San Antonio (Warner Bros.) (1945)

Stardom Meant Hard Work For Alexis Smith Alexis Smith, currently co-starring with Errol Flynn in “San Antonio,” Warners’ Technicolor production now at the Strand, is as plain a girl in real life as her last name and can’t figure out her screen career. She’s puzzled, Alexis is, as to just why Hollywood producers insist on portraying her asa deluxe, if not elegant clothes horse: a lady of the upper classes so refined that sometimes it hurts — hurts Alexis, that is. It began with Alexis’ first picture, “Dive Bomber,” which starred Errol Flynn. At first there wasn’t to be any girl in the picture. Then, more or less to dress it up, they decided to cast one. They wanted someone tall and beautiful, who would exude class. They chose Alexis from the stock-girl ranks and she was off to the races. She lolled through the picture, shedding quality and that Tiffany look as she lolled and became, thereby, the Number One Society Girl type at Warner Bros. Ever since then she’s been strictly creme-de-creme. Still Lex 860 Mat 202 — 30c Alexis Smith, whose most recent screen appearance was in ‘Rhapsody In Blue," shares top star honors with Errol Flynn in Warners’ exciting Technicolor drama, "San Antonio," currently playing at the Strand Theatre. John Litel, S. Z. "Cuddles" Sakall and Victor Francen are featured in the film's support .ing cast. Alexis had barely recovered from seeing herself as a bored and wealthy playgirl in ‘Dive Bomber,” when she was cast as an even richer and more reefined lady opposite Flynn again in “Gentleman Jim.” As an aristocratic and ultra fashionable Nob Hill San Francisco society girl, Alexis wore more jewels than you see at Mocambo on a good night. Die Is Cast Apparently the die was cast so far as Warners was concerned with Alexis, because the girl kept right on appearing as a brittle, enameled, terrifically rich and well bred young lady with Charles Boyer in “The Constant Nymph,” with Fredric March in “The Adventures of Mark Twain,” with Robert Alda in ‘Rhapsody In Blue,” and now with Errol Flynn again in “San Antonio.” It’s quite all right with Alexis if they insist on thinking of her in 338-carat terms. But nothing could be further from the girl herself than the type of screen character she plays. Is Plainest Jane Alexis Smith, far from being a rich man’s darling or a society dilettante, is probably the plainest Plain Jane in Hollywood history. Certainly no other young lady of twenty-four has put in the hard work credited to her. Born June 8, 1921 in Penticon, British Columbia, tall and stately Alexis moved to Los b Angeles with her parents, the Alexander Smiths, when still a child. It was when she was a student at City College in Los Angeles that she was scouted for motion pictures. The agent, Vic Orsatti, went backstage to congratulate her, telling her she’d be hearing from him about a film contract. Months went by and Alexis forgot it. One day, however, her mother told her that her dad had asked Orsatti to leave Alexis out of his plans. Later, when Orsatti explained that Alexis really had something to give to the screen, the girl was allowed to take a fling at the movies. She promptly flung herself to stardom. Now Alexis’ dad thinks maybe he’d better stick to his vegetable business and leave the cultural side of the family to Alexis and her mother. He’s chastened. Hard Worker The girl. works hard. When she isn’t before cameras she’s studying dancing at the same school (Falcon School of Dancing) where she first donned ballet slippers fifteen years ago. They’re pretty proud of their successful alumna at the school and frequently call on her to present cups and tror ies at their fencing and dan<_ng festivals. The beverage at such functions is tea, which is all right with Alexis. She’s never learned to be the bored, cocktail type — except in her pictures. 