Louis
3:00 News and Views; 3:15 NBC Newsreel; 3:25 Songs by Jackie Jill; 3:40 Film Short; 3:50 Man on the Street, sponsored by Hyde Park Beer.
8:00 News and Views; 8:15 NBC Newsreel; 8:25 Songs by Russ Severin; 8:45 Film; 8:55 Pete French, president of the St. Louis Zoological Society; 9:19 Feature film.
W6XAO Channel 2, Los Angeles
3:00 Tests and Recorded Music.
3:30 Film: “People of Hawaii.”
3:42 Film: “Modern Chippewa Indians.”
3:52-4:30 Tests.
KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood
3:00-5:00 “Tune Up Time,” test slides and music, sponsored by Leo. J. Meyberg.
7:00 “Star Views” with Lois Andrews and guest Cathy Downs.
7:15 Tele-Beauty.
7:30 “Uncle Phil,” for kids from 6 to 60, with ventriloquist Shirley Dinsdale and Judy Splinters, sponsored by Philco.
7:40 Adventure Serial.
8:00 “Meet the Dons.”
8:15 Pacific Coast League baseball at Gilmore Field, Hollywood vs. Seattle Rainiers.
American Tobacco Company will sponsor 11 top eastern college football contests over the NBC television network this fall, including three games each of Army and Navy.
NBC’s tele college grid season gets under way Saturday, Sept. 27, with the Army-Villanova game from West Point. Other teams to be seen during the season include Pennsylvania, Columbia, Princeton, Yale, Dartmouth, Cornell, Illinois, Georgia Tech and Penn State. Climax of the year, according to NBC, will be the traditional Thanksgiving clash between Penn and Cornell.
Special Pickups Set
Special engineering facilitic will make possible pickups from West Point, Princeton, Baltimore and Philadelphia, Army-Illnois game will be the only contest originating from New York City, and that from the Yankee Stadium. WNBT, web’s N. Y. outlet, and WRGB, Schenectady, will carry 10 games, and WNBW, Washington NBC station, will carry eight. Pickups of three Penn games from Philadelphia,—those of Columbia, Navy and Cornell—will be unique in that both NBC and WPTZ vi1l air the game, although not for the same audience. Latter will telecast all Penn home games under sponsorship of Atlantic Refining Co., which account, is handled by N. W. Ayer & Son. same agency on American Tobacco’s WNBT grid schedule. (Radio Daily, Sept. 4)
A report of television reception 1,000 miles from New York came to WCBS-TV when R. E. Nord of St. Charles, Ill., confirmed partial reception of the station’s test pattern. Nord said he received the signal on a 30-tube table model. CBS engineers explained the tele waves usually dissipate into space after traveling to the horizon, from 30 to 40 miles away. Reception beyond that distance is attributed to freak atmospherics. (Radio Daily, Sept. 4)
Friday, September 5
WNBT Channel 4, New York
1:00 “Swift Home Service Club” with Tex McCrary and Jinx Falkenburg, with Martha Logan in the Swift Test Kitchen.
1:30 Television Newsreel.
2:25 Baseball at the Polo Grounds, Giants vs. Dodgers, Bob Stanton play-by-play.
8:00 “Disc Magic” with Jack Kilty.
8:30 “The World in Your Home,” sponsored by RCA.
8:45 “Gillette Cavalcade of Sports.” Boxing from Madison Square Garden, Pete Mead vs. Herbie Kronowitz (middleweight, ten rounds).
6:45 News with Walter Compton (from WTTG).
7:00 “Small Fry Club” with Bob Emery.
7:30 “Doorway to Fame.”
8:00 “The Magic Carpet,” sponsored by Alexander Smith Carpets.
8:30 Football from Yankee Stadium, Yankees vs. Chicago Rockets, sponsored by Springs Cotton Mills.
WBKB Channel 5, Chicago
7:30 “Telechats,” sponsored by The Fair.
7:45 Short subjects.
8:00 Singing Smiths.
8:15 Short subjects.
8:30 Golf with Bill Gordon.
8:45 Short subjects.
9:00 Boxing at Madison Athletic club, sponsored by Keeley beer.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
9:30 to 5:30 Test Chart.
7:30 INS News Tape, sponsored by Wilf Bros. Appliances.
7:45 Kiddies Cartoon.
8:00 NBC program.
8:30 “Handy Man” with Jack Creamer, sponsored by Gimbels.
8:45 NBC.
WFIL-TV Channel 6, Philadelphia
2:30-4:30 and 7:30-9:00 Test Pattern.
WBNW Channel 4, Washington
12:30 Test Pattern; 1:00 NBC; 1:50 Test Pattern; 7:45 “Let’s Learn to Dance,” sponsored by George’s Stores; 8:00 NBC.
WTTG Channel 5, Washington
6:45 Walter Compton, news; 7:00 DuMont; 7:30 Elder Michaux and “Happy Am I Choir”; 8:00 Film shorts; 8:20 Baseball at Griffith Stadium, Senators vs. New York Yankees.
KSD-TV Channel 5, St. Louis
3:00 News and Views; 3:15 film; 3:25 Amadee’s Cartoon Quiz; 3:40 Film Short; 3:50 Man on the Street, sponsored by Hyde Park Beer; 4:20 Film.
8:00 News and Views; 8:15 Film; 8:25 Fashion Show; 8:50 Film; 9:00 Leonard Hall of Possum Trot Farm; 9:15 Film; 9:25 Demonstration by St. Louis Fire Department of fire fighting hand equipment.
W6XAO Channel 2, Los Angeles
3:00 Test Pattern and incidental music.
3:30 Film: “Here’s China” (OWI)
4:00 and 8:00 Test Pattern and incidental music.
8:25 Boxing Card and announcements.
8:30 Boxing Matches from the Hollywood Legion Stadium, Tommy Garland vs. Gene Felton.
KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood
3:00-5:00 “Tune Up Time,” test slides and music, sponsored by Leo. J. Meyberg.
7:00 Al Jarvis, sponsored by Philco.
7:30 “Uncle Phil,” for kids from 6 to 60, with ventriloquist Shirley Dinsdale and Judy Splinters, sponsored by Philco.
7:40 Adventure Serial.
8:00 Stephen Foster Melodies.
8:15 Pacific Coast League baseball at Gilmore Field, Hollywood vs. Seattle Rainiers.
FOOTBALL
Giants-All Stars (NBC) [Sept. 3]
Yanks-Rockets (DuMont) [Sept. 5]
WNBT, WABD, N. Y.
Inauguration of the local gridiron season revealed Manhattan's television sports crews stumbling over the same two rugs they've been tripping and slipping on all summer —the commentators and over-usage of the closeup. The commentators, all three of 'em, don't know enough about the sports they're describing to either be authoritative or interesting. The cameramen, or their directors, are giving viewers a headache (literally) through making it hard on the eyes with their constant switching of the lens turret.
It took radio a long time to find out how to broadcast a football game. Harry Wismer finally reached the best solution by restricting himself to following the ball and giving statistics while letting Red Grange fill in with recounting the inside on what's what and who's who on the field. Grange can do it because he knows his game.
With television even less talk is necessary, of course, but such comment ought to be to the point and everything should count. If the commentators (Bob Stanton and Bill Slater) are going to slip and slide their way around as they did in these two games then they would be better off to verbally turn the game over to the bull horn of the public address systems. But television can do better than this if it will take advantage of radio's experience and pick men for the ability to transmit their knowledge of the game rather than because of their skill as announcers.
