Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 58

EDITIONS TTK Pi unsters are LI, ojiiieren But Close Knit Family don't know how she's going to take it." Al grins again, his mouth turning into a long, curling watermelon slice. "You gotta hear this, it will kill you. I walk into the commissary not long ago with all this makeup on and Bobby Darin spots me and says, 'Hi, Al, how are you. Are you years of this makeup and you will be totally bald good only for Guy Kibbee roles." Al is delighted and says, "The only part of me that has gone Hollywood is my face. I'm putting cream on it at night, Perc Westmore (the makeup king) told me to.

My wife moves out here in a few weeks and, frankly, I The Arizona Republic elevislon Phoenix, Sunday, Oct. 4, 1964 The 31 nstcr Family Always Good For Laughs Til Networks Close in Rating By CHARLES WITBECK HOLLYWOOD-Happy monsters are "The Ministers," the new CBS Thursday night series starring those stock char acters Frankenstein, Dracula, Vampira and the wolf man's child who are trying to lead a normal life among the cereal eaters. One look by Frankenstein, called Herman Minister (Fred Gwynne), is supposed to scare kids to death, but only his looks are a bit frightening. Down under all that makeup Herman is sweet, and so is his father-in-law, Grandpa Munster (Al Lewis), a Dracula who will give you his fang teeth for a smile. Vampira (Yvonne De Carlo) or Herman's bride, perhaps, is too fond of powder, but she wouldn't think of sipping pigeon's blood for cocktails.

IN OTIIER WORDS "The Munsters" are a close knit American family who look very different, and, as a result, get laughs by doing normal things. When Frankenstein, or Herman, brushes his teeth, it's funny. Producers Joe Connelly and Bob Mosh-er, creator of "Leave it to Beaver," can put these characters into stock situations from "Life With Father" and Race 26. Perry Mason (CBS) 19.5. 27.

Gilligan's Island (CBS) 19.5. 28. Peyton Place, Tuesday (ABC) 19.5. 29. Danny Kaye (CBS) 19.4.

30. What's My Line (CBS) 19.0. 31. Cara Williams (CBS) 19.0. 32.

To Tell the Truth (CBS) 18.6. 33. Gunsmoke (CBS) 18.6. 34. McHale's Navy (ABC) 18.5.

35. Saturday Night at the Movies (NBC) 18.5. 36. Password (CBS) 18.1. 37.

Jack Parr (NBC) 17.7. 38. Candid Camera (CBS) 17.7. 39. No Time for Sergeants (ABC) 17.7.

40. Combat (ABC) 17.6. 41. Tycoon (ABC) 17.5. 42.

The Addams Family (ABC) 17.2. 43. My Living Doll (CBS) 16.9. 44. Lawrence Welk (ABC) 16.8.

45. Donna Reed (ABC) 16.5. 46. Wednesday Night at the Movies (NBC) 16.5. 47.

Hollywood Palace (ABC) 16.5. 48. Hazel (NBC) 16.5. 49. The Defenders (CBS) 16.3.

50. Burke's Law (ABC) 16.1. get laughs, or they can go into the mystic world for chuckles and turn Grandpa into a wolf. Grandpa spends most of his time down in the lab blowing up things. He may concoct a love potion to help a failing romance down the block, or merely try to make decent salt water taffy.

His job Is to mess up situations and he may often succeed despite his efforts. IT'S GOING to be hard to steal scenes from Grandpa, but Herman, with his pretty face, can't miss. When Frankenstein smiles, goes into a little dance or even sings, it's such an opposite, it's funny. When you come down to it, what is more engaging than a delighted monster? Your sympathy flows. And fans' sympatlues should be poured in buckets upon the brows of Fred Gwynne and Al Lewis, former cops on "Car 54," because these two New York actors, who have never been to Hollywood before, had no idea what they were getting into mainly the makeup chair.

Gwynne spends hours each morning putting on his face and so does Al. Fred's main pleasure consists of letting Al stick an air hose under his costume between breaks. "IT'S LIKE Victoria Falls," says Fred, with his long straight face. He has been through one long summer in this weird getup and he's not sure about getting through the winter without going straight up. Gwynne's and Lewis' main pleasure comes from watching the other suffer.

