Convention City (Warner Bros.) (1933)

Despite Big Film Success Mary Astor Yearns for Stage After One Taste of Footlights This Frank Star Admits to Treasonable Stage Desires ERE is an actress, associated in the public mind only with pictures, who admits she much prefers the stage, despite the fact she has been enormously successful on the screen and has had but one solitary stage appearance: Yet she’d like to give up screen acting this minute and work behind the foot lights. Yes, even if it meant beginning in a small way. This amazing young woman is none other than Mary Astor, once Lucile Langhanke, of Quincy, Illinois, who is one of the members of the all-star cast in the First National comedy-drama, ‘“Convention City,’ which comes to the grea tee eearaee Theatre on She admits with complete frankness that she is still “self-conscious” in pictures, despite a record of having made some seventy-five films, in most of which she has played the lead. But her single stage appearance, on the west coast, with Edward Everett Horton “Among the Married,” tickled her so much and gave her so much confidence that she is eager for more stage work. And this isn’t the only unusual thing about Mary Astor. She was born in Quincy, Illinois, of parentage that blended five different bloods: Seotch, Irish, German and Polish. From her earliest childhood, she was determined to be an actress—yes, honestly. She really remembers that, and wouldn’t say it if she didn’t— for Mary Astor is a young woman who detests the bromides of the usual screen interviews and “life stories.” Portugese, “Maybe that’s silly,’ she smiles. “But I don’t like ballyhoo—the ‘phoney’ kind. I believe that producers are finding out that sincere and honest stories about their players are just as important as sincere and honest stories on the screen.” Mary’s first screen opportunity came in a picture called “The Beggar Maid.” This was after she had won a beauty competition and had been given a screen test as the reward. Her favorite screen role is that of Julia in “Holiday”; her favorite screen play, “Beau Brummel,” in which she appeared with John Barrymore. So far. as her worst picture is concerned, she replies when asked about that “they have been too numerous to mention.” Aside from acting, her greatest interests are her husband, a new baby and working at illustrations. If she were to turn to some profession other than acting, it would be to illustrate. She has a real flair for drawing. “Convention City” is the latest of a trio of pictures she has just completed for First National, and Warner Bros., the other two being “The Kennel Murder Case” and “The World Changes.” She stepped straight from one of these into another. Now she is under a long term contract to the same company, with “Easy To Love” as her next picture. The contract has quite some while to run. Then, perhaps, the stage. She won’t be satisfied till she has tried it again. In “Convention City” Miss Astor has the heroine lead in an all star cast, which includes Joan Blondell, the vamp, Adolphe Menjou, Dick Powell, Guy Kibbee, Frank MceHugh, Patricia Ellis and Ruth Donnelly. The story by Peter Milne is an uproarious comedy with many amusing love tangles in which a group of salesmen are enmeshed during a convention at Atlantie City. Archie Mayo directed from a screen play by Robert Lord. Ad vance Veatures En Route For Toledo A trainload of stars coming 60 miles an hour for Toledo and “Convention City,” First National laugh riot starring Adolphe Menjou, Mary Astor, Joan Blondell, Dick Powell, Guy Kibbee, Patricia Ellis, Frank McHugh, and many others coming soon to the Mat No.8 Price lic | 2 eee & Theatre. (Substitute name of your town in the caption) Train of Conventionists Photographed in New Way Sliding Stage With Railroad Tracks Used in ‘‘Convention City’ to Bring Train in Focus SLIDING stage that operates just back and forth—and not around, is now being featured in ‘‘Convention City,’’ the First National all-star comedy attraction which comes to Theatre on The seript required that a full trainload of enthusiastic salesmen, Atlantic City bound, had to face the cameras. Not only was it necessary for them to be photographed by the earload, as their special zoomed from New York to the New Jersey coast resort, famed as a convention city, but separate episodes had to be filmed in various compartments of the train. Naturally a real train wouldn’t fill the order. The camera had to penetrate one side wall of each car. That wall was left out, therefore, in the construction of the set. Aside from this deficiency, the cars had to be complete in all details—from washroom to ventilators, from reading lights above the Pullman seats to porter in white jacket. What’s more they had to move. Archie Mayo, who directed ‘“Convention City,” reached one decision early in the