May Walk If Billaard Reviews & Analyses Or- Pay Isn't Liked Rating Figures Used Lee Supplied by the C

Home , Meredith Willson

June 28, 1947 14 NETWORK PROGRAM REVIEWS The Billboard Part III BCC Writers NETWORK PROGRAM May Walk If BillAard Reviews & Analyses or- Pay Isn't liked Rating figures used lee supplied by the C. E. Hooper ganization. n with ragencies themes, sto. eis complioncernined byrInterviewsiser LONDON, June 21. - Virtually and advertisers and Is based on latest available Information. every script writer who contributes any material for broadcast over British Broadcasting Corporation Rhapsody in Rhytlun (BBC) has threatened to banish the The Ford Showroom Philip Marlowe spoken word from the ether in a Reviewed June 17, 1947 Reviewed June 18, 1947 two -month strike beginning July 1 Reviewed June 18, 1947 unless drastic revisions are made in P. LORILLARD COMPANY & Eckhardt, Inc. PEPSODENT COMPANY current pay scales. A new schedule Thru Kenyon For Old Gold Cigarettes by BBC George Chatfield, Acct. Exec. Frank R. Brodsky, Advertising Manager of payments put forward Frank Hopewell, Advertising Manager officials was termed by the Society Via CBS (148 Stations) Thru Foote, Cone & Belding (SAAP) Lennen & Mitchell, Inc. of Authors and Playwrights Wednesdays, 9:30-10 p.m. EST Thru than "a basis for discus- Via NBC Ray Vid Den, Account Exec. as no more Estimated Talent Cost: $9,000. Writer sion, and definitely not to be accepted and producer, Meredith Willson; di- Tuesdays, 10-10:30 p.m., EST Via CBS (148 Stations) as maximum rates, pending the ne- rector, Myron Dutton; production su- gotiation of a new agreement." pervisor, Clare Olmstead; cast, Meredith Estimated Talent Cost: $3,500; pro- Wednesday, 9-9:30 p.m., EST Crisis came to a head at a London Willson, Paulena Carter, Ben Cage. adaptation, Milton meeting of the SAAP, presided over ducer, James Fonda; Estimated Talent Cost: $7,500; agency Chandler stories; by novelist J. B. Priestly, BBC's top Hooperating for all shows of Geiger, from Raymond producer, Mann Holiner; cast, Peggy Average Lurene Tuttle and broadcaster in the talks department. this type (variety) 10.3 cast, Van Heflin, Lee, Buddy Clark and Johnny Johnson and actresses; an- Representative crowd presented a Current Hooperating of show preced- supporting' actors (alternates from week to week) Robert ing: Sinatra 9.0 Wendell Niles. unified front in urging the strike ac- Frank nouncer, Maxwell; Jubilaires Quartet, Jan Savitt's with Current Hooperating of show follow- tion unless BBC comes thru ing: "The Whistler" 6.4 Current Hooperating for this program orchestra; announcer, Frank Goss. considerably upped scales plus adop- None (Premiere) shows of tion of special performing fees when CURRENT HOOPERATING OF OPPOSITION of this Average Hooperating for all NETWORKS Current Hooperating for shows this type (Variety) 10.8 writers read their own work. Per- SHOWS ON OTHER type (Mystery Drama) 7.6 ABC and MBC: Sustaining None Current Hooperatings of shows preced- forming flee is one of the SAAP's Current Hooperating for show preceding ing: "Dr. Christian" 7.4 which the NBC: "Mr. District Attorney" 16.8 McGee and Molly") 26.8 major demands and one ("Fibber Johns -Manville News 8.3 in its coun- Current Hooperating for show following BBC igored completely (Red Skelton) 19.5 CURRENT HOOPERJITINGS OF OPPOSI- ter-offer. Meet the new Meredith Willson. TION SHOWS ON OTHER NETWORKS Other complaints which the writ- is CURRENT HOOPERATNOS OF SHOWS ON Meet the Meredith Willson who OPPOSITION NETWORKS ABC: Sustaining None ers have against BBC were revealed the writer, producer and star of the MRS: Gabriel Heatter 3.4 to The Billboard by the SAAP sec- ABC: Sustaining None new Ford series; who conducts the "Real Stories From Real Life" 2.9 retary-general, novelist Denys Kil- and who, CBS: Sustaining None orchestra and arranges, None NBC: "Duffy's Tavern" 12.2 ham Roberts. One is the arbitrary on the initial program in this new MSS: Sustaining manner of BBC in negotiations, series, also served as raconteur, sometimes leading to prolongation of composer, music Hope off the air for the Rhapsody in Rhythm, the Old time, comic, philosopher, With Bob is a discussions until, at broadcast critic, flagwaver for his home State summer, Pepsodent is offering the Gold summer replacement, the author may not even know how and as commentator on the of Raymond Chandler's smooth, highly professional musical want a of Iowa, adventures sporting class vocalizing much he is to receive. They contemporary American scene. sleuth, Philip Marlowe, as a replace- amalgam, boost in payment for specially com- for any one indicates the by Buddy Clark, Peggy Lee and the Quite an assignment ment. Initial offering contribution missioned work, past fees being person-or even a crew of compe- program has mixed potentials. Mil- Jubilaires, with an ace termed "very niggardly." Authors On this premiere, Will- adaptation of the given by Robert Maxwell, swing radio tent people. ton Geiger's Savitt's orchestra does of top -rank plays adapted for son did not come off with it, nor did Chandler novelette, Red Wind, ad- harpist. Jan feel they are entitled to more than Kenyon & Eck- language almost the musical support; some good, the long -anticipated hered to the yarn's fair. plays by unknowns. The writers hardt Ford show itself. to the letter, and captured most of some only also want extra money for work It is apparent that the reasoning the colorful, almost poetic flavor. Clark certainly is one of the top reprinted in the weekly BBC maga- behind the project is to present a On the debit side was the enormity male warblers on the air today. He zine, The Listener. And they spe- homey type central figure who can of the job of breaking down Chand- has style, phrasing, first-class dic- cially resent BBC's attitude that the chat with listeners on a medium - ler's complex plotting