Feb. 16, 1941: Tom Treanor files a report from Palm Springs, saying that the desert outpost seems impossibly remote from the war in Europe. “Nigel Bruce, the English actor, has been showing some British fliers around the past few days and their bewilderment must be past description,” Treanor says.
 
Jimmie Fidler has the day off. Instead, Philip K. Scheuer reports on the filming of “Tobacco Road” in Town Called Hollywood. Notice the reference to the camera having the new coated lenses, which is what allowed Gregg Toland to get some of the shots in “Citizen Kane.” 

Feb. 15, 1941: Tom Treanor, who died covering World War II for The Times, has an interesting and, in fact, prophetic piece about the difficulty of any attack on the oilfields of Romania to keep the Nazis from obtaining gasoline. I won’t get into the famous raids on the Ploesti oilfields but here’s The Times headline from Aug. 2, 1943.

”The wells themselves are nearly impossible to put out of commission,” Treanor says.” It takes almost a direct hit to blow up a well. With the Germans on hand fully prepared for firefighting, the percentage is also against success with incendiary bombs. In other words, general bombing of the fields doesn't offer much hope.”

Jimmie Fidler says: Great excitement on the Warner Bros. lot the other ayem when Merle Oberon, working in "Affectionately Yours," discovered she had lost her handkerchief — a major catastrophe since it happened to be wrapped around approximately $5,000 worth of jewelry!

Feb. 13, 1941: Tom Treanor says that watching America from overseas is something like seeing yourself in a home movie. “You're quite surprised at how you look, a little displeased and completely fascinated,” he says.

FILMVILLE AFTER DARK: Mickey Rooney blushing a fiery red when a group of youngsters whistles admiringly as he enters the Cocoanut Grove with curvaceous Gene Tierney on his arm, Jimmie Fidler says.

Feb. 12, 1941: Tom Treanor, who was killed covering World War II for The Times, writes about his experiences in Romania. “Poor old beautiful, callous, hard-luck Rumania, a happy-go-lucky country trying not to be sad and finding it hard going," Treanor says.

In the Pirate's Den last night, a group of the industry's old-timers reached into the past for dramatic real-life incidents. Here's one concerning three people now dead — Paul Bern, Barbara La Marr and Jack Daugherty, Jimmie Fidler says.

And cast members apparently attended the opening of “Rebecca” at the Hawaii Theater (which is a little puzzling since the film had already opened at the Four Star Theater in March 1940).