What a Man! (Monogram) (1944)

* "Miss Aviation’ Comes To Films Three years ago, with a reputation as one of the most popular, beautiful and best-paid models in New York, Wanda McKay actually flew into motion pictures. This charming young lady comes to the Soa ie pee, theatre, On wee as as the leading lady in Monogram’s sparkling comedy, “What A Man!” with Johnny Downs, Etta McDaniels, Robert Kent and Harry Holman. As a result of her modeling success, Miss McKay was voted the title of “Miss American Aviation,” then given a much-publicized job as a stewardess on one of the airlines. Her route was the flight between New York and Los Angeles. While in Hollywood on one trip she made her first visit to a motion picture studio, was sighted by a talent scout, and given a screen test the same day. She has remained in the film capital ever since. Wanda, whose real name is Dorothy Quackenbush, was born in Portland, Oregon, where she attended grammar school. In Ft. Worth, Texas, she was a student at the Polytechnic High School, where she studied for a business career. After winning a _ beauty contest in Kansas. City, she was encouraged to take a fling at modeling. For some time she was the Chesterfield girl on billboards and advertising setups throughout the country, aS well as appearing on the covers of many of the magazines. It was in Birmingham, Alabama, that she won the aviation title and the publicity job. One of her first picture successes was made with Monogram, when she played the lead opposite John Beal in “One Thrilling Night’ last year. In “What A Man!” she again displays her ability with sophisticated comedy parts as the strange girl who moves into Downs’ bachelor apartment, strictly uninvited, keeping her identity a puzzle throughout the story. | DEAD MAN KNOCKS | Johnny Downs answers a knock at his front door and a dead gangster falls into his living room in this scene from Monogram’s comedy, “What A Man!” which starts ...... at these... theatre. One Col. Scene Mat No. 3 Favorite Comic Of Army Circuit Harry Holman, robust comedian who plays a featured role in the Monogram comedy, “What A Man!” Which; OPENS) cscs. oY Fae 1) |< aa per i theatre, has been touring the service camps under the sponsorship of the Hollywood Victory Committee almost continually since Pearl Harbor. Holman breaks away from the shows only when his agent wires that there is a part in a picture for him. As soon as he finishes an assignment for some studio back in Hollywood, he boards a train or plane the next day, and rejoins his troupe. Johnny Downs and Wanda McKay share top honors in the current picture, with Etta McDaniels, Robert Kent and Lillian Bronson playing other featured parts. | LIFE’S EMBARRASSING MOMENTS || Laughing Can't Johnny Downs gets his lunch at the office, discovers he has dropped wrong bundle off at laundry. A fellow worker exploits his “personals” in front of his girl friend, Wanda McKay, in Monogram’s comedy, “What AS Man rat: thee ce. a theatre. Two Column Scene Mat No. 21 Acting Career Has Been Mostly ‘Ups’ for Downs Most everyone, in any line of business or financial pur-| suit, experiences ups and downs in his career. There are lean times and good times. But in the case of Johnny Downs, actor, most of his years have been filled with good luck. This is highly unusual, especially in the picture business, when an actor begins work before¥* the cameras as a child, works continually through adolescence and awkward years into adult roles. Johnny, 25 now, started as a youngster in Charlie Chase and Our Gang comedies. Appearing in the leading role of Monogram’s sparkling comedy, “What A Man!” with Wanda McKay, Robert Kent and Harry Holman, which is scheduled to open pil avahecten Ati tHE Ss sess c oat ULI AUL Ee; Johnny was born in Brooklyn, New York. Soon after his arrival, his father, a naval lieutenant, was assigned to San Diego, California, and it was in that city that the youngster made his stage debut in an amateur play. This apperance resulted in a series of tests, climaxed with a contract to appear in Our Gang comedies, with whom he worked for several years at the height of their popularity. Later he appeared with Chase and other comedians. Following a number of featurelength pictures. young Johnny was taken on a vaudeville tour, later appearing on Broadway in such hit shows as “Strike Me Pink” and “Growin’ Pains.” In 1935 he returned to Hollywood, and immediately re-established himself in films like ‘Algiers,’ “The Plainsman”’ -}and “Adam Had Four Sons.” He is a better-than-average singer, and has appeared in many hit musical comedies on stage and screen. In “What A Man!” Downs plays a straight comedy role in a highly amusing story that was originally co-authored by Wm. X. Crowley and Beryl Sachs. Barney A. Sarecky produced the film for Monogram, while William Beaudine acted as director. ESQUIRE GIRL Wanda McKay, who appears opposite Johnny Downs in the Monogram comedy, “What A Man!” which comes to the .....:.. theaUV CR OMe ke eer , has been photographed by Waxman for Esquire. A full-page portrait will appear in one of the early issues. This is one magazine in which a picture of Miss McKay has never appeared, although her activities as a model several years ago put her face and figure on the covers of almost every other book. Featured in the supporting cast with Downs and Miss McKay are Etta McDaniels, Robert Kent, Harry Holman and Lillian Bronson. ‘For Rent’ Sign Is Bigger Draw Than Actress Production was delayed during the filming of Monogram’s comedy, “What A Man!” in which Johnny Downs and Wanda McKay share top honors, scheduled to open Ser na ee al the... ks se ctbheare; when the company arrived at a location site, only to discover so many people standing around that they couldn’t possibly set up the cameras to film the scenes that were planned for the day. Director William Beaudine needed a typical medium-priced apartment house, where he could shoot exterior scenes on the street and at the entrance. The dwelling would be that of Johnny Downs. Producer Barney A. Sarecky made arrangements with a landlord and the problem was settled—he thought. When the company arrived in the neighborhood, however, and drove up to the apartment house, they had difficulty reading the house number, there were so many people milling around. As soon as the manager could be located, Sarecky and Beaudine approached him and inquired where the crowd came from. “We're used to a lot of people coming around to watch us make pictures,” they said, “but we can’t possibly get anywhere with this crowd. We understood you to say this was a quiet district.” “Yeah, but did I know there would be an apartment for rent today? These people have been here since daylight and they won’t go home, although I keep telling them the vacancy was rented two hours ago,” explained the _ disgruntled manager. As a consequence, the “What A Man!” troupe returned to the studio, went back the next day and got the scenes. Featured players in the film are Etta McDaniels, Robert Kent, Lillian Bronson and Harry Holman. STORY IN TITLES During the filming of the Monogram production “What A Man!” hilarious comedy with Johnny Downs and Wanda McKay heading the cast, which opens at the ....... theatre on ........ , the picture had three different titles in two weeks. In. order, the titles ran: “Her Bachelor Husband,” “It Happened Last Night” and “What A Man!’— a short, short story in itself. Be Measured Perhaps the most difficult problem in the filming of a screen comedy is what is commonly known as “spacing for laughs.’ Briefly, the problem is this: After a funny bit of action or dialogue, how much time should be allowed for the laughter of the audience to subside so that the succeeding dialogue may be heard? This was the age-old question which confronted Monogram sstudios, producer Barney A. Sarecky and director William Beaudine during the filming of “What A Man!” the hilarious comedy which comes LOSCHOS Sa SG theatre on ¢....0.. ; with Johnny Downs and Wanda McKay as the principals. On the stage the actors are guided by the audience reaction to the comedy passages, pausing just long enough so that the next point can not be missed. But the length of the laughs and the situations that cause them are bound to change each day. Different audiences register vastly different reactions. Even so, stage actors are able to govern their performances» accordingly. Not so with a motion picture, however. Once the film is released, it neither slows nor _ hastens its pace. As a consequence, the folk behind the production of a motion picture have to arrive at a happy medium with the spacing of pauses. “What A Man!” is an original screen play by Wm. X. Crowley and Beryl Sachs, which boasts a supporting cast that includes Robert Kent, Etta McDaniels, Harry Holman, Lillian Bronson and John Ince: | "MURDER, YOU SAY?” Johnny Downs and Wanda McKay receive a mysterious phone call in this scene from the Monogram comedy, “What A Man!” at the See esere theatre. One Col. Scene Mat No. 4 Won Contest She Didn't Enter Wanda McKay, attractive, blonde leading lady in the Monogram comedy, “What A Man!” which comes PONTE Soe ees. PMC ALC ON het seers had the unusual experience of winning a contest she didn’t even enter—one that she had not the slightest idea was taking place. One of the major airline companies was searching for a strikinglooking girl to whom they could hand a title and exploit as a stewardess on the line. Every model in New York was considered for the job. Miss McKay’s agent submitted photographs of her, but said nothing to her about it until the choice was made—and she was it. Immediately she was given a national publicity campaign as ‘Miss American Aviation,’ and then worked as a stewardess on the run between Los Angeles and New York. Johnny Downs appears opposite Miss McKay in “What A Man!” and the supporting cast is headed by Robert Kent, Etta McDaniels, Harry Holman and Lillian Bronson. * es