Blessed Event (Warner Bros.) (1932)

YOUR ADVANCE PUBLICITY your L. story ‘Blessed Event,” Hailed As Outstanding Picture, Coming to... Theatre Every once in a while, Hollywood goes speechless before a picture which defies the inventive genius of the film capitol to coin its well known, flamboyant adjectives which would really do the picture justice. In such a case, they literally and figuratively let the picture speak for itself; and according to all advance reports on £* Blessed Event,’’ the Warner Bros’. picture which comes to the....... eee ee Theatre MOX: oats : unburdens itself of a lot of the ‘‘real stuff.’? When Broadway decided to tell tales on the talebearers, ‘‘ Blessed Event’’ was hailed as the most entertaining vehicle in which snooping columnists were brought before the public gaze, ineluding their methods of news gathering, their own love affairs, and their other deep, dark secrets. This successful stage hit by Manuel Seff and Forrest Wilson was immediately purchased by Warner Bros. as a vehicle for Lee Tracy and an all star cast. It went into production with the screen adaptation written by Howard Green. The applause of press and public which greeted the advance showings of the film definitely pointed to it as being one of the outstanding productions of the year, because of its plot—its sustained rapid-fire comedy, and consistent fine acting. The pains with which Warner Bros. LEE TRACY Out No. 6 Out 15e Mat 5c __ a. une cast which was chosen with great care. Lee Tracy, who will long be remembered by Broadway as the original Hildy Johnson of ‘‘The Front Page,’’ is typically suited to the role of the columnist. Allen Jenkins, Milton Wallace and Isabel Jewel were transported from the original New York stage play to do their parts in the picture. The ideal leading lady was found in Mary Brian, and Ned Sparks, Ruth Donnelly and Emma Dunn were chosen after a careful survey of possible candidates for their respective roles. All of the smaller parts and ‘‘bits’’ were filled by well known and capable players. The pace at whieh the picture moves, demanded and received the highly capable acting which could keep up with its rapid tempo. It is claimed that ‘‘Blessed Event’’ contains more laughs and thrills per reel of film than any picture produced since talkies first came in. New York life as seen by a gossiping columnist is no slow procession, and when things happen to him and around him in this picture, the audience is promised a breathless time keeping up with its surge of events, dizzy chatter, and fast, wise-cracking dialogue. The direction of this production was given to Roy Del Ruth, ace Warner Bros. megaphonist, who proved his mettle last year by such knockout sensations as ‘Winner Take All,’’ ‘Taxi’? and ‘‘Blonde Crazy.’’ From the standpoint of entertainment, critics have hailed ‘‘ Blessed Event’’ as one hundred percent, and good to the last flicker. your ome story Keyholers, Keyholed in Film, ‘‘Blessed Event”’ Keyholing the keyholers is the unique and hilarious process by which the new Warner Brothers picture, ‘Blessed Event,’’? adapted from the famous stage play of the same name, provides audiences with an unusual hour of entertainment. It comes to Thee vere ise: Wheatreschis eset os The sudden flare for confidential journalism, which breal.s down closet doors and brings family skeletons to acing tis Pacturs is a a ww Ss ae ane LEE TRACY Cut No.1 Outi15e Mat de light, predicts births, marriages and divorces before the principals involved want the world in general to know about them, has brought into existence a new .kind of newspaper reporter, typified by Lee Tracy in his dashing role as Alvin Roberts in ‘‘ Blessed Event.’? Naturally the life and activities of such a reporter are excellent material for a screen comedy-drama. <A writer who treads constantly on the toes of the public must, of necessity, lead an exciting life. Alvin Roberts in ‘*Blessed Event,’’ is no exception. Based on the career and exploits of one of Broadway’s most famous gossiping columnists, ‘‘ Blessed Event,’? has a furious tempo and a tremendous ‘“punch.’? Lee Tracy has able support in this classic expose of modernistie journalism with Mary Brian, Ruth Donnelly, Ned Sparks, Dick Powell, Milton Wallace, Emma Dunn and many others, several of whom were brought to Hollywood from the New York stage production of the play to carry their original roles. Roy Del Ruth directed. your oD rd story “Blessed Event’ Reveals Operations of Columnists The ways and means by which the gossipy columnists of modern journalism get their information are amusingly exposed in Warner Bros. picture, ‘‘ Blessed Event,’’ which comes to: thes Seen PRGA Os reece Lee Tracy, famed Broadway star and wit, plays the role of a chatter writer which closely parallels that of a famous Broadway columnist. The picture shows Tracy as the columnist, getting information, hints and tips from dozens of varied sources. He uses his friends and his enemies, his experience and his imagination; he relies on his luck and his intuition and not infrequently he puts two and two together and makes seven or eight. It is generally understood that a newspaper reporter, if he is to succeed, must have a kind of sixth sense, popularly called a ‘‘nose for news.’’ A columnist has to have that as well as an ear for gossip and an eye trained to see things as they are, and not as they seem to be. Much of this material straddles the narrow line between slander and news, much of it must of necessity be heresy, all of it is dangerous and often libelous but every line of it is interesting reading matter. It builds circulation. It irritates a few people and entertains millions of others. It gets the writer into many dangerous complications. The majority wins, of course, and the millions who enjoy reading about ‘¢Blessed Events,’’ in advance of near relatives can look forward to the showing of the picture by that name to learn how the gossip is gathered. Supporting Lee Tracy in ‘‘ Blessed Event’’ are Mary Brian, Dick Powell, Allen Jenkins, Ruth Donnelly, Milton Wallace, Ned Sparks, Frank McHugh, Emma Dunn, Walter Walker, Edwin Maxwell, Tom Dugan and others. The production was adapted to the screen by Howard Green, from a play by Manuel Seff and Forrest Wilson. Roy Del Ruth whose recent directorial efforts on ‘‘Winner Take All’’ received loads of praise direeted ‘Blessed Event.’