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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 9, 1956)
Television Study in Contrasts; Creator Of Talent Sometimes Ruthless Glutton . . , . . . j.i T 1 1- 1 1 o AC a x f) 1 -r-i . By WltLIAM EWALD United Press Correspondent New York U.R) TV is a bounteous horn of plenty or a bottomless stomach. It depends upon your vantage point. It is a study in contrasts. It is a wooer of new talent, a creator of a new race of giants, a be stower of wealth and stardom. But it is also a fickle and some times ruthless, glutton. It has dropped multi-million dollar contracts in the laps of such performers as Milton Ber- le, Jackie Gleason, Martin and Lewis and Ed Sullivan. But it has tried to chew up others like Imogene Coca, Wally Cox and Red Buttons.. The first giant of television was Milton Berle. He engineer ed the "breakthrough." He pick ed TV up on his shoulders and carried it over the hump. He did it in 1943. There were about 175,000 re ceivers in the nation that year. " DELICATE CONGRATULATIONS are extended turtle by Duchess, the cat, after hard-shell entry wins unusual pet class at New York's Madison Sauare Boys Chib.Clnternational) TV was a sometimes thing, "Back in 1947," recalls Berle, "I did an all-night telethon for a heart benefit on Du Mont. I stayed on for eight hours with out stopping. I got to like it. Variety Show Idea : . . "A little after that, the Texas company decided to go into TV and 1 was approached by their ad agency and asked if I had any ideas. I said, "How about doing something I've been doing, for 25 years, a variety-vaudeville show?" We put it on June 8, 1948. . ' During the summer we start ed to gain momentum and that was it." . . : That first season, Berle did 39 shows on TV plus 39 more on radio. ."That first show cost; $12, 000," remembers Berle. "Now, my show' costs $232,000 that's what it. costs. During that first year, you could get a top per former for a few hundred dol lars. I got Bill Robinson, for $450 and Pearl Bailey for $350. Now, a guest gets $7,500, $15,-000." Berle is on only 13 times a season' now, but he plans to cut it down to four appearances next season. - "This business, TV, is con stant and hard work," he says. "And there's just as much pres sure on me as there was when I was on every week." Berle, however,, is one of the lucky ones. He can see the goal in sight. He has an exclusive 30 year contract with NBC which he signed in 1951. But he won't have to work that long to retire. "Under the terms of the con- Grange Eagle Point Grange Eagle Point Grange met Tues day evening, February 7. Grange : opened in full form with" seating drill. All officers were present and also an unus ually large turnout of members. Two applications for member ship were read, also two applied for membership by demit from another Grange. Bob Bitterling reported for the agriculture committee. Mrs. James Edge reporting for the ed ucational committee talked about the origin of St. Valentine's day. Paul Olsen gave the legislative committee report. Grant Hubbell reported as insurance agent. The H.E.C. display table held a number of items. Mrs. Grant Hubbell brought a couple of coconuts from Guam, one in its original large outside covering, the other with the outer cover carved into birds, and showing half the inner coconut, as the base. Mrs. Gertrude Stanley showed a box of unusual design of inlaid woods, also an antique shawl with bits of steel interwoven to form a pattern. ' A portion of a large geode of amethyst crystals from Uruguay was brought by Paul Olsen. Am ethyst being the accepted birth stone for February, it was also of interest to see a hand-carved face of amethyst crystal . from old Mexico. Mrs. Stanley asks members to bring dolls for the display table for the next meeting, Feb. 21. After considerable discussion, it was voted that . the Grange sponsor and promote a rural fire protection district, as one of its projects. . Bob Bitterling and Cliff Moore were appointed by Master Mabel Wertz to be in charge and get the project started. Adolph (Bill) Wallenberg's re signation as lecturer was accept ed with regrets. He is still re covering from a long illness.' C. C. Hoover agreed to serve at least one more meeting as lec turer pro tem, until election can be held to fill the office. The new password was re ceived during this meeting. The program had to be cur tailed because it was growing late, but the "Indictment" was read. The "hearing" will be held at our next regular meeting on Feb. 21. Serving refreshments of chili were Ida Kent, Ethel Leopard and Mrs. Lee Lucas. tract," explains Berle, "I have to do only 25 more shows within the next four years. "I'm not a kid anymore. I'm going on 48 and I'd like a nor mal life. I've got a wonderful wife and home life and I'd like to give more to it.. Right now, I'm really beat." Takes Hard Work Beat is a word 'you hear all over television. It is an exhaust ing medium. Martha Raye,:for example, sometimes goes to a hospital for two days after her show, to rest and get some quiet One of the best known female clowns of our time, Martha is not reluctant to, talk about her debt to TV. She began rolling in the medium in 1948-49 with Berle. . . "Before TV, I wasn't so big," says Martha, "I had done night club work, movies, but had a big slump there for a while. "It appeals to the ham in me. Where else can you get 42,000, 000 people looking at you at once?" , . ' , But Martha, like all come dians, faces a problem, the dan ger of over-exposure. "Once a month is the answer," says Martha. "Then they don't tire, of seeing you." Over Exposure Problem Over-exposure is the constant worry of the TV artist." It caught up with WaSy Cox who starred as "Mr. Peepers" from July, Thursday, February 9, 195 MAIL TRIBUNE SEVEN 1952, to June, 1955. Cox takes it rather philoso phically. He lives in an East Side Manhattan apartment and busies himself making furniture, jewelry and lamps.' He took a turn in a Las Vegas nightclub last year and flopped. ' "TV is the only medium where the performer and the audience come into such close contact," says Cox. "I think tHe perform ers who have the best chance to survive are those who build up the least dramatic relationship with their audience. I don't mean anything bad by that, I mean the kind of show that is very casual and friendly. "What do I think about the draining powers of TV? Well, I'm not supposed to tell you, I think. You see, I've still got five and a half years to go on an NBC contract. But it certainly does give one pause, doesn't it?" 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