Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 23 July 1936 — Page 13
Actor, Check-Up Shows; |
Bazooka Defies Analysis
“Arkansas Traveler’ Featured in Crosby Picture, ‘Rhythm on the Range,” Scheduled for Circle Screen July 31.
BY JOHN W. THOMPSON Who is this fellow Bob Burns? And what on earth is a bazooka? After much digging around we learned quite a bit about Mr. Burns, who is featured in “Rhythm on the Range,” Bing Crosby picture coming to the Circle July 31. But even Mr. Burns doesn't quite understand
the bazooka. Though the Arkansas “traveler” "makes his first talkie appearance in “Rhythm on the Range,” he’s not new to the movies. He was seen on the screen when Bing Crosby
was still crooning soprano. Full of Ambition
It was in 1913 ip Be old De h studio in New York was - grap thriller. Bob was imbued with ambition and finally made an entrance to the studio's almost inaccessible office on 11th-av, Strangely, he was accepted. They needed a Swiss guard to stand in front of a gate which was to be stormed by 300 peasants. . Eight times Bob stood at the gates. He was stabbed in the back, knocked down, kicked in the shins and thoroughly trampled by the mob. At the end of the day, and also the end of the job, he got a munificent check for $3. One could hardly blame him for dropping out of the movies. e went back to vaudeville where/he had been doing a blackface Aurn. It went over pretty well.
Comeback Was Short
Then in 1929 came Bob's second screen experience. This time Fox signed him for a year’s work, specifying that he would be used exclusively in blackface. So Bob spent all his spare time brushing up on Negro dialect. After almost 11 months of waiting Bob finally got his try-out—as a Canadian mounty. He couldn't drop his dialect and so lost the
role. All this time, while Bob was playing bit parts and anything else he could get, he and his wife were living near the Paramount studio. It was while pinch-hitting for a friend on a radio program that Bob got the idea of being “just my natural self, and talkin’ about the folks back in Van Buren.” It went over with a bang. Burns looked for other places to try his act. On impulse Burns and his wife fled Hollywood for New York with vague hopes of getting Bob in on Rudy Vallee’s program. Landed, it proved the start. of a sensational rise. ; What's Time to an Arkansan?
“I'll never forget that first program,” Bob said. “They gave me six minutes on the air and I talked 13. It upset their schedule a bit but they seemingly didn’t hold it against me. I found out I couldn't say all I wanted to on one program so all summer and fall I switched back and forth from Vallee to Paul - Whiteman and the first thing I knew was that. I had been.sighed to appear with Bing: Crosby.” As for the bazooka, Bob says he ~~ just sort of “slipped it in” his act. The instrument, which almost beggars description, and certainly defies explanation, looks like a fun- - nel on the end of a stick. And to most of us, it sounds like that, Besides Bing Crosby, “Rhythm on the Range,” has Frances Farmer, Martha Raye, Warren Hymer
and Lucille Gleason on the cast
list. Miss Raye played in vaudeville with Burns years ago.
Former Cameraman Gets Job as Actor
Timea Special HOLLYWOOD, ‘July 23.—Chick Chandler, who was given his first Job of assistant cameraman by Fox Btudios 12 years ago in New York, As back on the lot again, now ap- . pearing as an actor. He plays the part of a dance director in “The Holy Lie.”
WHERE, WHAT, WHEN
APOLLO
« "State Fair’ (revival), with Janet Gaynor, Will Ropers. Louise Dresser, Lew Ayres. oi! 11:22. 1:25, 3:28, 5:31,
97:34 an CIRCLE
*“The Green Pastures,” Mare ConJ nelly’s famous fable, with Rex Ingram, at 11, 1:10. 3:20. 5:35, 7:45, and 10,
LOEW'S “The Devil Doll,” ‘with Lionel Bars Maureen O'Sullivan, ‘at 1, 4; 52, 4:44, 7:36 and 10:28. s0 to College” with Hugh . utterworth, at 1, 3:33, 6:25 and 9:17 :
ol KEITH'S "It's a Boy." Federal Players pro-. Suction. . under the direction of Charles Berkell. Curtain at 8:15." LYRIC
*“The Crime of Dr. Forbes" on the’ screen, with Gloria Stuart, Robert Kent, Armetta, at 11:36. 2:09,
ea ge stage at 1:00, 3:53. S36 tnd 9:96 Pu
ALAMO
“Brides Are Like That.” Alexander. Also “Drag Marian 1
with Ross ; Net,” with
Nixon.
