The Stage’s TV Page reports on a series entitled Strange Experiences which Derick Williams will produce and direct. Each episode will last just 3½ minutes and will feature the actor Peter Williams (no relation) who will “tell of some of the odd things that have happened to him or to his friends.” These are being made for the Associated Broadcasting Company, but it doesn’t say how many there will be.
The Y.M.C.A. Club in Queen Street, Edinburgh, which adjoins the present BBC buildings in the city, has been bought by the corporation to meet the growing demand for studio space.
The TV Page also reports that Associated-Rediffusion are splitting their time, and thus their advertising rates, into three categories: “Peak Time” (£1,000 a minute), “Basic Time” and “Off-Time” and it describes the artistes and programmes which will be found in Peak-Time:
Reg Dixon, Tommy Trinder, the Crazy Gang, Hughie Green, Ralph Reader, Michael Miles, Pop Music with Ted Heath and Billy Cotton, Jack Hylton, Godfrey Winn, Frank Owen, Orson Welles, boxing and sports films, direct relays of sport, Sir John Barbirolli and the Hallé Orchestra, an opera per month, with Disney supplying children’s programmes.
Basic-Time offerings, which allow less expensive advertising are:
“Scarlet Pimpernel”, Robert McDermott presenting Quiz shows, Nat Temple’s Band, Anthony Oliver, Leslie Mitchell, Derrick de Marney, Colin Wills, Noel Barber, Sir Gordon Richards on racing, outdoor soccer, classical music, pet programmes, Hopalong Cassidy and a daily children’s programme.
The Off-Time will feature:
the daily serial, Sixpenny Corner; Ailsa Garland, Bon Viveur, Louise Davis, Helen Burke and Evelyn Gibbs, women’s programmes and Tea V Time. Margot Lovell will conduct a shopping guide and there will be a week-end motoring programme
At the weekend, under the aegis of Associated Broadcasting, a similar three-way split will also be in operation. Peak-time entertainment will consist of:
I Love Lucy, two drama series, one by H. M. Tennent, the Palladium Show, Val Parnell and Liberace
Basic-Time means
Robin Hood, Scarlet Pimpernel and two other drama series, My Hero and a Leslie Randall series; Jack Jackson, Armand and Michaela Denis, two magazine programmes, the Zoo, Noddy and Roy Rogers
Off-Time will be taken up with
A panel game and a magazine. Joy Shelton, Elizabeth Allan and Do It Yourself are the shopping guide programmes.