Sinners Holiday (Warner Bros.) (1930)

(Biograp. “SINNERS’ HOLIDAY” — A Warner Bros. and Vitaphone Production il Feature) BIG BOY WITHERS APPEARS AT HIS BEST AS BARKER Grant Withers, appearing as Angel, the penny areade barker in Warner Bros.’ special Vitaphone production, “Sinners’ Holiday,” now teebNOe<. se isan. Theatre, was born ath a golden spoon in his mouth— “and with the greater good fortune of good looks, a fine main d and . 2 sense of humor. His father was. president of the Iron City Fuel Company, PO'Y Grant Withsra the largest of its kind in Coloee ene rado, and his Order Separately mother’s father president of the Newton Lumber Company of Colorado and Utah. Grant first saw the light in Pueblo, Colorado. His parents sent him to the exclusive Kemper Military Academy in Boonesville, Missouri, where he became adept at drill, fencing, swimming and riding. He also got his dramatic beginnings there in the title role of “Clarence,” being prominently cast in other school plays. At graduation he came to Los Angeles as salesman for the Standard Oil Company. Newspaper work had always interested him and he soon went to work for the “Los Angeles Record,” where his first assignment was the funeral of Wally Reed. It was during the vear and a half that he spent on ‘volice beat of the “Record” that he spent tive memorable days in the Santa Anna jail with Bebe Daniels and her party. One day he worked as an extra for Douglas MeLean, and after that people began looking him up to play bits. He finally decided to go into the movies. Lueck forsook him and he was almost at the point of starvation when the fickle lady again smiled. . Since then he has been seen in “Madonna of Avenue A,” “The Time, the Place and the ADVERTISEMENT She brings a new kind of love to WARNER BROS. Present INNERS’ HOLIDAY With GRANT WITHERS EVALYN KNAPP \WitapHoe Girl,” “In the Headlines,” “Show of Shows,” “Hearts in Exile,” “So Long Letty,” ““The Greyhound Limited,” “The Second Floor Mystery,” “Daneing Sweeties” and others. (Biographical) PRETTIEST KID OF “K ATZENJAMMER KID” NOW HERE Until Joan Blondell was twelve years old she never enjoyed a birth day in the same country. The petite & blonde actress, who plays a featured role in ‘Sinners’ Holiday,” latest Warner Brothers and Vitaphone production featuring Grant Withers and Evalyn Knapp at the Theatre, was born in New York on August 30, 1909. Her father, Eddie Blondell, is known as the original “Katzenjammer Kid,” and has been on the stage for more than forty years. Her mother is Katheryne Kane, who is also a noted actress. Miss Blondell has a brother and «sister several years her senior, both of whom appear in a vaudeville act with their parents. It was in this act that Joan made her first stage appearance, introduced by her father when only a few months old, much in the same manner in which the late Eddie Foy, Sr. brought his children into an act. Tt so happened that the Blondells were in some foreign country whenever Joan had a birthday. They were in Sydney, Australia when she reached her twelfth. She remainied in that country for six years, during which time she ,developed into a beautiful and accomplished singing and dancing comedienne. She returned to America with her family, but soon left the family act to join a stock company in Dallas, Texas. She remained there for several months, later moving to New York where she played in “Tarnish” at the Provincetown Theatre. This was followed by a season in the Follies. She then appeared in the “Trial of Mary Dugan” with Ann Harding, “My Girl Friday,” “Maggie (Continued on Page 9) (Biographical) “RED MIKE” SCION DOES BIG TALK George Rosener, the wellknown actor and playwright who wrote the dialogue for “Sinners’ Holiday,” the Warner Brothers and Vitaphone melodrama with comedy featuring Grant Withers and Evalyn Knapp which is now showing at the Theatre, is a direct descendant of “Red Mike” Linz, famous East Coast pirate. “Red Mike” was Rosener’s greatgreat-grandfather. He dealt exclusively in smuggled goods, which at that time, more than a century ago, was called bounty. Though there was a heavy price on “Red Mike’s’ head he managed to elude the. authorities during his swashbuckling career, dying a peace “ol, Ad—Style G—Cut or Mat} ful death in New England. ANGEL AND JENNIE : | childhood Produciion No. 4—Cut or Mat (Biographical Feature) EVALYN KNAPP FEATURED IN “SINNERS’ HOLIDAY” Evalyn Knapp, makes her sereen debut in “Sinners’ Holiday,” the Warner Brothers and Vitaphone production now at the Theatre. Miss Knapp had been in Hollywood only a few weeks when she was chosen for this part. Her delightful portrayal of the role settled the status of the charming importation from the New York stage and focused the attention of Hollywood {upon her. Evalyn Knapp was born and_edueated in Kansas City. From early she evidenced dramatic ability. After several seasons with a local stock company, her manager : |insisted that she go East—primarily, :|so he said, to get rid of the Western accent. After intensive study in dic ‘|tion she applied for her first New York job and landed in the road show company of “The Patsy.” She later played Grace in “Broadway” in Los Angeles, oddly enough without thought of picture possibilities. Back in New York she was (Biographical