AMBASSADOR 1 “The Steps Out,” with Grace Mooge: and. Frenebot. Tons. ln -OHI10 mith nm ‘Kids -and a Gases, :
“Murder on u Pitts
May
Screen Veteran Names Thrills
Lionel Barrymore Selects ‘Movies’ Great Scenes. .
Times Special HOLLYWOOD, July 23.—Lionel
| Barrymore recently took time out
to think over his quarter of a century of screen experience and select movie: scenes which gave him the greatest thrills. They were: Arrival of the Klansmen in “Birth of a Nation.” Funeral in “Imitation of Life.” Marie Dressler being taken to ja in “Min and Bill.” . Renee Adoree following army trucks in “The Big Parade.” The scene when Wallace Beery slapped Jackie Cooper in “The Champ.” Lillian Gish on the pillory “The Scarlet Letter.” The chariot race in “Ben Hur.” Jean Hersholt handcyffed to Gibson Gowland in “Greed.” Luise Rainer’s telephone scenes with William Powell in “The Great Ziegfeld.” Lon Chaney selling his sacks of hoarded candles in “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.”
Milton Feld Named to Producing Post
Times Special HOLLYWOOD, July 23.—Milton Feld, former president of Monarch Theaters, operators of the Indiana and Circle Theaters in Indianapolis, has been made assistant to Sam Engel, Twentieth CenturyFox associate producer, it was announced today.
REEL SHORT
Fans have evinced a lot of curiosity about Peter Smith, the shorts director, who has been shy about appearing in his own pictures. Gradually, though, he’s working into them; in “Airhoopers’ you saw the hack of his neck and his hands, and “Polo” one elbew ;and one. leg, and in “Modern Miracle” his-nose will be on view.
” 2 2 AST irony: After being selecti ed tostar in “I Loved a Soldier,” following the stalkout of Marlene Dietrich, Margaret Sullavan broke her left arm. So they calculated the tfme of her recovery and slated her for the lead in “The Luckiest Girl in the World.” But the arm hasn't healed just right, and she must go east for treatments. Somebody else will be the luckiest girl. After all, they'll probably hold that million-dollar jinx production,
in
has cost a fortune in delays, for Miss Dietrich. She has one foreign commitment, but now seems happy in- Hollywood again, especially in company of Fritz Lang. He’s the new foreign director whose _ triumphant “Fury” already has estabfished him as an untemperamental Von Stroheim and a modern Von Sternberg. : 8 = = Fat (with money) for years, the motion picture industry turned 40 chis year. Following is an excerpt srom a review of first public showmg of Thomas A. Edison’s Vitascope at Koster & Bial’'s Music Hall, 34thst, Herald Square, New York: “The second breaking of waves on the seashore. The effect was simply marvelous. Wave after wave came tumbling on the sand, and as they struck, broke inte tiny. floods just like the real thing. . “Some of the people in the front rows seemed to be afraid they were going to get wet, and ‘looked about to see where they could rut to, in case the waves came too close.” y 8 8 Robert Ryan is looking forward to a reunion with his brother, William, as a result of eventual delivery of a letter written 17 years ago in a ench war trench.
Dance Every N
PAUL COLLINS ORCHESTRA
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Mussolini Selsd
guide book for dic Domingo’s Trujillo.
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| mings: suggested stories
Directed by
Story—Little rich girl strays from home and becomes lost in New York streets. Pair of out-of-work vaudeville performers rescue and “adopt” her. Little girl finds adventure back of the foot-lights.
Returns to daddy's arms.
“POOR : Gloria Stuart, Jack Haley, Michael Whalen. Directec of Eleanor Gates and
Circle
“SPENDTHRIFT"—Henry Fonda, Pat Patierson, Mary. Brian, George Barbier. Directed by Raoul Walsh; story by ‘Eric Hatch; photographed by Leon Shamroy. = ig : Story—Wealthy youth wastes all his fortune except string of polo ponies and prize race horse. Enters horse in Kentucky Derby and watches it e ries youth, but deserts him on learning he’s broke. . Horse wins another Derby and youth marries trainer's daughter.
Guy Standing, Ray Milland, Elizabeth Patterson. jGeorge Archainbaud; story by Frederick Irving graphed by George Clemens. - - : Story—Notorious girl diamond thief fakes death and reforms. Newspaper correspondent falls in love with her, saves her from re-
vealing her real identity and romance is happily concluded.
