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Home , Farciot Edouart, Ray Heindorf, William Selig

Report of the President

TO THE MEMBERS OF THE ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURE ARTS AND SCIENCES

MAY 25, 1948

lv; my of Motion Picture Arts and SCiences library, Beverly Hills. Calif. ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURE ARTS AND SCIENCES 1947-1948

OFFICERS

President Vice- Presiden ts WILLIAM WYLER Treasurer DONALD NELSON Assistant Treasurer FREDERICK B. RICHARDS

" Chairman Finance Committee N . PETER RA THVON Counsel LOYD WRIGHT Secretory MARY C. McCALL, JR. Assistant Secretory DELMER DAVES Executive Secretory MARGARET HERRICK

BOARD OF GOVERNORS

CHARLES BRACKETT DONALD NELSON CHARLES G. CLARKE LOUIS NOTARIUS DELMER DAVES FREDERICK C. QUIMBY FARCIOT EDOUART N . PETER RATHVON

ROBERT HAAS FREDERICK B. RICHARDS JEAN HERSHOLT GORDON SAWYER WILLIAM W. HORNBECK PERRY LIEBER HOWARD STRICKLING MARY C. McCAll, JR. W ALTER WANGER URIE McCLEARY JACK l. WARNER THOMAS T. MOULTON HARRY WARREN GEORGE MURPHY WIL,L1AM WYLER The Academy is an honorary organization of industry craftsmen. Its purposes are to advance the arts and sciences of motion pictures and to foster cooperation among the creative leadership of all branches of the industry for cultural, educational and technological progress. In the years of its development the Academy has become the most widely known organization in Hollywood. Its idealistic principles, se­ lective basis of membership and established prestige contribute to the maintenance of a dignified social and educational forum and meeting place of the creative personnel of motion pictures, a function which is not duplicated by any other organization and which compares with the literary and professional Academies, Institutes and Societies in other fields. The Academy is entirely freed of all labor relations responsibilities and has no concern with economic or political matters.

GENERAL OFFICES: 9038 Melrose Ave. Hollywood 46, . Telephone CRestview 5-1146 ~porl...; of the Presidenl...;

For the Year Ending April 30, 1948

When the Academy was founded twenty-one years ago, the presenta­ tion of annual Awards for achievement was only one of the organization purposes set forth in our By-Laws .. Through the years this activity has been so widely publicized that not only the public, but many of our members have lost sight of our other objectives. The initial purpose of our founders was "To advance the arts and sciences of motion pictures." To this end, we have been quietly at work in fields of less popular interest, but more substantial in establishing for the Academy a leadership in the industry comparable to that of other academic institutions and foundations. During the past year we have had interested and creative leadership from each of the Branches. For the first time every Branch was repre­ sented on our Board of Governors. We acquired two additional Board members by dividing the Executives and Producers Branch into two sections. We now have a separate classification for Executives. The new group provided for individuals holding key positions in the studios, but not necessarily engaged in the making of pictures. Our present Board consists of twenty-four Governors. Our financial position has been stabilized this year. Pro rata charges for the Players Directory were increased for both studios and actors represented in the book. Academy membership dues were raised from $24 to $36 per year and increased contributions were obtained from the studios for our Awards expense. These financial adjustments have bal­ anced our budget and have given us the assurance of continued operation.

-3- THE ACADEMY BUILDING CORPORATION AND THE THEATRE Projection room service for the studios and our members provided by the Academy Building continues to be an important factor in our general program. All of the companies, with the exception of Columbia, cooperated with us by guaranteeing a definite number of press showings during the year. Screenings for studio employees were held twice each week. The income from these sources, in addition to the rental paid to the Corporation by the Academy, was sufficient to operate the building, pay the installments on our bank loan and to pay the five per cent dividend to our stockholders. Eighty per cent of the stockholders are Academy members. We are continuing our Sunday evening showings for Academy mem­ bers. Classic of the past, including the early pictures honored by Academy Awards, have been enjoyed by the membership. They offered all of us an opportunity to study chronologically the development of tech­ niques in every branch of our industry-acting, directing, Cinematography, "title writing"-then script writing when sound added speech and music to the screen. Academy Award films have been shown in sequence with the exception of the few pictures no longer available. The first series included Award winners for the year 1927-28, and our current program is made up of winners from the Fifth Awards year, 1931-32. The Awards series have been interrupted periodically for showings of unusual foreign product. During the past year such notable films as "Pepita Jiminez," "Die Morder Sind Dnter Dns," "Albeniz," "Day of Wrath," have been shown. This practice will continue as outstanding contemporary pictures can be secured. A specially built console and fader for the auditorium was constructed for the Academy by Twentieth Century-Fox and installed in the theatre through the generosity of that studio.

