Broadway Gondolier (Warner Bros.) (1935)

SANT SEAS TAN They were the popular stars of ‘‘Gold Diggers of 1933.’’ Now they are reunited as sweethearts in Warner Bros.’ saga of radio revelry ‘‘ BroadThey are Joan Blondell and, behind the mustache, way Gondolier.’’ Dick Powell, made up for his comedy sequence as an Italian operatic star. Mat No. 205—20ce Dick Purcell (Dick Powell) is the driver of a New York taxicab. He is passing the Metropolitan Opera House when he is hailed by two slightly inebriated opera crities. They are discussing the opera of the evening when Dick, with the usual good hearing of taxi pilots, pops his head through the window of the cab and bursts forth in the song from ‘‘ Rigoletto.’’ From the critics, Dick receives a recommendation to the manager of a big broadeasting studio E. V. Richards (Grant Mitchell). Richards’ secretary, Alice (Joan Blondell), arranges an audition with Richards and Mrs. Flagenheim (Lowise Fazenda) for Dick. Dick is unable to get to the studios for the audition and Eduardo de Vinci (Adolphe Menjow) his teacher, sings in his place. Years before de Vinci had sung at La Sealla but time had been cruel to his voice. The audition is a nightmare to Richards and Mrs. Flagenheim. Prof. de Vinei decides to go to Italy and arrange for Dick’s career there. Mrs. Flagenheim also decides to go to Italy in search of romantic talent. Alice accompanies Mrs. Flagenheim. Dick drives Alice in his cab to the boat and then stows away on Richard Purcell Mrs. Flagenhetn:...00..00600 5c Louise Fazenda Prof. #0 Vie 2 Adolphe Menjou Bi! Bree oe ee ee Mills Bros. Newspaper critic (Gilmore )...... Hobart Cavanaugh PRO8 sei cng ee ae a Bee Joseph Sauers FI OY WORE SO a George Barbier BMGT OM ee hg in I. hide Bob Murphy TICE PEW TOE Joan Blondell ee as es William Gargan Ted FioRito & Orchestra Judy Canova Family.............. Judy Canova Family ee es Grant Mitchell TE ise ge ee ee Rafael Storm mie AMNF i. 2536 eS James Burke ee ee ices ee June Travis the ship. In Venice Dick finds De Vinci selling vegetables. The professor makes a gondolier of Dick. Mrs. Flagenheim is on the Grand Canal one night when she hears a beautiful voice issuing from a Gondola. She insists this is the voice she is seeking for her program in the United States. Dick is signed as the Flagenheim Gondolier without revealing his identity. Alice is aware of the hoax but does not tell Mrs. Flagenheim, In New York Dick has been built up by a great publicity campaign. His debut is sensational but. one night he blows up and reveals his true identity over the air and then dashes from the studio and disappears. The studio is besieged with wires and letters demanding the return of the singer. The day of the program Alice is searching frantically for Dick. She is making a final telephone eall in a pay station when she hears Dick’s voice come over a loud’ speaker. She arrives back at the studio while Dick is still on the air. Her arrival almost breaks up the program but he finishes and at the fade-out Dick is in the arms of Alice with a brand new contract from Mrs. Flagenheim safely tucked in his pocket. ® LY TS a es i Lloyd Bacon Bereen Play 0. 25...i.-2ic.c00c lens: Warren Duff and Sig Herzig Based on story by.....0..005.05.00005 Sig Herzig, E. Y. Harburg and Hans Kraly NS SRR: SALE NTIS TENCE George Barnes Se I sags usc ti presser <a ponivvasecip George Amy Sa MN rage Sadhana ods iso metas eee Anton Grot SE] ee Oe paseo eT ore pene Set eee Orry-Kelly Music and Lyrics by................. Al Dubin and Harry Warren Mel Dire Leo F. Forbstein The Mills Brothers always bill themselves as ‘‘four boys and a guitar.’’ But Dick Powell has crashed the group and joins in the harmony in a scene from ‘‘ Broadway Gondolier,’’ Warner Bros.’ fun festival at. the peti RR TP ORT SER SN oe Theatre. Mat No. 204—20c WARNER BROS.’ CAMPAIGN PLAN (Condensed edition) Powell Studies Gondoliering To Play In Picture If Dick Powell ever visits Venice, he’ll be able to converse intelligently with any gondolier, for he has been forced to learn the argot of that vocation for his current screen role. DICK POWELL appearing in ‘* Broadway Gondolier’’ at the Strand. Mat No. 103 10c Dick appears as a Venetian gondolier in several sequences in the Warner Bros. picture, “Broadway Gondolier,” which comes to THO sc8 acces Theatre on ............... He took lessons in the art of handling a gondola in order to portray his role effectively. This entailed learning the gon dolier phrases and Dick takes pride in explaining the Italian names for the various parts of a gondola. “Cupola” means the cabin; “remo” is the oar; “scammo” is the oarlock; “proa” refers to the bow and “poppa” means the stern. * “Vira de proa” means “command from the bow” and “Vira de poppa,” is “command from the stern.” Three types of poles are used in the canals, a “lampada’ being a street-lamp; “il palo” is a mooring pole and “faro” refers to a beacon lamp pole. “Broadway Gondolier” is a novel musical comedy which reunites the popular stars of “Gold Diggers of 1933,” Dick Powell and Joan Blondell. Adolphe Menjou and Louise Fazenda are included in the all star cast. Music and lyrics are by Al Dubin and Harry Warren. Lloyd Bacon directed. Ted Fio Rito and his band, The Four Mills Brothers and The Canova Family appear in the picture. Lloyd Bacon Tries Musical Direction Lloyd Bacon, who directed the Warner Bros. picture, “Broadway Gondolier,” now showing at the Seay ree eee Theatre, became a musical director in a scene which reveals an orchestra at rehearsal in a large radio station. Bacon has long maintained a custom of appearing in a bit role in some scene of every picture he directs. In order to gain some first hand information on the technique of orchestra directing, he took a hurried course in the subject from Ted Fio Rito, who appears in this production.