Earthworm Tractors (Warner Bros.) (1930)

EARTHWORM TRACTORS PUBLICITY Joe Brown Is Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde of Movies Star Comedian In ‘“*Karthworm Tractors” Is Different Person Off Screen It’s funny no one seems to know, or at least care to acknowledge the fact that Joe E. Brown is a real Jekyll-and-Hyde of the movie lots. This is no brickbat aimed at Joe’s round but wellfilled head. It is an attempt to straighten out an apparent misunderstanding of the First National star’s character. The buffoon idea he implants on one’s mind in pictures seems to have created such a strong impression that the real-life side of him is totally overlooked. Interview him casually on a movie set, and his trade-marked face, his humorous expression may cheat you into thinking you have seen something like the real Joe E. Brown on the screen. The facts are these: Brown has a self-supplied education that would amaze you. Specialists in various branches of education have visited him, and _ because Brown knew they were specialists he drew them into conversation on topics they understood best. His shrewd queries revealed what he knows of such things as literature, science, history, biography, politics, and the background of art. Otto Klemperer is an idol of his, because Brown loves fine music and understands it. In his dressing room, along with autographed photos of circus, vaudeville, baseball and movie celebrities, are some good etchings. In his home are some excellent paintings Joe selected himself. He is a shrewd business man, with a diversity of interests. He took an unsuccessful Hollywood apartment building, redecorated it, changed the advertising campaign and plan of service, and made it a success. About the only thing he has touched which is not fully on the credit side of the ledger is his stable of racing horses, and Joe considers that expense for entertainment. No director ever complained about Brown’s habit of helping direct his pictures. A director appreciates help as much as any other mortal, if it’s good help. But the closest working arrangement of this sort is between Joe and his friend, Raymond Enright who directed his latest film, “Earthworm Tractors”, now showing at the dniuodateddjodvesions Theatre. The two consult over everything. If Joe failed to volunteer a suggestion Enright — asked for it. The result is one of the best pictures Brown has made. Brown is no intolerant moralist. He keeps a bar in his home and at his dressing room; invites any and all guests to drink. But he doesn’t touch a drop himself. Nor does he smoke, or over-eat. This is purely to keep himself in good condition and avoid the human shipwrecks he has _ seen during his long career in the show business. That career started at the age of nine, when he ran away from home to join a circus. That career, also, is studded with “smart” decisions. His success is one of the least “lucky” and haphazard the screen can show. He had a shrewd reason for everything he has done to forward his career. An excellent executive, he knows how to delegate authority, and pick the men and women working with him for their abilities in special lines. Perhaps most significant of all is what certain young actresses say of him. Jean Muir, Olivia de Havilland, June Travis, Beverly Roberts and others who appeared in his pictures at the beginning of their film careers still go to Brown when they want professional advice. “Earthworm Tractors” is Joe E. Brown’s latest roaring comedy based on the stories by William Hazlett Upson. Others in the cast include June Travis, Guy Kibbee, Dick Foran, Carol Hughes, Gene Lockhart, Olin Howland and Joseph Crehan. The screen play is by Richard Macauley, Joe Traub and Hugh Cummings. Joe . Brown, America’s favorite comedian, is now starring at the Theatre in First National’s “Earthworm Tractors”, the rib-tickling story about a dumbbell salesman whose madcap mishaps form one of the funniest Brown pictures in years. June Travis has the role of the leading lady and others in the cast include Guy Kibbee, Dick Foran and Carol Hughes. Mat No. 204—20c Guy Kibbee To Breed Warm Water Trout Warm-water trout, which thrive in lowland lakes can be developed, in the opinion of Guy Kibbee, who has the role of a nervous hypochondriac in the Joe EK. Brown First National comedy, “Earthworm Tractors”, now showing at CH Gsssszzeiesssesiesncatssess Theatre. He admitted that he’s already started preliminary steps toward the creation of such a trout breed. The plump comedian is not only an expert fisherman, but an ichthyologist. Tractor Rears Up And Threatens Joe E. Brown Ever have a tractor rear up and fall over backward on you? Figuratively, Joe E. Brown did. That Joe is still alive to tell the story is due to his friend and director, Raymond Enright. It was for a scene of the comedian’s current First National film, “Earthworm Tractors”, now showABR Ope re osdianiens Theatre. The scene was made on the site of a motorcycle hill-climb course. Brown, as the demon salesman Alexander Botts of the William Hazlett Upson stories, was to demonstrate the climbing ability of a tractor. By moving the course up the hillside to the left of the regular hill-climb track, increasing degrees of steepness could be secured right up to the top, a sheer cliff. “We'll have it as steep as the tractor will climb without falling over backward, and test it first by setting the empty tractor going up the hill with an automatic ignition cut-off on it,’ Enright declared. “That way we won’t risk anyone’s neck determining the greatest grade we can safely use.” The plan worked, and Joe got in the driver’s seat, and sent the web-driven machine churning up the slope. But it was decided to make another scene in which the tractor would travel faster. “Hold on!” cried Enright, as Joe was about to shove off. “Try it empty again first. I think if you go faster up there it'll fall over backward!” They tried it empty and sure enough, over it went. “Earthworm Tractors” is Joe E. Brown’s latest comedy. Others in the cast include June Travis, Guy Kibbee, Dick Foran, Carol Hughes, Gene Lockhart and Olin Howland. The screen play is by Richard Macauley, Joe Traub and Hugh Cummings. Cowboy Foran Taught To Ride By Joe E. Brown Dick Foran, First National’s “Singing Cowboy” and hero of the studio’s new series of western feature pictures, was taught how to ride by Joe E. Brown. But it wasn’t a horse. Dick knows about horses. It was a novelty mechanical bicycle. Joe E. Brown knows about machines. When rough-riding Foran essayed to ride the so-called “rhythm bike” and it threw him, Brown stepped into the role of instructor. The trick cycle, which has no pedals and is operated on an eccentric wheel principle, is one of the major comedy properties in the new comedy, “Earthworm Tractors”, which comes to the........ Theatre O1........csceseees Joe, at the picture’s start, is shown as being a devotee of the bouncing wheel. Later, by contrast, he sells and operates a huge ten ton Earthworm track-laying machine. The picture is a riotous comedy based on the stories of William Hazlett Upson. Besides Joe E. Brown and Foran, the cast includes June Travis, Guy Kibbee, Carol Hughes, Gene Lockhart, Olin Howland and Joseph Crehan. Raymond Enright directed. Joe E. Brown Finds Way To Reduce During the filming of his latest First National comedy, ‘“Earthworm Tractors”, which comes to theaccrncsists Theatre OM... : Joe E. Brown spent two full days in a standard sized _ telephone booth for the making of several long phone conversations. Joe lost two and a half pounds during the two days of being cooped up in the booth under the glare of the strong studio lights. Kibbee Tries To Start Sport Of Tractor Driving Playing in the First National picture, “Earthworm Tractors”, now showing at the............ Theatre, gave Guy Kibbee an idea. He bought one of the things for his “estate” in San Fernando Valley. The presence of a tractor salesman on the lot may have had something to do with it. At any rate, Mr. Kibbee, whose ambition is to become a “gentleman farmer”, purchased a tractor to pull stumps out of the ground and drag boulders up hillsides. The trouble is that Kibbee has no stumps to pull nor boulders to drag. So he found himself hard put to find a use for the tractor. He had an addition built on his garage to house it. The book of instructions he studies diligently. But so far he has had to amuse himself by driving the tread-mill like contraption up and down the street in front of his house. He wants to show it off to his neighbors. “I wish some of my friends would get tractors,” he said wistfully. “It might be a good game to hook them together and see which one can outpull. It might be quite a sport.” “Karthworm Tractors” is a screamingly funny comedy based on the stories by William Hazlett Upson. Besides Kibbee the cast includes Joe E. Brown, the star, June Travis, Dick Foran, Carol Hughes, Gene Lockhart and Olin Howland. Raymond Enright directed the picture from the screen play by Richard Macauley, Joe Traub and Hugh Cummings. Step right up, folks and meet Joe EK. Brown, the world’s greatest high-pressure salesman who sold a bill of goods to the wrong customer and a marriage license to the wrong girl. It’s First National’s laugh-careening comedy, “Harthworm Tractors” now at the Mat No. 107—10c Joe E. Brown Easy Mark For Fast Talking Salesmen Star of “Earthworm Tractors”? Just Can’t Say No To Them : By Joe E. Brown (star of the First National comedy, “Earthworm Tractors”, Which COMES tO the...scccccsssscsesees DREGE OR cinsesscvsisnescinorisisioves ) They’ve made a salesman out of me in my latest picture at the First National studio. It’s called “Earthworm Tractors’. I’m supposed to be one of those guys who could sell electric heating pads to natives of the tropics. They’ve certainly put me right in character this time; for I’m the man who could do it. This is no idle boast on my part. During the past ten or fifteen years I’ve learned more about high pressure salesmanship than the average man who has forgotten to put a salesman-proof lock on his front door. I didn’t have to go to a school to gather this knowledge. I learned it from the boys who sell the stuff. I don’t know why salesmen regard me as the perfect specimen of a man sadly lacking in that quality which business men call “sales resistance.” They do, though, and I have gone through life buying things I didn’t need with money I didn’t have, to store away in closets packed with other similar things I didn’t want. My home out here looks like a section of the British Museum, and I usually have to move every year or so in order to lose some of the things which have cluttered up the house. We have to lose the stuff. It couldn’t be given away. Take, for instance, a gadget I have which takes up all the space in a spare room which is badly needed for other purposes. It was sold to me by a young man with the perseverance of a beaver and a hat that was three sizes too big for him. I think I finally bought the thing on account of the hat. I wanted to see him take it off when he came into the house. Anyway, the boy started off by saying he wanted to sell me a grand piano. I told him I had one that another man had sold me the week before. He immediately became suspicious. “Did it have an adjustable wheel base with radio attachment?” he asked. “No, but it did have a convertible wash stand with comfortable space for three cakes of soap,” I answered, there. “T thought so,” he cried in a delighted manner. “He sold you a 1934 model. It probably didn’t even have the knee-action keyboard.” I admitted sadly that it didn’t. “Well,? he answered as_ he pulled out his order blank. “This one has. It’s also got streamlined legs and plays forty-six records without stopping. The records are extra. How many do you want?” “I don’t want any,” I answered meekly. He could see I was weakening. “Well, Dll throw in the records,” he replied. “Now, if you'll just sign your name on this line Ill have it sent around tomorrow. You can make the down payment now.” Good old Brown. man’s friend! Other men have found me just as easy a mark. There was the young man who sold me a genuine rhino skin sleeping bag to use when I went to Africa to hunt lions. “But I’m not going to Africa,” I said, “and I don’t like lions. They make me shiver just to look at them.” “Then you'll want some of these anti-shiver pills, too,’ answered the lad as he pulled a package out of his pocket and forced a pellet down my throat. I couldn’t say no. The pill had lodged itself somewhere in my tonsils and I was speechless for three full days until the sleeping bag arrived accompanied by another staggering bill. Then I had to talk plenty—to Mrs. Brown. I thought I had him The sales Page Twenty One