Evening star. [volume], November 05, 1959, Page A-4, Image 4

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
THE EVENING STAR 1W
Walking toft, 0. C., Thursday, November J, 1959
A-4
QUIZ ' T
Moral Issues Put Aside
By Producers, Probe Told *
Continued From First Pare
came out of weekly meetings
to determine contestants’
futures, then it was because
he was too busy with other
functions.
Mr. Abrams said the methods
used on the program were not
always apparent right away.
Recalls Opera Quia
"It wasn't until months after
Glno Prado appeared that I
realized his questions had been
confined to Italian opera,” Mr.
Abrams said. "He had been
billed as an expert on opera
generally."
Mr. Prado is the Italian-
American cobbler who was one
of the early big money winners.
Mr. Abrams testified that at
the weekly sponsor-producer
meetings there was never any
open discussion of having a
contestant continue or drop off,
. but such things were “always
expressed as a hope or a de
sire” by Revlon representa
tives.
He said Charles Revson,
president of Revlon, attended
meetings infrequently and “I
would say he didn’t know.”
He said Revlon, when it had
proof of outright rigging, pulled
out as sponsor.
Mr. Abrams testified that
that there was a conference
with representatives of Colum
bia Broadcasting System after
charges were made by the Rev.
Charles E. (Stoney) Jackson,
Tullahoma (Tenn.) minister,
in September, 1958, that he
had been given advance infor
mation on the $64,000 Question.
Os the CBS inquiry into the
charges at that time, Mr.
Abrams said:
“I had the impression that
sort of whitewash was occur
ring—that they were not ready
to show these shows off the
air.”
Officials to Testify
CBS President Frank Stan
ton and Robert E. Kintner,
president of the National
Broadcasting Co., were sched
uled to testify later today as
the House investigators sought
to wind up the hearings. They
faced questioning on what
steps were taken when they re
ceived reports that the shows
were being rigged.
As the current series of hear
ings neared an end, Repre
sentative Bennett, Republican
of Michigan, said, “We haven’t
completed our investigation.”
He said that he had received
Information alleging “payoffs,
fraud and 'deception on some
other types of program” and
that these reports wera being
investigated. He added that
tl# Alternation also involved 1
4*dvbrtismss , #
Sponsors Accused
In sworn testimony entered
into the hearing record last
night. Shirley Bernstein, as
sociate producer of the $84,000
Challenge show and sister of
Conductor Leonard Bernstein,
said that the shows were fre
quenty rigged on instructions
from the sponsors.
Other testimony included:
1. A denial by Charles Rev
son of any knowledge that the
shows were rigged.
2. Robert L. Foreman, execu
tive vice president of the Bat
ton. Barton. Durstine and Os
born advertising agency, that
he sat in on some of the Revlon
conferences when his company
had the account and that he
‘assumed” the shows were con
trolled to an extent.
Charged to Business
Mr. Hess said he charged it
all as a business expense.
The testimony of Miss Bern
stein was in the fornp of
a sworn interrogation by
Richard N. Goodwin, subcom
mittee attorney. The producer,
who has refused to talk publicly
about what she knew of rigging,
said in the statement that
"controls are virtually essential
to good dramatic production.”
Miss Bernstein was questioned
before the subcommittee re
ceived information that she
had coached Patty Duke, too
Broadway child star who won
$32,000 on the program, and
she was not asked about that.
Identical Questions Used
In her affidavit, Miss Bern
stein said that in about 20 per
cent of the cases a contestant
was asked about almost the
identical question that would
be put to him later on the
show. Asked the reason for
this, she replied:
"Either the contestant was
very nervous or the sponsor
had requested a particular out
come of a match.”
Q. Was this request made of
you?
A. Not directly, but through
Mr. Carlin (Steven R. Carlin,
producer of the $64,000 Chal
lenge).
Q. When would he transmit
thesd requests to you?
A. Anywhere from two to five
days before the show which
they concerned.
Q, Did Mr. Carlin tell you
that these were the requests
of the sponsors?
A. After awhile everything
could be tacit. At the start he
would say, ‘How is contestant
X’s knowledge?’ I would say,
First class.’ He would say, ‘Do
you think he will go high?’ I
would say, ‘I think so.’ He
would say,’ Good, because that’s
the way the sponsor wants the
match to come out.’ ”
Q. Was it your complete un
derstanding from the start that
you were receiving instructions
from the sponsor as to how a
match should come out?
