Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1945)

NEWSREELS BRING BLOODY IWO HOME 60 Combat Cameramen Shot 50,000 Feet, All Flown to U. S. in Record Time One thousand feet of newsreel, recording the invasion of Iwo Jima, bloodiest assignment in the history of the United State, Marine Corps, were released Thursday as an exclusive issue by the five newsreel companies after having been flown here from the Pacific island in record time. Last week the companies devoted their second issue entirely to the capture of Manila. The Iwo Jima footage, selected from a total of 50,000 feet shot by some 60 combat cameramen from the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, is 250 feet longer than a regular release, the Navy Department donating the extra amount for each print. Lieutenant Commander John W. McClain, USNR, brought the film to the Navy Photographic Service in Washington five days after he left the Iwo Jima beachhead in a Navy seaplane. Commander McClain, who was in charge of the Navy picture coverage of the operation, was the first from the island to return to the United States since the invasion started. The over-all newsreel coverage was under the direction of Lieutenant Commander William Park, former Paramount News executive. Had Access to Battle Plan In describing the motion picture coverage of the assault on the strategic island 750 miles from Tokyo, Commander McClain said: "Several weeks before the actual operation we were given access to the Iwo Jima operation plan. We assigned approximately 60 cameramen to the job, including several to the fast carrier force that bombed Tokyo. Photographers were instructed to shoot American action right to left, and enemy action left to right, thus enabling the public to get a good perspective of the action from the screen and also to help the film cutters do a better job. "A plane from the fast carrier force covering the Tokyo raid, at a prearranged time and rendezvous, dropped the footage from that operation by parachute alongside the headquarters ship. I took that footage plus that taken at Iwo Jima by seaplane to Guam and then to Washington by Navy plane." Commander McClain paid tribute to the photographers who covered the invasion. "They are doing an excellent job out there to see to it that the public obtains as much information as possible, and to provide the Navy with important footage for tactical study," he said. Coordinated Effort Apparent Two pre-invasion days and the first two days of landing and fighting on the beachheads are vividly brought before the audience in the footage. Beginning with the softening up of the island by naval and aerial bombardment, the film graphically records the coordination of effort between ship, plane and infantry. Savage fire from the Japanese emplacements on Iwo Jima against the warships and landing vessels is shown greeting the invaders. The first boats to reach the beachheads and the initial assaults on land have been photographed at surprisingly close range. Some of the most effective shote are those taken through the slit of an advancing, flamethrowing tank, carrying the audience realistically into the very forefront of the battle, and indicating the risks taken by the protographers in their coverage. Several cameramen lost their lives in covering the invasion. Other scenes show a thrilling rescue of an American airman shot down in the sea, toughlooking Japanese prisoners brought aboard ship, the American wounded on the island, and the inspection of the invasion's early progress by Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal and Lieutenant General Holland Smith, USMC. ,■ Monday in Washington Secretary Forrestal announced that Marine dead on Iwo Jima through Saturday numbered 2,050 against 12,864 Japanese killed. He also disclosed that five to six thousand more enemy troops than the anticipated 20,000 were found on the tiny volcanic island in the Pacific, in shape resembling a miniature South America. Mannix Elected President Of Film Producers' Unit E. J. Mannix was elected president of the Association of Motion Picture Producers in Hollywood March 5, succeeding Y. Frank Freeman. B. B. Kahane was named first vice-president and Cliff Work second vice-president. Reelected were Fred W. Beetson, executive vice-president and James S. Howie, secretarytreasurer. Joseph M. Schenck replaced Jason Joy as Twentieth Century-Fox representative on the board of directors. Following the meeting, the directors of the Central Casting Corporation, AMPP subsidiary, reelected Mr. Beetson president, Howard Philbrick, vice-president, and Mr. Howie secretarytreasurer. Kernan Joins Donahue & Coe; Feted by RKO Associates William E. Kernan, who March 5 became affiliated with Donahue & Coe, New York, was given a luncheon March 1 at the Hotel