YES, MR.DEMILLE (1959)

294 Yes, Mr. DeMille The union notified him that he had until September to pay the dollar. The election was held. The proposed open-shop amendment was defeated by California voters. But DeMille still owed the dollar. The union eased the dead- line for payment to December 1. On the eve of that date DeMille sat down with his wife. He wanted her feelings on the matter. Should he pay the dollar? In the years ahead, from many and varied speaker platforms, he was to tell audiences what her reply was. "She told me I had no choice, that if I paid the dollar I would be telling the world I placed money above principle. Besides, she said she was a partner in the firm and would not pay her half of the dollar." On December 1, the union gave DeMille ten days in which to pay the assessment or be suspended from the air. His public- relations director and executive utility man at the time was Bill Pine, later to join up with Bill Thomas in the production of less, costly pictures. Ironically, they were called "The Dollar Bills/' a comment only on their small-budget productions. Pine had just returned from a long location. He went quickly to DeMille, observed how tired and drawn he was. "Bill, can you get me out of this mess?*' he said, wearily. DeMille's dilemma planted a fascinating little seed in the publicist's mind. They talked for a long time and Bill told him he might have a way out for him. DeMille's reply to this was that he himself knew of a way out —pay the dollar-but he was not going to do that. "I can get you out without your paying the dollar/' Pine said mysteriously. "How?" "Never mind, I can do it. Just trust me." Pine's plan was simple. He would pay the dollar, one of his