A. Yes, completely. There
were many meetings with the
mm 1 wm
M
B HI 89
Wk M
MAX HESS
Ik
SHIRLEY BERNSTEIN
sponsor where Mr. Carlin would
come back white with anger.
Q. Did Mr. Carlin ever tell
you directly that the sponsor
had requested a particular out
come to a match?
Sponsor’s Wishes
A. Often I would say, ‘Why
do it this way?’ Mr. -Carlin
would say that it was not his
wish, but the sponsor wanted it
that way.
Q. By sponsor, he meant pri
marily Revlon?
A. Yes, I was given to under
stand that we had little or no
Interference from the Lorillard
people.
Miss Berstein said controls
were exercised through finding
out what a contestant knew
and then asking questions in
his area of knowledge. At her
peak she said the method was
80 per cent accurate.
Q. Would you say that the
controls were so prevalent that
it was safe to assume that the
use of controls was generally
known in the television in
dustry?
A. I would say yes.
Q. By producers, advertising
agencies and networks alike?
A. Yes, in varying degrees.
However, she said she did not
know in the case of The $64,000
Challenge that anyone in the
networks knew that controls
were being used in varying de
grees to insure the victory of
virtually all contestants on the
program.
Miss Berstein said she knew
little about arrangements with
a New York bank to safeguard
questions—“l had a key to the
safe and I and my assistant
would go in and get the ques
tions.”
She agreed with her inter
rogator that use of the bank
was “a little phony” and gave
“a false Impression ... de
liberately created.”
Mr. Foreman testified that
the weekly meetings at Rev
lon discussed contestants who
would appeal and their poten
tial ratings. Generally, he said,
it would be the producers who
would make the suggestions
about the different contestants
and the conversation centered
around whether a contestant
was good for the show.
Asked if Revlon indicated
whether a candidate should
stay or get off, Mr. Foreman
replied: "Inferentially, yes.”
The advertising executive,
under questioning, said he
thought the Abrams statement
“in essence is correct” but that
he oversimplified. As for him
self, Mr. Foreman said he com
mented at the meeting "merely
in terms of whether a contest
ant was good or bad.” '
Public Held Victimised
While Mr. Revson was testi
fying he said under questioning
that he believed his company
had been the victim of fraud.
Mr. Rogers said that the Amer
ican people also had been vic
timized and pointing out that
Revlon’s sales had jumped
many millions during the quiz
shows, asked:
“Have you thought of any
way to make restitution to the
American people?
“I don’t know how to answer
that,” Mr. Revson replied.
Catholic Speakers
The Most Rev. Egidio Vag
nozzi. Apostolic Delegate to the
United States, will address the
Catholic Laymen’s Friday Club
at 12:30 p.m. tomorrow in the
Presidential Arms. ft2o G
street N.W. He will be intro
duced by the Most Rev. Pat
rick A. O'Boyle, Archbishop of
Washington.
\ ' JRk M Jm
m '%*+«**' .
I Bk _mk
KENNETH HOFFER
f fi
HHV •••
DAVID GOTTLIEB
—AT Photo*
Bookie Slain
In Barroom
NEW YORK, Nov. 5 <AP).—
Two assassins pumped bullets
into Frank (Frankie Shots)
Abbatemarco, a gambler, as he
lay wounded on a Brooklyn
barroom floor last night.
They looked closely at their
victim to make sure he was
down to stay, ’f’hen they
walked out of the tavern.
Abbatemarco, 59, died a short
time later in a hospital without
regaining consciousness.
Police rounded up a large
number of men for questioning,
which continued today.
Abbatemarco, whose arrest
record dated back to 1921, was
described by police as a veteran
lottery racket and bookie boss
in Brooklyn.
The killers followed Abbate
marco to the tavern, and one
of them fired a bullet into him.
He staggered inside the tavern,
and they pumped four more
shots into him after he fell to
the floor.
The killers wore handker
chief The tavevn owner,
the only other person in the
place, did not recognize them.
Two Armed Men
Seized With Loot
Os Virginia Bank
RICHMOND, Nov. 5 (AP).—
Two armed men held up a
branch of the Bank of Virginia
today and fled with an unde
termined amount of cash.
Within half an hour police
nabbed the pair, their car and
the money, a bank official said.
Police said the suspects had
in their possession three paper
bags stuffed with money. A
count of one bag disclosed
$4,644.