Bristol by his RKO associates. RKO executives who attended included Malcolm Kingsberg, James M. Brennan, Harold Mirish, Harry Mandel, Al Dawson, H. Russell Emde, Charles B. McDonald. William J. Kernan, father of the guest of honor, John Hearns, Lou Goudereau and Joseph Di Lorenzo. Mr. Kernan was presented a watch and a scroll, on behalf of the group, by Mr. Mandel. George Kraska Publicity Head For Loew's in Boston George Kraska has been appointed advertising and publicity director of Loew's theatres in Boston. He replaces Joseph Longo, resigned. Kraska has been with Loew's 18 years. He has supervised theatres in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Ohio, and New York. He has also for a brief period operated independently the Fine Arts Theatre, Boston. He has lately been manager of Loew's Orpheum, in that city. Form Monogram Club At_ the organization meeting of the Monogram Studio Club in Hollywood last Wednesday, the following officers were elected for the year : Harry Bourne, president: Johnny Lipscomb, vice-president; Earl Revoir, treasurer; Dorothy Ford, treasurer. The board of governors, which elected the officers, consists of delegates from 18 studio departments, and charter members total 160. IN NEWSREEL! Each of the five newsreels devoted all of footage in the second issue of the current wi to the battle of hvo Jima. The issues ive\ Movietone News, No. 54; News of the DiJ No. 252; Paramount News, No. 55; Rh, Pa the News, No. 57; Universal News, No. 3)i MOVIETONE NEWS— Vol. 27, No. 53 — FDR reports Congress on Yalta parley. . . . MacArthur greeted freed American prisoners. . . . Conference of the Ami, cas in Mexico City. . . . Awards for film achievemei . . . Red Cross contributions aid our boys in N prisons. NEWS OF THE DAY— Vol. IS, No. 261— Roose' reports on Yalta. . . . Drama in the Philippines. . ' Santo Tomas prisoners liberated. . . . Red Cross pare j for Yank captives in Reich. . . . First spring th > sends ice jams on rampage. . . . Film stars i awards. PARAMOUNT NEWS— No. 54— Stars in -the news. . j Fashion critics awards for 1944. . . . 3,700 civilians fr on Manila. . . . President's Yalta report to Congn ; RKO PATHE NEWS— Vol. 16, No. 5&-President repc to Congress on Yalta. . . . 3,700 captives liberated. . | Open conference of the Americas in Mexico City. . Geneva Red Cross aids prisoners. UNIVERSAL NEWS— Vol. 18, No. 377— Santo Toil prisoners freed. . . . Red Cross on the job. . . . Cc[ Guard can take it. . . . FDR calls for world accord. ' ALL AMERICAN NEWS— Vol. 3, No. 124— Linco j memory honored at Springfield, 111. . . . Pianist £ music appreciation at Knoxville College. . . . All Am> can News signs new stars. . . . Harlem Center v comes millionth service man. . . . Louisville Ne . Catholic church, has diamond jubilee. . . . Urban Lea of Chicago urges "stay on job." . . . Trophy preser; at inter-racial meeting. . . . Purple Heart to Ne! hero and boy he saved. Esmond Retires as Censor Director of New York Irwin Esmond, for the last 14 years direc of the motion picture division State Educat Department, has retired, having reached statutory age of 70. Assistant commissio: Irwin Conroe was named acting director. 1 division reviews and licenses all films, exc newsreels, exhibited in New York State. I Esmond succeeded the first director, James W gate, in 1932 when Mr. Wingate resigned to come associated with the Motion Picture P ducers and Distributors of America. With Education Department 30 years, Mr Esmond \ chief of the law division prior to his appointm as film division head. Foreign Press Honors WAC for Morale Work A special award for contribution to morale the home front was presented the War Activil Committee Friday, March 2, in New York, the foreign language newspapers of New Yc The presentation was by Andrew Valuch secretary of the Foreign Language Press Fi Critics' Circle. Walter T. Brown, associate ordinator accepted on behalf of WAC. The ceremony was broadcast over city radio s tion WNYC. Another speaker was Major Or Hicks, of the Army Pictorial Service. Taylor Named Paramount Los Angeles Manager The appointment of Alfred R. Taylor, for past two years manager of Paramount's Ir anapolis exchange, as branch manager in 1 Angeles, effective March 5, was announced M day by Charles M. Reagan, Paramount vi president in charge of distribution. Mr. Tay who joined Paramount in 1924, will be succee< by G. Richard Frank, who has been serving Indianapolis exchange as special representat Mr. Frank joined Paramount in 1944. Theatre Declared Fire Hazard M. A. Lightman, Memphis, Tenn., circuit c er, is in search of a new home for his Pink Pal theatre since the Memphis Park Commission i bade the use of the present building as a hazard. 36 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, MARCH 10, I