Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • 39

COMPLETE PROGRAM LISTINGS, MAY 12-18, 1956 TV's Bob Cummings, a Man, with Big ideas HOME TOWN HONORS BOY WHO MADE GOOD IN HOLLYWOOD JoLlij ---r- Hollywood. BY SEYMOUR KORMAN FROM Joplin, to Hollywood and now back to Joplin is the glory road Bob Cum-mings has traveled. This return to Joplin, is only a brief one the television and movie sar is being honored there May 14 as a home town boy who made good. Bob's television show, now in its second successful year, has brought viewers such believable people as Rosemary DeCamp, who plays Bob's widowed sister. Besides this show, seen at 7 p.

m. Thursdays on channel 2, Bob has other plans. One of his most ambitious is for a musical spectacular, Cindy and Sam." He hopes to get Jane Powell to. sing and act opposite him. This will be at least an hour long show." Bob said.

It's a version of the Cinderella story, with some wonderful tunes. It was planned originally as a Broadway musical, and still could wind up that way, but tlie premier showing will be on television. 2 I'm going to finance this myself; that is, if the banks are friendly about lending me money. Production costs are so high in Hollywood, tho, that we may do the filming abroad. I'm going to visit 1 ft? "i I'r I 'J i C- i I I If I SjJ I e- a WILL FINKY LEE i -'r Vu EVER GET OFF TV? Bok Cimmiiigs Spain, France, Germany, bweaen, and England to see what costs are there, and because it's a nice trip anyway.

"If I don't click og 'Cindy and Sam It could be the poorhouse for the Cummings tribe. While in Spain, I'm also going to consult with government authorities who want me to do a television and movie filming the story of the Spaniards national hero." Bob was born in Joplin 46 years ago. The full moniker was Charles, Clarence Robert Orville Cummings. He shed some of these names when his theatrical career began. Among his top movies have been Dial for Murder," "Lucky Me," "Let's Live a Little" and "So Red the Rose." He is married to Mary Elliott, former screen actress, and they have four children, Robert Richard, 10; Mary Melinda Ruth, Sharon Patricia, 4, and 1 Laurel Ann, 1.

"My wife handles all my business." Bob explained, and I've got no squawk coming. She is president of our Laurel Production company. The baby's name is Laurel, and we live on Laurel i way in Beverly Hills. I'm not certain which Laurel came into the picture first, but we're loaded with the stuff. I hope nobody hangs a laurel wreath on me when we get to Joplin." Hail Gershwin Music Tonight The music of George Gershwin is in for a 90 minute salute in color and black' -v- 4b THERE'S A CHANCE! I "WESTERNS' FADING Jf os TV Fare; Look for i.

'EASTERNS' NEXT "X-" '-page 2 TV DO'S AND DONTS -Jil for PofHeaf Candidates SHOWN BY EXPERTS I -7 1 1 4 in 1 '111 r- rirnimnnMimTfi ana wftitej tonight at 8 on channel 5. With Ethel Merman as special guest, the Max Liebman show will be presented in five segments: dances, sones ffea- turing Alfred Drake, Toni Arden, and Tony Bennett, instrumental with the. First Piano quartet and Chicago's Art Van Damme quintet, selections from "Porgy and Bess," with Cab Calloway, and the performance of "Rhapsody in Blue" by Pianist Eugene List. The Gershwin song album compiled for TV includes "I Got Rhythm," "Love Is Sweeping the Country," "Wintergreen for President," and "Summertime." 8 ROSEMARY DeCAMP who plays Bob's widowed sisfer on Bob Cummings show. (See story on fhls poge.l.