Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1943)

July 3, 1943 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 9 WALT DISNEY Senate Vote Slashes OWI Film Bureau to $50,000 THE HERALD points with pride and patriotism to its sparkling Fourth of July cover from the hand of Mr. Walt Disney, distinguished contributor to the art of the motion picture and today ardently devoted to the service of the nation's cause. Today more than seventy-five per cent of the capacity of his organization and facilities is devoted to Government pictures. Mr. Disney, you will be a-remembering, came into fame with his "Mickey Mouse," to be named among the great figures of the screen for all time. His "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," first feature length cartoon, done in Technicolor, won a new order of triumph. Again came remarkable achievement in "Fantasia," a vast adventure in sheer imagination. Meanwhile there have been any number of amazingly entertaining shorts, like "Three Little Pigs," for example. That one became an international fever for a spell. For all that, Mr. Disney has been decorated frequently with varied Oscars and honorary degrees. And, now, just ahead on July 17th, is the opening of his "Victory Through Air Power," another new and different expression of the Disney genius. Elimination of all production by the domestic motion picture bureau of the Office of War Information and its reduction to a $50,000 a year liaison office was voted by the Senate Wednesday night when it accepted an Appropriations Committee amendment to the War Agencies appropriations bill giving the OWI $3,561,499 for domestic operations. Of this, only $50,000 was earmarked for the film bureau, headed by Lowell Mellett. During the day the Senate rejected by a vote of 40 to 34 an amendment offered by Senator Joseph C. O'Mahoney, of Wyoming, which would have allowed $5,500,000 for domestic OWI operations, including $250,000 for motion pictures. The O'Mahoney amendment was voted down after the Wyoming Senator read a letter from Elmer Davis, in which the OWI head declared that the $50,000 allowance would be "utterly insufficient". The $50,000, it was explained by members of the Appropriations Committee, Grand Opening RECORDS for speedy theatre construction appear to have been smashed by the American Red Cross recently in the wilderness of India's northeast frontier. When Melvin L. Chase, Red Cross field representative, reached an army camp on the frontier he found the soldiers pining for films. The majority had not seen a film for five months. Racing against the onset of the rainy season, Mr. Chase rounded up native workers and set to work. He radioed headquarters, asking for weekly deliveries of 16mm programs. The structure was completed in three weeks. Next day the rains came. The theatre, the only one within a 1,000 square mile area, has a concrete floor, bamboo frame, heavy mat walls and waterproof thatch roof. As a reward to native workers Mr. Chase reserved a special section. Mr. Chase reported to Red Cross headquarters in Washington that the house was packed for the grand opening with "My Gal would permit the motion picture bureau to maintain its liaison with Hollywood. Senator Millard R. Tydings, of Maryland, said the screen would not be deprived of war pictures in any event, since the Army and Navy, as well as the motion picture industry, would continue to produce such films. Included in the fund for domestic operations was $500,000 for liquidation of activities which will have to be abandoned and for the completion of motion pictures and other work now in progress. Mr. Davis had asked $800,000 for this purpose, estimating the cost of completing pictures at about $300,000. The bill as passed earlier by the House of Representatives carried no funds whatever for domestic operations, although the House Appropriations Committee had recommended $5,500,000. The amended bill was to go to a joint Congressional conference Wednesday night for final action. Sal." There were no glamor girls, but the premiere did boast searchlights (blacked out until enemy aircraft appeared) and brief presentation and acceptance speeches by Mr. Chase and Colonel Homer L. Sanders. The only untoward incident was a stampede to the exits by the native workers. The "ghosts who talked" from the screen were too much for them. Definition WHEN the Selective Service System, in memorandum 181 to local boards, used the word "theatrical" it meant training studios and schools. It did not mean the film industry, although some local and appeal boards, and one state headquarters thought it did, and that film industry workers were therefore in the "non-deferable" class. The definition was obtained from Selective Service Washington headquarters last week, by the War Activities Committee theatres division. 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