Evening star., 1948-11-28
News of Video and Radio
By Harry Macarthur

Since television's planners appar
emily believe that Americans sta!
hcme on Sunday nights if they don
on any other, the Sabbath battle TO
televiewers' eyes and ears continue
unabated. The latest to be reported
entering the lists is Michael Todd
the theatrical producer Gas th'
Girls Coz, who is readying Sun
day night show for NBC-TV.
Mr.. Todds video entertainment
will be a Commute concert revue
broadcast from his Winter Garoer
Theater, according to Variety, the
show business trade paper, for
sponsor as yet unnamed. 1t prob
ably will be a television revival ol
the old Sunday Night at the Winter
Garden" shows which were part o1
q brighter Broadway day, and il
scheduled for a mid-January pre-
rniere. following the linking of the
Eastern and Midwestern coaxial net
works.
Mr.. Todd's new show also will bs
an addition to a certain confusion
in the industry and to an embarrass.
ment of riches faced by video view
ers. All Cor almost alb of the spon-
sors want to get their messages be-
fore the Sunday night audience
The old cry of the anti-video mar
("But are there any good programs
on television?D never seems sllllel
than it does on Sunday night.
Variety of High School Shows.
Starting at 7:30 pm. Sundays, the
man sitting before video receiver
is faced with a series of choices that
leave him wondering If he isn't, pos
sibly, missing something he'd prefer
He is faced with the Ford Theater,
"Welcome Abroad" Author Meets
the Critics." Actors Studio" "Mee'
the Press" Toast of the Town" ano
"Television Playhouse" The man
faced with this video menu also
passes UP some regular radio fare
that he might like to hear II the
competition were any less imposing
Pred Allen, Edgar Bergen, Amos
n Andy, Helen Hayes, "Theater
Guild on the Air"
The Theater Guild, incidentally
is after an hour of NBC-TV's Sun
day night time at 8 o'clock, for its
already-sold television dramatic
series. If it gets it, which is likely
1t is also likely that "Television
PLAYHOUSE" will be lost to viewers.
The sponsor, Philco, doesn't like the
idea of a one-hour drama show
Immediately preceding its own, and
is reported ready to cut to half an
hour and change its format en-
tirely.
It does seem that "Television
Playhouse" might be tried IN some
other spot before being abandoned
entirely. But not, for goodness sake,
opposite Milton Berle's Star me
ater" on Tuesday nights, just be-
cause there seems to be an audience
there.
Thomas Is Actor -Writer-Director
It is one of the duties as well as
one of the pleasures of the reviewer
IN any entertainment field to seek
out and encourage actors who lend
their medium luster. One OF these
1t was apparent during the week
Just past, is Norman Thomas, the
presidential candidate of the So
cialist Party. Mr. Thomas joined
In debate with Louis Bromfleld on
THE American Forum of the Air
WOL-Tuesday, II p. mJ and
earlier. was seen having his say on
the Hartley law as one ol
the guest critics on Author Meets
the Critics" (WNBW-Sunday, I
p. M.
The statement that Mr.. Thomas
Is an actor with much to offer both
radio and television is not made
facetiously. He could scarcely be
the first to deny that he is an
actor. He uses his talents to dra-
Matte a cause of his own rather
than one of a playwright or radio
script writer, but he is an actor
nonetheless.
Mr.. Thomas, as an actor, is nc
empty vessel into which some di-
rector pours a performance. He is