Those closeup-crazy cameramen have something to answer for, too. Even with the bases filled, two out, and the count three and two on the batter, the tele cameras just won't go to a long shot to show everybody running with the next pitch and thereby allow the viewer to see the play of the entire field. Most of the medium shots are reasonable and good but over at Ebbets Field the CBS boys have got the camera scanning to such a fine point that they can follow a fly ball through the air. This is swell stuff from a technical standpoint yet it robs the viewer of all illusion of the brilliance of a difficult outfield catch because all he sees is the finish of it. He has no idea how far the outfielder had to go to get it. On the other hand, these closeups occasionally offer a reward in catching an unusual view of an exceptional play. But on the whole the percentage is with the steady medium view. It seems odd that no station has asked its audience to vote for the camera angle it favors of the game.
This camera thing, incidentally, particularly stood out during the Davis Cup tennis when all first services from the near court started as a closeup with a quick change to a medium shot in trying to follow the ball into the other court. It cost the viewer almost all idea of the explosive services of such men as Kramer and Long—and was very hard on the eyes. NBC did the tennis and had a difficult day of it during the doubles in that mechanical difficulties blanked the screen for the entire second set and half of the third.
And so likewise with football. The closeup of the backfields swinging into action deprives the viewer of the sense of ground gained or lost or the thrill of watching the ball carrier weave his way through the secondary into an open field. The closeup, medium or long shot, is certainly something for cameramen and their directors to study and figure out. There's a time and place for each. The camera that both gives the viewer a picture of the game as a whole and is easiest on the eyes is the best camera. Meanwhile, the same adage holds for television as for the newsreels: "You're no better than your cameraman." (Variety, Sept. 10)
Saturday, September 6
7:15 Test Pattern.
8:00 News with Tom O’Connor.
8:15 Swedish Travelogue: “Delecarila.”
8:30 Feature Film: “The Stoker” with Monte Blue and Noah Beery (Allied, 1932).
WNBT Channel 4, New York
2:25 Baseball at the Polo Grounds, Giants vs. Brooklyn Dodgers, Bob Stanton play-by-play.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
9:30-1:30 Test Chart.
1:30 INS Television News, sponsored by Good House Stores.
1:50 Baseball at Shibe Park, A’s vs. Boston Red Sox, Claude Haring play-by-play, sponsored by ARCO and Philco.
4:30 NBC programs.
WFIL-TV Channel 6, Philadelphia
2:30 to 4:30 Test program.
WTTG Channel 5, Washington
2:50 Baseball at Griffith Stadium, Senators vs. New York Yankees.
KSD-TV Channel 5, St. Louis
3:00 News and Views; 3:15 Film; 3:25 Songs by Russ Severin; 3:35 Film; 3:50 Man on the Street, sponsored by Hyde Park Beer.
8:00 Film; 8:10 Baseball Closeups with Harry Caray and Gabby Street, sponsored by Griesedieck Brothers Brewery; 8:25 Baseball at Sportsman’s Park, St. Louis Cardinals vs. Cincinnati Reds, play-by-play with Ellis Veach and Ray Stockton, sponsored by Purity Bakeries. KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood
3:00-5:00 “Tune Up Time,” test slides and music, sponsored by Leo. J. Meyberg.
7:00 “Star Views” with Lois Andrews and guest Victor Mature, sponsored by Philco.
7:15 “You’ll Be Sorry” with Terry O’Sullivan.
7:30 “Uncle Phil” with ventriloquist Shirley Dinsdale and Judy Splinters, for kids from 6 to 60, sponsored by Philco.
7:40 Adventure Serial.
8:00 Film: “El Chico.”
8:15 Pacific Coast League baseball at Gilmore Field, Hollywood vs. Seattle Rainiers.
Sunday, September 7
WCBS-TV Channel 2, New York
6:15 Test Pattern, time, music.
7:00 Films For Children.
8:00 “The Week in Review,” news highlights.
8:15 “This is New York,” with Bill Leonard. Pick-up Point:Tryout Studio, National Theatre Conference at Hunter College Playhouse. Play: “Hotel Universe” by Philip Barry.
WNBT Channel 4
2:25 Baseball at the Polo Grounds, Giants vs. Dodgers, Bob Stanton play-by-play.
8:00 Television Theatre.
9:00 The Border Show.
WBKB Channel 5, Chicago
1:15 Baseball at Wrigley Field, Cubs vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, play-by-play with Joe Wilson and Jack Brickhouse, sponsored by Commonwealth Edison and Ford; Post-Game “Scoreboard” for Kass Clothing.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
1:00 INS News Tape, sponsored by Good House Stores.
1:20 Baseball Double header at Shibe Park, Phillies vs. Boston Braves, Claude Haring play-by-play, sponsored by ARCO and Philco.
7:45 INS News Tape, sponsored by Wilf Bros. Appliances.
8:00 NBC programming.
WBNW Channel 4, Washington
1:30 Test Pattern. 2:00 Football, Baltimore vs. Brooklyn; 4:00 Test Pattern; 8:00 NBC.
WTTG Channel 5, Washington
2:50 Baseball at Griffith Stadium, Senators vs. New York Yankees.
KSD-TV Channel 5, St. Louis
8:00 Comment by Dr. Roland G. Usher on "The Strategic Importance of Korea."; 8:15 Movie Film, “Pickfair”; 8:25 Musical Varieties; 8:40 Film short; 8:50 News and Views; 9:05 Film short; 9:15 City Art Museum program with Frank M. Mayfield.
KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood
1:30 Pacific Coast League Double header at Gilmore Field, Hollywood vs. Seattle Rainiers.
3:00 Yesterday’s Del Mar Races.8:00 “Tune Up Time,” test slides and recorded music. 8:40 8:40 “Shopping at Home” with Keith Hetherington and Harrise Brin, presented by leading Los Angeles Stores.
8:55 Cartoonews.
9:00 Guest Performance.
9:15 Feature film: “The Westland Case” with Preston Foster. (Universal, 1937).
WFIL will inaugurate regular program service over its Tele-Station, WFIL-TV, on Channel Six Saturday, according to Roger W. Clipp, general manager of the WFIL stations. The new video outlet of The Philadelphia Inquirer will go on the air at 2:30 P. M. with a telecast of the complete Philadelphia Eagles-Chicago Bears football game from Franklin Field.
Starting with its Saturday telecasts, WFIL-TV will be on the air with regularly-scheduled programs seven days a week, Kenneth W. Stowman, director of television for WFIL, said.
KELLETT TO BROADCAST
The Eagles-Bears contest, a presentation of Philadelphia Inquirer Charities, Inc., will be televised by WFIL-TV until its completion, with Don Kellett, widely-known athlete and sports authority, giving the commentary. Kellett is WFIL sports adviser and head basketball coach at the University of Pennsylvania.
Inaugural ceremonies for WFIL-TV’s service will be telecast at 7:45 P. M. Saturday. At 8 P. M. the station will air Philadelphia Inquirer News, which will be a daily feature on the WFIL video outlet at that hour. The up-to-the-minute news program will have Vally Sheldon as commentator and it will include newsreel coverage of the day’s important news events in Philadelphia. Likewise, films will be flown in from other parts of the country to cover national highlights.
OTHER PROGRAMS
“Mr. Fixit,” a rotund gentleman who shows tele-viewers how to mend things around the house, will be featured at 5.15 P. M., followed by a film review of the National Air Races at Cleveland. Ohio, at 8:30 P. M. “The Choraleens,” a 25-voice girls’ chorus, will be presented by WFIL-TV at 9 P. M.
WFIL-TV will be on the air next Friday with both afternoon and evening shows. At 2.30 P. M the station will present a half-hour show with Dave Kaigler reading the comics from the Sunday Inquirer. The latest escapades of favorite comic strip characters will be shown on the screen. At 3 P. M. the station will air other program slanted to the youngsters, “The Tele-Kìds,” with Jack Steck as master of ceremonies. Steck is one of the city’s best-known entertainers and is program director for WFIL. He has conducted children’s programs at Woodside Park for 17 years.
