Evening star., 1941-02-28


Ginger was better than any of
believe, because of her portrayal
in Kitty Foyle." And Stewart i'm
pressed them by his work in The
Philadelphia Story"
They, as we'll as a score of others,
we're called to the podium of a
banquet hall jammed with celebri-
ties and fellow workers last night
to be handed statuettes foot high
which have been dubbed Oscars
"Rebecca" Best Picture.
"Rebecca" was the years best
motion picture, in the opinion of the
academy's 10000 voters.
The award for the best perform
ance by a supporting actor went to
Walter Brennan, who played Judge
Bean in The Westerner." 1t was
old stuff for him-he won in 1885
for Come and Get 1t" and in 1888
for Kentucky"
Jane Darwell was voted the best
supporting actress for her charac-
terization of Ma Joad in The
Grapes of Wrath"
The director of The Grapes"
John Ford, won the directorial
award. He also won in 1885 for
The Informer"
This, the 18th annual awards
party, was high lighted by a radio
address by President Roosevelt from
the White House directed to the
motion picture industry. He said
he wanted to place emphasis "on
the service you can render in pro-
noting solidarity among all the
peoples of the Americas" and
thanked the industry for its sup
port of the defense program.
Americas Defense.
The President said, in part:
In these days of anxiety and
world peril, our hearts and minds
and all of our energies are directed
toward one objective. That objec-
tive is the strengthening of our ma
tional defense. Every day we realize
that more and more things in our
life must be evaluated in just such
proportion as they contribute to the
national defense.
THE American motion picture as
a national and international force
is a phenomenon of our own genera
ton. Within living memory we
have seen it born and grow up into
full maturity. We have seen the
American motion picture become
foresmost in the world. We have
seen it reflect our civilization
throughout the rest of the world
the aims and aspirations and ideals
of free people and of freedom.
Feared by Dictators.
That is the real reason that some
governments do not want our
American films exhibited in their
countries. Dictators-those who en-
forced the totalitarian form of gov
ernment-think it is dangerous
thing for their unfortunate peoples
to know that in our democracy
officers of the Government are the
servants, never the masters of the
people.
II do not minimize the Importance
of the motion picture industry as
the most popular medium of mass
entertainment. But tonight I want
to place the chief emphasis on the
service you can render in promoting
solidarity among all the people Of
the Americas.
For all this and for your splendid
cooperation with all who are direct
ing the expansion of our defense
forces, 1 am glad to thank you. In
the weeks and months that lie
ahead we in Washington know we
shall have your continued aid and
support 4
Fights Up Dramatic Ladder.
Miss Rogers, who was a song
ambulance girl during her early
movie days, has taken slow but
certain steps toward the histrionic
heights she reached in Kitty
Foyle." Becoming a dramatic star
was no cinch, either. She is known
as one of the hardest workers in
town and she has little time for
play. Her real name is Virginia
McMath and she was born in In
dependence, Mo, 30 years ago come
next July, but she was reared in
Fort Worth, Tex.
Under contract for months to
M.-G.-M. Studio, Stewart wandered
around the lot hoping he'd impress
some director. He impressed them
but not in the right way.
They thought he was too lanky,
that his face was too long, that
his lower lip was too prominent.
But in one small role he clicked
and his personality has been regis
tering since The ace came up.
The redhaired and vivacious Gin
ger was competing against some
of the movies best talent, including