Party Husband (Warner Bros.) (1931)

STO ey Dorothy Mackaill Follows Up Her “Office Wife’’ Success With A Still Greater Characterization DOROTHY MACKAILL BRILLIANTLY PORTRAYS MODERN BUSINESS BRIDE IN GLOWING IDYL OF YOUNG LOVE James Rennie, Dorothy Peterson and Don Cook Support First National Star in “Party Husband,”’ Now At Theatre (Review Featuring the Cast) Dorothy Mackaill again creates an altogether fascinating young woman of the day, a character even more intriguing than that of the office wife which everybody remembers. first-night crowd at the thusiastically acclaimed the dazzling blonde in the character of Laura in ‘‘Party Husband.” Though the play deals with advanced theories of marriage, the characters are made so living and human by the players, and there is such truth in the dashes of comedy and in the tenderer scenes, that the total effect is a cross-section of modern life, well worth the while of young and old married folks, and those who think of being married folks, to behold. James Rennie gives a sincere performance as Jay, the husband who agrees with the young bride that marriage should not curb one’s activities, or hamper one’s personality. He gets a job arranging radio broadcasts and Laura takes~a position with a publishing house. Her theory gets a slight jolt when a too-modern maiden takes bibulous possession of Jay, but true to her creed, she lets it pass. It is when she is taken to a distant city by her employer, on a business trip, that Jay’s theory goes ahsolutely to pieces and he follows on vengeance bent. of the story which never loses its breathless pace till the last fadeout. Dorothy Peterson, who was so successful in the highly emotional title role of “Mothers Cry,” shows her versatility by the creation of a not toa-madern girl, the plight of the newlyweds and succeeds in hiding her love for the groom. Helen Ware is at her best as the strong-minded mother-in-law, who comes in at the eritical moment. Light comedy roles are cleverly done by Joe Donahue and Paul Poreasi. Mary Doran and Barbara Weeks add to the charm of the cast. “Party Husband” is an adaptation of the novel by Geoffrey Barnes and Clarence Badger directed. The glittering performance of Dorothy Mackaill places her even more firmly in the heart of fandom. All who want an evening of real entertainment should go to the ..... Theatre, during the all too brief run of “Party Husband.” Dorothy Mackaill Comes As Dashing Business Bride (Advance Reader) Dorothy Mackaill, will be seen here next as the star of “Party Husband,” the First National comedy-drama of modern marriage. She portrays a_ clever bride who insists on entering the business world and keeping her individuality. Her husband, played by James Rennie, is also convinced that the old marriage ideas are the bunk. Whether they are the bunk or not, is developed as the intensely engaging domestic drama _ proceeds to its logical climax. Humor, tenderness and humanity blend with the hard, glittering modernity of the story. Miss Mackaill was never quite so intriguing. Clarence Badger directed. DOROTHY MACKAILL ~" PARTY HUSBAND STRAND “ Page Four The large Theatre last night en This is but a hint | who grieves—ai |, Cut No. 23 Cut 40c\Mat roc SHE BOBS FOR THE GOLDEN APPLE Dorothy Mackaill, who is starred in “Party Husband,” the First National picture now at the See ees Theatre, credits the bobbing of her blonde hair with the winning of rapid screen success. Covetous of the title role in “Chickie,” the picture which the same producers were about to make, she suddenly altered her determination never to bob, and appeared before the casting director, with the boyish haircut which, added to her striking presence, her twinkle, her audacity and her general shapeliness—caused him to give her the part which was her first bid for big screen notice. The bob showed to splendid effect in her recent success “The Office Wife” and it is as striking in the part of the experimental bride in “Party Husband.” “God bless the bird that first invented bobs!” says Miss Mackaill. Mother-In-Law To Dorothy Mackaill (Biography, April 15, 1931) Helen Ware who creates the amusing Mrs. Duell, mother and motherin-law to the modern newlyweds in “Party Husband,” the First National picture, featuring Dorothy Mackaill, now at the Theatre is one of the most popular character actresses of the day. Miss Ware’s father was the archi. tect who designed the famous theatre of “Lucky Baldwin” in San Francisco. None of her people had been on the stage and it was with difficulty that she overcame parental] objections to her coming to New York to enter the Academy of Dramatic Arts, where she earned her own tuition by teaching in a kindergarten, giving instructions in swim. mng and singing in a church choir. Charles Frohman engaged several of the girls from the school as extras at seven dollars per week and Helen Ware considered herself for. tunate to be even a supernumerary