TOWN MEETING SUNDAY
A travel film will be aired by WFIL-TV at 3.30 P. M. Sunday followed by a telecast of WFIL’s “Philadelphia and Suburban Town Meeting” at 4 P. M. Moderator John Roberts will bring together a distinguished panel to discuss important issues facing our people.
Returning to the air at 7 P. M. Sunday, WFIL-TV will telecast a full evening of entertainment, highlighted by a half-hour edition of The Inquirer Television News at 8 P. M. The Sunday schedule will be concluded by a half-hour religious film from 9 to 9:30 P. M.
Other events lined up for presentation on WFIL-TV during its first week of regular service include the feature race from Garden State Park each afternoon, Monday through Friday; the Mummers’ Summer Frolic from Municipal Stadium Sept. 16: the Chester County Horse Show from the Devon Show grounds Sept. 18, 19 and 20, and the Villanova-Kings Point football game Sept. 20.
NEW STUDIO BEING BUILT
The inauguration of regular program service Saturday comes on the 100th day after WFIL started construction of the station June 6. Installation of the five-kilowatt transmitter and erection of the antenna tower were completed a month ago and WFIL-TV has been on the air with its test pattern and test programs since that time.
A complete new television building—the most modern structure of its kind—is being erected adjacent to the Philadelphia Arena, at 46th and Market sts. The project will be completed and in use before the end of the year. (Inquirer, Sept. 7)
A NEW picture-news service for television stations was announced last week in New York by the United Press and Acme Newspictures Inc.
The service, which was to begin yesterday (Sept. 7) with WNBT New York and WRGB Schenectady as its first clients, will provide 26 programs a week. Weekdays it will distribute two five-minute spot news shows for evening audiences, one five-minute woman’s show and one five-minute documentary. Two five-minute spot news shows will be sent Sundays.
Pictures will he received at stations on Acme telephoto receivers; scripts coordinated with the pictures will be delivered by UP wire.
The service was described as at least a temporary answer to the difficulties of putting spot news from world-wide sources on television. (Broadcasting, Sept. 8)
BEGINNING Sept. 4 for the next five weeks, CBS television programs began operating at actual location, reporting events as they occur by means of mobile pick-up equipment.
A flying school course comes directly from an airport. A cooking program brings the audience into the kitchen of a famous New York restaurant. An audience participation program titled Party Line is being televised from the main offices of an industrial organization with John Reed King as m.c. of the series, which permits the audience to take part in the show via telephone. Bill Leonard, m.c. on This is New York is traveling with the WCBS-TV mobile crew around the city to interview people.
In announcing these new programs, Worthington Miner, CBS director of television said, “We anticipate that this departure in our programming will accomplish important objectives. It will lift the mobile pick-up from its present status as a technical device for special events broadcasts to one of full-fledged entertainment and educational values.” (Broadcasting, Sept. 8)
CLAIMING to have broken all previous television records, NBC last week announced that it presented more than 83 hours of television programs during the 11-day period from Aug. 22 through Sept. 1. During this period NBC Television reports that it set a week-long record when its video station WNBT New York was on the air 60 hours from Aug. 26 through Sept. 1.
Four days coverage of the American Legion’s 29th annual convention accounted for approximately 30 hours of telecasting and, in addition, NBC Television also covered the N. Y. Giants baseball games, the Davis Cup finals, boxing bouts and trotting races. (Broadcasting, Sept. 8)
SPRINGS Cotton Mills, Lancaster, S. C., and its selling representative, Springs Mills, New York, last week signed for television sponsorship of the Yankee professional football team’s home games on WABD New York, Du Mont video station.
The Yankees began their eight home game schedule on Sept. 5, playing a night game at Yankee Stadium, New York. The remaining games will be played on Sunday afternoons at Yankee Stadium with the exception of the final game on Dec. 7 which is to be played with Brooklyn at Ebbets Field. Bill Slater will call the play-by-play action of the team. This is the initial entrance of Springs Mills into television. (Broadcasting, Sept. 8)
Monday, September 8
WNBT Channel 4, New York
8:00 NBC Television News. 8:10 Film: “West of Pinto Basin” with the Range Busters (Monogram, 1940).
9:10 Trotting Races, Roosevelt Raceway.
10:10 NBC Television News, repeat.
WABD Channel 5, New York
6:45 Walter Compton, news (from WTTG).
7:00 “Small Fry Club” with Bob Emery, sponsored by American Pipe Cleaning.
7:30 Film Shorts.
7:45 Jean Chadwick, songs.
8:00 “The Music Album” with Joby Reynolds.
8:15 “Know Your New York.
8:30 “Sports Names to Remember,” sponsored by Mouquin Wine.
8:40 Baseball at Yankee Stadium, Yankees vs. Cleveland Indians, play-by-play with Bill Slater.
WBKB Channel 5, Chicago
8:00 Jack Brickhouse.
8:15 Short subjects.
8:30 Wrestling from Midway Arena.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
9:30-2:15 Test Chart.
2:15 INS Television News, sponsored by Good House Stores.
2:30 National Amateur Tennis Championships.
7:45 INS Television News, sponsored by Wilf Bros. Appliances.
8:00 NBC programming.
WFIL-TV Channel 6, Philadelphia
2:30-4:30 and 7:30-9:00 Test Pattern.
WTTG Channel 5, Washington
6:45 Walter Compton, news; 7:00 DuMont; 7:30 Step ‘n’ Fetch It; 7:45 DuMont; 8:00 Music Box with Joby Reynolds; 8:15 Film: “Arson Squad” with Robert Armstrong (PRC, 1945); 9:30 Step ‘n’ Fetch It.
KSD-TV Channel 5, St. Louis
8:00 Tele-Quizi-Calls, charades hosted Harry Gibbs, sponsored by Union Electric; 8:40 Sports Closeups with Harry Caray and Gabby Street, sponsored by Griesedieck Brothers Brewery; 9:10 Man on the Street; 9:30 Film; 9:40 St. Louis Fire Department demonstration; 9:55 Film short; 10:00 News and Views.
W6XAO Channel 2, Los Angeles
3:00 Tests and Music.
3:30 Film: “Wings Over Latin America” (PanAm Airways, 1945)
4:00 and 8:00 Test Pattern and incidental music.
8:25 Wrestling from the Hollywood Legion Auditorium, Danny McShain vs. Angelo Savoldi, Wild Red Berry vs. Billy Varga, Maurice LaChapelle vs. Lucky Simonovich, Jan Blears vs. Jack Terry, Morris Shapiro vs. Tony Morelli, Lee Grable vs. Ivan Kameroff.
KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood
3:00 “Tune Up Time,” test slides, recorded music, sponsored by Leo. J. Meyberg.
4:00 Films for television dealers, sponsored by Leo. J. Meyberg.
4:30-5:00 “Your Town—Los Angeles Presents.”
7:00 Al Jarvis, sponsored by Philco.
7:30 “Uncle Phil,” for kids from 6 to 60, with ventriloquist Shirley Dinsdale and Judy Splinters, sponsored by Philco.
7:40 Adventure Serial.
8:00 Hobby Parade.
8:30 Amateur Boxing.
Tuesday, September 9
WABD Channel 5, New York City
3:00 INS News, music.
6:45 News with Walter Compton (from WTTG).
7:00 “Small Fry Club” hosted by Bob Emery.
7:30 “Highway to the Stars,” dramatic serial; a Caples Co. Production.
8:00 Western Feature Film, sponsored by Chevrolet.
9:00 “The Reel Jockey” with Bob Emery.
9:15 Boxing at Jerome Stadium, Dennis James announcing, (Ernie Vigh vs. George Smith?), sponsored by Teldisco.
WBKB Channel 5, Chicago
1:25 Baseball at Wrigley Field, Cubs vs. Brooklyn Dodgers, play-by-play with Joe Wilson and Jack Brickhouse, sponsored by Commonwealth Edison and Ford; Post-Game “Scoreboard” for Kass Clothing.
