It would appear so. Only two stations in the U.S. were past the test stage and NBC’s W2XBS continued to tinker with its schedule.
TV proponent Will Baltin of the New Brunswick Daily Home News put it this way in his column of October 29, 1939:
Television may soon emerge from the slump in which it has found itself since mid-summer.... What brought about the drop isn’t definite, but television dealers apparently are correct when they say that lack of sufficient programs, plus high cost of receivers is the cause.
There was still extremely little incentive for a company to get into the TV station business. The FCC wouldn’t let operators collect money from advertising, meaning seemingly endless financial losses. NBC and other set-makers were going about the U.S., putting on what amounted to closed-circuit broadcasts at department stores and fairs but after they packed up and went home, there was no reason to buy a set because there were no channels to watch.
Below, you’ll find fewer stories and reviews as we look at television in October 1939. One name that stands out is Gene Kelly, long before he was a film star. Even in 1939, he was involved in experimental dance.
Monday, October 2
BOSTON, Oct. 2.—Total sales of television receivers in the New York City trading area in the last five months were less than 400 instruments, Harry Boyd Brown, national merchandising manager of Philco Radio & Television Corp., told the Boston Conference on Distribution here today. Sales of more than 2,000 receivers by next year would be “optimistic” while, he added, “we could easily be exaggerating if we prophesied more than 10,000 television Instruments in use in American homes by 1941.”
Television, Mr. Brown maintained, will have no effect on distribution until it reaches public usage; more specifically, not until a sufficiently large number of people are using television receivers to represent an influential unit of our population. He believed that it would be five to seven years before television would have any sizable influence on distribution. (Herald Tribune, Oct. 3)
Tuesday, October 3
2:30 P. M.—Red Barber, sports interview.
2:45—Film, "Shockproof."
2:55—Film, "Sky Billboard."
3:05—Film, "Fishing in the Fjords."
3:15-3:30—Cooking demonstration, "Making Crepes Suzette."
8:30-9:30—"The Butter and Egg Man," with Helen Twelvetrees, Florence Sundstrom, Theodore Leavitt, Anthony Blair, Zella Russell, James Swift, Arthur Lipson, Robert Pitkin, Neil Moore, Len Nence and Albert Downing.
Reviewed Tuesday, 8:30-9:40 p.m. Style—Legit. Reviewed on RCA Television Receiver. Station—W2XBS. National Broadcasting Co. is proving rather adept in doctoring plays for television production. Tuesday’s effort, George S. Kaufman’s The Butter and Egg Man, was produced by Reginald Hammerstein, his first job for NBC.
The NBC producers seem to have worked out a satisfactory technique of focusing upon as few people as possible—usually those doing the dialog. In view of tele’s present state of development this is a necessity, even tho it imposes severe limitations on production. With this in mind, chief task in presenting these abbreviated legit shows is to attain a fluidity in imagery as well as a continuity in plot development. Experience in adapting legit for radio has already shown the way as far as cutting script is concerned. But maintaining visual atmosphere and integrity when handicapped by a necessarily small image presents a problem, ultimate solution of which will probably take a long time. Cameramen have apparently nixed mass scenes and keep the lens moving from one small group to another. This is sufficient to maintain general story plot and atmosphere but precludes development of more subtle production Ideas. Considering the general situation, however, the result is good. Cast included Helen Twelvetrees, Florence Sundstrom, Theodore Leavitt. An thony Blair and Arthur Lipson. Best of these was Blair as a vaude agent taking a flyer in legit; Leavitt, the yokel butter and egg man who finds love when he seemed set for a financial trimming, and Florence Sundstrom as femme appeal. Reception was fair, with facial images at times not very distinct. Paul Ackerman. (Billboard, Oct. 14)
GEORGE S. KAUFMAN’S merry comedy, “Butter and Egg Man,” designed to “show up the show business” did not show up television to good advantage. In the picture pick-ups one camera had a weak “eye. Halt or the performance appeared light-struck, while the pictures flashed by the good “eye” were sharp and clear.
Although Helen Twelvetrees, from the Hollywood tots, was headlined in the show’s cast, it was Theodore Leavitt as Peter Jones, the “Butter and Egg Man,” and Anthony Blair as Producer Joseph Lehman, who starred under the heat of the studio lamps. Miss Twelvetrees in a minor role, perhaps did not have a chance to reveal her telegenic qualifications.
The fast-running, amusing dialogue entertained the ear and held the telecast together, although the eyes were annoyed by the alternate good and bad pictures. Just as a sports announcer is vital at a baseball, football or prizefight telecast, so are interesting lines essential in a television dramas. Bright patter enlivens an otherwise dull show, for when television slip into a “silent movie” category, the eye soon begins to roam.
