A Fugitive from Justice (Warner Bros.) (1940)

PUBLICITY FOR ‘A FUGITIVE FROM JUSTICE’ ACTION! THRILLS! IN DYNAMIC FILM AT STRAND SOON An exciting scene from Warner Bros.’ thrilling picturization of racketeers, G-men and insurance investigators, “A Fugitive From Justice,” opening at the Strand Theatre on Friday, featuring Roger Pryor, Lucile Fairbanks, Eddie Foy, Jr., Sheila Bromley, Donald Douglas and Morgan Conway. Mat 202—30c THRILLING MANKUNT FEATURED IN FILM A film depicting one of the most thrilling man-hunts ever to be screened will have its local debut this Friday when Warner Bros.’ “A Fugitive From Justice” opens at the Strand. Starring Roger Pryor in the role of a special agent for an insurance company, the picture tells the novel story of an attempt to prevent a crime before it is committed. Donald Douglas, playing the part of an underworld character, is insured for $1,000,000. He is wanted by the police, the insurance company, and a group of gangsters who want to keep him from testifying against them. The story hits a high peak in excitement when Pryor cleverly tricks the gangsters into attempting to kill Douglas. The supporting cast includes a promising newcomer in Lucile Fairbanks, niece of the late Douglas Fairbanks, in her screen debut, and such popular players as Sheila Bromley, Eddie Foy, Jr. and Morgan Conway. “A Fugitive From Justice” was directed by Terry Morse and the scenario was written by Alex Gottleib from an original story by Leonard Neubauer. MOVIE TRICK MAKES BAIL-JUMPING EASY The most unusual disguise ever effected in a motion picture was required of Donald Douglas in the film coming to the Strand on Friday, Warner Bros.’ “A Fugitive From Justice,” featuring Roger Pryor and Lucile Fairbanks. As the fleeing bail jumper evading pursuit by Pryor, investigator for an insurance company, and a group of mobsters seeking to “rub him out” so they can cash in on his million dollar policy, Douglas resorts to a simple disguise that wasn’t so simple to apply. In the picture, Douglas is never seen by his associates without glasses. To avoid their recognition he removes his spectacles, changing his appearance entirely. The catch is that his sight is so limited that he must wear glasses. He resorts to contact lenses, which are applied directly to the eyeball. It takes time and practice to learn to do this, and since one scene shows the actor actually applying them, he had to learn the technique. This is the first time the application of contact lenses has been filmed. Page Six Strand to Show Exciting Drama “A Fugitive From Justice,” soon to appear at the Stran Theatre, is no run-of-the-mill cops and robbers film. It is a wholly original screen drama specially written for Warner Bros. by Leonard Neubauer, a talented member of the studio’s trailer department at Warner’s west coast studio. Neubauer conceived the idea, wrote it up in scenario form and handed it in to the studio officials. Executives were so delighted with the work that they immediately assigned Alex Gottleib to write the screen play, Terry Morse to direct, and Roger Pryor, Lucile Fairbanks, Eddie Foy, Jr., Sheila Bromley, Morgan Conway and Donald Douglas to play the important roles. Advance critics have hailed “A Fugitive From Justice” as one of the timeliest, and fastest moving films of the year, and young Neubauer a latest Hollywood success story. Police Take Over Set More than fifty policemen took over the Warner Bros. lot during the production of “A Fugitive From Justice,” with Roger Pryor and Lucile Fairbanks, which opens at the Strand Friday. No picture this year has required the services of so many law enforcers. Also, the film used more “ammunition” than any other on the Warner Bros. record. Hundreds of rounds of cartridges were fired during the production of the film. SYNOPSIS (Not For Publication) Lee Leslie (Don Douglas) is wanted by the police; a group of gangsters who fear his court testimony; and the insurance company with which he is insured for $1,000,000, which is anxious to protect its interests. The company assigns Dan Miller (Roger Pryor) to find Lee before the gangsters reach him. The trail leads to his beneficiary, a songstress (Sheila night club Bromley), who tips off the mob as to Lee’s whereabouts. When Lee escapes, the gang kidnaps his. sister Janet (Lucile Fairbanks) and mother (Lottie Williams). The fugitive is willing to turn himself in to the police, but first wants to rescue Janet and his mother. Dan helps by nabbing the mobsters. To prevent the police shooting Lee, Dan has a radio commentator hold off the police until Lee is safely brought into the G-men’s custody. NEW FILM HITS HGH IN LIGHTNING DRAMA On Friday the screen of the Strand Theatre will blaze with the bullets and lightning drama of one of the most absorbingly different pictures of the year. Warner Bros. “A _ Fugitive From Justice” is the film’s title, and in it appear Roger Pryor and Lucile Fairbanks, niece of the late Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., and one of the lovliest additions to the screen in many a day. Eddie Foy, Jr., Sheila Bromley, Morgan Conway, and Donald Douglas are also included in the cast. The exciting story deals with a young insurance adjustor and his daredevil adventures in attempting to save an important client from the underworld. The client is Donald Douglas, portraying a notorious fugitive from justice who has both the gangsters and police on his trail. Douglas is insured for a half million dollars plus double indemnity in case of violent death, a strong possibility in view of his past actions. It is the insurance man’s exciting task to apprehend and literally bring him back alive in order to save his company from financial ruin. The combination of daring drama, comedy and the romantic angle promises to result in one of the most interesting films of the season. Terry Morse directed the screen play by Alex Gottleib, from an original story by a talented young writer, Leonard Neubauer, who is a recent writing discovery found in the studio’s trailer department. (Lead) Gang-Busters in Action in ‘A Fugitive From Justice Film Is Fast-Moving Thriller, Opening at Strand on Friday Warner Bros.’ “A Fugitive From Justice,” which opens at the Strand Theatre next Friday, is an exciting action film, the story of a gang buster without portfolio fighting a mob of gang sters almost singlehanded. Teamed with Lucile Fairbanks, niece of the late Douglas Fairbanks, who makes her sereen debut in the film, Roger Pryor heads a capable cast that includes Sheila Bromley, Eddie Foy, Jr., Morgan Conway and Donald Douglas. Pryor is cast in the role of Dan Miller, investigator for an insurance. company seeking to protect its investment from a mob of hoodlums and a sharp shooting blonde, all intent on cashing in on the million dollar policy held by a bail-jumping racketeer. The fast-moving story tells of Lee Leslie, played by Donald Douglas, whose future looks pretty glum to his sister Janet, played by Lucile Fairbanks, and his mother, portrayed by Lottie Williams. However, the same future seems cheerful enough to the night club songstress, played by Sheila Bromley, Lee’s girl friend. She’s the beneficiary and turns Lee over to the racketeers. When Lee escapes, the mob kidnaps Janet and her mother, a stunt to bring Lee out of hiding. The snag proves to be Dan, who cleverly traps them in their own lair. The police surround the hideout determined to shoot it out and “get”? Lee. He wants to give himself up, but Dan takes no risk on his company’s investment. He has a radio commentator friend broadcast a plea to Lee over improvised loud-speakers, then steal into the hideout. In the general confusion the plotters escape. They head for the F. B. I., where Lee safely gives himself up. Justice is meted as Lee is interned alive, the insurance com Extra ‘Beats up’ Star For Roger Pryor’s role in Warner’s “A Fugitive From Justice,’ now at the Strand, the actor was instructed not to pull his punches in scrapping scenes. Two extras who didn’t duck went down and almost out when Pryor swung. Two more had sore jaws the next day. On the third day Pryor swung at a film gangster. The extra stuck in a left hook while Mr. Pryor went down in a heap. It wasn’t in the script, but the sparrer was exmiddleweight Sam Berkaine. CAST OF CHARACTERS Dan Miller Janet Leslie Ziggy Ruby Patterson Julie Alexander Lee Leslie Mark Rogers Mrs. Leslie Hinky-Dink Zorilla Calhoun Della Bartender Office Boy Eddie Foy, Jr. Sheila Bromley Morgan Conway Donald Douglas John Gallaudet Lottie Williams Thomas Jackson Eddy Chandler Bernice Pilot George Lloyd Michael Conroy PRODUCTION Directed by TERRY MORSE Associate Producer, Bryan Foy; Screen Play by Alex Gottleib; From an Original Story by Leonard Neubauer; Asst. Director, Russ Saunders; Director of Photography, Arthur L. Todd, A. S. C.; Art Director, Stanley Fleischer; Film Editor, Thomas Pratt; Sound’ by E. A. Brown; Gowns by Milo Anderson; Unit Manager, Jack Saper. Running time 53 minutes pany is saved, Dan is honored, and Janet and Dan—well, it happened at first sight. Terry Morse directed the Alex Gottleib screen play from an original story by Leonard Neubauer. NEW RACY FILM FOR MOVIE THRILL FANS Beginning on Friday the Strand Theatre will present “A Fugitive From Justice” with Roger Pryor and Lucile Fairbanks. Judging from advance reports the film will cater to thrill and action fans, for it concerns itself with a dynamic subject—the tracking down and subsequent apprehension of one of the nation’s most ruthless desperados, a man whose life is insured for a million dollars yet has both gangsters and policemen gunning for his worthless life. It is the hazardous duty of Pryor, a young insurance adjuster to literally bring the thug back alive in order to save his insurance company from financial ruin. “A Fugitive From Justice” was produced by Warner Bros., the studio that gave to an eager world such red-blooded thrillers as “Public Enemy,” “Little Caesar,” “G-Men,” “Each Dawn I Die’ and “They Made Me A Criminal.” In addition to Pryor and the lovely sunny-haired Miss Fairbanks, the cast also includes such seasoned veterans as Eddie Foy, Jr., famous son of a famous father, Sheila Bromley, Morgan Conway and Donald Douglas. Terry Morse directed the clever screen play. LA. POLICE AID FILM'S PRODUCTION Not since the lusty days of Fatty Arbuckle, Ben Turpin and the Keystone Cops has Los Angeles popped eyes at such a chase sequence as featured four days’ shooting for Warner Bros.’ “A Fugitive From Justice,” the film starring Roger Pryor and Lucile Fairbanks, which opens at the Strand Theatre Friday. Ordinarily, when sirens scream, ambulances veer and skid and police cars cut loose, the scenes are made on or near the studio lot. But for “A Fugitive From Justice,’ Producer Bryan Foy weaned the unprecedented cooperation of Los Angeles’ police and fire departments. They roped off six blocks of Sunset Boulevard and _ stationed 225 officers to keep crowds out of the way. It was a wise precaution. Roger Pryor and Eddie Foy, Jr. gave their ambulance the gun and cut loose down the boulevard at 70 miles an hour. Five police ears fell in behind. A serious accident was barely averted when the left rear tire of the ambulance blew out. The scene required four days to get right. It was considered dangerous, and will never be repeated, Los Angeles police say.