Evening star., 1951-04-24
On the Air
d. W. Griffith
Story No Bow
To FiImdom
By Harry Macarthur

By Harry Macarthur
It turns out to have been RASH
ness to assume that Birth of the
Movies" would be a love note from
television to Hollywood. There
have been a noticeable number OF
indications lately that television
which would like to get its
hands on some of those recent
movies in the vaults-is willing to
be nice to the moviemakers If it
is necessary. 1t seemed reasonable
in advance to expect some more
of the same from this weeks
Idramatization on ''Television Play
house" tWNBW-Sunday, 9 p.m9 ]
"Television Playhouse, how
ever, proved to have something on
it's mind other than initiating the
egos of movie producers. Birth
of the Movies" life story OF
ID. w. Grifith-was as nice as you
could ask a biographical drama toI
be until almost to it's conclusion.
Then it tossed a delayed hay
maker.
There were intimations that
the path of D. W. Griffith was
not altogether easy. He had his
front office problems as he kept
running over budgets while pio-|
neering with the closeup, the
mobile camera, the first mob
scenes, and generally taking the
lead in lifting the cinema above
its old nickelodeon standing. IT
was an interesting narrative, but
tressed by sequence from Birth
of a Nation" intolerance" and
Broken Blossoms"
1t was innocuous enough, too,
until it arrived at its climax with
Griffith alone and forgotten in
a small Hollywood hotel. Holly
wood was represented then by
callous producer more interested
in buying new yellow convertible
than in reading the script Lillian
Gish was trying to sell him about
the man who is generally agreed
to have oficiated at the birth of
the movies if he was not the
father.
Much more of this and the
lmovie-makers will lock those
vaults and throw the key away
rather than let television have
its films.
/ A Different Thursday: President
Truman may not have had time
to watch television last Thursday
when Gen. Douglas Macarthur
was speaking before Congress, but
things will be different this week
You can be sure that he will try
his best to find time to listen to
the radio Thursday night at 10
Daughter Margaret will be max
ing her acting debut on Screen
Directors Playhouse" (WRC).
The show should be an inter-
esting affair on another count
too. The radio drama will bt
Jackpot. with James Stewart
repeating his movie role. Or
screen it was, if you have forgot
ten. a jibe at radio for those
giveaway shows.
Programs and People: Winston
Churchill's speech at the Univer-
sity of Pennsylvania the night oil
May 8 will be televised by NBC-
TV =. Danny Thomas. an enter
tainer who has been demonstrat.
ing more versatility than a lot o1
people in television. will be bacl
on -Four Star Revue" tomorrow
night at 8 (WNBW). His guest list
will be headed by Kay Starr.
MIR. Thomas, incidentally, will be
one Of the first to loft a cheel
when the coaxial cable reaches tn,
West Coast. That will mean tina
he can spend two more weeks eacl
month at home in Beverly Hill
with his wife and three children
and give up committing to New
York. Secretary of Labol
Maurice Tobin will make one O.
his infrequent television appear
ances tomorrow on Ruth Crane
show (WMAL-TV-3 PM. It i
the National Cerebral Palsy driv,
which will bring him before tn,
cameras. =. Pat Crowley, Joyc,
Van Patton and Pat Kirkland viii
have leading roles tomorrow nigh
at 9 on "Television Theater'
I (WNBW) in Brief Music" TIL,
college yarn also will have role
for eight singing goods from Bar
nard College.
Personal, Not Too Private
Laurie Anders, the wide eye,
blond on "The Ken Murray Show
{ who loves the wi-i-i-i-ide opel
{ spaces, is building a small caree
on the phrase. The song writer
for her, which she introduced OF
the Murray show, brought he
appearances with Arthur Godfre,
and James Melton and she is t,
record it with Godfrey. DON
be surprised if Dagmar depart
"Broadway Open House for
show of her own on ABC-TV. =.
Don't be surprised, either, if NBC
announces this week that it ha
signed a long term television dea
with Red Shelton. =. Robert @
Lewis is planning to continue hi
Show Goes On" right through
the summer months. >. Abe Bur
rows has asked to be let out O
ms exclusive pact with CHS an,
will free-lance after June. Hell