Broadway Gondolier (Warner Bros.) (1935)

PUBLICITY Dubin and Warren Have 6 New Songs In Big Film Hit When song-writers are assigned the job of creating numbers for the average musical show, whether on stage or on screen, it usually means three or four songs. A six song show is ordinarily reckoned exceptionally “fat” as to tunes. The new Warner Bros. musical “Broadway Gondolier,” now showing at Aheicessirecbeses Theatre is unusually rich with music, it is pointed out by Harry Warren, melody writer. Teamed with Al Dubin, lyric writer, Warren wrote a total of six major songs. There are in addition, not a few arrangements of operatic and other music. Powell sings three of the numbers—“Outside of You,” “Lonely Gondolier,” and “A Rose in Her Hair,” singing the last two named in both English and Italian; “The Cow and The Pig and The Duck,” a kiddie comedy number with farcical sound effects, is sung by Joan Blondell and Dick Powell. Sam Ash sings the theme song of “Flagenheim Cheese Hour.” “You Can Be Kissed” is an orchestra number, sung by the “Three Debutantes” with Muzzy Marcelino. “Lulu’s In Town” and “Sweet Lucy Brown” are arranged for the Mills Brothers. “Broadway Gondolier’ is an unique musical spectacle based on the story by E. Y. Harburg, Sig Herzig and Hans Kraly. It reunites the popular stars of “Gold Diggers of 1933,” Dick Powell and Joan Blondell. Adolphe Menjou, Louise Fazenda and others appear in the all star cast. Lloyd Bacon directed from the screen play by Warren Duff and Sig Herzig. Joan Blondell Is As Good A Cook As Film Actress The schedule of a feminine screen star, filled with hard work from dawn to dusk, does not permit bustling home to cook an appetizing supper or hubby and kiddies, but most of them succumb to the lure of the kitchen when they get a chance. JOAN BLONDELL m ** Broadway Gondolier’’ at the Strand. Mat No. 105 10e Many have become so proficient in producing their own gastronomical masterpieces that they are pressed into service to “feed the animals” at the informal gettogethers so frequent in the film capital. Joan Blondell, who has the leading feminine role in the Warner Bros. production, “Broadway Gondolier,” which will open at eee Theatre on .............. ; makes a specialty of potato pancakes. The recipe was originated by Joan’s mother twenty years ago and has been a popular favorite with the Blondell family ever since. Husband George Barnes joined in the acclaim on his first sample and now sadly claims that he can’t get her to make them often enough to suit him. “Broadway Gondolier” is a musical comedy novelty which reunites the popular stars of “GoldDiggers of 1933,” Dick Powell and Joan Blondell. Al Dubin and Harry Warren wrote the 6 original songs in the picture. The all star cast also includes, Adolphe Menjou, Louise Fazenda, William Gargan, George Barbier, Grant Mitchell and Hobart Cavanaugh. Lloyd Bacon directed. Ted Fio Rito and his band, the Four Mills Brothers and the Canova Family have prominent parts. Leaders of Laugh Festival Dick Powell, Joan Blondell and Adolphe Menjou head the large star cast of Warner Bros.’ highly praised new comedy ‘‘ Broadway Gondolier.’’ The film’s musical entertainment is provided by Ted Fio Rito and the Mills Bros., as well as by its popular star. Mat No. 201—20ce Movie Production Stopped To Hear Mills Bros. Sing Four radio singers almost brought production to a complete standstill at Warner Bros. studio recently. The quartette that almost disrupted the filming schedule for the day was The Four Mills Bros., nationally famed as “Four Boys and a Guitar” on the stage and radio. They were working in “Broadway Gondolier,” which comes to the tec so Theatre On ...:....:-.:. When news spread among the workers on the lot to the effect that the Mills Bros. were singing on one of the sound stages, all roads automatically led there. They recorded five songs, three of which were written by Harry Warren and Al Dubin, “Sweet and Slow,’ “Lulws Back In Town” and “Latin From Manhattan,” the latter being one of the hit songs in the Al JolsonRuby Keeler picture, “Go Into Your Dance.” “Broadway Gondolier” is a novel. musical comedy starring Dick Powell and Joan Blondell, who were last teamed in “Gold Diggers of 1933,” Adolphe Menjou and Louise Fazenda and featuring Ted Fio Rito and his Band, besides the Four Mills Bros. Music and lyrics are by Harry Warren and Al Dubin. Lloyd Bacon directed the picture from the screen play by Warren Duff and Sig Herzig, based on the story by E. Y. Harburg, Sig Herzig and Hans Kraly. Crickets’ Chirps Halt Filming of Music Film The fact that crickets aren’t heard on the streets of New York halted production of a night exterior scene for “Broadway Gondolier,” the picture now showing at the See Rarer Theatre. Dick Powell and Joan Blondell were in front of her apartment building, when the sound man signaled to halt “the take.” There were, he said, chirping noises that had to be stopped. “That’s right,’ commented Bacon. “This is supposed to be a street in New York.” A recess was called, during which the crickets were found and silenced. Then the cameras started again. The crickets had been removed from the streets of New York. Film Players Get Too Much Of Taxis George Barbier and Hobart Cavanaugh have taken an oath to never again enter a taxicab. This came about as a result of their roles as theatrical critics in the Warner Bros. picture, “Broadway Gondolier,” now showing at the eS Rae Theatre. Barbier and Cavanaugh were photographed in a series of sequences showing them entering, riding and getting out of a taxicab. This went on for hours, and with the hot light scorching down upon them and the none