Week of September 16, 1956

President Nasser rejects as a “declaration of war”

the western Big Three’s latest proposal for operating

the Suez Canal. “No aggressor will leave Egypt

alive,” said the feisty leader. Meanwhile, the Soviet

Union accuses Britain and France of preparing to

“seize the Suez Canal by an act of aggression

against Egypt.”

A shift in western policy rules out force in favor of an

economic squeeze against Egyptian demands for

absolute rule over Suez Canal traffic. But later,

Secretary of State Dulles says there will be no Suez

Boycott sought.

Some 225,000 turn out in Des Moines to give President and Mrs. Eisenhower a

welcome. The President’s motorcade passed through the city en route from the

National Field days plowing contest.

In Maryland - Adlai Stevenson accuses President Eisenhower of telling the

public “only half the facts” about world peace prospects and of avoiding mention

of “ominous tensions” in the Middle East and Africa.

Sports - Mickey Mantle’s 50th home run brings the

Yankees to another pennant win.

Safer cars - Designs are shown for a “crashproof”

car that would permit occupants to talk away after a

head-on collision at 50mph. The project was

announced by Liberty Mutual Insurance Co with a

design by Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory. In the

design car, the driver sits in the center and steers

with a two-handled lever-type control system. Chest

pads, safety belts and bucket seats are provided for

driver and passengers. One seat directly behind the driver faces to the rear.

Other safeguards include doors that will not spring open in a crash and sheet

metal stiffeners in the roof.

Week of September 16, 1956

Sunday Night

About 60 TV stations in the U.S. are now equipped for the second stage of color,

which means that they can telecast color film.

Testifying before a House subcommittee investigating the

television industry, Dr. Allen B. DuMont said that he believes

“that in order to prevent a monopolistic system of broadcasting,

four or more networks are required.” “Having only two networks

not only has the effect of monopoly in the television broadcasting

business, but has the effect of extending the monopoly so that

only a relatively small number of large companies can utilize

television for the sale of their products.” Dr. DuMont the

proposed a frequency allocation to provide at least four TV stations in the top 100

markets of the country.

Week of September 16, 1956

Saturday night television -

CBS - Beat the Clock , The Honeymooners,

Stage Show, Two for the Money, Hey Jeannie,

Gunsmoke, High Finance

NBC - People Are Funny , Perry Como Show,

Caesar’s Hour, encore Theatre, Your Hit

Parade

ABC - Ozark Jubilee, Grand Ole Opry,

Lawrence Welk, Masquerade Party

Grand Ole Opry State Fair - With Roy Acuff,

Ernest Tubb, Carl Smith, Minnie Pearl and

others.

Perry Como - With Irene Dunne, Sal Mineo,

Buddy Hackett, patience and Prudence

Stage Show - The Dorsey Brothers present

The Crew Cuts, Eddie Fontaine, Leo de Lyon

Music news -

More rhythm in pop records - Mitch Miller - Columbia

Records pop chief, cautions record companies not to lose

sight of the adult buyer in the singles record field. “It’s true we

need the youngsters, but we also want them to remain with

the label and to continue to be record buyers when they grow

up.” Miller points out that rock and roll has definitely

contributed to the pop music scene. “Certainly it has

reminded us of the necessity of stressing the element of

rhythm in our pop recordings.” Miller cited some newer

records at his label with rhythm beats such as Don Cherry’s

“Ghost Town” and Tony Bennett’s “Can You Find It In Your

Heart” and “Happiness Street.’

RPM Records has a new release - “Blau Wile Debeeste Fontaine” by new artist

Paul Anka. Will it be a hit?

Week of September 16, 1956

Robin Seymour of WKMH radio in Detroit (1310 on your AM dial)

recently took a stand against playing Presley records on his show

following the singer’s controversial appearance on Milton Berle’s

NBC TV show. During the Berle appearance, Presley disturbed

adult viewers - and instantly became a martyr in the eyes of his

teen age following what was called by some, his “strip-tease”

behavior. But, after receiving 500 letters from teens who threatened

to boycott his show. Seymour responded in an open letter which appeared on the

front page of a local newspaper, “Teen Life.” In it, he explained that now that

Presley was keeping his gyrations under wraps appearance on Steve Allen’s

show and last week’s Ed Sullivan show) he is now persona gratis once again.

Douglas (Jocko) Henderson of WOV New York is helping combat juvenile

delinquency via “five extra commandments” for members of his “1280 rocket Fan

Club.” The commandments cover regular attendance at school, helping around

the house etc.

