It's in the Bag! (United Artists) (1945)

School Gave Gloria Start Chevy Chase, ultra - exclusive girls’ school near Washington, D. C., lost a pupil, and Hollywood gained a new potential movie star when Gloria Pope, 18, spent her last summer’s vacation in the film capital. Miss Pope, whose hometown is Tulsa, Oklahoma, was visiting with her parents in Hollywood when Producer Jack H. Skirball was searching for a typical American girl to play the part of Fred Al¬ len’s daughter in the comedy ex¬ travaganza, “It’s In The Bag,” Gloria, because she was singular¬ ly attractive, had been sighted by one of Producer Skirball’s alert talent sleuths while she was on a shopping tour on Hollywood Bou¬ levard. She was given a screen test, and in competition with sev¬ eral established Hollywood actress¬ es, won the enviable role in “It’s In The Bag,” which might well prove her springboard to film fame. Needless to add, Gloria is not returning to Chevy Chase — not this season at least. On the strength of her initial performance, she is already being hailed as one of the discoveries of the year, and other important parts are sure to follow. “It’s In The Bag,” a United Art¬ ists release, presents Allen with an all-star supporting cast which in¬ cludes Jack Benny, Don Ameche, William Bendix, Victor Moore, Rudy Vallee, Binnie Barnes, Rob¬ ert Benchley, Jerry Colonna, John Carradine, William Terry and Sid¬ ney Toler. _ Miljan Makes Last 'Heavy' Appearame John Miljan, veteran character actor, makes his last screen ap¬ pearance for some time in the Fred Allen comedy extravaganza, “It’s In The Bag,” now playing at the . Theatre through United Artists release. After completing his role, one of the several heavies who make endless troubles for Allen, Miljan took oif on a lengthy U.S.O. tour overseas. John Carradine is a dangerous look¬ ing character in this scene from Jack Shirball’s comedy hit, “It’s In The Bag,” now playing at the . Theatre with Fred AHen in the f^tarring role. 21A —I Col. Scene (.15) Elevator Is Place For Romance A crowded elevator in a swank New York hotel provides the set¬ ting for one of the most unique romantic sequences ever screened. The unusual love-making is part of the new Fred Allen comedy hit, “It’s In The Bag,” and the princi¬ pal participants are William Terry and Gloria Pope. Action occurs when the boy pur¬ sues the girl into the busy elevator, and neither they nor any of the passengers leave the lift until the couple is engaged. Many technical difficulties were surmounted in photographing the scenes, which add up to one of the most fascinating love-matches seen on the screen in a long time. “It’s In The Bag” was produced by Jack H. Skirball for United Ar¬ tists, and the all-star cast includes Jack Benny, Don Ameche, William Bendix, Victor Moore, Rudy Val¬ lee, Binnie Barnes, Robert Bench- ley Jerry Colonna, John Carradine and Sidney Toler. Star Comic Remembers Old Times By Jerry Colonna It was like old times again, working with Fred Allen in “It’s In The Bag.” We have quite a few scenes together. I guess it was Fred’s idea for me to play the part of the psychiatrist and it flat¬ tered me because the part gives me a chance to do something. Then, too, the picture has a big cast and by that I don’t mean five thousand extras, I mean really big names like Jack Benny, Don Ameche, Bill Bendix, Victor Moore, Rudy Val¬ lee, Binnie Barnes, Bob Benchley and several more. Jack Skirball was the producer for United Ar¬ tists and Richard Wallace directed. Naturally Fred and I had an opportunity to do some reminiscing about the old days in New York when Fred was doing his radio show for that certain sponsor. Lucky for me, I wqs trombonist in the orchestra. Peter Van Stee- den was the conductor. This all happened some time around 1935, as Fred says, “B.P.” (before Pep- sodent). It was during one of the re¬ hearsals while the boys were ‘tak¬ ing five’—(Musicians’ term for a five minute rest period . . . smoke, etc.) that I happened to be at the piano with Minerva Pious. She’s “Mrs. Nussbaum” on Fred’s show, and a very dear friend of my wife and me. Minerva was kidding around on the piano while I helped her torture one of the classics with my not so golden voice. Suddenly she got an idea. She said, “Fred’s never heard you sing, I’m going to have him go in the control booth and listen—” Before she had Fred go in the control booth she told him that I was studying voice with the inten¬ tion of being an operatic singer, and would he be kind enought to lis¬ ten. It was all done with a very straight face, such as only Minerva could do. Fred and Harry Von Zell went into the booth and Min¬ erva very pompously sat at the piano and struck an arpeggio. I stepped up to the microphone—took a deep breath and let out the most blood curdling yell that has ever been heard in the history of N.B. C. The song was “On The Road To Mandalay.” Out of the corner of my eye I saw Fred in