Happiness Ahead (Warner Bros.) (1934)

Dick Powell Heads Talented Cast In ““Happiness Ahead’ Dick Powell, with his inimitable singing voice, heads a cast of unusually talented players in the new First National production, “Happiness Ahead,” which is scheduled as the feature atbraction-atothe cng sas..cag. ace Theatre Deginning ..... ~4.:..2.c6.ca0y-0 Although the story is straight comedy drama there are four special songs, catchy airs written by three of the most famous song writing teams, Allie Wrubel and Mort Dixon, Sammy Fain and Irving Kahal and Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby. Powell sings two of the songs alone, “Pop Goes My Heart” and “Beauty Must Be Love” and also joins with Frank McHugh in a duet, “Massaging Window Panes.” <A fourth song, “All on Account of a Strawberry Sundae,” is sung by Dorothy Dare, the famous Broadway musical comedy star who makes her FRANK McHUGH Mat No. 10 10¢ screen bow in this production. Josephine Hutchinson, the famous New York and _ London stage star who made such a hit last season as Alice in the Eva Le Gallienne Civic Repertory Company’s production of “Alice in Wonderland” also makes her first screen appearance in this picture, playing the leading feminine role opposite Dick Powell. Miss Hutchinson as the daughter of a wealthy and socially prominent family, runs away from her engagement party, in search of adventure. She runs into Dick and his pal, Frank McHugh, in a Chinese chop suey palace where the happy throngs are celebrating New Year’s Eve. She is attracted to Dick but wishing him to love her for herself she poses as a working girl out of a job. Dick, who is in the window washing business sees the girl getting a check from one of the town’s wealthiest citizens, in return for which she throws her arms about his neck and kisses him. The youth is crushed, thinking that his girl is double-crossing himself and her sugar daddy also. Then the fireworks start which end in one of the most amusing and thrilling climaxes imaginable. John Halliday has the role of Josephine’s father while Allen Jenkins and Ruth Donnelly are servants in the home who occasionally run into their employer’s daughter in some outlandish resort. Dorothy Dare is Frank Mce Hugh’s girl, Marjorie Gateson, is the ambitious and aristocratic mother while others in the cast include Gavin Gordon as the jilted fiance, Russell Hicks, Mary Forbes, J. M. Kerrigan, Mary Treen, Mary Russell and Jane Darwell. The story is by Harry Sauber. Mervyn LeRoy directed the picture from the screen play in which Sauber collaborated with Brian Marlow. Page Eight Actors Are Typed By Screen Public, Says Frank McHugh “Actors are always beefing about being typed,’ said Frank McHugh, who has a_ leading comedy role in the First National picture, “Happiness Ahead,” now showing at the ............... Theatre. “But if it were not for typing, there would be no stars. Every actor in the business who has a following, has been typed — not by a producer — but by the publie. “In many instances, movie fans .have protested vigorously when one of their favorites essayed a role different from his usual type of part,” Frank continued. “Even in stock companies, we had to be careful about casting players in unfamiliar roles. The people expected the hero to be good, the villain to be bad, the ingenue to be kittenish and the comedian to be funny. “Tf Tom Mix were the best actor in the world, his public would not accept him without a big hat and a horse. “T got my present role in ‘Happiness Ahead’ because First National considered it a ‘Frank McHugh’ role. “Movie-goers have me tagged for exactly this sort of character, but I am going to give them one surprise. I sing a duet with Dick Powell. Dick may beat me at singing, but I know the words as well as he does.” Others in the east of this rollicking romance include Josephine Hutchinson, John Halliday, Allen Jenkins, Ruth Donnelly and Dorothy Dare. Special music was. written for the production by Wrubel and Dixon and Fain and Kahal. Mervyn LeRoy directed the picture from the screen play by Harry Sauber and Brian Marlow, based on the original story by Sauber. | A Parting Sigh You can’t blame Dick Powell for looking up, when there’s someone like Josephine Hutchinson above. They star in First National’s ““Happiness Ahead,” now at the Strand. Allen Jenkins, Frank McHugh, Dorothy Dare and John Halliday are in the supporting cast. Mat No. 7—10c They're Skating Into Syracuse on Friday A free-wheeling, all-star cast! Skating from left to right, you can easily spot Allen Jenkins, Ruth Donnelly, Dick Powell, Josephine Hutchinson, Frank McHugh and