Evening star., 1940-11-21
Chests Movie Made
By j. ). Worker as
His Contribution
'Doorwoys' Produced
By John D. Kenny and
Beatrice Hodgson

THE DoorWayS of Washington,
a Community Chest film now being
shown before various civic organiza-
tions, is the contribution of John D.
Kenny, a Government empbye, 10
the 1910 Chest campaign.
He produced it in collaboration
with Miss Beatrice Hodgson, who
is director of the Community Chest S
public relations department.
Miss Hodgson never thought she
would become a movie producer
She did want, however, to get some
publicity pictures for the Chest
campaign. The Work Projects Ad-
mlnistration, she knew. did photo
graphic work, so she went to see
them about it. She never got the
still pictures.
Instead, she talked TO a young
man there, who told her he had a
friend who was i'll the Photographic
division of the Federal Security
Agency. This friend was MI Kenny,
who, he said, was interested in max
ing movies,
1000 Feet of Film Exposed.
Miss Hodgson met Mr.. Kenny and
they talked over the prospect of
making a publicity film for the
Community Chest. Mr.. Kenny said
he would like TO make it in color
although he never had done any
before except for his own amuSe-
ment. Miss Hodgson mentioned get
ting a bid from some commercial
photographer. Mr.. Kenny said no,
he'd do it for nothing, but he
wouldn't compete for fee. He in
sisted that it be his contribution
TO the Chest.
They started shooting the first
week in June. They took two weeks
TO do it, exposing 1000 feet Of film
And then came the job Of editing
Of cutting the picture down 10 600
feet, which they both agreed would
be the right length.
OF course. they were still Just
getting started. Some one would
have TO write the continuity. They
found the right person in Miss Mir
lam James. who had done similar
work for the information service
of the Social Security Board. It
was agreed that the narrator had
better be professional They
didn't want TO take any chances on
that
Enthusiastically Received.
So they went to New York. where
the sound track was to be added
TO the film. There they hired James
Clemenger, radio announcer. who
had formerly been an emplove of
the Interior Department He devel-
oped as great an interest as any of
them IN the final preparations. The
sound men, too. were as enthusiastic
as the producers.
The DoorWays Of Washington
had its first official showing before
a rally Of the Community Chest
Speakers Bureau October 8 The
applause It received fulfilled the
hopes of all those who had had a
hand in making il. They knew Il
was a success.
The film employees what MI Ken
ny calls the ''neWsreel technique .
II shows the operations Of 10 typical
Chest agencies, without attempting
TO be melodramatic
We wanted to give general view
OF what the Community Chest mon
ey does, Mr. Kenny said.
Available for Booking.
MI. Kenny, who supervised all the
photography is from North Dakota
He came here five years ago. Just
to get a Job He always had been
interested in Photography ana was
surprised to find that the Federal
Government hired photographers
He has a Civil Service rating now.
as do the TWO men from his office
who helped him in filming the pic
ture. Arch Hardy and William
FlsCus.
Both Miss Hodgson and Mr.. Kenny
agree that the response to this pic
ture will be the main factor in de-
Gliding whether they will make an
other next year. They estimate it
has been seen already by 10000 peo-
pie. Miss James. the narrative
writer, has an offer to do a similar
job on a film about delinquent chill
dren IN New York.
The Doorways of Washington is
still available for booking. free of
charge, to any group of so or more.
The Community Chest is salts
FED even though Mr Kenny still
feels his contribution TO the Chest
could have been a better Job.