Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-05-01
On the Air

TV network will have a lot of
Hollywood movie cameras spin
ming by the time the 1953-54
season arrives. The webs latest
move in the TV film field is the
signing of Hal Roach, jr.. to a
'long- term agreement for the
production of television pro-
grams for network sale and sub
sequent syndication."
Mr.. Roach is the movie eX-
ecutive who recognized oppor-
tunity when it came along and
put his fathers Hal Roach Stu
dio on its feet by turning to
production Of films for TV. THE
Stu Erwin Show" one of Abe
TVS more successful ventures,
is Roach product. So are MY
Little Margie" and Racket
Squad"
Mr.. Roach's first venture I'M
der the new pact will be white
Collar Girl" starring Laraine
Day, according to Robert M.
Weitman, vice president of ABC
in charge of talent and program
ming. This will go into produce
ton about the middle Of May.
If all goes as planned pilot
films for a half -dozen new series
will be ready for showing to
sponsors and ad agencies before
the start of the fall season. The
programs, Mr.. Weitman reports,
will cover a broad field of COM
edy, drama. mystery, romance
and adventure.
II II y
FULL SWEEP-Having just
dominated the Peabody Awards.
NBC now has had further COW
eted honors heaped on it. All
four Christopher Awards for the
first quarter of 1853 in television
and radio went to NBC pro-
grams. The announcement was
made yesterday in New York by
Father James Keller. director of
the Christophers. Each Of the
programs cited, he said. is "rep-
resentative of the opportunity
for those in the creative arts,
under God, to provide both in
spiration and entertainment for
the millions"
Programs honored were:
Victory at Sea-" for it's ID
Day" chapter on February IS.
dealing with the Normandy in
vaSion.
"Voice Of Firestone." for its
special Easter simulcast on
March 80.
The NBC Symphony, for its
March % broadcast of Beeth-
ovens "Missa Solemnis." con-
Quoted by Arturo Toscanini.
"Theater Guild on the Air"
for it's January 18 broadcast of
Trial by Forgery, by Bernard
C. Schoenfeld.
y + -
EPIC-The two-part "Ply-
mouth Playhouse" presentation
of "A Tale of Two Cities" on
"ABC Album" next Sunday and
May 10. is shaping up as a
project Of major proportions. It
will employ, along with studio
sets, what ABC feels are per
haps the most extensive exterior
settings ever used in a live
dramatic television show"
It had to originate in Holly
wood. where such space as New
Workers never dream of is avail
able. The Dickens TV adoption
will spread out over much OF
ABC's 23-acre Television Center
as we'll as two sound stages with
II specially-designed interior
sets.
Among these latter will be a
cobblestoned French street, de-
signed for revolutioniSt dancing
in; the wine shop where Nine.
DeFarge and her husband plot
the revolution, and the Old Bal
ley in London. Bleachers and
scaffold for the guillotine scene
are being constructed outdoors.
It may or may not be signifl-
cant. but at least this particular
Hollywood production crew has
recognized the relative i'm
portance Of studio audiences.
The seats have been ripped out
of the audience section of the
ABC studio to provide an addi-
tional 5000 square feet of floor
space for the Album" special.
If they're smart. they'll leave
them out.
PROGRAM NOTES - Blair
Moody, who conducted a radio
program called Meet Your
Congress" before he became a
Senator, is back in broadcasting
now that he is an ex-senator.
He will launch a television
Meet Your Congress" on Sun
day at 4::30 pm. on WMAL-TV.
. Senators Paul Douglas and
II. Alexander Smith will