Navy Blues(Warner Bros.) (1941)

"NAVY BLUES'—PUBLICITY Still Pub A 158; Mat 203—30c ANN SHERIDAN JOINS THE NAVY—and how do you like her new uniform? Ann, the uniform, and some of the Navy are currently on display at the Strand in the new hit musical, ‘Navy Biues.' She Ann Sheridan, Warner Bros.’ “oomph” girl, like Lady Godiva, rode to fame on a horse! Ann rode the spectacular avenues of Burbank, Calif., clothed in glamour. Ann had ambition to be a movie star. Her horse carried her along the path which eventually led to fame and fortune. Ann Sheridan, who appears in Warner Bros.’ new comedy feature, “Navy Blues,” now at the Strand, was born and bred in Denton, Texas. Her name then was Clara Lou. Typical of so many Texas girls she was big boned, broad shouldered and husky voiced. She excelled in swimming, basketball, tennis and of all things — football. Riding isn’t mentioned as one of her favorite pastimes because riding was one of those natural things to her. She was almost born in the saddle, she said. Little did she dream that in the saddle she would find the key to the gates of fame and fortune. It all happened this way: While a student at North Texas State Teachers’ College in Denton she won a trip to Hollywood and a movie screen test. Her ambitions to gain recognition in the movies soared and when she was asked to ride in Western pictures she felt at home. She played small bit parts for a while which meant lots of riding and little acting. One day she quit, got an 26 Here's a brand-new feature angle on Ann Sheridan, who is always good copy. Show it to your editor! ode a Horse to Fame! agent and free lanced. She played in stock companies, acquired experience in acting, dialogue and singing, and then she fought for recognition until Warner Bros. took notice of her possibilities. Her leap to the pot of gold at the end of the movie rainbow happened after Warner Bros. tagged her its “oomph” girl. She didn’t like the name at all, but admitted that it had the Midas touch and flung her into the milky way along with the other stars. Herbert Anderson Makes Good, And How! Herbert Anderson is a nice, gawky, quiet kid who started studying for the ministry and ended up kissing Ann Sheridan —in the movies. He was just s another contract boy at A ae EL Gh DOS a aeeie signed to being stuck behind the nearest ‘potted palm close, Mat 106—15c Herbert was yanked from obscurity to a featured role in “Navy Blues.” His part calls for him to kiss Ann Sheridan 37 times. Some part, huh kid? Martha Raye Got There the Hard Way—And Stayed! “Slappy-go-Lucky” Martha Raye, as she has been described by one critic, is neither slappy nor lucky. Good common sense, not “slappiness,” and plenty of hard work, not luck, got Martha where she is today, which is considerably somewhere. Years of trouping, the hard kind of trouping, preceded that telephone call from her agent telling her to report for her first picture, “Rhythm On The Range.” Because her father and mother, Pete Reed and Peggy Hooper, known on the vaudeville stage as Reed and Hooper, were traveling at the time, Miss Raye was born in Butte, Mont. She became a trouper when she was three years old, appearing in the act with her parents. Thirteen years of ups and downs, of cold water flats, honky-tonk hotels, whistle stops and _ no-cash-to-carry days followed. There were good _ days, though. They included an engagement with Paul Ash’s orchestra, with which she sang and did comedy for more than a year. She also teamed up with Benny Davis, song-writer and master of ceremonies in an act. At one time she was a member of Earl Carroll’s “Sketch Book” company and later was with Lew Brown’s “Calling All Stars.” Yes, Martha got around. It was during one of the in Still Pub A 111; Mat 101—15c MARTHA RAYE in one of her gid dier moments in the Strand's new musical comedy hit, “Navy Blues." formal Sunday night entertainments at the old Trocadero that Martha, called on to “do something,” was discovered by Norman Taurog, Hollywood director. A word to the proper producer and Martha received a call to test for the Crosby picture. After appearing in a succession of big moneymakers for Paramount, Martha went on to New York where she delighted Broadway in Al Jolson’s “Hold On To Your Hats.” This she followed with a number of personal appearances, breaking records wherever she appeared, and more lately she’s returned to Hollywood for a featured role in Warner Bros.’ “Navy Blues,” in a cast which includes Ann Sheridan, Jack Oakie, Jack Haley, Jack Carson, Herbert Anderson, Jackie C. Gleason and the Navy Blues Sextet. It is now at the Strand. Navy Blues Sextet Likes Sound of Wedding Bells All the beautiful girls in Holkywood who aren’t married want to be. Well, almost all. Most of them admit it, too, but they are particular and have certain qualifications they hope to find in the “one and only.” The Navy Blues Sextet, six of Hollywood’s loveliest who are currently on display in the Strand’s filmusical, for instance, hopes for matrimony almost to a man—or to six men. They indicate they will listen to all offers—and they are getting plenty! Kay Aldridge, sometimes named as the most beautiful of the six beauties (there are others who will dispute this), wants a husband who can cook. “Because I can’t,” explains Kay. “Down in Virginia I used to make corn pone but I usually burned it before I got it out of the skillet—or whatever it is you cook corn pone tae This is the same young beauty who announced when she first came to Hollywood that she wanted to work until she had money enough to complete the inside plumbing at her “old Virginny homestead.” Her accent is authentic. Marguerite Chapman wants a mate who is the Tarzan type and who will carry her away to tree tops and pent houses. The two are almost synonymous to Marguerite. Georgia Carroll, the blonde charmer who was a model before she was a picture personality, wants to marry a business man who means business. Georgia is well-heeled with sponduliks which she has earned herself. Loraine Gettman, who points to her own name as an indication of her honorable matrimonial intentions, would marry a gentleman farmer, or almost anyone else who fitted her mental picture of an ideal mate. As who wouldn’t? Then there is Peggy Diggins, dreamy-eyed, darkhaired Irish beauty, whose Lochinvar comes from the East and who has definite plans which may work out. And Claire James, who seems to be spoken for already and who can cook and sew and be beautiful all at the same time. That accounts for the Navy Blues Sextet and their matrimonial hopes and_ hunches. ms ms & But there are other single young ladies who may be ticked by one of Cupid’s flaming arrows almost any day now. But like all beautiful girls in Hollywood and those not so beautiful, the single stars and starlets want to marry and settle down—in pent houses, swimming pools, marble halls and black onyx bathrooms. Make the best offer you can! Exit Martha, Laughing Martha Raye has played a good many roles during her busy screen career, but “Navy Blues” provided her with some-thing brand“new in the -way of imSpersona§ tions. For one Sscene in that zelaugh-aSex minute musiMat 105—15c Cal film, Mar tha had to pose as laundry. Seems she was visiting the boy friend aboard his battleship, which is where girls are seldom meant to be. At the approach of an officer, the boys stuff Martha into a laundry bag and throw her down the chute. For tricky exits, Martha thinks that one was tops. NS Navy Adopts ‘Oomph’ Officers of the United States Naval Training Station at San Diego recently saluted Ann Sheridan, Warner Bros.’ star, with first-class honors and adopted her into the Navy. Ann, who was in San Diego with the “Navy Blues” company, received an honor certificate citing her as “honor man of her company” for “having satisfactorily completed a course of instructions in entertaining the recruit personnel.” Brief Was the Word Ann Sheridan’s comment when she and the Navy Blues Sextet were issued their bathing suits for the big Waikiki beach scene in “Navy Blues”: “The dressmaking department never made these. Must have been run up by the studio steno—in shorthand.” Still NB 540; Mat 201—30c “WE'LL BE SEEING YOU"—The beauteous Navy Blues Sextet wave farewell, but their success in the Strand hit, “Navy Blues," makes us think you'll be seeing lots more of the lovely sixsome in future movies.