7:30 “Behind the Headlines.”
7:45 Film.
8:00 “Streamliner Parade,” sponsored by Union Pacific and Northwestern Railroads.
8:20 Film.
8:30 “You Should Ride a Hobby Horse,” with Russ Davis, sponsored by Arbee Food Products and The Fair.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
9:30 to 5:30 Test Chart.
7:45 INS News Tape, sponsored by Wilf Bros. Appliances.
8:00 Motion picture shorts.
8:35 Baseball at Shibe Park, A’s vs. St. Louis Browns, Claude Haring play-by-play, sponsored by ARCO and Philco.
WFIL-TV Channel 6, Philadelphia
2:30-4:30 and 7:30-9:00 Test Pattern.
WTTG Channel 5, Washington
6:45 Walter Compton, news; 7:00 DuMont; 8:00 Film shorts; 8:20 Baseball at Griffith Stadium, Senators vs. Chicago White Sox.
W6XAO Channel 2, Los Angeles
3:00 Tests and Recorded Music.
3:30 Film: “Children of China.”
3:42 Film: “Radio to Tomorrow.”
3:53-4:30 Test Patterns and incidental music.
KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood
3:00-5:00 “Tune Up Time,” test slides and music, sponsored by Leo. J. Meyberg.
7:00 “Star Views” with Lois Andrews.
7:15 Home Economics.
7:30 “Uncle Phil,” for kids from 6 to 60, with ventriloquist Shirley Dinsdale and Judy Splinters, sponsored by Philco.
7:40 Adventure Serial.
8:00 “Where Do We Go From Here.”
8:30 A Visit to the Griffith Observatory.
Cincinnati, Sept. 16.—Speedy linkings between stations 300 miles apart for news coverage of a disaster developed from the explosion Sept. 9 of the Cincy excursion steamer Island Queen in Pittsburgh, killing 19 and injuring 20 crew members, and scored an emergency triumph for radio.
[Report on radio coverage]
Cincy's only television station, Crosley's W8XCT, still in the experimental stage, presented a program on the disaster. Arranged by Lou Barnett, engineer, it presented Howard Chamberlain, WLW's news chief, interviewing eye witnesses of the disaster the day after it happened. Photos of the Island Queen before and after the explosion were shown and Harry Mayo, city editor of the Cincy Post, told the story as newspapermen heard it in Cincy. (Variety, Sept. 16)
Chicago, Sept. 9.—Ford Dealers have shelved the idea of bankrolling telecasts of football games on WBKB this fall. They have decided that they would rather not go in for this type of promotion as yet.
The Ford factory, which underwrites the Cubs baseball games currently on the same outlet, has not decided whether it will assume the football bill itself, but the indications at the moment are not promising. (Variety, Sept. 10)
New York.—Buchanan and Company is closing deal this week for television rights to the Tele-News International Newsreel in Los Angeles and Chicago and may also sew up the entire country with the exception of Detroit. The agency plans to place the reel immediately on KTLA and WBKB on its own and then interest a sponsor.
The Tele-News International Newsreel, issued once weekly, has been televised in Detroit in recent weeks and will be sponsored there starting this week by Chevrolet. Tele-News is servicing the reel to its own chain of theatres and about 30 others. If the television service goes big, the company will put out a second newsreel once weekly in addition to the present reel. (Hollywood Reporter, Sep. 9)
Wednesday, September 10
WNBT Channel 4, New York
2:30 National Amateur Tennis Championships from West Side Tennis Club.
7:30 “Kraft Television Theatre—Craig’s Wife,” sponsored by MacLaren’s Imperial Cheese.
8:30 “In the Kelvinator Kitchen” with Alma Kitchell.
WABD Channel 5, New York
1:50 Baseball at Yankee Stadium, Yankees vs. Cleveland Indians, Bill Slater play-by-play.
6:45 News with Walter Compton (from WTTG).
7:00 “Small Fry Club” with Bob Emery.
7:30 “Bob Wolff Sports Clinic” (from WTTG).
7:45 “Swing Into Sports” with Vincent Richards.
8:00 Nickelodeon—Old Time Movies.
8:30 “Disc Bar” with Judy McGee and Don Roper.
8:45 Boxing at Jamaica Arena with Dennis James, Tuby Kessler vs. Tommy Mills (six rounds), sponsored by American Stores.
WBKB Channel 5, Chicago
1:25 Baseball at Wrigley Field, Cubs vs. Brooklyn Dodgers, play-by-play with Joe Wilson and Jack Brickhouse, sponsored by Commonwealth Edison and Ford; Post-Game “Scoreboard” for Kass Clothing.
5:30 Display of new, large television receivers.
7:30 Frank Wood, Private Detective.
8:00 Film, short subjects.
8:15 Jack Payne, sponsored by Terman Television Sales.
8:30 Wrestling from Rainbo arena, with Russ Davis.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
9:30 to 2:00 Test Chart.
2:00 INS Television News, sponsored by Good House Stores.
2:20 Baseball at Shibe Park, A’s vs. Chicago White Sox, Claude Haring play-by-play, sponsored by ARCO and Philco.
7:30 INS Television, sponsored by Wilf Bros. Appliances.
7:45 Sports Scrap Book with Stoney McLinn and Bill Campbell.
8:00 Selected Motion Pictures.
8:15 West Philadelphia Choral Society.
8:30 NBC programming.
8:45 Feature film.
WFIL-TV Channel 6, Philadelphia
2:30-4:30 and 7:30-9:00 Test Pattern.
WBNW Channel 4, Washington
4:00 Test Pattern; 7:30 NBC.
WTTG Channel 5, Washington
6:45 Walter Compton, news; 7:00 DuMont; 7:30 Bob Wolff Sports Clinic; 7:45 Film shorts; 8:20 Baseball from Griffith Stadium, Senators vs. Chicago White Sox.
KSD-TV Channel 5, St. Louis
8:25 Wrestling, Kiel auditorium, heavyweight championship bout: Lou Thesz and Buddy Rogers, Bobby Managoff vs. Hi Lee, Ernie Dusek vs. Larry Moquin, Joe Dusek vs. Pierre de Glane, Emil Dusek vs. Warren Bockwinkel, sponsored by Hyde Park beer.
W6XAO Channel 2, Los Angeles3:00 Tests and Recorded Music.
3:30 Film, “Animals of the Zoo.”
3:42 Film, “How Nature Protects Animals” (Audio Cinema, 1931).
3:54-4:30 Test Patterns and incidental music.
KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood
3:00-5:00 “Tune Up Time,” test slides and music, sponsored by Leo. J. Meyberg.
7:00 Al Jarvis, guests Wonderful Smith, The Mello-Larks, and Don and Beverly, sponsored by Philco. 7:30 “Uncle Phil,” for kids from 6 to 60, with ventriloquist Shirley Dinsdale and Judy Splinters, sponsored by Philco.
7:40 Adventure Serial.
8:00 Short films.
8:30 Wrestling from the Olympic Auditorium, Enrique Torres vs. Vicente Lopez, Maurice LaChapelle and Vic Christy vs. Karl Davis and Jules Strongbow, Swedish Angel vs. Jack Page, George Becker vs. Wee Willie Davis, Brother Frank vs. Bobby Becker.
Philco Inaugural Show
Reviewed Wednesday (10), 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Variety program sponsored by Philco distributors and telecast by WBKB, Chicago.
If Philco or any other television manufacturer expects to hypo the sale of video sets by sponsoring its own show presenting model television programing, they are going to have to bankroll better fare than that offered on this show. The program was strictly run-of-the-mill, average television programing and included a man-on-the-street interview, a news cast, a sports newsreel and a singing duet. It was all passable, but not good enough to be usable by a dealer who wants to say to a customer, "See that's the kind of stuff television can bring you; that's why you should pay good money to buy a set."
