Fireman, Save My Child (Warner Bros.) (1932)

PUBLICITY ADVANCE STORIES — REVIEWS — FOLLOW-UP STORIES — FEATURES — SHORTS — SCENE CUTS your L. story This story contains complete in formation about “Fireman, Save My Child” and is known to showmen as a “routine story.” Joe E. Brown Appears As Fireman And Baseball Hero In New Comedy Joe E. Brown, star of ‘‘Local Boy Boy Makes Good’’ and numerous comedies, appears as both fireman and baseball hero in his latest picture, “Fireman, Save My Child,”’ a First Nation picture coming to the Toeetre -Mext 0S ee Brown is given his greatest opportunity in ‘‘Fireman, Save My Child.” In it he appears as the small town hero who is the assistant fire chief, and star pitcher of the local baseball team. He is a natural born fire fan who would rather go to a fire than make love to his best girl. He drops everything, baseball game or love, at the sound of a siren. This conception of the small town hero by Robert Lord, Ray Enright and Arthur Caesar, three famous humorists, gives Brown great latitude in securing laughs from audiences. As ‘Smoky Joe’? Grant, Brown invents a fire extinguisher. Needing money to exploit his patent, he accepts an offer from the St. Louis Cardinals to pitch for their team. He makes good as a pitcher, but is in constant difficulties with the team manager because of his penchant for dropping everything when a_ fire truck shrieks by. In the city, everyone regards him as a rube and he falls into the clutches of a blonde ad venturess, in spite of his love for Sally, the home-town girl. His difficulties are smoothed out, however, and he returns to the hometown more a hero than ever, rushing to his marriage with Sally in the local fire wagon. Evalyn Knapp portrays the hometown girl with whom ‘Smoky’ Joe is in love. This is Miss Knapp’s first important role since her injury last year which confined her to a hospital for several months. Lilian Bond, English star recently seen on the New York stage in the musical comedy “Free For All,’’ appears as the adventuress who complicates the hero’s life in the big city. Guy Kibbee is the team manager who cannot sympathize with Joe’s passion for fires. Others in the capable cast are Richard Carle, George Meeker, Andy Devine, who made such a hit as the injured football player in ‘‘The Spirit of Notre Dame,” and a large staff of Pacific Coast and major league baseball players, among whom _ is Frank Shallenbach, star pitcher. Page Six Lloyd Bacon directed ‘‘Fireman, Save My Child,’’ which Manager of the Theatre believes to be the best Brown comedy produced to date. your 2 nd story Important Cast In New Joe E. Brown Picture “Fireman, Save My Child,” Joe E. Brown’s latest comedy for First National pictures, which comes to the Theatre next has one of the most important casts ever seen in a Brown picture. Supporting Brown in the leading feminine roles are Evalyn Knapp, as the home town girl, and Lilian Bond, as the blonde adventuress. This is Miss Knapp’s second role since the severe injury which confined her to Hollywood Hospital for several months. The acting roster and the parts played by the cast read as follows: ‘Smoky’”’ Joe Grant, assistant fire chief and local baseball hero, Joe E. Brown; Sally, Evalyn Knapp; June, Lilian Bond; Pop, Guy Kibbee; Mascot, George Ernest; Fire chief, George MacFarlane; Larkin, Ben Hendricks, Jr.; Dan Toby, Richard Carle; Mr. Platt, . Walter Walker; baseball players, George Meeker, Andy Devine, Frank Shallenbach. Andy Devine is the young player who made a great personal success as the injured football player in ‘‘The Spirit of Notre Dame.” Richard Carle, a last minute addition to the cast, has appeared in musical comedies over a long period, the last of which was “‘The New Yorkers,” last season’s success. Walter Walker is another stage veteran, having appeared in the Arthur Hopkins productions ‘‘Half Gods,”’ “Holiday”? and ‘‘Rebound.’”’ George Meeker has been accepted as a screen find although this is only his second picture. His first, ‘‘Strictly Dishonorable,’’ called him to public attention. Lloyd Bacon directed ‘‘Fireman, Save My Child,’ which was written and adapted by Robert Lord, Ray Enright and Arthur Caesar. your 5; rd story Joe E. Brown Twice Escapes Injury In Making New Film Twice within twenty-four hours, the old circus man’s instinct for taking care of himself in emergencies saved Joe E. Brown from _ probable serious injury while at work in ‘‘Fire man, Save My Child,” the First National picture coming to the........ iPMe@athe NeXt sts arcs. Joe was called upon to drive at top speed around a corner in a roadster. Another car got in the way and Brown had to make a wider turn.than he expected in order to avoid a collision. His car skidded, mounted a prop sidewalk and stopped short, just before smashing into a large plate glass window in a studio store front. The day before, Joe, as the village fire chief, urging the horses of his old-fashioned fire truck, cut a corner so close that he was jolted from the driver’s seat. Hanging by a foot and holding tight to the reins to prevent a runaway he saved himself from falling until a second fire wagon, hot in pursuit, swept alongside. An arm reached out and pushed Joe back into the driver’s seat. Then both wagons were brought to a halt and Joe had a chance to catch his breath. The scene of course had to be shot again. ‘“‘Fireman, Save My Child’? was directed by Lloyd Bacon and includes Evalyn Knapp, Lilian Bond, Guy Kibbee, George Meeker, Andy Devine and Richard Carle in its large cast. your A. story Tris Speaker Got Baseball Thrills From ‘Fireman, Save My Child”’ Tris Speaker, one of the great names in the history of baseball, was in the audience which viewed the first west coast showing of Joe E. Brown’s First National starring picture, ‘‘Fireman, Save My Child,”’ which comes to the Theatre next Following the preview of the picture’ the famous Speaker despatched the following message to First National headquarters: “In all my years on the baseball diamond, | know of no ball game that gave me the thrill and hour of suspense that Joe E. Brown did in ‘Fireman, Save My Child.’ | dare any baseball fan or any true American to miss seeing this marvelous comedy of a ball player. To miss seeing ‘Fireman, Save My Child’ is to miss the treat of your lifetime and your laughtime.” This high praise summed up the consensus of the audience opinion at the preview. Supporting Joe E. Brown in this Lloyd Bacon-directed comedy hit are Evalyn Knapp, Lilian Bond, Guy Kibbee, Andy Devine, George Meeker, Richard Carle and a large cast of Coast League and major league baseball players. Se Last Of Frisco’s Fire Horses Used In “‘Fireman, Save My Child” “Old Dan,” last of the famous wheel horses in San Francisco’s famous Mission District Fire Department, makes another appearance in his old role in ‘‘Fireman, Save My Child,” the First National picture starring Joe E. Brown which comes to the pline@atre NeXt <n “Old Dan’s” fire laddie days were ended by the motorization of the San Francisco fire department. He was sent down to Los Angeles to appear in a fire picture, along with the rest of his mates, several years ago. His running mates have died since, leaving “Old Dan’’ to train the young horses the studios use in pictures which require old-fashioned fire apparatus. “Old Dan” is past twenty, but continues to respond to the gong in the fire house, even if it’s only to a studio-planned fire. Also prominent in the animal division of the ‘‘Fireman, Save My Child’’ cast is ‘‘Notre Dame,” a stray pup who refused to be separated from Joe E. Brown and followed him to fires and baseball games. ‘‘Notre Dame’ got his name from Andy Devine, former football player at that institution, who appears in the picture as a member of the baseball team. aa ee Coast And Major League Baseball Players In “‘Fireman, Save My Child” The baseball teams on which Joe E. Brown plays in his role of the small town hero of “Fireman, Save My Child,” the First National picture coming to the Theatre next composed of famous collegiate, major and minor league players. Mike Donlin, -one time slugger king of the New York Giants acts as an umpire. Frank Shallenbach, ace pitcher in the Pacific Coast league, also has an important role. Several players from the University of Southern California and the University of California at Los Angeles are on the teams. The major leagues are represented by several of their great stars, giving the picture absolute authenticity, and causing Tris Speaker, one of baseball’s greatest names, to say that no ball game he ever played in his long major league career gave him the thrill he got from ‘‘Fireman, Save My Child.”