in “The Little Minister” with Maude Adams as Lady Babbie. For the last fifteen years Miss Ware has alternated between stage and screen. Among her recent pictures are “The Command Performance,” “Tolable David,’ “Abraham Lincoln,” “One Night at Susie’s, “Half Way to Heaven” and “Party Husband.” She is five feet five and one half inches tall, weighs one hundred and forty-three and has gray eyes and platinum gray hair. Helen Ware Plays | KIS$ .. | BLIT DON’T A story of our modern married children . . of their new ideas on the oldest subject in the world .. love! DOROTHY It’s been going on since Eve said to Adam -Don’t be a Party Husband“ MACKAILL PARTY HUSBAND DONALD COOK e Dorothy Peterson Joe Donahue, Helen Ware, Mary Doran, James Rennie A First National Vitaphone Production YOUR THEATRE SIG (White on Black) @ Directed by CLARENCE BADGER Cut No. 6 Cut goc Mat roc WHAT IS A “PARTY | Wife Of A ‘Party Husband’ HUSBAND”? (Advance Reader) You will find out, to your entire “Party Mackaill in the First National comedydrama of marriage a la mode, which comes to the Theatre .. ee next. James Rennie is the man who rejoices in the title. “Party Husband” is no preachment but an up-to-the-minute and highly entertaining cross section of the life of today—with just the proper dash of humor and humanity to re satisfaction when you see Husband” starring Dorothy lieve the hardness of the sophistica-! sophisticated. | Husband.” tion, Must Expect Listeners-In (Advance Reader) Dorothy Mackaill caps the eli max of brilliant characterizations in “Party Husband” the First National comedy-drama of modern marriage, which comes to the Theatre next. She was willing to share her husband in theory, but discovered that practice is not quite the same as theory. His ideas were the same, until — but that’s the story. An ultra-modern story, which is as human as it is Don’t miss “Party Actors Out Of Work Said To Have Begun Colored Shirt Mode (Current Story) One of the most radiant gowns worn by Dorothy Mackaill in her First National starring vehicle “Party Husband,” now at the Theatre, appeared to be white on the screen in the first takes. This was due to the false action of the camera on the film. If pure white were used for clothes and il luminated by the brilliant lights used on a set it would photograph with a sort of halo around its edges and the gown would appear as blank white, with no details showing. White was long ago discarded as a screen color—pastel shades of the primary colors, red, yellow and blue being substituted when it was found they photographed white. In fact, the fad which swept the country several years ago when men wore solid color shirts of red, yellow and blue is said to have originated in Hollywood, where actors out of work wore shirts of those colors to give the impression of prosperity. Clarence Badger directed “Party Husband” with a supporting cast including James Rennie, Dorothy Peterson, Joe Donahue, Don Cook, Mary Doran and Paul Poreasi. Don Cook Of Oregon Plays Business Man In “Party Husband” (Biography, April 15, 1931) Don Cook, who plays the gallivanting business man in “Party Husband,” the First National picture featuring Dorothy Mackaill, now at the Theatre, left a business career for the more spectacular life of the stage. Upon graduation from the University of Oregon where he had studied farming he went into the lumber business. Finding time hanging heavy on his hands he joined the Kansas City Community Players as relaxation and was so successful in the roles he portrayed that the perennial Mrs. Fiske, seeing him act, at once asked him to appear with her in a revival of “The Rivals.” He next went into stock in Syracuse and in due time came to the New York stage where he appeared with Madge Kennedy in “Paris Bound” and as the male lead in “Half Gods,” “Rebound” and “Gypsy.” His first screen work was in a Vitaphone short subject. He created a powerful character as Mike, the soldier brother in Warner Bros. “The Public Enemy.” Mr. Cook was born in Portland, Oregon. Jack Donahue’s Kid Brother Joe, Comedy Hit With Mackaill (Biography, April 15, 1931) Joe Donahue, who appears as the convivial best man in “The Party Husband,” the First National picture featuring Dorothy Mackaill, now at the Theatre, was understudy to his famous brother Jack, making his initial stage bow as his substitute in “Angel Face.” He served in the same capacity in “Always You” and then went into vaudeville on his own, and won deserved success. During the run of “Sunny,” Joe doubled for Jack for two weeks opposite Marilyn Miller at whose suggestion Joe was signed for the screen version of “Sunny.” Joe Donahue is primarily a dancer but is now under contract with First National and doing light comedy roles. He is unmarried and lives in Hollywood. He was born in Boston, January third, 1903, and upon graduation from the grade schools at fifteen, at once went into the entertainment world.