doilu
(nib
Prince wins
ratings war
Primetime television programming has
often left a lot to be desired. But
discriminating viewers can many times find
escape from these doldrums by tuning in late
night television, primarily Johnny Carson's
Tonight Show and the" Dick Cavett Show.
According to all ratings, Carson is still the
prince of late-night television. His humor is
broad and his guests entertain rather than
inform.
Cavett is on the other end. His humor is
more subtle and submerged. The goal of his
show is to intellectually prod and inform his
audience.
For a couple of years, Cavett tried to
unseat Carson using this method-it didn't
work. The intellectuals have always been a
minority.
lorry kubert
what can I say?
So, in a typically television move, ABC
launched an all-out campaign to do in,
Carson. They pulled Cavett off the air and
originated the ABC Wide World of
Entertainment. In this format, Cavett
returns once a month for a one week stint.
ABC couldn't beat the prince with a
young knight, so it tried to resurrect the old
king, Jack Paar. Not too many college folks
remember Paar when he had the Tonight
Show (before Carson), but when he did have
it he was king. ABC brought in Paar for a
week long stint once each month.
That left two empty weeks a month. ABC
filled them with made-for-television movies,
.comedy specials, a London mystery series,
On Location specials and in Concert,
featuring rock groups filmed in live concerts.
Carson's NBC sat back and wasn't too
concerned with all the rigmarole. So, every
Friday night starting Feb. 2, NBC will air
Midnight Special from 12:00 to 1:30 a.m.
Performers will include George Carlin, and
the Byrds and Don McLean.
Appraising the success of some of the
shows, Paar is certainly going to have to
work if he wants to dethrone Carson. His
first week of shows was terrible.
Advertising for Paar's new show said,
"Jack Paar's back . . . hear interesting and
intelligent conversation." Someone should
have told Paar that he was supposed to be
intelligent.
Unless Paar does a lot of improving in the
next couple of weeks before he's due up
again, ABC can forget about him the king is
dead, long may the king lie dead.
Cavett, on the other hand, keeps right on
doing what he was so good at before, even if
he couldn't unseat Carson.
So, the word is watch long and sleep late.
And if you've got a 7:30 or 8 a.m.
class-forget it.
(blurbs )
The Lincoln Community
Playhouse's production of
Edward'' Al bee's A Delicate
Balance will continue Friday,
Saturday and Sunday.
The Lincoln Broadway
Theatre League will present
Story Theatre, a series of adult
fables, at Pershing Auditorium
Monday. A few tickets still are
available.
Next in the Artist Series at
Kimball Recital Hall will be
violinist Daniel Heifetz at 8
p.m. Saturday.
Sha Na Na, hiding their
faces behind dark glasses and
drooping cigarettes, and
wearing everything from gold
lame jerkins to sweatshirts and
dirty bluejeans, returns, to
Pershing Auditorium at 8 p.m.
Thursday. Mason Profitt also
will appear.
Some quick concert notes
within driving or hitching
distance: Jan. 26: Modern Jazz
Quartet at Kansas U.; Jan.
27-28: America in Chicago;
Jan. 28: Seals & Crofts in St.
Louis; Jan. 29: Traffic in
Denver; Jan. 30-Feb. 3: Muddy
Waters at Tulagi's in Boulder;
Jan. 31: Traffic in St. Louis
and Dave Von Ronk
Chicago.
in
(c
Cinema if a weekly mini-review service, featuring all
major movies playing in Lincoln's indoor theaters. All
reviews are written by and represent the opinions of
the Daily Nebraskan entertainment staff.
Cinema 1
Deliverance. Burt Reynolds and John Voight do an
incredibly palpable job of acting in one of the best
films in some time. During an adventurous, last trip
down a rugged river, four canoers fall prey to
hillbillies, natural disasters and emotional crises.
Performed in a brilliant, natural setting. A good bet
for several Academy Award nominations. 13th & P.
1 :05, 3:05, 5:05, 7:05 and 9:15 p.m. Rated R.
Cinema 2
Jeremiah Johnson. Robert Redfort in violent yet
tender movie adapted from Vardis Fisher's novel,
Mountain Man. 13th & P. 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 p.m. Rated PG.
CooperLincoln
Pete n' Tillie. Spotty attempt at tragi-comedy
(comedy good, tragedy nauseating) that features Carol
Burnett and Walter Matthau as mismatched
middle-egers who follow hilarious courtship with a
tragic marriage. The acting generally is mediocre and
lacks any sense to unity. A few, wildly humorous
scenes, including a battle between Burnett and
Geraldine Page, that make the movie almost worth
seeing but not quite. 54th and O. 7:30 and 9:30 p.m.
