NBC uses the word "spectacular" to describe its once-a-month shows-the two Max Liebman Presents items and Producers' Showcase, both of which run for an hour and a half. CBS doesn't like the word, so that network's once-a-month Shower of Stars and Best of Broadway, only an hour long, are termed "extravaganza" or "special," or whatever word the press agent finds handy.
So we'll lump them as "big" shows. It would be pleasant to report that they've all been wonderful, but they haven't. Some have been magnificent, most have been better than average, and at least one has been horrible.
Still, the basic idea behind once-a-month big shows is a great one for television. No matter how good the regular weekly shows may be, viewers are bound to tire sooner or later of the same faces on their screens.
Perhaps the happiest big shows have been the ones devoted to straight drama. Producers' Showcase turned in a superb production of "State of the Union," brought sharply up to date by its original authors, Howard Lind- say and Russel Crouse. With Margaret Sullavan, Joseph Cotten and Nina Foch and with an hour and a half to play in, it was a resounding success on TV.
"Tonight at 8:30," on the same series, was less effective. Ginger Rogers has been away from the stage a bit too long to essay three different roles in one evening, so the Noel Coward series of three one-act plays didn't add up to much more than a pleasant substitute for NBC's regular Monday night fare.
The CBS dramatic offerings in Best of Broadway have dripped with stars, expensive production and impressive direction: "The Royal Family" (Helen Hayes, Fredric March); "The Man Who Came to Dinner" (Merle Oberon, Monty Woolley, Joan Bennett) and "The Philadelphia Story" (Dorothy McGuire, John Payne, Herbert Marshall). They were all entertaining, and far above standard TV drama. Still, one hoped that perhaps CBS would relent soon, and permit such fine plays more than an hour on the air.
Best of Broadway also attempted "Panama Hattie," with Ethel Merman in the starring role. It was terrible.
The CBS musical series, Shower of Stars, has had Betty Grable, Harry James, Mario Lanza and other stars. Glorified vaudeville, the Showers have been quite entertaining.
Max Liebman has maintained high standards, with characteristics of his old Show of Shows showing through quite often. Judy Holliday, Steve Allen and Dick Shawn are often funny. The shows' high points come when such guests as Jeanmaire and Jacques Tati are on stage-or when Holliday, Allen and Shawn do a musical number.
Liebman achieved real beauty and a moral victory with "Lady in the Dark," in which Ann Sothern scored. This followed the much-discussed Betty Hutton appearance in "Satins and Spurs," in which the bouncy film star was fine but the show itself was spotty.
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