preparations. He did not want a canvas panorama unrolling past the windews of stationary cars. Also he did not want When Good Fellows Get Together to move his camera on a dolly from one end of the train to the other, to suggest motion. Both would be unconvincing. No, each ear should come to the camera. Therefore, the camera remained stationary and the train was made movable. All very good. But this meant a good deal of work in the way of set construction. A track had been set up, which extended not only the full width of the sound stage but a good deal further at either side. The walls of the stage were removed at these points and the tracks reached nearly fifty feet beyond, at both ends. A train of seven cars was then set on these tracks. Whenever Mayo wanted a partie ular car before his camera, the train was pushed into focus. And when the train pulled out of or into a station, it was moved from one extreme of the tracks into the camera’s range, and out again on the other side. Plenty of pushing in all this. The usual number of prop men and technicians had to be doubled for “Convention City.” The only one who really got a break was the cameraman. The train came and the train went but he stayed in one spot, set his camera to work and let the others worry about getting into range. Some of the most amusing scenes of this hilarious comedy take place aboard the train and at the station, as the convention bound business men, away from their wives carry on like kids out of school. The story by Peter Milne is a sparkling comedy showing how the tired business man behaves when he leaves friend wife behind to go on a business trip. Joan Blondell heads the all-star cast as the chorus girl chiseler who dotes on playful conventioners. Others in the splendid east include Adolphe Menjou, Dick Powell, Mary Astor, Guy Kibbee, Frank McHugh, Patricia Ellis, Ruth Donnelly, Hugh Herbert, Grant Mitchell and Gordon Westcott. Archie Mayo directed the picture from the screen play by Robert Lord. What They Talk About on Movie Set Between Shots HAT do they talk about between shots on a Hollywood sound stage? they’re always asking. Plenty of people want to know. At least Ruth Donnelly and Guy Kibbee were sitting in a Pullman compartment. They weren’t going anywhere. They were merely waiting while cameras, lights and sound equipment were adjusted so they could go on with a scene in ‘‘Convention City,’’ the First National comedy drama coming Archie Mayo, irrepressible but rotund director of the picture, was waiting too. Archie was growing restless. Cameras, lights and sound equipment, it seemed, were all requiring much too much attention. He strode about, then stopped before Miss Donnelly and Kibbee. The Kibbee girth had caught his roving eye. He pointed in disdain, and turned to Ruth. ““Now there’s what I call a really fat man,’’ he remarked. ‘‘Um, you should talk!’’ jeered Guy. And he fixed his gaze on the Mayo waistline, which is not exactly in the hour-glass mold. **You mean you think I’m fat?’’ asked Archie, incredulous. ‘‘ Look here!’’ he extended finger tips over his head, drew in his breath sharply and exhibited the result. *‘You do it just by breathing, Guy. That is, I do. Some of us can.’’ Kibbee was unimpressed. ‘‘ You weigh twenty pounds more than I do. Let’s say twenty out of charity.’’ *‘Humph You amuse me. What’s to Theatre. ‘With or without?’’ Archie continued firmly. ‘Oh, without, of course.’’ “‘Without! I can mateh you any day. I’m two seventeen that way. Listen, when Busby Berkeley saw nie without he wanted me for the lead in ‘‘Wonder Bar.’’ ‘fAll set,’’? said the cameraman. The sound chief agreed. Archie returned to his chair. ““Let’s go,’’ he said. What do they talk about between shots? Sometimes it’s a fat man’s contest. Anyway they seem to have a lot of laughs—if it’s an Archie Mayo picture. And the picture itself is full of laughs, being a hilarious take-off on the tired business man who leaves his wife behind to attend a business con vention and then has the time of his life, by acting as a playboy. There is an all star cast which in cludes besides Kibbee and Miss Donnelly, Joan Blondell, Adolphe Menjou, Mary Astor, Frank McHugh, Patri It?s always fair weather in “‘Convention City” where Dick Powell, Mary Astor, Adolphe Menjou, and many cia Ellis, Hugh Herbert, Hobart Cavanaugh and Gordon Westcott. The story is by Peter Milne and the sereen play by Robert Lord. your weight, Guy—off the record,’’ ‘*Two hundred and_ eighteen.’’ Guy smiled in triumph. ‘‘TI said you couldn’t match—’’ From the But most music is soothing others get together for the First National laugh hit coming soon to the ........................ Theatre. looks of this shot, the ocean breezes are not the only things full of moisture. —although we don’t guarantee this. Mat No. 21 Price 15c Page Thirty-five