Evening star., 1945-10-29
BY HAROLD HEFFERNAN,
HOLLYWOOD.

4SAiAiu ulOfiC IlCdollllcS. LII .
2S-minute, hit-and-run converse.
ton with Hollywood newspaper
folks, Eric johnson, new car o1
the motion-picture industry, gave
an indication that hereafter the
ex-Hays Office will give a decent
break to the press.
In the 237year administration Of
the Motion Picture Producers and
Distributors Association by Will
Hays, it was virtually impossible fol
a reporter to telephone or call on
that organization for the verifica-
ton Of story or a statement OF
policy. Hays also muzzled Joe I
Breen, head of the morals code
division, man who likes people
and has plenty to say If given the
opportunity.
The Producers Association needs
an all-around new deal in its rela-
tions with the Hollywood press
Johnston looks like the boy who will
give it to them. He is young, pro-
gressive and has a full realization
of publicity values.
Given free rein by the. Schencks
and Mayors, ct al, Johnston should
be- able to step out and apply the
whitewash brush to an industry that
needs 1t badly in several spots. It
viii be interesting to watch how
far s'the boys" upstairs viii let
Johnston go. oaos' s'sttse : - r..
4 + y -~-t. s-.-.
While she is In Hollywood to write
the biography of her late husband
Mrs. Leslie Howard will be the house
guest of Actor william Gargan. He
was a close friend of Howard and
during the war, while Gargan was
on USO tour in Europe, he aided
in discovering proof of the famous
English actors death in plane
shot down by the Germans. Mrs
The perfect" screen script-envy
of all writers-is the talk of the
lot at Goth Century-Fox. 1t Is the
one Samuel Hoffenstein and Betty
Reinhardt prepared for Ernst Lu-
bitsch's production, "Cluny Brown, y
adapted from the best-seller by
Margery Sharp. which will star
Jennifer Jones.
The fact that the screenplay was
not changed-except for four in
consequential alterations - became
known when the announcement was
made by Lubitsch that he is about
ready to start shooting.
The four changes were made tc
fit the English scene Of the book
The word faucet was changed tc
tap, general delivery was changed tc
poste restante, gin rummy was
changed to backgammon, and they're
going to find something more Brit.
ish as name for the Hotel Ritz.
Most popular motion picture showr
in Norway during the war was "The
Moon Is Down." from the Johr
Steinbeck novel, according to Ul1
Greeber, Norwegian cameraman
and Mrs. Lise Lindbaek, correspond.
ent for Oslo newspapers, whom WI
met through Orson Welles on ths
set of "The Stranger" at Interna.
tional.
Second in popularity among Hol.
lywood films shown to the Nor.
wegian underground was "For Whom
the Bell Tolls" Throughout the
blackout in Europe, according tt
Greeber, the Norwegians did no.
lack for up-to-date Aims and news.
reels which kept them abreast o.
events.
mo one will ever know" Greebel
said, ito what q great degree pic.
lures contributed toward keeping ur
the morale of the Norwegian people
X X X \
Quickie flashes: John Payne will
take a vacation, his first since being
released from the Army about 8
year ago. He has made three pic
lures in that period. A trip to Vir.
ginia to see his parents will occupy
his leisure and along with him, tt
meet the folks back home, will &c
his new wife, Gloria De Haven.
Jane T,reer,s fret stnr, ~, her ,,er