Back Pay (Warner Bros.) (1930)

Wm. A. Seiter Who Gave You “Outcast’’And Other Big Gross Builders Directed “Back Pay’’ OLIN COLLAR. CONTINUES OROHAY THEE. SO Att~w 1500 fe. = GRAND = First National Pictures, Inc. Presents CORINNE GRIFFITH “BACK PAY” Based on the story by Fannie Hurst FIRST NATIONAL BUILDS TOWN ____ FOR “BACK PAY” ll Virginia Community .~ Accurately Reproduced in Corinne Griffith Film (ADVANCE READER) Three whole acres of ground on the First National studio lot at Burbank, California, were devoted to the econstruction of the little town of Demopolis, Va., which forms one of the principal locales of Corinne Griffith’s “Back Pay,” the famous Fannie Hurst story coming to the Theatre, Screen version and dialogue by Francis Edwards Faragoh A William A. Seiter Production Produced by Walter Morosco A First National and Vitaphone Production Vitaphone Orchestra Directed by Leo Forbstein Photography by John Seitz THE CAST In addition to the quaint residenHESTER BEVINS Sas ee CORINNE GRIFFITH tial section compromising several full||] Gerald Smith Grant Withers length city blocks of typical small||| Wheeler. = = Montagu Love town frame cottages, the entire vilOG) lOGI es. Hallam Cooley Rite Sat ee a eRe ae Vivian Oakland lage business section of Demopolis before the war, had to be faithfully|]] Babe. s—‘“—sS Geneva Mitchell reproduced in every detail. There is Be ee ee eee William Bailey the inevitable saloon and pool room, Wheeler’s SOCK CtAR yo Virginia Sale the usual barber shop, corner drug Aggie Simms Dee Loretta store, quick lunch cafe, furniture pS ee ee oe ee Javied Mascws ~~ feed and fuel building, city Masiccsa See ee eee Ve ree. ae eet Pan ae Caves , hardware shop, wall-paper grocery and meat market combined, gunsmithy, and Finley’s Department store, a two story edifice completely stocked from pins to phonographs where Miss Griffith as Hester Bevins and ‘her leading man, Grant Withers as Gerald Smith, are both employees in the story. A large park square proudly displays an oldfashioned cannon in front of the City Hall, church and Commercial Hotel, and there are lumber yards, oldfashioned stables and the railroad station and tracks. Much of the action of “Back Pay” takes place out-of-doors in these busy street scenes and the microphone equipment mounted on trucks followed the camera for several blocks in the long shots. William A. Seiter who formerly directed Miss Griffith in “Outcast” and “Prisoners” directed this all-talking First National story. Francis Edwards Faragoh is responsible for the adaptation, continuity ‘ialogue. Mr. Faragoh recently ied Corinne’s first 100% Vitap..._.¢ film, “Lilies of the Field.” Besides Grant Withers, Miss Griffith’s “Back Pay” cast includes Montagu Love, Hallam Cooley, Dee Loretta, Dick Gordon, William Bailey, Geneva Mitchell, Louise Beavers, Vivian Oakland, Louise Carver and James Marcus. Tioster’s: Maid.< Ee Louise Beavers “BACK PAY” A HUMAN STORY SYNOPSIS (Not for Publication) “Back Pay” deals with the struggles of a small town girl, Hester Bevins, to escape the cramping monotony of her narrow environment. She lives in a Virginia town with a slatternly aunt whose reputation is none too good. Gerald, Hester’s childhood sweetheart, a high-principled youth, wants to marry her, but Hester sees nothing to be gained by such a marriage, in that it would mean a continued residence in the tiresome town. At this time, a debonair travelling salesman arrives from New York. Hester runs away with him and accepts the luxury of a Park Avenue apartment with all expenses paid. Gerald goes to the war, is gassed in No Man’s Land and becomes totally blind. When Hester learns of this tragedy, her old love for Gerald is revived and she rushes to the hospital where he is lying helpless. Although his condition is fatal, she wants to marry him in order to make his remaining hours more tolerable. The marriage takes place and the two lovers experience a brief period of peace and calm before the death of Gerald. Hester had planned to return to her former mode of living, but finds it impossible after having experienced the beauty of un| selfish love. WAR VETERANS . 1. @ RL epa ie pAy Chic Sale s Sister 5 ES In “Back Pay (ADVANCE READER) (ADVANCE READER) Although Corinne Griffith’s latest First National and Vitaphone production, “Back Pay,” by Fannie Hurst, is by no means a war picture, there are certain sequences in the picture ‘which take place during the late world-conflict and call for a war background. One of the scenes laid in New York faithfully reproduce 36th Street and Fifth Avenue in 1917 when companies of American soldiers marched through Dee Loretta is Versatile Dee Loretta, who plays Corinne Griffith’s aunt of very shady reputation in First National’s “Back Pay,” a forthcoming attraction at the Theatre, is a well known stage actress who is equally at home in dramatic or musical comedy productions. Miss Loretta has appeared in character roles on the New York stage in “Glorianna,” “Jimmy,” “Maytime,” “No, No, Nanette” and “BroadSway. ous Chie Sale, is a comparative new the role of a prim secretary to MonPay” by Fannie Hurst, a First Na of employing extras to portray the|iS Promised at the The doughboys, Director William A. Seiter|atre beginning engaged one hundred men from the Los Angeles Veterans’ Bureau who had actually seen service at the front, with ,Captain John McCafferty as their presiding officer. “Back Pay” is scheduled for early release at the Theatre. It is an all-dialogue production, said to be the finest