The telecastera heard the “Butter and Egg Man” say that “all you have to do in the show business is to give the public what it wants.” What is that? Peter Jones found the answer simple, “they always want the same.” Not so in radio or television. The audience has not been brought up that way.
Radio thrives on variety, not the same act over and over. Sameness kills a broadcast. Radio tolerates little repetition. Once a “butter and egg man” stalks on the ethereal stage for a one-night stand he cannot come back the next night and succeed as a tele-actor, as he can in the theatre, where the audience is limited and different at each performance.—O. E. D. Jr. (Times, Oct. 8)
Wednesday, October 4
2.30-3:30 P. M.— Brooklyn Dodgers, professional football team, in a scrimmage session at the New York World's Fair.
8:30-9:30— Variety hour, with Fernandez and Frednada, dancers; Jolly Bill Steinke, and television interviews conducted by Phyllis Creore, and Glenn Riggs.
New York—Two Columbia shorts have been set with NBC for television broadcasting. They are “There Goes Dusty” and a Screen Snapshots.
In return NBC will telecast two trailers of “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” one a one-minute film and the other three minutes. They will go on the air Oct. 11 and 18. (Hollywood Reporter, Oct. 4)
Thursday, October 5.
2:30-3:30 P. M.—Animal Show, Dr. Raymond L. Ditmars.
8:30-9:30—"The Night Cap," by Max Marcin and Guy Bolton, with Claudia Morgan, Douglas Gilmore, Harry Bannister, Percy Kilbride, Robert Light, Frank McNellis, Halbert Brown, George Lesoir, Clarke Chesney, Alfred Kappler.
Friday, October 6
2:30 P. M.—Clare Felt’s Kindergarten of the Air.
2:45—Film serial "The Lost Jungle," Episode VII.
3:05—Film, "Football for the Fan—the Wedge Play."
3:15-3:30—Dr. James Rowland Angell and Charles Sheeler, American painter, interviewed by Mrs. Edith Gregor Halpert.
8:30-9:30—Feature film, "Champions of the Gridiron" (Industrial, sponsored by General Mills, 1938-39).
Saturday, October 7
2:30-4:30 P. M.–Football Manhattan College vs. St. Bonaventure College, at Randall's Island Stadium.
The game was scheduled for the television wavelength of Station W2XBS, but a representative of the NBC said the mobile transmitter encountered “technical difficulties” at the field and the program had to be abandoned. (Times, Oct. 8)
Tuesday, October 10
2:30-3:00—Kitty Carlisle, Prof. Wei Chung-Loh and the Kim Loo Sisters in Chinese Independence Day ceremonies at the New York World’s Fair.
8:30-9:00—"Magazine Rack," a television revue, with the revuers, Virginia Verrill, Michael Loring, the Cabin Kids, Gene Kelly and Franzell’s Orchestra.
Reviewed Tuesday, 8:30-9:30 p.m. Style Revue. Reviewed on RCA television Receiver. Station—W2XBS.
NBC has been wondering about the future of vaude on television and has been trying to devise a means whereby acts can be presented to best advantage. This program was essentially variety, knit together into a revue, and was eminently successful as entertainment. The acts were good; the production idea was clever, and if NBC can generally combine these elements It will solve the variety-tele problem.
Program, called The Magazine Rack, was a satiric treatment of different national magazines in a series of sketches. One was devoted to Esquire, another to Vogue, pix and femme mags, etc. Foremost in these sketches were the Revuers, who first came into prominence via the Village Vanguard and who make up one of the most refreshing acts to it these parts. They have special lyrics, far and away above run-of-the-mill pop tunes and they have a sharp satiric sense. They are Judith Tuvin, Betty Comden, John Frank, Alvin Hammer and Adolph Green.
Besides the Revuers, show had Michael Loring and Virginia Verni singing. Miss Verril’s top tune was Why Does My Heart Go Boom, a lilting piece. But top vocal honors went to Loring, who also televises amazingly well and should have an inside track when the medium becomes a paying proposition.
Gene Kelly, tap dancer, appeared in a satiric sketch on types of dancers. His best were versions of ballet and sexy tappers. Music by Gregoire Fanzel’s Orchestra.Technically, the Tuesday program again illustrated television’s inability to screen more than a few people advantageously. The Revuers, for instance, include five people; but when all five were shown the more subtle points of delineation were badly blurred. Image, too, was not always uniform in lighting.
With the exception of the Gene Kelly turn, the camera did not have to follow any particularly fast or confusing action, Kelly, doing a single, was followed all right. Camera work has definitely improved in one point; that is, faces of the cast no longer appear to be horribly yawning chasms. (Paul Ackerman, Billboard, Oct. 21).
