Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 4 July 1936 — Page 4
aise High in Wake of ‘Frisco Film
Elaborate Settings, Fine Acting Held Reasons for Success.
BY JOHN W. THOMPSON ,.0. Henry once said that there were y three cities in the world - worth writing about—New York, ~ New Orleans and San Francisco. The way folks all over the country are flocking to see the movie,
. “San Francisco” (at Loew's for. a
second week) and the way movie writers everywhere are praising over the film, proves that Mr, Henry was
correct about the latter city.
E decided to make
When Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer first “San Francisco”
" there was a good deal of doubt as
to just what the result would amount to, principally because it was such a large order in the way of props, research and settings.
Stars in New Roles
The picture, because of its melodramatic tendencies, might have been relegated easily to second-fea-ture status, filmed with second-rate personalities in the lead roles and made into one of those . things which cause double feature programs to be so dull. But M-G-M,
Just as in the case of “Mutiny on |
the Bounty,” tackled into the production with zest, chose three strong
‘ stars, W. 8S. Van Dyke for director
and went to work on a big scale. Even the usually avid press agents were reticent about waving the “San Francisco” banner. Although they had Jeanette MacDonald, Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy to bank on, theater managers were just a wee bit shaky about going the limit for the film. The trouble was that the three stars had been cast in roles the like of which they hadn't
' played before.
Mr. Tracy, lo, and behold, was a priest; Mr. Gable was a gambler who had to break down and bawl at the end of the picture; Miss Mac‘Donald was called upon for animated torch-singer anitcs in several scenes. It just wasn’t like them, managers said.
Praise Is Overwhelming
But as soon as the picture had been previewed, those who had been dubious shouted, sang and stomped their feet. Some of them even forecast that “San Francisco” would be
" the year’s outstanding film.
William Boehnel, New York World-Telegram movie reviewer, was “overwhelmed,” said he wished he had saved the adjectives he had wasted on other films; Kale Cameron of the New York Daily News defied any one to sit through the film unmoved. Theaters thrpughout the country
have been forced to hold the film
over for a second week. In most cases, even the box office records tacked up when “Mutiny on the Bounty” visited the cinema mansions, have fallen in the wake of
- the “San Francisco” earthquake.
All of which goes to show that even the movie men, those rare souls of blushing reticence, don't always know their own strength.
Freddie Is to Make Six-Week Auto Trip
Times Special HOLLYWOOD, July 4—As soon as the camera stops turning on his current film, Freddie Bartholomew is scheduled to leave on a six-
week vacation—an auto trip to
Vancouver and other points in that direction. The party will take its time, stopping off at auto camps, fishing and hiking whenever Freddie feels like it. In the party will be Freddie's Aunt “Cissy”; Freddie’s grandparents and the chauffeur. Freddie is now working on “The Devil Is a Sissy,” » with Mickey Rooney and Jackie Cooper.
Old Title Retained
2
for Benefield Novel
Times Special HOLLYWOOD, July 4 —After several conferences, it has been decided to retain “Valiant Is the Word for Carrie” as the title of Gladys George's new picture. A temporary name, “With Banners Blowing,” had been selected for the Barry Benefield novel's screen version, which Wesley Ruggles is directing.’
Silent Movie Star to Get New Debut
Times Special HOLLYWOOD, July 4.—Another former screen star, Betty Compson, whose name was up in bright lights on theater marquees from coast to - coast several years ago, is to make
_ her debut in talking pictures.
Cast in “Hollywood Boulevard,” Miss Compson appears as herself, plays the role of a leading lady in a sequence dealing with the filming of a picture. John Halliday plays Maurice Costello
WORK FORGOTTEN
directors yell, “Quiet!” Stars are old stuff to them; they don’t even bother to turn and watch the action, But on a sound stage where there’s a Teniple set, they tiptoe behind the camera to see the Super Tot make each scene. The older they are, the harder they fall for her. Grizzled carpenters and watchmen who have seen a generation of players flare a ndfade crowd around like tourists on their first visit to a studio.
