Crooner (Warner Bros.) (1932)

ADVANCE PUBLICITY STORIES David Manners ‘anal asi Deeesk. as eS are seen in First National’s “Crooner.” Supporting them in this satire of the Boop Boo Boo Bee Boys are Guy Kibbee, Ken Murray, Edward Nugent and Betty Gillette. Cut No.1 Cut 30c Mat roc your L. story a aa ened ‘Crooner,’ Comedy Drama With Night Club Flavor “Crooner,” a First National picture, which opens ates ssh ea Pishive tiesto Sls By delightful comedy drama, based on the lives and loves of popular entertainers at the glamorous night _ clubs. your pe story Director Bacon Pins New Sobriquet On Film Star David Manners has ruined a perfectly good reputation of being the most gentlemanly player on the First National lot in North Hollywood. He is now known as the “Rough House Crooner,” but it took a real tongue lashing by the director to make Manners PH he was a » David, Manners, the polished = ys WwWno had the lewdiuy Tusw opposite. Kay Francis in “Man Wanted” and the juvenile lead in “Stranger in Town,” has the title role being cofeatured with Ann Dvorak, who will be remembered for her excellent work in “The Crowd Roars,” “The Strange Love of Molly Louvain” and ANN DVORAK Cut No. 5 fT o0-v-eIs3a , Racket.” They are supported by an un Cut 15c Mat 5c usually strong cast which includes such players as Ken Murray, Claire Dodd, Allen Vincent, Guy Kibbee, Sheila Terry, Edward Nugent, William Janney, Betty Gillette, J. Cartoll Naish, Teddy Joyce, William Ricciardi and William Halligan. The screen play by Charles Kenyon, is based on the story by Rian James, the popular author who wrote “Love Is a Racket” and other successful picture productions. It is a composite story of the incidents in the lives of America’s most popular crooners and their struggles to win fame. The theme treats of a modest young college boy, who has made such a success with his band in the university that he takes all the players with him in an effort to “break in” on Broadway. They find that they are entirely outclassed by the professionals and are about to give up when a drunken night club patron hands the band leader a megaphone to sing through. The novelty catches the popular fancy and the band wins fame over night. Manners and Miss Dvorak both give brilliant performances, while Ken Murray, long famous as a radio entertainer, proves even more effective on the screen than the air. Claire Dodd rolls a pair of dangerous eyes as the society vamp while Guy Kibbee is inimitable as the jovial drunk. His reputation was torn to shreds during the taking of a riot scene in a night club in “Crooner,” a picture which opens at the ........ Theatre next= 3... . Manners, in the title role, is so incensed by the razzing he gets from the elub patrons that he goes berserk, leaps into the crowd and lets fly with his fists. Director Lloyd Bacon retook the scene five times and still it was not realistic enough. He then lost his patience and in the frost eutting manner accused the cast of doing an Alphonse and Gaston act. It seemed the others were afraid to hit Manners and Manners was trying to be too much of a gentleman. Finally stung by the director’s bi*ing sarcasm Manners and other players lost their tempers and a real slugging match developed, in which one man had his nose broken, a woman was knocked down, while several others received black eyes and swollen faces. Lloyd Bacon grinned as he yelled “cut,” and then addressing Manners as the “rough house crooner,” he outlined the next scene. The camera man was on the job and the scene appears as one of the sensational thrills in a picture filled with the gay revelries and the wild parties of big city night life. The story is replete with humorous incidents, Rian James, the author exposing unmercifully the vanities of a popular crooner. According to Hollywood previewers Ann Dvorak gives a glowingly romantic portrayal of the girl who is torn between her love for her college boy lover, David Manners, the crooner, who has gone “high hat,” and that of his publicity promoter who worships her. Ken Murray, as the worldly wise publicity man, Claire Dodd as a society flirt, and Guy Kibbee, a jovial drunk, are all excellent in their parts. Others in the cast inelude Allen Vincent, Edward Nugent, Sheila Terry, William Janney, Betty Gillette, Teddy Joyce, J. Carroll Naish, William Ricciardi and William Halligan. ig your se story Cast In ‘Crooner,’ Are Actors And Musicians The cast for “Crooner,” a First National picture, which opens at thee Theatre tomorrow, was selected with great difficulty because every one of the important players, with two exceptions, had to be excellent musicians as well as actors. This is because the leading players are members of an orchestra who have to produce jazz tunes as well as enact their individual roles. It was originally intended to have a double for David Manners, who