The Times reveals some good news for the export market: Mr Leon Goodman of T.V. Commercials Ltd has won a contract to make television commercials for showing in America. He said that it was the world’s largest single order for commercial television films ever placed, and it had been completed that day at their studio in Barnes. The contract covers 109 commercial films, for $158,000 (approx. £56,700 according to my calculations, The Times didn’t convert it). The contract is with Peter Elgar Productions of New York.
Today’s Daily Express reveals the format behind a(nother) new television quiz show. It says that “A face glimpsed through a window will be the clue in a new TV quiz game starting this month.” The new series will be called Place The Face and Eamonn Andrews will be in the chair. The format, like Andrews’ other new vehicle, This Is Your Life, originated in America The premise of this series is that the contestant tries to identify the face of a person who once came into his or her life.
Under the heading 9-hour car race for TV the same newspaper reports that TV cameras will be covering the British Automobile Racing Club’s “Nine Hour Race” which takes place on 20 August. Apparently, TV cameras will be stationed at four different points of the Goodwood motor racing circuit and a “roving eye ” mobile camera will give close-up views of driving technique as cars negotiate one of the more difficult parts of the track.
Mr F. A. Sibley of Guildford, in a letter published in the Daily Mirror was less than impressed by Philip Harben’s appearance in last Wednesday’s International Exchange. While the American, Chef Phillip, “was immaculate in snowy-white overall, cap and apron”, Harben “came on, minus cap, in his shirt-sleeves and a butcher’s striped apron.”
In a short “Night Spot” piece, Mirror writer Fergus Cashin was most taken by Louie Ramsay who played Susan Bannister in last night’s excerpt from the Players Theatre Production of Twenty Minutes South. Under the headling “TV Discovers Louie” Mr Cashing recalls Louie “caressing us with treacly voice and twinkling eyes.” The production is doing well and has transferred from The Players Theatre to St. Martin’s Theatre.
On ‘the box’ tonight are the usual mixed bag. Peter Scott introduces Look, a series of wild-life programmes, and this is followed by another Garrison Theatre, this time from RAF Little Rissington where Bill Kerr introduces Petula Clark, Avril Angers, the Hedliners and Pauline Joy. The usual foursome of Harding, Spain, Betjeman and Kilmartin have to provide answers to Alan Melville’s question Who Said That?, and the final 75 minutes is given over to Two Plays by Wolf Mankowitz: “It Should Happen To A Dog”, produced by Tony Richardson and “The Girl” produced by Patricia Foy. Alfie Bass and David Kossoff appear in both, with latter requiring two additional actors in the form of Harry Corbett and Diane Decker. Not the Harry Corbett, surely?