Private Detective (Warner Bros.) (1939)

ah yw amie Code eae CLUES — ‘PRIVATE ee cc ecedaa (Opening Day) ‘PRIVATE DETECTIVE’ OPENING TODAY “Private Detective,’ Warner Bros. thrilling melodrama, opens at the Strand Theatre today with Jane Wyman, Dick Foran and Maxie “Adonis” Rosenbloom in the starring roles. Returning to the type of detective role she portrayed in “Torchy Plays with Dynamite,” Jane Wyman uses all her ingenuity to prevent boy friend, Dick Foran, from arresting the wrong man in the picture’s puzzling murder mystery. Rosenbloom contributes his usual share of laughs as Foran’s assistant and demonstrates his fighting ability when he and his boss rescue Miss Wyman after she has been kidnapped by the murder gang. Gloria Dickson is cast as a blonde divorcee, whose ex-husband has been murdered, and she and her boy friend, John Ridgely, are accused of the crime. Of course, Foran immediately wants to clap them both into jail, but is held off by Jane’s pleas in their behalf. After a series of suspense filled events, Jane manages to get herself involved with the real killers and her kidnapping results. It isn’t until Foran and Rosenbloom come to the rescue that Jane, who has been painfully injured, is able to give the police the clinching evidence she has secured against the murder gang. Then, Miss Dickson and John Ridgely are free to go where their hearts desire and Foran and Jane Wyman prepare to go before the preacher and live a life of eternal bliss .. . until the next murder. Other familiar faces in the cast include: Morgan Conway, John Eldredge, Joe Crehan, William Davidson, Vera Lewis, Selmar Jackson, Earl Dwire and little Henry Blair. Earle Snell and Raymond L. Schrock adapted the screen play from an original story by K. Krausse. Noel Smith directed. Princeton to (Advance Feature) FUN 10 BE BLONDE SAYS JANE WYMAN “Blondes have more fun.” That’s why Jane Wyman is a brown-eyed blonde. Jane’s hair used to be brown. She guesses, in fact, that she would have been classified as a brown-eyed brunette. Those days are gone for Jane. “IT became a light blonde a year ago for a motion picture and ietomeral liy changed my luck,’’ says Jane. ‘Maybe I was light headed all the ; time and only ' needed to get in character. But my _ luck did change and everything has been Mat 102 (15c) marvelous since then. I’m on the light side definitely from row on.” Miss Wyman did not make her decision about the hair without some earnest thought. She took the matter up both psychologically and visually, she explains. She made up her mind, for one thing, that a girl whose hair is like a halo, receives a lot more notice than an inconspicuous one. “And that means, that if you have something, you’ll have more opportunity to show it,” she concludes. Jane has had such opportunity in six lead roles since she became a definite and permanent blonde. Her current lead role is in “Private Detective,” coming to the Strand. “It’s easier to be spotted in a crowd and it’s easier to face the camera if you’re blonde,” says Jane. Jane expresses firm belief in the adage that “Where there’s light there’s heat, and where there’s heat there’s excitement.” She loves excitement, she explains, or she wouldn’t be the lady detective who solves the murders in “Private Detective.” JANE WYMAN Pictures For Two Foran Brothers One of Hollywood’s striking examples of brotherly devotion is that of Dick and Jim Foran. Dick is the male lead in Warner Bros.’ “Private Detective” with Jane Wyman and Gloria Dickson. He has been a principal in a long run of film hits, including the Warner Bros.’ “Cherokee Strip,’ in which he sang “My Little Buckaroo,” and in the recent “Four Daughters,” “The Sisters” and ‘Daughters Courageous” pictures. Jim is a former film contract player who dropped out of character roles in his own right, to stick with his brother. In “Private Detective,” which comes to the Strand Friday, he acted as his brother’s standin. Both brothers are sons of Col, Arthur F. Foran, who is Republican minority leader in the New: Jersey state senate. Both brothers entered films shortly after their graduation from Princeton University. Dick was aided in his film career by his envied baritone voice. Bracketed with Alice Faye in several of his earlier pictures, he soon became a leading man. Jim Foran played heavies and character featured roles at Universal Studio. Two other Foran brothers, Arthur Junior, and Walter spent some time in Hollywood with Dick and Jim, but have returned, to the family estate in Flemington, N. J. Jim will return east, WWVBUBVVRVVVRVVVVVVAVVAVAVVVVUVMVVVaVVUVMgVQVaSVagggggggggggeggeeagewe Litt Flap tor Advertising Section —~> Page Two too, next year, to resume the study of medicine which he interrupted to come west and keep DICK FORAN Mat 103 (15c) Brother Dick from getting lonesome. The Foran brothers feel that Dick, who is now the father of two young sons, Mike, 16 months, and Pat, 1 week, will have enough Forans about him to keep him from being lonesome for a long time to come. BRIEF ITEMS The night that Jane Wyman, Gloria Dickson, Dick Foran, Morgan Conway, and Maxie Rosenbloom worked until 11 p.m. instead of 6, on scenes for Warner Bros.’ “Private Detective,” Director Noel Smith and his assistant, Oren Haglund, heckled Rosenbloom about inviting all the cast and helpers to his “Slapsie Maxie” cafe “for a bite.” “I’d be glad to do it,’? Maxie said, thinking hard, “But I can’t do it because when I run my restaurant, I’m a corporation.” Gloria Dickson made quick friends with Henry Blair, six and a half year old who plays her son in “Private Detective.” Gloria asked the young actor what he wanted most. Little Henry answered: “A _ horse.” When Gloria asked why, the kid told her he would like to have a horse so he could feed it spinach, instead of having to eat it himself. Having already starred in two detective films, her latest being “Private Detective,” Jane Wyman will accept an offer to become an honorary member of the Los Angeles Policewoman’s Division. After fidgeting for a while during the scene in which Dick Foran had him as his attendant on Dick’s screen marriage to Jane Wyman, Maxie Rosenbloom blurted to Noel Smith, directing “Private Detective,” coming to the Strand: “Say, Mr. Smith, as long as this is supposed to be a pretty scene, do you mind if I face the other way during the ceremony. I want to turn my good ear to the camera.” Jane Wyman’s substitute for knitting, on the set of “Private Detective,” her starring film with Dick Foran and Gloria Dickson, is sewing on little garments. Jane has been sewing them ever since Maxie Rosenbloom, who also is in the Warner Bros. picture, presented Jane with a foreign doll, one and a half feet tall, on the first day of the picture. Jane ran over to the Hollywood department stores at lunchtime the next day, and bought silk for the doll’s gowns, cotton for its under things, and is even trimming a hat for it. The doll’s name is “Hapsie Lapsie.” THE CAST Myrna Winslow Jim Rickey Mona Lannonic ie sae ee Brody Mrs. Monas (Maid. ee ae Officer. Dolan. et ee ae Bobby; annons2s 2 ee os Justice of the Peacesc.c00.. PRODUCTION Directed by Noel Smith. Screen Play by Earle Snell and Raymond Schrock; From a story by Kay Krausse; Director of Photography, Ted McCord, A.S.C.; Art DiStanley Fleischer; Dialogue Di rector, ..John Ridgely Morgan Conway John Eldredge Joseph Crehan Sep sR Ge Ohh SPS ROY aL eee William Davidson Sander sorts. ee are e Jack Mower ras Henry Blair ee Earl Dwire (Review) ‘Private Detective’ Film Is Gay Whodunit Comedy tion in this scene from "Private Detective’, Mat 201 (30c) JANE WYMAN, pert little Miss, seems to be the cause of no little exaspera now at the Strand. Dick Foran, Maxie Rosenbloom and Wm. Davidson are fie three men. “Private Detective,” one of the gayest, snappiest murder mysteries we’ve seen in many a moon, was unveiled yesterday at the Strand Theatre. The new Warner Bros. thriller features Jane Wyman, Dick Foran, Gloria Dickson and Maxie Rosenbloom. Jane Wyman, comedienne star of “Brother Rat,” “The Kid From Kokomo” and “Kid Nightingale,” plays the role of a private detective and_ really plays it to the hilt, getting in and out of more dangerous situations than Dick Tracy. Big, good looking Dick Foran, who was last seen out this way in “Heart of the North” and “Daughters Courageous,” appears as a detective lieutenant in the Homicide Squad who is just aching for a chance to marry lovely Jane Wyman. And Maxie Rosenbloom .. . beginning to take on star proportions since his own _ picture, “Slapsie Maxie’s’” was such a hit, portrays Foran’s assistant in the police department. To put it in Maxie’s own words, he turns in a terrifical performance! The picture opens with Jane Wyman about to be married to Dick Foran. The marriage, however, is put off indefinitely when Foran is called away on the Lannon Murder Case. Gloria Dickson, blonde star, plays the role of Mona Lannon, a wealthy divorcee whose exhusband has been murdered. Lieutenant Foran is certain that she and her boy friend, John Ridgely, are guilty of the crime and wants to arrest them both. Miss Wyman who got her early detective training in the Torchy Blane series, is just as positive that they are innocent and immediately resolves to find the real murderer. With the two detectives desperately trying to outsmart each other, the picture spins merrily on its way from thrill to thrill . With Maxie Rosenbloom sharing his usual carload of laughs. Jane Wyman contributes some pretty exciting moments to the picture when she_ gets herself kidnapped by the murder gang. The resulting fight which ensues during her rescue, proves to be the best screen battle seen in this vicinity since the now famous brawl in “Dodge City.” The production was directed by Noel Smith and we owe him and the entire cast, including young Henry Blair, a vote of thanks for turning out a truly enjoyable film that will thrill everybody and provide plenty of good hearty laughs. Earle Snell and Raymond L. Schrock adapted the screen play from an original story by K. Krausse. John Eldredge and Joseph Crehan are in the cast. SYNOPSIS (Not for publication.) Private detective, Myrna Winslow (Jane Wyman), has finally consented to become the bride of Jim Rickey (Dick Foran), a detective lieutenant in the Homicide Squad. The marriage is postponed indefinitely, however, Rickey is called away on the Lannon Murder Case. The victim is the ex-husband of Mona Lannon (Gloria Dickson). Because of a fight that Mona has had with her former husband prior to the murder, divorcee and her present boy friend (Donald Norton), are accused of the crime. Detective Rickey when wants to make an immediate arrest, but is rector, Harry Seymour; Film Editor, Harold McLernon; Gowns by Howard Shoup; Sound by Francis J. Scheid. tricked into waiting by Myrna. The two detectives desperately try to outsmart each other and finally Myrna succeeds in finding the real murderer and captures him with the aid of Jim Rickey and his assistant, Brody (Maxie Rosenbloom). Running Time: 55 Minutes VUVUBVVVVRVVUVVAVVQVVA VQ AVVgaVVVMaVMVVMaV VQ VVVVVAVeVVg ggg Vega sgagggueeye