"I don’t have the slightest
idea how much money* they
got,” said Robert Maitland,
manager of the Petersburg pike
branch.
He said the two unmasked,
armed white men entered the
bank shortly after 10 am. and
informed four employes and
about half a dozen customers:
“This is a stickup. Move over
to the corner and lie down on
the floor.”
Bowing Balls
Ths Finest in Bowling Balls
Sine* 1907.
• Ten Pin Balls Drilled In Our Own Shop
* Duck Pin Balls Available In 5” Or 4%" In Various Colors
and Weights
a *
I-"
INITIALS STAMPED FREE ON EA£H BALL
o Bowleg Shoes for Men, * Carrying Bags for Balls,
Women and Children Shoes and Trophies
o Bowling Shirts—Trophies
Conn Billiard ft Bowling Supply Co.
810 9th ST. N.W. 01.7-4857 • 01.7-4711
Optn Dmlly 8:30 to 0:30
Thvrsdayi to 8:00 P.M.
Abrams 7 Description
Os Quiz Show Policy
Following it the affidavit of George Abrams, a former
vice president of Revlon cosmetics company, read into the
record of the House TV quiz show investigation yesterday:
I, George Abrams, president
of cosmetics and toiletries di
vision of Warner-Lambert
Pharmaceutical Corp., of Morris
Plains Division, do solemnly
swear and affirm that the fol
lowing is a true and accurate
and complete account of state
ments made by me to subcom
mittee Interrogator Richard N.
Goodwin in the presence of
Joseph Stone. Assistant District
Attorney of the County of New
York.
I formerly was vice president
of advertising for Revlon, Inc.
In this capacity I attended
weekly sponsors meetings of
the "$64,000 Question” and
"$64,000 Challenge” from ap
proximately August, 1955, to
October, 1958. In attendance at
these meetings were the pro
ducers of the show, including
Mr. Steve Carlin and Mr. Mert
Koplln; representatives of
whatever advertising agency
was then handling the Revlon
account—Norman, Craig &
Kummel, B. B. D. & 0., and
Warwick Sc Legler, in chron
ological order; and Mr. Martin
Revson and myself from Rev
lon, Inc: Occasionally, Mr.
Charles Revson was in at
tendance.
Purpose of Meetings
1. The primary purpose of
these meetings was to discuss
methods of keeping the ratings
high, or raising them. Charts
were maintained which showed
the contestants then on the
program, and the “audience
draw” while they were appear
ing. At these meetings we
would discuss with the pro
ducers and the advertising
agency whether individual
contestants were interesting
personalities, or dull and un
exciting, and what publicity
appeal they had, as indicated
by the current newspaper clip
pings. If a contestant was
interesting, it was generally the
consensus of opinion that he
should continue on the show.
If he was dull, we would
suggest to the producer that it
would be desirable that the
contestant not continue in the
future. We understood that
the technique used for con
troying the destiny of a con
testant was to employ questions
ranging from “tough” to
"easy," based on the producer’s
knowledge of the expertness of
the contestant in certain areas
within his chosen category as
determined in their screening
operation.
2. If a contestant or match
did not come out as we had
suggested, the sponsor and
agency representatives would
be upset and express displeas
ure .. . often in a very heated
fashion. I have given you four
specific examples of matches
which resulted in either a dull
contestant continuing on a
show, despite our desire that
he not do so, or interesting
personalities losing, as opposed
to our hope that they would
continue.
Sponsor’s Wishes Followed
3. The producers carried out
the sponsors’ wishes most of
the time as suggested in these
meetings.
4. As stated, the primary
purpose of the meeting was to
Reds Recall Date
U. S. Envoy Came
MOSCOW, Nov. 5 (AP).—
Continuing their love-America
campaign, Moscow newspapers
noted that 150 years ago today
Jjftm Quincy Adams presented
his credentials to Emperor
Alexander I as the first Amer
ican minister to Russia.
Izvestia, the government
newspaper, published a copy of
a letter from President James
Madison which Adams gave the
Emperor. The letter said:
"Great and Good Friend and
Emperor:
*”Desirous of promoting use
ful intercourse and good un
derstanding between Your Ma
jesty’s subjects and the citizens
of the United States and espe
cially to cultivate the friend
ship of Your Majesty, I have
appointed with the advice of
the Senate John Quincy
Adams, one of our distin
guished citizens, to be in qual
ity of minister plenipotentiary
to you on the part of these
Btates and most of all which
he shall assure you of their
rcordial esteem and respect for
Your Majesty’s person and
character, praying God always
to have you in his safe and
holy keeping.”
