DGA Monthly

2 4 I D G A M O N T H L Y An Awards Committee was created, consisting of George Sidney, Frank Capra, Delmer Daves, John Ford, Bruce Humberstone, Irving Pichel, Norman Taurog, and Marshall — but the committee's plan to begin handing out quarterly awards for the period from May 1 through July 31, 1948, drew some criticism. George Stevens wanted the 1948 films that had been released before May 1 to have a chance at recognition because, as the minutes of a board meeting noted, "In the opinion of Mr. Stevens, the effects of the Directors' Award would influence the annual Academy Award and he felt that pictures released up to May 1 should be given the same consideration as those released during the balance of the fiscal year." A decision was made, though, to go ahead with the quarterly awards beginning May 1. Minutes of the meeting reported that, "It seemed unfortunate that anyone should suffer but the fact remained that the Awards had to be started at some time to get them under way and no matter when this was done some Director would feel that he had been slighted by the exclusion of his picture." At the same meeting, the issue of campaigning and trade ads first surfaced. Conlon announced that the trade paper The Hollywood Reporter was offering a special issue to go with the annual directorial award, "in much the same manner as the one now put out at the time of the Academy Awards." The consensus, however, was that such an arrangement would show favoritism to one paper over others, "and might open the way to high-pressure advertising to which the average Director objected." Finally, at a meeting in June 1948, according to minutes in the Directors Guild archives, discussion took place for "the mechanics of an award setup," with the proviso "that it might be advisable to make one award as a trial balloon to learn what attention it would command." The SDG's publicist, John "Scoop" Conlon, reported at the meeting that he'd discussed the idea of an award with New York magazine and newspaper editors, all of whom were "very interested." The Academy wasn't as enthusiastic, and tried to persuade the SDG to take over the nominating process for the Oscar directing award. The Directors declined. (The Writers Guild inaugurated its honors the same year as the Directors; the Screen Actors Guild wouldn't do so for four more decades.) The Directors' announcement hit the trades in August 1948. "Effective from last May 1 the Screen Directors Guild is establishing 'family affair' awards to be presented quarterly for the best directed picture, and annually for the outstanding directorial achievement of the year," wrote Variety under the banner headline announcing, "SDG Gives Own Awards." The "family affair" quote had come from Marshall. "This is to be a family affair, free from prejudice and unhampered by outside influence," he said to Guild members. "You yourselves are to be the judges and the jury because no person is better qualified to pass upon the creative ability of the Director than the Directors themselves." The purpose of the awards, he added, "is to give credit where credit is due and to enhance the position of the Director in the eyes of the press, the public, and the industry." — continued on page 26. FIRST TIMERS: President George Marshall (center) gives out quarterly awards to (from left) George Stevens, Darryl F. Zanuck (accepting for Howard Hawks), Fred Zinnemann, and Joseph Mankiewicz, who also won the first annual award for directing. (Credit: DGA Archives) CELEBRATING OUR HISTORY DGA History: First Awards — continued from page 23.

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