Primary reason for the show was to kick off Philco's T-Day here, the day on which it announced it was ready to sell sets here and telecast was aimed at dealers having video sets and press and radio-television bigwigs attending a cocktail party at the Palmer House. Altho Philco might reason that since its dealers did not yet have Philco sets to display and to receive program, this one show was not given as much importance, as, for example, they might give a series to be picked up by their dealers when they have Philco sets to display. But even caliber of guys at the cocktail party warranted a better display of television's programing potentialities.
One part of the show was clever and showed television ingenuity. That was the opening, which was a conversation between Russ Davis and a young gal, Maureen Coughlin. With both seated in front of a new Philco projection model, conversation went on to the effect that the gal wanted to see the set work. Davis said okay, turned it on and then a camera panned up to a full-sized shot of the screen, followed by a fade to next act, giving the impression that show was being seen on set in studio.
Most of the rest was run-of-the-mill. On the street interview was conducted by Jack Fuller and Joan Docherty, who talked to Philco representatives and passer-bys [sic] in front of the WBKB Building. Ulmer Turner did the news shot 'and also interviewed Philco people. Next was the sport newsreel and finally a closing act featuring Betty and Bob Smith, billed as the Singing Smiths. Both have plenty of talent as pop and hillbilly singers, with Bob playing the ukelele for musical accompaniment. Here's a team that should be watched by talent buyers looking for upcoming video entertainers. Cy Wagner. (Billboard, Sept. 27)
The WRGB Farm Spotlight will be telecast tonight at 9 o'clock over General Electric's television station.
The show, entitled "The Big Red School House," was written by Art Garland of WGY, produced by Bob Child, supervisor of farm programs and WGY, and directed by Bob Stone of the WRGB staff.
The broadcast will show the contrast between the little red school of years gone by and the modern large school of today. The modern school setting will be a classroom of the East Greenbush Central school, East Greenbush. Pupils participating will be Barbara Finch and Roger Hutchinson.
The program will close with a visit to the office of Francis E. Griffin, chief of the bureau of rural Administrative services, at the New York state" education department building. (Schenectady Gazette, Sept. 10)
New York.—A $100,000 offer by Rheingold Beer for television rights to the World Series has been rejected by baseball commissioner A. B. “Happy” Chandler, who reportedly feels that a beer is not a suitable sponsor.
Foote, Cone and Belding, agency for Rheingold, is still trying to contact Chandler despite the turndown transmitted by Edgar Kobak, Mutual prexy, who is clearing the rights for all available television stations with the baseball czar. The next highest bid is $60,000 made by Gillette in conjunction with another prospective bankroller. (Hollywood Reporter, Sept. 10).
Thursday, September 11
WCBS-TV Channel 2, New York
7:15 Test Pattern.
8:00 CBS Television News with Douglas Edwards, sponsored by Gulf.
8:20 “On Exhibit,” Brooklyn Museum Living Art.
8:50 Feature film.
WNBT Channel 4, New York
2:30 National Amateur Tennis Championships from West Side Tennis Club.
7:50 NBC Tele News.
8:00 “Leave it to the Girls,” sponsored by Certo.
8:30 “Author Meets the Critics,” moderated by John K.M. McCaffery. David Davidson’s “The Steeper Cliff” with Merle Miller and Edwin J. Lukas.
9:00 “You Are an Artist” with John Gnagy, sponsored by Gulf Oil.
9:10 NBC Tele News.
WABD Channel 5, New York
1:14 “Sports Names to Remember,” sponsored by Mouquin Wine.
1:19 Baseball Double header at Yankee Stadium, Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers, Bill Slater play-by-play.
6:45 News with Walter Compton (from WTTG).
7:00 “Small Fry Club” with Bob Emery, sponsored by Fisher Baking.
7:30 “Birthday Party” with Bill Slater.
8:00 Film shorts.
8:15 “Date Bait,” teen-age comedy.
9:15 Wrestling at Jerome Stadium, with Dennis James.
WBKB Channel 5, Chicago
1:25 Baseball at Wrigley Field, Cubs vs. Philadelphia Phillies, play-by-play with Joe Wilson and Jack Brickhouse, sponsored by Commonwealth Edison and Ford; Post-Game “Scoreboard” for Kass Clothing.
8:45 Girls baseball from Parichy Field, play-by-play with Guy Savage.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
9:30 to 2:15 Test Chart.
2:15 NBC.
7:35 INS News Tape, sponsored by Wilf Bros. Appliances.
7:50 NBC program.
8:00 “Pleased to Meet You” with Roy Neal.
8:15 Selected motion pictures.
8:35 “Mac McGuire’s Dude Ranch.
9:00 NBC program.
9:10 Baseball at Shibe Park, Athletics vs. Chicago White Sox, Claude Haring play-by-play, sponsored by ARCO and Philco.
WFIL-TV Channel 6, Philadelphia
2:30-4:30 and 7:30-9:00 Test Pattern.
WBNW Channel 4, Washington
2:15 Test Pattern; 2:30 NBC; 7:40 Illustrated Newsreel; 8:00 NBC; 9:20 Capital Citizen.
WTTG Channel 5, Washington
6:45 Walter Compton, news; 7:00 DuMont; 8:00 Film feature; 8:20 Baseball at Griffith Park, Senators vs. St. Louis Browns, Bob Wolff play-by-play.
KSD-TV Channel 5, St. Louis.
3:00 News and Views; 3:15 N.B.C. Newsreel; 3:25 Interview with Beatrice Kay, radio's "Gay Nineties Girl"; 3:35 Film; 3:45 Man on the Street, Frank Eschen, M.C., sponsored by Hyde Park beer; 4:00 Film.
7:45 N.B.C. Newsreel; 7:55 Baseball Closeups with Harry Caray and Gabby Street, sponsored by Griesedieck Brothers Brewery; 8:10 Baseball at Sportsman’s Park, St. Louis Cardinals vs. Brooklyn, play-by-play with Ellis Veach and Ray Stockton, sponsored by Purity Bakeries.
W6XAO Channel 2, Los Angeles3:00 Tests and Recorded Music.
3:30 Film: “Adventures of Bunny Rabbit” (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1937).
3:42 Film: “Clothing.”
3:52-4:30 Tests.
KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood
3:00-5:00 “Tune Up Time,” test slides and music, sponsored by Leo. J. Meyberg.
7:00 “Star Views” with Lois Andrews.
7:15 Tele-Beauty.
7:30 “Uncle Phil,” for kids from 6 to 60, with ventriloquist Shirley Dinsdale and Judy Splinters, sponsored by Philco.
7:40 Adventure Serial.
8:00 “Meet the Dons.”
8:15 Pacific Coast League baseball at Wrigley Field, Los Angeles vs. Sacramento Solons.
Friday, September 12
WCBS-TV Channel 2, New York
7:45 Test Pattern and music.
8:30 Pro Football at Ebbets Field, Dodgers vs. Cleveland.
WNBT Channel 4, New York
1:30 NBC Tele News.
2:30 National Amateur Tennis Championships at West Side Tennis Club, Forest Hills.
8:00 “Disc Magic” with Jack Kilty.
8:30 “The World in Your Home,” sponsored by RCA.
8:42 Film: “Scattergood Baines” with Guy Kibbee (RKO, 1941).
[Note: Newsday and WTTG have 8:42 Boxing from Madison Square Garden but it doesn’t appear fights took place that evening.]
WABD Channel 5, New York
1:45 “Sports Names to Remember,” sponsored by Mouquin Wine.
1:50 Baseball at Yankee Stadium, Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers, Bill Slater play-by-play.
6:45 News with Walter Compton (from WTTG).
7:00 “Small Fry Club” with Bob Emery.
7:30 Elder Michaux amd Choir (from WTTG).
