Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 3 February 1952 — Page 10

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PAGE 10

~ TV Jeebies—

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THE INDIANAPQLIS TIMES

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SUNDAY, FEB. 3, 1952

Prize Dog Is Not The Video Production Man’ s Best Friend

By PAUL RITTS (uustrations by’ Dick Stremas) CHAPTER ONE MY first television show was -called “Canine Capers.” ;.I had misgivings right from the start. In the first place 1 never went for dogs and * in the second place, dogs always went for me—with their teeth bared. But Marty, the program director, kept telling me It was ta television natural.” “Who {8 man’s best friend?” Marty had asked me. “His mother?” ;I had replied. “No, stupid, his dog! People are nuts about dogs. You take my next- door. neighbor. Why, he treats his cocker spaniel better than he treats his wife.” “The dog.” “Take the movies!” Marty raved on, “What happens when Lassie comes on the sdreen? I ask you, what happens?” “He barks?” “No, no, I mean the people! They ‘oh’ and ‘ah,’ don’t they? That's because they're nuts about dogs.” “Okay, so they're nuts.” “I tell you it's a natural, Besides, it's free. People will break their necks to be on the show.” ” . 'd MR. OTIS Willoughby, president of the Atlantic Seaboard Dog Fanciers’ Assoclation,. was sort of master of ceremonies for my “Canine Capers.’

On the day of the show, an avalanche of yelping, yapping, snarling mastiffs came rolling into the studio. Twenty-five or thirty huge dogs were lunging against their leashes, clawing ‘the floor, growling at the cameras and snapping at every-

; thing within range.

Mr. Willoughby stood in ‘the center of the melee, trying to restore order, “The poor things are nervous,” he yelled at meg''must be the lights, . I ious few more than we plagned ®n. Make it

« ‘more impressive, you know.”

I shuddered a little and closed the Boos One Would think that with $800,000 worth of delicate television equipment, the thing least likely to conk out on the air would be a set of earphones worth a buck and a half. One would be wrong. It happened. The show got off to a beautiful start with the title-card well centered on camera one. The floor men had his thumb in the picture but that wasn’t really noticeable, The title card read:

~

CANINE: CAPERS Otis . Willoughby

NOTE: This is a series that describes. the semihysteria “ that"is part of the “growing pains” of television. The author Is executive directorproducer of WOCAU-TV in Philadelphia, He directs such shows has “Big Top.” This series is from his book, THE TV-JEEBIES, recently published by The Jobn C. Winston Co, Ed Sullivan, noted New York columnist and MC of television, says: “If you think _ Ritts is getting a little loose with the facts, you have my

guarantee that these things . -

have all happened.” =’

“Camera two get a close-up of the woman,” 1 said into my mouthpiece, “Here she is, folks" Willoughby, “Mrs. Van Kempt.”

ae ¢ Q

sald Mr. Schuyler

bw I snapped to camera two and and there, life size, was Gwendolyn, leering all over the

camera, drooling all over the place and panting like mad.

“Lady

“Tell the guy on camera two to pan up to the woman, The woman, not the dog.” i Le ” » THROUGH the control room window I saw Eddie race over to cameraman two and whisper into his ear. The cameraman shrugged . ‘his shoulders and panned up slowly to the woman, just as Mr. Willoughby was saying: ’ : of “And now Jet's take a look at Mrs. Van Kempt's wonderful female champion, Lady Gwendolyn IIL”

There on the beautiful close-up of Schuyler Van Kempt.

screen was a Mrs. She was

grinning stupidly, not realizing.

she vas on the air. Here upper teeth protruded unfortunately, and the television camera didn’t do her sagging chin any good. “Isn't .she a beauty, folks?” shouted Mr. Willoughby. “Notice the good strong set of

teeth. ‘They could do a lot of” damage if anybody. tried to fool

- around with her, I'll bet!”

“Eddie!” +I moaned into the mouthpiece, “tell him to get on the dog! The dog!" “Notice the strong lines around her jow,” Mr, Willoughby carried on. “Plenty of character there.” : Mrs. Van Kempt, still on the screen, nodded her head. “I understand that she was sired by one of the greatest dogs on the Atlantic seaboard. The famous ‘Dapper Dan." Mrs. Van Kempt grinned and nodded again. on ~ # BY THIS TIME, camera one had a good,

safe, wide-angle |

™ | | 1 {

shot of the whole stage. I |

snapped on camera one and stuck with it for the “est of the

show. In a way I wish I hadn't |

because then I

might have |

avoided putting on the air that |

final humiliation, I noticed one of the larger mastiffs making snarling passes

-at the man on camera two. The

dog had been doing it all through the show and now he seemed to be taking an even greater - interest in ‘the man’s anatomy. Suddenly, the mastiff made a powerful lunge, broke from his master ang aank his

teeth into the camer dman’s left |

leg. The next<thing the viewers

saw at home was a cameraman |

rushing across the stage, drag- p= ging a monstrous mastiff, Marty said it was the hit of the show. But he has a twisted sense of humor. The thing I couldn't live down was what the cameraman said. At the top ot his voice he yelled, “SON OF A —."' The screen blacked out. So did I. bi Hg hase TR ARAL a hd Feature Syndicate, Ine.) Yaited NEXT SUNDAY: Spomare Are People.

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“you'll have to forgive me if I seem a little upset,” came a lady's. voice “but this is my first : time on television and I'm nervous.”

“Camera

Tv Predicted

Across Oceans

SYRACUSE, N. Y., Feb. 2 (UP) Transooceanic television, feof great possible significance,”. probably ‘will be achieved during the present generation, according to a pioneer in the field. Dr. Walter R. G. Baker, a vice " president of the General Electric Co., said certain technical requirements still must be met before overseas programs can be broadcast. Baker, whose initials (WRGH) | identify the TV station at Sche-'§[ nectady, N. Y., said. .“Transoceanic TV is of great significance. There is much to see abroad, of great importance here in showing how well off we are here.” The eye of the television cam-| era, he said, possesses an unusual quality, “a type of moral X-ray which penetrates show and deceit and pretentiousness.” | “Some public figures will find that the camera's unblinking stare and simultaneous and instantaneous scrutiny by millions of people will be unnerving,” he added.

From that point on things got a little out-of control. Mr, Willoughby 8 ghouted his opening remarks “even louder than usual. The microphone wasn't really necessary. He could have woman,” I

. ae In the Indianapolis Area SEE—HEAR ENJOY been heard as far as the city mouthpiece. Nothing happened. | -—— = —_— .

limits without it. “~~ “On the woman,” I shouted: | K a t . - ¢ : : os eco

“Now, folks, I'd like you to ‘even louder. Still nothing. The ' "

i 7

two, get on the yelled into. the

meet a woman who has been dog stayed where she was and active in the dog world for stuck out her: tongue, It was | years! She brought up to the then 1 discovered the camera- | studio tonight her grand man’s earphones were dead. champion mastiff ‘Lady “Eddie,” I "hollered to the Gwendolyn III'" floor man over my _mouthplece, |

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