Wednesday, October 11
2:30 P. M.—Charles LeMaire, fashion hints.
2:45—Film, "Power.”
2:55—Film, "Down the Gasoline Trail."
3:05—Film, "Greyhounds of the Deep."
3:15-3:30—Louise Irwin, exercise for beauty.
8:30-9.30—Charles Sheeler, American artist, interviewed by Sam Kootz; Madge Tucker's Radio Children; selected film subjects.
Tonight’s scheduled television broadcast of part of Max Gordon’s new musical show, “Very Warm for May,” which the National Broadcasting Company hoped would be a forerunner of regular television previews of Broadway shows in rehearsal, was abandoned yesterday by Mr. Gordon’s office because of Actors Equity’s demand for the equivalent of a full week’s salary for each performer participating in the single program.
While no formal comment was forthcoming from N. B. C., it was learned that the company’s department of television had intended to present a series of new Broadway shows in rehearsal in what would have been the first specific instance of sustained cooperation between the theatre and television. The shows would gain the benefit of the promotion, it was said, and N. B. C. would gain good television programs. Relations between the two industries, which may possibly become competitors, have occupied the attention of executives in the show business.
The N. B. C. indicated that it would hold its project in abeyance until the Broadway producers knew where they stood with the unions interested in television. Although Actors Equity has claimed the right to rule television and exercised it in this instance, the matter is at present a major issue before the Associated Actors and Artistes of America, A. F. of L. parent of actor unions.
A jurisdictional row over television started in May when regular programs were initiated in conjunction with the World’s Fair. The Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Radio Artists, besides Equity, believed they should have a say in the new entertainment field, at least until it became known exactly what form television might take. As a compromise it was decided to name a committee to administer television, but no such body has been appointed as yet.
Some union officials were disturbed because Equity did not notify the A. A. A. A. of the difficulties with the office of Mr. Gordon, who besides being a Broadway producer is general production director of television for N. B. C., and argued that such a stand as Equity’s could conceivably injure an industry not yet on its feet.
Robert Milford, general manager for Mr. Gordon, estimated that if Equity’s demand had been met it would have cost several thousand dollars, as he intended to use twenty-five performers, including dancers and singers. He said N.B.C. had been regularly using Equity members for its various television programs without paying any specified fee.
Mr. Gordon is expected from Hollywood tomorrow. (Times, Oct. 11)
A Columbia Pìcture trailer for “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” two Columbia shorts, Madge Tucker’s “Radio Children” and an interview with Charles Sheeler, photographer, by Sam Kootz were wbtituted for the Gordon musical. (Film Daily, Oct. 12)
Thursday, October 12
2:30 P. M.—Bob King, ventriloquist.
2:45 —Film serial, "The Lost Jungle,” episode VIII.
3:05—Film, "Blue Coal."
3:15-3:30—Richard Kent, “the Traveling Chef," with June Hynd.
8:30-9:30—"Jane Eyre" by Helen Jerome, with Flora Campbell, Dennis Hoey, Effie Shannon, Ruth Matteson, Carl Harbord, Lillian Tonge and Philip Tonge.
‘JANE EYRE’
With Flora Campbell, Dennis Hoey, Effie Shannon, Ruth Matteson, Daisy Belmore, Philip Tonge, Eleanor Bittis, John Clarke, Lorna Elliott, Mary Newnham-Davis, Paul Harbard, Byram Russell, Herbert Morrison, Naomi Campbell, Lillian Tonge, Olive Deering.
Dramatic Play
95 Mins.
Thursday (12), 8:30 p.m.
RCA-NBC New York
Around television headquarters in Radio City the opinion is that the broadcast of the dour Charlotte Bronte story is an approximation of the Hollywood manner of picturization. That is not too extreme a report of Anthony Bundeman’s televised presentation, although the showing was much overtime, running more than an hour and a half.‘Jane Eyre’ was dramatized by Helen Jerome for Katharine Hepburn and the play was presented with her by the Theatre Guild. Tried out on the road two seasons back. Miss Hepburn was dissatisfied and asked Miss Jerome to make ‘revisions but no dice. Although ‘Jane’ did well on the tour Miss Hepburn refused to come to Broadway with it and the Guild decided to skip the whole thing. After watching the tragedy in television form, impression is that Miss Hepburn was canny. It might have been another ‘The Lake,’ instead of her currently smash comedy success ‘The Philadelphia Story’ (Shubert, N. Y.).
Bronte plays have been tried on the stage over here but none have clicked, despite London’s showings. There is too much of the moaning wind across the moors to make for entertainment. Essentially there is too much trouble motif in the stories to attract the average playgoer but as a television stunt, it was excellent.
