Week of February 9-18, 1955

New Russian Premier - The Soviet Parliament ousts Premier

Marshal Georgi Shukov, Russia’s glittering war hero,

becomes head of the Soviet Union’s armed forces in a

continued shake-up of the regime.

Supreme Soviet Parliament the Soviet Union has developed

hydrogen bombs with “such success that the United States would appear

backward.” He declared a world war would mean the end of “blood-saturated

imperialism.”

Red antiaircraft batteries shoot down a U.S. Skyraider 20 miles southwest of the

Tachen Islands. The pilot and two crewmembers were rescued.

Prime Minister Winston Churchill says he is ready to meet Soviet Premier

Bulganin in a four-power conference when the Paris-German rearmament pacts

are ratified.

China’s 600 million people broadcast that if

“imperialists” wage war, “we together with the peoples

of the whole world, will certainly wipe them out clean

from the surface of the globe.”

The Republicans choose San Francisco for their

August 20 1956 national nominating convention.

Nationalist Chinese warships pounce on a 14-ship

Communist convoy in the East China Sea. Seven Red

boats are destroyed.

Tests get under way - A B-36 bomber drops a small atom bomb in the Nevada

desert. Meanwhile, Russia proposes that all nations destroy all atomic and

hydrogen weapons.

Sports - Mickey Mantle re-signs with the Yankees again for a reported $25,000

for next season - a $5,000 increase.

Week of February 9-18, 1955

The Senate Juvenile delinquency Subcommittee is considering hearings in

certain cities along the Mexican border on the problem of teens crossing the

border for narcotics and other illicit pleasures.

effort to get rid of Marilyn Monroe. “We don’t like the blight

she is giving to the company. It’s disgusting. She’s had four

or five years’ training - enough to produce ten competent

actresses and she still can’t act,” said a spokesperson.

Davy Crockett - Because of the recent ABC-TV/Disneyland

showing of Davy Crockett, there’s going to be lots of record action (see ads). Out

front is Columbia Records/Fess Parker’s version of “The Ballad of Davy Crockett”

but it’s one of several to hit the marketplace. What’s interesting is, Burl Ives cut

the song some time ago, and Decca is re-releasing his version.

Week of February 9-18, 1955

Week of February 9-18, 1955

his piano-playing brother (Lee) intend to continue as a

team. The speculation has been heightened by George’s

recording of a number of his own records for Columbia and

his guest appearances on disk jockey shows. “We have a

partnership, Liberace Enterprises and everything we do

goes into one pool,” said George, who was a successful

violinist playing with name bands when he decided to team

up with his brother in 1947.

apartment. She was 37 and a long-time friend of George

Jessel. Later, it’s revealed drugs were involved.

Television news -

While Jackie Gleason is on vacation, guest stars and the

orchestra of Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey will fill-in.

More and more comedians want shows on film… Jackie

Gleason recently signed with Buick to put his “Honeymooners’ on film for a

series. George Gobel wants to now do a film pilot as does Imogene Coca. Some

are still holding out live such as Milton Berle and Sid Caesar.

Disneyland is doing ratings damage to the

after this season. And Arthur Godfrey isn’t too happy

his first half-hour is getting clobbered by ABC-TV’s

“Disneyland.”

Efforts of doctors and nurses to deal with an H-bomb

attack in America is the subject of tonight’s “Medic”

on NBC-TV. “Flash of Darkness” stars Richard

Boone.

Monday night television -

CBS - Perry Como, Burns and Allen, Arthur Godfrey

Talent Scouts, I Love Lucy, December Bride, Studio

One

NBC - Tony Martin Show, News Caravan, Caesar’s Hour, Medic, Robert

Montgomery Show

Week of February 9-18, 1955

ABC - TV Reader’s Digest, All-Star Theater

Music news -

a package promotion featuring the Duke of Paducali,

Jimmy Snow, Mother Maybelle and the Carter Sisters.

Tour was set by Tom Parker of Jamboree Attractions.

Bob Neal, Presley’s personal manager, will accompany

Presley to Cleveland, February 26 for an appearance on

“Circle Theater Jamboree.” They’ll visit deejays en route.

Tribute record to Johnny Ace - sung by Varetta Dillard

on the Savoy label - “Johnny Is Gone.”

