The Record from Hackensack, New Jersey • 29

Kathy, Another Godfrey v. I 1 "-'4 I ikJ VV it i 9 i. ft -aw im 'ilOTwiiiliffttiTViri i Ml Arthur's Kid Sister Of Hasbrouck Heights Starts ISSew T.V. Show liy Kenneth G. Wallace WARM AND HUMAN are two highly overworked adjectives but when it comes to characterizing Kathy Godfrey, no words could be more applicable.

That's the way we found her in an all-too-brief interview, this attractive brunette of relaxed charm and the kid sister of Arthur Godfrey who makes her network television debut tonight over the A. B. V. network. The show premieres at 7 P.

M. on Channel 7. Every radio and television fan knows the Godfreys come from Hasbrouck Heights. Kathy was born there, the second youngest of five children (Arthur was the oldest) and she had an average happy family life until her father a cancer victim died when Kathy was 12. Things were rough after that and Kathy took all kinds of jobs trying to help out.

One of those early jobs was on radio and her first work before a microphone was right here in Bergen County over a little-remembered radio station in Knglewood. Yes. there was one there, located over the old McCorry 5 and 10 on Palisade Avenue. Kathy got the job quite by accident. She visited the station out of curiosity with a Hasbrouck Heights High School friend and one of the young owners asked her if she'd like a job, reading commercials over the air at $5 per week.

She took it for a summer and recalls one of her first big interviews. She had to talk with a character working an advertising stunt in a furniture store across the street. Kathy recalls with a grin that the man sat in the window, defying people to make him smile. If someone could, they won the chair in which he was sitting. "That was quite an interview, with people making all sorts of faces outside the window and I was scared to death," she recalled.

At 18, Kathy contracted pplio. and she battled sickness for four years. Perhaps the personality she shows today is evidence of the faith and courage that went into those lean, hard years a family hard up and she herself a polio victim. She was on crutches for several years but now she negotiates without such help, although she does still use a cane. After her mother left Hasbrouck Heights, Kathy had other jobs but somehow, always managed to drift back to radio.

She met and was married to Dr. Robert Ripley, a pediatrician, and they now make their home in Phoenix, Arizona. They have two children, Nancy, 15, and a son, Robin, 9, who had his own radio show two years ago. During the war, Dr. Ripley was stationed in the west and wherever he traveled, Kathy managed to come up with a radio show.

At Phoenix, she is one of the best known T. V. and radio personalities, having three television shows and one radio show every week. She's giving them up for the new network show on A B. C.

Wt. 4 KATHY GODFREY It's to be known as On Your Way, a different type of quiz show with John Reed King as the m. c. Kathy will interview those who want to get on their way either a trip they can't afford or into a career in which they need help, financial and otherwise and then King will put questions to them, the awards being judged on the answers. Kathy's telecasts will be from New York and this, of course, poses an immediate problem.

Her doctor-husband has a fine practice in Phoenix. Kathy's present thought is commuting. "I've found I can fly back and forth without too much time loss and that's what I'll probaly do. "But I do hope I can find time to get out to Bergen County and renew some acquaintances. "Do you know," she concluded.

"I still get mail from people out Hasbrouck Heights way. The letter I received only a few weeks ago was from a girl, who said I wouldn't remember her but that we had been in kindergarten together. "Aren't people just wonderful to remember those things?" It's from little remarks like that you felt her warmth and friendliness. T. V.

DEBUT Singing star Stafford will make her television debut Tuesday, February 2, in a new C. B. S. Television series, (lie Stafford Show, a weekly quarter-hour on which Paul Weston, her husband, will conduct the orchestra. For Film NEW YORK, Jan.

23 TV-William Bendix The Riley in T. The Life Of is a strong proponent of films for his kind of situation family comedy. He doesn't think it would go nearly as well as a live show. Like others who have gone into T. V.

after long experience in the movie studios, he bases this on the belief filming allows greater flexibility in production. There are other advantages, too. like working ahead on programs and more carefully prepared shows. As for other types of telecasts, variety and similar features, Bendix doesn't think they are as satisfactory on film as live. Neither have all situation comedies been able to duplicate the Riley effect.