Rated PG.
corn. Also: Firesign Theatre's hilariously not insane
Martian Space Party. 12th & Q. 2, 3:55, 5:50, 7:45,
9:40 p.m. Rated G.
State
The Sword in the Stone. Witchcraft, wizardry and
comedy in Walt Disney's all-cartoon feature. 1415 O.
1,3:10, 5:20, 7:30 and 8:50 p.m. Rated G.
Stuart
The Poseidon Adventure. An epic, underwater Airport
features a galaxy of stars in a super-melodramatic plot.
An inane script, however swamps nearly all the
high-power stars. Plot generally concerns itself with
the capsizing of the luxury liner Poseidon and the
struggle of a small group to survive. Gene Hackman
and Ernest Borgnine hit new lows in major roles, while
Shelly Winters and Jack Albertson turn in the most
acceptable acting jobs as a middle-aged Jewish couple.
The lines are not to be believed. 13th & P. 1, 3:05,
5:15, 7:30 and 9:40 p.m. Rated PG.
Union
The Omega Man. Science fiction thriller features
Charleton Heston as the last human being alive after
mutants destroy humanity with gorm warfare.
Nebraska Union Small Auditorium. 7, 10 p.m. Rated
PG.
Varsity
Embassy
Heat. Joe Dallesandro and Sylvia Miles In Andy
Warhol's new spectacular in high comedy and low
tragedy. 1730 O. 11:15, 1:15,3:15,5:15,7:15,9:15.
Rated X.
Hollywood
Reefer Madness. A funny and frightening 1936
anti-marijuana production. Lively scenario shows the
evil things that happen to the marijuana-crazed lackeys
after getting hooked on the evil weed such as rape,
murder, failure and death. An experiment in camp and
page 6
The Getaway. Sam Pockinpah's latest offering stars
Steve McQueen and AM McGraw as two lovers who
pull a bank job in exchange for McQueen's prison
release. Sally Struthers of All In the Family, Ben
Johnson from The Last Picture Show and character
actor Slim Pickens excel in minor roles. Technically
imaginative and creative adventure film. 145 North
13th, 1, 3:05, 5:10, 7:15 and 9:20 p.m. Rated PG.
Vine
To Have and Have Not. For Bogart fans, another
favorite you shouldn't miss. 12th & Q. 3:40, 8:10
p.m. Also running Key Largo. 2, 6:30, 10 p.m. Rated
G.
Albee 'Delicate Balance
just misses at Playhouse
Review by Carolyn Hull
It's disappointing to see a production come within inches of
success, only to have that success remain beyond its grasp. The
Lincoln Community Playhouse's (LCP) Delicate Balance is a
strong show, only hurt by simple things the director could
cure.
Al bee's play involves the delicate balance of a middle-aged
couple, Tobias and Agnes, whose home is upset by Claire, an
alcoholic sister, and Julia, their 36 year-old daughter who
returns home after her fourth marriage breaks up.
Another couple, Harry and Edna, best friends of the family,
arrive and announce that a nameless and unexplicable fear has
caused them to seek refuge. This destroys any remaining
semblence of order.
Much of the credit for a near-success can be given to Marie
Muffley (Agnes) and Robert Stuewig (Tobias) for
communicating Albee's idea of life with delicate balance. Their
characterization was of a professional quality rarely seen at the
playhouse, reflecting their experience and training.
Disappointment followed delight, though, as
characterizations were muddied by overdoing some of the
character business. It is entirely possible that this is not the
cast's fault but that of the director. Another playhouse
regular in a strong characterization was Patricia Dickeson
(Claire). Her sardonic attitude brought to life the humor Albee
intends in calling it a "serious comedy."
Those few extra inches to success can be so far. Good
characterizations of the good script can be undone by little
mistakes which go unnoticed.
On exhibition at Sheldon
Art Gallery is the biennial
exhibition of work by graduate
students in the UNL Art
Department's master of fine
arts program. The exhibit will
continue through Feb. 11. An
exhibition of Fritz Schulder
paintings is also on display
through Feb. 18.
The Nebraska Union Special
Film Series opens the new '
semester with Reefer Madness.
The laugh-a-minute feature will
open Thursday at Sheldon Art
Gallery with showings at 3, 7,
and 9 p.m.
STARTS TODAY
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daily nebraskan
friday, january 26, 1973