Week of May 15 1953
In his first nationwide radio address since his inauguration,
President Eisenhower warned that freedom was still in
mortal danger from Russia’s aggressive designs and called
upon the American people tonight to continue to bear the
current tax burden and even to forego two tax reductions
next year.
In the Korean conflict - thousands of Chinese troops throw
the one of the heaviest attacks in months at South Korean
and American positions. The 8th Army says at least 1100
Reds are killed and wounded in the battle.
Jackie Cochran - the first feminine jet pilot in
the nation, becomes the first woman to fly
faster than sound and breaks two world speed
records, averaging 652.337mph. She toppled
the previous record set by a woman of 540mph
and she also beat the all-time close-course
mark of 635mph.
In radio news - a
nation-wide
emergency plan for
unifying the
broadcasts of radio
stations in case of
an air attack goes
into effect this week. The plan, called CONELRAD
(Control of electromagnetic radiation) - has been set
up through the joint efforts of the FCC, Civil Defense
authorities and broadcasters. The plan lets civil
defense authorities disseminate emergency
information to local citizens while preventing enemy
aircraft from homing on a broadcast station’s signal.
Under CONELRAD during an air attack - designated
stations would switch to only two frequencies on the
radio dial - 640 and 1240 khz. Everyone else would go
off the air, including television and FM transmissions.
Each station would broadcast for a variable period
ranging from five to forty seconds. An enemy plane
would be unable to zoom-in on a transmitter and
would be unable to get a fix with its radio direction
Week of May 15 1953
finder. Editor’s note - this was shelved in favor of the Emergency Broadcast
System in the 60’s. Many radios made during this period usually had these spots
marked on the dial. For example, all GM car radios had their tiny Delco symbol at
640 and 1240 to mark the CONELRAD spots. Many manufacturers used a tiny
Civil Defense triangle to mark these two spots.
A new Kelvinator refrigerator with “Magic Cycle” defrosting just $339.95.
“New Nescafe 100% Pure Instant Coffee is first to guarantee you’ll get Better
Flavor Than With Ground Coffee! Amazing jet process explodes pure coffee into
tiny gems of Nescafe.”
At the store - Ipana A.C. toothpaste -
ammoniated - to reduce decay...
chlorophyll to stop bad breathe all day.
Costs less to try than leading chlorophyll
tooth pastes - just 39 cents for a large
tube.
A disappointed audience in Naples, Italy
boos Frank Sinatra during a performance
because his wife, actress Ava Gardner
failed to show. The singer walked off-
stage in a huff amid the shouting and
booing. The show went on again only
after the Police Chief personally took
charge of the situation.
If you’re in New York, don’t miss “Gene
Rayburn & Company” mornings on WNBC - 660. This week - it’s the return of
“Mary Backstage Noble Wife” with Bob and Ray - twice in the morning.
Singer Eddie Arnold is signed to a five-year radio and television contract by NBC.
He’ll have a show of his own on television.
Actress Betty Grable is suspended by 20th
Century-Fox for not showing up at Columbia Pictures
for a movie on loan-out. The actress has been
suspended by the studio on two other occasions.
Former screen star Shirley Temple pays a call to
President Eisenhower. With her - daughter Linda
Week of May 15 1953
Susan (5) and husband Lt. Comdr Charles A. Black, who has just completed a
two-year tour of Navy duty in Washington.
Actor John Wayne (30) tells a superior court judge that $900 a month temporary
alimony is enough for the movie actor’s estranged wife, Esperanza. She pleaded
for $9000 a month, but he pointed out the other expenses, including $1354 he’s
paying on a house she’s occupying.
Unbeaten Rocky Marciano scores a none-punch first round
knockout over Jersey Joe Walcott in Chicago Stadium.
Secretary of Agriculture tells the National Restaurant
Association the nation would benefit would benefit from bigger
and cheaper hamburgers, eliminating surplus beef. Other
surpluses could be eaten too. He said that butter is stacked to
the ceiling in government warehouses and that would
disappear if each family ate one-quarter pound more butter a week.