within the 30 - tion and projection and pipes to go publicity from airing a script is brow, rather than high or low- minute limit. with his other assets. He does an worth more than mere money. brow level. .Willson has distin- With Van Hefln, of pictures, be- okay job, too, on tossing off a line. The writers cited as one instance guished himself in the past as a coming the umpteenth actor to don Peggy Lee, too, is up there-cer- of BBC's gross underpayment the and arranger- gal- tainly one of the more efficient fern a of a 2,000 -word spe- superb musician the Marlowe toga, the program one case of writer above all, one with taste and mu- loped thru the first 15 minutes as yodelers of the current crop, and cial script who received only five sical finesse-put his radio person- the action unfolded. Second half's who seems bound to finish near the pounds, five shillings (about $21). ality is far from that point where pace slowed down to a crawl, how- top herself. Johnny Johnstone al- He also got one pound 10 shillings for he could assume the burden tackled ever, as everyone desperately strove ternates each week with Clark. a repeat airing, and another pound in this show. to clarify the proceedings. Repeated The Jubilaires, too, are top for option to repeat. The whole harmony $30, which Too Much Talk conjecture and explanation of the drawer, fashioning their works came to less than cast's intricate relationships unfor- in the Golden Gate Quartet man- included all broadcasting rights the Thus, between his musical num- at Narrator sounds as tho he also com- essayed a few gags tunately had confusion rampant ner. world over. The writers bers Willson the program's end. were Willie Johnson, the Gates' lead plained that BBC, as the biggest sin- ("On my way to the studio I saw a seen in the `Forever man. Maxwell, recently gle employer of literary talent in sign in a diner reading Heflin Emotes Effectively New York niteries-the Blue Angel, country, has placed them at the bot- Amburger'") ; comments on his in the role of the harp routine mu- as gooey as Heflin's emoting etc.-does a swing tom of the scale ladder, under school days; philosophy tough guy with a heart was effec- that's novel and good. sicians, actors, technicians and di- Tony Wons (made immortal by the tive, with excellent character pro- late Ring Lardner); music criticism, Two Weak Spots rectors. lyr- jection. Lurene Tuttle, as the BBC's new offer for the first time in commenting on Cole Porter's woman in the case, put on her usual Show falls down in two spots. calls for writers to get regular fees ics and predicting that his featured Producer The Savitt crew lacks the solid rock at was the No. capable performance. for repeat shows, with the rate pianist, Paulena Carter, James Fonda struggled valiantly to which characterized its work some half of the original fee, which would 1 fern pianist of the future, and but was hand- years ago, especially when the band vicissitudes keep the -pacing level, become 14 to 16 pounds ($56-62). commenting, too, on the cuffed by the exigencies of the story. was in its four-four groove. Band's BBC also offers to pay $100 for a 30 - of farm life and the hardiness of weekly feature is a jived up version play was not only Even the flickers, in taking their minute adaptation of a published farm women. Result novels, found of a classic-this week's being Moz- or one not written specially for ra- an overdose of gab-and Willson's crack at Chandler's art's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. Carne - not that radio that 90 minutes was hardly enough dio. Old fee was $48-72. For a pub voice is certainly the writer's ,sharp off only fair, altho the legit and (See Writers Want Raise on page 19) worthy-but a draggy affair which to cram in all swing juxtaposition was effective. in sus- ideas. Perhaps the shorter of Chand- failed just about completely more Second failing is in the script. taining interest. This show is up ler's short stories will prove suited for airing. Their flair for Seems that ever since Bing Crosby 8zio, against Mr. District Attorney (16.8 and Carroll Carroll popularized the Hooperating as noted mood and language certainly is hard 100 O/OPNCNOTO current Not many writers have flip technique years back, other mu- above), a program which is and has to surpass. been trying to do a murderer cynically say of his sical shows have quaintt9 PSuPeb been rough on its competitors. With it comes reproduced in -riddled victim, "Poor Waldo, copy acts. It's good when on bestdq oed that in mind, it's obvious that a doc- bullet easy, and when it's quality ä ecpip pay I bet I made his nose bleed." off, but it isn't prices you wou rate work' tor is needed. painful. Chatter on this cheapest t custom- Commercials were harsh and re- bad, it's for satisfied One part of the program that's show is forced and lumbering, Enthusiastic,to coast'"ra.nr "talking petitive, stressing that Pepsodent is ers coast w."6E really socko is Willson's rather than facile and flip. CARDS 07..7s five voices who talk in "preferred three to one" by Ameri- 250 POST anywhere people" act, follow the recent Before ordering e unison. can families. Foote, Cone & Beld- Commercials the facts, P r breathtaking unison but Old Gold line in which smokers are send for instructions, with good lines, drawn ing seems to be trying its Lucky list,orderinq Combined technique on the dentifrice. urged to smoke for pleasure, rather etc. out emphasis, and occasionally Strike MONO It's a three to one bet that the in- than some sort of medical treat- startling inflections, the simultan- also urge smokers to TREATMENT arresting and intrigu- cessant "three to one" chatter be- ment. They / eous gab is an as LS/MFT. forsake their preferred cigs for a ing radio novelty. It's easily the comes as notorious Franken. Chase. new brand. Jerry ! \ 'See Forci Showroom on opp. page; Sam /WILSON STUD/0 CONN.