Penrod and Sam (Warner Bros.) (1931)

SRP SE . a eS so “SELL BOOTH TARKINGTON BIG! POPULARITY OF CHILD PICTURES IS STROKE OF LUCK FOR THE POTENTIAL LEON JANNEYS AND JUNIOR COGHLANS Boys And Girls From Six To Sixteen Now Find Greatest Opportunity To Become Penrods And Sams And Marjories Of The Talkies Of Tomorrow (Feature. Plant in No. 1 Paper) ‘‘Penrod and Sam,’’ the First National picture which comes Theatre features more than a score of youngsters, the cast being headed by Leon Janney and Junior Coghlan, in the title roles. The popularity of pictures of this type shows the dangerous rivalry which older players have to to the meet in the present day. The new competition comes from the youngsters who for years have been hanging on the fringe of the sereen, supported there by fond mothers and ambitious fathers, hopeful that their offspring might get the lucky shove that would swing them up to the heights once realized by Jackie Coogan and Baby Peggy. But today there is no fringe-hanging. Boys and girls from six to sixteen have the greatest opportunity Hollywood ever has offered to reap a harvest of motion picture dollars, and the dads and mamas are swinging the seythes with a wide and free hand. Rush for Child Stories The turn of the juvenile tide is the result of the success at the box office of such pictures as ‘“Father’s Son” and “Penrod and Sam.” For years the film producers looked upon pictures with an all-child cast as a novelty and a gamble, and very few were attempted. The apparent success of children’s comedies was taken as proof that the two-reel field was the one best bet for juvenile players in juvenile stories, and no picture maker was willing to take the chance of features picture investment in that field. Now this has changed and with this rush for child story material there naturally has followed an unprecedented demand for child actors. The effects of it are felt in many quarters. Central Casting Bureau, source of supply for all extras and bit players used by the various studios, has inereased by twenty-five percent its lists of available child talent. Schools of dramatic instruction, and there are many in Hollywood, report a double enrollment of children entered by parents who hope that by brief training their child may. become fitted for a sereen ¢areer. All casting offices interview twice as many children as they did six months ago. Chances 1 to 1000 The percentage of children who actually do succeed in a worth-while way will, of course, be very small; as few in proportion as the successes who spring from the ranks of adult extras, and from the file of featured players who hope for stardom. One in a thousand, the figure is, or less than that. Pictures of childhood joys and troubles are popular because grown men and women. cling jealously to those memories, according to William Beaudine, who directed “Penrod and Sam.” “T watch my youngsters through their day’s affairs and unconsciously I find myself living again those same experiences,’ he says. “Children for generations have done the same things; will do them again through generations to follow. Why we didn’t realize this before I do not know. Picture producers for years should have been making an annual quota of ‘Penrod’ subjects. Nothing could possibly have a wider and more human appeal. But now we have them, the casts. to play them, and the theatre will be improved for all of us.” Beaudine offers this as one reason why ehild subjects have been popularized by the talking screen. He feels that the mechanical set up of sound pictures makes for an absolutely natural juvenile performance; something unknown in the silent days. Why Kids Are Hits “When a director made a silent picture,” he points out, “he projected too much of his own personality into the scenes; robbed them of the freshness and spontaneity that the children could have been permitted to give them. Now the director, because of the presence of the micro Page Two phone, is prevented from saying, ‘Now, Johnny, come in the door, turn to the right, turn left, walk over to the table, put the book down, smile, laugh, you hear a noise, it frightens you, you start to run, ete.’ Instead he tells the child the desired action before the scene begins and after the camera starts it’s up to the youngster himself. As a result the youngster does the scene exactly as he feels it, and a natural and convincing performance results. Personally I feel that the real acting 3 STRAN Play hookey from care for one glorious hour! Let the old gang of yours initiate you into the thrill that comes just once in a lifetime. Ranks As Eagle Scout (Current Reader) Leon Janney, featured in ‘“Penrod and Sam” the First National picture now at the Theatre, has two hobbies beside his screen acting. He is an ardent Boy Scout, with Eagle Seout rating and is an enthusiastic stamp collector. Junior Coghlan is featured with Janney in this new First National production, which was directed by William Beaudine, director of the recent success, “Father’s Son,” in which Janney appeared with Lewis Stone. A Ty Of Lif The Fun Begins Today THe’ B Janney Of “Penrod & Sam” | Atlanta Boy Makes Film Debut In ‘Penrod And Sam’ (Biographical) Billy Lord, young screen actor who “Penrod and Sam,” the First National picture now at the Theatre, was born in Atlanta, Georgia, but haslived in Hollywood since his babyhood. His sereen experience is just starting, following a period of dramatic training in one of Hollywood’s screen schools, “Penrod and Sam” is his first important picture. plays Georgie Bassett in | Pag YoCF Sonny’ll never forgive you if you leave him home! A FIRST NATIONAL AND VITAPHONE HIT Cut No.1 Cut 60c Mat rsc on the screen today is being done by such kids as Leon Janney, Junior Coghlan, and others of their agegroup.” Other children in the cast are Helen Beaudine, Nestor Aber, Billy Lord, Margaret Marquis, Betty Graham, James Robinson and Robert Dandridge. The grown-ups are Matt Moore, Dorothy Peterson, Zasu Pitts, Johnny Arthur, Charles Sellon, Wade Boteler—and no one who sees “Penrod and Sam” can ever forget the dog, Cameo. See Pages 10-11 For Your Exploitation Campaign Matt “PENROD AND SAM” MAKE YOU FORGET YOUR TROUBLES (Advance Reader) You find many things to fret about —real and imaginary things you just can’t get your minds away from. But there’s a picture on the way which will make you fretless for one evening at least. It is “Penrod and Sam,” the First National production, featuring Leon Janney and Junior Coghlan, and coming to the ....... Theatre next. “Penrod and Sam” is a clever picturization of the adventures of Booth Tarkington’s immortal Penrod Schofield and Sam Bassett —and_ their frecklefaced, stubby-toed gang, not forgetting Herman and Verman, the pickaninnies—and the funny old mutt, Duke. You really owe it to yourself and your family to take them all to GHG? SS Theatre to see “Penrod and Sam.” “Penrod & Sam” Director Has Own Gang At Hom (Current Reader) Many of the incidents in “Penrod and Sam,” First National pieture at the Beaudine himself has four children of gehool age, and by this fact has come to be accepted as Hollywood’s foremost authority on child psychology. Leon Janney and Junior Coghlan are featured in “Penrod and Sam,” with an all-star supporting cast including Moore, Dorothy Peterson, Charles Sellon, Johnny Arthur and Robert Dandridge, the little colored boy who was featured with young Janney in “Father’s Son” and many others. Boy Stars Of “Penrod And ‘ Sam” Take Up Chess ; (Advance Reader) Leon Janney and Junior Coghlan, playing the two title roles of “Penrod and Sam” in the First National picture which comes to the ........ Theatre next, have taken up chess. While the two youngsters have not forsaken baseball and other active sports by any means, they are getting a tremendous kick out of the ancient game, and often played against each other at odd times during the making of the picture. They were also courageous enough to try their skill at different times against William Beaudine, their director, who rather prides himself on his game; and he is still priding himself. The cast of “Penrod and Sam” includes Dorothy Peterson, Matt Moore, Zasu Pitts and other well-known grown ups—twenty kiddies—and Duke the dog. Duke Is Chief Guest At'’Penrod And Sam” Birthday Party While “Penrod and Sam” the First National picture now at the Sena eee ee Theatre was in the making, invitations were issued for one of the most unusual birthday parties ever given. Billy Lord, thirteen-year-old actor who plays with Leon Janney and Junior Coghlan in “Penrod and Sam’, entertained the entire juvenile cast at a party given in the First National studio cafe, which was taken over for the affair. All of Penrod’s gang were seated around the large and elaborately decorated table, including a special place of honor for the dog, Duke. The only adult admitted was William Beaudine, director of the picture. Chief attraction of the evening was a thirteen-tier ice cream cake, one layer for each of Billy’s years. It was a great party! Meet the gang tonight—and the dog, too—at the Theatre.