Dorothy Dare. They all join in First National’s “Happiness Ahead,” to give you one of the most enjoyable films of the year. Five big song hits, lots of comedy and romance, a dash of drama, combine to make what the critics have called “a mus ical ‘It Happened One Night’.” Mat No. 4—30ce Three Noted Song Teams Write Hits For Powell Film Three popular song-writing teams, that have been writing sure fire hits with amazing regularity, contribute their numbers to the First National production, “Happiness Ahead,” which comes GOSUNO: S5ioit arent ates TheaBES) | ERR ane Geist ete ae » with Dick Powell in the stellar role. Allie Wrubel and Mort Dixon offer “Pop Goes My Heart” and “All On‘ Account of a Strawberry Sundae.” These are the boys who individually or as a team wrote such knock-outs as “Bye-Bye Blackbird,” “I Found a Million Dollar Baby in a Five and Ten Cent Store,” “Pink Elephants,” “Youre My Everything” and seores of others. Dorothy Dare, the latest First National importation from the New York musical comedy stage, sings “All On Account of a Strawberry Sundae.” Sammy Fain and Irving Kahal’s new number is “Beauty Must Be Love.” This team wrote “By a Waterfall,’ “How Do I Know It’s Sunday,” “Simple and Sweet,” “When Tomorrow Comes” and numberless_ other songs. ' The fourth song number, “Mas saging Window Panes” by Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby is well known, but is given a special rendition as a comedy duet by Dick Powell and Frank McHugh. Dick Powell, the star of “Happiness Ahead” will introduce “Pop Goes My Heart” and “Beauty Must Be Love” in his inimitable manner. “Happiness Ahead” is a stirring romance which combines drama and comedy with its song hits. There is a strong supporting cast which includes Josephine Hutchinson, the Broadway star, in the feminine lead, John Halliday, Allen Jenkins, Ruth Donnelly and Marjorie Gateson. Mervyn LeRoy directed. McHugh And Powell Sing Catchy Air In “‘Happiness Ahead’ That Frank McHugh, the well known screen comic sings a duet with Dick Powell in “Happiness Ahead,” the First National production which comes to _ the Bo ye ee ee Theatre on Lior ote RTO Ee , is no surprise to those who remember Frank as a musical comedy star. It was only five years ago that Frank was putting over humorous song numbers in “Show Girl’ when that musical was a Broadway sensation. The duet which he sings with Powell is a famous topical number called “Massaging Window Panes,” and is a metrical tale of what a window washer sees as he goes about his dangerous daily task. “Happiness Ahead” appeals to those who still believe that variety is the spice of life. This story starts in a Park Avenue drawing room, proceeds to a Chop Suey Parlor, thence to a Skating Rink, a Lovers’ Nook on Riverside Drive and in the meantime introduces a series of thrilling ineidents. Dick Powell has other songs in this thrilling romance as does also Dorothy Dare of the Broadway musical comedy stage. The catchy airs were written by three ace song writing teams, Wrubel and Dixon, Fain and Kahal and Kalmar and Ruby. Mervyn LeRoy directed the picture from the screen play by Harry Sauber and Brian Marlow. Josephine Hutchinson has the feminine lead while others in the east include John Halliday, Allen Jenkins, Ruth Donnelly and Marjorie Gateson. Many New Screen Beauties Seen In “‘Happiness Ahead’’ The call for new faces on the sereen is answered by First National Pictures in a big way in “Happiness Ahead,’ which comes $0 7GUO Starter were Theatre The leading woman, playing opposite Dick Powell, is Josephine Hutchinson. She is a newcomer to Hollywood. Her previous experience was entirely on the stage. With the New York Civic Repertory theatre, she created many roles including that of “Alice in Wonderland.” For several seasons, she has been with Eva Le Gallienne. Other new faces in the picture are Margaret Carthew, Louise Seidel, Avis St. John, Rosalie Roy and Frances Lee, five beautiful girls of decided talent. Next in importance to the leading role is the part of Josie, played by Dorothy Dare, formerly of the New York musical comedy stage. Miss Dare is a charming and vivacious girl, who in addition to her acting opportunities in her first picture will sing one of the song hits, “All on Account of a Strawberry Sundae.” The picture is a thrilling romance with special musical numbers and piced with comedy. It. is based on the story by Harry Sauber who collaborated on the screen play with Brian Marlow. Other important players in the east include John Halliday, Frank McHugh, Allen Jenkins, Ruth Donnelly and Marjorie Gateson. Mervyn LeRoy directed the production.