Government Work.

Hollywood, ever fearful of any conflict that might upset their system of production and generally aligned politically with the president, had worked with the government prior to the war. In August 1940 President Roosevelt asked Nicholas Schenck, the president of M-G-M, to make a film on foreign policy and defense. Schenck produced Eyes of the Navy. In February 1941 a filmed message was shown of President Roosevelt thanking Hollywood for its efforts and cooperation with the "expansion of our defense force." By mid 1941 government propaganda offices such as the Office of the Coordinator of Information (COI) were being formed. Robert E. Sherwood, a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and a screenwriter, joined COI, whose job was to counter anti-American propaganda in Europe. Sherwood set up the Foreign Information Service (that eventually would become Voice of America) and promptly recruited notable writers, including Thornton Wilder...