achievement of Corinne Griffith’s varied screen career. Grant Withers and Montagu Love the principal supporting roles. _— New Beach Home "Inne Griffith, whose latest all £ picture, “Back Pay” by Fanalurst is now playing to capacity audiences at the Theatre, has recently purchased a large lot at Malibu Beach and is building an allthe-year-round home there overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Miss Griffith has a private beach frontage of 150 feet. The new home will be ready for occupancy by the first of May. Virginia has never traded on her brother’s reputation and has refused repeatedly to let him use his influence in any way. When she went to Hollywood three years ago she took an assumed name and accepted extra work in various studios, even though she had just completed a successful tour in vaudeville. Finally, she signed with the Christie Comedies and played a series of short subjects opposite Jack Duffy. Her first full length picture was “Embarrassing Moments” with Reginald Denny. Since then she has been freelancing and though still in her early twenties has specialized in the parts of eccentric elderly ladies. She has also been particularly successful in the roles of foreign servant girls, fussy old maids, school teachers and stenographers. “Back Pay’ was directed by William A. Seiter, who previously directed Miss Griffith in “Outcast” and “Prisoners.” Grant Withers plays opposite the star. Montagu Love has an important role and others in the cast besides Miss Sale are: Vivian Oakland, Hallam Cooley, Geneva Mitchell and William Bailey. hh. Cut No. 12 Cut 40c Mat roc Virginia Sale, a sister of the famcomer to the screen who inherits her brother’s talent for comedy characterization. Miss Sale will be seen in tagu Love in Corinne Griffith’s “Back ° . . . i) the shopping district daily. Instead tional and Vitaphone production which She traded Love for Luxury; Dirty Dishes for Dazzling Diamonds. She was blind to her mad bargain until Love opened her eyes. The loveliest of all screen stars heading a fine cast including GRANT WITHERS Montagu Love Hallam Cooley Based on story by FANNIE HURST Cut No. 5 Cut 40c Mat roc A Wm. A. Seiter Prod. Stage Players Several experienced actors and actresses of the legitimate stage will be heard in important supporting roles when Corinne Griffith comes to the Sie ee Theatre next week in the most celebrated of all Fannie Hurst’s famous stories, “Back Pay,” directed by William A. Seiter. Montagu Love, Vivian Oakland, Dee Loretta, Virginia Sale, a sister of Chic Sale, Hal lam Cooley and William Bailey have all gained their experience on the speaking stage long before entering pictures and did not have to take any lessons in voice culture. No Screen Makeup For Corinne Griffith When Corinne Griffith comes to the Theatre in “Back Pay” in which she plays Fannie Hurst’s famous Hester Bevins, a southern girl, the beautiful First National star will be seen without any Sev heroine, makeup other than lip rouge. eral male stars have recently appeared before the camera without makup, but Miss Griffith is said to be the only screen actress in Hollywood who uses no grease paint. “Back Pay” is directed by William A. Seiter. Grant Withers and Montagu Love have the principal supporting roles Popular Song “They Didn’t Believe Me,” the big song hit from “The Girl From Utah” with words by Herbert Reynolds and music by Jerome Kern will be sung by Corinne Griffith in her forthcoming First National and Vitaphone production “Back Pay” by Fannie Hurst soon to be shown at the Se eae roe Theatre. This number was chosen rather than a new song because the words exactly fit a situation in the story. “Back Pay” marks Miss Griffith’s debut as a singer on the screen. A FIRST Produced by Walter Morosco NATIONAL and. TADHDR ss eG TRADE MARE. v \ Colorful Story \ Coming To Screen Of Theatre Corinne Griffith Plays Southern Girl in Her Latest Film “Back Pay” (ADVANCE READER) “Back Pay,” Corinne Griffith’s First National and Vitaphone production adapted from Fannie Hurst’s famous story and play of the same name, opens at the Theatre next day \ ee s © @ engagement. In “Back Pay” Miss Griffith plays the role of a Southern girl from a little town in Virginia and as the star is herself a Southerner, having been born in Texarkana, Texas, her voice is particularly well suited to the role. The story deals with the colorful adventures of a heroine who sacrifices love for beautiful clothes and a life of easy virtue. She runs away to New York with a travelling salesman and progresses from a cheap tenement in the Bronx to an arty stucco house in Greenwich Village and finally to a swanky apartment on Park Avenue. In the end, just before it is too late, she learns the meaning of real love. Grant Withers, who recently played opposite Miss Griffith in “Saturday’s Children” will again be seen as her leading man and Montague Love has an equally important role. Others in the supporting cast are: Vivian Oakland, Hallam Cooley, Geneva Mitchell, Virginia Sale, William Bailey and Dee Loretta. William A. Seiter directed. There are many colorful backgrounds in this absorbing Fannie Hurst drama which was adapted for the screen by Francis Edwards Faragoh, including snow mountains of Lake Placid where much of the action takes place in a hunting lodge; the picturesque street and home scenes in the sleepy town of Demopolis, glimpses of New York City; bits of gay life at Hot Springs and an intensely thril ling war sequence in No Man’s Land “Somewhere in France.” Page é Three: .