The Busy Air

MOVIE THEATERS, announced the newly established Television Research Institute, will be practically empty by 1955, and there will be 24 million TV sets in U.S. homes. But TV will need "three to four times the total annual output of the U.S. film industry." Who is to pay for this increased output? "The simple truth is that either pictures must be made more cheaply or a method must be found for the public to foot the bill."

THE THEATER, with the new revue Small Wonder (see THEATER) suggests that democracy should be sold to Europe as soap is peddled to the U.S. Sample radio commercials read by Comedian Tom Ewell: "Hello Europe--this is America. Ladies, does your government look different lately? Are your borders in disorder? Well, join the swing to Democracy. And remember,Victor Kravchenko has switched to Democracy because Democracy is milder ... Try the brand of government Rita Hayworth uses! And then they'll say about you . . . she's lovely, she's engaging, she votes!"

SILENT FILMS looked promising on TV. ABC televised The Eagle, a silent feature made in 1925, starring Rudolph Valentino. Nat Fowler, ABC director of films, claimed that it drew more excited response than any other film he had run. Planning an early showing of The Sheik, and The Son of the Sheik, Fowler sighed: "Here we go again."

CBS Television was also plunging backward in time. Televiewers of CBS' Film Theater of the Air are currently startled by the sudden insertion of a 60-second commercial. After a hasty, soap-opera-type synopsis of previous action, the film resumes. Jerry Danzig, CBS associate director of programs, explained this reversion to the old nickelodeon technique: "A sponsor won't buy a picture and wait an hour for sponsor identification." He added, ominously: "We're establishing a precedent."

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.