Sing Me a Love Song (Warner Bros.) (1936)

SING ME-A LOVE SONG’ USB LE Cele (Lead-Off Story) Big Filmusical Comedy Romance Booked By Strand Lilting music, rollicking laughter and glowing romance. combine to make ‘‘Sing Me a Love Song,’’ a Cosmopolitan production released through First National, which is _ scheduled as the feature attraction Ab Atue ne asaacaie Theatre on Bites faut » one of the most entertaining musical comedies of the year. There is an all star cast headed by James Melton, the radio singer, Patricia Ellis, Hugh Herbert, ZaSu Pitts, Allen Jenkins and Nat Pendleton. The story by Harry Sauber deals with the colorful adventures of a wealthy and somewhat irresponsible youth who goes to work incognito in his own department store to find out why the wheels aren’t going around as_ they should. In doing so he falls in love with one of his clerks, gets himself and her tangled’ up in a series of innocent misadventures which land both in jail. Melton’s rich melodious voice will be heard in six songs altogether, three of them written by that famous song team of Harry Warren and Al Dubin, especially for the picture; one written by Jaeques Wolfe, while the other two are old timers. One of the songs, ‘‘Summer Night,’’ is sung in connection with i production number staged and directed by Bobby Connolly. It takes place on the roof of a department store, with the city lights twinkling far below. This, Melton sings with a male chorus, to Patricia Ellis. ‘‘The Little House That Love Built’’ is sung in one of the Connolly numbers which is staged in an elaborately built house for lovers on the floor of the big department store. ‘“That’s the Least You Can Do for the Lady’? is a novelty ballad by Warren and Dubin and sung by Melton. The two old timers are ‘‘Your Eyes Have Told Me So,’’ and ‘‘Carry Me Back to the Lone Prairie.’’ In the latter ZaSu bursts into song along with Melton — the first time she has ever sung in films. Hugh Herbert, as a_ wealthy kleptomaniac, Allen Jenkins, as an elevator operator in love with ZaSu Pitts, also a clerk and chum of Miss Ellis, Nat Pendleton, a belligerent chauffeur, Walter Catlett, pompous floor walker and Hobart Cavanaugh, furnish most of the comedy. Others in the cast include Ann Sheridan, Charles Halton, Charles Richman, Dennis Moore, Granville Bates, George Guhl, Adrian Rosley, George Sorrel, Linda Perry, Robert Emmet O’Connor and Harry Hollingsworth. Raymond Enright directed the picture from the screen play by Sig Herzig and Jerry Wald. Hugh Herbert Invents Rubber Auto Fenders Hugh Herbert, who has the role of a kleptomaniac in “Sing Me a Love Song,” the Cosmopolitan production which opens at the Theatre on First National release, has invented rubber fenders which he has attached to his automobile instead of the steel variety. “If J hit anyone,” says Herbert, “it won’t hurt them much. Besides, it saves repair bills. If they are bent, they snap right back into place. It’s a great convenience.” Page Ten vheart. They’re Glad They’re Nuts In a cuckoo cast from head to toes, in a musical riot where everything e e L U vo ee 4 3 goes, ZaSu Pitts (left) James Melton and Patricia Ellis. are coming to URE Ty. Pe ee in ee Theatre on ............ ae together with. Hugh Herbert, Allen Jenkins, Walter Catlett, Nat Pendleton and a host of other film funsters in the Cosmopolitan production ‘‘Sing Me a Love Song.’’ Mat No. 202—20e (Opening Day Story) Six Stars In The Musical Romance At Strand Today “*Sing Me a Love Song,’’ Cos. mopolitan’s latest musical comedy, which First National will release ab the. cacuc; eee Theatre today, has James Melton, Patricia Ellis, Hugh Herbert, ZaSu Pitts, Allen Jenkins and Nat Pendleton in the stellar roles. It is a highly entertaining song and dance fest with .three :new catchy tunes by the famous Broadway -and Hollywood :songsmiths, Harry Warren and Al Dubin, one by Jaeques Wolfe and two old favorites. But is it not all music by a long shot. There is: one of the most entertaining