Brother Orchid (Warner Bros.) (1940)

CURRENT STORIES —— eee Just a'Roscoe’ for ‘Brother Orchid’ That's Allen Jenkins’ Fate in Strand Film Willie the Knife is getting a little burned up with the present setup. Just being a roscoe for the big shot is all right, but the time comes when a mugg gets tired of stooging for somebody else and starts casting a few angles with a view to becoming a big shot on his own. Willie the Knife, who is a roscoe and wields a gat for Edward G. Robinson in “Brother Orchid,” *Still BO 21; Mat 207—3)c WHY DIDN’T I GET NO MEMO? Edward G. Robinson wants to know why Allen Jenkins didn’t notify him before “bumping off a ‘personality’ ” in “Brother Orchid,” the Strand’s new comedy hit. No Memo, No Murder On the “Brother Orchid” set, Warner Bros., Edward G. Robinson, as the president of the John Sarto Protective Association, was reading the riot act to Willie the Knife, Muggsy O’Day, French Frank and other henchmen, for having put a rival on the spot ina little cafe. Little John, angrily pacing up and down the “board of dirieic t.0 Tse? Mate tee TO Ae plain murder, that’s what it is. You guys by pulling this thing have made Little John awful broken-hearted. And besides, why wasn’t I in on the know beforehand? We’re partners, ain’t we? Why didn’t I get no memo?” Willie the Knife (Allen Jenkins) : “The guy was chiseling in on us. We thought you’d be glad to have him illuminated.” Little John “That ain’t it. The job was pulled in Molly Madigan’s and the police have closed the joint. Now where can a guy go to get some decent corned beef and cabbage?” “Brother Orchid” is the hit comedy currently at the Strand. Ralph Bellamy Strictly Movie Cowboy Although Ralph Bellamy has been playing a wealthy cattleman from the wild and woolly west in his past five pictures, it took him three hours to master the technique of a hand-rolled cigarette for one of his current scenes in “Brother Orchid,” the film currently showing at the Strand Theatre, in which he is featured with Edward G. Robinson and Ann Sothern. Unlike his roles in his past five pictures, however, this one allows him to win the girl at the end. Ride Down Gave Him Boost Up! George Haywood, Hal Wallis’ new romantic find for Warner Bros., who has his first film role in “Brother Orchid” can thank his long term contract to a ride down an elevator. The handsome youth, who had gone from St. Louis to New York to study voice, was making the descent from a high office building and noticed a stranger staring at him intently. When the car got to the street floor and the other passengers alighted, he asked the operator and learned the man was a theatrical agent. The next day Haywood went up and no sooner had introduced himself than the agent grabbed his hat, and said, “Come with me, I think we ean still catch Mr. Wallis before he leaves for the coast.” They found him at the rail station five minutes before train time, and the Warner executive signed him on the spot. Ann Sothern To Go South American Way Ann Sothern, currently opposite Edward G. Robinson in “Brother Orchid” at the Strand, is the latest filmite to receive an extended personal appearance offer in South America. The proposed tour calls for an opening in Buenos Aires, with 13 weeks GO Oo ws Miss Sothern is anxious to go, and will seek a leave of absence from Metro, where she is under contract. Mat 105—15c Sponsors Ball Team Currently in “Brother Orchid” at the Strand, Donald Crisp is the newest addition to the film list of sponsors of softball teams. currently showing at the Strand, is perhaps better known as Allen Jenkins. But Willie the Knife or Allen Jenkins, he is fed up with being a stooge roscoe. All the time, he says, he is the guy that does the dirty work. He takes the orders; somebody else is always dishing ’em out. And on top of that, they’re always trying to make him look dumb. Robinson particularly. In “A Slight Case of Murder.” he was “No Nose Hennessy.” Now after almost three years, he is Willie the Knife. It just doesn’t make sense to Jenkins. “Look, he says, “I don’t want to be the glamor-boy type. Glamor boys you can get for a dime a dozen. Clark Gable, Errol Flynn, Spencer Tracy, Robert Taylor, Charles Boyer — you’ve got a million of ’em. You don’t have to act to be a glamor-boy; you just have to look pretty. I don’t want that. “What I want is something that’s virile. Not these stooge parts all the time. I could look just as good as the next fellow giving orders as taking ’em. Only they want to type me, I guess. “Tt ain’t right.” ORCHIDS TO THEM Still BO 34; Mat 103—15c Edward G. Robinson and Ann Sothern are currently packing them in at the Strand Theatre with their new comedy hit, “Brother Orchid.” Extra Girl to Star Her current role in “Brother Orchid” is not the first to bring Ann Sothern under the direction of Lloyd Bacon at Warner Bros. She appeared for him more than 10 years ago in a picture called “So Long Letty.” She was Harrette Lake then, included in a group of 150 extras. Tempus Fugits Actors Donald Crisp and Alan Hale and cameraman Tony Gaudio of the “Brother Orchid” company celebrated the 32nd anniversary since their early days together in the old Biograph films in New York. PTR NR NET SET aN HOLLYWOOD, CAL.