8:00 “Doorway to Fame.”
8:30 Duke Art, sculptor.
8:45 Sam Hindes, ventriloquist.
9:00 Wrestling from Jamaica Arena with Dennis James.
WBKB Channel 5, Chicago
1:05 WAAF Foreign Relations.
1:25 Baseball at Wrigley Field, Cubs vs. Philadelphia Phillies, play-by-play with Joe Wilson and Jack Brickhouse, sponsored by Commonwealth Edison and Ford; Post-Game “Scoreboard” for Kass Clothing.
7:30 “Telechats,” sponsored by The Fair.
7:45 Short subjects.
8:00 Singing Smiths.
8:15 Short subjects.
8:30 Milt Hopwood’s Sport show.
9:00 Boxing at Madison Athletic club, sponsored by Keeley beer.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
9:30 to 2:15 Test Chart.
2:15 INS Television News, sponsored by Good House Stores.
2:30 NBC.
7:30 INS Television News, sponsored by Wilf Bros. Appliances.
7:45 Kiddies Cartoon.
8:00 NBC program.
8:30 “Handy Man” with Jack Creamer, sponsored by Gimbels.
8:45 Baseball at Shibe Park, Athletics vs. Chicago White Sox, Claude Haring play-by-play, sponsored by ARCO and Philco.
WFIL-TV Channel 6, Philadelphia
2:30-4:30 and 7:30-9:00 Test Pattern.
WBNW Channel 4, Washington
3:15 Test Pattern; 3:30 NBC; 7:45 “Let’s Learn to Dance,” sponsored by George’s Stores; 8:00 NBC.
WTTG Channel 5, Washington
6:45 Walter Compton, news; 7:00 DuMont; 7:30 Elder Michaux and “Happy Am I Choir”; 8:00 Film shorts; 8:20 Baseball at Griffith Stadium, Senators vs. St. Louis Browns.
KSD-TV Channel 5, St. Louis
3:00 News and Views; 3:15 Film; 3:20 CARE program about sending packages to Europe; 3:35 Film; 3:45 Interview with John Crosby, radio columnist; 4:00 Film.
7:55 Baseball Closeups with Harry Caray and Gabby Street, sponsored by Griesedieck Brothers Brewery; 8:10 Baseball at Sportsman’s Park, St. Louis Cardinals vs. Brooklyn, play-by-play with Ellis Veach and Ray Stockton, sponsored by Purity Bakeries.
3:00 Test Pattern and incidental music.
3:30 Film: “A Planter of Colonial Virginia” (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1940).
3:42 Film: “Weight Events.”
3:54-4:30 Test Pattern and incidental music.
8:25 Boxing Matches from the Hollywood Legion Stadium, Ernie Rios vs. Freddy Beshore.
KTLA Channel 5, Los Angeles
3:00-5:00 “Tune Up Time,” test slides and music, sponsored by Leo. J. Meyberg.
7:00 Al Jarvis, sponsored by Philco.
7:30 “Uncle Phil,” for kids from 6 to 60, with ventriloquist Shirley Dinsdale and Judy Splinters, sponsored by Philco.
7:40 Adventure Serial.
8:00 Football from L.A. Coliseum, Los Angeles Dons vs. New York Yankees, sponsored by Philco.
Saturday, September 13
WCBS-TV Channel 2, New York
7:15 Test Pattern.
8:00 CBS Television News with Tom O’Connor.
8:15 “Scrap Book,” audience participation.
8:50 Feature Film.
WNBT Channel 4, New York
3:30 NBC Television Presentation, special program for NAB delegates at the Hotel Claridge starring nightclub comedian Jimmy Savo, and dancers Rosario and Antoine.
4:30 National Amateur Tennis Championships from West Side Tennis Club.
8:30 Mineola Fair.
WABD Channel 5, New York
1:45 “Sports Names to Remember,” sponsored by Mouquin Wine.
1:50 Baseball at Yankee Stadium, Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers, Bill Slater play-by-play.
WBKB Channel 5, Chicago
1:25 Baseball at Wrigley Field, Cubs vs. Philadelphia Phillies, play-by-play with Joe Wilson and Jack Brickhouse, sponsored by Commonwealth Edison and Ford; Post-Game “Scoreboard” for Kass Clothing.
4:15 Racing from Hawthorne.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
9:30-11:15 a.m. Test Chart.
11:15 INS Television News.
11:30 Freedom Train Parade.
1:30 INS Television News, sponsored by Good House Stores.
1:50 Baseball at Shibe Park, A’s vs. Chicago White Sox, Claude Haring play-by-play, sponsored by ARCO and Philco.
4:30 NBC programs.7:45 INS Television News, sponsored by Wilf Bros. Appliances.
8:00 NBC.
WFIL-TV Channel 6, Philadelphia
2:30 Test Pattern.
2:45 Eagles-Bears Football Game.
7:30 Test Pattern.
7:45 Inauguration Ceremony.
8:00 Inquirer Television News.
8:15 Mr. Fixit.
8:30 National Air Races Film.
9:00 The Choraleens.
WBNW Channel 4, Washington
3:00 Test Pattern; 3:30 NBC.
WTTG Channel 5, Washington
2:50 Baseball at Griffith Stadium, Senators vs. Detroit Tigers.
KSD-TV Channel 5, St. Louis
2:00 Film; 2:10 Baseball Closeups with Harry Caray and Gabby Street, sponsored by Griesedieck Brothers Brewery; 2:25 Baseball at Sportsman’s Park, St. Louis Cardinals vs. Brooklyn, play-by-play with Ellis Veach and Ray Stockton, sponsored by Purity Bakeries.
8:00 Feature Film: Frances Langford in “Dixie Jamboree” with Frances Langford, Lyle Talbot, Louise Beavers (PRC, 1944).KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood
3:00-5:00 “Tune Up Time,” test slides and music, sponsored by Leo. J. Meyberg.
7:00 “Star Views” with Lois Andrews and guest Victor Mature, sponsored by Philco.
7:15 “You’ll Be Sorry” with Terry O’Sullivan.
7:30 “Uncle Phil” with ventriloquist Shirley Dinsdale and Judy Splinters, for kids from 6 to 60.
7:40 Adventure Serial.
8:00 Ski Thrills, featurette.
8:15 Film: “Rough But Hopeful” (Courneya Productions, 1946).
8:30 Western Feature film.
TELE-THEATRE
With Rosario & Antonion, Mack Triplets, Briants (2), Jumbo, Minevitch Harmonica Rascals, Kitty Kallen, Hartmans (2)
Producer-director: Ed Sobol
Tech. director: Al Frotzman
30 Mins., Sun. (14), 8:05 p.m.
Sustaining
WNBT-NBC, N. Y.
NBC went out after the best talent available for this special variety show for its affiliate station owners and managers assembled last week in Atlantic City. After shooting the show to A.C. Saturday (13) afternoon, the web officials apparently believed it was good enough to do a repeat for the general public the following evening. Program probably created an equally favorable effect on both performances.
Despite the general excellence of production, the show pointed up anew that the more subtle vaude and nitery acts don't take too well to the current small tele screen. Routine such as that presented by Rosario and Antonio with their subtle flamenco terpsichore just didn't have the punch it usually has on a vaude stage. Highly-subtle slow-motion comedies of the Briants failed to project for the same reason. Broad humor inherent in the dance satire of Paul and Grace Hartman, on the other hand, was amazingly good.
Format followed that inaugurated by the almost-defunct Borden's show. Acts performed in a nitery setting before a live studio audience, who took part in the proceedings by foxtrotting to open and close the program. With one or two minor faults, Eddie Sobol's direction was good.
