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SIGHT AND SOUND ByLeoMishkin , | NEW YORK, May 9. — From here on in, of course, he will be known as "Gigi" Astaire. There were so many Emmys — or is it Emmies? — awarded to "An Evening With Fred Astaire" the other night when the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences staged its 11th annual fiesta on NBC-TV, it was a little difficult to keep count. As I recall, the show was cited as the outstanding single television program of the past year, its star was named the outstanding personality, its director and producer won awards for the way they put the program on the air in the first place, and when Ed Sullivan appeared on the screen later on in the evening to read off a list of Emmy winners who won their awards before the ceremonies went on the air, I thought I also heard the names of the choreographer, the scenic designer, the cameraman, and for all I know, the girl who typed the commercials, the messenger who went out for coffee and the studio porter who came in to clean up afterwards. It seems fairly apparent that the workers in the vineyards of the TV industry thought "An Evening With Fred Astaire" was a pretty splendid show all around. AAA The telecast of these Emmy Awards started off in fine, ingenious fashion — just as though these TV people were out to show everybody else just how; an awards telecast should be staged. The camera roved over the assembled audience, picking t. .,.-_, ,._» 1 out the celebrities, while an off -screen announcer observed that this was a tense moment for everybody. "What are they thinking?" mused the announcer. "What emotions are surging behind those t quiet exteriors?" So there was Mickey Rooney thinking, "Who gave me this seat behind James Arness, anyway?" And there was Art Carney thinking, "Me? Im not a bit nervous!" as he lit three" cigarets at once. A little further on, there was an excerpt from "Father Knows Best" as it is currently being telecast in Western Germany — complete with Robert Young, Jane Wyatt. and that girl who plays their young daughter all speaking flawless Deutsch. "Now you know," said Mr. Young, when he subsequently turned up in person. "Its the American version that is dubbed." AAA To my mind however, the high moment of the Emmy Awards program came when Elaine May, of the comedy team of Elaine May and Mike Nichols, was introduced to present an award that had not been previously listed, and which had not even been scheduled for the evening. "I am honored to make this presentation," said Miss May, "to the main who has turned out more garbage on the air than anybody else this year." Whereat Mr. Nichols arose from his seat and came forward to accept the trophy. "For total mediocrity," murmured Miss May as she handed it over. And in his speech, Mr. Nichols paid appropriate tribute to the things that brought him this honor. "No matter what suggestions the sponsor makes — I follow them," he said. "I never could have done this alone. The people on my program are not hired for talent — but because theyre swell fellows. And as an indication of how successful we have been — in all the years we have been doing this Continued on Page Fifty-Seven : 1 " " 5 7 * 3 I 3 5 SIGHT AND SOUND I By LEO MISHKIN Continued from Page Two program, we have not received one single letter!" A. A. A And then, of course, there were other cherished moments. The Press Secretary to the president of the United States presenting an Emmy in Washington "to my very good friend, John Charles Daly," only to find out that the award was for a man named John Day instead. The parade of substitutes galloping up to the stage to accept the coveted Emmy for somebody who wasnt there, Loretta Young wasnt there, Jane Wyatt wasnt there — a whole slew of •winners werent there. It got so confusing after a while that off-screen announcer could be reasonably excused for saying, "The award to Miss Julie Harris for Little Moon of Alban will be accepted by executive producer Mildred Freed Alberg" while a bald-headed gentleman in horn rimmed glasses came up to take it. Turned out he was George Schaefer, the director of "Little Moon of Alban." Didnt look a bit like .Mildred Freed Alberg. AAA Jack Benny presented an Emmy to James Garner of "Maverick," and James Garner of "Maverick" presented an Emmy to Jack Benny. Both of them being on the air at the same time. Bob Hope won a special citation from the Board of Governors of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for his hop, skip and jumping all, around the world, and among other items "Playhwuse 90," "Omnibus," "Whats My Line?" Dinah Shore, James Costigan the author of "Little Moon of Alban", Edward R. Murrow and the new team of Chet Huntley and David Brinkley were also honored during the course of the evening. AAA Its a pity, on the other hand, that the freshness and novelty of the opening passages couldnt be sustained through the length of that hour and a half in which the Emmys were handed out. The overlong and complicated list of nominees forced the ceremonies into the familiar pattern of somebody opening an envelope, reading a name, and then having the winner make his way up to the rostrum.