"Al has to play some scenes upside down." says Fred, "and he's not happy hanging by his heels, but he makes me feel much better. Seems when Grandpa gets angry he thinks he's a bat and over he goes." Connelly and Mosher have not put any real age limits on their characters so the writers can pull out any old witchcraft trick to brighten a spot. "All I know is that I'm over a hundred years old." says Fred, "and Al supposedly was saying 'hokey pokey' in 1506." "WHICH MEANS this scries is loaded with sight gags and special effects," says Al. "We have more special effects than all the other TV shows put together. And this takes time.

Already we're way over budget. We can't make a show in three days like the other 30 minute companies. It's a physical impossibility. Why, the other day I had six lines in the lab and it took seven hours to shoot. Setting up all the business takes time." The two monsters are big hits in the studio commissary and they eat together, a sort of misery loves company deal.

Fred dips into his eggs and Al says, "You look less and less like Frankenstein and more and more like Fred Gwynne each day." This produces a long, sour look and then Fred counters with, "Two more listed among the first 50 programs in the arbitron report. In 50th place is "Burke's Law" with a rating of 16.1. A rating indicates the percentage of television homes tuned to a program. Among the top 10 are only two shows "Bewitched" and "The Munsters" that started this fall. The rating survey covered the 7:30 to 11 p.m.

hours for a seven-day period ending last Tuesday. In the average ratings bv networks, CBS had 18.4, ABC 16.2 and NBC 15.4. Gene Barry Like A Fling Viewing TV Gene Barry Now Rides Own Rolls The top 50 shows finished in the following order; 1. Ed Sullivan (CBS) 28.9. 2.

Bonanza (NBC) 27.0 3. Bewitched (ABC) 26.3. 4. Dick Van Dyke (CBS) 24.5. 5.

Andy Griffith (CBS) 24.5. 6. Red Skelton (CBS) 24.1. 7. My Favorite Martian (CBS) 23.9.

8. The Lucy Show (CBS) 23.6. 9. The Fugitive (ABC) 23.3. 10.

The Munsters (CBS) 23.3. 11. Beverly Hillbillies (CBS) 22.5. 12. Jackie Glcason (CBS) 22.2.

13. Corner Pyle (CBS) 22.1. 14. Bob Hope (NBC) 22.0. 15.

Peyton Place, Thursday (ABC) 21.9. 16. My Three Sons (ABC) 21.1. 17. Petticoat Junction (CBS) 20.7.

18. I've Got a Secret (CBS) 20.7. 19. Bing Crosby (ABC) 20.4. 20.

Sunday Night at the Movies (ABC) 20.3. 21. Walt Disney (NBC) 20.1. 22. The Virginian (NBC) 20.0.

23. Many Happy Returns (CBS) 20.0. 24. Patty Duke (ABC) 19.7. 25.

Ben Casey (ABC) 19.7. By HAL HUMPHREY HOLLYWOOD Here in Statusville one of the more esteemed badges of accomplishment is owning a Rolls-Royce. The Rolls plant 200 miles outside London produces only 1.600 cars annually, and of the 600 exported, 200 come to Hollywood and environs. Debut as four hours on an integrated basis. "The Quest" has now been purchased for next season by the CBS network, which already has Brodkin's "The Defenders" and "The Nurses." There will be one central character holding the various episodes together.

The amount of air space would be determined by how much time is needed to do justice to any particular story. THE FIRST three-part drama for "Dr. Kildare" on NBC is "Rome Will Never Leave You," to be presented in a few weeks. Mercedes McCambridge and Ramon Navarro are among guest players in the cast. C-13 Gig Young.

Gregory Peck also bought a second-hand Bentley Continental, which Mr. Pegg says cost more than Gene Barry's lamb's wool carpeted standard salon. "Doesn't Jack Benny drive a Rolls?" I asked. "Yes, but it's an old one 1959, as a matter of fact," replied Mr. Pegg.

Just then Gene came out of the sound-stage and proudly examined his new baby. "A beauty, isn't she?" he asked an assembled group of electricians and grips. "It's got a made-in-Japan label on it." ribbed one of the grips. Another one cracked. "If that's a new one, what's that 1926 hood doing on it?" "I CAME to California 13 years ago in a $500 Kaiser Frazer that was four years old," Gene reminisced.

"My next car was a Studcbaker. I was playing it cautious. Then in 1955 1 bought a three-year-old Cadillac. Still not going the route, see? "My first new car was a 1957 T-Bird. the two-seater, then I graduated to a new Cadillac and later to a new Lincoln Continental.

