Week of December 22, 1954

President Eisenhower gives Mrs. Eisenhower an oil painting of their three grandchildren for Christmas (see picture). Mrs Eisenhower gave the President something in a gaily-wrapped box that he didn’t open immediately. In A Gallup Poll – here are the choices Americans would like for Christmas in order: Men – New car, new house, new clothes, Jewelry, gadgets, sports equipment. Women – Household appliances, new clothes, new house, new furniture, new car. A British Overseas Airways plane crashed and burned on a runway at Prestwick Airport (Scotland). 29 are feared dead.

Week of December 22, 1954

Mississippi voters give two-to-one approval to a constitutional amendment which would provide subsidized private schools instead of public schools if necessary to preserve segregation.

Sam Sheppard, speaking from his jail cell for the first time since his murder conviction, advanced the entirely new theory that the person who clubbed his pregnant wife Marilyn to death July 4 may have been a woman. Sheppard will he held in jail until new trial arguments next week, after which he will go to the state Penitentiary at Columbus to begin serving his life sentence.

Peiping radio broadcasts fresh demands by Red China’s Foreign Minister and a government-sanctioned conference that the U.S. forces get out of Formosa and let the Communists take it. Atty. Gen. Brownell announces that Eastman Kodak Co. has agreed to sell its amateur color film without including a processing charge. The agreement settled an antitrust proceeding that the Justice department had brought against the company. Heretofore, Eastman has included a processing charge in the selling price of its amateur color film. Under this arrangement, the buyer once he has taken pictures, send the exposed film to Eastman and it is finished without further charge. The Justice Department contended this prevented other photo finishers from competing with Eastman on the processing and was an illegal restraint on trade. The United States and Britain are reported ready to consult immediately on how to rearm West Germany without France should the French Assembly uphold its initial rejection of the allied plan. The French National Assembly approves Germany’s admission to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. President Eisenhower expressed gratification at the approval.

Week of December 22, 1954

Week of December 22, 1954

The Army plans to release thousands of draftees ahead of schedule next year to carry out the sharp manpower cut ordered by the White House. Gallup survey finds President Eisenhower, once again – man of the year: President Eisenhower Prime Minster Churchill Adlai Stevenson Sen. McCarthy Former President Truman Gen. MacArthur Pope Pius Bishop Fulton Sheen Former President Hoover Dr. Albert Schweitzer Kicked out of Rome - Charles (Lucky) Luciano loses an appeal against a police crackdown on his activities and was promptly ordered out of town. Christmas shopping in 1954 smashes all previous records, according to Dun & Bradstreet. The agency says total retail volume for December will push to a new high of $17 billion – 4% higher than December sales of last year and nearly 1% above the previous peak attained in December, 1952.

Sports – Willie Mays of the Giants is selected male athlete of the year by the Associated Press. An Associated Press poll names The New York Giants, baseball’s world champs, as outstanding team of 1954. Duke Snider re-signs with the Brooklyn Dodgers for $33,000. On the basis of studies by the American Cancer

Society and by English researchers, every pack of cigarettes smoked will shorten

Week of December 22, 1954

the average life by 6 hours if the habit is continued at a pack a day for 10 years or more.

Entertainment news – Gloria Vanderbilt Stokowski announces that she has separated from her husband, Symphony Conductor Leopoid Stokowski then went to a theater date with Frank Sinatra. Pianist Liberace is confined to his home – and wants to get some rest. At least, his doctor has ordered him to do so.

After two years of separation, Gregory Peck divorces his wife Greta. Radio news - RCA and NBC have settled for “approximately $1 million” in claims against them by the estate of the late Maj. Edwin H. Armstrong. The claims were instituted in 1948 by Major Edwin Armstrong, a pioneer radio inventor who committed suicide in February. In the original suit, Major Armstrong accused RCA and NBC of infringements on five of his basic patents on the FM (frequency

modulation) system of radio broadcasting. Armstrong alleged that RCA sought to maintain “a monopoly” of the business of granting licenses under radio patents in the United States and “deliberately set out to oppose and impair the value” of his FM patents.

Television news - A competitor to NBC’s “Dragnet” debuts. “The Lineup” is on CBS-TV Friday nights. The show has the cooperation of the San Francisco Police Department. The Lineup features Inspector Matt Grebb (Warner Anderson) and Lt. Ben Guthrie (played by Tom Tully). The DuMont network is cutting back its activity. The company blames the financial burden of

Week of December 22, 1954

coaxial cable facilities. Said spokesman Ted Bergmann - “The entire industry is well aware that networking, as distinct from station operation, is presently an uneconomic activity. For a ling time, we have been seeking a means of making telecasting more efficient. We are moving now to reorganize and strengthen our broadcasting structure and at the same time make the medium more attractive and more economic to all advertisers.” Art Linkletter hosts children of celebrities on his CBS-TV daytime Houseparty show. Judy Garland’s daughter, Lisa Minnelli (8), Walter Wanger’s daughter Shelly (6), Sammy Cahn’s son Steven (7) and Art’s own daughter Sharon (8) will be featured

Week of December 22, 1954

Sunday night television – CBS – Omnibus, You Are There, Lassie, Jack Benny, Toast of the Town, GE Theatre, Favorite Playhouse, Father Knows Best, What’s My Line? NBC – Hall of Fame Theatre, Meet the Press, Roy Rogers Show, People Are Funny, Colgate Comedy Hour, Drama, Loretta Young, The Hunter ABC – You Asked For It, Trouble With Father, The Big Picture, Walter Winchell, What’s Going On.

Tuesday night television – CBS – Douglas Edwards news, Jo Stafford Show, Halls of Ivy, Meet Millie, Danger, Life with Father, See It Now NBC – Dinah Shore, News Caravan w/John Cameron Swayze, Milton Berle, Fireside Theatre, Circle Theatre, Truth or Consequences, it’s a Great Life, Steve Allen Show, Tonight W/Steve Allen.

At the movies – Vera Cruz – Gary Cooper, Burt Lancaster 3 Ring Circus – Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Joanne Dru, Zsa Zsa Gabor Carmen Jones Sabrina – Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn, William Holden Lili – Leslie Caron The Fast and the Furious – John Ireland, Dorothy Malone Adventures of Robinson Crusoe The Little Kidnappers – Duncan MaCrae

Week of December 22, 1954

Deep In My Heart – Jose Ferrer, Merle Oberdon, Helen Traubel Sunderin – Hildegarde Neff The Bells of St Trinians – Alastair Sim

Top alums – White Christmas – Bing Crosby A Star Is Born – Judy Garland Music for Lovers Only – Jackie Gleason Music of Christmas – Percy Faith Glenn Miller Limited Edition Vol. 2 Seven Brides For Seven Brothers - Soundtrack Swing Easy – Frank Sinatra Glenn Miller Plays Selections from “The Glenn Miller Story.”

Week of December 22, 1954

Week of December 22, 1954