CBS COLLECTION 072 UCLA - Film Score Rundowns

with the CBS material, so no “authorization” was required. Because of the potential
hassles initiated by SPFM, FSM felt disinclined to publish my articles. And the
interesting point is that my first two papers had nothing to do with the issues I had with
the Society regarding the CBS Dats—just exclusively focused on Bernard Herrmann
research. One was a fully comprehensive “Cue Inventory” of Herrmann’s music at CBS-
Television. Such “politics,” petty power tactics and intimidations are unbecoming of such
people (if only one or two “bad apples”) in an educational charity.
It bears noting that I was informed from various parties involved that there was
perhaps “dirty politics” involved with the ouster of one of the Founders of SPFM years
earlier—a sort of "hostile corporate takeover,” as one central person involved described
it, ousting an original Founder. I would love to read a detailed account of this dismissal
if anyone has the courage to report it honestly. But at this late date, I doubt if that old
dirty laundry will ever see the light (and fresh air) of day. I happened to be professionally
involved with that individual because I was writing a research paper for his journal and,
as given earlier, I was told by a Trustee/Officer of SPFM that such an association was
construed as problematic.
There is an old Soundtrack issue that includes a story titled The Society for the
Preservation of Film Music, an interview conversation with that founder of the Society
who was ousted. At least it gives some information and insight into the matter, and I
believe it was the only source of information except perhaps for some old Filmus-L
archive posts (other posts—such as mine and a SPFM Founder-- were deleted by an
administrator of the site who was also a Board of Director of SPFM). Unfortunately,
however, Filmus-L ceased to exist a few months ago. The archive is gone too but perhaps
someone will eventually put it back online. At the moment I am writing this, I do not
have the precise Soundtrack issue number, nor can I find a free index to the issues (the
periodical ceased to exist in 2001, I believe). The xerox pages I have did not have the
issue designation on the pages. But the article appears on pages 57 thru 63.
On a side note, I also found it curious, for example, that grant money at the time
was directed to create an “Executive Director” salaried position whose basic function was
to raise money in a public relations fashion (fund-raising dinners, etc.) that smacks more
of profit-making activity instead of being directed to preserve film music materials for
tax-exempt purposes (and, by extension, allowing researchers to study them). The
original articles of the Society had no such paying position titled “Executive Director.”
The only officers were non-paying President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer
positions. The new full-time “Executive Director” position in that 1990 and/or 1991
period had a yearly salary, I understand, of about $45,000. That is a tremendous expense
for such a relatively small tax-exempt entity. Currently, according to the 2010 FSM site
listing of the Board of Directors, there is a “Producing Director” position. I assume this is
simply a synonymous term for the previously-named “Executive Director” position (and I
assume still a paid management position).
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