Pocketful of Miracles (United Artists) (1961)

Bette Beggar to Beauty In ‘Pocketful of Miracles’ Role A catalogue of Bette Davis performances is a record of consistently outstanding portrayals by an earnest, sincere craftsman. Among her many honors are two Academy Awards and among her credits are some of the most memorable roles in stage and screen history. Now she has topped this fabulous career with her delightful personification of Damon Runyon’s most famous doll, the rag-tag Broadway gypsie, Apple Annie, in Frank Capra’s funfilled “Pocketful of Miracles.” Opening Ais UNE ae coverare fs Theatre, through United Artists release, the Eastman Color and Panavision comedy co-stars Glenn Ford, Hope Lange and Arthur O’Connell. Although her present triumph is the most lovable rags-to-riches fairy tale the world knows, Miss Davis’ own story is not such a Cinderella story. Hers was not an overnight transformation from unknown to star. Her success came through a combination of perserverance and that somewhat rare commodity, in its pure form: talent. At 16, Bette enrolled at the John Murray Ander eee eee Still PM-80 son dramatic school in New York and later, through dedication and hard work, won a scholarship. Some time passed before she appeared in a bit part in a play prophetically called “Broadway.” Bette then made her first New York appearance in “The Earth Between,” with the Provincetown Players, receiving notices which brought her the chance to play Ibsen repertory. Still unable to crack the hard shell of Broadway, however, Bette spent a season as an usherette. (“One way or another I was determined to stay in the theatre,” she comments.) Finally the actress opened in New York again in “Broken Dishes.” “The Solid South” followed and during its run she was signed to a three month Hollywood contract. Fame at last? Not quite. No one was impressed and her option lapsed in a year. About to return to New York, she was cast at the last minute and at his own suggestion as George Arliss’ leading lady in “The Man Who Played God.” After that nothing ever stopped Bette Davis. She co-starred with Leslie How Mat 2C Three-time Academy Award winner Frank Capra directs a scene for his new comedy, “Pocketful of Miracles,”’ which opens... ... Ab theese .. Theatre, through United Artists release. Starring Glenn Ford, Bette Davis, Hope Lange and Arthur O’Connell, the film, based on a Damon Runyon tale, is in Eastman Color and Panavision. Together with Mr. Ford, Capra also produced the comedy. ‘Pocketful of Miracles’ Is Latest Capra Caper When a California avocado officer in the first World War and rancher named Frank Capra was in the topsy-turvy world he came persuaded to make another movie, back to, found himself somehow mail began to pour in from fans all | Working as a prop man, film cutter over the world who feared that the 204 finally gag man in the then master movie magician had retired happy-go-lucky _ film industry. He directed eight silent quickies before successfully leaping the sound barrier in 1928. In 1930, “Ladies of Leisure” made a star of Barbara Stanwyck and a first rank director of Capra. He won his first Academy Award for the memorable “It Happened One Night,” the second for “Mr. Deeds Goes To Town” and his third Oscar for the movie many still maintain is the most hilarious comedy ever filmed: “You Can’t Take It With You.” Other Capra classics were “Lost Horizon,” “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” and “Meet John Doe.” The list is endless and the lift they give—priceless. after filming “A .Hole In The Head.” Not so. “Pocketful of Miracles” is Capra’s most ambitious film in forty years of fun-making and two pensucststiver Bteithereseavcsss Theatre, through United Artists release. Starring Glenn Ford,—with whom he produced the comedy— Bette Davis, Hope Lange and Arthur O’Connell, the Eastman Color and Panavision romp was directed with the same heart-happy Capra Touch which has won him three Academy Awards. A graduate engineer, the Italian imigrant served as an army artillery Still PM-36 Mat 2D In “Pocketful of Miracles,” opening .... . cio seine cess css scele Theatre, through United Artists, the story calls for Bette Davis to be transformed from Broadway beggar Apple Annie to a beautiful society matron. Here Fritz Feld, left, contemplates the task ahead as a be-wigged Bette stands forlornly among her costars: Mickey Shaughnessy (in T-shirt) Peter Falk, Glenn Ford and Hope Lange. Film, produced and directed by Frank Capra, is in Eastman Color and Panavision. ard in “Of Human Bondage” and her startling performance in this unsympathetic role was acclaimed a masterpiece. The next film for Bette was “Dangerous” for which she won her first Academy Award. The second Oscar was presented for the never-to-be-forgotten “Jezebel,” after which Bette was considered the screen’s first actress. A series of absolutely brilliant performances followed, including “The Sisters,” “Dark Victory,” “Juarez,” “The Old Maid,” “The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex,” “All This And Heaven, Too,” “The Letter,” “Now, Voyager,” “The Corn is Green” and “All About Eve.” Recently she toured the country for two years in “The World of Carl Sandberg,” which later opened on Broadway. Following filming of “Pocketful of Miracles,” in which she “owns” Broadway, Miss Davis opened on that legendary street once again in Tennessee Williams “Night of the Iguana,” proving that she really does Shaughnessy Gets Co-Starring Role In Capra’s New Film Michael Shaughnessy’s son Joseph never had a chance. “With my mug,” he grins, “I got tagged Mickey before I could walk.” Now walking on Damon Runyon’s mythical Broadway, in “Pocketful of Miracles,” Mickey co-stars with Glenn Ford, Bette Davis, Hope Lange and Arthur O’Connell. The Eastman Color comedy opens ....... feral | ARE EEN Theatre, through United Artists release. It was filmed by producer director Frank Capra, in Panavision. A post-war phenomenon, Mickey describes himself as “ .. . an earnest comic,” and has worked hard on the night club circuit to develop his faultless timing. After eleven years touring the country, a Hollywood talent scout caught his act in Boston and had him cast as Judy Holliday’s brother-in-law in “The Marrying Kind.” Later he appeared in “Designing Woman,” and then bounced happily from personal appearances including New York’s Copacabana, to movie roles portraying a variety of hearty hoods and hooligans in hits including “Don’t Give Up The Ship,” “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” “North to Alaska,” “The Big Bankroll,” “Dondi,” “The Sheepman” and “Don’t Go Near The Water.” The last two mentioned starred Glenn Ford, with whom Mickey is again teamed in “Pocketful of Miracles,” playing a short-onbrains, long-on-patience Broadway character with the unlikely name— for the 6 foot, 200 pound Irish actor—of “Junior.” Crooked Leonard Not Straight Yet Although it seemed that Sheldon Leonard had abandoned his “life of crime,” there is still a crooked bone in the body of the screen’s perennial gangster. The veteran of over 140 movies appears in a hilarious guest shot as a prohibition gang boss in Frank Capra’s “Pocketful of Miracles,” opening ......... at the . Theatre, through United Artists release. Filmed in Panavision and Eastman Color, the comedy stars Glenn Ford, Bette Davis, Hope Lange and Arthur O’Connell. Now producing and_ directing “The Danny Thomas Show” on TV, Leonard has his reformed fingers in other television pies as well, including “The Real McCoys,” “The Andy Griffith Show,” “The Dick Van Dyke Show” and “The Joey Bishop Show.” That’s a lot of show business for the writer-producerdirector whose acting was always a crime. From 1944 until he entered TV in 1951, Leonard appeared on nearly every top radio program. From 1931 to 1939, when Hollywood called, he acted on Broadway in many hits (“. .. and a few flops!) including “Three Men on a Horse” and “Kiss The Boys Goodbye.” Still PM-88 Both on Mat 3B Still PM-94 In essence Bette Davis may be said to play a dual role in Frank Capra’s “Pocketful of Miracles,” Eastman Color and Panavision comedy which will open iaeatiene tens. eeee Theatre eee ee through United Artists release. On left she is shown as a bedraggled old woman who sells apples, while on the right she is a “sophisticated society matron.” The transformation is called for by the unexpected visit of her long absent daughter. Brief Biogs THOMAS MITCHELL, who has been around show busi ness longer than some of his most ardent fans have been around at all, now adds a delightfully unique characterization to his gallery of distinguished and award-winning roles in Frank Capra’s “Pocketful of Miracles,” a United Artists release in Eastman Color and Panavision. He plays the jovially bombastic “Judge” who goes from poolroom to penthouse, posing as Bette Davis’ society husband in this most famous Cinderella tale told on Damon Runyon’s mythical Broadway. This film marks Mitchell’s third for Capra, first of which was the memorable “Lost Horizon.” “Mr. Smith Goes To Washington” was the other. The versatile actor’s other films include *’Stagecoach” for which he received Hollywood’s Academy Award; “Gone With The Wind,” “High Noon,” “The Long Voyage Home” and his most recent, “By Love Possessed.” Frequently he appears on TV where he has won this medium’s highest honor also: the “Emmy” for outstanding actor of the year. On stage Mitchell has won the “Tony,”—top legit prize— and the Donaldson Award. Still PM-86 Mat 1B Thomas Mitchell ARTHUR O'CONNELL's film career zoomed him to stardom following his Academy Award nomination for “Picnic.” Now, in “Pocketful of Miracles,” opening ........... atuthe:2iReeece Theatre, through United Artists release, he co-stars with Glenn Ford, Bette Davis and Hope Lange in Frank Capra’s Panavision and Eastman Color comedy. O’Connell’s first movie was Orson Welles’ “Citizen Kane,” but his screen career was interrupted by World War II. After his discharge in 1945 he toured the country playing Shakespeare, then joined the New York company of “Anna Christie.” When the TV industry beckoned he accepted roles on top shows such as “Studio One,” “Philco Playhouse,” “Omnibus,” “Kraft Theatre” and several Max Liebman spectaculars. Playwright William Inge saw O’Connell and offered him a key role in his Broadway production of “Picnic,” which the actor later repeated in the movie version. Still 97 Arthur O’Connell Miracles.” PETER FALK's role in “Pocketful of Miracles” will surprise you. The United Artists release, which opens at the AO i Theatre, co-stars Pete in another gangster part, but this joyous “Joy Boy” is a far ery from his many TV villains, such as those on **The Untouchables” and that of Abe Reles in ‘‘Murder, Inc.,” for which he won Hollywood’s 1961 Academy Award nomination. Not until Frank Capra assigned him the role of Glenn Ford’s Runyonesque henchman in his Eastman Color and Panavision fun-fest was Falk’s comic talent fully tapped. Certainly neither Governors Lodge or Ribicoff of Connecticut recognized it when Peter was efficiency expert for them, before the acting bug bit. But Eva LeGallienne, with whom he wisely decided to study, encouraged Falk and sent him to New York in 1955. Less than a month later he was appearing in O’Neill’s ““The Iceman Cometh,” and later made his Broadway debut opposite Siobhan McKenna in “Saint Joan.”’ Since then he has played on and off Broadway, on every major TV show and made four other hit movies before Following Arthur’s “Oscar” nomination for his part, excellent offers began to pour in, some of which he accepted. These include “Solid Gold CadilMat 1A lac,” “Bus Stop,” “Anatomy of a Murder” and now, “Pocketful of co-starring in “Pocketful of Miracles.” Mat 1E Edward Everett Horton Still PM-104 Still PM-92 Peter Falk Mat 1D EDWARD EVERETT HORTON's 6 acterization is an oddball butler who “. . . loves Cinderella stories.” And it is the most celebrated Cinderella of all whose tale he helps to tell in Frank Capra’s version of Apple Annie’s “magic” transformation from ragtag Broadway gypsie to society’s grandest doll. “Pocketful of Miracles” OPENS Isat ees at thes ose. thes Theatre, starring Glenn Ford, Bette Davis, Hope Lange and Arthur O’Connell, with Horton co-starred. The United Artists release is in Eastman Color and Panavision. The comedy marks Horton’s third movie with Capra. First was the memorable “Lost Horizon” and later “Arsenic and Old Lace.” The veteran actor began his 53 years in show business in the chorus of a Gilbert & Sullivan company and played “legit” for 13 years before making his film debut. Some of his many stage appearances were in “Never Say Die,” “The Nervous Wreck,” “Clarence,” “Beggar on Horseback,” “Lilac Time,” “Smilin’ Through,” “The Rear Car” and “The First Year.” Early movie successes were “Top Hat,” “Gay Divorcee,” “Ruggles of Red Gap,” “Holiday” and “Here Comes Mr. Jordon.” When TV opened up still another door, Horton stepped nimbly through to appear on the first and best television shows produced. He still alternates between stage, movie and TV performances. The only thing he refuses to try, he says, is retirement. latest madcap char DALE [e)