1946 Chorus Line Far Prettier Than In Grandpa’s Time There are times a film director deliberately sidesteps authenticity when filming an historical picture. LeRoy Prinz, who directed the dance scenes for Warners’ Technicolor production, “San Antonio,’ the Errol Flynn-Alexis Smith starring film now at the Strand, did just that in the selection of six dancing girls. Picks Charmers The girls he chose — Jackie Davis, June Williams, Charmian Harker, June Earle, Marjorie White and Jean Varrick — are not at all like the dancers who worked in the old Bella Union dance hall in San Antonio in the 1870’s. But they’re a lot prettier! “And so long as you can bring feminine beauty to the screen you may enjoy the director’s license of ducking away from the authentic,” Prinz explains. Research revealed that the average dancer at the San Antonio gay spot in the late Seventies weighed one hundred and thirty-eight pounds and was five feet, seven and one-half inches tall. The girls in the film, however, are shorter — five feet, five inches, on the average — and weigh much less, tipping the scales on the average of an even one hundred and fourteen. Famous Stunt Man Makes Dangerous Falls A Specialty Perhaps the oddest profession among the many odd ways to make a living in the movies is that of “Frenchy” Suzanne, who is known to his fellow stunt men as a “glass man.” He specializes in crashing through windows, — skylights, show-windows and such, all of which are literally closed to him. He has shattered some five hundred sheets of prepared glass to date without undue injury. In Warner Bros.’ Technicolor western, “San Antonio,” currently at the Strand, Suzanne is hurled into a huge bar mirror by star Errol Flynn and associliates. Suzanne admits that there is a trick to his trade but that anyone can pick it up with lots of practice! Alexis Smith is co-starred with Errol Flynn in the adventure drama. Mat 105 — 15c S. Z. "Cuddles" Sakall, jovial comedian, has a featured role in Warners’ glorious Technicolor drama, "San * Antonio," which arrives Friday at the Strand Theatre. Errol Flynn and Alexis Smith are starred in the film. Still 635-376 Co-Starred Still 635-164 Errol Flynn and Alexis Smith as they appear in Warner Bros.’ newest outdoor Technicolor drama, "San Antonio,’ now playing at the Strand Theatre. Also featured in the film are John Litel, S. Z. ''Cuddles'’ Sakall, Victor Francen and Paul Kelly. Mat 210 — 30c San Antonio Lives Anew In Warner A grizzled, bewhiskered and weather-beaten Texan unkinked himself from a Warner Bros. location bus at Calabasas _recently and, after taking a mighty good look all around, suddenly exploded with: “Good gosh a-mighty, it just ain’t possible. No sirree, it just cain’t be!” The Texan’s bewilderment was excusable for, without warning, he had landed smack into the middle of a scene which took him back seventy-some odd years —right into the center of San Antonio’s town plaza, recreated in every authentic detail for Warner Bros.’ Technicolor production of “San Antonio,” which stars Errol Flynn and Alexis Smith and opens Friday at the Strand. Authentic Set Months of intensive research work had been culminated with construction of the huge outdoor set exactly as it appeared in 1877 and, as almost five hundred extras milled about the plaza in their colorful costumes, the spirit of early San Antonio was complete. Texans, Indians and Mexicans intermingled in the plaza; venders vociferously competed; tethered goats odiferously competed with countless horses, mules and jackasses; barefooted children jeopardized the sanity of wagon drivers; U.S. cavalrymen cantered their horses through the streets — and everywhere was evident the bustle of early-day prosperity of the cattle country. Alamo Duplicated Two contrasting buildings highlighted the plaza — the almost gaudy Bella Union music hall and the ramshackle remains of the ruined Alamo. Nearby were headquarters for a cavalry regiment and over all three buildings flew the American flag —a flag with only thirty-eight stars! At the center of the square an old Mexican laboriously pedalled a pottery machine and near him Western Film was a beautiful Mexican senorita selling tamales. Nothing at all had been left to the imagination by Ted Smith, art director for the Errol Flynn-Alexis Smith starring film. Even the Bell Jewelry store, oldest jewelry firm in Texas, was in evidence. However, back of the buildings, things became modern in a hurry. Children at School Children were attending school, perhaps even being taught early American history; a nurse and doctor treated minor injuries in approved modern manner; a score of buses and brightly-polished automobiles were lined up ready to transport the five hundred extras, stock and featured players and crew back to the studio. Both the old-time and the modern settings had one thing in common, however. Neither could function without the other. te, Still 635-35 Victor Francen, dyed-in-the-wool screen villain, plays a western robber baron in Warners’ Technicolor drama, "San Antonio,’ which opens tonight at the Strand Theatre. Errol Flynn and Alexis Smith are starred in the film. Mat 111 — 15¢