THE LIBRARY The industry has been well served through our library this year. Although no day by day record was kept, an average of 300 patrons each week, including college students, studio personnel and the public, have visited the Library. Approximately 4,000 local telephone calls were re­ ceived asking for motion picture information and additional inquiries have come by mail from all over the world. The task of meeting this large volume of requests was cheerfully and efficiently handled by our staff, though handicapped by lack of equipment and working space. The British Academy, organized during the summer of 1947, asked assistance from our Library in securing American publications. An exchange system has been set up through which we ship American im­ print material to England in return for British publications. Valuable donations from private collections have been made to our Library by members and friends of the Academy. The cooperation of the

-4- National Variety Clubs has been enormously helpful. Posters, stills and press books Ii'ave come from Variety Tents all over the country. The Academy is indebted to them for filling many gaps in our historical collection. Colonel gave us a Selig Polyscope and the specially constructed camera used to photograph his early films. He also gave us more than 5,000 still photographs, publicity posters advertising Selig pic­ tures, records of the and valuable old scripts and screen treatments from which Selig films were made. Wilding Picture Productions presented us with stills, posters and press books for Essanay productions from 1910 to 1917. The growth of our Library has been matched by the increase in our film holdings. Through the Foundation, a Curator for the film collection has bee~ employed 'and under his supervision our old pictures are being reviewed, catalogued and indexed for maximum usefulness to the industry and students of motion pictures. Seventy 28mm prints of films covering the period from 1906 to 1912 were purchased last summer. A few of them are: in "Ramona"; Charles Chaplin, Mabel Normand, Mack Swain in "His Tryst­ ing Place"; Florence LaBadie, Wilfred Lucas, Jeanie MacPherson in "Enoch Arden"; Blanche Sweet, Henry B, Walthall in "Judith of Bethulia". From the studios and our members we have received 35mm features, short subjects and documentaries. Our hope of establishing an historically important film library is becoming a reality.

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM The Academy has continued to serve as a liaison agency between educational institutions and the motion picture industry. This year we have given aid to a larger number of colleges than ever before. The requests for help were as diversified as the sources from which they came. The Schools of Music of Dartmouth and the University of Michigan have made liberal use of our collection of film music scores. From the University of have come requests from several de­ partments. One of their graduate students was sent to Hollywood twice during the year for special information needed to complete his Ph.D. dissertation on the translation to film of literary classics. Through our office he was directed to the studio sources best equipped to give him the material he needed. An Eastern college professor on sabbatical leave elected to spend the year in Hollywood, and has made the Academy office his headquarters. He has been assisted in his study of the film industry by the Academy Library and by interviews with Academy members. The Academy continues to cooperate with the Cinema Departments of both the University of California at and the University of Southern California. A motion picture text book sponsored jointly by the Academy and U.C.L.A. is now in preparation and will be published in 1949.

-5- Special afternoon showings for students were held in the Academy Theah'e at the request of class instructors. Old films shown were secured from the studios by the Academy. As Academy President, I was invited to serve on the Audio-Visual Advisory Board for Stephens College where so much fine experimental work is being done in the use of audio-visual aids in every deparhnent of instruction. Mrs. Herrick, our Executive , Secretary, attended the annual meeting of this Boal~ d as my representative. She explained the position of the Academy as a service organization within the industry and directed attention to the resources available through the educational deparhnent of the Motion Picture Association of America. In response to requests from department heads at Stephens, Mrs. Herrick sent the prize winning pictures from our past still photography exhibits for their Deparhnent of Photography, lists from which American and foreign documentary films can be secured for their Department of, Social Studies, and assured them of continued service through the Academy Library collections. Assistance was also given this past year to widely scattered educational centers outside the : France, Sweden, England, Ethiopia, India, Arabia, Argentina, and Canada are only a part of the list. Students from many countries continually ask for information through the Academy regarding American schools and courses of study.

