The Juggler (Columbia Pictures) (1953)

“The Juggler” Mat 2-E KIRK DOUGLAS as “THE JUGGLER” stars at the —__.------.--.-.. Theatre in Columbia Pictures’ new Stanley Kramer production of a man of passions. Lovely Milly Vitale is featured. Her Shorts, Blouse Wow ‘Juggler’ Cast Stares, leers and whistles are nothing new to Italy’s foremost film beauty, Milly Vitale, who makes her American debut .in Columbia Pictures’ new Stanley Kramer production, “The Juggler,” at the Theatre opposite star Kirk Douglas. But she confesses she never before was subjected to such gazing as she met from the seemingly inured Hollywood cast and crew of “The Juggler” during production. Scenes in the film called for the girl to wear what was, to her, a reasonably familiar outdoor outfit—shorts and a blouse. Shorts and blouses on girls are reasonably familiar outfits to the Hollywoodians, too, but they had never seen Miss Vitale before! Concensus of filmdom opinion: “she’s really something!” ‘Juggler’ Girl New Milly Vitale, Italy’s No. 1 screen charmer, is making her American debut in “The Juggler,” the Columbia picture starring Kirk Douglas at the ............ Theatre. The bronze-blonde beauty was picked by producer Stanley Kramer after a worldwide search for the right girl to typify the heroine of the Michael Blankfort best seller on which the film is based. ‘Juggler’ Youngster Was Star on TV “TV’s busiest youngster,” puckish Joey Walsh, veteran of 100 video dramas, is widening the beachhead he has established in the movies. His part as sidekick to Kirk Douglas in Columbia Pictures’ new Stanley Kramer production, “The Juggler,” at the Theatre follows hot on his movie debut as Danny Kaye’s sidekick in “Hans Christian Andersen.” His role in “The Juggler” gives him one of the choicest supporting roles of the year. “The Juggler” also introduces the bronze-blonde Italian importation, Milly Vitale, in her American screen debut. Others prominently featured are Paul Stewart and Oscar Karlweis. Art of ‘Juggler’ In order to play the title role of “The Juggler,” the Stanley Kramer production for Columbia Pictures now at the................ Theatre, star Kirk Douglas had to learn both juggling and ventriloquism, adding another pair of unique entertainment skills to his repertoire. He had to learn to box like a champion for “Champion,” which also was produced by Kramer, maker of “High Noon,” and to become an aerialist for “The Story of Three Loves.” “The Juggler” Mat 2-B; Still No. 202 DANGEROUS WHEN HURT, Kirk Douglas battles a policeman in Colum mow bia Pictures Milly Vitale at the The Juggler,” new Stanley Kramer production featuring tee Theatre. Kirk Douglas Must For ‘Juggler’ Role It’s getting to look as if there is no physical skill, no matter how difficult, that Kirk Douglas cannot master on demand. The star of Columbia Pictures’ new Stanley Kramer production, “The. JUewer,” at Nes. ena Theatre, was not fazed even by the requirement that he learn both juggling and ventriloquism virtually overnight for that picture. “T learned boxing over a weekend for my part in ‘Champion’ so completely that I am still receiving offers to fight professionally. I took a quick course in trapeze-flying for my part in ‘The Story of Three Loves.’ So what was so hard about learning to throw around just my voice and a half a dozen balls?” asked Kirk. Also thrown about by Douglas in the picture is bronze-blonde Italian film star Milly Vitale, who makes her American debut in “The Juggler.” Hailed as the greatest screen importation since Greta Garbo, Miss Vitale was picked on sight for the part from only three minutes of film —the only footage of her available in Hollywood. Kirk worked his way through college, and through high and elementary school, too. Master of one of the best paper routes in his home town of Amsterdam, N.Y., he was up at 5, seven days a week, to meet the train bringing in the morning papers, and back at the station. after school to pick up the afternoon ones. School drama _ provided him with an escape from his hard life and, at St. Lawrence University, he supplemented that diversion with wrestling, at which sport he was for three years undefeated intercollegiate champion. While working as a waiter in Schrafft’s restaurant to pay his way through the New York’s famous American Academy for Dramatic Art, he impressed a new actress, Lauren Bacall, so deeply that, when she later rose in Hollywood favor, she convinced Hal Wallis that he was passing up an all-time great screen bet in not testing Douglas. The result was Kirk’s movie debut in “The Strange Loves of Martha