20,000 Years in Sing Sing (Warner Bros.) (1932)

Mp ses" mn ey om your 1 st story Warden Lawes’ Book Brought to Screen in Outstanding Film The story of “Twenty Thousand Years in Sing Sing,” a First National picture which comes to the ........ See oe ENO MGC ON. Gs teasesgoss=ct25 was hailed by many critics as a sensational human document when it appeared in book form. It is said _to have gained in sheer thrilling intensity in its dramatization for the screen, as it presents the amazing story of a 1000 men without women and 1000 women without, who can not get along without their men. The original story is by the only man with a wide enough knowledge of criminal character and sympathetic understanding to have conceived and written it, Warden Lewis E. Lawes, of Sing Sing, the man who has been sitting on the lid of a human voleano for many years past at the famous New York state prison. Paradoxical as it may seem there are touches of humor, glowing romance and undying love in this story which deals with the pathos and the grim tragedy of life. There are sorrows that bring tears to the eyes, and touches of loyalty that renews the faith in human nature, even when considered misguided. Spencer Tracy, who has portrayed the grimness of prison tragedy in “The Last Mile” and its touches of comedy in “Up The River,” portrays the leading role of a convict who goes to the chair to save his sweetheart and to protect the warden who had been kind to him, in what is claimed to be the greatest picture of prison life ever filmed. There is a strong supporting cast _which includes Bette Davis, Arthnr a> Byron, Lyle Tolbet strven play was tized from Warden Lawes’ ‘book by Wilson Mizner and Brown Holmes and adapted by Courtenay Terret and Robert Lord. It was directed by Michael Curtiz. your Zed story Warden of Sing Sing Prison, Technical Adviser for Picture Warden Lewis E. Lawes, of Sing Sing Prison, New York, acted as technical advisor of the First National picture, “Twenty Thousand Years in Sing Sing,” which is schedco Ed get: ee Sea epee emoreen run at the aise ts MROGILTO OB 2 .cc suas a Warden Lawes, who is the author of the sensational book from which the picture was made, supervised the script in the first place to make sure it was an accurate and authoritative picture of prison conditions. Many of the scenes were “shot” at the prison itself and these he supervised personally. He was unable to go to Hollywood with the company, however, but throughout the course of production the studio was in daily communication with him by long distance, asking his advise on technical matters. From a distance of 3,500 miles he was virtually in touch with production work every minute of the time. The picture is a highly melodramatic portrayal of the human side of prison life, and blends thrills, pathos and romance. It featurés Spencer Tracy, famous for his portrayal of prison characters. He is supported by an unusually strong cast which includes Bette Davis, Arthur Byron, Lyle Talbot, Grant Mitchell, Warren Hymer, Louis Calhern, Edward J. McNamara and Sheila Terry. The screen play was written by Wilson Mizner and Brown Holmes and adapted by Courtenay Terrett and Robert Lord. It was directed by Michael Curtiz. Page Sixteen your rd story Spencer Tracy Has Climbed to Screen Fame as a Convict While prison bars spell disastor and ruin to most men, they were the rungs of the ladder to success for Spencer Tracy, who plays the leading role of a convict in the First National picture, “Twenty Thousand Years in Sing Sing,” which opens St the cues Theatre OM .........00 Tracy had been making steady but comparatively slow progress as a Broadway actor when he was picked for the role of Killer Mears in “The Last Mile.” His performance was so outstanding he was immediately offered a tempting motion picture contract, making his’screen debut in “Up the River,” another prison story with a comedy twist. His touch was so sure, his talent so notable that Tracy was made. It was on the strength of his performance in these convict roles that he was engaged to play the leading part in what is the greatest prison story ever screened, a story so dramatically powerful, so emotionally intense, so realistically accurate, it could have been conceived and written only by one man. And that man is Lewis E. Lawes, Warden of Sing Sing prison, who undoubtedly knows more about the human side ~ of the convict, as well as the technical prison life, than any other living person. And Spencer Tracy makes of Convict Tom Connors a never-to-beforgotten character, evil, ugly, yet admirable in the quality of undying loyalty in love and friendship. There is romance, pathos and the most thrillin drama in-Warden_ Lawes’_____. IFirst Naz ‘tures. es re ae Tracy is ably “supported by Bette Davis, Arthur Byron, Lyle Talbot, Grant Mitchell, Warren Hymer, Louis Calhern and Sheila Terry. The picture was adapted by Courtenay Terrett and Robert Lord and directed by Michael Curtiz. your 4 th story Bette Davis Shows a New Technique in Strong Prison Film Bette Davis, the pretty First National player who, while making. a steady advance in picture work, really found herself as she played opposite Richard Barthelmess in ‘‘The Cabin in the Cotton,’’ has now proved her remarkable ability by her characterization of a convict’s sweetheart in ‘‘Twenty Thousand Years in Sing Sing,’’ which will be shown at the Pattie Theatre sone ce sie This is a new Bette Davis, with an entirely new technique. A Boston society girl, she had heretofore played mostly society parts. But she showed her versatility and understanding of human nature by vividly portraying the role of a gunman’s moll in this First National picture which features Spencer Tracy. _The picture was dramatized from the book of Lewis E. Lawes, Warden of Sing Sing Prison, by Wilson Mizner and Brown Holmes and adapted to the screen by Courtenay Terrett and _ Robert Lord. There is a strong sup porting cast which includes Arthur Byron, Lyle Talbot, Grant Mitchell, Warren Hymer, Louis Calhern and Sheila Terry. It is a story of the human side of prison life — of the part that the ‘loyalty of the inmates’ women plays in the scheme of