The letter, dated Washing
ton, July 10, 1809, was co
signed by A. Smith, secretary.
Quemoy Shelled
JTAIPEI, Formosa, Nov. 5
(AP). Chinese Communists
fired at Quemoy this afternoon
for the first time in five days,
the Defense Ministry reported.
Six shells were lobbed from the
mainland at the Nationalist
held island.
keep the ratings high, or raise
them, and so. consistent with
this purpose, a great deal of
time was devoted to discussing
the destiny of a contestant,
and it was always assumed that
the producers would use the
known control of a difficult or
simple question within the spe
cific areas of a contestant’s
expertness within his category
as determined in intensive pre
liminary greening to regulate
whether a contestant remained
on, or left, the show.
5. Although we were un
aware that the producers ever
told a contestant toe exact
answers to the questions he
was to be asked on toe pro
gram, we did know that through
intensive preliminary screening
the producers found out what
a contestant knew, and asked
him about it.
6. Memos were made of these
meetings and later circulated.
At one time, a memorandum
was circulated which, in effect,
said bluntly that what had
been decided was that a certain
match would end next week,
and another contestant would
advance to Another plateau on
the Question show. This famous
last memo was a crude transla
tion into plain language of
what had been the general
purport of the meetings. Mr.
Martin Revson was quite up
set at this memo, and ordered
that there be no more memos,
because he did not want to be
bound by what anyone put
down on paper. He thought it
a foolish thing to put down on
paper.
Decided on Contestants
7. The decisions were ar
rived at about contestants
who should continue on the
Question, how a match should
go on toe Challenge—and the
sponsor and agency expected
that the decisions would be
carried out with a high degree
of accuracy.
8. The meetings also dealt
with other problems, such as
M.C.’s categories, format
changes, etc.
9. At one point it was de
cided that there be more 'los
ers on the Question show, be
cause it was too boring having
all winners. When that deci
sion was made, it was expected
that the producers carry it out;
and, in fact, they did carry it
out, using, I assume, the tech
nique df asking questions based
on the amount of knowledge
they felt a contestant had in
a specific category.
The above is a complete and
accurate picture of what went
on at the weekly sponsors
meeting which constituted my
primary contact with the
shows. I was always present
in these meetings in nw ca
pacity as a Revlon executive,
and I participated in the deci
sions which were made.
Since I have nothing to add
to <this statement, and feel
that) there is absolutely no
need of explanation or quali
fication, I request that I be
excused from personal at
tendance at the subcommittee
hearings.
i
JanQt Gaynor
In Stage Debut
NEW HAVEN, Conn., Nov.
5 (AP).—Janet Gaynor made
her stage debut last nigty in
the gowns her late husband
designed for her.
Miss Gaynor, winner of the
first Academy Award given to
a movie actress, appeared in
“The Midnight Sun,” a new
play by Joseph Hayes. She
wore dresses designed by her
husband, Gilbert Adrian, short
ly before his death recently.
Miss Gaynor played the part
of a middle-aged mother with
a heart condition.
Miss Gaynor had not per
formed for more than 20 years,
with the exception of a movie
in 1957 and a television ap
pearance last spring.
THE GREATEST ADVANCE IN
FIREPLACE SCREENS IN 25 YEARSI
CUSTOM MADE
PRESSURE MOUNT
INSTALLED IN
fptfrlXT LESS THAN .
Hlj-1- 3 MINUTES
vs ' •. No special tools
I ®-J required. Jost *
, rmmmmm tighten 4 screws.
ill;; mt
1811.
PRICED FROM
Top bar available in four finishes: Brass,
Black, Copper and Swedish. Equipped £■ jsm Qe
with the E-Z pull mechanism-a touch of #1 YO
the finger on the brass pulls, and I
"Roller-Bearing” action takes over,
D. L. BROMWELL, INC.
America's Oldest Fireplace Fixtures Dealer
710 12th St. N.W. RE. 7-1803
Network Mail
Favors Keeping
Quiz Programs
NEW YORK, Nov. 5 (AP).—
NBC and CBB report mall and
telegram sentiment: in favor of
continuance of television quiz
shows.
