Gold Diggers of 1937 (Warner Bros.) (1936)

Now a new belief has taken its place among the unexplainable certainties of the theatre. That is that there is luck in appearing in any edition of ‘‘Gold Diggers’’ series, the fifth and best of which is ‘‘Gold Diggers of 1937” the First National musical coming to the ................ Theatre Of: i630... And any or all of a score of intelligent and important stage and screen players will coneur in the potency of a ‘‘Gold Diggers’’ engagement. It all started when a young man read a magazine artiele about the enormous earnings of successful playwrights. The story had recounted the glorious possessions of these aristocrats of the pen — country places —town houses — yachts — private swimming pools! It may well have been the last item — the private swimming pools -~ which completely bowled over the very blonde Cleveland boy — for he was easily the most enthusiastic swimmer among all the husky youths of his beloved Alma Mater — the University of Michigan. ‘A private swimming pool is worth working for!’’ he mused. ‘‘Worth digging for!’’ Worth digging for, and he for one, would dig. He’d find pay dirt, too. The good old Forty-Niners went out for theirs. He’d go in for his. He’d prospect on his own individual claim — that brain of his which had served him not so badly up to date. He might find only a nugget or so — might strike a rich vein. Only time would tell. That night he wrote a letter to his mother informing wright. Broadway and Belasco His sheepskin filed away among the family archives —— an assignment to write theatrical articles for the Cleveland ‘‘Leader’’ in his possession — and an unfinished play — ‘‘Clothes’’ — in his brief case — Avery Hopwood — aged twenty-three — landed on Broadway. Within a month he had sold ‘‘Clothes.”’ It was his first hit. His amazing gift for friendship won him many allies in the profession and through the next few years he collaborated with Channing Pollock, Mary Roberts Rinehart, Blanche Bates, David Gray, and others. Among their many successes were ‘‘Nobody’s Widow,’’ ‘*In the Bishop’s Carriage,’’ “‘The Best People,’’ ‘‘The Bat,’’ ANOTHER LUCKY ONE — Ruby Keeler, who has reached high stellar honors since she first ap= peared in a “Gold Diggers” production. her that he was a play-~ STARS OF TODAY — Dick Powell and Joan Blondell, both outstanding screen stars were together in “Gold Diggers of 1933.” They head the cast of “Gold Diggers of 1937” which opens tate thes. 9 es Theatre Ci! f Marae eee Sb area . in September, 1919, with Ina Claire as “‘Jerry La Mar’’— a part which she played continuously for over two years. Since the play promised —— like Tennyson’s brook — to go on forever —she gave up the role in 1921. Beautiful Gertrude Vanderbilt assumed the role was of ‘‘Jerry’’— finished the New York run and appeared in it for a year at Powers Theatre in Chicago. In the meantime Tullalah Bankhead was triumphing in tle part on the London stage. Avery Hopwood at one time had four successes running to capacity houses simultaneously on Broadway. Fame was his — and fortune — and half of the allotted quarter-century of successful achievement still ahead. He often thought of the far-off day of his decision and the prophetic line: ‘‘There’s gold in them thar hills!”’ Enter the Warners ‘“‘The Gold Diggers’? had been running its uproarious course for over four years when on January 14, 1923, the New York ‘‘Telegraph’’ informed the waiting world ‘that after many months of negotiation with David Belasco, Warner Bros. had bought ‘‘The Gold Diggers’’— and two other plays ‘‘Debary’’ and ‘‘Daddies’’— and that, as an advance payment, a cool quarter million dollars had changed hands. Warner Bros. presented the silent picture version of ‘“‘The Gold Diggers’’ at the Rialto Theatre in New York in September, 1923. Public and press acclaimed it. GINGER ROGERS also a featured player in a “Gold Dig gers’ picture. ik man, Peggy Brown, Ann Cornwall, and Gertrude Short. John Herron, Alex Francis and Jed Prouty were in the cast and Harry Beaumont directed. So enormous was the furore stirred up by ‘‘The Gold Diggers’’ in New York and on the road that the producers decided — after their perspicacity had given talking pictures to the world — to do the piece again in the grand manner — with music — song — dancing — scores of beauties — and all in natural color. It was rechristened ‘‘Gold Diggers of Broadway.’’ Red-headed Winnie Lightner became ‘‘Jerry.’’ Gertrude Short again appeared. The other wise-cracking cronies of ‘‘Jerry’’ were Nancy Walford, Ann Pennington, Helen Foster — and the late Lilyan Tashman. The men in the cast were Conway Tearle, Nick Lucas, Lee Moran, Neeley Edwards and Armand Kaliz — and the director Roy Del Ruth. ‘*Gold Diggers of Broadway’’ took the country by storm. This was in 1929 — a vear after the passing of Avery Hopwood. In the fall of 1928 he went to France for a rest. His ‘diggings’ had netted him over a million. His head was teeming with ideas for new plays. He had won all the world has to offer. He was stopping at a hotel at Juanles-Pins in France — and after dinner strolled to the sea for a swim. He had gone down for the last time before he could be reached. He was forty-six. The fates had closed the books. The Show Goes On The perennial appeal of ‘The Gold Diggers’’ led the producers to present it in a newly-furbished version ey ery two years! ‘Gold Diggers of 1933’’— presented = lovely Joan Blondell as the queen of the chorines — with Dick Powell as the young lover in her toils — and Warren William as the moralistic relative who comes to save — and remains to sue! Joan’s nimble-witted pals were Ruby Keeler-—Ginger Rog ers and Aline MacMahon. Ned Sparks, Guy Kibbee, Ferdinand Gottschalk, Tammany Young and others added to the gaiety of the melodyspangled sequences and Mervyn LeRoy directed. ‘*More exhilarating than ‘42nd Street’ ’’ was the public’s verdict. For millions it lightened the starkness of one of the darkest years of the depression. , After two years ‘‘Gold Diggers of 1935’’ flashed across the sereen with Gloria Stuart, Glenda Farrell, Winifred Shaw, Dorothy Dare and Alice Brady. Dick Powell again appeared as the dashing lover --with Hugh Herbert, Frank profited — author — producers — actors! The past of the world’s richest mine of merriment foretells its future! Again the gorgeous cavaleade of the Gold Diggers sweeps across the screen with its augury of success for stars and players. “Gold Diggers of 1937” ‘*Gold Diggers of 1937’’ WHERE IT BEGAN — David Belasco, whose order to Avery Hopwood started the chain of luck that has marked the path of “Gold FIRST STAR —Ina Claire, first star of the Belasco “Gold Diggers” which Diggers.” kept Broadway roaring for 2 years. presents the gimme girls at their giddiest —— but in a rush ing, riotous and altogether original story. The stars are Dick Powell and Joan Blondell —Mr. and Mrs. is the name in real life — with Victor Moore, the ludicrous gentleman who, as Mr. Wintergreen, was the presidential eandidate in ‘‘Of Thee I Sing’’— as king of the funmakers. The nimble and personable Lee Dixon, Broadway’s favorite hoofer, does his stuff. Osgood Perkins, Rosalind Marquis, and Glenda Farrell are prominently cast. Others who appear as gold diggers or their victims are Irene Ware, Susan Fleming, William Davidson, Charles Halton, Harry C. Bradley, Olin Howland, Paul Irving, Charles D. Brown, and Joseph Crehan. The famous song writing teams of Harry Warren & Al Dubin and Harold Arlen & H. Y. Harburg have contributed the sort of songs that everybody will be whistling — and hundreds of Hollywood’s loveliest are seen in dazzlingly intricate dances created and directed by Busby Berkeley and everyone of these girls is hoping and believing that she, too, will_in some ‘ way, be touched with production of Gold “Gold Diggers’ ”’ Diggers. luck. xX ANOTHER WINNER — Talullah Bankhead who starred in the English Special Sunday Feature Available Complete in Mat Form. Can Also Be Used in Lobby Frame. Order Mat No. 801—80c.