As the performance proceeded it improved. The many problems of this experimental side of show business were obscured in the intensity of the acting. Stage lighting which hindered the early portion of the broadcast was more expertly handled thereafter with the close-ups particularly effective. Flora Campbell who played the title role was pictured with a hollow right cheek, either because the lights cast a shadow or a detect in make-up.
Miss Campbell wore the same frock throughout, although there is an extended period of time covered by the story. There were two intermissions, providing plenty of time for costume changes and even Scotch women have wardrobes.
Dennis Hoey had the part of Rochester whose demented wife occasionally escapes from her guarded wing of the house and whose eyesight is destroyed when he attempts to save her in a fire. Rather a heavy part but ‘Jane’ is essentially a woman’s play. He is called monsieur and it was pronounced almost the same as Eyre by the players, which was slightly confusing.
Miss Campbell has been in legit for some time. She stepped into ‘Jane’ on short notice when Margaret Curtis was forced out by illness, so her performance was exceptional. Last season she toured In ‘Angela is 22.’ Hoey had the same part in the stage version of ‘Eyre’ with Miss Hepburn. Among the other players who did well in the broadcast are Effie Shannon, Ruth Matteson, Daisy Belmore, Carl Harbord, Lillian Tonge and Philip Tonge. All are of the stage. Ibee. (Variety, Oct. 18)
Reviewed Thursday, 8:30-10 p.m. Style—Drama. Reviewed on RCA Tele vision receiver style TRK-12.
Aitho drama is now considered the best of present entertainment forms for television, NBC’s production of Helen Jerome’s version of Jane Eyre, the Bronte classic, strongly Indicates that the time of the dramatic presentations should be kept to a maximum of an hour. Jane Eyre ran 90 minutes, resulting not only in a definite eye strain but raising this question: Will people sit in a darkened room for an hour and a half to watch such shows? There’s something different in a theater or a movie house—excluding the eye strain, of course—that prohibits using them as parallels for comparison, to a television drama.
All told, however, Jane Eyre was a pretty good production, most of the faults being minor. At the same time there were several sock bits of direction—the first sight of the maniac; Jane talking to herself in the mirror; the close-up of the housekeeper (Effie Shannon) knitting, used near the end of the show to set the locale, and one or two others.
Flora Campbell played the lead only moderately well. In the tense moments she spoke much too quickly and thruout failed to cast her eyes directly at the character to whom she was speaking, a fault which television makes much of. She suffered, too, at times from either bad direction or bad camera, facial shadow making her look gaunt and drawn. Her right profile seems much the better. Dennis Hoey, the male lead, suffered from either slovenly sound direction or else doesn’t know how to use his voice at all times. Much of the time he boomed and bellowed to a bad level, overshadowing all other dialog. However, when he spoke quietly the mike showed he has a voice of resonance and pleasing masculine timbre. Hoey, with proper direction, undoubtedly can handle any television assignment. Supporting work was uniformly good, with Carl Barboard and Mary Newnham-Davs outstanding. Miss Newnham-Davis, playing with restraint and finesse, was probably the best of the entire cast.
Minor flaws in direction included obvious telegraphing of action several times; Miss Campbell’s wearing of the same gown thru the whole show, despite the time changes and an unwise selection of her coiffure, not particularly flattering. There were numerous occasions, also, when either the sound effect (wind) or musical background were up too much and several times one of the overhead mikes showed on the picture. The camera work, in most cases, was quite advanced, aitho once during pivotal action two of the main characters, one of whom was being directly addressed, was out of the picture completely. Jerry Franken. (Billboard, Oct. 21).
National Broadcasting Co. will start twice-daily announcements over local NBC stations today of television programs. Heretofore, television programs have received little publicity since few newspapers featured them. Occasionally, when telecasts of national importance have been made, they were announced in the sustainer news broadcasts, but regular features received no publicity over the air.
It was felt originally that sponsors of programs might object if their listeners were lured away to outstanding television features, but this objection apparently has been overcome.
Television programs for Tuesday evenings are being dropped and Sunday afternoon telecasts of professional football games will be added, beginning Sunday, Oct. 22. Another new feature will start Saturday, Oct. 21, at 9 P.M. when regular weekly boxing bouts from the Ridgewood Grove Arena, Queens, will begin.
First systematic effort to obtain audience reaction to television programs has started. Approximately 300 requests for weekly programs have been received in two days. Programs are sent together with postpaid card asking for a rating of excellent, good, fair or poor, for a list of 16 program items. (Motion Picture Daily, Oct. 12)
Friday, October 13
2:30-3:30—Model Airplane Meet, Bendix Airport, Bendix, N. J.
8:30-9:30—Motion picture anniversary program; historic films, “The Great Train Robbery” and “The Kiss”; James Kirkwood, June Lorraine, mimic; Marjorie Entero and Phillipe Borgia, dancers; Ramon Armengod, Mexican dancer.
