3 Cheers for the Irish (Warner Bros.) (1940)

(Current) Thomas Mitchell Gets An ‘Oscar’’ For Good Acting Thomas Mitchell, who has just been given an Academy Award, hates. glamour. He hates the mere thought of it. He doesn’t fly an airplane, collect pipes or old pewter, grow rare petunias or wear loud shirts. He doesn’t even play golf. The only “bug” he has is acting. He’s done pretty well by it, too, having risen in the brief three years since he came to Hollywood to the outstanding character roles of the dipsomaniac in “Stagecoach,” for which he received the award, Gerald O’Hara in “Gone With the Wind,” and Clopin in “The Hunchback of Notre Dame’— roles which have resulted in bringing him stellar honors in his own right with Priscilla Lane, Dennis Morgan and Irene Hervey in Warner Bros.’ “Three Cheers for the Irish,” now at the Strand. He was born on July 11, 1895, in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and attended public schools there. Both his father and brother were newspapermen, so _ it seemed perfectly natural for him to gravitate to the Fourth Estate. He hung his hat in the city rooms of papers in Newark, Washington, and Baltimore. But the printer’s ink that flow Alan Hale's Hobby Proves Profitable When newspapermen _interview actors, they generally ask questions about acting. But not with Alan Hale, currently featured with Priscilla Lane, Thomas Mitchell and Dennis Morgan in Warner Bros.’ “Three Cheers For The Irish,’ which. is now showing at the Strand. They ask him about his inventions. Hale started losing money on gadgets in 1909, when as a demon newspaper’ advertising salesman of 17 he _ invested $3000 in a flaming arc-light. He lost his money, but he knew it was a great idea. He was right, because four years later there were two million of them burning in eastern cities: He’s been buying inventions— and losing his shirt—ever since. But lately, the tide has turned and now on one invention alone Hale stands an excellent chance of hitting the jackpot, and getting back all that he’s been putting into his avocation. It’s his now famous push-back theater chair, which is finding an increasingly widening market. Scores of new theaters throughout the country have installed it during the past year. All of which makes Hale feel pretty happy about being mixed up in inventions as a sideline to his flourishing career. ed in his veins was glutted by make-up powder, and wanderlust took him to Times Square in the heyday of Tin Pan Alley and song-and-dance men. Mitchell had written a vaudeville sketch and he sold it and himself for a cross country tour. Several years of stock, and he left no great mark on the theatre. It was when he started writing plays that he came to the attention of Guthrie McClintic and later the Shuberts, becoming known as an _ actor-playwright. Later he turned to directing and did a series of successful plays on Broadway. It was inevitable that Hollywood eventually would reach for him, and this happened when he was brought out for a leading role in “Lost Horizon.” This part led to his other fine roles and subsequently to his first starring role in “Three Cheers for the Irish” in a fine character part. Self-Made Test Is Wedge to Stardom They say that ingenuity always is at a premium in Hollywood, and if that is true Dennis Morgan, currently opposite Priscilla Lane in “Three Cheers for the Irish” at the Strand, ought to go far in the film capital. Intent on again bringing to the executives’ attention the singing voice which originally got him had the opportunity of using, the young actor, at a total cost of $8.93, has made a complete test in color and sound of the male lead in “White Horse Inn,” the stage musical hit purchased by the Burbank lot in 1937. Through the connivance of friends on the projection staff, he had it sandwiched in between the daily “rushes” for Jack L. Warner and Hal Wallis. As a result, he is being considered for the starring role (with music) in a forthcoming film. For weeks Morgan made the rounds of the sound stages salvaging the “short ends” of color film, which he spliced together. He borrowed the costumes from the wardrobe dept., prevailed upon his technician friends to contribute their services, used a home-recording outfit for the sound, and arranged for the loan of necessary equipment. Mat 102—15c Dennis Morgan *Seill TC-35; Mat 202—30c _ THOMAS MITCHELL AS THE GENIAL COP in "Three Cheers For The Irish" ' peruses the morning's paper to the satisfaction of his three daughters, Virginia Grey, Irene Hervey, and Priscilla Lane. The film is currently at the Strand. (*Under photos denote still available in regular Exchange Set.) O’Shean Family Wins Strand Contest (See exploitation page 16) Mr. and Mrs. Patrick O’Shean and their ten children, of 210 East Sth Street, were guests of the Strand Theatre management last evening for the first local showing