Say it with Songs (Warner Bros.) (1929)

* AL JOLSON in “SAY IT WITH SONGS" —Warner B ros. Latest All-Talking, All-Singing Vitaphone Picture ADVANCE AND CURRENT STORIES ON TRIAL FOR HIS LIFE Scene from" Say it with Songs"Starring Al JolsonA Warner Bros. Product ion “LITTLE PAL” QUESTIONED BY PROSECUTOR, TELLS innocently of events preceding the death of Phillips that cause his daddy’s conviction for manslaughter. ‘Produc'ion No. 4—Cut or Mat lolson and Mike 2 = ~ “6 in -. Se~ a 24k It With Songs”’ Al Jolson comes to the Spee setae. POBILE Crees ern ek MO XE in “Say It With Songs,” Warner Bros. latest all-talking, all-singing Vitaphone picture. In this melodious medley of mirth and tears Jolson plays the part of a songwriter and radio entertainer whose life goes away by an accidental killing —prison bars separating him from his wife and boy. Al Jolson seems to have as much power over a microphone as he has over an audience. His voice records perfectly. The same resonant quality that causes the nerves of an audience to tingle at a Jolson personal appearance, registers. Few, indeed, among the greatest artists get across as much of that indefinable quality known as personality onto the screen and into the wax as does the inimitable jazz-king. Perhaps his experience in making phonograph records stands him in good stead here; perhaps it is rather his long practice in making the back gallery and the S. R. O. patrons enjoy his show as well as the orchestra circle, perhaps it is just his “sift” but whatever it is, he approaches a microphone with the confidence of a master, and oddly enough the whole crew and cast become inspired with the same assurance. During the filming of “Say It With Songs,” Jolson sequences were never held up for retakes because of “the waxes.” Jolson and the much dreaded “Mike” seemed always to be in perfect accord. “Say It With Songs,” Jolson’s third special release for Warner Brothers. Davey Lee, sensational baby star, discovered by Jolson and featured in “The Singing Fool” is the “little pal’ about whom the tender story is built. Others in the cast are Marian Nixon, Holmes Herbert, Kenneth Thompson and Fred Kohler. Darryl Frances Zanuck and Harvey Gates wrote the story, Joseph Jackson did the talking scenario and Lloyd Bacon directed. New Jolson Songs Delight Davey Lee In Singing Hit Al Jolson has sung to many distinguished and attentive audiences but he has never had a more worshipful one than when he sang his new songs to Davey Lee during the filming of “Say It With Songs.” It comes to few children in history to have the world’s foremost and highest-priced entertainer on _ his knees singing for their particular benefit but that is not what impressed Davey. To this unspoiled baby wonder, a year ago unknown nd now loved by millions, it was not Al Jolson, the star, who was singing to him and the microphone but only his kind “Unele Al.” It is part of the appeal of this famous pair that Davey stands in no awe of Jolson. It would be difficult to get the natural reactions and the spontaneous affection between the two if Davey realized just how fate has favored him. And there is another reason. Jolson who _ discovered Davey, loves the boy as he might love a son, and there is real understanding between them. “Say It With Songs” is the third great Vitaphone special made for Warner Brothers by Jolson. It comes ROU Greg. os a7 haat cee Theatre Rc SE next. The story is by Darryl Frances Zanuck and Harvey Gates. Joseph Jackson did the scenario. Marian Nixon, Kenneth Thompson, Holmes Herbert and Fred Kohler are in the cast. Lloyd Bacon directed. Jolson Renames Race Horse “Sonny Boy” It was during the making of “Say It With Songs,’ Warner Bros. latest all-talking, all-singing picture starring Al Jolson and coming to the Mneater a. a. ,» that Nicodemus, Jolson’s first race horse won his first race and in consequence was honored by the great singing star with a new name—“Sonny Boy.” This was also in recognition of the services of the four-year-old baby star, Davey Lee, who made Sonny Boy what he is todav—and who is prominently cast in “Say It With Songs.” Jolson Makes Lady Out Of Lizzie At Filming Of Talkie A flock of Fords could be seen daily during the picture of Jolson’s “Say It With Songs”. nesting together inside the Warner Brothers lot. Then the famous Vitaphone star added his name to the ever growing list of Hollywood celebrities to drive the new flivvers. Jolson had a sport roadster delivered to the stage door one evening while-making the early scenes of “Say It With Songs.” “That’s my baby,” he said when he saw it, “Leave it over there.” Louis Epstein, associated with Jolson productions added: “And bring me over one just like it.” The epidemic of Forditis threatened to spread to the entire cast and crew of “Say It With Songs.” Jolson, always seen before in one of his tremendous foreign