Evening star., 1950-08-06

lie was III NEW 4OIk IllS OII1cl udy
trying to find out from a lot of
two, three and even four-year
veterans of TV just what goes on
with it. He got the same reply
every place he turned.
We'll" the experts answered to
a man, "we're just sort of feeling
our way. you know
If our man hasn't given up and
still is seeking truth, light and
guidance, he could do lot worse
than ask Ed Wynn, except for the
fact that Mr.. Wynn works for
NBC and people who work where
our man works don't ask people
who work for NBC anything, even
the time of day.
Mr.. Wynn, though, is prophet
to whom some honor must be ac-
corded. Writing in the latest issue
of Variety, the show business
"Bible," the comic reveals him
self as a man who really ought
to look into television's future for
us. Back in December, 1947, Mr..
Wynn discloses in this Variety
piece, he wrote a letter to an ad-
vertising agency which included
a list of his predictions about the
immediate future of television.
The Wynn prognostications in
cluded: Variety shows will have
the biggest ratings the first few
years; 2-Most entertainers will
20 in for variety shows at first be-
cause they are easy to do; 81
Many amateur shows will appear;
4-Television's growth will be so
great and so fast that networks
and advertisers won't be able to
keep up with it; 5-The time will
come when more television sets
than radio sets will be sold; g.
Men who laid out a lot of money
to establish a TV station Will
double or triple their investments;
Radio stars will have to go into
television; 8-Weekly shows will
be best for TV if they can be ac-
complished; 9-Within two or
three years the capacity OF studios
will have to be enlarged because
demand for TV seats will be
greater than ever for radio; ia
lot of people who enter teleVlslon
early will fade; 11-Networks Will
run out of time for sale, and r.
Each big show will have its own
unit-writers, directors. etc.-and
not share them with other shows.
AS any Variety reader knows,
Mr.. Wynn's predictions either
have come to pass or are in the
process of doing so. Clearly, he
is the man to look into teleVlslon's
future for us.
There is a piece here from the
Associated Press about Iona
Massey, the star of MICS radio
spy drama "Top Secret" which
claims she has her adventures in
real life, too. During World War
II. it says, she toured a number
of Army, Navy and Marine bases
at her own expense. Her timer
ary, it says, carried her through
the Caribbean, out to the Ascen-
sion Islands" Islands, it says, in
the plural, and this is as good
a time as any to set the Associated
Press and the younger generation,
straight. For Massey interviewer
sgd Kronish's information, there
aren't any Ascension Islands.
There is only one Ascension
Island. It is five miles wide and
seven miles long and it is very
little island. But, as the briefing
officer at Natal always used to
sardonically reassure newcomers.
"You can't miss it: it's the only
land out there"
Telenotes: Alan Young, who
hasn't been looked on by Holly
wood with any great show OF en-
thusiasm in the past, has been
signed to a multiple-picture con-
tract by Paramount, following the
notable success of the ALAN Young
Show on CBS-TV last season
Whatever It Means Note:
The Pittsburgh Pirates showed the
greatest attendance drop of any
ball club this season. The Pirates
do not (not, that Isl allow their
games to be televised DR.. Allen
B. DuMont, the TV manufacturer,
has a boat worth $250,000. At
any rate, the stock in his youthful
television company which he
traded to finance the boat some
years back is now worth that or
more "Can You Top This?,"
one of the more successful radio
comedy shows, will become tele-
vision program in the fall. 1t
starts Tuesday, October 3, at $3.50
pm. on ABC-TV Korean
Briefing Report" consisting of
interviews of Armed Forces officers
by Robert Mccormick and Ray
Scherer, has been installed as a
regular daily at Sis feature on
NBC-TV. The final hour OF
play in the 1850 renewal of the
World Championship of Coli
Tournament at the Tam O'Shanter
Country Club in Niles, ILL.,, will
be an ABC-TV feature next Sun
day at $50 pm. Harry Wismer
will be the commentator. :.
Diana Lynn and Don DeFore of the
movies have just completed a
half-hour dramatic show, filmed
in Chicago, for television. i
Burt Lancaster, Hollywood's new
candidate for Doug Fairbanks
champion of derring-do title, may
be Alan Young's guest when the
comedians TV show resumes
August %. Cass Daley's re-
turn to radio won the approval
of NBC executives and they now
want her to turn to television
as well. Herb Shriner is re-
ported auditioning half-hour
variety show for CBS-TV. :.
Maurice Chevalier has signed for
a 39-week series Of TV films to