The correspondence also has
brought expressions of affection
for Charles Van Doren, the ad
mittedly coached TV star. The
bulk of it was received by Dave
Garroway’s “Today” show,
where Mr. Van Doren was a
commentator until ousted by
NBC.
CBS and NBC, the networks
which nurtured and nipped toe
TV quiz boom, said today that
communications about TV quiz
programs generally was stream
ing in, too fast for complete
tabulation.
NBC, reporting on a tally of
its latest 625 letters, said 468
favored continuation of the quiz
shows, 129 were critical of such
entertainment, and 28 were un
determinate.
A CBS spokesman said:
“A large majority of the mall
favors continuation of this
type of show. They enjoy
them, and would like to see
them kept on the air, if there
is some way of doing it.”
Columbia Broadcasting Sys
tem said that while the big
majority favored continued
quiz shows, most writers also
lauded the policy laid down
recently by CBS President
Frank Stanton of network re
sponsibility for the authenticity
of its presentations.
Some writers suggested quiz
shows without the huge prizes,
or lavish gifts. NBC said its
correspondence, in addition to
showing continued devotion to
quiz shows, also showed public
backing for Mr. Van Doren.
"He’s still a hero,” a spokes
man said.
Hal March Says
He'll Sue Sponsor
To Clear Name
NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 5 (AP).
—Hal March, former $64,000
Question quiz master, says he
plans to sue the show’s sponsor
to clear his name.
Mr. March said he did not
feed answers to any contestant.
He said he never met con
testants beforehand.
"I feel deluded and used,”
said Mr. March. He is in New
Orleans touring with the play
“Two for the Seesaw,” in
which he stars.
“If I had known about it, I
don’t know what I would have
done,” he added.
The $64,000 Question was
sponsored by Revlon, Inc., a
cosmetics firm.
Mr. March said he usually
went to toe studio, did the show
and was on his way home by
10 p.m. He said producers did
not let him in on the fraud
because it might have hurt
his “enthusiastic” performance.
Mr. March said he planned
to see his lawyer to discuss
grounds for the proposed suit
against Revlon. He will not
seek money, he said.
Job Offer Hinted
For Van Doren
At Alma Mater
ANNAPOLIS, Nov. 5 (AP).—
Charles Van Doren stands a
good chance of becoming
alumni secretary at his alma
mater, St. John’s College, if
he applies for the job.
Dr. Richard D. Weigle, presi
dent of the liberal arts col
lege, said yesterday he per
sonally would be “favorably
disposed” to an application
from Mr. Van Doren for the
opening.
But Dr. Weigle said he doubts
if Mr; Van Doren would be
interested. TBe job is mainty
administrative but would in
clude some teaching.
Mr. Van Doren, who was
graduated from St. John’s in
1947, lost his teaching position
Army Captain Resigns,
Denies Help on TV
FORT SILL, Okla., Nov. 5
(AP).—An Army officer who
won big money on the televi
sion quiz show Tlc-Tsc-Dough
—and has steadfastly denied
receiving any help—has re
signed his commission.
Officers at Fort BUI said
Capt. Michael O’Rourke, who
won more than $106,000, re
signed yesterday with this offi
cial statement:
“My reason for resigning Is
that if I were called before
the congressional committee
investigating the television
shows, I would prefer to appear
as a civilian or as an officer
of the Army whose resignation
has been submitted.”
The resignation was quickly
accepted here and approved by
toe Department of the Army.
It came scant hours after
Capt. O’Rourke, 30, had again
denied he ever received any
help or knew of any help being
given contestants on Tic-Tac-
Dough.
His denial was prompted by
release of testimony by Howard
Felsher, producer of the pro-,
gram.
Mr. Felsher told the House
committee investigating quiz
shows October 9 that both
Martin Dowd, who defeated
the captain on the show, and
Capt. O’Rourke received help.
Last night Mrs. O’Rourke
said her husband was "out.”
Asked if her husband wanted
to say anything more, she re
plied, “What more is there to
say? There is nothing un
answered except for toe press.”
Capt. O’Rourke said several
times recently he would be
glad to testify before the com
mittee. He never was called.
Before his resignation yes
terday, Capt. O’Rourke had
said:
"The program may have been
rigged as far as Dowd was con
Ex-Quiz Kid Denies
Show Was 'Controlled 7
A 26-year-old Washington
attorney who once appeared on
the old-time radio quiz show,
the Quiz Kips, said today the
program wasn’t controlled as
far as he knows.
