3 Men on a Horse (Warner Bros.) (1936)

Frank McHugh and Carol Hughes sta Theatrecon Popular Home Pastime ge the familiar family battle of the budget which starts Frank on the career of misadventures that made ‘*Three Men on a Horse,’’ the First National picture coming to the ants » @ nightly sellout on Broadway for more than two years, Mat No. 202—20¢ Frank McHugh Is Not A Comedian In His Own Home In his own home Frank MeHugh isn’t funny. He is, in fact, one of the most sedate and serious minded husbands and fathers in the whole of Hollywood. He has three children—Peter, aged seven, Susan, five and Michael, who isn’t quite two, and he takes his duties as a father very seriously. He has never spanked his children beeause he doesn’t believe in it, but he is, when necessary, a stern disciplinarian. He is also an expert at extracting slivers and he ean bandage a toe expertly. The silly laugh which he has made famous in pictures, but which will probably have no place in his first starring role, that of Erwin Trowbridge in the First National comedy, “Three Men on a Horse,” which comes TO°tHO =. sea. eee. Theatre on ea See , ig never heard around the McHugh house. He goes to the Parent-Teachers gatherings at the schools his children attend and he never misses a school program in which they are scheduled to perform. He presides at the family dinner table and watches the children’s manners. Movie “shop talk” is barred when the children are present. “I don’t want to be considered ‘funny’ at home,” he explains. “I just want to have fun there.” McHugh is a greeting-card writer who gets all messed up with the ponies in “Three Men on a Horse,” a rollicking comedy based on the famous stage play by John Cecil Holm and George Abbott. Besides McHugh, the cast includes Joan Blondell, Guy Kibbee, Carol Hughes, Allen Jenkins, Sam Levene, and Teddy Hart. The picture was directed by Mervyn LeRoy, with screen play by Laird Doyle. Page Twenty-four Frank McHughi’s Autographs Have Tripled In Value Because Frank McHugh, First National comedian, is playing the lead in “Three Men on a Horse,” his autograph has tripled in value. Take the word of Robin May for that. May, a carpenter at the studio, runs, as a sideline, an autograph exchange. He acts as a clearing house for fans who wish to change one star’s autograph for another’s. When McHugh was playing supporting roles, May’s exchange was as follows: One Dick Powell autograph was worth six McHtyhs. One Kay Francis Signature was worth eight McHughs. One Joan Blondell signature was worth four McHughs. Since McHugh was given the lead in the comedy about horses, one Powell only brings two MeHughs, one Francis brings three McHughs and one Blondell brings one McHugh. May revealed that autograph values fluctuate more than the price of wheat. Over night, a casting announcement will shoot an autograph skyward. The preview of an important picture will change values within a day or so. Last week, he pointed out, Miss Blondell’s autograph rose in value following the preview of “Stage Struck,” in which she played the role of an ex-burlesque queen. She now is playing opposite MeHugh in “Three Men on a Horse,” showing at the ...... Mitteestteeereeceqeeeee Theatre. The picture is an uproarious comedy taken from the stage hit by John Cecil Holm and George Abbott. Others in the cast include Guy Kibbee, Carol Hughes, Allen Jenkins, Sam Levene and Teddy Hart. The picture was directed by Mervyn LeRoy from the sereen play by Laird Doyle. “We Don’t Gossip” Blondell Defends Her Film Circle Joan Blondell, who has the leading feminine role in the First National production, “Three Men on a Horse.” which comes to the SS nee eee Theatre on ......0.0......, isn’t kidding when she Says she reads what’s published about fellow screen players in order to know something about them per sonally. Since Joan is very popular socially in the film colony, the statement seems to require a bit of explaining. “It’s just that when player meets player, they don’t talk personalities,” Joan explains. “They talk shop. They know about eaeh other on the screen, but as a-general thing, haven’t much idea about each other’s personal lives. “T’ve met fans who have told me things I never knew about some actor or actress with whom I have played in a great many pictures,” Joan added smiling. “All of which goes to prove that the stories you hear about filmland gossip is just about