Radio and television mirror (Nov 1939-Apr 1940)

ecies of the future. Above all he is made to know that the Fund considers his problem a confidential matter and that no word of his unhappy situation will go beyond the four walls. Nor does it. Cases are discussed only in numbers, never names. The little fellow, now on his uppers, is entitled to his pride; the big shot, down on his luck, to his privacy. Technically the Motion Picture Relief Fund was established in 1924 but due to lack of proper financing and increasing case load, it steadily was losing ground until 1937 when its administration was taken over by the combined Screen Actors Guild, Screen Directors Guild and Screen Writers Guild. Today it is headed by Jean Hersholt as president and serving with him on a board of trustees are three producers, six writers, six directors, six actors, one cameraman, one publicist, one cutter, one makeup man, and one each of the allied motion picture crafts. CVERY motion picture worker from * top executive to unimportant carpenter voluntarily sees fifty cents out of every $100 he earns deducted from his weekly salary check and turned over to the Motion Picture Relief Fund. Frequent benefit premieres, polo games and other entertainments are staged and the proceeds given to the Fund. And many private donations are gratefully received — such as the bequest of $1,000 left by the late Louise Closser Hale. The realization that she alone of those who have died carried her love for Hollywood beyond the grave, she who had the least and gave the most, has shocked many another star and producer into following her example. But until radio came with its gift of $10,000 a week, the Fund's dearest hope seemed far from fulfillment. With all the demand upon its resources, the Fund never seemed to have quite enough money for everything it wanted to do, for everyone it wanted to help. The old age problem was constantly increasing, too. Workers were growing too old to survive in an industry which is notorious in its demands for youth and stamina, and in which the top earning period is limited as in no other business. It was for these elderly workers that the Fund hoped to build a home where they could round out their lives in comfort and security. Part of the Fund's regular income was set aside each year toward this building program. But as the demand for emergency relief grew, the slowly growing building fund had to be thrown into the breach. You cannot let a man go hungry today while you plan his home for tomorrow. So that was the situation when someone — and they say that someone was Mary Pickford — conceived the idea of a monster radio show to be sold to a sponsor, on which every member of the three Screen Guilds would work for the benefit of the Fund. The proceeds from the sale of the program would be kept exclusively for the building fund, thus freeing more money of the regular Fund for direct relief. The program was sold to the Gulf Oil Company and got off to a brilliant start on January 8, 1939, with Jack Benny, Joan Crawford, Judy Garland and Reginald Gardiner in the first guest star roles. The rest is radio history. Last year's radio season earned $220,000 for the Fund — and every penny of it went either into a bank or into United States Government bonds. The present season, barring unforeseen accidents, will bring in another $390,000. Construction work on the home will begin when the half -million dollar mark is reachedwhich should be early in 1940. WHEN the Fund officials say they are planning a home, they really mean a home, too. Here will be no million-dollar showcase of a place with nothing to run it. Jean Hersholt and his fellow workers promise that. It will start on a modest scale, with a large sinking fund behind it to guarantee continued support. There will be nothing barren or institutional about it, either. Present plans call for a community of small cottages built around one main hall which will house a large recreation and club room and a dining room. The individual cottages will cost approximately $2,000 each, and will consist of a bed-living room, kitchenette and bath, housing two persons. Each will have its own little plot of ground and its flower garden. Like those who go through the wide white door on Santa Monica Boulevard, the people who live in the new home will never be made to feel that they are objects of charity. They will be receiving their just rewards — the rewards of the pleasure they have given, the rewards of their profession's own generous heart. Hollywood is indeed its brother's keeper. Secret of a Barbara Bride I Am An Announcer's Wife (Continued from page 25) present day. Our marriage, for instance .... you couldn't call that ordinary. Graduation from college was still three months distant when we decided we'd passed the school boy school girl stages. So, in April, 1935, we left classes one bright afternoon, slipped down to Boston, became Mr. and Mrs. Seymour, returned to school and told no one. Until graduation, we kept our secret. No one at either of our schools suspected. Both of us took our final examinations, finished well in our classes and when our sheepskins were handed to us in June, broke the news of our elopement. That's a pretty exciting way of starting off a life together. There is APRIL, 1940 something about a tremendous secret like that, shared between two people, that creates a great bond. But, after all, it was nothing to some of the excitement we've snared since. We went, after graduation, to Boston— a city where neither of us had a relative or a friend. We had a small grubstake, the combined savings from our school allowances, but we were near the end of that by the time we both got jobs. Dan had always been interested in dramatics and speaking in college, and thought he could make use of his training in radio. He won an announcer's audition at a local Boston station, and landed a job at $22.50 a week. We didn't see much of each other KEEP YOUR TEETH HEALTHY, BRIGHT Dentyne, the "chewier" gum, offers exercise not provided by modern soft foods. Helps your teeth retain health and lustre! DENTYNE'S FLAVOR IS A SPICY DELIGHT Smooth spiciness that lingers — and leaves your mouth feeling delightfully refreshed. That's Dentyne! Notice how conveniently Dentyne's flat package slips into your pocket or purse. HELPS KEEP TEETH BRIGHT . . . MOUTH HEALTHY 85