Saturday, October 14
3:00-4:30—Football: C. C. N. Y. vs. Scranton University, Lewisohn Stadium.
Sunday, October 15
REVISION of NBC’s television schedule will drop Tuesday afternoon and evening programs and start each week off on Wednesday, but will add Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon telecasts to the schedule instead. Arrangements have been made to televise boxing matches in Brooklyn, 9 to 11 Saturday nights and home games of the Brooklyn Dodgers, pro football team, 2:30-4:30 Sunday afternoons. (Broadcasting, Oct. 15)
WLW, Cincinnati, conducted the first public television demonstration in the city recently when it arranged for installation of technical equipment, installed and manned by RCA, in a local department store. With iconoscopes on the fourth floor of the store, connected by coaxial cable with receivers on the ninth, the station furnished entertainment by studio talent during the six-day showing as well as arranging for talent from local night clubs and interviews with members of the Cincinnati Reds ball team. Peter Grant and Charles Woods, WLW announcers, were m.c.’s. (Broadcasting, Oct. 15)
UTE INDIANS of the Uintah and White River tribes of Eastern Utah recently performed ancient tribal dances and ceremonies for the television audience during a demonstration using the RCA portable equipment conducted by KDYL at the Paris Co. Department Store in Salt Lake City. After representatives of the two Ute tribes had performed the ancient “Bear Dance” and “Turkey Dance”, the 89-year-old chief of the Uintahs described in Ute sign language the coming of the whites to Utah. (Broadcasting, Oct. 15)
Tuesday, October 17
10:30 a.m.—Special showing.
The television program prepared for the test consisted of talks by David Sarnoff, president of the Radio Corporation of America, and W. A. Patterson, president of the United Air Lines, who spoke from Radio City studios. Views of the North Beach airport were picked up by the mobile television unit and transmitted as part of the demonstration. Among the guests aboard the plane was Brig.-Gen. Delos C. Emmons, chief of the United States Army General Headquarters Air Force, who expressed himself as impressed with the military possibilities of television aboard planes. (New York Sun, Oct. 17)
Wednesday, October 18
2:30 P. M.—Visi-Quiz with Robert Eichberg.
2:45—Film, “The Texas Ranger.”
3:05—Film, "Pilgrimage Through Palestine."
3:15-3:30—Dr. Hugh Grant Rowell and Lisa Sergio on "How We See."
8:30-9:30—"The Dover Road," by A. A. Milne, with Charles Webster, Marjorie Clarke, Maurice Walls, Marie Carroll, Richard Janaver, William Thornton.
“The Dover Road”
Reviewed Thursday, 8:30-10:15 p.m. Style—Legit. Reviewed on RCA Receiver style TRK-12.
NBC’s evening studio shows are listed for a one-hour period, 8:30-9:30 p.m., but the time allotment seems to be flexible. Dover Road, for instance, ran over one and one-half hours, as compared to an average of two hours for regulation legit theater drama. This is too long for tele.
Granting the extra 30 or 35 minutes is very nice of NBC, and undoubtedly makes the task of adapting the program a comparatively simple one for the NBC staff, the more the show approximates a full-length legit drama the more NBC’s shortcomings’ become apparent when compared with straight legit. When a script is trimmed to one hour, those on the receiving end are likely to be much more sympathetic in view of the obvious and inherent difficulties.
In Dover Road the tele cast performed creditably, but the camera men, who have been generally showing an improvement, suffered something of a relapse. On occasion, as when three characters would sit at a table, only two and one-half would be visible. It seems, too, that some of the visual sharpness. In the earlier programme has been lost, but if this is so the loss has been accompanied by a corresponding increase in the technique of making the cast look reasonably like human beings. Those early shows presented a fearful array of faces.
Best of the cast of Dover Road Charles Webster, an old hand at radio drama and before that a legit actor. With this eclectic background, of course, Webster would naturally prove able, both in talking his lines and in the more subtle elements of acting usually forgotten or neglected by the run-of-the-mill ether thespian. He played Mr. Latimer, the lead, with the air of mystery and spiritual understanding required.
Others were Marjorie Clarke, who took second honors as Ann, and Maurice Wells, Marie Carroll, Richard Janaver and William Thornton. Paul Ackerman. (Billboard, Oct. 28)
TELEVISION’S first regular quiz show, Bob Brent’s Visi-Quiz, was started Oct. 18 by NBC as a regular Wednesday afternoon feature of the network’s video station, W2XBS, New York. Questions are chosen so that answers have to be demonstrated as well as spoken. (Broadcasting, Nov. 1)
New York—The tri-cornered jurisdictional dispute over television control among the Screen Actors Guild. Equity and American Federation of Radio Artists, was bought to a head yesterday [18], when all three organizations reached an agreement whereby they will share in the control and administration of the new field.