Right now Bendix is on, a a New York vacation with his wife, Tess. visiting the old neighborhoods. They recently celebrated their 23th anniversary. The trip is a respite from his Hollywood filming schedule of 10 hour days, six days a week, with a new program turned out every three days. When shooting is resumed at Hollywood he will start on the string for next season, planning to work right through the summer.

Bendix likes to look upon the Riley show as a pioneer in that type of family comedy. It first came on radio in 1944. Bill took the assignment as a sideline to his MIRRORS RESILVERED GLASS FURNITURE TOPS HARDWARE 1 WINDOW SHADES ENGLEIVO0D PAINT GLASS INC. I 89 Wt Palisade Ava. ENGLEW0OO EN.

3-3950 Thett Is No Substitute Tor Qualify Riley Case rj 1 ti I II samples of some of its regular programs. of the other networks, Dumont or A. B. has had any color programs nor indicated when they will. DuMont.

the other night presented a telecast in which its head, Dr. Allen B. DuMont said introduction of color will be a slow process and that black and white programs and receivers would be available for a long time to come. Like others he feels there may never bo a complete replacement of black and white transmissions and that color sets will not attain wide acceptance until their screens are larger and prices lower. Color T.

V. really is something to see but whether a daily diet of tints ill be as acceptable as black and hite is another matter. From all indications it is going to be a mixture of the two for a long time. Kven the best predictions are that it will take 5 years to produce 10 million color sets. Incidentally, the new color receivers are universal.

They reproduce black and white images in their normal tones. lilCVISION SERVICE DAY NITE CALL Mil 1-1008 ANVTIMI AUtMOBlieo FACTORY ftVICI Al t. MAKES It's Not All Rosy NEW YORK are talking a lot iiboul color television but it isn't all optimistic. There's quite a bit of sentiment it will some time for full color introduction, and even when that time comes two years or more hence there still will be plenty of black and white programs on the air. Color is an important improvement, but its speed of acceptance can't bo forecast too accurately.

Despite the much higher prices for color sets, it come with quickness. On Hie other hand, the public may say: "We'll wait awhile and gel along with our black and white sets." Most of us would like to have a color set in our living rooms right now. but most of us are marking time until there's more color activity. If you need a new set, don't hesitate about getting a late model black and white receiver with the biggest screen your pocketbook could afford. When color sets do get on the market there no doubt will be more buyers than can be supplied by the limited number expected to be available by year-end.

Most manufacturers indicate they will be ready before then with a color screen comparing to a 14-inch tube. Larger pictures and simpler ircuits would be the next The makers have shown some concern over what might happen to their black and white market, but estimates are that they will be turning out 5 million receivers this year against an anticipated 50.000 color sets. They believe the buildup of the color audience will be slow, mainly because it will be physically impossible to turn out sets much faster for another year at least. They also expect the cost factor to be an additional handicap. For the present, occasional programs in color are being transmitted by only two networks, N.

B. and C. B. S. Later on as the audience grows, the number will be increased.

N. B. and its parent company, Tt. C. have been more enthusiastic than anybody.

N. B. C. has been televising some of its regular programs in color at the rale of one or two a week. This week it brought the Dinah Shore program to New York from Hollywood for her Tuesday and Thursday night shows.

On Jan. 31, the Zoo Parade will be moved east from Chicago for colorcasting. C. B. which a couple years ago was a loud exponent of color, has been quietly presenting a weekly program, "The New Revue" each Friday nt 5:30 P.

M. Later it expects to put on color NEW STAR Jean Mowry has the leadinq role of 18-year-old "Susan Ames" in a new daytime dramatic serial. The Storm Within, which has its premiere Monday. February on the C. B.

S. Television Network. movie work. The present T. V.

series began a year ago after a previous attempt at a live program, in which Jackie Gleason had the lead, didn't do too well. The radio program had been dropped. Off the air Bendix has all the warmth and feeling he shows in the Riley role, but sheds the bumbling personality he portrays. He is as enthusiastic over the program as he is over baseball, a career he once sought to pursue as bat boy for the New York Giants but which was nipped by his dad. Jon.

23, 1954 13 WEEK-END MAGAZINE.