Men in Exile (Warner Bros.) (1937)

"MEN IN EXILE” PUBLICITY Film Rain-Maker Is Kept Busy on “Men in Exile” All the weather men in the world don’t work for the United States Weather bureau. Take Clarence Eurist for instance who can make anything from a light fog to a tropical rain storm. “Men in Exile,” the First National picture which comes to the Re Sees 3 TEhH6attes ONese swe taxed Eurist’s rain-making ability a bit. For four weeks, while the picture was in production, he had to produce a rain storm nearly every day—not a little drizzle but a fine roaring downpour. Not only did Eurist have to produce the weather, but he had to make certain that all the players, who came into the sets presumably from the rainy out-ofdoors were soaked to the skin. He had to keep his eye on Dick Purcell and June Travis to make sure that their clothing was wet. And if they weren’t wet enough, Eurist stood on a chair and emptied a sprinkling can of water over them. “Men in Exile” is a mysterystory dealing with a boy who, forced to leave the U. S., goes to Caribo, one of those southern islands from which he may not be extradited and in which he has many exciting adventures. The principal role is played by Purcell and the romantic interest is sustained by Miss Travis. The picture was directed by John V. Farrow, from a screen play by Roy Chanslor, based on ideas by Marie Baumer and _ Houston Branch. Others in the east are Victor Vareoni, Olin Howland, Veda Ann Borg and Norman Willis. Scenarist Shows His Versatility Directing Drama A famous writer got a break when First National assigned John Farrow, husband of Maureen O’Sullivan, to direct “Men in Exile,” now playing at the Theatre. Farrow has for years been suceessful as novelist, playwright, short story writer and scenarist; in fact he has almost every form of creative writing to his credit from verse to radio skits. He has always wanted to direct one of his own stories, but no opportunity offered and he did not want to direct another man’s story. “Not because I’d be afraid of using another man’s plot for my first directorial vehicle for my own sake, but rather for his,” said Farrow. “I’d rather take responsibility for directing my own story and have only myself to blame if it’s mutilated in the filming—having, as an author, suffered occasionally at the hands of directors. “However, I made an exception with “Men in Exile.” This had such an exciting plot in such a novel locale I felt sure I couldn’t fail to: make it interesting. It concerns ‘the plotting of criminals against the world and each other when they are cooped up on a tropical island, where they take refuge because they cannot be extradited.” “Men in Exile” is a mysterystory dealing with a boy who, forced to leave the U. S., goes to Caribo, one of the southern islands and has many exciting adventuers there. The boy is played by Dick Purcell and the romantic interest is sustained by June Travis. The picture was made from a screen play by Roy Chanslor, based on ideas by Marie Baumer and Houston Branch. Page Two Murder Will Out Dick Purcell (right)—June Travis and Victor Varconi—in a thrill ing scene from “Men in Exile,” the First National melodramatic romance of the South Seas now showing at the... Theatre. Mat No. 201—20c Young Actress Gets Break Begins Her Career at Top June Travis, Daughter of Baseball Chief, Hit In First Part June Travis began her screen career at a point where most actors and actresses spend years of preparation. She has that vague, indefinable ‘‘something’’ which directors contend entitles her to the ranking of a born actress. Miss Travis, who plays the feminine lead in First National ‘‘Men in Exile,’’ now playing at the Theatre, never studied dramatics. She had no preparation for stage or screen. In fact, she never considered becoming an actress. The raven-haired daughter of Harry Grabiner, vicepresident of the Chicago White Sox baseball team, came to the Pacifie coast with her father back in 1934, however, and attended the University of California at Los Angeles. A producer saw her one day and suggested that she should have a screen test. More as a lark than anything else, Miss Travis made the test— and went back to Chicago without waiting to learn the outcome. Next spring the young woman came west with her father again. In a easual conversation with a Warner Bros. executive she mentioned laughingly that she had once made a screen test for another studio. Unknown to her the producer sent for the test. He saw it and sent hurriedly for Miss Travis. “Here, sign this,” he pleaded, handing her a long-term contract. She didn’t sign herself—she was then only twenty years old and a minor in California—but her father did. And thus began one of the most spectacular careers in films. Miss Travis was inside a studio, under contract calling for her exeluive services for a term of seven years, but, to her own way of thinking, she had still to prove herself an actress. She did that in her first screen role. The picture was “Stranded,” starring Kay Francis and George Brent. Hers was only a comparatively small bit, but it called for an intensely emotional piece of acting. _ _ At the end of the scene Frank Borzage, the director, voiced the all-important “print it,” signifying that the take was satisfactory and should be used. Miss Francis threw her arms around the young actress’ shoulders saying “That was splendid.” “And that,” remarked Miss Travis, some months later, “con vinced me that perhaps I did have some ability and that I should take the work more seriously.” Since then her course has been steadily upward. Her role in “Men in Exile,” is not her first lead. She was Joe E. Brown’s leading lady in “Earthworm Tractors,” and Jimmy Cagney’s in “Ceiling Zero” and Warren William’s in “Times Square Playboy.” “Men in Exile” is a mysterystory dealing with a boy who, forced to leave the U