the booth slowly sink to the floor out of sight. Harry fol¬ lowed. When the song was over I turned and bowed low to Minerva and walked out of the studio. Lat¬ er on Fred asked me if I wouldn’t like to do the same gag on the baritone named Boris something or other, and it worked out swell on the show. A lot of good things came to me out of that; oifers from Holly¬ wood and guest appearances on the radio. I’ve never been able to thank Fred enough for being so kind. Toler Continues As Crime Hunter Sidney Toler, famed as Charlie Chan in the movies, departs from his customary characterization to perform a special role with come¬ dian Fred Allen in the latter’s sensational new picture, “It’s In The Bag,” now playing at the . Theatre through United Artists release. Although he steps out of his Oriental character in the Allen vehicle, Toler remains the crime hunter, and as an ordinary police detective he shadows and harasses Fred through one difficulty after another. The role affords Toler an un¬ usual opportunity to display his versatility, and he makes the most of it, contributing many laughs with his portrayal of a bungling cop who gets Allen jailed on charges ranging from forgery to murder. Toler, incidentally, is but one of a dozen topflight screen stars who support Fred Allen in “It’s In The Bag,” which is Jack H. Skirball’s inaugural production. Sleeping Beauty That funny man with the black mustache, Jerry Colonna, who dominates so many movie scenes, has a streak of bad luck in the current Fred Allen comedy, “It’s In The Bag,” now at the.. Theatre. For one whole sequence, Colonna appears as a slumbering psychiatrist. He is stretched out cold on a bed, dead to the world while his concomedians, Allen, Jack Benny, Robert Benchley and others, provide laughs for the audience. But active or inanimate, Colonna seems to draw most of the attention in every scene in which he appears. His psychiatrist role is probably the most comical of his career. Don Ameche, William Bendix, Rudy Vallee and Binnie Barnes are other notables in “It’s In The Bag.” The film was produced for United Artists by Jack H. Skirball and directed by Richard Wallace. Terry Is Romantic Lead In Hit Comedy William Terry, of “Stage Door Canteen” fame, clicks again as the young romantic lead in Fred Allen’s new starring film comedy, “It’s In The Bag,” now playing at the . Theatre through United Artists release. This time, as Robert Benchley’s son, he romances with Allen’s movie daughter played by 18-year- old Gloria Pope. The performance has added greatly to the young actor’s promising career. Terry is part of a great support¬ ing cast in “It’s In The Bag,” which includes Jack Benny, Don Ameche and Rudy Vallee. Ameche Does It Again! Don Ameche, who has absorbed considerable ribbing from his friends for having played more than his share of inventor roles on the screen, gets it publicly from Fred Allen in the latter’s new starring picture, “It’s In The Bag.” Ameche, plus Rudy Vallee and Victor Moore, appear in Allen’s comedy hit as guest-stars, and the four comprise a quartette of sing¬ ing waiters in a “Gay Nineties” night-club. The take-off occurs when Fred and Don are serving a party of eight in the night-club sequence. The party demands “Eight root^ beers” and Allen is unable to fill the order. But Ameche does, with the aid of another “invention” (secret of which is reserved for movie patrons). And Allen’s topper to that (cen¬ sored here, but fully divulged on the screen) is bringing down the house at . Theatre where “It’s In The Bag” is play¬ ing to capacity audiences. Other stars who appear with Al¬ len in “It’s In The Bag,” a Jack H. Skirball production for United Art¬ ists, include Binnie Barnes, Rob-^ ert Benchley, William Bendix, Jack! Benny, John Carradine, Jerry Co¬ lonna, William Terry and Sidney Toler. Fred Allen Adds To Movie Hilarity With Odd Name&, Unusual names intrigue Fred Allen, and have figured conspicuously in the star’s career on stage, radio and screen. _ , ^ * n x In the beginning, he was christened John F. Sullivan. He changed it to Fred Allen to befuddle a booker when he was a young juggler on the vaudeville circuits. He was also known, in the early ^ . , Use Post-War Set In Movie phases of his career, as “Paul Huckle, European Entertainer,” and “Fred St. James, World’s Worst Juggler.” The Fred Allen monicker, which he borrowed from a stage hand, seemed to bring him luck, and he retained it. If Allen’s wife, Portland Hoffa, had an ordinary name, they might never have married. They met while he was playing in “The Lit¬ tle Show” and she in the “Scan¬ dals” on Broadway, 17 years ago. Fred was visiting backstage and was introduced to a bevy of beau¬ tiful “Gloria’s,” “Alyces,” “Gwen¬ dolyns” and the like, but the name “Portland” intrigued him. They started going together and before long were married. In his current film comedy hit, “It’s In The Bag,” Allen has giv¬ en himself