—For the edification of the company between scenes of “Brother Orchid” at Warner Bros., actor Charlie Brown was repeating his favorite quotation from “As You Like It.” “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts.” “Tf he has a good agent,” remarked Edward G. Robinson. pF escort NOR Des aap Ef [12] BIOGRAPHIES OF 'BROTHER ORCHID’ STARS EDWARD G. ROBINSON made his first dramatic appearance at the age of 14... Occasion was an amateur show put on by kids from New York’s East Side... Born in Bucharest, Roumania, he came to New York with his parents as an infant . .. Graduated from Columbia University ... Served as a gob in the Navy during the World War... Made his first hit in vaudeville . . . Considered one of the country’s finest actors, he appeared in 10 Theatre Guild productions . . . Best known on the screen for his gangster portrayals, which began with “Little Caesar” . . . Hobbies: travel, collecting first editions and modern art ... Married to Gladys Lloyd, they have one son, Eddie, Jr. ANN SOTHERN was born in Valley City, North Dakota, while her mother, Annette Yde, was between engagements in a concert tour of the Northwest ... Real name: Harriette Lake. Spent most of her childhood in Minneapolis, then attended Univ. of Washington... Visiting in Hollywood she was screen-tested, played a few bit roles ... The late Flo Ziegfeld saw her on the screen, signed her for his musical shows in New York... While she was playing the leading role in “Of Thee I Sing,” a movie scout “discovered” her again . Contest was held to find a new name for her ... Ann Sothern was the result ... Married to Roger Pryor, the band leader . . . Hobbies: Fashion designing, interior decorating . . . Prefers light comedy roles, such as she has in “Brother Orchid.” HUMPHREY BOGART was a Christmas present to his family .. . Born December 25 in New York... Attended Andover College... William Brady gave him his first stage part ... Romantic juvenile leads were his specialty, but it was the gangster role in “The Petrified Forest” that won him a Hollywood contract ... Played the same role in the screen version, which immediately won him a high place in the ranks of cinematic “menaces” ... Music and politics are his chief off-screen interests . . . Is married to screen actress Mayo Methot ... Is one of Hollywood’s most avid golfers. se RALPH BELLAMY was bitten by the acting bug when his parents took him to visit California when he was 13... He watched some movies being made... Returning to his home town, Chicago, he was interested only in dramatics, and soon left high school to join a stock company ... After extensive stock work, he determined to crash Broadway ... Finally landed in a successful play, “Roadside,” and made such a hit he had five movie offers .. . Has starred in 59 pictures since then ... Is six feet one, has light brown hair, blue eyes ... Favorite recreations, tennis and swimming. ALLEN JENKINS was born Allen McGonigal in New York City... He changed it to Jenkins because he could never remember how to spell McGonigal ... First theatrical job was as assistant stage manager with the Sam Harris show, “Secrets” ... Learned all the male parts in the show ... Must have been tipped off by a fortune teller, because one of the actors became ill and the self-appointed understudy got the job... “Blessed Event” brought him to Hollywood’s attention ... Has appeared in so many pictures since that he’s lost count ... Hobby is raising prize dogs. SS ee ee cer Robinson Takes Ii on the Chin! Battles With Bogart in "Brother Orchid’ Eddie Robinson, playing Robinson, as “Little John” Sarto, “Brother Orchid” but looking as little like that particular flower as possible, felt his left jaw gingerly and shook his head. “He cracked me here,” he explained, “but the sorest spot is over here, by my right ear. I don’t understand it. I had bread and milk for lunch because I can’t chew comfortably. Of course he didn’t mean to hit me but that doesn’t make my jaw feel any better.” Robinson fingered the remains of his lunch, including several slices of rye bread, cut thin. “IT can’t even eat this,” he lamented, ‘and I would like to.” He was talking about his screen battle with Humphrey Bogart in “Brother Orchid,” the current picture at the Strand Theatre. It happened like this: had decided to quit the rackets. He was going in for “culture,” and he turned over his “mob” to Bogart for leadership. But culture had proved pretty expensive, and “Little John,” finding that his bank roll needed replenishing, had decided to come back and “take over” the rackets again. Bogart had other ideas, however, and the battle was on. The script stated that Bogart was to come out victor in the fight, so there wasn’t much Robinson could do about it. Both he and “Bogey” being expert at screen fighting, he figured to emerge without any injury. But a slight miscalculation of distance on Bogey’s part, or a slight shifting of balance on Robinson’s, had caused a real left hook to connect with Robinson’s jaw. eS tll B Ors 305 Mat 202—30c ROBINSON VS. BOGART—It’s a battle of the century when Edward G. Robinson (right) clashes with Humphrey Bogart in “Brother Orchid,” currently showing at the Strand.