too gentle bumping over rough streets, the two admit they have had their fill of taxicabs. . oc yee y) BLONDELL Stars Don Red Flannels To Make Love In Venice Film Actors Refuse To Freeze While Courting In “Broadway Gondolier”’ Scenes Thoughts of moonlit nights and drifting gondolas on the canals of Venice may spell romance to the world, but as far as Hollywood is concerned, it’s just a plain matter of red flannels. How could one, asks Hollywood, look romantically entranced at three o’clock in the morning with one’s teeth chat tering? How could a beautiful girl get that love-struck look if she were shivering with goose pimples? Red flannels are a necessary factor in romance and love in Venice according to the movie makers. Out at Warner Bros. studios they filmed a picture titled “Broadway Gondolier,’ which reunited Dick Powell and Joan Blondell, the popular stars of “Gold Diggers of 1933” under the direction of Lloyd Bacon. A two weeks schedule was allotted for the Venetian sequence. In the picture, which will open DESC kao ee Theatre on ara eT , there are winding canals, gondolas, balconies and terraces. There are cafes, cabarets, picturesque bridges and colorful touches of the famous old canal city. It is a moonlit night in summer—on the screen. Dick Powell is shown dressed in the gay colored attire of the gondolier, wearing light weight trousers, a sash and a silk shirt opened at the neck. What the fans don’t see is that beneath his costume, Dick is wearing long flannels, two sleeveless sweaters, a sweat shirt and a wool muffler. It gets cold in the early morning hours on the water, even in Hollywood. Poor Joan Blondell had her difficulties in keeping warm in these scenes. She wore a low-cut organdie gown and, in spite of the cool night air had to maintain a warm, summery look. “Do these show in the camera?” she asked photographer hus . Event” .. i ; P i £. othe LoD erece iB EE ti, YI) DICK Pe WELL starring currently in “Broadway Gondolier” . . . was born in Mountain buy a banjo and joined it . . . later was hired for a week as master of ceremonies for a Pittsburgh theatre... was kept there for three conon secutive years ... then.a Warner Bros. scout saw him... a success in “Blessed . and Hollywood was his! band George Barnes, pointing to the goose flesh on her arms. Louise Fazenda semed to suffer least from the cool nights on the Venice canals of Hollywood. Her gown was warmer than the one worn by Miss Blondell and she wore a scarf about her shoulders. Immediately upon completion of a scene everyone dived for wraps or hurried to the heated dressing rooms nearby. The “wise ones” of the red flannel brigade, however, relaxed in comparative comfort. A funny sight took place before each scene started. Director Lloyd Bacon or his assistant, Jack Sullivan, stood on the side lines beyond camera range and shouted instructions to those on the set, all attired in summer clothes. “We're all ready,” came the shout. “Now remember this is a warm evening in Venice. You're all gay and happy, enjoying yourselves.” o The people on the set smiled as they gazed offstage whence the instructions were issued. Bacon, Sullivan, the camera boys and technical workers — all were dressed in heavy sweaters, leather jackets or overcoats. Hollywood uses red flannels when filming romantic scenes on the Venice Canals on summer moonlit nights. “Broadway Gondolier” is a musical spectacle based on the story by HE. Y. Harburg, Sig Herzig and Hans Kraly, with music and lyrics by Harry Warren and Al Dubin. The screen play is by Warren Duff and Sig Herzig. if a 2°?) View, Arkansas, nine miles from a railroad... but the first song he sang was “Casey Jones”... taught him by a raiload engineer . .. kept on singing... sang in church choir and church glee club. . . learned saxophone, ¢ornet, and clarinet . . . organized a band and flopped . . . became grocery clerk ... soda jerker ... tested gas meters .. . then a visiting orchestra took him on... toured with them . . . got offers from an Indianapolis orchestra . . . pawned his clothes to ADOLPHE. .the picturization which was called was born in New York City... her parents were vaudeville troupers ... toured with them all over the globe . . . crossed the United States 56 times . . . shipped to Australia on a cattle boat with a company . .. lost her job and got another as a circus hand . . . soon after, returned to New York and worked as a department store salesgirl for fifteen minutes . . . then pounded the pavements .... landed a prominent role in “The Trial of Mary Dugan” . . . then “Penny Arcade” which Warner Bros. bought . . . they signed her—and the boy who had played with her in it, James Cagney—to play their original roles in “Sinners’ Holiday” . . . her first hit! MENJ@U was born in Pittsburgh of a French father and an Irish mother... was noted for his well-groomed appearance even when a lad at Culver Military Academy ... Studied engineering at Cornell and acted in the college theatrical society ... first job after graduation was on a farm...he soon tired and decided to try to become an actor... entered stock in Cleveland . . , got a part in a silent picture: made by Vitagraph in Brooklyn... toured’in vaudeville . . . served at the front during the World War... Charlie Chaplin cast him in “A Woman from Paris” . .. with talking pictures his first hit was in the French movie, ‘Mon Gosse de Pere’... then new fame, fortune, and his actress wife, Verree Teasdale . . . now in “Broadway Gondolier.” These stars, and many others, are appearing in Warner Bros.’ new laugh fiesta, ‘‘ Broadway Gondolier,’’ coming to the Mat No. 301—30e ST, err aee, Theatre on Friday. Page Five