Looks like Alan Freed’s next concert, set for Easter

week, will move to the Brooklyn Paramount with his

“Rock and Roll Easter Jubilee” of rhythm and blues talent. The Freed package

will play four to seven shows all week. Talent set includes Red Prysock, the

Clovers, the Moonglows, LaVerne Baker, Danny Overbea, the Penguins, B.B.

King and Al Sears.

WNEW radio’s annual “Make Believe Ballroom” poll - Perry Como, the Crew

Cuts, Patti Page and Ray Anthony get the top spots.

Columbia Records introduces a standard recording level for all of its 45rpm

releases. The step means that all current and future Columbia pop releases will

not go over a specific level, even on the loudest passages, avoiding over peaking

or sudden surges that require lowering and then raising the gain by deejays or

engineers who run shows. All records to be released by Columbia with the

standard recording level will be designated “CSL.” Which stands for Columbia

Sound Level.”

set his legal name from Damaso Perez Prado to Perez

Prado.

Radio news - A number of New York stations

programming foreign language, also program some

rhythm and blues. Out front is WLIB, the only station with

studios in Harlem. They’ve had some sort of r&b DJ since

1948. WLIB r&b deejays are Lloyd Williams, Phil (Trash)

Gordon and Hal Jackson. WOV, which usually programs

Italian, features Joel Turnero, Leigh Kamman and Jack

Week of February 9-18, 1955

Walker.

WHOM stepped into the r&b field with deejay Willie Bryant (The Mayor of

Harlem).

Top DJ’s in New York (Pulse shares)

WNEW - Jerry Marshall - 3.8

WABC - Martin Block - 3.4

WCBS - Bob Haymes - 3.4

WNEW - Bill Harrington - 3.3

WCBS - Lanny Ross - 3.2

WNEW - Lonny Starr - 3.1

WNEW - Klavin and Finch - 3.1

WOR - John Gambling - 2.9

WNEW - Bill (William B) Williams - 2.9

WCBS - Jack Sterling - 2.6

WCBS - Bill Randle - 2.4

WOR - Ted Steele - 2.2

WRCA - Jim Cov - 2.1

WRCA - Allyn Edwards - 2.0

Top teenage DJ’s in New York (in order)

WNEW - Jerry Marshall

WINS - Alan Freed

WABC - Martin Block

WINS - Brad Philips

WINS - Jack Lacy

WNEW - Klavin and Finch

WAAT - Paul Brenner

WMGM - Bill Silbert

WRCA - Al Collins

Top Rhythm and Blues -

Pledging My Love - Johnny Ace

I’ve Got A Women - Ray Charles

Sincerely - Moonglows

Tweedle Dee - LaVern Baker

Hearts of Stone - Charms

Ko Ko Mo - Gene & Eunice

Ling Ting Ton - Charms

Week of February 9-18, 1955

Everyday I Have The Blues - B.B. King

Wallflower - Etta James

Top Country & Western -

Loose Talk - Carl Smith

In The Jailhouse Now - Webb

Pierce

More and More - Webb Pierce

Let Me Go, Lover - Hank Snow

If You Ain’t Lovin’ - Faron Young

Hearts of Stone - Red Foley

I’ve Been Thinking - Eddy

Arnold

Top albums -

Music For Lovers Only - Jackie

Gleason

The Student Prince - Mario

Lanza

Deep In My Heart - Soundtrack

Music, Martinis and Memories -

Jackie Gleason

Dave Brubeck At Storyville

Seven Brides For Seven Brothers - Soundtrack

I Love Paris - Michel LeGrand

Music of Rudolf Friml - Mantovani Orchestra

Victory at Sea - NBC Symphony

The Three Herds - Woody Herman

At the movies -

New York Confidential - Broderick Crawford, Richard Conte, Marilyn Maxwell

Bad Day At Black Rock (CinemaScope) - Spencer Tracy

Julius Caesar - Marlon Brando, James Mason, John Gielgud

3 Ring Circus - Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis

There’s No Business Like Show Business (CinemaScope) - Ethel Merman,

Donald O’Connor

Muriel Pavlow, Kenneth Moore

Week of February 9-18, 1955

Second r&b cover for Ms. Gibbs. Original is by Etta James.

Week of February 9-18, 1955

Week of February 9-18, 1955

Week of February 9-18, 1955

Sunday night

Week of February 9-18, 1955