Television: You Don't Know the Relief

When Walter Winchell began wearing his hat into U.S. living rooms last month as the M.C. of a new half-hour variety show (Fri. 8:30 p.m., E.S.T.. NBC), he got off in a burst of puffs and plugs, especially in his own syndicated column. Crowed Columnist Winchell: "The show got the highest rating of all programs at that time. Over 3,000 telegrams came in from the 48 states, mainly from the 'little people' and the biggest movie stars." But after two weeks the show's Trendex ratings fell behind CBS's Zane Grey Theater, a filmed horse opera. "Our competition," Winchell explained, "had their...