Week of January 16, 1955

Red China launches a full-scale invasion of tiny Yikniangshen Island, destroying

half of the U.S. furnished supplies in the area

The Soviet Union announces it is turning over atomic know-how and fissionable

materials for peaceful use to Communist China, East Germany, Poland, Rumania

and Czechoslovakia.

Decked in a gas station aide’s uniform, Vice-President Richard Nixon wipes

windshields and fills tanks in freezing weather at a local Washington service

station for the benefit of March of Dimes polio campaign.

London Fog thick and falling down - A thick belt

of darkness wrapped itself around this city,

mystifying and frightening thousands and people

- even driving birds to roost. It lasted only about

10 minutes, but women could be heard

screaming in the streets while other people fell to

their knees on the sidewalks and prayed. One

man shouted, “The end of the world is coming.”

A spokesman for the air Ministry’s

Meteorological Office said nothing in his experienced has equaled it and the fog

was caused by an accumulation of London smoke under an extremely thick layer

of cloud.

Broadway’s “Mrs. Paterson” finally gets to meet the grand

old man of physics - Albert Einstein (75). Both met for

about an hour over tea. According to Ms Kitt - their talk

ranged from the origins of the earth to the state of today’s

theater. She called it an “interview-rendezvous” stemming

from her donation of $10 thousand to the psychiatric

treatment center for underprivileged children. An

associate at the center, after hearing the singer mention she has always admired

the scientist, put the date together. Einstein didn’t have the faintest idea who she

was, but the meeting went well.

Budding Hollywood Teenage Romance - Frank Sinatra

discloses this week that there is a teen-age romance

Crosby’s 16-year old youngest son Lindsay. Says Sinatra -

“Lindsay has been visiting Nancy quite a lot I tease Nancy

Week of January 16, 1955

about it. She gets kind of shy and says ‘Oh daddy, don’t ask me about things like

that.’” Sinatra said Bing Crosby telephoned him about a month ago and told him

“Lindsay is going around the house with sheep’s eyes, smitten with your

daughter.”

Speaking of Bing Crosby - he undergoes surgery this week for the removal of a

kidney stone. Doctors say the 50-year old crooner was under the knife for two

hours and should come through in excellent shape.

at 20-Century Fox for preproduction work on “How To Be

Very Very Popular.” Darryl Zanuck says that Sherree North

will replace Marilyn in the film. “Pink Tights,” originally slated

for North, will go later.

To Marry - Emmett Kelly (54) - the

world’s most famous clown says he will

marry Elvira Beghardt under the big tent on opening day of the

Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus in New York in

May. It will be his third marriage. His Weary Willie clown

character is beloved by the young and old.

It’s Here! New Nestle’s Instant Coffee. The Foolproof Coffee -

Delicious any strength you make it! It’s at your store now.

In Gallup Poll - 82% favor statehood for Alaska:

Favor - 82%

Oppose - 9%

No Opinion - 9%

Recently in another Gallup Poll - 78% favored statehood for Hawaii.

from Yonkers, NY defeats former

Robinson was a ringside 8-1 favorite, but the

bout went only 10 rounds in a unanimous

decision.

Week of January 16, 1955

Bestsellers -

No Time For Sergeants - Mac Hyman

Benton’s Row - Frank Yerby

Soldier of Fortune - Ernest K. Gann

Katherine - Anya Seton

The View From Pompey’s Head - Hamilton Basso

Not As A Stranger - Morton Thompson

My Brother’s Keeper - Marcia Davenport

The Tumult and the Shouting - Grantland Rice

Christmas, Vol. 24 - Edited by R.E. Haugan

The Power of Positive Thinking - Norman V. Peale

The Saturday Evening Post Treasury

Angel Unaware - Dale Evans Rogers

An Encyclopedia of Modern American Humor - Bennett Cerf

Let’s Keep Christmas - Peter Marshall

of WABC radio is in Las Vegas this week, taping a special on

behalf of the March of Dimes. With him on the scheduled

February 3rd radio broadcast will be Polly Bergen, Tony Martin,

Jimmy Durante, Xavier Cugat; Sophie Tucker, Louis Jordan, Gene

Krupa, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.

Alan Freed of WINS mc’s his first concert in New York - at the St

Nicholas Arena. The turnout for Freed’s bash, advertised over his 1010WINS

radio show, was way over capacity with the cops having to hold out the crowds

after an estimated 7,500 jammed into the arena, which holds 6,000. The

audience contributed to the din of the music with a shattering repertoire of

whistles, hoots and mitt-pounding. Talent included Joe Turner, Fats Domino, The

Clovers, The Moonglows, The Harptones, The Drifters, Ella Johnson and Red

Prysock.

Music news - With Alan Freed getting a lot of attention in New York, more white

Dj’s are getting into the r&b groove. Freed says he doesn’t play white covers of

r&b songs because his audience quickly detects the lack of authenticity in the

cover slices. Freed believes that pop artists will have to come up with original

material in the r&b genre. Top pop artists such as Perry Como, Tony Bennett and

Georgia Gibbs are not doing r&b numbers.