STILL PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW Each year the Academy sponsors an exhibition of the best work of the studio still photographers. Last year it was presented in the lobby of the Columbia Broadcasting Station, August 15, 16 and 17. The presentation of prizes was broadcast over CBS and the three-day show drew a record attendance. Beginning in September, three sets of the photographs were shipped on tour to key points all over the country for display in deparhnent stores and photographic shops. At the request of the Library of Congress, photographs of all our 1946 Award Winners were assembled by the Academy and exhibited in Wash­ ington. The collection was then sent to the in where it was made available to the public.

20TH AWARDS PRESENTATION The "Academy Family Album" was the theme of our 20th Awards Pro­ gram. Past winners of the Awards for Production and Acting were pre­ sented from the screen, and a speCial picture, edited for the event, included scenes from early films in which many of our Academy Family played their first film roles. An estimated radio audience of 100,000,000 people enjoyed the Awards Presentation. It was carried nationally by ABC for the fourth consecutive year, and around the world by the Armed Forces Radio Service. This year special accommodations were provided for the press and newsreel photographers, resulting in the greatest publicity coverage in the history of our Awards.

-6- "TWENTY YEARS OF ACADEMY AWARDS" This two reel short subject, rele~sed through the cooperation of the producing companies and the Screen Actors Guild, and distributed com­ mercially by RKO, provided another source of revenue for the Academy. The picture is a compilation of clips from all films which have won Best Production and Best Acting Awards. Footage of past winners was pre­ pared during the Awards balloting in March and prints were shipped to the exchanges. Immediately after the 20th Awards announcement, clips from the winning pictures of this year, accompanied by newsreel shots of the presentation, were air-expressed to the distribution points, added to the other footage, and the film was screened for the public less than a week after the Awards event.

INDUSTRY SERIES OF DOCUMENTARY FILMS A series of short subjects is being produced by the Motion Picture Association of America through the cooperation of the guilds, unions and Hollywood studios, and is being sponsored by the Academy. The films are designed to acquaint the public with the real facts about Hollywood and the picture business. Exhibitors are contributing to this all-industry project by playing the films in their theaters. The first subjects will be completed this month. Included in the list of titles are: "Let's Go to the Movies," "Movies Are Adventure," "The Art Director," "Screen Actors," "This Theater and You" and "The Screen Writer."

ACADEMY FOUNDATION The first big project of the Academy Foundation, a plan to reclaim to celluloid the paper film collection of the Library of Congress, was begun this year. The Foundation was organized to aid the cultural program of the Academy, and is a non-profit tax-exempt corporation. There was no film copyright law until 1912, and the first films pro­ duced in the United States (1894-1912) were copyrighted as photographs. Our pioneers printed every frame of film on rolls of 35mm photographic paper and depOsited two copies of each paper reel with the Copyright Office in the Library of Cong~ess. This paper film collection is the only complete record of American picture production for that period. The Con­ gressional Library has loaned the paper prints to the Academy Founda­ tion for reconversion to celluloid. Mr. Howard Walls, formerly Curator of the Library of Congress film collection, has- jOined our staff as Film Curator. ProceSSing of the paper prints will be done under the supervision of an Academy technical committee. An important factor in our decision to undertake this ambitious project was the realization that the paper film collection contains priceless Ameri­ cana, as well as the only authentic history of our industry from 1894 til 1912. Newsreels of the Boer War, the Spanish~American War, presidential inaugurations and views of American cities at the turn of the century are a part of these valuable records.