: Loew's : «“SUZY”—Jean Harlow, Franchot Tone, Cary Grant, Lewis Stone, Benita Hume. Directed by George Fitzmaurice; story by Herbert Gorman; photographed by Ray June. : Story—American chorus girl stranded in London during the World War, marries young flier. Flier is shot by spy and, believing him dead, chorus girl flees to Paris because she’s suspected of shooting. Chorus girl marries another flier and is reunited with first husband when he turns up and second husband is killed in war. “COUNTERFEIT”—Chester Morris, Margot Grahame, Lloyd Nolan, Marian Marsh, Claude Gillingwater. Directed by Erle C. Kenton; story by William Rankin; photographed by John Stumar. Story—Counterfeiter kidnaps Treasury Department engraver. «7.Man” gains counterfeiter’s confidence by posi as a killer. «T-Man” falls in love with sister of latter's sweethe Counterfeit gang is captured and “T-Man” reveals his identity.
Lyric VAUDEVILLE, on Stage—Rex Weber, comedian and ventrilo-
quist; Varsity Female Chorus, singers; Ross and Bennett in a
comedy skit; Bell Brothers and Carmen, varsity act, and the Five Cordovas, acrobats. : “EARTHWORM TRACTORS,” on Screen—Joe E. Brown, June Travis, Guy Kibbee, Dick Foran, Carol Hughes. Directed by Raymond Enright; story by William Hazlett Upsom; photographed by Arthur Todd.
Story—Salesman leaves home town to make fortune selling trac--
tors. Falls in love with lumber dealer's daughter, who chides him into trying to sell tractors to her hard-boiled father. During demonstration father’s deafness is accidently cured. Salesman makes
finish first, only to be disqualified. Fortune huntress mar-
Anderson; ‘photo-
sale and wins daughter.
Films a School, Actors Agree
Serious Study Necessary to Enact Roles.
Times Special HOLLYWOOD, July 23. — The question of how much educational value there is in motion pictures always has been wide bpen to discussion. : ] Film workers definitely believe pictures are an education—at last for the actors and actresses. Most players contend working in pictures supplies them with a more complete all round education than could the combined classes of many of the country’s leading schools.
There are more authorities in his- |
tory among screen stars than could be found in a dozen university graduating classes Hollywoodites argue. Every time players go into a picture with an historical ‘background they must study their subject for months,
eventually arriving at a point where they can: write treatises on the period without consulting notes.
Loretta Young, for instance, says she is equipped to deliver a series of lectures on the Spanish occupation of early California. All this knowledge resulted from preparations she made for her role in the picture “Ramona.” Last year Miss Young spent long hours of research for her part of Queen Berengaria in “The Crusades.” ; In the field of medicine and surgery, Jean Hersholt and J. Edward Bromberg qualify as two Hollywood experts. ; Bromberg, in addition to playing a doctor’s part in “Men in White.” a stage production, also starred in the picture “The Crime of Dr. Forbes.” Hersholt not only prepared himself for the screen version of “Men In White” but scored a triumph in the title role of “The Country Docrr. & “a
Joan Crawford ‘Bundles’ "Scenes for “The Gorgeous Hussy,” in which Joan Crawford bundles with her leading men, are being filmed this week.
POSITIVELY - LAST DAY!
“THE GREEN PASTURES”
Ger Away From ME GIirLs, YA 8 BorHER ME!
“I Loved a Soldier,” which already |
If you thought Louis and Schmeling put on a good scrap, wait until you see these two smart young modern girls battle over a handsome playboy with 23 million bucks! It's the grandest, most hilarious cat-fight you've ever seen!!
A Paramount Picture With
_PAT PATTERSON
¥ 13
MARY
On
BRIAN
Straight Men Have Yearnings to Be Comedians in Movies.
| By United Press
"HOLLYWOOD, July 23.— Cary Grant wants to hjde his handsome
thing they aren't. ‘“ a Charlie Chaplin wants to play Napoleon. Straight men want to be comedians. Comedians want be Romeos. Stars want to be character actors and Grant wants to be a “modern Chaney.” “I never wanted to bd a leading man in the first place,” Grant complains. “I came to America as a pantomimist, but pantomime is
had to earn a living. Turned to Stage
“I turned to the stage—~musical comedies—but I didn’t get what I wanted. I had hoped for character roles. Instead I was handed straight leads. I realize straight leads often lead to stardom, but I have no ambitions to become a star. “Straight leads get you nowhere. The public tires of the same handsome faces. But have you ever seen the public turn thumbs down on character actors like Lon Chaney, or Lionel Barrymore? “Character roles are more varied, more fun. Today, horrifying makeup tricks are not necessary. The present-day version of the Chaney
{roles can be accomplished with a
normal face, a change of clothes and a variation in carriage.”