The Whole Show
"Miss Temple is busy now as “The Bowery Princess,” a ragamuffin of about 1850. In this picture there is a sequence in which she presents “Uncle Tom's Cabin” for a lot of tenement kids, and plays all the parts herself, from Little Eva to Simon Legree. She has some disguises which she changes in full view of the audience as she assumes the different roles, It’s a funny, but impressive, dem-= onstration of the Marvel Mite's gift for histrionics. In a bit I watched, she went into the character of Legree by clapping on a silk hat, pasting on a false nose with mustache attached, and snatching a whip. /Then: “So, my fine lady!—you’re goi Bh be contrary, are you? I’ll soon take that out of you—heh-hehheh.” (Business of twirling mustache and leering fiendishly.)
Good Shot Spoiled
Twice in this scene the false nose fell off in the middle of her speech. If the behind-the-camera audience hadn't howled at this, Director Seiter might have left the accident in the picture. On the fourth try she finished the speech .and switched to the character of Emily by snatching off the Legree accessories and donning a bonnet. “Kill me!” she defied him. “Kill me if you will!” “Okay—cut!” chuckled Seiter. The onlookers applauded.
8 » 2
Shipbuilders are busy again on the Paramount lot, this time with a Chinese junk. It's full-sized and apparently seaworthy, but hasn't any sea. Neither will it have a good old-fashioned launching, with cheers and a bottle' of rice wine shattered athwart the bow. It’s being built on the bottom of ¥.e big reservoir, or “T-tank,” which isn’t shaped like a T. | When the ship is finished, water will be pumped into the tank and the junk will float there, with scarcely room enough to turn around. Looking at this tiny, land-bound ocean, it's hard to imagine that scene-painters and special-effects experts will be able to transform
TODAY | fctitar On STAGE
Yaudeville
Rapin RAD (8 iS ans
ED & TOM HICKEY “Two Elegant Gents”
LATHROP BROS VIRGINIA LEE ° Dance Fashionists
EDITH GRIFFITH
LER LER TJ JE rea LER E ET EY OE BER NR RR WW FET IIT TEE
pd dd LLL rT
SAT [P45
Stars a Bore to Movie Crews, But Shirley Draws Big Hand
Grizzled Carpenters . Watch Youngster’s Scenes Like Tourists on First Studio Visit.
BY PAUL HARRISON
HOLLYWOOD, July 4—(NEA)—No other actress commands much attention, while working, as Shirley Temple. Technical and construction crews, busy on the big sound stages, are accustomed merely to stop whatever they're doing when bells ring and
SO
it into a completely realistic bit of Oriental waterfront, with impressive vistas -of the China Sea in the other direction.
Better Than Ocean
Yet they will do all that, and do it belter than if the craft were actually in the ocean. Ten wind
machines will raise a gale, clouds will gather, and a perilous voyage of 50 yards will include all sort of adventures.
The junk is to be used in “The General Died at Dawn” and the marine technical expert is Ernest Fegte. Admiral Fegte, they call him. Three months ago he couldn’t have told a junk from a sampan, but he read up on the subject and became an authority. One thing he missed was that junks must have eyes painted on the bows. Some Chinese actors set him straight on that. Within a year, what with the vogue for nautical pictures, Paramount’s tank has served as the waterfronts of Deauville, Sorento and San Francisco.. Also as a bit of rugged Alaskan coast, and as the sea off Annapolis. For “Annapolis Farewell,” they built an iron cruiser in the T-tank and then shattered it with guns. Made an awful mess, and it took twice as long to remove the twisted debris as it did to construct the ship.
Old Timers Given Chance Carrying out his intention to use old-time screen celebrities to lend authentic color to “Hollywood Boulevard,” which he is directing for Paramount, Robert Florey today gave a role to Mabel Forrest, leading woman of the silent screen and former wife of Bryant Washburn.
INDIANAPOLIS
jity 14
TUESDAY GREATEST SHOW
JULY
including a FAMI LY of The
SMALLEST "ina PIGMY ELEPHANTS
The Idol of American Youth
|/COL. TIM McCOY
9 MARVELS-1600 PEOPLE | ARENIC CHAMPIONS=150 CLOWNS-150 HORSES —100% MENAGERIE ANIMALS~ Hoi OF ELEPHANTS—WORLD'S LA
—J RINGSASTAGES—-HUGE COURSE 4 TRAINS OF DOUBLE-LE
observance.
show some time this summer.
