Brother Rat (Warner Bros.) (1938)

JANE BRYAN GLAD SHE’S 1938 GIRL At least once each day, Jane Bryan found time to leave the set of “Brother Rat,” in which she is playing the second feminine lead, to make a brief visit to the set of “The Sisters” where Bette Davis and Anita Louise were wearing old fashioned corsets and suffering nobly but not silently for their “art.” Jane wore the corsets too, for..a brief time, as the youngest of the three sisters in the Bette Davis— Errol Flynn picture, which is a story set in the first decade of the century, but finished her role ahead of the others and breathed naturally afterward. “IT come back from that set feeling so comfortable and contented”, explained Jane. “The weather has complicated the problem with Bette and Anita. Anita will be ‘out of the corsets’ by Friday but poor Bette must carry on to the last scene.” “Brother Rat,” hilarious comedy of military school life, based on the recent Broadway stage hit, is now showing at the Strand Theatre. Mat 109—15c Jane Bryan WAYNE MORRIS DOES A CORRIGAN ON SET On the “Brother Rat”’ set at Warner Bros. Wayne Morris got confused and drew Director William Keighley’s ire for making the wrong exit from a scene. “What's the big idea?’’ demanded Keighley. “I tell you to go right and you go left. Don’t you know your directions ?”’ “It’s a funny world,”’ mused Morris. “I walk the wrong direction and get bawled out. Corrigan flies the wrong way and becomes a hero.” Here's Novel Show Most unique college comedy to come along in years is “Brother Rat,” a story of life at Virginia Military Institute, now showing at the Strand. There’s no dancing, no singing, and in the one athletic contest shown, a baseball game, V.M.I. loses badly. The humor is all in the witty dialogue and the highly amusing situations, ROSY CHEEKS Twenty years from now, William Tracey will be properly grateful to the rosy complexion that makes him look much younger than he actually is. There are times when he is grateful now. Such times, for example, as when he recalls that without it he’d never have landed the role of the meek “Rat,” Misto Bottome, who spends all his time at the beck and call of Wayne Morris and Ronald Reagan in Warner Bros. “Brother Rat.” Being 21, however, Tracy finds it difficult to keep remembering. Most of the time, he’d like to discard that rosy flush of youth as he did the Clarence his parents tacked onto the front of his name. He thinks it’s sissified. He’d like to be rough and rugged like Wayne Morris. Perhaps that’s because he’s had to be meek and downtrodden, and speak in a scared treble voice for so long as the Virginia Military Institute freshman of “Brother Rat,” the comedy now showing at the Strand Theatre. He played the role on the stage for months before he started doing it for the screen. CURRENT PUBLICITY GLASSES NO HANDICAP (This mat may be cut apart for single cols. Mat 210—30c) Jane Wyman has received letters from more than 300 girls who wear glasses since she started her present role in Warner Bros. "Brother Rat," which comes to the Strand Theatre Friday. They've learned she wears glasses in the picture. And they want her to become their champion in a campaign to prove that Dorothy Parker was wrong when she wrote, "men seldom make passes at girls wearing glasses."' If all be-spectacled girls will watch Jane Wyman closely in "Brother Rat'’ they'll get more than a few hints as to how one should dress and arrange her hair so as to reduce the glasses handicap to a minimum. Hair should be smooth at the top and away from the forehead. Be partial to a long bob with curls at the neck and near the shoulders. Simple "'Pull-on" hats, or vagabonds are the best to wear, with soft, flattering brims. Parenthood Scene Gets Laughs in The doctor said Jane Bryan really was too ill to receive visitors. So they barred the hall door to her hospital room and left only half a hundred electricians, grips, prop men, actors and assistant directors to watch the patient suffer, for a scene in “Brother Rat,” now showing at the Strand. Miss Bryan appeared to be bearing up very well, considering her “delicate” condition. She buried her face in the huge bouquet of red roses Eddie Albert had brought direct from the Warner Bros. prop room, touched up her makeup and called for a soda. Albert, as is supposed to be customary with expectant fathers, seemed much more nervous. He prowled about the set, stumbled over chairs and lighted one cigarette after another. He’d only been through the same experience a few hundred ‘Brother Rat’ times while playing “Brother Rat” on the Broadway stage. But the prospect of doing the scene for the screen seemed to bother him. “Get yourself together, Eddie,” said Director William Keighley, “and we'll take it.” Miss Bryan sighed audibly. It was a hot day and even the crisp