Evening star., 1952-12-22

as you can get of the need for the
display of some common sense by
the TV broadcaSters. This may
have seemed q harmless Christ
mas fantasy to a young unwed
play-reader in New York. 1t may
have seemed the same to pro-
ducer, director. actors and spon-
sor. 1t couldn't have seemed that
to any parent.
Parents try to bring their chill
dren through the early years un-
damaged. They continually warn
them to be careful crossing streets.
Parents of boys adjure them not
to fall out of trees and break their
neckS. Parents of girls, horrify-
ing headlines always in mind.
command them never to speak to
strangers.
Here was play on television
making a bum out of Nom and
Dad. Strangers in the park. 1t
said. mean Christmas presents
rather than potential danger. To
put this on the air at $50 Friday
evening, when millions of children
would be certain to be in the
audience. was betraying a trust.
Even parental policing Of TV pro-
grams can't keep this sort Of thing
from young eyes and ears. The
Itelevision broadcasters will have to
do it.
MAN OF INFLUENCE.-Arthur
Godfrey. the CHS boy. will turn
up on NBC-TV on Christmas day.
He'll be starred in an hour-long
Christmas fantasy, Number One
Yuletide Square," sponsored by
General Motors and scheduled to
be telecast at 4 pm. Thursday
Stars in addition to Godfrey will
be Thomas Mitchell. Robert Help
man of the Sadler's Wells Ballet
and Tranquil Leclerq and Jacques
ID'Anboise Of the New York City
Center Ballet. The City Center
Ballet Troupe, under the direction
OF George Balachine, will be fea-
tured and Victor Young will con-
duct the orchestra. The produc-
ton is in the hands of Leon Leoni-
doff, executive producer at New
York City Radio City Music Hall.
There is reported little joy
around CBS-TV over this Godfrey
appearance on the rival network.
Nobody is complaining openly,
however. In the first place, no
network wishes to antagonize any,
body named General Motors. In
the second place, no network
wishes to antagonize the man re-
sponsible for a large. several-mil-
lion-dollar chunk Of its yearly
business.
NAMES IN THE NEWS-Mindy
Carson, many will be happy to
know, Is returning to television
as a regular. She will be the
star, starting December 80, of
I"Club Embassy" an intimate mus
Iical revue seen on NBC-TV on
Thursday at 1890 pm. This,
incidentally. ought to have an
already favorably prejudiced audi
Ience around here, especially
among the Mayfower lounges
customers. . The principal
dancer in Miss Carson's support
ing cast will be the talented
Danny Hoctor, half of the Hoctor
and Byrd team recently seen at
the Mayfiower. Another fea-
tured will be Florian Zabach, the
skilled violinist who made several
long stays at the lounge. Eric
Sevareid, CBS-radio's chief WASH
ington correspondent, will receive
the One World Award "for pro-
noting international understand
ing in the field Of RADIO" i.
Arthur Godfrey's foray onto the
ice last Wednesday was a COM
lplete success on all counts. (.
Nobody fell down and the CBS-
lTV program hit a new Trendex
high. Special survey showed
that Godfrey and friends on
skates attracted 847 per cent of
the viewers available. Closest
Opposition had 6.7 per cent. j.
Show in fourth place must Lave
been playing to a vacuum. d.
NBC finally found a sponsor for
Bob Hope at night. He'll re-
turn for his 18th radio season on
January z with q weekly half