Even blase Hollywood revels in celebration of the Fourth of July. Although there probably are several blond showgirls who don’t know why the day is celebrated, the whole town usually turns out to shoot firecrackers, and to take part in various pageants. Above, left, we see Elinore Whitney, looking very serious indeed, as she does an impersonation of the famous Molly Pitcher for the Fourth’s
The two young folks perched on a cannon, waiting until the cameraman leaves so they can fire those Roman candles, are Terry Walker and Johnny Downs. All three youngsters shown above are starred in “Three Cheers for Love,” musical film which the Circle expects to
WHERE, WHAT, WHEN
APOLLO “The White Angel,” with Kay Francis and Ian Hunter, at 11:30, 1:31, 3:32, 5:33, 7:34 and 9:35. . CIRCLE “Hearts Diyided” with Marion Dick "Powell and Charlie es, at 12:30, 2:45, 5.10, 7:40 and :05. Also Max Schmeling-Joe Louis fight Dissures, at 11:46, 2:10, 4:40,
7:07 and 9 . LOEW'S “San Francisco” with Jeanette MacDonald, Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy. at 11:45, 2:10, 4:40, 7:10
and 9: . KEITH'S Maid.” Federal Players’ presentation, starring Ricca Scott Titus and Alice Arnold. under direction of Charles Berkell. At 8:15. LYRIC
“The Old
Yaudeviiie on Stage at 12:57, 3:51, :45 and 9:39. ‘The Big Noise, » with Guy Kibbee, on the goresn at 11 :45, 2:39, 5:33, 8:27 and 10:4
ALAMO
‘You May Be Next,” with Ann Sothern and Preston Foster. Also “Song of the Trail,’ James Oliver Curwood story with Kermit Maynard. AMBASSA
“The Bx-Mrs. Bradford” with Jean Arthur and William Powell. Also ‘Laughing Irish Eyes” with Phil
Regan. OHIO wit Prisoner of Shark nd. a Warner Baxter, “Love Birds,” with Zasu Pitts J Stim Summerville.
Cameraman Enjoys
Profitable Hobby
Times Special HOLLYWOOD, July 4—His hobby of saving old magazines caused Frank Dugas, assistant cameraman, to receive $3000. In 1932 he purchased a copy of Vol. 1, No. 1, of Esquire. He liked to save magazines, so he carefully stored it away. When he reported on the “Lady Be Careful” set, J. T. Reed, the picture's director, happened to mention that Esquire was offering $3000 for copies of their first issues in good coondition. Frank says his copy is in excellent condition. He hasn’t even read it all.
Re ite he:
- 8 Comedians and 2 Romantic Stars in One Grand Hit!
DICK POWELL} Charlie RUGGLES
Edw. Everen HORTON ARTHUR TREACHER,
2:10. 4:40 | At 1:45, 20, nd 9:30 §
LOUIS $C
Pick Gershwins for New Movie
RKO Pictures Assign Pair First Musical.
Times Special
HOLLYWOOD, July 4.—George
and Ira Gershwin, happy harmony brothers from Broadway, signed to
write miisic for RKO pictures,
finally got an assignment today. They are to work on words and music for “Watch Your Step,” the next Ginger Rogers-Fred Astaire musical, which will be started as soon as the two stars finish “Swing Time” now in production.
Signing of the Gershwins gives Miss Rogers and Mr. Astaire the distinction of having had seven of the world’s outstanding popular music writers as composers for their films. lin, Jerome Kern, Dorothy Fields, Cole Porter and Vincent Youmans. “Watch Your Step” is to be directed by Mark Sandrich, ‘who last guided the dancing pair in “Follow the Fleet.” The new film is based on an original story by Lee Loeb and Harold Buchman, the screen play being prepared by und North and James Gow.
Movie ‘Stand-In’ Gets Role
Gertrude Michael’s “stand-in” finally has been given her chance. Noticed while she was working with
Miss Michael in “The Return of
Sophie Lang,” Miss Betty Hall was given an opportunity to prove her-
self when Director George Archain-
bauld asked her to play a small part in the picture.
Rocking the Ww Town - with Its Srvane | Romance, Terrific Spectacle!