-7- Converting the material to celluloid involves an expensive optical printing process, and the Academy Foundation is doing the job as rapidly as funds can be found to finance the work. The first donation was received from the American Society of Cinematographers. Another gift came from the Company, and the largest contribution was made by the Eastman Company. The Eastman Company has agreed to give us the raw stock needed for our first year of operation. Personal donations have been made by Academy members and we hope to acquire an increas­ ing number of gifts from individuals as the project becomes more Widely known. Contributions are tax deductible. As I look back over the year's record I feel that we have made impor­ tant progress. Weare fortunate in having achieved most of the objectives we set for ourselves a year ago, and we have cleared the way for further accomplishment next year. I wish to extend my deepest thanks to the Board of Governors, and to the members of all our Committees whose sustained interest and loyal work have given new vitality to the Academy. A speCial note of appreciation is due our efficient Executive Secretmy, Mrs. Margaret Herrick, and the excellent staff which functions under her direction. Mrs. Herrick also serves as Executive Secretary of our Building Corporation and the Academy Foundation. Mr. Sam Brown, our Assistant Executive Secretary, this year for the first time administered most ably and skillfully the Awards routine of our Technical Branches. This work was formerly done through the Academy Research Council. The expanding program of the Academy has imposed additional re­ sponsibilities upon our employed personnel and they deserve the sincere thanks of us all.

-8- RECOMMENDATIONS fOR THE COMING YEAR: Expansion of Academy activities on a large scale is, of course, impos­ sible in our present financial situation. However, there are several projects which should be studied for the future. One of them is an annual award for the best foreign language pic­ ture shown in Los Angeles during the calendar year. I recommend that such an award be seriously considered by the new Board of Governors. An International Award, if properly planned and carefully administrated, would promote a closer relationship between American film craftsmen and those of other countries. I also recommend that the Academy begin now to plan for an Interna­ tional Film Conference to be held in Hollywood as soon as world condi­ tions permit. With the cooperation of the State Department, Hollywood guilds and unions, and the producing companies, the conference should sb'ess the exchange of new ideas and techniques rather than a mere exhibi­ tion of pictures. Films shown at the conference should emphasize the work of artists and technicians, and each participating country should be required to send representatives from their talent and technical groups. My other recommendations are concerned with facilities needed for more efficient work on our current projects. The collection of scripts in our library should represent the finest work of Hollywood writers. At the present time we have only screenplays which have been contributed by our members, or those we have been able to purchase in second-hand stores. The script for every picture nomi­ nated for any of the writing awards should automatically become a part of our reference collection, I recommend that the Academy immediately ask the help of the Screen Writers Guild in building this section of our library. Prints of all films nominated for Awards are, according to our new By­ Laws, supposed to be depOsited in our film archives. Some studios have been reluctant to comply with t:\:lis request. I recommend that the Board of Governors support this By-Law provision and make vigorous efforts to acquire the films nominated this year as well as the Award winners of past years. To further this plan, I also recommend that a budget allow­ ance be made for the rental of one or two additional vaults for our film collection. An air conditioning system is almost mandatory for the theater and I recommend that new equipment for the offices be acquired within the next few months.

Respectfully SUbmi/ ~--~~

-9- ACADEMY COMMITTEES • 1947-1948

ACADEMY FINANCE COMMITTEE • N. Peter Rathvon, Chairman Charles Brackett Donald Nelson Perry Lieber Frederick B. Richards FILM ACQUISITION COMMITTEE Sol Lesser, Chairman Charles G. Clarke Howard Strickling INTERNATIONAL AWARD COMMITTEE Delmer Daves, Chairman Jack Cutting Luigi Luraschi Willia~ Gordon Carl Schaefer Perry Lieber Robert Vogel ACADEMY BUILDING CORPORATION Jean Hersholt, President Charles Brackett, 1st Vice President George Murphy, 2nd Vice President Charles Skouras, 3rd Vice President Jack L. Warner, Secretary-Treasurer Margaret Herrick, Executive Secretary ACADEMY FOUNDATION Y. Frank Freeman, President , Vice President Mary C. McCall, Jr., Secretary Farciot Edouart, Treasurer Jean Hersholt, Trustee Charles Brackett, Trustee Margaret Herrick, Executive Secretary