Testimony released by House
investigators yesterday showed
the program was controlled
but no questions or answers
were given the youngsters in
advance.
Richard Freeman, who ap
peared on the show at the age
of 10, disagreed with testimony
of one of the show’s producers,
Edward Jurist, who also pro
duced the now-defunct tele
vision show, Dotto.
Mr. Jurist told the House
Legislative Oversight Sub
committee on October 8 in
closed-door sessions about the
Quiz Kids program.
"Every effort was made to
control the shows,” Mr. Jurist
said. This was done, he said,
by using questions known to
be in the youngsters’ range of
knowledge. But fyr most of
them, he added, It wasn’t too
difficult because they were so
brainy anyway.
Mr. Freeman, who lives at
1444 Rock Creek Ford road
N.W., pointed out that the ques
tions were posed for any of the
panel members to answer. He
said he felt the questions were
probably hard for the panel to
handle.
Mr. Freeman said his own
specialties were history, sports
and geography. He estimated
at Columbia University and a
$50,000-a-year job with the
National Broadcasting Co. after
admitting the television quiz
show Twenty-One, on which he
won $129,000, was rigged.
Meanwhile, a Maryland radio
station, WAYE in suburban
Baltimore, has offered Mi’. Van
Dorena job as news director.
There was no indication what
either position would pay.
fREPEATING A SELL-OUT! \
IRVING'S SPORTS, INC., W*r.
Lucky To Sccur* Another Lorg*
Quantity of Thes* loots! Just .
hi Time foMhe HUNTING SEA*
For Hunters, Workers, Farmers
ARMY PAC BOOTS
Vj • Heavy Duty! Waterproof! "
P jK? * Brand-New Gl Surplus!
EjgutZ? • Cost Government $14.90!
; I’ljpHlj |
Those Boots Midi by 0. S.
Rnbbir, Hood, fioodyou and 5
* SIZES 7!• 14 Olbor Toy Nuaiaciiroril
SAT. 9-6M5
ji
CHARGE ITI
IhbkkuhszFßEE PARKING njwwwPWUWU m M |!|
»r : *
MICHAEL O’ROURKE
cemed, but not as far as I’m
concerned. Felsher’s charge
surprised me very much.”
Capt. O’Rourke was teaching
military science at Western
Michigan University at the time
he appeared on the show.
In Washington, Chairman
Harris of the’ House Investigat
ing Subcommittee refused to
say flbtly that the committee
either had or had not been
in communication with Capt.
O’Rourke.
Told that Capt. O’Rourke re
peated denials he was fixed,
Mr. Harris remarked "there
wa fi another gentleman who
repeated his denials, and he
put his foot in it.”
This was an obvious refer
ence to Charles Van Doren
who, after several denials, ad
mitted his role in the Twenty-
One show.
Committee aides said they
knew of no communication to
the committee from Capt.
O’Rourke.
his total winnings at about
SI,OOO. *
Mr. Jurist also told the
House investigators that Dotto.
first of the big-name quiz
shows to collapse under rigging
allegations, was fixed.
He pleaded with the subcom
mittee to avoid any public ref
erence to his testimony. He
said he moved to Hollywood
after Dotto was scrapped and
is trying to carve out a new
career as a free-lance televi
sion writer and producer.
Publicity, he said, would
jeopardize all this.
-
$170,000 Winner
Says Shows Stir
Too Much Fuss'
LA JOLLA, Calif., Nov. 5
(AP).—There’s too much fuss
being made about the television
quiz programs, a jockey who
won $170,000 on them answer
ing questions about art said
today.
“It makes me sick,’’ added
Bill Pearson, who invested his
1956 winnings on the $64,000
Question and $64,000 Challenge
programs in a home and fine
arts shop here. He said the
shows were intended princi
pally as entertainment and
should be considered as -such.
Mr. Pearson said he received
no help of any sort and added
that he would gladly appear, if
asked, before the congressional
committee investigating the
quiz shows.
Both Mr. Pearson and his
wife Queta expressed sympa
thy for Charles Van Doren,
the former Columbia Univer
sity instructor, who has admit
ted to the committee that the
Twenty-One show on which he
won $129,000 was fixed.
“The poor guy,” said Mr.
Pearson. He said that Mr.
Van Doren did a fine acting
job on the quiz show and
should get an award.