2nd and FINAL WE
"San Francisco’ "wr SPENCER TRACY
JACI MOLT and W-G-M Cast : PLU fess MICKEY MOUSE
HOLIDAY
is not com: plete unmless you treat the family to this GREAT show!
A Federal Theatre Project — Works Progress Administration
KEITH'S THEATRE Lincoln 9000 The Federal Players
Present, for ONE WEEK ONLY, Ayers. Monday Night at 8:15 :
"THE CAMPBELLS ARE COMING!"
A Brand’New Comedy of Indiana Life by Robert Peel Noble Based on a Saturday Evening Post Story by
MEREDITH NICHOLSON
N
| Wednesday Matinee .................10¢, 20c, 30 All Seats Reserved for All Performances
NGTH STEEL RAILROAD CARS LOADE ] WONDERS bid AVERY Yih
The others were, Irving Ber- |
Sunday Double - “THE GARDEN
ollywood’s Latest Fad Is Softball
Film Greats and Littles Enjoy Present Day ‘Bloomer Girls.’
HOLLYWOOD (NEA), July 4—
| summer evenings.
Reason: Modern counterparts or the old bloomer girls have taken over most of the vacant lots not occupied by movie sets, for baseball games that have become the current Hollywood craze. The “softball league” plays outdoors with indoor baseballs, and under floodlights. Gals in scanty uniforms smack home runs, argue with the masculine umpires, call time out for nose-powdering, and pitch like the dizziest of the Deans. They're reminiscent of the Ma Sennett cuities, and some brigh movie producer may yet get their names on the dotted line for a revival of “Elmer the Great” with an all-feminine cast.
Stars are Sponsors
At least half a dozen girl teams are in competition every night, following ‘similar struggles by teams of men. Most of the girl aggregations are sponsored by screen stars who like the publicity. ‘Joe Penner has an outfit called the Quackers. Edgar Kennedy, the comedian. has lent his name to the Kuties. And Bing Crosby has bought uniforms for the Croonerettes. Bing also has taught his players how to bo-bo-boo the ii 3 Male teams are sponsored by filmsters, too. Pat O’Brien has a squad; Director W. S. Van Dyke's name appears on the jerseys of another outfit, and Buck Jones, the hoss opera hero, manages a‘team. Jones’ Cowboys have been in the cellar so long that he's trying to persuade Ben Turpin to come out of retirement and do the umpiring.
Showmanship Enters
Arrangements are afoot to bring up a colored feminine team from Los Angeles’ Harlem. With swing music, Max Factor, the makeup czar, has started collecting a squad to be composed only of platinum blonds. Little wooden platforms may be substituted for the base bags, and when a lass reaches first, second, or third, she’ll have to stop and do a tap dance. All this goes to prove what a little showmanship can do for a game bogged down by rules and professionalism, traditions and czars. The softball league wants a czar, too, but not Will Hays or Judge Landis. Billy Rose or Earl Carroll may get the job, although there's consid-
=
When 12-year-old Judy Garland's sister was married and broke up their sister trio (above), Judy believed her life ruined. Studio executives heard her sing one afternoon in an outer office at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer lot and immediately gave her a contract without the formality of a screen test.
erable support for the candidacy of Rep. Zioncheck. Average monthly attendance at the half-dozen fields here is 25,000. Admission is 15 cents, with proceeds going to the American Softball Association for equipment, and for merchandise—makeup kits, scanties, perfume, and the like—given as prizes. There are 10 players to a team, instead of nine, the extra player being a “short fielder” who hovers around behind second base. The field is one-third smaller than the regulation diamond, and a game goes seven innings. Anybody Seen Garbo?
Audiences at these athletic-vaude-ville thrillers under the arc lights include almost all the flicker stars, especially men. Several customers have been identified as Greta Garbo, but the real Garbo is said to have escaped detection in the disguise of a peanut vendor. Harpo Marx attends occasionally and speeds up the game by chasing the cuties around the bases. Most of the players are would-be actresses—extras and studio stenographers. But nobody would be surprised to see an all-star team come into the league against the Kuties and Croonerettes. One of these days you may be reading that Slugger Crawford has won a game with a drive over the left field fence, or that Lefty Harlow pitched a no-hit contest in a mound duel with Curves Dietrich.