WITH (1230 on your AM dial) in Baltimore, says it will pay for play - legally. For

about $15 - you can buy 15 spins of your new record with such DJ’s as Buddy

Deane, Joel Chaseman, Gil Kridel and Tony Donald. Of course, if your record

cliques, it could be added to the WITH playlist!

Big D Jamboree,” in Dallas adds Jerry Reed to its anniversary performance

slated for September 22 when Johnny Cash heads up the show. Look for Carl

Perkins the following week.

Frank Sinatra blames Mitch Miller of

Columbia Records for the tailspin in his career

a few years ago. Sinatra complained that Miller

forced inferior songs on him and that his career

went into eclipse until he switched to Capitol

Records. Sinatra recorded his criticism in a

telegram to a House Judiciary Subcommittee

hearing into the television industry. Sinatra said

he enjoyed a freedom of selection of material

“A freedom which I may modestly say resulted

in a modicum of success for me. Suddenly Mr.

Miller; by design or coincidence, began to

present many, many inferior songs, all

curiously bearing BMI music.”

Mitch Miller responded, saying “It’s a hell of a way to run a hearing when they

accept telegrams as evidence.” “If they want to examine the record, they will find

Week of September 16, 1956

that under my aegis at Columbia, Frank Sinatra recorded 95% or more ASCAP

songs and 5% or less BMI. It is a matter of record.” Miller also replied that Sinatra

should not blame music for his decline, but rather his own hectic love life at the

time. Sinatra’s marriage to Ava Gardner was breaking up when he switched

record labels in 1953.

More subcommittee testifying - as music artist Billy Rose, hit hard by the new

BMI music being played on pop music stations, particularly rock ‘n’ roll. He told of

his travels this summer in Communist countries where he heard Soviet

orchestras playing songs that he had not heard on the air for a long time rather

than the be-bop and rock ‘n’ roll. “In other words, our best musical talents

seemed to be having an easier time crashing through the Iron Curtain than

through the electronic curtain which the broadcasting companies have set up

through there three-way control of the airwaves, the outfits which publish music

and the companies which make phonograph records.”

Week of September 16, 1956

Top records in Britain -

Whatever Will Be Will Be - Doris Day

Rocking Through the Rye - Bill Haley

& The Comets

Why Do Fools Fall In Love -

Teenagers

Sweet Old Fashioned Girl - Teresa

Brewer

Lay Down Your Arms - Annie

Shelton

Mountain Greenry - Mel Torme

Born To Be With You - Chordettes

Heartbreak Hotel - Elvis Presley

Serenade - Slim Whitman

I’m In Love Again - Fats Domino

Saints Rock and Roll - Bill Haley &

The Comets

Top Country & Western -

Crazy Arms - Ray Price

Hound Dog/Don’t Be Cruel - Elvis Presley

Searching - Kitty Wells

I Walk The Line - Johnny Cash

Be Bop A Lula - Gene Vincent

Sweet Dreams - Faron Young

You Are The One/Doorstep To Heaven

- Carl Smith

I Take The Chance - Jim Ed & Maxine

Brown

I Want You, I need You, I Love You -

Elvis Presley

Conscience, I’m Guilty - Hank Snow

My Lips Are Sealed - Jim Reeves

You Don’t Know Me - Eddy Arnold

Rhythm and Blues favorites -

Honky Tonk Parts I & II - Bill Doggett

My Prayer - Platters

Hound Dog/Don’t Be Cruel - Elvis Presley

Let The Good Times Roll - Shirley & Lee

Fever - Little Willie John

Week of September 16, 1956

So Long - Fats Domino

Rip It Up - Little Richard

Bad Luck - B.B. King

Flying Saucer (Parts I & II) - Buchanan * Goodman

In The Still Of The Night - Satins

It’s To Late - Chuck Willis

Lipstick, Powder and Paint/Rock Awhile - Joe Turner

I Want You, I Need You, I Love You - Elvis Presley

I Gotta Get Myself A Woman - Drifters

See Saw/When I’m With You - Moonglows

At the movies -

Johnny Concho - Frank Sinatra

Run for the Sun - Richard Widmark

High Society - Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra

Lust For Life - Kirk Douglas, Anthony Quinn, James Donald, Pamela Brown

Bust Stop - Marilyn Monroe

Attack! - Jack Palance, Eddie Albert, Lee Marvin, Robert

Strauss

Pardners - Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis

The King and I - Deborah Kerr, Yul Brynner

Back From Eternity - Robert Ryan, Anita Ekbert, Rod Steiger

The Proud and the Profane - William Holden, Deborah Kerr

The Eddy Duchin Story - Tyrone Power, Kim Novak

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt - Dana Andrews, Joan Fontain

Away All Boats - Jeff Chandler