Broad Minded (Warner Bros.) (1931)

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Girls, Gags & Guffaws BROADWAY PLAYWRIGHTS OFFER SOME) Young Director Triumphs VALUABLE ADVICE TO THOSE WHO ARE ANXIOUS TO WRITE SELLABLE COMEDY Kalmar and Ruby, Author of “Broad Minded” the First National Comedy Success, Starring Joe E. Brown, Now at the Theatre, Give Some of Their Recipes for Making the Public Laugh (Biographical Feature) Kalmar and Ruby, authors of ‘‘Broad Minded,’’ the First National comedy now at the _ Theatre, starring Joe E. Brown—have the right to speak with authority, for among their comedy successes are “The Ramblers, Animal Crackers,’ ‘‘Five O’Clock Girl,’’ ‘‘Good Boy’’ and ‘‘*Top ed.’’ She Kalmar and Ruby have been together for many years as a writing team and feel that there is no way of writing so effective as collaboration. Their theory is that no man, especially in the comedy field, can think of all the best comedy gags to fit a story, but that two can squeeze the last laugh from a story. They have proved it time and time again. When they started out in the writing field, nearly twenty years ago, they had never met. Each had a partner, and each was writing sketches and popular songs. Kalmar was a dancer and actor, but left the stage to go into the song publishing business. Among the various people he hired to work for him was a pianist called Harry Ruby. Ruby had ambitions to write a popular song that would put him on easy street. Each soon realized that the other would make a good collaborator so they worked together a la Gilbert and Sullivan on vaudeville skits, musical comedies and plays. They have been together fifteen years now and each considers the other a perfect complement to his own talent. ~ In New York they soon became recognized as leading comedy writers because they had discovered the i “apply them. he stage hits mentioned above have been screened. Furthermore they have written many popular songs, a recent hit being “Three Little Words” which has sold almost a million copies. When an inventor hits on a scheme of some sort he patents it so no one else can use it. Most screen writers and authors of all sorts are loath to discuss the method of their work, but Ruby and Kalmar don’t believe in keeping this a secret. They figure that it won’t hurt them and may help others. “The first thing in writing a story for a comedian such as Joe E. Brown,” said Ruby, “is to find a subject which has a strictly comedy premise. For example in ‘Broad Minded’ the premise is this: a young man who is always in trouble with women is put under the guardianship of another young man who also likes the ladies, and sent west to reform. There is no heavy drama involved in that idea; it is a comedy premise. Joe E. Brown’s role is that of the guardian. “It is important always to have a romance or so. But the principal love characters must be treated seriously and must be related to the comedian in such a way as to have the comedian get into complications which involve the serious members of the cast. These complications into which the comedian unwittingly plunges himself and the other members of the cast furnish many of the comedy ideas at which an audience laughs. “Tt is important to create sympathy for the comedian. Carless handling of the story will make him appear to be a fool, while in the best oly Sen em eer eres yee) cee “6, story. fail to amuse is because the minor gags are so threadbare that everyone is acquainted with them beforehand or else they don’t fit the story. Kalmar and I always spend a great deal of time being sure these smaller gags are in keeping with the story and are new. There is no excuse for using old gags.” A sereen comedy, the authors of comedy, he must simply be the unwitting victim of circumstances, which he started in motion with the best of intentions, but which miscarried or back-fired, are the best. “So much for the part of comedywriting that has to do with the plot and is called situation comedy. This background is dressed up with minor gags that are mirth-provoking. These gags are rather well-known. Such things as a dignified person slipping on ice or being tripped or in some other way having his dignity upset, is always funny to an audience. There are literally millions of these Page Eight many stage hits declare, can be much funnier than the funniest of stage comedies for the simple reason that on the screen many gags can actually be shown that on the stage would have to be described. As an example the stage cannot use gags about an auto in heavy traffic or an airplane making a nose dive. These can be shown on the screen.” Another important warning advanced by the authors is against the use of topical gags based on some current event, because every other comedian will think of it, too, and in motion pictures where a sereen In Melodrama Or Comedy (Current Reader) The difficult switch from the directing of a tense melodrama to an uproarious farce was made by Mervyn Le Roy when he did “Broad Minded” E. Brown which is now at the Theatre. the tremendous melodramatic success “Little Caesar.” starring Joe His previous picture was The supporting cast in his latest First National picture includes Ona Munson, William Collier, Jr., Marjorie White, Holmes Herbert, Margaret Livingston, Thelma Todd, Grayce Hampton, and Bela Lugosi. loved in the fie eee It’s a Eevee en WITH a ~ "STARTS THURS. Cut No. 6 Cut 60c Mat I5C minor gags that can be built