S. goes to the far off isle of Caribo. Dick Pureell Rapidly rising to film stardom is this Broadway stage favorite, Dick Purcell, who now has the leading role in “Men in Exile,” the First National melodrama of the South Seas which opens at CY ae eee ee Mee Theatre on_____________. Mat No. 108—10c Purcell, Movie Actor, Quit Business for Stage at 19 Tried Many Jobs But Gave Up All for Glamor Of Footlights At the tender age of nineteen, Dick Purcell, leading man opposite June Travis in ‘‘Men in Exile,’’ the First National production opening at the retired from business. The young man had discovered that being a Jack-of-all-trades— Wall Street runner, magazine salesman, chore boy, tutor and law student—wasn’t just what he wanted. He discovered that he didn’t like the commercial world, that business and industry were completely uninteresting to him. In retrospect, at nineteen, Dick recalled that the things out of which he got the most pleasure were his appearances in high school and college plays. Reealling them brought to the surface a deep desire to be an actor. So he retired from business and embarked on his present career. The only value his earlier odd jobs hold for him is the experience they gave him in meeting all types of people. Purcell is now firmly established as a leading man of the screen after preparatory work on the Broadway stage. More and more important roles have been assigned to him at the Warner Bros. studios since his auspicious debut in “Ceiling Zero.” His part opposite June Travis in “Men in Exile,” is his biggest to date. There are more to come, according to the studio. It is ten years sinee Purcell made his Big Decision and decided very definitely that he would be an actor. He for weeks pounded the Broadway beat looking for a job and finally landed in a vaudeville act, filling a straight man vacancy. The vaudeville job helped him aequire stage presence so that when he got his job in the legitimate as general understudy in “Marathon” he had no fears of first night jitters. He worked his way up slowly to bigger and better parts on Broadway and appeared in numerous hits. Among them were Theatre next ) “Sailor Beware,” “Men in White,” “The Milky Way” and “Paths of Glory.” From “Paths of Glory” he took the path to Hollywood, following a successful screen test for Warner Bros. After his debut in “Ceiling Zero,” Purcell was cast in “Man Hunt,” “Brides Are Like That,” “The Gentleman from Big Bend,” “The Case of the Velvet Claws,” “King of Hockey,” “Public Enemy’s Wife” and “Jailbreak.” Dick was born in Greenwich, Conn., on August 16, 1908. We went to grade and high school at St. John’s—All Hallows in New York and from there went to Fordham University. His parents wanted him and his two brothers to be lawyers. Two of them followed their parents’ wishes. He is a former basketball and baseball player and won awards for swimming when he was in school. His current sports interest is bowling. He plays a violin, likes all vegetables and detests people who talk in theatres. He is superstitious about a hat on a bed and his permanent hobby is amateur photography. “Men in Exile,” is a mysterystery dealing with a boy who was forced to leave the U. S. and goes to Caribo, one of those southern islands from which he may not be extradited. He has many exeiting adventures there. The boy is played by Dick Purcell and the romantic interest is sustained by June Travis. The picture was directed by John V. Farrow, from a sereen play by Roy Chanslor, based on ideas by Marie Baumer and _ Houston Branch. Others in the cast besides the leading players are Victor Varconi, Olin Howland, Veda Ann Borg and Norman Willis. Biblical Actor Is Thrust Into Hollywood Fame Addison Richards, who plays the bad man in the First National picture “Men in Exile,” wheh comes to the Theatre next , hasn’t always been a villain. As a matter of fact, he was discovered by the screen in the Pilgrimage Play, a biblical spectacle given each year in a natural amphitheatre in the Hollywood hills. Richards is one actor who has never been typed. He’s bad in one picture and good in the next. Te’ll play a lawyer one day and a doctor a week later. One of the busiest men on the Warner lot, Richards is ogten in as many as three pictures at once. However, when he was playing the part of Rocky in “Men in Exile” he was too busy to do anything else. Richards, who comes from Zanesville, Ohio, made his sereen debut in “The Lone Cowboy.” Since then he has appeared in seventy-six pictures. “Men in Exile” is a mysterystory dealing with a boy who, forced to leave the U. 8., goes to Caribo, one of those southern islands from which he may not be extradited. The boy is played by Dick Purcell and the romantic interest is sustained by June Travis. Film Villain Is Model for Religious Art The screen’s most sinister villain has the face of an angel. For Alan Baxter, celebrated movie bad man, was chosen four years ago as model for Ivan Comitesse’s religious paintings, as an angel. Long before that the young man whose film roles are often as Sinister as those of Edward G. Robinson, Humphrey Bogart, Claude Rains or Eduardo Cianelli, was often exclaimed over by ladies who said he had “an angelic face.” When you see him as a, villain in Warner Bros. forthcoming offering at the Theatre, “Men in Exile,” his striking performance will blot out that original impression, however. He does all manner off dirty deeds on the tropical island where most of the exciting action of the story oecurs. “Men in Exile,” is a mysterystory dealing with a boy who, forced to leave the U. S., goes to Caribo, one of those southern islands from which he may not be extradited and there has many exciting adventures. The boy is played by Dick Purcell and the romantic interest is sustained by June Travis. The picture was directed by John V. Farrow, from a sereen play by Roy Chanslor.