? your Ah. story Mary Brian Plays Female Lead in ‘‘Blessed Event” Mary Brian, who plays the leading feminine role opposite Lee Tracy in ‘“Blessed Event,’’ coming to the........ Warner Bros’. startling screen version of the stage play of that name based on the lives, loves and libel suits of a famous New York columnist, got her real start in motion pictures in the demurest of demure roles in ‘*Peter Pan.’’ Only recently has Miss Brian been able to leave the ‘‘good but simple’’ characterizations which she played so successfully on the screen and to display her real and obvious dramatic ability in parts more worthy of her talents. With Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., in ‘It’s Tough to Be Famous,’’ Miss Brian evidenced such real ability with a modern and somewhat sophisticated role that Warner Bros. chose her immediately for the role opposite Tracy in ‘‘Blessed Event.’? Miss Brian is a native of Dallas, Texas, and entered pictures by way of a popularity contest in Los Angeles. Her first role was the famous one of ‘‘Wendy’’ in ‘‘Peter Pan,’’ and she has been a featured player in dozens of well known pictures since that time. She is unmarried and lives in Hollywood. Others in the cast are Dick Powell, Emma Dunn, Ned Sparks, Allen Jenkins, Frank McHugh, Walter Walker and Ruth Donnelly. Roy Del Ruth directed. your D th story Threats, an Every Day _ Occurrence in the Life Of Newspaper Columnists ‘*Tt’s a wise columnist who knows where the exits are located,’’ in the opinion of Lee Tracy, who plays the leading role in Warner Bros’. new and racy comedy expose of the modern journalistic tattling, ‘‘ Blessed Event,’’ adapted from the successful stage play of the same name. It COMES 310 2bhe: tee or Ss Theatre Famous columnists up and down, know that their peculiar type of reporting puts them in more or less constant danger physically and financially.: It is a dull day in a chatter writer ’s life when he is not threatened with murder, mayhem or man-handling. There are few more exciting occupations in a modern world than finding and publishing gossip and ‘*Blessed Event,’’ has made excellent use of all the experiences which crowd the working days and the snooping nights of such a reporter. Lee Tracy and Mary Brian share honors in ‘‘Blessed Event,’’ with a large cast of excellent supporting players, several of them brought to Hollywood from the New York cast of the play for the express purpose of playing these parts. They include Allen Jenkins, Ruth Donnelly, Ned Sparks, Dick Powell and Milton Wallace. ‘¢Blessed Event’? was produced under the direction of Roy Del Ruth, one of Warner Bros. ace megaphon ists. your 6:. story Super-Sensitive ‘‘Mikes”’ Used for ‘‘Blessed Event” -~ At the end of the first day during which Lee Tracy worked in the filming of Warner Bros. ‘‘Blessed Event,’’ which comes to the ............ TP PUSS Theatre ..................., Director Roy Del Ruth had the ‘‘Be Quiet’’ signs taken down all over the sound stage. They were replaced the following morning by new signs which read: ‘*Be Quieter.’’ Although some doubt as to the cor MARY BRIAN Cut No.2 Outi5ce Mate rectness of the grammar used was raised by an observing script clerk who claimed that the signs should read ‘*Be More Quiet,’’ the director meant them to mean just what they said. y Tracy’s mile-a-minute diction and his remarkable ability to double-time words and still make them understandable, had made it necessary to use super-sensitive microphones, usually reserved for whispers and dropping pins, above any scene in which he was to talk. It followed naturally that the surrounding set had to be kept especially quiet since the same sensitive mechanism used to catch Tracy’s vocal gymnastics would automatically pick up the slightest noise anywhere in the vicinity. So ‘‘Blessed Event’’ was filmed on what was probably the quietest set ever had in Hollywood. Supporting Lee Tracy in ‘‘ Blessed Event’’ are Mary Brian, Dick Powell, Allen Jenkins, Ruth Donnelly, Milton Wallace, Ned Sparks, Frank MeHugh, Emma Drunr ™ hye = alrar, to the screen by Howard Green, from a play by Manuel Seff and Forrest Wilson. Roy Del Ruth directed. your 46 th story “Blessed Event’ Turns Spotlight on Columnists The worm has turned at last, and the Broadway columnists who have been hiding behind their by-lines while telling the world everybody else’s secrets, are having the spotlight thrown on théir own lives. For the first time, the screen tells their secrets to the public, exposes their methods of collecting news and ‘“spills the dirt’’ about their private lives in the Warner Bros. picture, ‘“Blessed Event,’’ which comes to the eet aa Theatre next. ssc ‘*Daisies won’t tell,’? says Lee Tracy who plays the leading role in ‘Blessed Event,’’ ‘‘unless they happen to have the phone number of a columnist. And now that the movies are telling all about the keyhole snoopers themselves, there aren’t any more secrets left in the world.’’ The lives, loves and libels of wisecracking columnists are revealed in this hilarious screen production which leaves no stone uncast. A splendid cast which supports Lee Tracy, includes Mary Brian, Dick Powell, Ned Sparks, Allen Jenkins, Emma Dunn, Ruth Donnelly and many others. Roy Del Ruth directed. SUGGESTED SHORTS A “LOONEY TUNE” or “MERRIE MELODY” An E. M. Newman “WORLD ADVENTURES” A Teehnicolor Musical A “Pepper Pot’ Novelty Page Three