Academy 0# Motion Picture Arts .nd Sciences library. 8evet'1y Hills, Calif. of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences NUMBER 6 SUMMER, 1974 HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. Awards Date Revealed The 47th Annual Academy Awards Presentation will be held on Tues­ day evening, April 8, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion of the Los Angeles County Music Center, according to Academy President Walter Mirisch. This marks the seventh year that the Oscar ceremonies have been held at the Music Center. The entire program, for the fifth straight year, will be telecast nation­ ally live and in color by the NBC Television Network. As in the past, a working press corps in excess of 500 is expected to cover the event, Majarity of members of the new Academy Board of Governors. Re-elected President Walter Mirisch is making the Academy Awards the upper right. Only non-Boord members in photograph are Phil Chomberlin, director of special projects, world's most publicized annual Jim Roberts, executive director (both lower left) and golden-hued individual at top center. affair. Nominations for eligible films for Awards consideration will be an­ New Board, Officers Elected for 1974-75 nounced on Monday, Feb. 24. Producer Walter Mirisch was re­ elected president of the Academy Academy Acquires Major Still Collection by the Board of Governors last At the June meeting the Academy's month. Other officers elected at the Board of Governors voted to ac­ meeting were: Howard W. Koch, quire the Paul Ballard Collection of first vice president; Robert E. Wise, motion picture stills. vice president; Fay Kanin, vice presi­ According to Philip Chamberlin, dent; Marvin E. Mirisch, treasurer the Academy's director of special and Hal Elias, secretary. projects, "This prize acquisition will The 12 Govern ors recently add 22,000 original photographs elected, and the Branch each repre­ and 5,000 negatives to the Academy sents are: Ricardo Montalban (Act­ library, which currently contains in ors), Walter Scott (Art Directors), excess of 150,000 stills." Chamber­ lin added that, liThe acquisition is Sol Halprin (Cinematographers), significant because it adds import­ George Cukor (Directors), Marvin E. ant stills of unsurpassed quality not Mirisch (Executives), William H. Rey­ found in other collections, to the nolds (Film Editors), Jeff Alexander The recently acquired Ballard Collection represents Academy's current holdings." (Music), Walter Mirisch (Producers), a major addition to the Academy's holdings. Some of the highlights of the Bal­ Mike Kaplan (Public Relations), Hal Pictured is a scene from Erich Von Stroheim's lard Collection are now on display 1925 M-G-M production of "Greed," starring Elias (Short Subjects), Donald C. Gibson Gowland, Jean Hersholt, Zasu Pitts and in the lobby of the Academy Award Rogers (Sound) and Fay Kanin Chester Conklin. Theater. (Writers). Continued on page 4 Board Member Academy Adds Refutes Myths New Members IExcerpted from Screen Actor, with permission of The following have been invited to Elizabeth Allen, one of the Actors Branch mem­ Academy membership in the first bers of the Academy's Boord of Governors.) - EDITOR half of 1974, following their respec­ By Elizabeth Allen tive branch executive committee recommendations and Board of Many actors still think of the Aca­ Governors approval of those recom­ demy of Motion Picture Arts and mendations: Sciences as a mysterious organiza­ Actors Branch: Anne Archer, Rene Auberionois, tion that they could never hope to Be rnie Casey, Robert DoQui, Michael Douglas, belong to - and one that works in Rita Gam, Allen Garfield, Tippi Hedren and Noah Keen. mysterious ways. Some still believe Other actors elected were: Sue Ane Langdon, that the Oscars are awarded on the Ray Middleton, Roger Moore, Nancy Olson, AI basis of manipulated block voting Pacino, Jea n Stapleton, Brenda Vaccaro and Morgan Woodward. and some still subscribe to the idea Art Directors Branch: Peter W. Wooley. that actors have no real control over Cinematographers Branch: Jack Couffer and the acting awards. Sven Nykvist. OSCAR: After almost a half century, many still Directors Branch: Bert I. Gordon. Wrong - wrong on all counts. do not completely understand him. Executives Branch: George Barrie, David Begel­ But it's amazing how few people man, Nathan Chianta, Berry Gordy, Michael Roshkind, Jerry Gruenberg, Peter S. Myers and really understand what goes on be­ a notoriously independent breed. Peter E. Strauss. hind the scenes at the Academy. So block voting is a thing of the past Film Editors Branch: Donn Cambern, George Since I was elected to the Academy -there simply aren't enough blocks Grenville, Richard A. Harris, Antony Gibbs and Robert Wolfe. Board of Governors, I've learned a left. Even Universal would find it Music Branch: Frederick Loewe. lot more about the Academy and impossible to muster enough Aca­ Producers Branch: Steve Blauner and Alan how it works, and what I've learned demy members to influence the