The fight for tele jurisdiction among the key unions of the Four-A’s has been going on for a long time, and the matter has been before the Four-A executive board for a number of months, with each union holding fast to its claim for control. SAC argued that it was entitled to the nod, since television process was at least 50 percent a film problem, while Equity carne forward with the contention that live performers were being used, and AFRA that it was a primary radio proposition.
Yesterday’s settlement was believed to have been brought about by action of NBC television officials, who appeared before Equity’s council and asked for sympathy and understanding in the development of television and in the firing of its wages and conditions. The whole argument arose the previous day when SAC notified NBC officials that all television films would have to be made under regular SAC contracts, covering rates and conditions.
Under the proposed setup SAC will have complete control of all films used in telecasting Equity and AFRA will tointly maintain jurisdiction over live performances through administration of a joint board, with Equity to hold the majority of members on the board. (Hollywood Reporter, Oct. 19)
Thursday, October 19
2:30-3:30 P. M.—Automobile review at World's Fair.
8:30-9:30—Variety Hour with Tarki, Japanese male impersonator; Ham Fisher, cartoonist; Patricia Donnelly, “Miss America of 1939”; Tex O’Rourke, master of ceremonies.
Friday, October 20
2:30 P. M.—Fur fashions.
2:45—Film serial, "The Lost Jungle," Episode IX.
3:05—Film, “Football—Kicking."
3:15-3:30—To be announced.
8:30-9:30—“The Milky Way," by Lynn Root and Harry Clark, with Claudia Morgan, June Blossom, Rosa Hertz, and James Corner, Alec Cross, Fred Stewart, Paul Porter, Lowell Gilmore, Benson Greene.
I. J. Fox presented a collection of rare and costly furs in an N. B. C. broadcast yesterday afternoon. Max Bachrach, well known fur authority, discussed the early history of trapping and primitive uses of furs, and answered queries about the nature and value of the rare pelts in the show.
Included in the collection were two Belvedere fox furs, the result of twelve years of experimentation in cross-breeding silver and white foxes, and valued at $4,000 a pair. Mr. Bachrach displayed a platinum timber-wolf fur which was seven feet in length, and referred to it as a “museum piece.” Other unusual pelts included a “blue haze” Arctic fox, an albino beaver, both white and blue muskrats, and the skin of a pure white mink which was trapped in the part of this country.
Among the coats displayed on mannequins were a three-quarter length mink and a costly Russian sable model. (Herald Tribune, Oct. 21)
‘THE MILKY WAY’
With James Corner, Alexander Cross, June Blossom, Ross Hertz, Claudia Morgan, Fred Stewart, Lowell Gillmore, Benson Greene, Paul Porter
Comedy Play
95 Mins.
Friday (20) 8:30 p.m.
RCA-NBC. New York
As a stage comedy ‘The Milky Way’ was a fairly successful show as presented at the Cort, N. Y., in 1934. Televised, the play drew many laughs as staged by Eddie Sobol, but again television itself was overtime and a strain on the eyes. Intermissions were not necessary, save to give the players a bit of rest.It was the first stage performance so broadcast in which part of the story was projected in film form. Story is that of synthetic fighter, a boy who delivers the milk being turned into a pug against his will and copping the title. In the play a dressing room akin to those at Madison Square Garden was a scene. No attempt at that in the telecast, but a prize light was simulated.
That was the film portion of the performance in which part of the cast participated. Making of the picture caused a new problem for television for the Screen Actors Guild was in clined to protest, since the scale of pay is considerably under the Union’s minimums, The so-called contest is a one-punch affair, with the scrawny milkman kaoing the champ by butting him senseless. Ordinarily that is foul and would call for disqualification. However, it is the story, regardless.
Film ran around 500 feet and included a process shot of planes and railroad trains. Latter indicated the places that ‘The Cheese Champ,’ which was the original title of the play, fought a row of pushovers in the build-up for the title event. Use of the film was an adaptation of dubbing music and sound effects on motion pictures.
There were punches thrown in the telecast, and invariably the real champ was the victim. The socks were generally made by Speed, the trainer, who attempts to wallop Burleigh Sullivan, the milkman. Latter’s specialty was ducking with the comic result that the wrong guy took it on the chin. Ebee. (Variety, Oct. 25)
Saturday, October 21
2:30-3:30—“Wings Over the Nation,” Progress of American Aviation.
9:00—Boxing Bouts at Ridgewood Grove: Tony Marteliane vs. Bobby McIntyre, lightweights; Jerry Fiorello vs. Tommy Zano, welterweights; Hi-O Silver vs. Lulu Constantino, featherweights; Texas Lee Harper vs. Charley Barre, featherweights.