LOEW'S—LAST DAY “DEVIL DOLL’ "We Went to College"
FRANCHOT
Never such a pair of
in a picture that says
ws,
LEWIS
e “A hit for the top of “DID | REMEMBER?"
rts They [L Do Not Get|
face behind a Lon Chaney make- |; up—true to the Hollywood tradition | that all actors want to be some-|ing
little known in this country and I
TONE
Hold tight! It's mad Montmartre... Parisin Spring]
Q
; _ (The ninth th of a series.) BY PAUL HARRISON
Sturdy Oakie, as some of his friends know him, is not one of those sour-faced individuals who believe that comedy should be “saved for the performance.” Nor is he a clown who wants to play Pagliacci, or a buffoon thwarted from a high destiny of Hamlet. Only one thing does he share in common with all other actors—a belief that he would make a very
probably will give his bosses a good laugh. i nos nN IGHT now. Honest John Ogkie is commuting between talkietown and the Indian country of New Mexico to assist in production of a picture ‘called “The Texas Rangers”—horse opera on a grand opera scale. : “It’s about the same as my other roles,” sdys Acorn Oakie, “except that I get a lot dustier. But I'm still a pal.” : . The principal change in Poison Oakie is that he now is married. For
ANOTHER GREAT
GRAN
daredevil lads as F ranchot
Tone and Cary Grant! : And when alluring, kissable J ean appears on the horizon! The answer is FUN, THRILLS, EXCITEMENT
“Oui! Ouil, it’s terrificl”
UNNIEST MEN | oak
4 -noticed in Gnarled Oakie since
‘he and the Pigeon got back from
New ‘York. There is the matter of cress, for instance.
The actor used to make something of a fetish of sartorial freedom, and thought nothing of appearing at uppity parties in soiled ducks and a sweatshirt. His signal triumph was the evening he introduced the combination of sweatshirt and tuxedo. :
The Pigeon seems to have done some pouting about these matters, and Splinters Oakie now dresses in faultless (frora a Hollywood standpoint) sports clothes. Unwilling to be a party to the death of a magnificent sloppy tradition, he has put Nis stooge and stand-in, Loyal (Cracker) Henderson, into
" | sweatshirts.
Another change in the erstwhile Eternal Oakie is that he now stays at home evenings and plays Monopoly, nipping the while at sandwiches and root beer. Yes, root beer. The Bing Crosbys drop in frequently to pay tribute to the homing Pigeon. 8 ” "
EWIS D. OFFIELD, which is Oakie’'s real name, spent his boyhood in Sedalia, Mo., and Tulsa, Okla. Mother Offield ran a girls’ school, a circumstance which contributed to the young man’s mi-
sogyny.. : Later they moved to Manhattan, and the mother was a psychologist
2-FEATURE
2 s 2 NO he got a job in a theater as a scene-shifter. te 1 Sapling Oakie knew right away that the theater was for him. He learned to hoof, and in no time at all was touring the country with his own act. of songs, comedy, and
dancing. easant voice, sweat-shirt-you. But
ways has suspected that certain producers are scheming to make him a crooner. He'd rather remain just a pal.
NEXT: Charlie Chaplin.
Two Stage Stars Signed for Films
By United Press : HOLLYWOOD, July 23. — The p-rade of Broadway stage celebrities today continued marching toward Hollywood. . The latest arrivals: were Doris Dudley and Rex O'Malley who wee being rushed through makeup tests in preparation for movie roles. Miss Dudley completed a 9000 mile air derby before she settled down here for the screen engagcment. The youthful actress made a round-trip flight from New York to take screen tests before she was awarded the contract to play a supporting role to Katharine Hepburn. O'Malley was taken out of the cast of “Spring Dance,” ‘a new Philip Barry Play. He has been
cast in Greta Garbo’s ‘version of “Camille.” =
PROGRAM TOMORROW
M-G-W's ROMANTIC DRAMA THAT BLOWS THE TOP OFF THE THRILLOMETERE
Chalk “up another hit for
M-G-M, who gave you that great “earthquake of entertainment’ =
“SAN FRANCISCO”
wb 5 SE BENITA HUME A Metro:Goldwyn-Mayer Picture
Directed by GEORGE FITZMAURICE] Produced by MAURICE REVNES'
every time Cary takes Jean) in his arms ... ond : improves on his~ rival's °