Feature) Grant Withers is the only motion picture star whose varied career before entering pictures literally followed him to the screen. Grant was born in Pueblo, Colo., and like many boys before him, he decided that he could step from the family door ond eanana~ tha warld lke EE I ee aaa Alexander. Upon finishing his education, he at once severed home ties and headed for Los Angeles to do it. He found that Los Angeles was =e oe Sov p FROM THE SCRIPT OF THE PLAY MA DELANO’S SON HARRY IS FOUND GUILTY OF MURDER Harry: “Don’t take it too made a tough, Ma—we good try but we flopped. Forget it, old girl. You’re not going tuh quit me now, are yuh?” Ma Delano: “Quit yuh? Did you ever know me to do a thing like that?” (Biographical) OTTO HOFFMAN) IN THE CAST Otto Hoffman, veteran character actor, who plays a featured role in “Sinners’ Holiday,” the Warner Brothers and Vitaphone production featuring Grant Withers and Evalyn Knapp which is now showing at the Soe ee Theatre, was born and edueated in New York City, making his stage debut at the old Herald Square Theatre in 1898. He remained on the stage for nineteen years during which time he played in “Children of the Ghetto,” “Spring Maid,” “The Strange Woman,” “The Cheater,” “A Friend of the Family,” “The Greatest Thing in the World” and many others. (Continued on Page 9) danidad + + ger GRANT WITHERS TELLS; HIS OWN STORY not an especially friendly place. “After several weeks in search of a position,” says Grant, “TI finally secured a job with the Standard Oil Company——pumping gas at a service station. “T couldn’t get used to the hours, saeangiiie porter on a newspaper. It wasn’t so easy, but I finally convinced a hardboiled city editor that my grandfather owned a newspaper in Pueblo —which was true enough—and that I had spent all of my vacations working for him. He gave me a job and sent me out on my first assignment, covering the funeral of Wally Reid.» I kept the job for two days, but was fired without undue ceremony when the editor discovered that I couldn’t type! “Through a young reporter I had met during my brief career as a newspaperman, I managed to spear a job as a fire warden in the Sierras. It was fine work, but much too lonely, and after spending three months in the government service I returned to Los Angeles. I then passed the eity examination, and joined the fire department. Fighting fires was not exactly dull, but I wanted to drive a fire truck, and after I was informed that I would have to spend sometime in the department before this was possible, I quit. Next came a job driving a riot-car, or what is often called a fast-wagon, for the police department. This was great sport, but was brought to a clese by an accident, which put me :n the hospital for several months vith a broken collar bone and several cracked ribs. ‘This put a damper on my yen for excitement, so I decided to get into the movies. I got a job as an extra with Douglas MacLean. The work appealed to me so I decided to follow it as a career.” Though the handsome young giant who plays the leading role opposite Evalyn Knapp in “Sinners’ Holiday,” the Warner Bros. and Vitaphone production now at the Theatre, most certainly enjoyed a varied life before entering pictures, the parts he has portrayed in films surpass in versatility his real life oceupations. (Continued on Page 9) featured in numerous Vitaphone Variety numbers and the Warner Brothers officials were so pleased with her work that they signed her to a long term . contract and sent her to Hollywood. After additional sereen tests she was given the leading rr 4X “Sinners’ day.” = Miss Knapp is five feet four in a EVALYN ANAPP Sictk 3-33 ches tall and Cut or Mat weighs one hunOrder Separately dred. and — five pounds. She is fond of athletics and is an expert swimmer and horsewoman. She is unmarried and lives in a Hollywood apartment. (Biographical) CAGNEY GREAT AS FALL GUY It was an empty stomach that put James Cagney on the stage. The young character actor, who plays an important role in “Sinners’ Holiday,” the Warner Brothers and Vitaphone production featuring Grant Withers and Evalyn Knapp now playing at the Theatre, sought the stage as a Career in a moment of desperation. He was born in New York City, attending the publie schools there andcomoleting his education at. Columbia University. While going to college he became quite efficient as a soft shoe dancer and singer. Upon graduation he tried to find a job in the business world. What little money he had was spent during his search for work. At that time a friend, who had a vaudeville act, was playing at the Orpheum Theatre. Assailed with hunger, Jimmie visited his friend via the stage door route and asked for a job, totteringly demonstrated to his friend, that he could dance and sing. He got the job. That was in 1921, and from that time on Cagney has beén on the stage. He travelled in vaudeville for several years, but later «urned to the New York stage. Among the most recent shows in which he has apveared are “Outside Looking In,” “Women Go On Forever,” “Pitter Patter,” “Maggie The Magnificent” and “Penny Arcade.” It was while playing in the latter that Cagney was signed by Warner Brothers to portray the same role in the Vitaphone version. “SINNERS HOLIDAY”. ———_ _ It would be ‘ | CRIME to miss it!