plays the title role, but as he proved to be the owner of a splendid crooner voice, the double was dispensed with. The actors who play in the band are William Janney, cornet; Allen Vincent, first violin; Teddy Joyce, second violin; Edward Nugent, trap drums; Clarence Nordstrom, piano; Will Morgan, cello; John Harron and Sumner Getchel, horns. “Crooner” is a gay story of night elub life with a thrilling romance, in which Ann Dvorak, in the leading feminine role, sets the masculine hearts aflutter. The picture is also full of pungent humor, as the author, Rian James, takes a fling at the inordinate conceit of public entertainers. Others in the cast include Ken Murray, Claire Dodd, Guy Kibbee, Sheila Terry, Betty Gillette, J. Carroll Naish, William Ricciardi and William Halligan. The picture was directed by Lloyd Bacon. ea, ciinimicaMlniattaimasiisiaei 4 your “—fitth story Ann Dvorak, The ‘‘Find”’ Of Current Screen Year Ann Dvorak, the popular pretty brunette who is co-featured with David Manners in “Crooner,” a First National picture, which will begin Sasi ee days showing at the React Te Theatre NOXtas ac. or has had a spectacular rise to fine in pictures. She is the “find” of the current screen season. Graduating from high school at fifteen (she is now only 19), she did her best to crash the motion picture gates, without success for some time. She finally managed to get a part in the chorus of the Hollywood Revue and did stage work for nearly two years. Then she made a test for a part in “Searface.” She passed it with flying colors and did so well she was immediately given a leading role in another picture. Within six months, in rapid succession, she played the leading feminine roles in “The Crowd Roars” opposite James Cagney, “The Strange Love of Molly Louvain,” in which she was co-featured with Lee Tracy, “Love Is A Racket” opposite Doug. Fairbanks, Jr. and “Stranger In Town,” with Chie Sale and her latest picture, “Crooner.” She herself says that any girl with talent and a fair amount of good looks can win out in the movies if she is persistent enough. The toughest part is getting the first opportunity, she declares, but after that the chances are wide open to the girl with talent. In “Crooner” she plays the part of a girl who igs torn between her love of an old sweetheart who has become so impossible because of his ‘success that his vanity is revolting, and that of a worldly wise man about town who worships her. David Manners takes the title role and excites many laughs at his own expense by taking the hero worship of women seriously. The story, from the pen of Rian James, the well known author, pokes unmitigated fun at the vanity of popular heroes. your Dun story NIT RAL SO EL ESTE EERE ES OES OES “Crooner”? Pokes Fun At Singers And Night Clubs The gayety and glamor of night clubs with their wild and hilarious festivities, form the settings for “Crooner,” a sparkling comedy drama with unusual sereen entertainment which opens at the ...... eee SHGASTS “NOkbs is 8 cos aS Several gay and glittering night clubs, including the “Golden Slipper” are shown in the picture, patterned after the famous cafes of Broadway. Here you find the cosmopolitan throngs on pleasure bent, making merry with each other, razzing the orchestra and singers, always ready for a frolic, or for a free for all battle, as the mood strikes them. The story pokes unrestrained fun at our famous crooners who are 80 overwhelmed at their sudden rise to success that they become unbearable to all. David Manners, who takes the title role, gives an excellent portrayal of a crooning college youth whose modesty turns to conceit when success comes to him. Then imbued with the idea that he is a genius, he “high hats” all his erstwhile friends. Ann Dvorak is charming as the sweetheart of other days who is not good enough for the idol of the pub Lie -e Fe ee 7 per and literally Wain. ter. Ken Murray as the rival tux her hand, proves as excellent a screen entertainer as he has been on the stage and radio, while Claire Dodd makes a_ seductive society vamp. Guy Kibbee adds an infinite amount of humor as a festive drunk. Others in the cast include such well known players as Allen Vincent, Edward Nugent, Sheila Terry, William Janney, Betty Gillette, J. Carroll Naish, Teddy Joyce, Wiliiam Ricciardi and William Halligan. Rian James, author of “Love Is A Racket” and many other screen plays, gives a vivid picture of night club life, its gay throngs of pleasure seekers and its favorite entertainers, at the same time presenting a delightful romance, with an ironical slant at the hero worship of popular idols. It is a First National picture directed by Lloyd Bacon. Ann Dvorak whose popularity is increasing daily. Her role in “Crooner” will undoubtedly earn her another large contingent of followers. Cut No.2 Cut15c Mat 5c : Page Three