that— pure gossip.” “Little groups of off-screen friends know each other well. The profession causes most of us to meet, at some time or other. But there is so much of conversational interest in screen work, pictures and stories and roles and other shop, that this and current social events occupy most of the talk over Hollywood tea tables.” Miss Blondell has the role of an ex-chorus girl mixed up with race touts in “Three Men on a Horse,” a riotous comedy based on the stage hit by John Cecil Holm and George Abbott. Others in the cast include Frank MeHugh, Guy Kibbee, Carol Hughes, Allen Jenkins, Sam Levene and Teddy Hart. The picture was directed by Mervyn LeRoy from the screen play by Laird Doyle. Screen Career Is Joan Blondell’s Fate Forevermore Whether she wants to or not— and she does want to—Joan Blondell is fated to continue her sereen career. For Joan, who plays an exchorus girl in the First National picture, “Three Men on a Horse,” Which comes to the .....ccccccccescess, THRO Oe So ci cee A has tried several other professions and made a suecess of none of them. She was a waitress in her parents’ Santa Monica tea room several years ago, but the tea room venture failed and the 3londells went back to vaudeville. She was a sales ginl in the dress shop her parents ran in Texas ten years ago. The shop failed, and again the Blondells went back to vaudeville, Finally, she worked in a circulating library in New York. But she didn’t like it and when she found work on the stage again, she quit. “I guess mother didn’t raise her girl to be anything but an actress,” Miss Blondell says. Joan has the feminine lead opposite Frank McHugh in “Three Men on a Horse,” an uproarious comedy taken from the Broadway stage hit by John Cecil Holm and George Abbott. Others in the cast include Guy Kibbee, Carol Hughes, Allen Jenkins, and Teddy Hart. The pieture was directed by Mervyn LeRoy from the screen play by Laird Doyle. Joan Blondell Joan Blondell, feminine lead of “*Three Men on a Horse,’’ the hilarious First National comedy coming to the .... Theatre, Cl eee sony WAS recently married to Dick Powell. Mat No. 117—10e — iS pean e ete Es Pudgy Frank McH ugh Played Little Girls Frank McHugh, star of the First National comedy “Three Men on a Horse,” now at the Ste .. Theatre, as a child played the part of the little girl in “Ten Nights in a Bar Room,” who says, “Father, dear father. come home with me now.” He also confesses that he played the part, in black-face, of “Topsy” in “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” Frank must have been a cute youngster. Even The Horse Laughs Screen Actress Has Tear Ducts Like Immortals Director Mervyn LeRoy declared that Carol Hughes, First National featured player, is the only modern film actress whose -name belongs with the two im mortal weepers of the sereen, Mae Marsh and Blanche Sweet, Miss Hughes, now playing 31 “Three Men on a Horse,” which eemes to thes i Theatre*on....23° sae ee ; needs no artificial stimuli to bring on tears. No glycerine, onions, plaintive musie or stories about death in the family are needed to make Miss Hughes burst into tears, “Just as with Mae Marsh and Blanche Sweet, all one has to do is tell Miss Hughes to ery and she eries,” Director LeRoy said. LeRoy pointed out that there is plenty of good erying done in Hollywood. “But the eryers still resort to memory of emotion or other artificial tear duct stimuli,” he said. Miss Hughes’ aptitude for erying was discovered during the making of “Three Men on a Horse.” Before that no one knew she could ery at will because she had never been given a part that called for tears. But in the comedy, Miss Hughes eries in every scene. And she does it spontaneously—with feeling. She has the role of Frank MeHugh’s tearful and suspicious bride in “Three Men on a Horse,” a rollicking comedy based on the famous stage play by John Cecil Holm and George Abbott. Others in the cast include Joan Blondell, Guy Kibbee, Allen Jenkins, Sam Levene and Teddy Hart. The picture was directed by Mervyn LeRoy from the screen play by Laird Doyle. Joan Blondell (left) Frank McHugh and Carol Hughes (right) ride their hobby during the filming of ‘‘ Three Men on a Horse’’ the First National picturization of the play that convulsed Broadway for two years and now is making a hit in the nine countries where ten companies are playing it. It opens at the TNeAte On = = Mat No. 203—20c¢