Missing Witnesses (Warner Bros.) (1937)

POS aT Yi" MISsING WITNESSES (Advance ) PICKAXE JOB BROUGHT LITEL TO THE SCREEN John Litel became a movie actor because of an irrepressible yen to swing a pick. If Litel’s banker-father had had his way, the stage would have had no sensational “Ceiling Zero” performance from his son, nor the movies a great Patrick Henry in “Give Me Liberty,” and. heroes or villains in “Midnight Court,” “Slim,”. “Marked Woman” and other features. The actor-to-be simply wouldn’t learn banking or any other whitecollar profession when he emerged from the University of Pennsylvania with an extra degree or so and the Alpha: Tau Omega in signia. He wanted physical toii and he got it — in the coal mines. During a strike Litel filled in for a character in a stock gom-. pany that played a little Pennsylvania coal town. The manager offered him twice’ as much money to become an actor as he’d been getting grubbing out coal, so son-of-a-banker Litel sudden ly became money-wise and took the proffered job. His latest head-of-the-cast role at Warner Bros., where he is on long term contract,: is in ‘Miss ing Witnesses,’ which opens at the Strand Theatre next week. Dick Purcell and Jean Dale are the other principals. Even before that film was completed Litel and Purcell were drafted for another new picture, “Evidence.” Litel was born in Albany, Wiseonsin, Deeember 30, 1894. He has played in stock in every important city in the United States, has travelled all over the world, has sold vaudeville sketches and short stories, is a lawyer — and shoots golf in the: 70’s! DANCER GETS DRAMA ROLES The ease of pretty blonde Jean Dale, Warner Bros. leading lady, presents a new angle on the .old gag that Hollywood signs comedians to do tragic roles, tragedians for light comedy, and so on. : Jean’s sensational rhythm singing and tap dancing caused Producer Mervyn LeRoy to recommend her to the studio and a contract to be thrust into her hands very promptly. Since that time, almost a year ago, you haven’t heard anything of Jean Dale (originally Virginia) as a tap dancer or rhythm singer. Signed for those abilities, she’s doing a highly dramatie acting role now in “Missing Witnesses,’’ a melodrama that comes to the Strand Theatre next week. The explanation was simple. The studio has film tests which show that Jean’s singing and dancing are plenty good — but it was suggested that before she be put into a regular “musical” she be given a little camera-facing experience. A lengthy dramatic test script was handed Jean. She played it as though all the 20 years of her life had been devoted to the study of acting, not dancing. So now Jean’s “typed” as a dramatic actress. You may never hear her rhythm singing and tap dancing, which had begun to be a night-club sensation in the exelusive night club spots of New York City and Florida. Page Four (Review) \ ‘issing Witnesses Is Rapid-Fire Crime Expose THE STORY: Inspector Lane (John Litel) is appointed by the governor of the state to wipe out a city-wide criminal organization by getting fright ened victims to testify against the racketeers. Mary Norton (Jean Dale) brings him and his aide, (Dick Purcell) some important evidence but they are led to suspect her of using it to cover up a murder she committed. Mary proves to be on the level, however, and her lead traps the head of the crimi. nal organization. And romance blossoms for Mary and Dick. Length — 5552 feet ‘‘Missing Witnesses’’— those honest but ‘timid citizens who are frightened away from the law courts or otherwise disposed of by racketeers against whom they might testify — form the subject of the Warner Bros. melodrama which had its local premiere yesterday at the Strand Theatre. It is one of those ‘‘ pluckedfrom-the-headlines’’ stories at which the Warners are so adept, and it seemed to be highly satisfactory to the audiences that watched it unreel. ‘“Missing Witnesses’’ shows, in the first place, a city honeycombed with rackets, which are headed by a certain Ward Sturgis, played by Harland Tucker. But the Governor is an honest man, and he appoints Inspector Lane (John Litel), to head a new undercover body investigators to mop up on the racketeers. Lane engages as assistants ree White (William Haade) and Bull Regan (Dick Purcell) —both husky fighting cops and on the up and up. Bull is in love with Mary Norton’ (Jean Dale), and she enters the erusade, though secretly, for she is secretary to Mat 101—15c John Litel -Head Grafter Sturgis in some of his legiti mate enterprises. She learns of his extra-legal businesses, and at the risk of her life, if she is discovered, tips off Bull and his aides. But there’s a mysterious murder, and cireumstantial evidence makes it seem that probably Mary was the killer. She comes to Lane’s office and reports that Ward Sturgis had taken her and his office assistant to his yacht, under the pretense of having them help him with some work. .On the yacht, Sturgis got into a scrap