My Wild Irish Rose(Warner Bros.) (1947)

12 Announcement Stories—Advance and Current... Review ... Art (Advance Reader) EARLY VAUDE ERA HIGHLIGHTS NEW WARNER MUSICAL American vaudeville, when the minstrel show was the top form of entertainment, highlights Warner Bros.’ scintillating musical, “My Wild Irish Rose,” with color by Technicolor, which premieres at the Strand Theatre starting next Friday. Dennis Morgan is starred as the immortal Chauncey Olcott of “My Wild Irish Rose” fame, and Andrea King appears as the beauteous Lillian Russell. Others importantly cast are: Arlene Dahl, Alan Hale, George O’Brien, George Tobias, Ben Blue and Sara Allgood. Minstrel Days The minstrel show is one of more than a dozen important musical numbers in the motion picture. “My Wild Irish Rose,” produced for Warner Bros. by William Jacobs, with David Butler as director and LeRoy Prinz in charge of the musical numbers, is the story of the great names in show business at the turn of the century. In addition to Olcott and Miss Russell, famous figures depicted include “The Iron Duke,” William Muldoon, theatrical manager Augustus Pitou and the celebrated comedians, Weber and Fields. Beauty Contest The minstrel show sequence of the film, like all the musical numbers in “My Wild Irish Rose,” went before the cameras only when dance expert Prinz had completed months of painstaking research to make sure that all the details of each presentation were completely authentic. A nationwide beauty search lasting for _ several months was conducted to find the eight talented lovelies who appear in the picture as the “Irish roses.” Filmed La Russell The screenplay was written by Peter Milne, based upon a book by Rita Olcott. An added touch of authenticity which was an unplanned coincidence is that Arthur Edeson, veteran Hollywood cameraman who supervised the photography of the new Technicolor film, turned out to be the same photographer who filmed the only feature picture in which Lillian Russell herself ever made, in 1912. (Advance Short) IRISH MINSTREL BORN OVER HERE Chauncey Olcott, who is portrayed by Dennis Morgan in Warner Bros.’ musical, “My Wild Irish Rose,” with color by Technicolor, opening at _ the Strand Theatre on Friday, is generally thought of as an Irishman, because of the many Irish songs he popularized in this country; but Olcott was American-born. As shown in the film, the great composer-singer of Irish ballads, who was one of the originators of the modern musical play, received his first training in show business as part of a typical American minstrel show and went on to become a Broadway star in the era of Lillian Russell. Andrea King portrays Lillian Russell, famous beauty of a decade ago when beauty was confined to wasplike waists and bigger bustles. “MY WILD IRISH ROSE.” Leading players in Warner Bros. gala musical parade down memory lane are: Arlene Dahl, Dennis Morgan and Andrea King. The brilliant Technicolor opus premieres Friday at the Strand. Still 674-611 Mat 2B VW Suggested Review W ‘My Wild Irish Rose’ Stars Dennis Morgan Warner Bros. Technicolor Film Sparkles With Music he life of Chauncey Olcott told against a Technicolor canvas of minstrel days, Lillian Russell, the Robert E. Lee, Rector’s, the old Fourteenth Street Theatre and “Mother Machree” is captured with a sweeping flourish in Warner Bros.’ brilliant offering, “My Wild Irish Rose,” starring Dennis Morgan, which brought resounding cheers from the audience last night at the Strand Theatre where this important musical opened. It is the saga of the immortal Irish composer-singer with Morgan in top form in this title role. Andrea King plays the ravishing Miss Russell of legendary beauty and fame, and Arlene Dahl, a newcomer, bids for stardom with her portrayal of Olcott’s sweetheart. Any number of celebrated personalities of that era filter through this nostalgic romance. David Butler’s direction exacts much from Rita Olcott’s book from which Peter Milne has created a screen play. It is a delightful combination of a stroll down memory lane plus a DENNIS MORGAN as Chauncey Olcott, celebrated Irish balladeer, pictured above with a bevy of Colleens in Warner Bros.’ scintillating Technicolor musical, ““My Wild Irish Rose’ due Friday at the Strand. Still 674-635 heart-warming dramatic story. Accent is on the music of course and the studio has turned out several production numbers which are arresting, LeRoy Prinz staged the dance numbers which surround the songs of Chauncey Olcott. Play is also made on the eight “Wild Irish Roses” who are projected in several of the numbers. The minstrel show sequence is a highlight with the famous race between the Robert E. Lee and the Natchez clinching one of the outstanding numbers. Alan Hale, George Tobias, Ben Blue, William Frawley, Sara Allgood and Don McGuire play: prominent roles in the proceedings. A special nod of approval too for George O’Brien. Morgan’s” singing of several of these songs merits special attention. Ray Heindorf is responsible for the slick orchestrations which have been expertly moulded into the production. “My Wild Irish Rose” is lavish entertainment, concocted out of Hollywood’s top drawer under Warner Bros.’ brilliant banner. Mat 2C A Good Leg Shot A (Opening Day Reader) DENNIS MORGAN'S MUSICAL ROMANCE PREMIERES TODAY Dennis Morgan, who alternates between straight dramatic roles and singing assignments, plays the richest singing part of the year in “My Wild Irish Rose,” Warner Bros. new musical with color by Technicolor, opening today at the Strand Theatre. Morgan appears in the new film as Chauncey Olcott, the immortal popularizer of Irish ballads, with Andrea King heading a distinguished supporting cast. His versatility as a screen actor is not surprising when Morgan’s past experience is taken into account. As a high school and college student, he found time to win his letters in basketball, baseball, football and track, worked with the dramatic fraternity, qualified as a professional lumberjack and studied singing on the side. He played on a Chautauqua circuit in a condensed version of “Faust,” performed for several seasons in the semi-professional Northern Wisconsin state baseball league and was on the staff of a Milwaukee radio station as a singer and announcer. Chauncey Olcott was a man of parts himself—a_ distinguished composer as well as one of the greatest entertainers at the turn of the century. (Opening Day Short) OLD 14th STREET THEATRE REBUILT Vaudeville at the old Fourteenth Street Theatre in New York City at the turn of the century is depicted in graphic color by Technicolor style in Warner Bros.’ brilliant film offering, “My Wild Irish Rose,” with Dennis Morgan as Chauncey Olcott, opening today at the Strand Theatre. Lillian Russell, Weber & Fields and other headliners of that era, figure in the colorful plot which is woven into the fascinating story. Others in cast include: Arlene Dahl, Andrea King, Alan Hale, George Tobias, George O’Brien, Ben Blue and Sara Allgood. David Butler directed the film, with LeRoy Prinz in charge of the numerous musical stanzas. Peter Milne’s screen play is from a book by Rita Olcott. All of the musical numbers were orchestrated and conducted by Ray Heindorf. (Current Short) IMMORTAL POPS HEARD IN FILM No less than 16 songs of immortal fame are heard in Warner Bros.’ brilliant Technicolox offering, “My Wild Irish Rose,” which is currently on view at the Strand Theatre with Dennis Morgan in the top role. The title song tees off the musical stroll down memory lane, with “Mother Machree” a close second for widespread popularity. Morgan, as Chauncey Olcott, dons blackface for a minstrel sequence in this production. Others cast in leading assignments include: Arlene Dahl, Andrea King, Alan Hale, George Tobias, George O’Brien, Ben Blue and Sara Allgood. David Butler directed, with LeRoy Prinz handling the numerous musical flashes in the story, William Jacobs produced this important film under Warner Bros.