Henry Hart, editor of the nonprofit magazine “Films In Review” says that future
film historians will speak about 3-D movies such as “House of Wax and “This is
Cinerama” as current historians do about “The Jazz Singer.” He says that good,
quality 3D movies are the answer to television.
Available at bookstores - “The Collected Poems: 1934-
1953” by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas . Contains most of
the poems he was written and all that he wishes to
preserve. Also it includes many poems long
unobtainable in out-of-print volumes. For this first
edition, Thomas contributes a magnificent prologue in
verse...
. $3.75.
Television news - ABC-TV finalizes a deal for a half-hour
comedy showcase starring Sammy Davis Jr.
Larry Storch is subbing for Jackie Gleason in the
summer.
Monday night television - CBS - Burns and Allen, Arthur Godfrey Talent Scouts, I
Love Lucy, The Red Buttons Show, Studio One ... NBC - Bob and Ray show,
Paul Winchell, Jerry Mahoney, Brian Sullivan, eye Witness, Robert Montgomery
Presents, Who Said That? ... ABC - Hollywood Screen Test, Homicide Squad,
The Iron Mask, Talent Patrol
Week of May 15 1953
Tuesday Night Television - CBS - Film -
History is Made at Night w/Charles
Boyer, City Hospital, Suspense, Danger:
Jam Session, Your Showcase ... NBC -
Dinah Shore Show, Circus Hour, Circle
Theatre, Two For The Money, Club Time
w/ Mindy Carson ... ABC - Beulah the
maid starring Louise Beavers , Jane
Frazee, David Bruce and Stuffy
Singer,
White Camellia, Boxing, The Name’s The
Same
Music news - Seems
that rhythm and blues
artists are moving into the
pop arena. Ruth Brown
- who is now top-selling female r&b star. Atlantic Records is trying
to get her in areas where she was “brushed off.”
Week of May 15 1953
Also making a push into pop - Billy Ward’s Dominoes. They’re being pitched for
the first time at pop locations such as the Paramount Theatre in New York.
The following artists have pop tunes ready to be
released by their labels -
Little Sylvia (Jubilee), The Five Keys (Aladdin),
the Clovers (Atlantic) and Edna McGriff (Jubilee).
Pop music this week in 1953 -
The Song From Moulin Range (Where Is Your
Heart) - Percy Faith
Pretend - Nat “King’ Cole
Your Cheatin’ Heart - Joni James
Ruby - Richard Hayman
“I’m Walking Behind You” - Frank Sinatra
April In Portugal - Vic Damone
The Ho Ho Song - Red Buttons
Say Si Si - The Mills Brothers
At the movies -
The Lone Hand - Joel
McCrea, Barbara Hale , Alex Nicol, Charles Drake,
James Arness
It Happens Every Thursday - Lorettta Young, John
Forsyth
Never Let Me Go - Clark Cable, Gene Tierney
Fair Wind To Java - Fred Mac Murray, Vera Ralson
Salome - Rita Hayworth, Stewart Granger
Abbot & Costello Go To Mars - Bud Abbot, Lou Costello, Mari Blanchard
Man In The Dark (In 3D) - Edmond O’Brien
Young Bess - Jean Simmons, Stewart Granger, Deborah Kerr, Charles
Laughton
Week of May 15 1953
Thunder Bay - James Stewart, Joanne Dru, Gilbert Roland, Dan Duryea
Trouble Along The Way - John Wayne, Donna Reed, Charles Coburn
Stanley Kramer’s “The Juggler ” - Kirk Douglas
House Of Wax - in 3D
Law and Order - Ronald Reagan, Dorothy Malone, Presont Foster
Girl Next Door - Dan Dailey, June Haver, Dennis Day
Titanic - Clifton Webb, Barbara Stanwyck, Robert Wagner, Audrey Dalton,
Thelma Ritter, Richard Basehart, Brian Aherne