Comedian Jerry Lewis offers a $10,000 award for information leading to the

arrest and conviction of a mugger who fatally beat his first cousin - Mrs. Alex

Week of January 16, 1955

Lanzner (30) in Irvington, NJ. She was beaten near her home here and died of

head injuries. Her purse was snatched in the attack. A doctor says she died of

injuries caused by a severe blow, such as from a pipe or auto jack handle. She

was en route from a shopping trip. Said the comedian - “If it’s the last thing I do, I

hope I help get him. But that won’t bring her back. My folks were always on the

road. She was like a sister tome. We lived in the same house and we loved each

other like brother and sister.”

dramatize a little known incident about his youth. CBS radio will

present “The Escape of Winston Churchill” as a feature of the

“Hallmark Hall of Fame” on Sunday, January 30th. It will be based on

an incident in 1899 when Sir Winston, serving as a war

correspondent, was captured by the Boers and later escaped to

neutral territory. The British Prime Minister suggested that in turn for

the gesture, CBS

might care to make a donation to one of his charitable projects. He

was also complimented by the proposal to broadcast the story.

It looks like John Wayne will take Robert Mitchum’s place in the upcoming movie

“Blood Alley.”

four years, says it takes a lot to stay on top of the

game and if you goof, viewers - even small fry, know

it. “It’s a constant battle for authenticity,” says Roy. “A

small technical slip might set off an avalanche of

letters ... we had to do some explaining as to how a

six-shooter could fire seven shots - even in rapid fire.

It was a simple error, but one that made us realize

that we had a responsibility to the youngsters to

watch our step.”

Friday Night Radio -

CBS - Tennessee Ernie Ford, The Choraliers, Edward

R. Murrow, Crime Photographer, Arthur Godfrey Digest,

Bing Crosby’s Show, Amos n Andy

NBC - One Man’s Family, Friday With Dave Garroway,

Boxing

ABC - The Lone Ranger, Jack Gregson, Sammy Kaye

Serenade, The World We Live In, Edward P. Morgan

Week of January 16, 1955

Talk, Counterspy, Take a Number, Companions of Jehu

Television news - “Jack Benny” - now alternating with Ann Sothern’s “Private

Secretary” on CBS-TV Sunday evenings, may get his own slot. The show is

growing in ratings.

CBS is cutting back on its color programming. Two major one-a-month color

shows on CBS will remain undisturbed. These are the Chrysler-sponsored

“Shower of Stars” on Thursdays and Westinghouse’s “Best of Boradway” on

Wednesdays. The move is interpreted as reflecting the Frank Stanton-Bill Paley

attitude toward color in general, with neither bullish at the moment over its

prospects.

Philadelphia is ready to get its fourth station as WDEL-TV (channel 12) is being

purchased by WIBG radio. The NBC Wilmington, DE station will up its power

from 2,500 watts next month to 316,000 watts - so it will now cover Philadelphia.

As a result, it will drop its NBC affiliate and go independent. NBC is covered by

WPTZ (channel 3) in Philly.

Nielsen TV ratings ending

Jackie Gleason (CBS) - 53.4

Toast of the Town (CBS) - 51.8

I Love Lucy (CBS) - 51.2

Bob Hope (NBC) - 46.8

Dragnet (NBC) - 45.7

Milton Berle (NBC) - 45.7

Max Liebman Special (NBC) -

43.3

Groucho Marx (NBC) - 42.0

GE Theatre (CBS) - 41.0

Week of January 16, 1955

Friday Night Television -

CBS - Gene Autry Show, Beat The Clock, Jackie

Gleason, Two for the Money, My Favorite Husband,

Professional Father, Willy.

NBC - Henry Fonda Presents, Show Wagon, So

This Is Hollywood, Imogene Coca, Jimmy Durante

Show, George Gobel show, Your Hit Parade

ABC - Gloria Swanson Show, Dangerous

Assignment, Cavalcade of Stars, Ozark Jubilee,

Stork Club, Victory At Sea,Premiere - Ozark Jubilee

with host Red Foley

My Favorite Husband stars Joan

Coulfield and Barry Nelson

(pictured).

Week of January 16, 1955

Pop music this week in 1955 -

Let Me Go Lover - Joan Weber

Sincerely - The McGuire Sisters

Hearts of Stone - The Fontane Sisters

The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane

Make Yourself Comfortable

Earth Angel - The Penguins

Dim, Dim The Lights (I Want Some

Atmosphere) - Bill Haley & His Comets

Melody Of Love - Frank Sinatra/Ray Anthony

Ling, Ting Tong - The Charms

I Love You Madly - The Four Coins

At the movies -

Newton, Donald Sinden

James Mason, Peter Lorre

Rooney

Granger, Grace Kelly,

Paul Douglas

Jeff Chandler, Jack

Palance, Ludmilla

Tcherina

Glenn Ford, Barbara

Stanwyck, Edward G.

Robinson

Doris Day, Frank

Sinatra

Week of January 16, 1955

Carson, Kim Novak

Vera Cruz - Gary Cooper, Burt Lancaster

Ethel Merman, Donald O

Connor, Marilyn Monroe, Dan Dailey, Johnny

Ray, Mitzi Gaynor

William Holden

Haven, Gene Nelson, Corinne Calvet, Paul

Gilbert

Week of January 16, 1955