with his assistant, shot him, and threw him overboard. Lane eredits Mary’s story until they get the report that a man’s body, identified by his clothes as Ward Sturgis has been found fioat LOVELY BLONDE Jean Dale, new screen star, has the leading } feminine role in } “‘ Missing Witnesses’? | at the Strand Theatre. Mat 301—45c | Running Time — 61 minutes ing in the bay. Bull, her best boy friend, is forced to place her under arrest. But the mystery is. solved, Mary is cleared, the racketeers. are rounded up, and the city is a better and cleaner place. Jean Dale, a newcomer to films, makes her first appearance as a leading woman in ‘‘Missing Witnesses,’’ and a very oretty and capable starlet she turns out to be. She gives an excellent performance which augurs well for her screen eareer. Watch her closely, movie fans, because we predict that you’ll see her developing star stature before many moons have come and gone. John Litel in the role of the special investigator gives one of those compelling performances which he has been turning out since his initial screen role in ‘‘Midnight Court.’’ Dick Purcell. another up-and-comer, who ineidentally is causing quite a furore in the ranks of feminine fans, is grand as-Miss..Dale’s. detective-lover.. Wilham Haade, who was drafted from his job as a steel-worker to play a leading role in Norman Bel ,Geddes’ Broadway production of ‘Tron Men’’ from which route he came to Hollywood does a very fine job. The picture was directed by William Clemens from a screenplay by Don Ryan and Kenneth Gamet, these latter a couple of ace police reporters who have written several successful erook movies. It’s said that these two. writers haunt the courts in search of realistic movie material, and have as their anonymous collaborators any number of judges, detectives and special investigators. From the quick-moving realistic tempo of ‘‘ Missing Witnesses,’’ it would appear that that is how they get their ideas. Packed with drama, the film sacrifices nothing —not even romance — to reality. ‘‘Missing Witnesses’’ is well worth seeing. Mat 102—15e Dick Purcell (Advance) ‘UNUSUAL’ FAGE GAVE JEAN DALE HER FILM START Jean Dale has discovered that it’s a lucky film actress who gets into a producing company in which there’s no competition from girls of a too-similar’ type. In other words, part of the luck that seems to figure so heavily in movie careers lies in getting a break at a studio where no one on contract resembles you very closely. Stand-ins have little chance — they resemble stars. Players brought in as, “threats” to established but. too-independ , ent or pernickety stars are also notoriously unlucky. So .Jean, a blue-eyed blonde from Charlotte, North Carolina, figures she’s exceptionally lucky in being with Warner Bros. No star there is at all like her in appearance, and she fills an unusual niche in the’ whole film industry, because in looks, style of acting, personality, she’s just “different” enough.’ That, according to her current director, William Clemens, will get Jean places. Mervyn LeRoy discovered her, but Clemens recently directed her current picture, “Missing Witnesses,” in which she plays opposite Dick Pureell and John Litel. This melodrama .comes: to the Strand Theatre next week. Jean was a former night club singer and dancer — she has been noted in that line in the classier clubs of New York and Florida for seven of her twenty-one years — but in securing the film test which won her a job -she kept her vocal and daneing prowess a secret. The “similar type” bugaboo, incidentally, has been as hard on many a player as it was kind to Jean. Example, Clark Gable, who once couldn’t get a job with Warner Bros. because he was_ too similar in. type,to Pat O’Brien. y EASY LESSON IN VAMPING Feminine “vamping” technique got a thorough going-over by three experts on a film set at Warner Bros. one recent day. Listening with no little interest were film heroes Dick Purcell and John Litel, and several others of the “Missing Witnesses” cast, including leading lady Jean Dale. The latter didn’t contribute, being an ingenue with nary a vamp role to her credit. Sheila Bromley, Marcia Ralston and Veda Ann Borg, all highly rated “vamps” on both stage and screen, were the expounders. And here’s what they conclude about modern real-life sirening: Baby-faced, are passe. So are hip-wriggling, sinuous and slinky creatures clad in skintight black satin, except possibly for “hick” victims. Modern vamping is pretty subtle. Your expert hints, seemingly against her will, of inner smouldering passion. The ideal modern vamp is in outward appearance and even manner like a slightly sophistieated but wholesome movie heroine. Surviving from the old school is the Mae West touch — the “honey, y’facinate me!” appeals to the vanity of men. Miss Bromley demonstrates a little modern vamping, incidentally, in “Missing Witnesses,” a yarn of racketeering up-to-date is now showing at the Strand. lisping “vamps”