Color Movie to Be Filmed “Spawn of the North,” story of the Alaska salmon runs, will be the first full length picture to be filmed in the north country in natural color.
4 Time
Car ltem lin Life
of Dietrich
[Starts Film Job at 6 A. M3
Finds Sidelines on Radio, Stage.
BY RUTH M'TAMMANY Times Holly Correspondent HOLLYWOOD, July 4.-—Marlene Dietrich’s days! are full of action t 6+ and continue . For many weeks, n the desert loca= tion of “The Garden of Allah,” she was called at 4{30 and at 6 o'clock started the 17-mile drive from her hotel in Yuma, Ariz, to the set. While working in the production, she also is kee several air proe gram engagements, considering & stage appearance in a new Cole Pore ter play, planning a trip (0 her European home and through it all maintaining the | alm attitude which characterizes th “My life has ro Tr ike this,” she said, “always full, rich and often confusing. I was born in Berlin, Germany, and when I was 9, the war started. At first it was a glori= fled series of victory celebrations and many evenings on our front lawn there were fireworks and gaiety. But when I was 11, tragedy came to my home and at that early age I learned about death, suffering and disappointment. “The war changed the lives of of every one near it and I suppose it was indirectly the cause of my going into the theater when I was quite a young girl. From my first public appearance until today, it seems as though I have been ina whirl of activity. But work makes you forget many things and I have had in my life much which, if ree called too aYividly, would make me unhappy.”*
—— Overman | Signs Anew Lynne Overman, who has been assigned one of the featured roles in “Three Married Men,” which Ed= die Buzzell starts directing next week at Paramount Studio, has signed a long- term contract with Paramount,
APOLLO
COMFORTABLY COOL
FRANCIS “THE WHITE ANGEL
Holiday 25¢,T 25¢ 40c
wes JAN HUNTER a] Prices p.m, 2pm,
) > =
The Week-End’s Best Attractions
At You Neighborhood Theater
. WEST SIDE
STATE 2702 W. 10th St..
Double Feature Will Rogers “THE CONNECTICUT YANKEE” Bob Steel “ALIAS JOHN LAW” Sunday Double Feature—Robert Montgomery “PETTICOAT FEVER” “O'MALLEY OF THE MOUNTED”
W.Wash. & Belmont Be h Y oN t Double Feature Pat O’Brien “I MARRIED A DOCTOR” { “HITCH HIKE LADY”
Sunday Double Feature—Warren
William “TIMES SQUARE PLAY BOY” Loretta Young-Franchot Tone “THE UNGUARDED HOUR” DAI SY Double Feature Clair Trevor “MY MARRIAGE”
Hoot Gibson “Frontier Justice” Sunday Double Feature—Margaret
Sullavan “THE MOON’S OUR HOME” Herbert Matahiall- Gertrude Michael “TILL WE MEET AGAIN”
2540 W, Mich. St.
NORTH SIDE Illinois and 34th Double Feature
R TZ Wheeler-Woolsey
“SILLY BILLIES” John Howard “BORDER FLIGHT” Sunday Double Feature—Shirley Deane Johnny Downs “FIRST BABY” Loretta Young-Franchot Tone “THE UNGUARDED HOUR”
Za vi ng Centra) at Fall Crk.
Double Feature Shirley Temple “CAPTAIN JANUARY” “THE WITNESS CHAIR” Matinee Today, 2 P. M. Feature—Edmund Lowe EN MURDER CASE” lvia Sydney-Henry FonddpFred Stone By “Trail of the Lonesome Pine”
42nd & College .Double Feature Claire Trevor
Uptown
“HUMAN CARGO” Preston Foster “MUSS ’EM UP”
ecial Matinee Saturday Sven) Sunday—Victor McLaglen Claudette Colbert-Ronald Colman “UNDER TWO Ss”
Cartoon—News—Matinee 1 P. M.
Garrick
30th and Illinois Double Feature
Barrymore “THE VOICE OF BUGLE ANN” George Brent “SNOWED UNDER”
St. Clair PoE a
J UDELL
joiner Double Feature—Dick Powell “Shipmates
Sadi as _Clitten
“THE PERFECT John ar LEAN.
