First Lady (Warner Bros.) (1937)

KK a i ch ee er ce ee ce ee See ee ~ = * * ae a i ee x KAY FRANCIS JOTTINGS Unlike many directors, Stanley Logan, who recently made his debut in that capacity on Warner Bros.’ comedy “First Lady,”’ starring Kay Francis, does not stand directly back of the camera during the filming of a scene. “We have the finest cameramen in the business,’ he explains, ‘while I'm no expert. I stand to one side where | can see the action and let the cameramen take care of their own job.” Louise Fazenda still pads — for comedy. The screen’s widely-loved comedienne says that her padded upholstery used to weigh twenty pounds, but now she can get by with a comedy matron role on fifteen pounds of cushioning. ‘‘The difference,’’ explains Miss Fazenda, who is currently playing a leading role in “First Lady,’’ “‘is me.” On the set of ‘First Lady,’’ Director Stanley Logan deliberately fostered a certain amount of reserve between Kay Francis and Verree Teasdale. In the film, the two women are intense rivals, and he wished to keep them feeling just a little that way off screen as well. But the seasoned actresses turned the tables on him, by becoming fast friends while doing an even better job than he had hoped for of hating each other for their movie scenes. Have you ever heard of ghost painters? They're a very important, though anonymous, part of movie work. Their job is to reproduce old and valuable paintings for ‘‘props,”’ or doing ‘quickie’ portraits of the stars. But the strangest job was the one assigned to a ghost painter on the “First Lady’’ set. He had to do a portrait of an elderly (and nonexistent) man, who resembled Kay Francis and who would look as though he might have been a former president of the country. Victor Jory, who plays a romantic lead opposite Anita Louise in “First Lady,”’ the brilliant comedy adapted from Katharine DaytonGeorge S. Kaufman famous stage play, has held the combined boxingwrestling championship of the National Guard, heavyweight division. He has defended it fourteen times. a TMI aN Cast of Characters Lucy Chase Wayne Kay Francis Stephen Wayne _ Preston Foster Anita Louise Walter Connolly Verree Teasdale Victor Jory Marjorie Rambeau Sophy Prescott Dae: Marjorie Gateson Louise Fazenda renee Henry O’Neill ..Grant Mitchell Eric Stanley Lavinia Mae Creevey George Mason Ellsworth T. Ganning Tom Hardwicke Mrs. Ives Mrs. Mason Charles Gregoravich Bleeker Lucille Gleason Sara Haden bf ale Harry Davenport Gregory Gaye Olaf Hytton Production Staff Stanley Logan \Katharine Dayton |George S. Kaufman Rowland Leigh Sid Hickox, A.S.C. Screen Play by Photography by Ralph Dawson Max Parker Max Steiner Leo F. Forbstein Orry-Kelly Stanley Jones “FIRST LADY” LHE STOR Y The ambition of Lucy Chase Wayne (Kay Francis), grand-daughter of a former President, is to have her husband, Stephen, (Preston Foster), rule the nation and to become, herself, First Lady. Opposed to Lucy in her social leadership of Washington, D. C., is Irene Hibbard (Verree Teasdale), wife of Carter Hibbard (Walter Connolly), a weak, negative, patient old martyr to his wife. As the story opens, brilliant young Gordon Keane (Victor Jory), has just made his maiden speech, which Lucy Wayne _ has practically written for him, as she wants him to be an ally of her husband, Stephen. Lucy and her rival, Irene, have several social battles over Keane, with honors about even. But Keane rather prefers Lucy, especially because of the presence in her house of her niece, Emmy Page (Anita Louise). Then Lavinia Mae Creevey (Louise Fazenda), elderly, self-important President of a woman's organization that’s fighting for purity and patriotism, comes to town. Lavinia controls several million feminine votes. Both Lucy and Irene try to win Lavinia’s favor. Irene is successful, and Lavinia is ready to throw her strength to Hibbard for the Presidential nomination. It is up to Lucy to thwart this. She gets a great break. She learns that the United States and the nation of Slavonia are about to conclude a treaty, for the first time. And the former husband of her rival, Irene Hibbard, is Prince Pavlov Gregoravich (Gregory Gaye). Inasmuch as the United States has never recognized Slavonia laws hitherto, Irene’s divorce from the Prince is no good, and, technically, she has been “‘living in sin’ with Carter Hibbard. Lucy promises to spread the story unless Hibbard withdraws from the candidacy. Irene withdraws him since there is nothing else for her to do. Stephen Wayne is nominated instead, and it looks as though a very happy and triumphant Lucy will gain her wish to be First Lady, at the same time giving away her niece in marriage to young Keane. Following “First Lady” around from bottom left picture around to the lower right we find Anita Louise making a date over the studio phone with some lucky guy; Kay Francis taking her rightful place in the limelight; Preston Foster primping up for a close-up with Kay; Anita Louise gets a kick out of something Verree Teasdale said; and in the center, the First Lady herself, embroidering an adorable antimacassar for the back of director Logan’s chair. At embroidering the lady is a champ. [9] Mat 401—60c * oa... ir tt Oe