Murder in the Air(Warner Bros.) (1940)

(Opening Day) ‘MURDER IN AIR’ SPY DRAMA OPENS TODAY Strand Film Shows Spies at Work As timely as headlines that tell of espionage corroding governments from within, is Warner Bros.’ thrilling commentary on spies and corruption, “Murder in the Air,” which opens at the Strand Theatre today. The action film of secret agents and G-men, intrigue, terror and the bravery of men who risk their lives to protect their country against the workings of sinister aliens, is cast with an array of talented players. Ronald Reagan has _ been awarded the lead role on the strength of a series of fine performances in Warner Bros. films. Beautiful Lya Lys is a newcomer with a _ promising future. John Litel, James Stephenson and Eddie Foy, Jr., all well. known to film audiences, appear in supporting roles. Telling of an established ring of foreign secret agents in this country, the story opens on a perplexed government Congressional committee. Joe Garvey, played by James Stephenson, is the suspected leader of the ring, but direct evidence is not obtainable. Red corpuscles are put into their campaign as young detective Brass Bankroft, portrayed by Ronald Reagan, is put on the case. Brass manages to get into Garvey’s employ and here he learns of a plan to steal a vital new invention from the U. S. government. It is a_ startling “Inertia Projector,” which brings to earth all airplanes within a four mile radius. When Garvey’s informants tell him of a planned flight of the dirigible U. S. S. Mason, on which the projector is to be tested, he orders Brass to board the dirigible. On the flight, Brass circumvents the stealing of the projector, but one of the agents gets away with the blueprints of the invention during a storm which forces the Mason out to sea. Racing back to land, the Mason uses the projector to bring down the plane in which Garvey is attempting an escape. The original screen play was written by Raymond Schrock and directed by Lewis Seiler. TENSE MOMENT IN STRAND DRAMA James Stephenson and Lya Lys international plotters in Warner Bros.’ portray exciting action spy drama, “Murder in the Air,” also featuring Ronald Reagan, John Litel and Eddie Foy, Jr., which opens at the Strand on Friday. Mat 202—30c (Review) “Murder in the Air’ Timely Adventure Spy Film at Strand Warner Bros.’ ‘Murder in the Air,” which opened at the Strand Theatre last night, is full of the rapid-fire action and adventure that makes for real screen entertainment. The fast-moving plot deals with the activities of enemy secret service agents in this country and the daring counter-espionage agents whose courage and bravery foil their sinister attempts. In the role of a live-wire young detective, Ronald Reagan turns in a fine performance. Lya Lys is a talented recent discovery who shows marked promise as an actress and outstanding pulchritude. In supporting roles are such popular players as John Litel, James Stephenson and Eddie Foy, Jr. Opening on a Congressional investigation committee, the well-timed story tells of Joe Garvey, played by James Stephenson, who is the suspected head of a ring of alien spies in the United States. Direct evidence seems impossible to uncover, so Secret Service headquarters put their ace detective, Brass Bankroft, portrayed by Ronald Reagan, on the case. When Brass discovers one of the enemy agents killed in a train wreck, he takes the spy’s place and reports for duty to Garvey. Here he learns of a John Litel Has New Slant for Actors One of MHollywood’s busiest actors is John Litel, who will be seen in ‘‘Murder in the Air,” new Warner Bros. espionage thriller opening at the Strand Theatre on Friday. The film, which also features Ronald Reagan, Lya Lys, James Stephenson and Eddie Foy, Jr., offers Litel another of the important character roles which are his forte. No older than many of the screen’s most popular lovemakers, Litel prefers portraying older, mellower characters. “There’s so much you can do with a character that has aged in life and acquired marked traits and habits,” he said recently. His portrayals of professional] men, patriots and, in gen Mat 102—15c John Litel eral, mature characters are responsible for his stepping from one important role into another in his active career. Litel’s father, a Wisconsin banker, could find no youthful ambitions in his offspring and John was allowed to drift for himself. This he did, working at manual labor, in factories, stores and as an insurance salesman. It was not until he was twentysix that John decided on an acting career. There followed a series of tours in road shows and stock companies all over the country, which led to several successful seasons on Broadway. Among his plays were “Room Service,” “Life’s Too Short” and “Ceiling Zero.” It was the latter play which called Hollywood’s attention to his talent, resulting in a Warner Bros. contract. Among his many film productions are “Marked Woman,” “Alcatraz Island,” “The Life of Emile Zola,” “Gold Is Where You Find It,” “Virginia City,” “Flight Angels” and his current “Murder in the Air.” plan to steal a vital invention from the federal authorities— the “Inertia Projector,’ which stops airplanes from four miles away. The projector is to be tested on a flight of the dirigible, U.S. 8S. Mason. Brass is ordered to board the dirigible. At sea he discovers another agent to be one of the Mason’s officials. During a storm which forces the dirigible out to sea, the agent tries to steal the projector. Brass circumvents this, but the enemy gets away with blueprints of the invention. Back on land, it is the projector that brings to earth the plane in which Garvey and his accomplice are escaping with the blueprints. Lewis Seiler directed the original screen play by Raymond Schrock. GLAMOROUS CONTINENTAL STAR IN “MURDER IN THE AIR” AT STRAND In casting the feminine leading role for Warner Bros.’ “Murder in the Air,” now showing at the Strand Theatre. Director Lewis Seiler seemed to have some pretty definite ideas on the subject. After Ronald Reagan, Mat 108—15c GLAMOROUS SPY is Lya Lys, beautiful film newcomer, appearing with Ronald Reagan in Warner’s ‘‘Murder in the Air,’ at the Strand Friday. John Litel, James Stephenson and Eddie Foy, Jr., had been cast, he insisted that the girl must have more than beauty and talent. He said that as a character enmeshed in a ring of international spies, she’d have to reflect excitement, adventure. There were many suggestions before the glamorous’ screen newcomer, Lya Lys, was chosen. Here, said Seiler, was a girl who looked the part, projecting all the animation called for, whose background is as colorful as the script of the film. Miss Lys was born in Berlin, of White Russian parentage. She was very young when her family i? moved to France. Most of her youth was spent in Paris, where her father was a banker and her mother an eminent pediatrician. At an early age, her blonde beauty attracted the French director, Julien DuVivier, who cast her in a series of films. Leading roles in German and Spanish films followed. Then she decided to come to America. Miss Lys, who has become an American citizen, says, “I couldn’t get away from Europe fast enough and you couldn’t get me back there for love nor money. Americans don’t realize how lucky they are to be in this country.” ADVANCE SHORTS Jane Wyman and her husband, Ronald Reagan, star of Warner Bros.’ “Murder in the Air,” which opens at the Strand on Friday, have gotten the wanderlust from listening to Eddie A]bert’s “South of the Border” stories. The trio is now planning a jaunt into the interior of Mexico as soon as current assignments are completed. They will pack in on burros and with equipment to help them remove as much ore as possible. Later the newlyweds will go to Mexico City, then fly back to Hollywood. Albert will return on his yawl, the ‘Moilie.” Lya Lys, currently starred in Warner Bros.’ “Murder in the Air,” which opens Friday at the Strand, owes her start in motion pictures to a couple of American tourists in Monte Carlo who thought she was a movie star. Lya thought, “If I look enough like an actress to be asked for my autograph, I shall become one.” Thus was a_ career launched eventually to find its way to Hollywood. Ronald Reagan will have the most unique movie fan club in the world if plans of Maude Ledrino, Chicago, Ill., girl are culminated. It will be composed only of members whose lives Reagan saved when he was a _ beach guard. The ex-life guard is now starred in Warner Bros.’ “Murder in the Air,” coming to the Strand this Friday. James Stephenson’s days of wandering are over—he hopes. And so do the executives of the Warner Bros. studio where he is under contract and worked last in a featured role in “Murder in the Air,’ which comes to the Strand Theatre next Friday. The wanderer has taken root now and lives happily with his wife and his Great Danes in a Hollywood suburb. John Litel, appearing in Warner Bros.’ “Murder in the Air,” which opens at the Strand on Friday, is planning his summer vacation. Included in his plans is filming a complete photographic record of the New York World’s Fair. Films’ Ace Bad Man In “Murder in Air” Rapidly stepping into the place of Hollywood’s ace menace is James Stephenson, appearing in Warner Bros.’ “Murder in the Air,” with Ronald Reagan, John Litel, Lya Lys and Eddie Foy, Jr., which opens at the Strand Theatre on Friday. The suave Englishman has made life uncomfortable for his cohorts in such films as “Devil’s Island,” “Heart of the North,” “King of the Underworld” and “When Were You Born?” He claims, “The only thing sinister about me is the fact that in boyhood I had an ambition to be a dentist.” This ambition overcome, Stephenson went into the family cotton exporting business in Manchester, England. It was when “the cotton market joined Satan and I found myself with a lot of time on my hands” that he turned to acting, which had always been a suppressed desire. Young Stephenson joined an amateur theatrical company and became so enthused about his new found career he invaded London to make the rounds of the managers’ offices. Here, he was given an offer to join the Liverpool Repertory Theatre. Four years of stock, and Stephenson was taken up by London, where he appeared in a series of important plays. When Warner Bros. contracted him to do several films in England, he had little thought of Hollywood. But soon thereafter, it was to Hollywood that Warner’s sent him for a series of important roles. Stephenson, who is six feet tall and weighs 172 pounds, has traveled extensively in pursuing his career. He has lived in Japan, China, India, Egypt, Italy, France, Belgium, Hawaii and Cuba. Mat 101—1l15c James Stephenson