the name, “Fred Floo¬ gle,” operator of a flea circus. Bin¬ nie Barnes, as his wife, is known as “Eve Floogle,” and their 12-year- old son, played by Dickie Tyler, is “Homer Floogle.” Another unusual name which struck Allen’s fancy when he was first organizing his weekly radio program 12 years ago was Minerva Pious. She became “Mrs. Nuss¬ baum” on the Allen broadcasts, and under that name is familiar to all radio listeners. In “It’s In The Bag” Miss Pious makes her film debut with Allen playing her own effervescent self, “Mrs. Nuss¬ baum.” Allen’s penchant for distinctive names, and descriptives is given full play in his new picture, and he hangs some new neat ones on his traditional adversary. Jack Benny, who is one of several guest- stars in “It’s In The Bag.” D'.ckie Tyler, child sctor, gives a hilarious performance in Fred Allen’s laugh riot, “It’s In The Bag,” now playing at the .. Theatre with Fred in the starring role. 22A —1 Col. Scene (.15) The new Allen comedy extrava¬ ganza, the humorist’s first film in four years, was produced by Jack H. Skirball for United Artists. Other big-name performers in the all-star cast include Don Ameche, William Bendix, Victor Moore, Rudy Vallee, Robert Benchley, Jerry Colonna, John Carradine, William Terry and Sidney Toler. A post-war penthouse, or what the affluent family will occupy af¬ ter the duration, is one of several lavish settings in the Fred Allen film comedy extravaganza, “It’s In The Bag.” The ultra-modern “set” was de¬ signed by Lionel Banks, famous Hollywood art director, who calls it “the home of tomorrow.” But for millionaires only. The swanky set is background for several key sequences in “Itls In The Bag” when Allen, a profes^.^ sional flea trainer, inherits a for¬ tune. Allen’s wife, played by Bin¬ nie Barnes, and their two children, enacted by Gloria Pope, 18, and Dickie Tyler, 12, share the luxuri¬ ous abode. “It’s In The Bag,” produced by Jack H. Skirball for United Artists, is one of the most pretentious com¬ edies ever screened. Fred and Binnie Keep The Peace Biggest laugh of many which Fred Allen provided for cast and crew during filming of his sensational film comedy, “It’s In The Bag,” occurred during shooting of a sentimental scene leading lady, Binnie Benchly Debuted In First All-Talkie Robert Benchley, appearing* cur¬ rently with Fred Allen in the lat¬ ter’s film comedy hit, “It’s In The , Bag,” now playing at the. Theatre through United Artists release, starred in the first all- talking motion picture. His now- classic “Treasurer’s Report,” filmed as the short subject when the mo¬ vies were experimenting with sound, was the first time speech was sustained for more than a minute or two on the screen. In “It’s In The Bag,” Benchley plays the role of an insect exter¬ minator while Allen is represented as the operator of a flea circus. Sullivan Became Allen To Fool Stage Boss Fred Allen’s real name is John F. Sullivan which the noted hu¬ morist changed to outwit a booker when he was a struggling young juggler on the vaudeville circuits. He rose to fame with the Fred Allen monicker which was adopted from a stage-hand. Always intrigued by unusual names, the star is known as Fred Floogle,” manager of a flea circus, in his current movie hit, “It’s In The Bag,” a Jack H. Skirball pro¬ duction now playing at the . Theatre through United Artists release. with his Barnes. Throughout the picture, in which Fred and Binnie are man and wife, with an 18-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son played by Gloria Pope and Dickie Tyler, is an ex¬ traordinary amount of domestic discord. Finally comes an emotional point in the story where Fred and Bin¬ nie cease bickering temporarily, and are required to register a de¬ gree of real affection toward each other. Director Richard Wallace, dissat¬ isfied with the first “take,” sug¬ gested that Fred put his arm around Miss Barnes for this im¬ portant scene. Allen’s verbal re¬ action, as he went into the scene, created a riot of laughter on the set. “This is the first sign of affec¬ tion I’ve shown my wife since the picture started,” he said. “We’ve been barking at each other con¬ stantly. To tell you the truth, there’s been so little affection I don’t know how we got the chil¬ dren.” “It’s In The Bag” was produced by Jack H. Skirball for United Art¬ ists, and the all-star cast includes Don Ameche, Robert Benchley, Wil¬ liam Bendix, Jack Benny, John Carradine, Jerry Colonna, Victor Moore, William Terry, Sidney To¬ ler and Rudy Vallee. “Father” Fred Allen and “Mother” Binnie Barnes are amazed at their |(r son’s (Dickie Tyler’s) intelligence in this scene from the hilarious “It’s In The Bag,” now playing at the.Theatre through United Artists release with Fred in the starring role. Others in the cast include Jack Benny, Don Ameche, William Bendix, Rudy Vallee, Victor Moore, Robert Benchley and Jerry Colonna. JIB—2 Col. Scene (.30) uige Twenty