built cars, is now just another Ford driver on Hollywood Boulevard. Al Jolson in “Say. It With Songs,” all-talking, all-singing Vitaphone Special —+ with Davey Lee heading the supporting cast—comes to the Theatre SECPUUROPEGCUUUEC COU U OUR OOE DCEO OREO RSET COREE PREECE ERR R EE, = = ~= TRAPURARREROCERRCCUCRRHERRECCRORCECRRERRRRRRRECREEREDERCRCRERGCR ESCHER Songs Jolson Sings in “Say It With Songs” “Why Can't You” “Little Pal’ “Used to You” “Seventh Heaven” “Back in Your Own Back Yard” “I’m Ka-razy for You” “Just One Sweet Kiss” Scene from Say /t with Songs"-Starring Ai Ja'sonA warner: Bros. Provuction. “She must be free from me’’ Production No. 5—Cut or Mat LLOYD BACON AGAIN DIRECTS. JOLSON IN “SAY IT WITH SONGS” Lloyd Bacon, director of “Say It With Songs,” the Warner Bros. alltalking, all-singing Vitaphone special, starring Al Jolson, now showing at the eat AM ui eowtet Theatre, was born in San Jose, California, thirty seven years ago. His father was Frank Bacon, author and star of Lightnin’ ” His mother was an actress. He was edueated in San Francisco an d Santa Clara Lloyd Bacon Stock S-122 Cut or Mat College, Santa Order Separately Clara, California. His stage experience began in 1907 when he played the part of the Nubian in Oscar Wilde’s “Salome.” He had had wide experience in stock and repertory and had done some work in pictures as actor and director when in 1918 he joined the navy. After discharge from the service he returned to Hollywood where, in 1921, he became associated with Lloyd Hamilton as his director, after three years going to Sennett, where he directed Turpin and others. After directing several pictures for Universal he was signed to a Jolson Jailed In Melodious “Say It With Songs” The jail, built by Warner Brothers for the prison sequences of Al Jolson’s spectacular all-talking, allsinging Vitaphone hit, “Say It With Songs”—coming to the Theatre of the most interesting sets ever constructed on a sound stage. a Alte Fe RR next—is one A whole section of Sing Sing was duplicated, including tiers of cells comprising nearly a whole wing of a prison, a great dining room seating hundreds of prisoners and affording a broadcasting room and a room where families of prisoners may visit under guard. Each of these rooms connects with others, making a typical prison unit, all within one great sound stage and all srranged for Vitaphone recording 18s well as silent pictures. The set was designed from blue prints of the famous New York prison plan3, and “dressed” after several members of the crew had journeyed to San Quentin to look over the interior of a prison first hand. Only a small part of the new Jolson story deals with prison life but the star and his director were determined that the prison sequences should be authentic. “Say It With Songs’’ is from a story by Darryl Frances Zanuck and Harvey Gates. Joseph Jackson did the talking scenario and Lloyd Bacon directed. The cast includes Davey Lee, Marian Nixon, Holmes Herbert, Kenneth Thomson and Fred Kohler. AL JOLSON There is no other comedian in the world that I've ever seen — anywhere —who can compare with this priceless actor. ALAN DALE, Y. American. N. PTT TTT DEEDECERREEQEREGUGEOUCEORR ERE REGHEEREERGREER ERE RCR ERE ED long-term contract by Warner Bros., his first achievement being “Broken Hearts of Hollywood.” He has since directed productions of “Private Izzy Murphy,” “White Flannels,’ “The Heart of Maryland,’ “A Sailor’s Sweetheart,” “Finger Prints,’ “Brass Knuckles,” “Pay As You Enter,” “Women They Talk About,’ “The Singing Fool” and again directs Al Jolson Davey Lee in all-talking, “Say With Songs.” Mr. Bacon’s famous father heartily disliked the movies and_it is an odd turn of fate that the son should now rank among the most celebrated moving picture directors of the country. Where’s Daddy, Muvver? Scene trom “Say it with Songs"-Starring Al Jolson A Warner Bros. Production. Davey Lee—Marian Nixon Production No. 6—Cut or Mat Write Jolson Song Hit And Win Fortune Tin Pan Alley songwriters that migrated recently to Warner Brothers lot, in Hollywood, worked nights and Sundays during the making of Al Jolson’s all-talking, all-singing picture “Say It With Songs,” now Bt th0... ae Theatre. Out of the open windows along the inside streets of the studio dropped haunting melodies, swi~~ ing harmonies, crooning lull and what have you. Jolson himself took an active part in the selecton of words and music. Quite often he could be heard through these same windows, singing a bit of the chorus, directing changes here, and suggesting improvements there. Music writers live on Busy Corners when Jolson makes a picture. Seven glorious songs are sung by Jolsen—im—“Say~—14—With, Songs.” They are: “Why Can’t You,” “Little Pal,” “Used to You,” “Seventh Heaven,” “Back in Your Own Back Yard,” “I’m Ka-razy About You,” and “Just One Sweet Kiss.” ~os