Evening star., 1951-11-11
On the Air
If You Knew the Possibilities,
You Wouldn't Smile Either
By Harry Macarthur

ward Stasheff and Rudy Bretz.
This is not for the general audi
ence, but if you're hoping to
launch a career in television you
ought to find it profitable reading.
It's a comprehensive and clearly
written text in the writing, direc-
tion and production of the TV
program.
1t might profitably be read, too,
by Jack Benny, Bob Hope or any
others who still think that point
ing cameras at a show staged for
a theater audience turns it into
a television program.
"The motion picture drama
must have a certain formality
which is necessary even in the
theater to maintain aesthetic
distance between actor and audi
ence in the interest of successful
Illusion" Authors Stasheff and
Bretz write in an elementary
chapter on the nature of televi-
sion. "An actor never looks di-
rectly into the film camera lens
Except in the particular case Of
subjective shooting) because to do
so would make the audience con-
scious of the camera. This Is also
true in the television drama. In
all other types Of television pro-
ductions. however, the performer
most often does look directly into
the lens, because that is his con-
nection with the audience at
home"
A little later, on the difference
between television and radio, they
write:
while radio and television
home audiences are similar in
size CIV is actually a little larger.
on the average) and likely to be
taking in the programs in their
own living rooms, there is one
important difference between the
listener and the viewer. Many
radio programs can be enjoyed by
people who are doing other things
at the same time-a housewife
doing her chores, a student doing
his homework. a father reading
his paper. Television programs
require the complete concentra-
ton Of the viewer. The show
cannot serve as a pleasant back
ground for other activities. Ac-
cordingly. a television show which
appeals mainly to the ear and in
sufficiently to the eye will en-
courage distraction on the part
of the viewer, or will insufficient
ly crafty his desire for entertain
ment. Since the audience Is
usually fairly close to the set, the
disappointed viewer is more likely
to switch to another station than
the disappointed listener"
Awords Committee
Cont Pick q Winner
Reading the announcement Of
the first Sylvania Television
Awards you will discover that
some other people, too, have been
finding television not quite what
it might be. These are the mem
bers of the Award Committee,
headed by Deems Taylor.
The committee did, it is true,
have kind words for the Kefauver
Committee telecasts, ZOO Pa
rade." "Meet the Press" Fire
side Theater," your Show of
Shows" Imogene Coca and Sid
Caesar, John DAILY. Producer Max
Liebman, Producer Director Frank
Wisbar and Writer Arnold Bel
gard.
On television as a whole, how
ever, the committee noted that
television was young and that it
was trying. then added:
"But when such a group as ours
considers what contributions have
been made to creative television
techniques. we would be less than
honest if we did not say that we
find dearth Of creative excel
lence peculiar to television In the
field OF entertainment"
No grand award was included
in the first Sylvania Television
Awards.