Front Page Woman (Warner Bros.) (1935)

EEE ee a se a Hollywood Knows Coming Fall Fashions In Advance Milo Anderson Creates Entire Autumn Ward robe For “Front Page Woman” Star By Linda Leath It’s no secret to Hollywood what’s going to be worn next fall. Milo Anderson, designer at Warner Bros.’ studios, created an entire wardrobe of modish autumn clothes which Bette Davis wears in “Front Page Woman’, coming to the next Since she plays the role of a crackerjack newspaper woman, Bette appears exclusively in daytime clothes designed for business wear. Of her ten changes in the picture, seven of the costumes are smart suits. The rest include two street dresses and a cleverly conceived velvet coat. So pleased was Bette personally with her new picture-wardrobe that she obtained from the studio permission to buy it for her own use, after “Front Page Woman” was finished. The coat, of grey velveteen, features a basket-stitched yoke with wide shoulders, slat seams on the bell sleeves, and a double breasted top fastened with four buttons. A short velvet scarf ties under a demure round collar, and with the wrap Bette wears a King’s blue felt hat, which according to the designer, is a cross between a tricorn and a beret. New Gray Gabardine Perfect especially for a newspaper girl—since it has a grand “action” back—is Bette’s suit of gray gabardine. The back of the jacket, instead of being gathered from yoke to belt, has_a flat panel ‘set in with hidden pleats on each side. A blue taffeta scarf, extending down one side only, is caught under a_ strap fastened with a covered button, and on the skirt, a flat, hand-sewn seam down the center of the back is but one of the tailoring tricks enhancing this suit. Also of gabardine is a navy blue suit, having a short belted jacket with flared hem, and trimming of white bengaline. With this Bette selected a navy baku straw sailor, flaring upwards as to brim, and with the Civil War crown. Over a brown and white print dress, the blonde Bette will wear a three-quarter length wool coat in brown, tightly belted, flared out at the knees, and _ interestingly trimmed with quilted, padded haltmoons of the print, set in at the shoulders. Beige flannel combined with navy crepe makes another ensemble, while a gray cloth dress of Faille Supreme is set off by a dickey of gray, blue and white printed silk, the back of the frock being slashed to show the print, which also is used in a kerchief effect—draped at the neckline in front, and tying in back under an erect collar. Bette’s Hats Are Small Brown again — and gabardine again too — is a clever little suit with a straight, narrow slit skirt, and a top that looks like a doublebreasted jacket but is really a pull-over blouse. This has two rows of covered buttons down the front to carry out that effect while a square yoke of rose-tan crepe, set on below a high choker collar, widens the shoulders and is repeated in the deep cuffs. Bette’s hats, for these costumes, are small, but all of them find dash and verve in a score of unusual little trimming tricks. One, a Union blue felt with the Civil War crown, has a binding, band and bow of natural straw, while another, also blue felt, is brimless and finds its interest in navy blue ribbon, set on all the way round, in pyramid pleating. Appearing with Bette Davis in “Front Page Woman,’ which is directed by Michael Curtiz, are George Brent, Roscoe Karns, Joseph Crehan, Dorothy Dare and June Martel. The picture was adapted from Richard Macauley’s magazine story, “Women Are Bum Newspapermen,” by Roy Chanslor and Lillie Hayward. Page Nine Theatre I can prove I love you—just give me twenty-four hours. Real Telegraphers Get Movie Jobs Three Hollywood telegraphers, all of whom spent many years as press association operators, got movie jobs in Warner Bros’ “Front Page Woman,” now playIne at-ctne eos Theatre. When Director Michael Curtiz needed telegraphers for one sequence depicting the activity in a prison press room after an electrocution, he had the casting office obtain the services of three -experienced men from a telegraph company. EK. G. Tessier, Roy E. Hill and J. J. Wray got the jobs. ‘They were filmed right alongside George Brent and Bette Davis, stars of the picture, both of whom portray newspaper reporters. Bette Davis Is Glad Now Roles are Sympathetic Star of “Front Page Woman” Reached Film Fame Through Portrayals of «“Menaces”’ By Bette Davis Frequently I am asked: “What type of role do you prefer?” Invariably during an interview, that question will be shot at me sooner or later, and I don’t believe it has been answered to my own complete satisfaction yet. As a matter of fact, I don’t know. I’ve tried them all, but I can truthfully say I don’t know which I prefer. I’ve caught myself replying to BETTE DAVIS, star of “Front Page Woman”, now at the Theatre. Mat No. 104 10¢ the question on more than one occasion with: “Well, I don’t know which I prefer, but I do know that I don’t want to be a menace.” But, upon more mature consideration, I wonder. “Heavy” roles have been very kind to me. So, too, have hardboiled and “unconventional” parts. Even the simple ingenue roles I played at the beginning of my screen career certainly did me no harm. IT have found that the sweet or conventional type of woman on the screen is perhaps the least interesting role as far as I am concerned. However, I can’t say. I dislike them. I had thought I was least suited to comedy, but I enjoyed myself immensely playing opposite George Brent in “Front Page Woman”, which opens at the ............ Theatre gb Lampe e Eee patos . For a time I sincerely hated the part I played in the picture that Newspaper Man George Brent, appearing with Bette Davis in “Front Page Woman”, at LO ee Theatre. Mat No. 103—10ce probably brought me my greatest praise, the role of “Mildred” in “Of Human Bondage.” I took the part, that of-a despicable woman, simply because I felt I had not progressed rapidly enough and that TI needed something to attract attention. I was surprised myself, however, at the attention the part did attract. I hesitated again when I was offered a_ similar role opposite Paul Muni in “Bordertown,” but I can not honestly say I disliked the part after I got into it. I like the role I am now playing, that of a girl reporter in Warner Bros.’ “Front Page Woman”, but — I can not say that it is the type of part I like best. The role is unconventional, provides a splendid opportunity and I find myself enthused with it. But I can not say I prefer it to any other that I have played. I’m afraid that if I conscientiously answer the question: “What type of role do I prefer?” I shall have to reply: “TY Jike them all. I prefer none.” Bette Davis Trains To Be Reporter Bette Davis’ greatest ambition at the moment is to sit in the editorial .rooms of a newspaper while a big story is breaking. To this end, she spent several days in metropolitan Los Angeles newspapers, waiting for a “break” at the same time soaking up “local color” for her current picture, the Warner Bros. production, “Front Page Woman,” now showing at GHG eee Theatre. Bette Davis Gets New Movie Name Bette Davis has a new name. It’s “Miss Front Page”. She acquired the new title during production of Warner Bros. “Front Page Woman,” which comes to thes Theatre on Whenever Director Michael Curtiz wanted Miss Davis for a scene, he called: “Step up, Miss Front Page.” Finally the entire cast and technical crew were addressing her by that title and the name has stuck. Miss Davis is co-starred with George Brent in the newspaper picture. A Flash In His Pan A moment of drama in Warner Bros.’ newspaper comedy, “Front Page Woman”, now at the ............ .. Theatre. Roscoe Karns snaps a front page photo while Bette Davis and George Brent, who are covering the story, get an eyeful. Mat No. 202—20c Director Turns Reporter For Newspaper Production Michael Curtiz Spends Weeks In Research Before Filming “‘F ront Page Woman” Self-respecting newspaper men and women agree that the fault of most films with a newspaper background can be traced directly to the doors of those producers who haven’t the faintest idea of what a press room looks like. se The men and women who gather news for their “sheets” don’t make a practice of writing fan letters, but they never hesitate to protest when films picture them as a pack of drunken fools. The producers, when cornered, will admit that with the possible exception of “Five Star Final” and “Hi, Nellie!’ their films apparently have failed to paint a true picture of the editorial room and the goings-on of reporters. Profiting by the experience of other studios, Warner Bros., before a single camera turned on “Front Page Woman,’ which comes to. the -........:.. Theatre next ., decided to get right down to bed rock, with the active press called in to have its say. “What we want is a film which will accurately tell the story behind the newspaper business without insulting your intelligence,” Michael Curtiz, director of the film, told news gatherers at a conference called long before George Brent and Bette Davis, the costars, were given their scripts. Then, three weeks before Curtiz called the cast together, he disappeared from the lot. Every day he visited some editorial or press room, where he watched and swapped yarns. with the reporters. At night he went out. on assignments with reporters. He “covered” important court trials. When Director Curtiz returned to the Warner Bros. lot he knew that newspapermen never type “Finis” or “End” at the end of their stories; that editorial rooms are not always overflowing with intoxicated reporters; that newspapermen scribble notes on the backs of envelopes and overdue bills instead of in leather notebooks; that newspapermen do not tote a bottle of whiskey in one hip pocket and a copy of the American Mercury in the other,, that newspapermen don’t always leave their vests unbuttoned, that newspaper women do not powder their noses while covering fires and murders; that the average hewspaperman Can Carry on a conversation for as long as _ three minutes without cussing. Occasionally he was joined on his round of the newspaper offices by Miss Davis and when the picture finally went into production, he surrounded himself by a group of men who know the newspaper business from the press room to the flag pole. Among a number of self-appointed technical experts on the picture was George Brent, the co-star, who comes of a family with definitely journalistic leanings and was himself slated for a newspaper Career until the stage pulled him away. The picture itself is the story of a newspaper sob-sister, played by Miss Davis, and a rival on another paper, George Brent, with whom she fights constantly although she loves him. Adapted from the Richard Macauley’s magazine story, “Women Are Bum Newspapermen,” by Roy Chanslor and Lillie Hayward, the screen play was prepared by Laird Doyle. The supporting cast includes Roscoe Karns, Winifred Shaw, J. Farrell Macdonald and Gordon Westcott. Thirty Years Ideal Age Bette Davis Believes Bette Davis would like to stop her birthdays in four years. Miss Davis, who is starred in the Warner Bros. production “Front Page Woman,” which comes to the Theatre , made that revelation when informed that a certain chemist claimed to have discovered a serum that will halt advancing age. She is twenty-six now and she would like to stop having birthdays at the age of thirty. “T think thirty must be such an interesting age,” she said. “By that time one has acquired what is generally described as ‘common sense’, and is. still young enough to have a grand time.”