RIVOLI
| Tuxedo
30th at North’w’t’n Three Features Tonight
R EX Midnight Show
“WIDOW FROM MONTE CARLO” ‘Warren William, Dolores Del Rio
Buck Jones “FOR THE SERVICE” Lloyd Nolan “ONE WAY TICKET”
Come to the Rex Saturday, Today and get a Water Melon Free.
Sun. Double Feature—Warner Oland “Charlie Chan at the Circus”
Robert Monigomery—Myrna Loy “PETTICOAT FEVER” - Popeye Cartoon—Shorts Double Feature
S t ra tfo rd Charlie ,Chaplin
“MODERN TIMES” “RED HOT TIRES”
Sunday Double Feature—Miriam Hopkins Joel McCrea “THESE THREE” “THE GARDEN MURDER CASE”
MECCA Noble & Mass.
Double Feature Ruby Keeler Dick Powell “COLLEEN” Miran Hopkins “THESE THREE” Sunday Double Teature=Edwary “SUTTER'S ‘coLp” “THE WALKING DEAD” Double Feature
D R EAM Boris Korloff
“THE WALKING DEAD” “EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT” Sunday Double Feature—Warner Oland “Charlie Chan at the Circus” Sylvia Sidney-Fred McMurray “The Trail of the Lonesome Pine”
19th & College
2361 Station St.
EAST SIDE
3155 E. 10th Double Feature
~ “THREE ON A TRAIL” “I MARRIED A DOCTOR” Popeye Cartoon and Short Reels Matinee 2 P. M., Continuous
Sunday Double Feature—First Run on East Side Ronald Colman-Claudette Colbert “UNDER TWO FLAGS” “BRIDES ARE LIKE THAT"
Tacoma "vesie Feature”
ie Feature “CAPTAIN JANUARY" “FIRST A GIRL” (Then a Boy) Matinee, Sat., July 4th, 2 P. M. Sunday Double Feature—Fred MeMaurray “13 HOURS BY AIR” Hopkins “THES!
4020 E. New York Double Feature
EAST SIDE Hamilton 2116 E. 10th St,
Double Feature ill Rogers “A CONNECTICUT YANKEE" Jack Haley “THE F MAN”
Matinee Today, July 4th, 2 P. M, Sunday Double Feature—Gary
Cooper “MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN" “THE MOON’S OUR HOME”
2036 E. 10th St, Parker Double Feature Myrna a —Rabert Montgomery and Sun
“PETTICOAT FEVER” SHIRLEY TEMRLE “THE LITTLEST REBEL” Todd-Kelly Comedy Matinee Today Starts at 1 P. M.
Strand 1332 E. Wash, 86
Double Feature Shirley Temple “CAPTAIN JANUARY” “MOONLIGHT MURDER” Matinee Today Continuous from 2 P. Mj, Sunday Double Feature—Robert Montgomery—Myrna Loy “PETTICOAT FEVER” “SILLY BILLIES”
ROXY 2721 E. Wash, 88,
Double Feature . Chic Sale “MAN HUNT” Jack Holt “Dangerous Waters” Sunday Double Feature—WheelerWoolsey “SILLY BILLIES” “The Leathernecks Have Landed”
Paramount a1 EB wash.
Double Feature—Virginia Bruce “THE GARDEN MURDER C CASE
Buck Jones “FOR THE SERVICE"
Sunday Double Feature. Warner Baxteg “The Prisoner of Shark Island”
George Brent, “Snowed Under”
B ; JOU 114 E. Washington
Double Feature “FOLLOW THE FLEET" “LONE RIDERS”—Always 10¢ Sunday Double Feature—Jean n Arthep “IF YOU COULD ONLY COOK’ “NEVER TOO LATE” Comedy and Shorts SOUTH SIDE
Fountain Square Double opare. v's Irvin 8S. Cobb “PRIDE OF THE MARINES” Sunday Double Feature—Fay Wray “ROAMING LADY>
Ronald Colman-Claudette Colbert “UNDER TWO FLAGS” :
At Fountain Square a Hosur < pt soe Matinee Today, 2 P. M. 5 Double Feature—
Edmund Lowe “GRAND EXIT®
~*2 Orienta Ee :