Rhapsody in Blue (Warner Bros.) (1945)

Things Happen To Herbert Rudley’s Folks In Filmland Everything happened at once to the family of Herbert Rudley, who plays Ira Gershwin, brother of George, in Warner Bros.’ “Rhapsody In Blue,” film biography of the great American composer, now playing at the Strand. Rudley’s wife's arm was painfully cut while she was washing windows in the Hollywood home they finally were able to lease. A window fell, inflicting a gash that necessitated twenty stitches. Three hours later, the actor's twoyear-old son, Joel, fell and sprained his arm. To top it all, the maid they thought they'd hired telephoned the same evening to say she'd taken another job. Starred in the film are Robert Alda, as the composer, Joan Leslie, Alexis Smith, Charles Coburn and numerous other celebrities of stage and screen. Famed For Eccentric Steps, Dancer Hoofs It Again In ‘Rhapsody In Blue’ Tom Patricola, Looking Like 36 Instead Of 52, Dances And Sings In Warners’ New Musical As He Did Years Ago In George White’s ‘Scandals’ Tom Patricola looked most of 36, admitted he was all of 52, and danced as if he might have been 24. Eccentric steps and hot steps. All the fancy stuff with which he burned up the Broadway boards back in the early Nineteen-Twenties. Three years ago, Patricola hung up his dancing shoes for what he thought was all time. He bought himself a motel in Glendale and settled down to a life of ease. Then Warner Bros. started filming “Rhapsody In Blue,” the story of George Gershwin, which is scheduled to open at the Strand Theatre on Friday, and began casting a lot of celebrities in real life roles. LeRoy Prinz, the studio ance director, asked Patricola if he could still duplicate the dances he did for the George White Scandals back in °23 and 24. “T told him I not only could do ‘em, but double ‘em in swing if he wanted me to,” Patricola said. ‘I couldn't miss this picture. I’d danced in too many Gershwin shows for that.” The limber veteran, who has only a streak of gray at the temples to show for his op years, does a variation of the routines with which he and Winnie Lightner enlivened the Gershwin-tuned “Scandals.”". As dancing partner, he has the youthful Joan Leslie, who wasn’t yet born when he did the originals. | brought along my old mandolin,” he said. “Figure VII use it somewhere in the number. That mandolin and I have been through a lot of shows together.” The last of his Broadway shows was “Hold Your Horses,” which Patricola did with Joe Cook in 1934. The following season, he teamed up with Billy Rose and figured in all of that impresario’s presentations up to 1940. “Now that I’m dancing again and have discovered how easy it is to whip into top form, I may take some more picture jobs,’ Patricola said. “No more Broadway shows or road trips, however. Nothing could pry me away from this place. The only trayelling I'll do from now on will be on my feet.” PRODUCTION HIGHLIGHTS FROM ‘RHAPSODY IN BLUE’ Hazel Scott Has Featured Role In ‘Rhapsody In Blue’ Hazel Scott, Negro pianist and singer who is recognized as one of the outstanding interpreters of George Gershwin music, plays a featured role in Warner Bros.’ film biography of the great composer, “Rhapsody In Blue,” now at the Strand Theatre. Internationally famous as a night club entertainer, Miss Scott appears as herself in the musical film. In a Paris cabaret setting she sings—to her own piano accompaniment—Gersh win’s “The Man I Love,” both in French and in English. In the role of George Gershwin, newcomer Robert Alda makes his screen debut while others starred in the Jesse Lasky production include Joan Leslie, Alexis Smith, Charles Coburn and—as themselves— Paul Whiteman, Oscar Levant, George White and many other celebrities of stage and screen. Ww s' jubilant film story of George Gershwin, ‘Rhapsody In Blue," currently at the Strand Theatin: tb a festival of music and dance. Some of the highlights of the film are: (1) Al Jolson singing "Swanee"; (2) Paul Whitman conducting George Gershwin's "Concerto In F"; (3) Paul Whiteman conducting the immortal "Rhapsody In Blue"; » Pat singing and dancing "Somebody Loves Me"'; (5) Ballet sequence; (6) George Gershwin's "135th 30 (4) Joan Leslie and Tom Patricola Mat 501-B—75c Street Blues"; (7) Hazel Scott singing and playing "I Got Rhythm"; (8) Anne Brown singing "Summertime" from "Porgy And Bess"; (9) Hazel Scott singing "The Man | Love"; (10) Joan Leslie singing "Delicious"; (11) Joan Leslie singing "Lady Be Good"; (12) production sequence for "Swanee"; (13) Joan Leslie singing '''S Wonderful"; (14) Joan Leslie singing ‘Embraceable You"; (15) Robert Alda and Oscar Levant singing and playing "Mine."