into a] STAGE PARTNERS MEET The reason many comedies AGAIN IN THE TALKIES (Current Reader) Joe E. Brown’s last big stage starring vehicle, “Twinkle, Twinkle” had as a specialty dancer and singer, Ona Munson, who is playing his feminine lead on the screen in “Broad Minded,” the First National’s comedy which is now at the Theatre. Mervyn Le Roy directed “Broad Minded” while the supporting cast includes William Collier, Jr., Marjorie White, Holmes Herbert, Margaret Livingston, Thelma Todd, Grayce Hampton and Bela Lugosi. —_—_—_—_—_— play is shown in the theatres several months after it is made, the topical smart crack or gag will probably no longer be funny. “Broad Minded” stars Joe E. Brown with a supporting cast including such well known players as Ona Munson, William Collier, Jr., Mar jorie White, Holmes Herbert, Mar garet Livingston, Thelma Todd. If you want to laugh ORPHEUM STAR CHIEF ROOTER FOR THE “WILDCATS” (Current Reader) Joe E. Brown, now at the Pee aman Theatre in “Broad Minded,” the First National picture in which he is starred, was for a time in professional baseball with the New York Yankees and St. Paul, of the American Association, is still a rabid fan. He recently sponsored a semipro team at San Fernando, Calif., buying them suits and regularly paying the expenses. They are known as “Joe E. Brown’s Wildeats,” the comedian spends practically every Sunday during the summer raising the Brown voice in the rooting section. ‘Oh Girls If you want to be in the worst 99 way—come on over! best—get a load of this wild-Joe-E-ride! laffslide of fun and romance that males—the thousand MINDED ONA MUNSON 4’ WILLIAM COLLIER, JR " MARJORIE WHITE yn BF A First National Vitaphone Hit Joe Brown Uncrowned Speed King Of The Cinema Capital (Current Story) Joe HE. Brown, | star of “Broad Minded,” the First National comedy, now at the Theatre, is not only the speediest comedian in the business but lays claim to the title of the speed king of Hollywood. He is the owner of a high-powered imported motor car, which cost him not a few grand—a speed-boat—and an airplane—and this is not counting the fast playing members of his ball team—which he himself christened “The Wildcats.” Others in the cast of “Broad Minded” are Ona Munson, William Collier, Jr., Marjorie White, Holmes Herbert, Margaret Livingston, Thelma Todd, Grayce Hampton, Bela Lugosi and George Grandee Mervyn Le Roy directed. The play is by Kalmar and _"uby. Joe, Ona, Twinkle — Together On Stage Before Screen Hit Joe E. Brown and Ona Munson Now At Theatre In Gay Comedy Romance (Current Story) Although “Broad Minded,” now at the Theatre, marks Ona Munson’s second feminine lead in a First National picture starring Joe K. Brown, it is the third time they have appeared together. Several years ago, before either Mr. Brown or Miss Munson had even considered the possibilities of a screen career they were both in the Broadway musical show, “Twinkle, Twinkle.” Brown was the featured comedian and Miss Munson was the featured dancer and singer. “Twinkle, Twinkle”? was Joe E. Brown’s last stage effort before a motion picture offer was made him. He achieved screen stardom after playing featured roles in only five pictures. Miss Munson stayed on for another season and then made a Vitaphone short subject. First National officials immediately offered her a contract and she rushed to Hollywood to play the feminine lead in Joe E. Brown’s “Going Wild.” Then she played opposite Ben Lyon in “The Hot Heiress” and now is in “Broad Minded” with Joe E. Brown. Mervyn Le Roy directed while the supporting cast, in this rollicking tale includes, William Collier, Jr., Marjorie White, Holmes Herbert, Bela Lugosi, Thelma Todd, Margaret Livingston, Grayce Hampton, and George Grandee. Mervyn Le Roy directed. cna wonder Becomes Girl Wonder — But Not For The Same Reason (Current Reader) Marjorie White, late of “Lady Fingers,” the popular Broadway suecess of which she was a star, and currently appearing in Joe E. Brown’s new starring vehicle, “Broad Minded” at the Theatre, made her first professional stage appearance at the age of four years. She toured the country as a Singer at that age, accompanied by her parents and a tutor, and won quite a bit of renown fer herself. Her praises were sung from all sides heralding her as a child wonder and predicting for her a sensational future in opera. ‘Little Marjorie, however, as goon as she was old enough to decide things for herself, let it be known to whomsoever would listen, that there would be no opera singer by the name of Marjorie White. Her idea of a career, less important though it might be in the eyes of the world, was that of a singer, dancer—to make people laugh rather than ery. Some time later, despite vigorous parental protests, she joined an act in vaudeville in just that capacity— Singing, dancing and making people laugh. So, after all these years we find a beautiful blonde Marjorie White in the leading feminine comedy role in “Broad Minded” ing — not dancing — people laugh. In addition to Joe E. Brown and Marjorie White, William Collier, Jr., Margaret Livingston, Ona Munson, Thelma Todd and Bela Lugosi, the latter will be remembered for his sensational role as “Dracula” in the picture of that name, are included in the cast of “Broad Minded.” Mervyn LeRoy, director of “Little Caesar” — not singbut making wielded the megaphone, “Broad Minded” is scheduled to play the entire week. Cut No. 10 Cut 20c Mat 5c