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COMMUNISM IX HOLLYWOOD MOTION-PICTURE INDUSTRY 3493 Will you tell the committee how this organization was created, who fostered the idea, and, in general, the purposes of the group '. Mr. Odets. My memory of that group was hazy until you reminded me of it at one of our last meetings, and what would have happened is that I was approached by an old friend of mine, Paul Strand, a very distinguished photographer, and I was approached and asked for money to help make a progressive film. I was indignant and said that I was no banker, that it was not money that I could furnish to a film-making outfit, but if they wanted my best advice in relation to. photographing, directing, or writing for the film, I would be glad to help. This, of course, was on the basis that Paul Strand, who is in ray opinion one of the two or three great photographers of the United States, came and said he was going to head the film. Mr. Tavenner. Well, now, was that the manner in which consent was obtained to the use of your name as a member of the advisory board ? Mr. Odets. Actually I don't remember that I gave my name, but I said, "If you want me to help you on scripts and on the mechanical end of making a picture, I will help you. I can't help you in terms of money because I am not a banker." Mr. Tavenner. Did you serve on the advisory board ? Mr. Odets. This is ray last knowledge of the entire matter. I am not familiar with what they made, if they did make a picture. Mr. Tavenner. Is this the first knowledge that you received that you were on the advisory board ? Mr. Odets. My meeting with you 2 or 3 weeks ago was my first knowledge of that. Mr. Tavenner. Do you recall the activities of John Howard Law- son, Albert Maltz, and others mentioned there in connection with the production of Frontier Films? Mr. Odets. I didn't know that they had any connection with it, and certainly never met them in any relationship to this film or this film company. I am quite certain of that. Mr. Tavenner. Well, how do you account for the fact that they carried you as a member of the advisory board, if you have no knowl- edge of it? Mr. Odets. I was simply supposing that acting on my suggestion that I could help on the technical end of making a film, rather than the financial end, that they then used my name as part of an advisory council. Mr. Tavenner. You agree to that? Mr. Odets. I have no memory of that. Mr. Wood. May I ask at this point, Who did you have that conver- sation with at the time you were approached and told them you would be willing to help them? Mr. Odets. My best memory would be that it was with Paul Strand, the photographer. Mr. Wood. Did you talk to anybody else that you remember, about it? Mr. Odets. I am almost certain that I did not, sir. Mr. Tavenner. Do you have any other recollection of your con- nection with that organization? Mr. Odets. I am quite sure that that is where it ended.