Evening star., 1951-06-19
On the Air
TeIevision
Needs Help
On Aviution
By Horry Macarthur

this sort Of thing continue.
There was an example in "Op-
Grafton Airlift." an occasionally
dramatic documentary report on
the Air Forces famed battle of
the Berlin Blockade, which was
presented Sunday by "Television
Playhouse" (WNBW). At one
point a pilot and co-pfot entered
the office" of a C-54 and satl
down to run through the routine
cockpit check. The pilot grabbed
the wheel in front of him, turned
1t right and left, moved it for
ward and back to check the free
dom of the controls.
The wheel on the dual control
column in front of the co-pilotl
didn't move an inch. Didn't
bother him, though. and the boys
took off. Too much of this could
undermine your whole faith in the
Air Force.
Another and different failure toI
come to grips with facts turned
up the other night on Treasury
Men in Action" (WNBW-Thurs-
day, $3.50 p.m1. The central fig
ure in this was trans-Pacif1c air.
line captain who took to smuggling
phony penicillin into Hong Kong
Tor Someplace) to earn the money
ito buy his new wife a mink coat.
An airline pilot may. to be sure,
earn every cent Of q years salary
during o crucial two minutes of
an instrument approach, so this
is not to bedrudge them anything.
Still, the overwater airplane cap
tain who has to take to smug-
Cling to buy his wife q fur coat
either isn't working steady or just
can't budget his loot.
+ y
Hue and Cry: Apparently CHS,
now that its color has FEC ap-
lproval bulwarked by the Supreme
Court, is planning to ignore the
existence Of any other form of
tinted TV. An announcement that
IWTOP-TV will carry the inau-
gural commercial colorcast next
Monday afternoon at 4:3O, con-
Itinues with the statement:
Thus the station which was
the first anywhere to telecast color
broadcasts in public demonstra-
tionS In January, 1850. once again
has a role in bringing color to the
public"
For the record, WNBW was on
the air in August, 1948, with RCA
color tests, on the ultrahigh fire.
quencies received only by a few
special sets. ANY set in town, how
ever. could have had a public
demonstration Of compatibility by
way Of a black-and-white picture
when WNBW broadcast its color
on the air in the regular channel
in October, ls49. Members of Con-
gress. Government officials and
Inewspapermen saw q series of color
programs received at the Wash
ington Hotel.
CHS, Of course, is planning big
things to launch commercial color
ITV. The first show, next Monday,
viii have entertainment by Ar
thur Godfrey, Garry Moore, Faye
Emerson and the New York City
Ballet and tributes to the achieve
ment Of modern broadcasting Sci
ence by William s. Paley and
Frank Stanton of CHS and by
Wayne Coy. FEC chairman, who
has championed the color-now
cause in the commission.
Daily programs are planned by
CHS, but 1t isn't certain yet which
ones will be carried here by
WTOP-TV after the opening one.
Timely: Morrie Helitzer, &C.
year-old writer who was stationed
in Washington with the Navy dur
ing 1945 and 1916, has Just in
formed friends here that he has
landed a script with "Television
Theater" (WNBW-Wednesday, q
p.m0. Titled vienna Dateline, ~
it is f1ctional drama based on
the Robert Vogeler case ard at
the present moment it is scheduled
to be televised on July IL.
Mr.. Helitzer's background for
writing about the Vogeler affair
includes tour Of duty as Euro
pean correspondent for ms, dur
ing which he was stationed atI
Belgrade. Vienna, Paris and in|
various parts Of Germany. He may
not see his work make its tele-
vision bow, incidentally. He's inI
California and the kineScoped yer-
sion Of "Television Theater" re-
Gently was withdrawn in Los
Angeles.
Too Successful: A paper napkin
manufacturer recently decided to
drum up little trade by Offering
free samples to the listening pub
lie. The announcement, offering
coupons to be redeemed at the
nearest grocery, went on the air
just once-but it went on right In
the middle Of a bargain-buying
spree touched off by pair of
battling department stores in New
York. The response Of the radio
listeners was such that the napkin
maker now stands to give away
$250,000 worth Of free napkins.
On one radio program, sup
posed to have a maximum au-
dience Of $1,000, the announce
Fment brought 100000 requests.
\ 4 u
Honor: Gordon Williamson, mas
ter Of ceremonies of WTTG'sI
"Moppet Shop" has received a
citation Of merit from the Veterans
of Foreign Wars for living pa
triotism. The program, now of
for the summer. viii resume in
the fall.
1 Expert Tv Service