Stories the screen has produced, written by Harry Sauber. There are laughs by the car load, some thrills, and a romance that will gladden every The story conéerns ~a wealthy young man who falls heir to a department store. Knowing nothing about the management of it, he leaves it in the hands of two other men. When he finds out, however, that they are crooked, he enters the store as a clerk to find out what it is all about. He falls in love with a pretty clerk, getting into one scrape after another through his devilmay-care attitude. When-he and his -gitl finally land in jail, he makes his identity known. When his girl leaves him flat because of his flightiness, he wakes up to himself, and takes charge of the business in earnest, thwarting the erooks who are trying to take it away from him. Melton sings all of the songs, mostly in solo, but one with a male chorus, and one with Miss Pitts, who bursts into melody for the first time in her career. Two numbers are staged and directed by Bobby Connolly, one on the roof of the department store and the other in a Honeymoon Cottage within the: store. Others’ in the cast include Ann Sheridan, Walter Catlett, Hobart Cavanaugh and Dennis Moore. Raymond Enright directed the picture from the screen play by Sig Herzig and Jerry Wald. ZaSu Pitts Goes To Musie Store To Study Clerks The way to become an actress is to make a careful study of people — of their mannerisms and gestures. That’s the secret of ZaSu Pitts’ self-development as an_ actress. And: it must be a good idea. For while other players come and go, ZaSu keeps right on coming, and shows no signs of going. ZaSu hasn’t stopped her quiet observing of people now that she’s on top. For her recently completed role in the Cosmopolitan production, ‘‘Sing Me a _ Love Song’’ which First National will release at. the ............0... Theatre ON nari eoe » She did some special scouting. She was to play a clerk in-a music store, so she spent a couple of days hanging around such counters in Hollywood. The result was a performance that is the real thing. The bit of comedy ‘‘business,’’ which is in some large measure responsible for ZaSu’s_ success, was acquired through observation. That’s the famed ‘‘ fluttering hands’’ with which one instantly associates her name. ‘*When I went to school in Santa Cruz, Calif.,’’ Miss Pitts tells it, ‘‘I had a nervous teacher. Whenever one of her pupils squeaked chalk on the blackboard, she would protest with that fluttering-hand movement. ““Even then, I knew I wanted to be an actress and I had that study-of-people hunch. Fact is, I’ll admit I went so far as to give the chalk a couple of extra turns so it would squeak some more. All in the interests of art.’’ ‘*Sing Me a Love Song’’ is a musical comedy romance with production numbers staged and directed by Bobby Connolly. Musie and lyrics are by Harry Warren and Al Dubin. Sharing stellar honors with Miss Pitts are James Melton, Patricia Ellis, Hugh Herbert, Allen Jenkins and Nat Pendleton. Ann Sheridan, Walter Catlett and Hobart Cavanaugh are featured. Raymond Enright directed from the screen play by Sig Herzig and Jerry Wald, based on the story by Harry Sauber. (Review) “Sing Me A Love Song’’ Is Delightful Filmusical Romance, Laughter, Song and Thrills Combine To Make Fascinating Entertainment One of the most entertainin® musical romances that has been seen on the screen in many a day was shown at the eet AP Cas oe Theatre yesterday for the first time locally, under the title of ‘‘Sing Me a Love Song,’’ a Cosmopolitan production released by First National, with an all star cast including James Melton, Patricia Ellis, Hugh Herbert, ZaSu Pitts, Allen Jenkins and Nat Pendleton. The picture has an exceptionally interesting and well-knit plot for a musical. Harry Sauber has injected countless laughs, glamorous romance and some real thrills. The story concerns the doings of a wealthy young man, brought up without knowledge of anything useful, whose father suddenly dies and leaves