things that send. their lovers behind bars. It is filled with touching romance and humor besides its thrilling episodes and its grim tragedy. Michael Curtiz directed this latest sensation for the Warner Bros. studio. (yp theiewest ur prisé \ and killings | and ese S = tions. er your 5 th story 1,000 True Tales Are Condensed Into One Powerful Film Hit A thousand stories concentrated into one drama will be unfolded on thie “SCrOen “Ols CROs c.c cscs eeteteneee ee TH OGETG 08h cisco ecg ren het cenate It is the First National picture, “Twenty Thousand Years in Sing Sing,” said to be in many ways the most remarkable dramatization of human emotions ever attempted. The screen play is taken from the book by Warden Lewis E. Lawes, of Sing Sing prison, at Ossining, New York, and while it deals with grim facts, has been hailed as a realistic document that is far more fascinating than the most colorful fiction. Warden Lawes is the one and probably only man who has looked so deeply into the innermost hearts of prison inmates that he could draw so vivid a picture of the human side of the man beyond the law. He has been sitting on the lid of a human voleano at Sing Sing for many years and knows from intimate association the powerful passions that stir the criminal soul. His isastory of 1,000 men without women and 1,000 women that wait without for their men they can’t live without. The picture condenses into one story the most dramatic and spectacular incidents in his career as warden. These include the humorous and the romantic side of the prisoners as well as thrilling episodes and the grim tragedies in the lives of the leading personalities whom Sing Sing has housed. Every phase of the life of the convicts of Sing Sing is touched upon, including their personal loves, their friendships and their loyalties. It includes their pices routine and utside world, It is a picture that mye’ on seat heart strings and brings the tears to the eyes; it also brings laughter and thrills. Spencer Tracy, who set Broadway by the ears in his role of Killer Mears in “The Last Mile,” takes the leading role of Convict Tom Connors, a “big shot” of the underworld, ‘whose love and loyalty eventually send him to the chair for a crime he had not committed. Bette Davis has the leading feminine role opposite Tracy, as the little gunman’s moll, who was faithful to “her man” to the end. There is an exceptionally strong supporting cast which includes such famous players of both stage and screen as Arthur Byron, Lyle Talbot, Grant Mitchell, Warren Hymer, Louis Calhern, Edward J. Meeee Sheila Terry, Spencer Charters, Harold Huber and Nella Walker. Warden Lawes book was dramatized for the screen by Wilson Mizner and Brown Holmes and adapted by Courtenay Terrett and Robert Lord. It was directed by Michael Curtiz. The glorious BETTE DAVIS whose charm and ability have once more asserted themselves in First National’s “20,000 Years in Sing Sing,” the picturization of Warden Lewis E. Lawes’ famous book. Cut No. 11 Out 15ce Mat &e ADVANCE PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN your 6th story Bette Davis, Boston Society Girl Enjoys Role of Convict’s Girl Bette Davis, a Boston society girl before she began her stage and screen eareer, came into actual contact with criminals and prison life for the first time in her life during the production of the First National picture, “Twenty Thousand Years in Sing Sing,” which comes to the ........ Renee PRORtTO= Once co.cc es and in which she plays the feminine lead opposite Spencer Tracy. When Bette was assigned to the role of a gunman’s moll, she had never met a criminal face to face, nor had she ever been inside of a jail. Being a thorough little trouper she decided she must learn something of prison atmosphere. She obtained an introduction to Matron Josephine Jackson, of San Quentin, and made a flying trip to the California prison. There she was shown all through the women’s department and introduced to many of the inmates. She returned to the studios steeped in the atmosphere and all enthusiasm over her part. “The girls I saw were all quite friendly and glad to talk to someone from outside,” she said. “I learned that they are quite as human as the rest of us, and the visit went a long way in helping me make my characterization real.” Bette is not a criminal herself, in the picture. But she stands up for “her man,” even killing in his defense. The picture is one of the most sensational human documents ever depicted on the screen, and was written by the only man who could have compiled such Bs story, Warden Rg Warren Hymer, Louis Calhern and Sheila Terry. It was directed by Michael Curtiz. your 7th story Spencer Tracy Well Qualified to Play Lead Convict Roles No more perfect type of player could have been chosen for the part of Tom Connors, convict, in the First National picture, “Twenty Thousand Years In Sing Sing,” than Spencer Tracy, who has the leading role. He is said to be the most thoroughly convincing of any player of stage or screen in the portrayal of prison roles such as he has in this picture, which opens at the .... Pot destyac drones Theatre One 2. ka ws Tracy has visited Sing Sing and knows its routine. He also has on more occasions come into contact with criminal life, and has made a close study of the criminal mind and character, and knows it thoroughly. On several occasions he has characterized criminals with great success on both stage and screen, notably in “The Last Mile” which was a Broadway sensation and in “Up the River,” a screen play. The picture was dramatized from the sensational human document compiled by no less an authority on prison life than Warden Lewis E. Lawes of Sing Sing, who also acted as technical advisor. It is a highly melodramatic play, filled with love interest, drama, pathos and romance. The characters are portrayed by an exceptionally strong cast, which includes besides Mr. Tracy, Bette Davis, Arthur Byron, Lyle Talbot, Grant Mitchell, Warren Hymer, Louis Calhern and Sheila Terry. The screen play was written by Wilson Mizner and Brown Holmes and adapted by Courtenay Terrett and Robert Lord. It was directed by Michael Curtiz. *