Extremely bad lighting for several of the acts, however, completely negated Sobol's work. Closeup of songstress Kitty Kallen, for instance, would have been noteworthy with proper lighting. As it was, Miss Kallen appeared completely devoid of makeup and strangely pale compared to the later image transmitted via a medium shot. Stal. (Variety, Sept. 17)
Earlier, the station’s television cameras had televised the entire Eagles-Bears football game from Franklin Field, where The Philadelphia Inquirer Charities sponsored the opening event of the gridiron season here before 61,000 persons.
MAYOR VOICES PRIDE
“We Philadelphians are proud,” said Mayor Samuel before the WFIL-TV camera, “that much of the progress that has been made in television has been made right in our own city and its vicinity know. I know that Philadelphia’s first real scientist, Benjamin Franklin, would be proud of this city’s contributions. And proud he would be of WFIL-TV whose programs you are seeing and hearing tonight.” Not only will the new station provide up-to-the minute information and entertainment, the Mayor pointed out, but it will serve as an outlet for some of the Nation’s great artistic and cultural resources.
OFFICIALS PARTICIPATE
Other participants in the opening program were Roger W. Clipp, general manager of WFIL; Kenneth W. Stowman, television director of WFIL; and Frank Folsom, executive vice president of RCA-Victor, the firm which provided most of WFIL-TV’s television equipment.
Clipp declared the opening was another step om The Philadelphia Inquirer’s plan to give the city a complete radio service. He recalled that WFIL had been broadcasting on the standard radio band for 25 years, and that it entered the field of frequency modulation in 1941 with WFIL-FM.
PLANS OUTLINED
Last night, he said, the station marked the arrival of “the latest addition to The Inquirer’s radio family, WFIL-TV. And shortly the fourth of WFIL’s broadcasting services— Facsimile Station WFIL-FX— will begin to serve you.”
Stowman acted as master of ceremonies on the telecast, and in closing extended thanks to Walter Annenberg, editor and publisher of The Inquirer, “whose vision and foresight made this new station possible and whose sympathetic help and understanding have helped us through these hectic days.”
NEWS PROGRAMS
Following the inaugural ceremonies, the first edition of The Inquirer Television News was shown, bringing the day’s news events in picture form to the screens of the audience with commentary by Wally Sheldon. The news will be aired daily at 8 P. M.
WFIL-TV’s schedule for today includes The Inquirer comics at 3 P.M., Jack Steck’s “Starlet Stairway” at 3:30 P. M., and the Philadelphia and Suburban Town Meeting at 4 P. M. Special shows this evening include the RCA Glee Club at 8:30 P. M. and a religious program at 9:10 P. M., conducted by Rev. Dr. John R. Hart, rector of Washington Memorial Chapel at Valley Forge, with members of the chapel choir. (Inquirer, Sept. 14)
Sunday, September 14
WCBS-TV Channel 2, New York
1:15 Test Pattern, music.
2:00 “Flying High,” (Teterboro Airport) Lesson in flying by Betty Jane Williams, nationally-known pilot/instructor.
6:15 Test Pattern, time, music.
7:00 Films For Children.
7:30 Serial Film: Clyde Beatty’s “Lost Jungle,” sixth episode.
8:00 “The Week in Review,” news highlights.
8:10 Documentary Film.
8:30 Feature Film.
WNBT Channel 4
2:30 National Amateur Tennis Championships from West Side Tennis Club.
8:00 NBC Television Theatre Presentation.
8:50 Film shorts.
9:00 The Borden Show.
9:30 Film Feature.
WABD Channel 5, New York
1:45 “Sports Names to Remember,” sponsored by Mouquin Wine.
1:50 Baseball at Yankee Stadium, Yankees vs. St Louis Browns, Bill Slater play-by-play.
WBKB Channel 5, Chicago
1:25 Baseball Double header at Wrigley Field, Cubs vs. Boston Braves, play-by-play with Joe Wilson and Jack Brickhouse, sponsored by Commonwealth Edison and Ford; Post-Game “Scoreboard” for Kass Clothing.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
1:30 INS Television News, sponsored by Good House Stores.
1:50 Baseball Double header at Shibe Park, A’s vs. Cleveland Indians, Claude Haring play-by-play, sponsored by ARCO and Philco.
7:45 INS Television News, sponsored by Wilf Bros. Appliances.
8:00 NBC.
WFIL-TV Channel 6, Philadelphia
2:15 Test Pattern.
2:30 Inquirer Comics.
3:00 Starlight Stairway with Jack Sterk.
3:30 Film. 4:00 Philadelphia and Suburban Town Meeting.
7:45 Test Pattern.
8:00 Inquirer Television News.
8:30 RCA Glee Club and Quartet.
9:00 Film.
9:10 Dr. John R. Hart and the Washington Memorial Chapel Choir.
WNBW, Channel 4, Washington
2:00 Test Pattern; 2:30 NBC.
WTTG Channel 5, Washington
1:20 Baseball at Griffith Stadium, Senators vs. Detroit Tigers, Bob Wolff play-by-play.
KSD-TV Channel 5, St. Louis
2:00 Film; 2:10 Baseball Closeups with Harry Caray and Gabby Street, sponsored by Griesedieck Brothers Brewery; 2:25 Baseball at Sportsman’s Park, St. Louis Cardinals vs. New York Giants, play-by-play with Ellis Veach and Ray Stockton, sponsored by Purity Bakeries. KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood
1:30 Pacific Coast League Double header at Wrigley Field, Los Angeles vs. Sacramento Solons.
3:00 Yesterday’s Del Mar Races.8:00 “Tune Up Time,” test slides and recorded music.
8:30 Cartoon.
8:40 “Shopping at Home” with Keith Hetherington and Harrise Brin, presented by leading Los Angeles Stores.
8:55 Cartoonews.
9:00 Guest Performance.
9:15 Feature film: “Lady in the Morgue” with Preston Foster, Patricia Ellis, Barbara Pepper (Universal, 1938).
Jack Steck's Starlight Stairway
Reviewed Sunday (14), 3:10-3:40 p.m. Style—Children's variety show. Sustaining on WFIL-TV, Philadelphia
Having staged radio shows with kiddie talent for more than a dozen years, and with more years than that under his belt in vaude houses, parks and every other form of show business, Jack Steck finds producing and emseeing a show with talented tiny tots and pre-teen agers almost second nature. For his first show on the new station, the old hand of experience showed up in full force. Working on a cold stage with only a cold cloth curtain banking, and with a camera crew that didn't show any evidence of knowing the angles and displayed even less ingenuity, he really needed individual showmanship to carry it over. Steck, who is also program director of WFIL, had it.
With a note of informality from scratch, and with the juve performers as well as the viewers put at ease by Steck's easy-flowing and light banter, the 30 minutes packed all the charm and cuteness of radio's kiddie shows, with the human interest factor all the more pronounced in view of the fact that the listener could now actually see the kids. Moreover, their performances were something to see, for the most part.
Good Build-Up
Giving all the kids a good build-up, with the emphasis on their natural appeal, in his pitch to the viewers, Steck explained that the program is intended to give the youngsters a helping hand up Starlight Stairway. He kept them all moving at fast pace, and the offerings were all well-balanced on the variety scale of singing, dancing and playing, with a good touch of homey comedy. The moppets ran the gamut, from a four-year-old shy one, who had to stand on a chair as a bundle of cuteness for the singing, to a 15- year -old tap dancer who was introduced as having first appeared on Steck's kiddie shows at Woodside Park here 11 years ago. For the opening and closing flash, there was a precision dance line of eight "baby rockettes."
His first picth [sic] in television, Steck's stint is an object lesson in what showmanship means in putting on a television show. And his weekly Starlight Stairway should easily become as popular as the boxing bouts and baseball games which seem to be the subsistence of burgeoning video. Maurie Orodenker. (Billboard, Sep. 27)
Monday, September 15
WNBT Channel 4, New York
8:00 NBC Television News.
8:10 Film shorts.
