Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-07-15


Lucy" fifth. ARB's was Shelton.
first; Talent Scouts" second;
Berle, third: "Your Show Of
Shows" fourth, and Lucy"
fifth.)
Skeletons achievement of such
popularity surprised virtually no
one. Before he turned to tele-
vision, he was widely regarded as
a natural" for the medium.
What happened the following
season was no surprise. either.
to opponents of film for this sort
of TV.
Shelton turned to the movie
camera for his shows and almost
plummeted right out Of televis-
ion. His third season, 1884,
was better, due to a happy COM
bination of circumstances. He
was on opposite Berle in most
cities and Immediately following
Gene Autry. CHS aimed Skel-
ton at the younger set in the
same season which saw Berle
doing more sophisticated, adult
comedy.
Paradoxically enough, Shelton
may find the strain Of an hour
long show less than that at
tached to a weekly half-hour 1t
was this strain which drove him
to Aim in the first place. Here.
however, the plan seems to be to
give him q more elaborate pro-
duction and guest stars to help
bear the load.
Shelton also will be given
wider range in the Wednesday
night show. In addition to por-
traying his familiar characters,
he will do a bit of singing, dane
ing and acting in sketches with
his Hollywood guests. If a "live"
hour-long revue starring Red
Shelton doesn't turn out to be an
oasis in the arid summer pro-
gram desert, it will be a consid-
cradle surprise. Or somebody
will have bobbled badly in the
production department.
When Godfrey returns, incl
dentally, Shelton will find him
self moved back to an old ia
miliar spot-bucking Ferle-this
time for the full 8-to-9 Ecur on
Tuesday nights. The Hollywood
redhead still will be better of
than the Original Redhead.
ABC-Tv has scheduled its first
"Disneyland" series for 7:30-to-
$3.50 on Wednesdays, come
autumn.
IN MEMORIAM--Dean Mar
tin and Jerry Lewis, making .
sentimental journey back into
the past, will play a To-day en-
gagement at the 500 Club in At
lantic City, starting tomorrow
night. It was eight years ago
that Lewis was working there,
doing a pantomime act to pho
nograph records. He talked the
boss, Paul D'Amato, into hiring
a singer named Dean Martin.
palming him of as a man who
could help out with the comedy.
Within a week the two were
given notice to be funny or else.
Their first move was to stage
a drowning act on the beach.
When a sufficient crowd had
gathered, Lewis announced: If
you think I'm dying now, you
ought to see me tonight at the
500 Club" Then they repaired
to o bench and tried for hours
to put something funny on
paper. Nothing came Of that
but their mutual vow to work as
q team henceforward.
That night, with nothing to
lose. they committed zany may
hem upon the night club and
It's occupants and you know the
rest.
NEW MAN-Sheldon Reyn-
Odds, in Paris. reports that
Gerald Mohr has been signed to
follow in the footsteps Of Jerome
Thor and James DAILY. Producer
Writer-Director Reynolds is al
lowing the leading man In For
eign INTRIGUE" to become a
shade avaricious In the next
series 80 films. it appears. In
stead Of remaining q newspaper
man he will 60 after the more
plentiful long green available to
the operator Of gambling ca
sino in q European capital.
Mohr has been one Of Holly
woods buster actors in recent
years. He's been a regular cast
member Of CD S-TV's MY
Friend Irma" and has played in
q number Of top dramatic shows.
On radio he was a Well-known
detective in two different series.
Philip Marlowe" and Mike
MaIloy." He has chalked up q
number OF movie credits, too. in
The Eddie Cantor Story"
Money From Home" Ten TAN
Men" annd Detective Story"
among others. -