BOXING BOUTS
With Sam Taub.
Ridgewood Grove, Brooklyn
Two Hours
Saturday (21)
RCA-NBC, New York
It happened that the semi-final match ended in a knockout and right cross to the chin was directly in line with the camera. With the fallen boy lying on his face it was a cinch that he could not arise before the count of ten. As a matter of fact, the kid had to be aided to his corner. It was great for television.
Aside from the bouts the action of dapper Jim Crowley, the referee, rates him an actor, but he seemed entirely unconscious of being caught by the camera. The fights were of the club classification, meaning that the boxers are under the level of proficiency supposed to qualify them for appearances at major ring shows as those at Madison Square Garden. However, the excitement of the fans was just as genuine and faithfully recorded by the microphone. So that telecast onlookers may identify the boxers, one wears a band of white on the top of his trunks.
Of particular interest perhaps was the performance of Sam Taub, who has been on the air describing fight shows for years. Instead of the jargon-like jumble that was his style in attempting to tell every blow delivered, Taub spoke in measured tones and permitted the onlooker to see for himself what went on. Most of his comment was between the rounds. Improvement in the style of the radio fight reporter appears to place him for this kind of television commentation. Ibee. (Variety, Nov. 1)
IN COOPERATION with the Air Transport Assn., organization of 16 of the largest airlines and 20 major manufacturers of aviation equipment, NBC on Oct. 21 will start a series of one-hour televised programs designed to promote air travel. Plane models in the studio and movies will be used and noted figures in the industry will be interviewed. Erwin, Wasey & Co., New York, agency for the Assn., will assist NBC in the preparation and presentation of the series. (Broadcasting, Oct. 15)
TELEVISION’S first premium offer was made by the Air Transport Assn. over W2XBS, New York, on Oct. 21 during the first of a series of telecasts designed to promote interest in aviation and air travel. Model planes were offered free to the first six youngsters requesting them and 45 answers were received by Monday morning, first mail following the Saturday afternoon broadcast, including three phoned requests at the conclusion of the telecast. (Broadcasting, Nov. 1)
Although Columbia blows alternately hot and cold on its statements regarding television, owners of television sets were not surprised this week when audio signals were picked up from the networks transmitter on the Chrysler tower. The regular WABC programs were being used as test material for the 50-58 megacycle channel assigned to Columbia. Future plans for the station will not be revealed by the network but it to understood that tests on both audio and video channels will continue intermittently. (New York Sun, Oct. 21)
Sunday, October 22
3:30 P. M—Football: Brooklyn Dodgers vs. Philadelphia Eagles.
DODGERS VS. EAGLES
Professional Football
Sunday (22); 2:30 p.m.
RCA-NBC, New York
Mobile television unit which broadcast fights in Brooklyn Saturday evening was in action Sunday afternoon again in that borough to telecast the football game between the Dodgers and the Eagles from Philadelphia.
Again the broadcast was interesting and while the flight of the ball when kicked could not be followed by the camera, enough of the action was visible to keep the eye upon the receiving mirror. Here again the style of descriptive commentation was an improvement over the usually furious pace used in desctribing most sporting events by radio.
Game was held in the Brooklyn baseball park and several players formerly famous in college ranks were in action, attention being called to them as they participated in the important plays. Contest was close for a time, when the Philly aggregation tied the score, but later the Dodgers drew out to a decisive victory.
As the afternoon wore on reception was not as clear as when the sun shone. Indicated that the pro games are started too late for the shortening days but use of flood lights with which most ball parks are equipped should help telecast reception. Ibee. (Variety, Nov. 1)
For several weeks the television announcer at the microphone of the National Broadcasting Company at Radio City, at the conclusion of telecasts has invited the unseen audience to send in written requests for programs in advance. The motive is to shed some light on the size of New York’s tele-radio audience. To date, approximately 400 requests have been received. It is believed that in the metropolitan area there are between 500 and 1,000 tele-receivers. (Times, Nov. 22)
Wednesday, October 25
2:30 P. M.—Talk, Alice Maslin.
2:55— Film serial, "The Lost Jungle," Episode X.
3:05—Film, "Midsummer in Sweden."
3:15—To be announced.
8:30-9:30—Variety hour: John Frederick, hat designer; debut hour with Allen Prescott, Better Vision Institute.
Thursday, October 26
2:30-3:30—A mobile unit pick-up.
8:30-9:30—Film, "The Mutiny on the Elsinore," with Paul Lukas, Lyn Harding and others (Regal, 1937).
Friday, October 27 2:30-3:30—Film, "Pilot X."
