The screen writer (Apr-Oct 1948)

"Cliches — I Love You" or "What's New To You Too?" By E. EDWIN MORAN ME and my g d— teeth. Here's how it was. . . . I'm working on an assignment, an original, or maybe it will become a book, or let's say an idea for a radio show. Well, anyway, I'm with paper on a desk and a pencil in my mouth (thanks to a quick rewrite at 20th for the paper and pencil — not the mouth) so the idea feels pretty good and the description is interesting, but comes the dialogue — Cliche — Cliche — Cliche. I'm remembering the articles in various copies of The ScreenWriter magazine written by my peers (pardon the cliche) about how they say about all the cliches in all the pictures, and how I should if I want to be like them, (excuse the cliche) I should watch out and not use any, so always being one to want I should improve myself and maybe get to be ditto like them, (no cliche intended) I start to write cliche-less dialogue or words into sentences they shouldn't smell from cliches. So that's how it happens about why I say me and my g~ d — dentist, because my idea is about a dentist and where can you go to not hear dentist talk without cliches, of course to a dentist, which I do. Have you got a good memory for remembering things? I have. Can you remember the things people say after they say them, like they said them? Me too. ' I "HE office of the dentist is like "■ an office with an anteroom which is before you get to the main room which is his office, although he has another room which is his office where a girl sits when she isn't standing over you when he works on you so when you gag she makes sure you are good and embarrassed. So I walk in and first off the girl whom I will call his, (the dentist's) secretary says, now listen good, she says: "Well, Mr. Moran, you're a sight for sore eyes." She said it — I heard it. I remember it — "a sight for sore eyes" — and in a dentist's office. Here's my argument : How would I sound if I walked in an oculist's office and the girl says to me: "Well Mr. Moran, you're a sight for sore teeth." See what I mean? If people talk cliches, that's the way a writer should write it, otherwise if you don't write what people say, people will say there's a fellow who has a lot of talent (and nice personality too) who don't write only what people don't say. CO in conclusion, I want to finish *~^by saying it's all right to avoid cliches (like my peers — pardon the cliche again) I say we should avoid them, but remember also that without cliches a fellow could spend the rest of his life looking for a new dentist. SWG Professional Group Accident & Sickness Insurance <APPROVED AND RECOMMENDED BY YOUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND INSURANCE COMMITTEE) IT PAYS YOU $200 Month for Accident — $200 Month for Sickness $2000 Accidental Death — $10,000 Dismemberment PLUS — $7.00 Per Day Hospital — Plus $25.00 Miscellaneous Expenses PROVIDES MAXIMUM PROTECTION AT MINIMUM COST SEMI-ANNUAL RATES Age up to 50 $35.90 Age 50 to 60 $40.40 Age 60 to 65 $49.40 FOR COMPLETE DETAILS COMMUNICATE WITH GEORGE P. QUIGLEY, Exclusive Representative THE NATIONAL CASUALTY COMPANY Tel. TU. 4169 609 SOUTH GRAND AVENUE, LOS ANGELES 14 Tel. TR. 3861 The Screen Writer, September, 194 27