Evening star., 1951-01-16
On the Air
You'd Better
Watch What
Army Sends
By Harry Macarthur

There are two items here which
might better have been inserted
in the stories about that $71.5
billion budget the President wants
Congress to approve. 1t is not
often that this department deals
with the business side of tele-
vision, but the rules must be sus-
pended today.
The United States Army and the
United States Air Force, says the
first of these stories. will sponsor
the 10 to 1890 segment of the
Roller Derby on ABC (WMAL-TV)
on Thursday nights. The same
sponsors, according to the second
of the stories, have purchased the
$3.50 to 10 portion of Saturday
Night at the Garden" on DuMont
| (WTTG).
There is a vast jest here some
where, but you will have to decide
for yourself when to laugh.
This news had better not be
allowed to spread too far, however.
Things like this can create all
sorts Of tensions between various
groups of the Nations population.
If you live in a non-TV area or
don't own television receiver you
are being Disseminated against.
You are not getting full value for
your taxes.
Then, too, all sorts Of dire things
can be foreseen in the event that
either of the sports shows drops
to lower place in the program
ratings. 1t might become un-
American to watch Martin Kane"
or Sid Caesar.
X X +
Faith Baldwin may not be your
idea Of the author needed to i'm
prove the literary tone of daytime
television, but what's a good,
healthy difference of opinion be-
tween you and television net
work? Miss Baldwin has been
hired by ABC-TV as part of "a
move designed to broaden the ap-
peal Of daytime television presen-
tations to satisfy adult audiences"
Starting January 20 'The Faith
Baldwin Romance Theater" will
be added to the ABC (WMAL-TV)
schedule. to be seen every other
Saturday at IL am. These will
be dramatizations of Miss Bald
wins short stories and novelettes
and the author herself, just like
Somerset Vaughan, will appear as
narrator.
That same date will bring some
other changes to the Saturday
daytime lineup on the same net
work. Another new show will
be 1.-TWO Girls Named Smith," a
situation comedy series starring
Peggy Ann Garner, which will be
seen every Saturday at noon. Di-
rectly following this. at 1890 |
pm, will come "I Cover Times
Square" This latter program al
ready has built a sizeable Thurs
day night audience, so the move
is undoubtedly an experiment to
see if an equal daytime following
can be found.
Ann Crowley, the Mayflower
Lounge singing star, has found |
herself beSeiged with invitations
to appear on local television pro-
grams. Last Friday afternoon it |
was Nancy Osgood (WNBW) who |
won her and Miss Crowley also has
a date to sing with the Army |
Band on its January 27 broadcast |
from Fort Myer. Her number |
then will be Give Me Your Tired,
Your Poor" which she learned |
well while singing a leading role |
in Miss Liberty" in New York.
X X X
Programs and People: In case
you hadn't noticed, WMAL-TV
has brought back That's My
Baby in response to requests in
the mail. 1t was on for several
months last summer, was revived
this season as a part of Ruth
Cranes afternoon show and now
has been given a spot of its own
Friday, Gas pm. Howard Dev-
ron and Roberta Rule are fea-
tured. Screen Star Lee Bow
man has taken over the leading
role in "The Adventures of FL
lery Queen" (WTTG-Thursday,
9 p.mD, replacing Richard Hart,
who died suddenly recently.
Mary Lynn Beller, a 17-year-old
radio and television veteran, is the
newest addition to "The First 10C
Years" (WTOP-TV - Monday
through Friday. 2:30 p.m.). :. :.
1.-THE Original Amateur Hour"
(WNBW-Tuesday. 10 p.m.) starts
it's fourth television year with
tonight's telecast. Milton Berle
is rumored dickering with NBC-
TV, his eye on production job.
Wouldn't give up his regular
show, of course. Joey Adams
may get his own television show
in the spot on CBS-TV which
Robert @. Lewis is vacating after
this week.