8:30-9:30—"The Fortune Hunter," by Winchell Smith, with Gloria Blondell, Douglas Gilmore and Percy Kilbride.
‘THE FORTUNE HUNTER.’
With Lowell Gilmore, Percy Kilbride, Gloria Blondell, Maurice Burke, Hugh Cameron, Theodora Peck, Clarke Chesney, Maude Ream Stiver, James Swift
Comedy Play
55 Mins.
Friday (27) 8:30 P.M.
RCA-NBC. New York
In selecting a former stage success for revival by television the choice was hardly as fortunate as most others. Not that the performance directed by Warren Wade is of lesser standard but the play itself was outmoded.
‘The Fortune Hunter' was written by the late Winchell Smith, an author-manager who was teamed with John Golden. Between them they staged a flock of successes and became wealthy. 'Hunter' was well rated in its day but was hardly among Smith's top works.
Story has to do with a lad from the city who accepts a job in a country drug store, behind the soda counter. It is strong on the romantic side and one point in its favor is the comparative brevity of the telecast. Play was first stage hit scored by John Barrymore, then a kiddie.
That pert was played by Lowell Gillmore in the telecast, other players also mostly being from the legit. Percy Kilbride and Gloria Blondell, sister of the Coast star, were the other principal leads. Ibee. (Variety, Nov. 1)
Saturday, October 28
2:30-3:30—Progress of aviation.
9:00-10:00—Boxing matches, Ridgewood Grove Arena.
More Lights Needed.
The lack of sufficient light on the boxing ring made it impossible to distinguish the features of the contestants although the action itself was clearly defined at all times. This drawback was particularly noticeable last Saturday night when the black and purple trunks worn by the fighters registered alike on the television screen as black. A white tape attached to the side seams of one of the pairs of trunks would eliminate this difficulty in identification and add to the value of the entertainment.
One of the cameras in use at the boxing bouts, a newly developed orthicon replacing the earlier iconoscope, exhibited a bright unmodulated area in the center of the screen due to the formation of an ion spot on the camera's sensitive surface. Engineers explained that the fault was known beforehand but became noticeable in this instance because of the light intensity which was below the normal required by the camera tube.
With the days growing shorter NBC may decide to omit the last quarter of future gridiron contests. The heavy shadows cast by the high stands at Ebbets Field also tend to reduce the illumination required for ideal transmission.
It was also revealed that the brief interruption of the football transmission last Sunday was caused by trouble at the Empire State transmitter and not in the Mobile Unit working at Ebbets Field. (New York Sun, Oct. 28)
WHILE Arturo Toscanini was conducting the Brahms concerto for violin and ‘cello, boxers were on the air from Ridgewood Grove in Brooklyn. The music was on the standard broadcast waves. The gladiators were on the ultra-short waves and could be seen by television.
Simultaneously the New York area was being bombarded with a severe lightning storm. The bolts blasted the music to bits. There was not the slightest trace of the static on the ultra-short waves that carried the sounds from the roped arena. The only inkling in the television realm that an electric storm was raging was an occasional tipping of the picture out of the frame, but it came back in a flash. Now and then the terrific bolts shook the synchronizing signal that helps to hold the picture on the screen, and when that happened the picture momentarily blinked or sort of rolled out of the frame as if on a cylinder and then came right back. Nevertheless, as far as the clamor of the crowd and Commentator Sam Taub’s voice were concerned, the ultra-short waves were staticless.
The engineers explain that the power in the picture is not as great as in the sound, therefore a lightning bolt is more readily recognized by the image section of the receiver. Furthermore, this synchronizing signal that keeps the receiver and transmitter in step is comparatively a delicate impulse, and a heavy electrical crash upsets it and the picture, just for a second, flops out of the frame. (New York Times, Oct. 29)
Sunday, October 29
2.30-5:00—Football: New York Giants vs. Brooklyn Dodgers, at Ebbets Field.
8:30-9:30—Variety hour, with Capt. Bob Bartlett, motion pictures of his arctic explorations, and the television explorers.
The Don Lee television station, W6XAO, is now presenting telecasts from 8 to 9 p.m. every day, with matinees from 4 to 5 on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoons. On three of the evening telecasts there are live subjects; the other three consist of telecasting of motion pictures.
Station estimates there are about 600 television sets in Southern California homes at present, with programs being received within a radius of 30 miles of the station. (Hollywood Reporter, Oct. 30)
W. P. Lipscomb, British playwright and scenanist, who was the first producer of “live’ television broadcasts of full length plays in London, will discuss that effort and American possibilities in the field with Harry Lubcke, television director for the Don Lee - Mutual Broadcasting System, in a telecast over Station W6XAO at 8:30 tonight. (Hollywood Reporter, Oct. 31)
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