8:40 Trotting Races, Roosevelt Raceway.
9:40 NBC Television News, repeat.
WABD Channel 5, New York
1:45 “Sports Names to Remember,” sponsored by Mouquin Wine.
1:50 Baseball at Yankee Stadium, Yankees vs. St Louis Browns, Bill Slater play-by-play.
6:45 News with Walter Compton (from WTTG).
7:00 “Small Fry Club” with Bob Emery.
7:30 Disc Bar.
7:45 “A Page From the Opera.”
8:00 Film shorts.
8:30 “Know Your New York.”
8:45 “The Music Album.”
9:00 Boxing from Jamaica Arena with Dennis James.
WBKB Channel 5, Chicago
1:25 Baseball at Wrigley Field, Cubs vs. Boston Braves, play-by-play with Joe Wilson and Jack Brickhouse, sponsored by Commonwealth Edison and Ford; Post-Game “Scoreboard” for Kass Clothing.
8:00 Jack Brickhouse.
8:15 Short subjects.
8:30 Wrestling from Midway Arena.
WPTZ Channel 3, Philadelphia
9:30-5:30 Test Chart.
7:45 INS Television News, sponsored by Wilf Bros. Appliances.
8:00 NBC programming.
8:40 Baseball at Shibe Park, A’s vs. Cleveland Indians, Claude Haring play-by-play, sponsored by ARCO and Philco.
WFIL-TV Channel 6, Philadelphia
2:30 Test Pattern.
3:30 Film.
3:45 Garden State Race.
7:30 Test Pattern.
8:00 Inquirer Television News.
8:15 Jewish New Year program.
8:30 Camden Wrestling Bouts.
WTTG Channel 5, Washington
6:45 Walter Compton, news; 7:00 DuMont; 7:30 Film Shorts; 7:45 Jean Chadwick, songs; 8:00 Music Album with Joby Reynolds; 8:20 Baseball from Griffith Stadium, Senators vs. Detroit Tigers.
KSD-TV Channel 5, St. Louis
3:00 News and Views; 3:15 Film short, "Silver Springs"; 3:25 Songs by Russ Severin; 3:35 Film short, "Swimming for Beginners"; 3:45 Man on the Street with Frank Eschen, sponsored by Hyde Park beer; 4:15 Film short, "Wood Choppers".
8:00 Tele-Quizi-Calls show, charades hosted Harry Gibbs, guests Chili Williams, Turhan Bey and Chill Wills, sponsored by Union Electric; 8:30 Films, “Hawaiian War Chant” and “Kona Moon”; 8:40 Sports Close-ups with Harry Caray and Gabby Street, sponsored by Griesedieck Brothers Brewery; 9:00 Film, “Big League Baseball”; 9:10, songs by The Chansonettes sextet; 9:20 Film short; 9:30 City Art Museum Jewelry program by Maria Regnier; 9:40 Film, "Touchdown Thrills"; 9:50 St. Louis Fire Department demonstration.
W6XAO Channel 2, Los Angeles
9:30 a.m. Test Patterns and music.
10:00 “Queen For a Day” with Jack Bailey.
10:30 and 8 p.m. Test Patterns and music.
8:25 Wrestling at Hollywood Legion Auditorium, Maurice LaChapelle vs. Danny McShain, Angelo Savoldi vs. Billy Varga.
KTLA Channel 5, Hollywood
4:00 Films for television dealers, sponsored by Leo. J. Meyberg.
4:30-5:00 “Your Town—Los Angeles Presents.”
7:00 Al Jarvis, sponsored by Philco.
7:30 “Uncle Phil,” for kids from 6 to 60, with ventriloquist Shirley Dinsdale and Judy Splinters, sponsored by Philco.
7:40 Adventure Serial.
8:00 Film: “Prospecting for Petroleum,” music by Clarence Wheeler (George Pal/Shell Oil, 1947).
8:30 Amateur Boxing.
DISC BAR
With Don Roper, Belle Flower
Producer: Bill Monsees
Director: Frank Runetta
15 Mins.; Mon. [15], 7:30 p.m.
Sustaining
WABD-DuMont, N. Y.
Here's another example of too much of a good thing going sour. "Disc Bar" devotes its entire 15 minutes to the age-old vaude record routine—performers moving their lips in synchronization with a platter novelty, with their antics and facial expressions supposedly lending comedy to the process.
Similar routine has been tested and proved by such top entertainers as the Bernard Bros., who've played the Versailles, N. Y.; Roy Davis, and Low, Hite and Stanley. These acts, however, never did more than one such number in a show, which served to retain the novelty and make it easy to take. Don Roper and Belle Flower on this DuMont show may be funny but they're certainly not hilarious enough to feed this kind of stuff to viewers for an entire 15-minute program.
Duo tries to mix up the numbers, with Miss Flower dubbing an operatic aria. Roper working over a Jimmy Durante platter and both of them doing a hillbilly routine. It just doesn't come off, though. Roper, moreover, overworks the gag of waiting for his former partner to return to the show. The team might be good for a single number in a big variety show but they can't carry this one by themselves.
Show productionwise is not much better. DuMont may be justified in using cheaply-made painted flats for scenery, since the show has no sponsor. But how can they expect to lure a bankroller if the show isn't attractive? Camera work is okay for the material, but even the best variety of camera shots can't instill interest in a lacklustre program. Stal. (Variety, Sept. 17)
SCHOHARIE—The Future Farmers of America of Schoharie Central school will present a 15-minute radio television show on station WRGB Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. Nine Schoharie FFA boys, with their teacher and adviser, Harold Tripp, have been invited to put on the show under the direction of Bob Stone, director of the "Farm Spotlight." The theme of the program will be farm machinery repair through use of the farm welder. Herbert Luhr, a sophomore in agriculture, will demonstrate how to strike and hold an arc as he repairs a piece of farm equipment for the show.
Schoharie FFA will place four judging teams in competition at the county fair in the apple, potato, poultry and dairy cattle judging contests. Last year the boys won top honors among all the schools of the county. (Schenectady Gazette, Sept. 15)
Philco Football Scoreboard
Reviewed Monday (15), 9-9:30 p.m. Style—Interview and sports commentary. Sponsored by Philco and the Broadway Department Stores, Inc. Agency, Cecil Noble. Produced by Larry Finley. Directed by Albert Cole. KTLA (Paramount), Hollywood.
Since Dean Cromwell's Football Scoreboard is scanned simultaneously while he broadcasts his predictions over KNX (Columbia Broadcasting System's Hollywood outlet), the entertainment and sales advantages of the video medium over radio are definitely pronounced.
Huge pic of jam-packed Los Angeles Coliseum is used as a backdrop, injecting grid atmosphere into the telecast. While sports announcer Tom Hanlon and pigskin expert Cromwell use scripts (because of the simultaneous AM broadcast), their gestures and facial expressions are prudently aimed at the home viewers and go a long way to creating an informal air. In addition, lookers can see the interviewees (USC and UCLA coaches) as they go thru the question-answer routines.
When Cromwell makes his predictions, shot of scoreboard is flashed on, showing possible score and how same teams scored when they met last season. Since by necessity show moves at a high pace, seeing the figures on the scoreboard results in a greater degree of retention in the viewer's mind than if he had to rely on the spoken word.
Handling of commercials was also superior. When co-sponsors are mentioned, either still pic of Broadway Department Store is flashed on, or shot of a Philco receiver is shown, giving commercials greater sales impact. Lee Zhito. (Billboard, Oct. 4)
ATLANTIC CITY, Sept. 15.—Coincidental with NBC's drive here to get its affiliates into television on a much greater scale, it was revealed that the network's investment into television so far has hit the staggering sum of $22,000.000.This dates from NBC's early video experiments. NBC's income this year from tele time sales are expected to reach $800,000. Last year the total was $500,000. (Billboard, Sept. 20)
