Footlight Parade (Warner Bros.) (1933)

NEHE CAMERA RIDES HIGH your 10th story f : your 11th story nee Score of Coeds Seen Spectacular Scenes iT ait “‘Footlight Parade’ More than a score of the 250 beautiful chorus girls appearing in the unique dance and underwater numbers of the Warner Bros. im§¢ Footlight Parade,’’ which comes to the............ mense musical picture, Shir, eeanceee, theatre on were selected from the campuses of several California universities. Busby Berkeley, who staged the numbers for ‘‘42nd Street’’ and ‘‘Gold Diggers of 1933,’’ decided when he came to selecting girls for ‘<Footlight Parade’’ that he wanted some new faces and different types of chorus girls. He decided to try college girls. Consequently he visited the University of California at Log Angeles, University of Southern California, Occidental and Redlands in search of screen beauty. Pomona, He walked about the campuses, visited the libraries and study rooms spotting a girl here and there that he thought might do. Arrangements were made through the Deans to ask the girls if they wished to make a test. More than 100 tried and a score passed muster. They were im mediately put to work learning the dance steps for the picture. One of the most. promising he found was Miss Dee Niece Bellon, a Zeta Tau Alpha sorority girl who was not only beautiful but one of the leaders in both class work and extra curricula activities. She has an important part in the chorus work and her talent was so marked she will be given opportunity for future development. ‘¢Footlight Parade,’’ a romance of back stage life, carries an all star cast headed by James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler, Dick Powell, Frank McHugh, Ruth Donnelly, Hugh Herbert and Claire Dodd. It was directed by Lloyd Bacon from the screen play by Manuel Seff and James Seymour. Music and lyrics were written by two famous teams, Warren-Dubin and Fain-Kahal. Page Twenty Dance Numbers of, And Lively Tunes in ““Footlight Parade’ Two hundred and fifty girls. Big girls. Little girls. Plump girls. Slim girls, Blondes, Brunettes, Red Heads. They were all engaged by Busby Berkeley for his amazing dance ensembles in ‘‘Footlight Parade,’’ the big Warner Bros. musical picture which comes: to the ~:........00....ccsseedeee: WUE RAE Bre) | Rear epee berge cape Seam erer tee These production numbers are supplied with music by two teams of song writers, one of them Harry Warren and Al Dubin, the other Sam my Fain and Irving Kahal. The ‘*Honeymoon Hotel’? number makes use of a large chorus, with Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell as principals. In ‘*Shanghai Lil’’ Jimmy Cagney dances and sings for the first time since he came to the screen from Broadway. Ruby Keeler is his partner in this number. ‘“‘By a Waterfall’’ is the most spectacular of the numbers in ‘‘ Footlight Parade’’ —and perhaps the most spectacular ever attempted in a screen musical. A huge swimming pool and mountain waterfall were constructed for its opening sequences on a Warner Bros, sound stage—with a fountain of gigantic proportions adding to the brilliance and magnificence of the scene. A forest pool and waterfall, filled with two hundred woodland nymphs, dissolves into a ‘‘glorified’’ marble plunge, where the same girls, in special underwater costumes, evolve ingenious figures in the water. Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell sing the number. ‘<Sittin’* on a Backyard Fence’’ presents Ruby Keeler and Billy Taft as principals in a number inspired by a cat’s walk. A large chorus of girls and boys, attired as kittens and cats, prowl high fences under an enormous moon while Miss Keeler sings this contagious tune. ‘¢Footlight Parade’’ is a riotous comedy romance of theatrical life written by Manuel Seff and James Seymour and directed by Lloyd Bacon, In the east, beside those mentioned, are Joan Blondell, Frank McHugh, Guy Kibbee, Ruth Donnelly, Hugh Herbert and Claire Dodd. One of the gorgeous swimming pool scenes in Warner Bros. musical triumph, ‘Footlight Parade.” onstrates the precarious position the cameramen must assume to photograph this beautiful shot for the screen. **Footlight Parade,” is coming soon to the................ Theatre. Cut No. 50 Insert dem Cut 45e Mat15c your 12th story Cagney, Once Stage Hoofer, Dances For “‘Footlight Parade’ James Cagney is hoofing again. Jimmy’s career started as a hoofer on the stage, but he has done nothing Suddenly he found himself cast for the leading role ‘<Footlight Parade,’’ the Warner Bros. mammoth musical pic in this line for years. in ture which comes to the ChE Athen ON 4.2 eetire capes For several years, Jimmy went through dance routines in various he graduated to featured roles, how Broadway productions. Once ever, he didn’t rely on his feet again as a livelihood. But now, in the search for new laurels, Jimmy’s agile pedals are brought into action again—with a vengeance! Jimmy’s part called for him to go through many dance steps during his staging of musical prologues. He also does a specialty dance and song number singing ‘‘Shanghai Lil’’ when his juvenile fails him just before the curtain goes up on his most elaborate prologue. Jimmy installed a piano on the stage where he was working and began daily work on the intricate dance steps. This he kept up for three weeks until he had perfected his steps and was ready to begin that part of the production work. His dancing in ‘¢Pootlight Parade’’ is one of the numerous big surprises in the picture. A powerful all star cast which includes, besides Cagney, Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler, Dick Powell, Frank MeHugh, Guy Kibbee, Ruth Donnelly, Hugh Herbert, Gordon Westcott, Arthur Hohl and Phillip Faversham, was directed by Lloyd Bacon who won such signal honors with ‘‘42nd Street.?? Manuel Seff and James Seymour wrote the story. Busby Berkeley created and staged the dance numbers and ensembles in which two hundred and fifty of Hollywood’s most beautiful dancing and swimming girls appear in the most spectacular scenes ever made. The music was written by the teams of Warren and Dubin and Fain and Kahal. your 13th story Ruby Keeler Changes From Ugly Duckling into Beautiful Swan It is usually the duty of the motion picture make-up artists to aecentuate the beauty of the stars. But on occasion they are called upon to make the features plain, or even homely. A remarkable example of such uglification appears in the Warner Bros. mammoth musical comedy special. ‘‘Footlight Parade,’’ which will be shown on the screen of the theatre-on: staat Ruby Keeler, one of the members of the all star cast, plays the role of an office clerk in a theatrical company. Being all business, she dresses plainly and quite out of style. Director Lloyd Bacon was doubtful as to whether a face as sweet and pretty as Ruby Keeler’s could be made homely, He sent her to the make-up department with considerable misgiving. But when she returned he was satisfied. In fact he didn’t even know her at first. He glared at her for interrupting him, and it was not until she spoke that he reeognized her. The make-up department had properly uglified her by combing her hair back smooth and flat and tying it in a small knot at the back. A dull make-up was placed on her eyebrows and lashes and the curve taken out of the brows. The dimples in her cheeks were covered with heavy make-up and her mouth made up into a straight line. With frumpy clothes Miss Keeler appeared plenty plain. But it is not for long that she is an ugly duckling, for when Ruby falls in love with a young singer, a part played by Dick Powell, she immediately makes for the hair dressers and the beauty parlors. Then she appears even more _ beautiful than usual, the contrast with her earlier make-up emphasizing her natural charm, Miss Keeler and Powell have one of the lovers’ roles in ‘‘Footlight Parade,’’ which is a powerful comedy drama of theatrical life. James Cagney and Joan Blondell are another team of lovers while others in the all star cast include Frank MeHugh, Guy Kibbee, Ruth Donnelly, Hugh Herbert, Claire Dodd and Arthur Hohl. The brilliant dance numbers were created and staged by Busby Berkeley with two hundred and fifty beautiful girls taking part. The screen play is by Manuel Seff and James Seymour and the eatchy songs written by the two teams of WarrenDubin and Fain-Kahal. Plant Roto Art Early Be sure to plant the stills for your local rotogravure sections well in advance. As you doubtless ly know, roto sections are generally made up a couple of weeks ahead of publication date. You’ll find editors particularly keen about using the gorgeous scenes and the beautiful gals. JAMES GAGNEY TURNS “HOOFER” Jimmy Cagney and Ruby Keeler sing and dance together for the first time in “‘Fooilight Parade,’ sensational new musical coming Theatre. This scene is from the “Shanghai Lil’? number, one of the hits of picture. Cut No. 79 Cut 30¢ Mat 10c