FOUNDATION TECHNICAL COMMITTEE Charles G. Clarke, Chairman Farciot Edouart Frederick Quimby C. Carleton Hunt Frederick B. Richards ACTORS BRANCH EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Jean Hersholt George Murphy ART DIRECTORS BRANCH EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Urie McCleary, Chairman Sam Comer Edith Head Henry Grace Gladys Percey Robert Haas J. Russell Spencer CINEMATOGRAPHERS BRANCH EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Farciot Edouart, Chairman Charles G. Clarke Ray Rennahan Victor Milner Joseph Ruttenberg Sol Polito

-10- DIRECTORS BRANCH EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Delmer Daves, Chairman Edward L. Marin Otto Preminger William Wyler William Seiter FILM EDITORS BRANCH EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE William Hornbeck, Chairman Frank Gross Frederick B. Richards L. C. Millbrook Louis Sackin Ernest J. Nimms MUSIC BRANCH EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Morris Stoloff, Chairman Ray Heindorf Abe Meyer Harry Warren Edward B. Powell Charles Wolcott Leo Robin MUSIC BRANCH PROJECTS COMMITTEE Edward B. Powell, Chairman C. Bakaleinikoff Rudolph Kopp Ted Cain Rudolph Polk Robert Emmett Dolan Milton Schwarzwald Cy Feuer Morris Stoloff Irving Friedman Charles Wolcott Ray Heindorf PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE Perry Lieber Howard Strickling Mary C. McCall, Jr. PUBLIC RELATIONS BRANCH EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Perry Lieber, Chair1TUln Barry Buchanan William P. Rice Teet Carle Thornton Sargent J. W. Dailey Linn Unkefer Mort Goodman Gabe Yorke William Hebert John Woolfenden Barrett Kiesling SHORT SUBJECTS BRANCH EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Frederick Quimby, Chairman George Bilson Louis Notarius John Cutting SOUND BRANCH EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Thomas T. Moulton, Chairman Dave Forrest Louis Mesenkop Kenneth Lambert Gordon Sawyer WRITERS BRANCH EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Charles Brackett, Chairman ¥ary C. McCall, Jr. Sheridan Gibney Jane Murfin

-11- 20TH AWARDS COMMlnEES PRESENTATION COMMITTEE Delmer Daves, Chairman Merle Chamberlin William F. Kelley C. Kenneth DeLand Leo E. Kuter Farciot Edouart Perry Lieber John I. Edwards Howard G. Mayer Leo F. Forbstein Mary C. McCall, Jr. Sidney Goodwin George Murphy Robert M. Haas Norman Ostby Ray Heindorf Arch Reeve Margaret Herrick Frederick B. Richards Jean Hersholt Morris Stoloff John K. Hilliard Howard Strickling G. Carleton Hunt Duke Wales Jason S. Joy SCIE NTIFIC OR TECHNICAL AWARDS COMMITTEE Farciot Edouart, Chairman John Aalberg John Roche John W. Boyle . Gordon Sawyer Ernest Haller Sidney Solow William Horning Rudolph Sternad Stanley Horsley Walter Strohm G. Carleton Hunt Byron Vreeland Victor Milner Ray Wilkinson Frederick B. Richards SPECIAL DOCUMENTARY AWARDS COMMITTEE George Bilson, Chairman Le~mAmes Grant Leenhouts Art'Arthur Saul Elkins Harriet Parsons F. Hugh Herbert Sid Solow William Hornbeck SPECIAL EFFECTS AWARD COMMITTEE Vernon Walker, Chairman Laurance Butler William McGann Farciot Edouart Louis Mesenkop William Ferrari Gordon Sawyer John Fulton Fred Sersen A. Arnold Gillespie Hal Shaw Jack Glass Clarence Slifer Bernard Herzbrun Stanley Horsley James Sullivan Terry Kellum Ellis Thackery Kenneth Lambert S. J. Twining Harry Leonard PRESS COMMITTEE Perry Lieber, Chairman Teet Carle William P. Rice Mort Goodman Thornton Sargent William F. Hebert Linn Unkefer J. Leslie Kaufman Duke Wales Barrett C. Kiesling John R. ·Woolfenden Arch Reeve Gabe Yorke

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