Polo Joe (Warner Bros.) (1936)

“POLO JOE”’ Joe Brown Sings Chinese kolk Song In New Picture Eating and Doing Trick Stunt at Same Time Is Art Says Star of “Polo Joe” “‘The word ‘Art’ is a rather inclusive word!’’ said Joe K. Brown to the lady interviewer, as they sat on the side lines between scenes of ‘‘Polo Joe,’’? the Warner Bros. pic ture which comes to the..... vr ARM FE gE pe Tien IS Rae EE “Watch what I do in the next scene and you’ll know!” said Joe with a charactertistic grin. “It’s not art only but High Art!” “Just what do you do?” “Well, I sit on the forwardfacing seat of a compartment in a stream-lined train — eating breakfast—and at the same time balaneing a coffee spoon on the edge of a cup—” “And?” “All of a sudden I hit the handle of the spoon, see, and with the bowl of another spoon, I make the first spoon do a couple of loops in the air, and land in a water glass on the other side of the table. And that’s not all!” “What else, for heaven’s sake?” “At the same time I have to sing a Chinese folk-song!” “A real folk-song—or do you fake the words?” Singee Songee! Joe E. Brown sings a Chinese song in a scene from “Polo, Joe” the Warner Bros. film which Mat No. 105—10c “There are a lot of things that can be faked in the movies, but that’s not one of them! Nor the spoon gag, either! You can’t do shenanigan on that spoon loopde-loop! Believe it or not, I’ve been practicing it for three weeks, and even now I can only make it hit about one out of seven times! Want to see me do it?” “Crazy to!” Joe demonstrated his “art” and did it after eight tries “By the way,” said Joe, “I want you to meet my technical adviser, the honorable Paul Fung!” Joe beckoned and Paul Fung came forward, bowing ceremoniously. The lady asked Paul Fung whether he was related to the celebrated Chinese actor, Willie Fung. “My cousin,” said Paul. “Blood brother or brother?” The technical adviser was evasive. His English was flawless. “Willie is doing very well now— he is now working‘in ‘The Good tong oll etree de tees, uly eg Not AMET Theatre & ig 0 8, elnee) 6 rr Earth,’ which stars Paul Muni. “Joe Brown tells me he sings a Chinese folk-song in ‘Polo Joe.’ It’s an ancient one, I suppose?” “Tt is a song everyone knows in my country,” said Paul Fung. “Children know it—old people, high and low, everybody! This is a free translation: Beautiful comes the moon-shine. Let my room become bright. Secretly I fear too much—come in And I lose my senses completely. And now if you will excuse me!” Paul Fung was gone as noiselessly as he had come. “Isn’t that Art?” said Joe triumphantly! “I’m glad you asked the meaning of the words! I’ve been too busy getting the singsong and the whine of the tune to inquire what they meant!” “The honourable Paul Fung is evidently a very necessary person!” said the interviewer, getting up to leave, for Director Bill MeGann had just ealled Joe Brown. “Tl say,” Joe said. “Why, last year, when we made ‘Oil for the Lamps of China’ with Pat O’Brien and Josephine Hutchinson—we had a friend of Paul here. There was a street scene with Chinese posters plastered on the walls. They looked Chinese, all right, but when Paul’s friend saw them he forgot his Oriental reserve and laughed himself hoarse. It seems the posters advertised a preparation to remove cooties!” “Polo Joe” is a riotous comedy by Peter Milne and Hugh Cummings. Joe E. Brown’s support includes Carol Hughes, Richard (Skeets) Gallagher, Joseph King, Gordon Elliott, Fay Holden, KE. Stone and many others. William McGann directed. It’s Joe Brown at his uproarious best, as a polo-pretender. Woman Plays on Joe E. Brown’s Film Polo Team Audiences that see “Polo Joe,” the newest Joe E. Brown Warner Bros. comedy, which comes to the Peep eae Theatre: (0M 2) 64 eke is will be treated to a thrilling exhibition of the game between expert teams. But they won’t be able to detect, unless by the most careful scrutiny, that one of the star players is a woman. She wears the same outfit as her male teammates, and is just as clever a mallot-wielder as any of them. Vera North, of Hollywood, erack horsewoman and animal trainer, is the one female player of the game. Her presence came about because the script called for Joe to ride a circus horse at the start of the game—one that bows and serapes and_ does rhumbas when the band plays. The only such horse available was Gypsy, a handsome black mare belonging to Vera North, and She said, “Yes, I’ll rent Gypsy to you for the stunts if you’ll let me play in the game.” Director Bill McGann made the bargain, and hence the feminine poloist. But she’s really good. PUBLICITY No Wonder Joe Likes Polo Joe E. Brown (center) Carol Hughes (leading lady at his right). The three charmers (reading left to right) are Shirley Lloyd, Jane Wyman and Victoria Vinton—in an amusing scene in “Polo Joe,” the Warner Bros. comedy which is now being shown at the open Theatre Mat No. 209—20c Joe Brown Thinks Kiddies keel His Liking For Them How Star of “Polo Joe’? Deals with His Own Sons, Joe, Jr., 19, and Don, aged 17 In the minds of the youngsters of America who attend the movies, Joe E. Brown is the greatest of all comedians. ‘I _know-they like me, and that’s one of the things I’m proudest of,’’ said Joe, as he rested between scenes of ‘‘Polo Joe,’’ his latest Warner Bros. comedy which comes to the aaa Uae he. Re Ek edb. shat Theatre “And I love them, too—and maybe they sense it in my pictures; maybe that’s why the pictures go so well with the boys and girls.” Off-screen, Joe E. Brown is usually as light-hearted, as irrepressible, as he appears to be in his films, that is, at all times except when he is talking about his own children. Then he reveals himself as a serious-minded parent. He has been happily married for 21 years, and is the father of four; Donald, aged 19; Joe, Jr., aged 17; Kathryn Frances, aged 5 and Mary Elizabeth Ann, aged 3% The Brown children might very easily be spoiled. Their famous dad is quite a wealthy man from his nine successful years in motion pictures and from previous successful years in musical comedy and vaudeville. He could afford to give them lavish allowances. But he won’t. Last summer Donald was one of a pick-and-shovel gang working on new construction at the Warner lot, starting his labors at 7 A.M. and earning $20 a week. He carried his lunch in a brown paper sack to save 20 cents a day. All this was because he wanted a second-hand automobile and Joe told him to earn ii The summer before that, Don heard so much talk from his parents about a trip to China they had just completed that he decided he wanted to go there himself. “That’s fine, son, if you can figure out a way of getting there and back on your own hook,” said Joe E. “If that trip’s worth making, it’s worth planning and working for.” So Don got himself a job as a cadet—sort of a page boy—on a China-bound liner, made two round trips and saved quite a bit of money from his tips. His latest exploit is even more interesting. Though he is only 19 years old, he was able, through an old California law, to have himself declared of legal age and of full power to execute contracts. “T appointed him my personal representative in all publicity, advertising and exploitation arrangements in which my name or photograph might be of commercial value,” chuckles Joe. “He has got several good contracts and is making a nice living out of the idea—which was his own in the first place. That’s better than letting some agent make the money.” Yet Donald’s spending allowance from his father, now that he has entered the University of California at Los Angeles, is only $10 a month. Joe, Jr.’s spending allowance at Mercersburg Preparatory School is only $6 monthly. Young Joe’s life ambition is to be a newspaper reporter, but Don hasn’t made up his mind exactly what he wants to be. “T began making my own living when I was only 10 years old, as part of a circus act,” said the elder Joe. “I wouldn’t want my youngsters to undergo the hardships I had to face. But at the same time I do want them to be capable of making their own way through life. “Many boys of well-to-do families enjoy far too much luxury these days. There are too many wild parties; there’s too much smoking and drinking. ‘Don and Joe neither drink nor smoke. On this point, I think I made a serious mistake in their upbringing. I promised each of them $5,000 if the would not indulge in cigarettes or alcoholic liquor until they were 21 years Joe Brown Asks Fellow Players To Steal Scenes Joe EK. Brown, star of the Warner’ Bros. comedy, “Polo Joe,” is one movie star who wants supporting players to _ steal scenes. But Joe doesn’t believe in posing as an altruist. It is pure selfishness plus good sense, he thinks, as opposed to the traditional but short-sighted pride and jealousy which once made stars try to submerge players. “It means that the burden of success isn’t all on his shoulders. He simply takes advantage of the possibilities of teamwork. So Brown not only welcomes competition such as he has in his current production, “Polo Joe,” but gives supporting players every chance. His most competitive scenes in the film are with Richard (Skeets) Gallagher, his valet. The new starlet, Carol Hughes, has the romantie lead opposite Joe, while others in the cast are Joseph King, Gordon Elliott, Fay Holden and George E. Stone. “Polo Joe,” now showing at the ena he Theatre, was directed by William McGann from the screen play by Peter Milne and Hugh Cummings. It was directed by William McGann from the screen play by Peter Milne and Hugh Cummings. The ‘Winnah’ Joe E. Brown, starring in “Polo Joe,” the Warner Bros. picture mow. at thea OS Ae Theatre Mat No. 104—10c old. I will give them the money, of course. But I genuinely feel that the present wasn’t necessary, I mean, they would have refrained from those habits anyhow, without the bribe.” The senior Joe himself neither drinks nor smokes. He is in fine athletic trim, can defeat either of his boys in a wrestling match, and still is a capable acrobat, although while engaging in that activity with circuses and in vaudeville he sustained one broken leg, two brokenu ankles, four broken ribs and _ various broken fingers to a grand total of twelve. In “Polo Joe” Brown faced all sorts of injuries, because he had to be thrown off a mule a dozen times, catapulted over a horse’s head twice, and socked with a polo mallet a few times. Others in the cast are Carol Hughes, Richard (Skeets) Gallagher, Joseph King, Gordon Elliott, Fay Holden and George E. Stone. Page Eleven