him at the head of a great city department store. He lets the store run itself, while he philanders in other lands, until he is warned by his lawyers that it is fast losing money. He knows nothing about the store, so decides to enter it as a clerk, incognito. He hears plenty about himsetf. Tle also is more interested in a beautiful fellow clerk than in his store. In his escapades he gets into serious trouble and has to reveal his identity. Believing that the man has been toying with her affections, the girl disappears. He discovers he is really in love with her and institutes a search, at the same time getting down to serious business. Melton, in the leading role, gives a most impressive performance, especially as this is but his second picture. He has an unusually pleasing voice as_ his myriad radio fans know. He sings six songs altogether, two specially written for the production by the famous song team of Warren and Dubin, another by Jacques Wolfe, and two older airs. Two of the songs are sung in connection with specialty numbers staged and directed by Bobby Connolly. One of these is sung on the roof of the department store with the twinkling lights of the city below. The song is “Summer Night.” The other number is a “Honeymoon Cottage,” in the store, and the song Melton sings is “The Little House That Love Built.” ZaSu Pitts bursts into song for the first time in her career, accompanying Melton in “Carry Me Back to the Lone Prairie.” Miss Pitts also plays the part of a clerk in the store and chum of the leading lady, Patricia Ellis. Miss Ellis gives an excellent portrayal of a serious-minded music clerk who is in love with the boss she thinks is merely a clerk. Most of the humor is furnished by Hugh Herbert, as a rich kleptomaniae who can’t keep -his hands off of anything shiny. Allen Jenkins, an elevator operator who pretends to be a pal of the unknown boss and who has a sneaking affection for Miss Pitts; Nat Pendleton, a belligerent chauffeur to Melton; Walter Catlett, a pompous and officious floor walker and Hobart Cavanaugh, a lawyer. Ann Sheridan does an excellent job as the snobbish rival of Miss Ellis for the love of the rich store owner, and who conspires with her mother, Georgia Caine, to hook the poor fish. Others in the east are Charles Halton, Charles Richman, Dennis Moore, Granville Bates, George Guhl, Linda Perry, Robert Emmett O’Connor and Harry Hollingsworth. Raymond Enright did a fine job of direction. Beauty Contest Winner Is Going Ahead In Movies Beauty contest winners do sometimes sueceed in films, general opinion to the contrary notwithstanding. The latest proof of this is Ann Sheridan, who is being prepared for stellar roles by Warner Bros. Starting with a bit in ‘Gold Diggers of 1937,’’ this Texas girl was promptly placed in a featured role in ‘‘Sing Me a Love Song,’’ a Cosmopolitan production which First National will release at the ice toe tcc. PNGatrO™ Ol: =. aasscsstect. In ‘‘Sing Me a Love Song’’ Ann is the money-hungry daughter of a scheming mother. She tries to capture James Melton, department store owner, but she loses him to one of his own clerks, Patricia Ellis. Her work as the ‘‘other’’ woman was so good, that in her next picture, ‘‘The Great O’Malley,’’ she is cast as ‘‘the’’ woman who wins Pat O’Brien. She’s Scotch-Irish-Indian, — is Ann Sheridan. Born in Dallas, she’s an ambitious red-head. And she got into the movies by the way of a beauty contest. ‘*Sing Me a Love Song’’ is a musical comedy romance with production numbers staged and directed by Bobby Connolly. James Melton, Patricia Ellis, Hugh Herbert, ZaSu Pitts, Allen Jenkins and Walter Catlett, head the cast. Laugh Fanatics ZaSu Pitts and Allen Jenkins who have all the fun addicts roaring at their antics in:the Cosmopolitan production ‘‘Sing Me a Love Song’’ which is now playing at CRO er F) ois ie Theatre as a First National release. Also in the big cast are James Melton, Hugh Herbert Patricia Ellis and Walter Catlett. Mat No. 102—10e