Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-11

SALUTE Time was when
HMGM, the movie studio, looked
upon television as the scorpion
some churl had hidden in its
bowl of caviar. Time is when
MGM is celebrating its 30th
anniversary and where do you
think it is having the party?
Why, on television. of course.
No less than Dore Schary, the
studios top executive, will head
the MGM contingent scheduled
to descend upon Ed Sullivan'S
"Toast of the Town" next Sun
day night.
Mr.. Sullivan has been in
Hollywood all this week. making
speeches to Rotary Clubs, sign
ing autographs and preparing
the special program. It promises
to be. well, colossal is the only
fitting word under the circum-
stances. 1t will occupy three Of
the four big stages at CHS
Television City. MGM has as
signed two producers George
Wells and Herman Hoffman,, a
script writer Jerry Davis, a
special material writer (Roger
EdenS) and a photographer
(Hermes PAM to it's special
segment of Toast"
Don't think, either, that the
no-TV clause in the contract
will be thrown in the face of any
who accompany Mr.. Schary to
TeleviSion City Sunday night.
Among those entertaining will
be Ann Blyth, Howard Keel.
Jane Powell. Edmund Purdom
and Debbie Reynolds. Also
scheduled to put in an appear
ance are Pier Angel, Desi Arnaz
and Lucille Ball, Fred Astaire,
Lionel Barrymore, Louis Calhern,
Cyd Charlse. Van johnson,
Gene Kelly, Ann Miller, Walter
Pidgeon, Vera Ellen, Esther
Williams and keenan, Wynn.
Therell be film inserts, too.
These will include not only
elimpses of some past MGM hits.
but also preview highliehts from
The Long, Long Trailer" and
Executive Suite" MGM may
not like television. but it knows
a crowd of people when it sees
one. And a crowd of people is
what MIR. Sullivan addresses
every Sunday night via TV.
FRIDAYS BIG CASE - Still
another union between television
and the movies has been eff
fected. Jack Webb has signed
with Warner Bros. to do a full
length version of his radio and
Nv show, "Dragnet," for theater
showing. 1t will be filmed in
color, with shooting scheduled to
start around the end of April.
Mr.. Webb. happy with the addi-
tlonal room he will have at least
once. comments, Twenty
minutes doesn't permit enough
time to develop character. plot
and to tell a complete story of
Joe Friday" Ninety minutes.
he hopes. will.
DOLLS AND GUYS - Ann
Crowley. whom you'll see and
hear Saturday on the conclud-
ing half of the NBC Television
Opera Theater production of
THE Marriage of Figaro" will
return to the Shoreham Blue
Room next week. A recent en-
gagement there was cut short
when Miss Crowley landed a
Studio One" part. That was
followed by the operate role for
NBC-TV, the first she has ever
sung Martha Raye, says the
Hollywood Reporter tainted twice
during rehearsals for her last
TV show. NBC had better make
her take it easy For all its array
OF comedy talent. it has few peers
OF Miss Raye >. Elaine Shepard,
who used to be WTTG's Holly
wood Showcase" girl, is taking a
Brazilian jaunt.
Ray Bolger is rumored the
center of trouble on the set
where his TV show is filmed. but
don't leap on him. His view:
Hollywood is where on a very,
very clear day you can see
through your very best false
friends" . Steve Aliens five
a-Week nighttime TV show may
go network for NBC-TV In the
spring. Currently this other
project of the What's My Line?"
panelist is seen only in New York.
:. Charley Applewhite, set for
four more appearances with
Milton Berle, is another who may
get a show all his own on NBC-
TV.
The NBC-TV serial, Three