Ladd, Jr. Public Relations Branch: Andrew Fogelson, has increased my respect for this Oscars. Prior to "The Sting," Univer­ David Judson, Paul Moron and Nancy Seltzer. institution. But every year, in the sal's last Best Picture Award went to Short Subjects Branch: David Adams. in Sound Branch: William Shapiro. weeks before and after the Annual "All Quiet on the Western Front" Writers Branch: Ronald Austin, James David Awards Presentation, the old myths 1929. Buchanan and Arthur Laurents. about the Academy circulate anew Myth: The Academy is an exclu­ Members-At-Large: Joseph 1-lurley and James throughout our industry. I'd like to sive club that keeps newcomers out. M. Roberts. set some of these myths to rest. On the contrary, the Academy "three credits" requirement. Actors Myth: Actors have no real power seeks participation by anyone who who can claim neither the necessary within the Academy structure. has "achieved distinction in the arts credits nor an Oscar nomination Here's a falsehood that's easily re­ and sciences of motion pictures." It may qualify if, in the judgment of futed. The Actors Branch is by far is honorary rather than exclusive - the Actors Branch Executive Com­ the largest of the Academy's 12 it seeks to maintain high standards, mittee, they have "otherwise branches and, with 917 members, it not to exclude worthy professionals achieved unique distinction, earned casts more votes than the writers, and thereby limit membership to a special merit, or made an outstand­ directors, producers, and cinema­ select group. ing contribution as a motion picture tographers combined. The actors To become a member, you must actor." alone determine the nominees for first be sponsored by two members No applicant is ever turned down acting Oscars (j ust as all the branches in good standing of the branch you to limit the total number of mem­ nominate their own), and when the wish to join. In the Actors Branch, bers, but in the past year the Aca­ final ballots are cast by the total applicants must have at least three demy has rejected about 50 % of the membership it is the actors who theatrical feature film credits (one of applications due to insufficient the­ represent the plurality of votes. which was achieved in the past five atrical film credits. Myth: The Oscar competition is years). These credits must be "of a Myth: The Academy Board of manipulated by block voting. caliber which, in the opinion of the Governors excludes women, minor­ Studios don't have the power and Executive Committee, reflects the ities, and young people. influence they once enjoyed, and high standards of the Academy." In last summer's Special Election few actors today work under an ex­ What about Tatum O'Neal and of Governors, the membership was clusive contract to one studio. In­ John Houseman, who have only one advised to give particular attention creasing numbers of directors, film credit apiece? They qualify for invi­ to women, minorities and people editors, musicians, art directors, tations to join the Academy by virtue under 35_ The Board was expanded writers, and even producers operate of their recently acquired Oscars. In to include three members from each on a free-lance basis. Moreover, the fact, even an Academy Award nomi­ branch rather than two - the Board creative people in our industry are nation may be substituted for the Continued on page 4 Page Two Book Review Message from the President Writers: Artists it. The industry trade publications, Business Week and the MPAA, all Who Use Words report much improved financial re­ TALKING PI CTU RES, SCREENWRITERS IN THE sults for the fourth quarter of last AMERICAN CINEMA , by Ri chard Co rli ss, Th e year. A few weeks ago the Los An­ Overlook Press , Dis tributed by Vi ki ng, $15.00. geles Times carried a major story on By Michael Blankfort the cheery news from the box office, Without being paranoic about it, including interviews with several there has been a sort of conspiracy studio chiefs, all of whom predicted of history. And now it is being un­ good results for the balance of the covered about forty years late. Still, year. the world may be so constituted that But what is of particular interest Wa lter M iri sch victims of injustice sooner or later to us as Academy members is not are rehabilitated. All they have to do One of the most constantly reiterated just that more people are going to is live long enough to enjoy it. Un­ purposes of the Academy is "To ad­ the movies more often, but the rea­ fortunately writers like Ben Hecht, vance the arts and sciences of mo­ sons for it. The basic reasons appear Preston Sturges, Dudley Nichols, tion pictures . .." to be many: the "sameness" of tele­ LamarTrotti, FrankTashlin and many But in addition to this we should vision programming, the energy others whose names are familiar to not fai I to remem ber that the motion crisis, a frustration with the problems the cognescenti could not wait picture industry in the United States of the real world, and finally and around to smell the laurel wreath.