Colleen (Warner Bros.) (1936)

“Colleen,” Latest Warner Musical Coming To Strand That inin*table team of screen lovers, Dick Powell with tuneful songs on his lips, and Ruby Keeler with her rhythmic dancing, together with Joan Blondell and Jack Oakie, head the cast of Warner Bros.’ latest spectacular musical comedy, “Colleen,’’ which comes to the .................... Theatre C0 hie caee a In addition to the four stars, the east, which is one of the most notable ever assembled for a production of this type, includes Hugh Herbert, Louise Fazenda, Paul Draper, Marie Wilson, and a score of other famous names besides two hundred beautiful chorus girls and dancing youths. There are two big, spectacular specialty numbers created and staged by Bobby Connolly, formerly dance director for the Ziegfeld Follies and other New York shows. Dick Powell is the serious minded young manager of an estate for a rich and flirtatious uncle, who had purchased a modiste shop for a “girl friend.” Dick falls in love with the efficient secretary of the shop, and manages to win her heart after a series of entanglements filled with hilarious comedy for the audience, although heartbreaking to the young lovers. He also sings three songs. Miss Keeler has the role of the secretary, and introduces some remarkable tap dancing, both by herself and with that wizard of the stage, Paul Draper. Jack Oakie and Joan Blondell portray a pair of golddiggers, out for all the loot they can get out of the eccentric millionaire, a role played by Herbert. His wife, a hysterical society woman, constantly upset by her husband’s philanderings, is portrayed by Louise Fazenda. Draper, the famous interpretative dancer of Broadway, makes his film bow in this picture. He has been the rage of New York, and in this picture, is said to do some of his finest lyric dancing. Other important members of the cast include Marie Wilson, Luis Alberni, Hobart Cavanaugh, Berton Churchill, J. M. Kerrigan, Spencer Charters, Addison Richards, Mary Treen and Charles Coleman. The picture was directed by Alfred E. Green. Ruby Keeler Again teamed with Dick Powell, charming Ruby Keeler shows what dancing really means in the first Warner Bros. musical in a year, ““Colleen,’’ which opens at the Gees TREGETE OM: .occrcercseesscooese Mat No. 104—10e Page Twenty-four Truckin’ To Town In Musical Hit Paul Draper, (left) the year’s sensational dancing find, makes his screen debut with Dick Powell (centre) Ruby Keeler (right) and the greatest all star cast since ‘‘42nd Street’’ in Warner Bros.’ new, bigger and faster mu sical romance ‘‘Colleen,’’ which opened at the BIsSeceserecer ROT Tee Theatre last night. Other headliners were Jack Oakie, Joan Blondell, Hugh Herbert, Louise Fazenda and Marie Wilson. There are hundreds of pretty New Musical Film ‘Colleen’ To Open At Strand Today “Colleen,” Warner Bros. latest musical film, opens at the .............. Theatre today with an all star cast, including Dick Powell, Ruby Keeler, Jack Oakie, Joan Blondell, Hugh Herbert, Louise Fazenda and a score of other principals as well as a couple of hundred chorus beauties and dancing youths. Robert Lord has provided a real plot for this musical comedy, which is said to be packed with delightful and hilarious fun as well as romance and some dramatic moments. As a spectacle, the picture presents two unique and unusual specialty numbers staged by Bobby Connolly, famous dance director, in which scores of beautiful girls participate. One is staged aboard an ocean liner, with everyone from the captain to the crew as well as the passengers doing a dance rhythm. The other takes place in a modiste shop in which a veritable style show is featured. Three original catchy songs were written for the production by the famous composers, Harry Warren and Al Dubin. Powell sings two of these, one with Keeler, while the other, a comedy number, is sung by Miss Blondell and Oakie. Miss Keeler goes through her famous tap steps, some alone, and also with Paul Draper, the Broadway dancing wizard, who was taken to Hollywood especially for this production. Others in the cast include Marie Wilson, Luis Alberni, Hobart Cavanaugh, Berton Churchill, J. M. Kerrigan, Spencer Charters, Addison Richards, Mary Treen and Charles Coleman. Alfred E. Green directed the production from the screen play by Peter Milne and F. Hugh Herbert. dancing girls. Mat No. 301—30c (Review) ‘Colleen’ Is Smash Hit At Strand Theatre Premiere Dick Powell And Ruby Keeler Lead Great Cast In Sparkling Musical Comedy The mere announcement that Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler are teamed in a musical drama seems sufficient to insure the popularity of the picture. Those talented young people started together in ‘‘42nd Street’’ and made a hit. They made another in “‘Flirtation Walk’’ and again in ‘‘Shipmates Forever.’’ In fact, every Dick Powell film has been a big hit. Con sequently when it was announced that Warner Bros. had a new musical, in which were not only Powell and Miss Keeler, but Jack Oakie and Joan Blondell, Hugh Herbert and Louise Fazenda, together with the stage’s greatest dancer, Paul Draper, were to be starred, the success of the picture was assured in advance. Last night, at its local premiere Ob TOS screscccsccctress Theatre, ‘‘Colleen’’ lived up to all expectations, and another smash hit was recorded for the Powell-Keeler combination. The story, written by Robert Lord, is packed with rollicking comedy, romance and a touch of real drama. There is more of a plot than in the ordinary musical and concerns the efforts of Powell to straighten out the business affairs of his wealthy and eccentric uncle, as well as his love scrapes. Incidentally Dick and Miss Keeler go in for some romancing and are all tied up in a score of hilarious entanglements, which are eventually straightened out in a smashing climax. Two mammoth and spectacular numbers were created and staged by Bobby Connolly with scores of beautiful chorus girls in each. One takes place on an ocean liner, specially built for the picture and the other in a modiste shop in which is presented a gorgeous fashion show. The settings are not only unique and unusual, but exceptionally beautiful, displaying new designs of glass and streamline furniture, as well as the latest mode in gowns. There are three songs, written for the production by Harry Warren and Al Dubjn, ace team of song writers of Broadway and Hollywood. Powell sings two of the songs in his inimitable manner, one by himself and one in which Miss Keeler gives a lyrical recitative. The other, a comedy number, sung by Jack Oakie and Joan Blondell, is entitled ‘‘Boulevardier from the Bronx,’? Miss Keeler has a winsome, wistful personality that everyone falls in love with. She also gives an exhibition of exceptional tap dancing, particularly an interpretative dance, a love lyric without words, which she and that wizard of stage dancing, Paul Draper, do together. ‘¢Colleen’’ is the latter’s first film, incidentally he kaving been engaged specificaly to dance in this film. His work with his feet is really exceptional. Oakie and Miss Blondell. are teamed as a pair of gold diggers, Draper Is “Tops’ As Dancer, Says Ruby Keeler “Just look at that boy’s dancing!” exclaimed Ruby Keeler. “Just listen to his taps! I thought I’d seen and heard all the best, but this man is certainly the tops!” Miss Keeler was sitting on a sideline of one of the sets for “Colleen,” the Warner Brothers musical comedy now showing at GO esas 8.2 Theatre. She was watching a lean, redheaded, 6-foot specimen of grace, speed and agility, who was whirling, prancing, tapping his way about a hardwood floor in rehearsal, clad in old slacks and metalplated shoes. “Youre looking at America’s best male dancer!” Ruby went on with genuine enthusiasm. “His tapping is absolutely perfect. There’s not the slightest ‘slur’ nor ‘slide’ sound to a single tap. Each is as clear, distinct and staccato as an individual shot in a machine-gun burst. And besides, he has grace and personality.” “Colleen” is a rollicking, musical comedy with an all star cast including Dick Powell, Miss Keeler, Jack Oakie, Joan Blondell, Hugh Herbert, Louise Fazenda and Draper. Bobby Connolly staged the production numbers while Alfred E. Green directed the picture from the screen play by Peter Milne and F. Hugh Herbert, based on a story by Robert Lord. Music and lyrics are by Harry Warren and Al Dubin. Hits High Again Dick Powell smashes through again with another big hit — which makes his batting average exactly 1000. This time he’s heading the biggest all star cast of his career im ‘*Colleen,’’ which comes to the Byes rae Theatre. 01 -...cictiace Mat No. 111—10c in reality heavy roles treated in comedy fashion. Both are excellent, as is Hugh Herbert as the eceentric millonaire uncle of Powell, whose business vagaries keep his nephew on tender hooks, and whose philanderings drive his wife to hysteria, the latter part played with real skill by Miss Fazenda. Others who handle important roles capably include Marie Wilson, Luis Alberni, Hobart Cava. naugh, Berton Churchill, J. M. Kerrigan, Spencer Charters, Addison Richards, Mary Treen and Charles Coleman. Alfred E. Green has done a fine job of direction, balancing the comedy romance and drama with the music and dancing and specialty numbers.