Evening star., 1949-07-17
News of Video and Radio
Use of Those New UT1F Video Channels
Will Not Come Immediately
By Harry Macarthur

of half-h psychological dramas
to be sent to the ABC network
from the New York studios. &.
He's the second name" PERSONAL
ity of the movies to take the
full television plunge. having been
preceded by Dumont's Wendy
Barrie. Televiewers have re-
Gently discovered that a farmer
is not the only man who hates
a drought. The TV signal travels
better over water than over dry
land and, as a lot Of local people
noticed during several recent
nights, better over wet land than
over dry land. NBC and CHS
are still sparring with tentative
left jabs over prizefight telecasts.
According to announcement at
hand from both. the setup seems
to be this: NBC will televise all
Friday night bouts in Madison
Square Garden and all cham
pionship bouts Of the ring world.
both indoor and outdoor; CHS
will carry the Wednesday night
series from st. Nicholas Arena.
Programs and People: WWDC
has its first Negro disc jockey in
Jon Massey. He was tried out a
week ago last night and drew the
largest audience any one in that
spot ever had on the station.
More important. to q radio sta
ton, was the phone call from q
record retailer. who offered to
sponsor Mr.. Massey in any spot
the station could find for him. He
now has, in addition to the Sat-
urday night show, 4 daily 6-6:45
am. spot. Kate Smith
evening series for ABC, which was
scheduled to start this month, has
been postponed until August. The
singer also will continue her day
time MBS program. DR..
Serge Koussevitzky launches
series of five programs from the
Berkshire Music Festival at Tan
glewood today with an all
Mozart program. 1t will be heard
on NBC (WRC) at 4:35 pm. &.
Sigmund Romberg has been Sc
lected to direct the summer con-
cert series United States Steel is
presenting on NBC Sundays at
$50 pm, in the niche reserved
for the Theater Guild on the Air
come autumn. Senator Harry
Byrd will discuss "The Presidents
Economic Proposals" with Charles
Farmer today on Farmer from
Washington" (WPIK, 2:30 p.m).
Jean Hersholt. radios 'Dr.
Christian" Is the latest to feel
the effect of Ezio Pinza's bestowal
of glamour on the middle-aged.
Mr.. Hersholt came out Of the CHS
Hollywood studios tho other day
to be swamped under an ava
lanche Of bobby-soxers. not one
Of whom was over Is. He was not
only startled but shocked to hear
one Of the enraptured cry. Hes
Swoony." These Changing
Times" q new 10-minute feature
presented in cooperation with
the magazine. Changing Times,
starts tomorrow on WPIK. It
will be heard at 8:15 am. Monday
through Friday. Jack Kirk
wood, radio comedian. makes his
movie debut in Bob Hopes Where
Men Are Men" The latest
comedy show to announce fall
plans is that Of George Burns and
Oracle Allen. They return in
September. in the Wednesday,
night-at-10 spot on CHS. .
The NBC Sunday night show.
Album of Familiar Music" will
take an eight-week vacation,
starting next Sunday. It's the
first rest period the program has
had In more than II years on
the air. E.
In Review:
"Fireball Fun-for- (WNBW
Tuesday, 8 p.mJ-Nothing that
has turned up so far in this zany
hour could have come as a surprise
to those familiar with the antics
Of Olsen and johnson. In turning
to television, they have adapted
the medium to their needs, instead
Of tailoring their talent to f1t the
medium. The result may be good
Olsen and johnson. but 1t is only