Born for Trouble (Warner Bros.) (1942)

PUBLICITY Mat 201—30c THERE’S BEEN A MURDER IN THE BIG HOUSE, Van Johnson and Faye Emerson, playing the roles of reporters, are told by Joseph Crehan, in one of the many tense moments from Warner Bros. new mystery thriller, ‘‘Murder In The Big House,” now at the Strand. ‘Murder In The Big House’ Thrilier Due at Strand A weird mystery film involving the murder of a man who is doomed to execution in the electric chair, is the unusually exciting story of Warner Bros. ‘“Murder In The Big House” which will open at the Strand Theatre next Friday. In the top roles are Faye Emer$0. ,.0V-a n Johnson and Faye Emerson George Meeker. The story opens a few days before Dapper Dan Malloy, a convicted murderer, played by Michael Ames, is scheduled to die in the electric chair. His lawyer, played by Douglas Wood, has given his solemn promise that the governor would grant him a commuted sentence. In fact, Dan would be able to hear the announcement of the governor’s decision over his own earphone radio set, an hour before the supposed execution. Scoop Conner, portrayed by George Meeker, is supposed to cover the execution for his pa Mat 102—15c per, but passes out in his attempt to prepare himself for the ordeal. In his place goes Bert Well, played by Van Johnson, who has been trying to land a job as a reporter. With him is Gladys (Faye Emerson’s role) an efficient feminine newshound who is anxious to see Bert get a break. And he does get a break, for Dapper Dan is apparently killed by a stroke of lightning while listening to his radio, but Bert proves that it wasn’t an accident but a carefully planned murder. The exciting production was directed by B. Reaves Eason and the original screenplay was written by Raymond L. Schrock, from an idea by Jerry Chodorov. Cheating “The Chair” An. uncanny tale of a killer who lurks within the walls of a prison and strikes down his victims just before they are about to die in the electric chair; is the engrossing story of Warner Bros. new film, “Murder In The Big House,” which is now play ing as the Strand Theatre. In the starring roles are Faye Emerson, Van Johnson and George Meeker. The production was directed by B. Reaves Eason. THE CAST Gladys Wayne Faye Emerson Bert Bell Van Johnson ‘Scoop’ Conner..George Meeker Randall Frank Wilcox ‘Dapper Dan’ Michael Ames Roland Drew Mrs. Gordon Ruth Ford Jim Ainslee Warden John Bevins William Gould Bill Burgen Douglas Wood Prison Doctor John Maxwell Chief Electrician....Pat McVeigh Dick Rich Fred Kelsey Bill Phillips Jack Mower Creighton Hale Henry Hall SYNOPSIS (Not for Publication) Dapper Dan Malloy (Michael Ames), convicted murderer, is scheduled to die in the electric chair but his lawyer promises him that the governor will commute his sentence. Scoop Connor (George Meeker) is supposed to cover the execution for his newspaper but is unable to, and Bert (Van Johnson), a cub reporter, goes in his place, accompanied by Gladys (Faye Emerson), a keen newspaper woman. Dan is supposedly killed by a lightning stroke while listening to his radio, but Bert proves that he was murdered and exposes the murderers. Running Time: 59 minutes. PRODUCTION Directed by B. REAVES EASON Original Screen Play by Raymond L. Schrock; Based upon an Idea by Jerry Choderoy; Director of Photography, Ted McCord, A.S.C.; Film Editor, Terry Morse; Art Director, Hugh Reticker; Dialogue Director, Harry Seymour; Sound by Oliver S. Garretson; Gowns by Milo Anderson; Makeup Artist, Perc Westmore. STRAND TO SHOW NEW MYSTERY FILM TODAY The murder of a condemned slayer just half an hour before he is scheduled to die in the electric chair is the strange and startling situation presented in “Murder In The Big House,” new Warner Bros. mystery thriller, which opens today at the Strand Theatre. Why kill a man who is going to the electric chair anyway? Who killed that man? How was it done? Those are three of the questions posed in this highly unusual mystery picture. They are all answered, but not before there has been plenty of excitement and fast and furious action. Most of the scenes of “Murder In The Big House” are laid within prison walls, but there are many in one of the most realistic newspaper offices ever shown in a motion picture, for it is a couple of newspaper reporters and a brisk feminine newshawk who solve the mysterious happening in the Big House. Playing these roles are Van Johnson, newcomer from the New York stage; George Meeker, a Hollywood veteran of many a fine movie performance, and Faye Emerson, who proved her right to feature ranking among young movie misses with her very first film role last year in “Bad Men of Missouri.” The picture was directed by B. Reaves Eason. Faye Emerson Stars In Thrilling Murder Film Faye Emexson, who plays-the dark and pretty heroine of Warner Bros.’ “Murder In The Big House,” now at the Strand Theatre has so many ambitions that it is almost surprising that she was able to bundle them all into an acting contract and be content. She would, she confided to studio associates, early in her career, like to be a Bette Davis and a ballet dancer and take an active part in local, state and national politics. All of these enthusiasms are encompassed now in her appearance on the screen in “Murder In The Big House”—an energetic drama of newspapers, prisons and underworld machinations. Miss Emerson is one of those attractive girls whose home town friends are forever telling her, “You ought to be in pictures.” Well, Faye is in pictures now and the home folks should be satisfied. Van Johnson Plays Cub Reporter In New Movie Van Johnson, whose whole name sounds like a surname, and who plays an inquisitive cub reporter in Warners’ “Murder In The Big House,” now at the Strand Theatre, is a young man who made a real name for himself in almost record time on the New York stage, in such plays as “Pal Joey” and “Too Many Girls.” Van is a big fellow, boyish in type, and pleasant company either as an actor or a person. He is six feet, two inches tall, weighs 185 pounds, has reddish hair, freckles and a smile that will probably make him immediately popular with feminine fans. Of Swedish parentage, Van Johnson was born in Newport, R. I. twenty-six years ago where he studied the violin, took dancing and singing lessons and played football. (Review) ‘Murder In The Big House’ Has Action And Romance Action, murder and mystery kept last night’s Strand audience in a constant state of excitement during the entire showing of “Murder In The Big House” at its initial presentation. There wasn’t a let-up in suspense from start to finish. Faye Emerson, Van Johnson and George Meeker head the east of this thrilling story of a man who is murdered just before he is scheduled to die in the electric chair. A convicted murderer, Dapper Dan, played by Michael Ames, is told by his lawyer to listen to the governor’s announcement over the radio, commuting his (Dan’s) sentence to life imprisonment. Dan promises to listen, but if the commuted sentence is not forthcoming, he will do plenty of talking before he walks the last mile. Scoop Conner, played by George Meeker, is supposed to cover the execution for his newspaper, but passes out while try UNUSUAL CRIME IN NEW FILM How can a condemned slayer, sitting alone in his cell on the eve of his scheduled electrocution, be murdered without even the guard outside the cell-door being aware that anything was happening? That is the strange mystery posed in “Murder In The Big House,” the Warner Bros. thriller, now playing at the Strand Theatre. The reason why the killer is murdered only half an hour before he is scheduled to start the tragic walk to the electric chair is made plain enough in the picture. He has threatened that if his sentence is not commuted, he will “sing” — underworld term for “confess”—and implicate a number of other people in the crime for which he was convicted. Suddenly and eerily he is struck down in his cell. The official explanation was that he was struck by a bolt of lightning that had come through his cell window. That explanation did not satisfy a cub reporter who had come to the prison to witness the scheduled execution. He _ set about finding out just who had killed the killer and how it was done. And, after a series of hair-raising adventures, he succeeds in finding out all the answers. The cub reporter is played by Van Johnson, young recruit from the New York stage. Other prominent roles in the production are taken by Faye Emerson and George Meeker. The director was B. Reaves Eason. ing to brace himself for the task, and Bert, a cub reporter, portrayed by Van Johnson, goes in his place. Gladys, played by Faye Emerson, a star newspaper woman who is anxious to see Bert make good, accompanies him. Dan is supposedly struck by lightning while listening to the radio and the whole episode is about to be written off as an unfortunate accident when Bert steps in and proves it was a premeditated murder. B. Reaves Eason directed the exciting film and Raymond L. Schrock wrote the _ scenario which was based on an idea by Jerry Chodorov. GEORGE MEEKER IN STRONG ROLE George Meeker has the cold look and heavy-lidded eyes that serve well for screen villainy when turned to the purpose but are useful also in giving realism to such a role as that of “Scoop” Conner, the star reporter who runs down the real criminals working behind the barred gates of a prison in Warner Bros.’ daring melodrama, “Murder In The Big House,” now playing at the Strand Theatre. In the film, George Meeker plays a character role, that of a newspaper’s best reporter who fails to get to the most exciting assignment he has ever had until Van Johnson, an ambitious cub reporter, has made startling discoveries of irregularities in the Big House and its execution chambers. He has a hand in the final denouement, however, and eventually shares. in the credit for uncovering one of the most astonishing plots that ever involved a public penal institution. Mat 101—15c Faye Emerson and Van Johnson OFFICIAL BILLING WARNER BROS. 40% Pictures, Inc. Presents 5% “MURDER IN THE BIG HOUSE” «--. with FAYE EMERSON — Directed by B. Reaves Eason VAN JOHNSON — GEORGE MEEKER 10% 25% Original Screen Play by Raymond L. Schrock 3% Based Upon an Idea by Jerry Chodoroy 2% A Warner Bros.-First National Picture 5%