Ivers.” He never returned to the Broadway stage where he had been featured in about a dozen legitimate plays. Kirk’s big chance came in “Champion.” He had learned that a small independent producer named Stanley Kramer was to make a movie based on the Ring Lardner short story. Against the advice of his agent, who wanted him to do a big film at a major studio, Kirk got in on the film that gave Kramer and himself the first big step on the ladder to fame. “The Juggler” was directed by Edward Dmytryk from Michael Blankfort’s screenplay of his own best-selling novel. Besides Kirk Douglas and Milly Vitale, its large cast is headed by Paul Stewart who had played Kirk’s fight manager in “Champion,” Joey Walsh, the boy discovery of “Hans Christian Andersen,” and Oscar Karlweis. Note! l-column publicity scene Mat 1-D, of Kirk Douglas and a policeman, is also available at National Screen Service but not shown here. Mat 1-D is similar to Mat 2-B (see left). It measures 3%," deep. ‘Juggler’ Kirk Douglas Toss Objects, Voice Woos Chaste Charmer Nineteen and never been kissed—at least not until she came to this country—seems to be the story of the bronze-blonde bombshell, Milly Vitale, who is being hailed as the sexiest importation to hit these shores since Greta Garbo. The dewfresh leading lady of Columbia Pictures’ new Stanley Kramer production, “The Juggler,” starring Kirk Douglas at the.............. Theatre, confessed it that way in her first American interview in the presence of her mother who has chaperoned her through the years that saw Milly rise to become the premiere charmer of Italian films. “I do not go out with boys. It is not allowed,” she said. “And besides, I have not the time. I must work and study too hard for my career.” But that does not mean that Miss Vitale is insensitive to the existence of men. On the contrary, she has decided to make up for lost time by marrying an American husband. In _ the Americanized English she learned from a New York girl friend in Rome, Milly gave good reason for preferring Americans. “It is because in America the woman is boss,” she said. “In my country the man is boss. I like it better when I am the boss.” Despite these harsh ideas, Miss Vitale probably would not be a hard wife to get along with. She generously believes: “In every man you can find something good—if you look enough.” The happy combination of descent from three generations of distinguished ballet and concert artists, together with living next door to a big producer, is Milly’s formula for success. Her mother was both ballerina and choreographer; Milly’s grandmother was a famous ballerina who danced with the Massine troupe. Milly’s father, Riccardo Vitale, is the maestro of the Rome Opera and his father, Eduardo Vitale, was another famous orchestra conductor. With all this artistic and creative talent in her blood and background it was inevitable young Milly should be trained in the same arts. As a child her mother taught her the ballet, not necessarily to train her for a professional career, but because she thought it would develop Milly’s grace and poise. Fortunate coincidence, however, chanced that one day Milly should be going through her ballet routines while a particu in the Columbia picture at the _._._.. is also featured. Mat 1-B; Still No. 71 BLONDE MILLY VITALE is featured in Columbia Pictures’ “The Juggler,” starring Kirk Douglas at the Piet 2) Meth es Theatre. She’s Italy’s loveliest star. lar neighbor was sunning himself on his terrace. As the neighbor happened to be Rome’s leading theatrical producer, Umberto Picasso, 1l-year old Milly found herself on the stage. Film work followed soon after. Milly, who in private life is quiet, inhibited and shy, grew into a tempting screen siren. Seeing in her sensitive beauty exactly the type he was seeking for the romantic feminine lead in “The Juggler,” Kramer wired her agent in Rome and signed her on the basis of exactly three minutes of film footage, all that Hollywood had of Milly’s work before the Italian cameras. “The Juggler” marks the first reunion of star Kirk Douglas and producer Stanley Kramer, maker of “High Noon,” since they both achieved signal fame in Kramer’s’ production of “Champion.” Paul Stewart, another “Champion” veteran, is featured and other prominent players in the cast are Joey Walsh and Oscar Karlweis. Edward Dmytryk directed the picture. Michael Blankfort wrote the screenplay from his own best-selling novel. c So “The Juggler” Mat 2-D; Still No. 68 “THE JUGGLER,” star Kirk Douglas, entertains hospitalized Joey Walsh SA a US ea Theatre. Milly Vitale Page 15