of “Three Cheers For the Irish,” starring Priscilla Lane and Thomas Mitchell. Winners of the Contes: sponsored by the Strand to find the city’s largest and most typical Irish American family, the O’Sheans were introduced from the stage after the showing of tthe film, and presented with several gifts from local merchants, cosponsors of the contest. The gifts included one month’s supply of milk from the Wholesome Dairy Co., a table radio from the Lee Electrical Shop, a bridge table and four chairs from the Gray Furniture Store, bouquets for all the feminine members of the family, courtesy of Main Street Florists, and a twenty dollar gift certificate from Jason’s Department Store. Still TC-430; Mat 103—15c THREE CHEERS FOR THE FAIR SEX in "Three Cheers For The Irish." These lovely damsels portraying a trio of sisters are: Priscilla Lane, Irene Hervey, and Virginia Grey. STILL SERVICE!.... Stills available on most of the scene cuts on the publicity pages in this Campaign Plan. Price 15c each. Order by still number indicated under each cut, from Campaign Plan Editor. If still number is not given, photo is not available. (*Asterisk denotes still is included in regular set available at local Vitagraph Exchanges.) [17] Appearing. with Miss Lane are Thomas Still PL-362; Mat 205—30c COMELY COLLEEN is lovely Priscilla Lane, playing the leading role in Warner Pros.’ ''Three Cheers for the Irish,’ currently playing at the Strand Theatre. Mitchell and Dennis Morgan. Vivacious Priscilla Lane In ‘3 Cheers For Irish’ Happy hours spent riding around the front yard of the old home at Indianola, Iowa, in a brown soapbox wagon patiently propelled by her sister Rosemary is the fondest childhood memory of Priscilla Lane, star of the current Strand film “Three Cheers For The Irish.” The daughter of the late Dr. L. A. Mullican, prominent Indianola dentist, Priscilla was born in Indianola, into a happy, boisterous Irish family which already numbered four daughters. When the two oldest, Leota and Lola, began their professional careers with Gus Edwards, he bestowed on them the names of “Leota and _ Lola Lane.” Proud of their sisters’ fame, Priscilla and Rosemary decided they too would assume that name when they started their careers. Priscilla received her common school education at Indianola and made her first public appearance at a Des Moines thea _ tre when she and Rosemary sang at a showing of one of Lola’s _pictures. s-One.day while they were visit ‘ing in New York, Priscilla and Rosemary were trying out some songs in a music publishing firm of DeSylva, Brown and Hender Priscilla Lane Modest The slacks vs. skirts controversy erupted all over again when Priscilla Lane refused to be filmed wearing the trouserdress in a wedding scene in her current picture, “Three Cheers F'or The Irish” at Warner Bros. Miss Lane explained, “I’m great for slacks but they don’t belong at a wedding!” Name Change Lucky Priscilla Lane, currently starring in Warner Bros.’ “Three Cheers for the Irish,” her sister, Rosemary, and their mother had their names changed legally. Mrs. Lane explained, “Mullican’s a fine old Irish name, but the girls feel that Lane has stood by them pretty well, too.” son. Fred Waring, heard them and immediately offered contracts. After obtaining their mother’s consent they started off on an engagement that lasted for five years. When Waring made his debut in 1933 on a national radio program, Priscilla rapidly became one of the leading comediennes of the airways. And when Fred Waring and His Pennsylvanians signed to star in Warner Bros.’ “Varsity Show,” she “went along for the ride”’—and remained to become one of the leading lights among Hollywood’s younger stars. After a series of comedy roles, she first attracted attention as a dramatic star in “Four Daughters.” Several other fine roles followed, the latest of which is in “Three Cheers For The Irish’—and the future for this pretty and talented little Iowan is looking rosy. Records As Souvenirs There is nothing new about players getting their scripts autographed by fellow members of the cast as a souvenir of the pictures they appear in, but Thomas Mitchell, who has saved such mementos from over 200 plays and films, has now started an entirely new wrinkle. He brought his home-recording outfit to the set of Warner Bros.’ “Three Cheers for the Irish,” and spent all day between scenes getting each of the principals, including Priscilla Lane, Dennis Morgan, Irene Hervey, Alan Hale and Virginia Grey, to say his little piece into the microphone of the recording outfit. Priceless Chair Used The custom-made Morris chair used as an important prop in “Three Cheers For The Irish,” Warner Bros.’ comedy-romance featuring Thomas Mitchell, Priscilla Lane and Dennis Morgan, which opens at the Strand on Friday, was originally built to order for the late Rudolph Valentino. It is insured for $1000.