Broadway and Hollywood "Movies" (Jan - Nov 1933)

14 BROADWAY AND Suffice it to say that, in closing, the gangster finds himself in the clutches of the law, in prison, and on the scaffold. On this occasion he passes out of prison via the hangman’s noose. More recent, of course, is his portrayal of the role of “James Allen” in “I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang,” — the harrowing story of the horrors of life in a Georgia prison camp. I say “Georgia,” because that State has gone out of its way to bring its chain gang system into the limelight, following the unholy revelations of what was happening in Florida, just south of the Georgia boundary. The unfortunate arrest, under circumstances which make me believe that the author, Robert E. Burns, a shell-shocked war veteran, was the victim of a huge publicity stunt which didn’t quite “click,” again brought Mr. Muni’s picture into the limelight, and it is being shown in literally hundreds of theatres through Within a few weeks after that printed announcement appeared in the columns of this magazine, Miss Vinson was signed for film work with First National and Warner Brothers pictures. Curiously enough, the first act of “Berlin” takes place beside a prison fortress, includes the escape of a prisoner of importance, and the entire action of the play concerns war time police activities. It was altogether logical, then, that Miss Vinson should be immediately cast opposite Paul Muni, — Paul the prisoner, — in the production of “I am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang” then getting under way. She has handled her first role superbly, and Broadway and Hollywood “Movies” feels particularly fortunate in the small part it has had in getting her started on her film career. Needless to say, Mr. Muni himself was pleased with her work. On the stage he was previously known by his birth name, — Muni Weisenfriend. out the United States and Canada at the present moment. In this production Paul Muni is more of a prisoner than he has ever been in any of his plays and pictures; literally a caged convict engaged in the road work which Georgia exacts of its law violators. The young actor gives everything he has to this film, — it exacts a contribution from him which is nothing less than an offering of sheer genius. To him, and to Lervyn Le Roy. must go the lion’s share of the credit and glory which follows in the wake of so successful a film venture. Paul M uni is surrounded by a score or more of talented and capable actors and actresses, principal among whom is, of course, Helen Vinson. In this Connection it is worthy of note that Helen, a fascinating blonde, was, in the very early months of 1931, playing the leading feminine role in “Berlin” at the George M. Cohan Theatre, Broadway, New York. In reviewing the play, attention was called by Broadway and Hollywood “Movies” to the fact that her ability in this production warranted her debut in the movies, and the assertion was ventured that it would not be long before one of the big producers availed themselves of her services. Being a veteran of the legitimate stage at the age of eighteen is, to say the least, unusual. But the fact is, that, at the age of eleven, the boy, Muni Weisenfriend, was called upon by his parents to don a white beard and enact the role of a man of sixty, — / all because the script called for one more character than the company, then woefully undermanned, was able to furnish. Reports have it that the young man turned in a surprisingly good performance, and from then on he did “bits.” Born in Vienna, he had travelled with his parents as they toured the tiny vaudeville theatres of Austria, Hungary, Germany, Poland, Netherlands and Belgium. He was a “shaver” of but four years when the family crossed the Atlantic to continue their touring in America. At eighteen a veteran, — his father dead, and about to part from his mother who was called to New York City to assume a role in a play there, young Muni decided to stay in Chicago and play in the cheaper vaudeville theatres. Between times he earned a living from the gas works. But the hard grind had its effect upon him; he learned to love work, and the years of travelling with a vaudeville troupe had given him a ( Continued on page 55) r j. Paul Muni, with Aoel Francis , Louise Carter, Glenda Farrell, Karen Morley, and Helen Vinson