But this Rolls, well, it's like a fling. I'm having fun. I'm going with it now," expounded Gene. He and the other Rolls-Royce owners here may think they are with it now, but Don Loper, the elegant couturier and designer for the stars, doesn't think so. "I was born in a Rolls-Royce," says he.

"But mi-gawd! I wouldn't own one without two-on-the-box." The chic Mr. Loper is referring to a chauffeur and footman. McGrath Bach-To Wagon Train After being knocked down five times, stabbed in the stomach, hit over the head and stepped on by a camel for a sequence in Universale "Adventures of Ali Baba." Frank McGrath was glad to return to his role as cook on Revue's "Wagon Train." rk I By VAL ADAMS New York Times News Service NEW YORK At the start of a new television season, the three networks find thrm-selves in what is probably the closest rating race they have experienced. While the Columbia Broadcasting System is still in the lead, it is being pressed much harder than last season by the other two networks. According to an early season survey by the American Research Bureau, the Ameri Goulet NEW YORK (UPI)-Singing star Robert Goulet will make his television drama debut in a "Kraft Suspense Theater" play called "Operation Grief." He plays a young GI separated from his unit during the Battle of the Bulge.

This will be on NBC. On Nov. 19, CBS will present, "An Hour with Robert Goulet." THE FIRST of the drama specials being made around United Nations subjects by Telsun Foundation is "A Carol for Another Christmas" by Rod Serling, and the cast of this 90-minutc play includes Peter Sellers. Eva Marie Saint, Peter Fonda, Richard 10-4 MM, fht Ibflrttf Tribune "You Jane me iiiicj TV can Broadcasting Company ran ahead of the National Broadcasting Company in program popularity. Last season NBC was in the No.

2 position. However, several NBC shows for tlie new season have not yet appeared. The bureau's national arbi-tron report for seven evenings in late September, which is based on an electronic sampling of about 1.800 homes, puts Ed Sullivan in first place with a rating of 28.9. The Sullivan show, now in its 17th year, has been on TV longer than all others in Video Harris, Sterling Hayden, Christopher Plummer and Godfrey Cambridge. ABC probably will telecast the filmed show during Christmas week.

THE SIX-YEAR-OLD son of Caterina Valente, co-star of the new CBS variety series, "The Entertainers," has his own German passport that gives the occupation of Eric Von Aro Jr. as "child" and lists his height as "growing." PRODUCER Herbert Brod-kin has had a pet project for several years that would involve television drama or dramas that might run as long tfcu star." "I PIS "Hmm something smells good!" I was on hand the other day to witness the delivery of a Rolls to Gene Barry, debonair hero of the "Burke's Law" TV series. Gene is the fictional owner of a Rolls-Royce in his TV role, but a restrictive insurance policy prevents his taking it off the studio lot. Now at the end of a work Humphrey day in the film company's Rolls, Gene steps from it to his own Rolls and drives home. If he wanted to.

Gene certainly could lay claim to logging more time in a Rolls than any of his movie-TV colleagues. He was still in front of the cameras when the area representative for Rolls-Royce, a Mr. John Pegg, and the sales manager for the distributor, Gifford Searles. arrived on the Four Star lot with Gene's new car, so I had an opportunity to ask a few questions. FIRST OFF.

Mr. Peeg said the color of Gene's Rolls is not gold, as Gene's press agent had told me. but sand. Later the press-agent suggested I call it champagne color. Sand apparently offended him somehow.

"Well, now," continued Mr. Pegg. "this is the standard four-door salon. The basic price is $17,600, but with the extras Mr. Barry ordered it would be $20,000." The extras in this case in-eluded an air-conditioner which costs $1,000 and deep lamb's wool carpets (dyed).

Mr. Pegg did not know the exact cost of the carpeting. I asked him how it happened that the Rolls replaced the Cadillac among so many of Hollywood's elite. "IT'S QUITE SIMPLE. The Cadillac lost prestige because so much of the other class of people are driving them now," Mr.

Pegg explained. Other recent purchasers of Rolls-Royces, Mr. Pegg informed me, are Loretta Young, Jack Lemmonand 1 Hyiyr "Mom, Captain Kangaroo keeps jumping." hope you're not going to interfere with television reception.".