white sheets seemed to steam. The prop man brought Albert a fresh bouquet of roses and handed him a cardboard box. Albert straightened his shoulders and at Keighley’s command marched into the room. He got the flowers into Miss Bryan’s arms but didn’t get as far as kissing her. A fly did a six point landing on his nose and he swiped at it viciously, dropping the cardboard box. On the second take, Albert did better. He made a convincing job of the kiss, got the box open and with a proud, “look, I’ve brought something for the baby,’ held up a V.M.I. uniform—size five! WON “MISTO” FILM CAREER Mat 209—30c GENERALS IN THE MAKING—(left to right) Wayne Morris, William Tracey, and Johnny Davis in a scene from the Strand's comedy hit, "Brother Rat." (16) CLAY MODELS END ACTRESS’ JITTERS Jane Wyman stuck a pin in Wayne Morris’ right eye. Then she threw ‘a lump of clay in his face. Morris didn’t mind. It happened to be a clay model of his head that was taking the punishment. “This,” said Miss Wyman, as she attacked the model with a wicked looking knife, “is the most satisfying hobby I’ve ever taken up. And it certainly beats knitting between scenes.” She was sitting on a sound stage at Warner Bros. Studio. Around her, Morris, Priscilla Lane, Jane Bryan and other members of the “Brother Rateirvecast were reading Mat 113—15¢ Jane Wyman or chatting. “T’ve never been able to relax between scenes,” Miss Wyman continued, “I’ve tried knitting. Most everyone does. No go. I also tried writing but couldn’t concentrate. Then I started dabbling with clay and found I could do some pretty good likenesses with it. And now, am I having fun! “And it’s such a grand release for pent up emotions! For example, I made a mess of that last scene. I know I did, even if Director William Keighley was a gentleman and told me it was okay. “So I’m taking it out on Wayne. That’s sort of mean because he’s a grand guy and it wasn’t his fault I muffed that scene. But he happens to be my subject today, so he’ll have to take the raps.” Made Her Own Break Most movie stars attribute their first “break” to anything from divine Providence to a good luck charm, but Jane Wyman, young Missourian who is getting bigger and better movie “breaks” all the time, simply accounts for her first one by saying: “I had a hunch that I might make good, saw an agent and got a job.” Jane is currently featured in “Brother Rat,” hilarious comedy of military school life, now at the Strand. Hank's Anniversary Henry O’Neill celebrated his birthday recently by completing his role in Warner Bros.’ “Brother Rat” and starting upon a golf vacation. He intended to play 36 holes each day for the next two weeks. “Brother Rat” is the Warner Bros. comedy at the Strand Theatre. Gains in Fame Virginia Military Institute, often called “the West Point of the South,” has always been a popular school, but since “Brother Rat,” a comedy of life at V.M.I., written by two of its graduates, John Monks, Jr., and Fred F. Finklehoffe, became a national stage hit, the application rate has increased two hundred per cent. “Brother Rat,” in its movie version, is now showing at the Strand Theatre. Mat 101—15c WAYNE MORRIS-—sensational young star whose latest success is in the hilarious comedy of military school life, "Brother Rat," at the Strand. FilmShows Fashions For Prom-Trotters With Fall well started, and winter just around the corner, all the young femmes are looking forward to the winter hops at various military academies, West Point and Annapolis. Every “kay-det” is looking forward to seeing his “drag,” and knows his particular femme is going to be the best of ’em all. One look at Priscilla Lane, costarring with Wayne Morris in “Brother Rat,” the Warner Bros. comedy at the Strand Theatre, will settle once and for all what the young college deb will want to look like when “hop” time draws near. Priscilla’s youthful coiffure is something that should be copied by every girl. Her naturallycurly blonde hair is arranged in soft curls at the nape of the neck, with clusters of ringlets around her temples and forehead. The new “hair-raising” angle is ultra-sophisticated, and isn’t suitable for the college dance or military “hop.” Consequently, Priscilla clings to the youthful long soft bob. “Maybe if I were going to the Ritz, or something,” says Pixie Priscilla, “I’d pile my hair on top of my head. But somehow, I think my ‘Brother Rat’ hairdress is just right for a prom.” Another prom coiffure suggestion that Priscilla offers is fresh flowers for the hair. But she suggests that instead of clinging to the conventional roses and gardenias, the college deb should consider violets, daisies and bachelor buttons. Mat 111—156 RONALD REAGAN AND JANE WYMAN-—are currently romancing in “Brother Rat," hilarious comedy of military life, now showing at the Strand,