Sonny Boy (Warner Bros.) (1929)

“SONNY BOY” LIKES TO MAKE BELIEVE SAYS DIRECTOR Four-year-old Davey Lee, who is starred in Warner Bros. Vitaphone talking picture, “Sonny Boy” lives in the world of make believe. Director Archie Mayo discovered this thing during the making of Davey’s first starring picture when he asked him ‘“What’s. all that rumbling about, honey ?” “Pm ftruck,” replied Davey, as ht turn: Broun, leaning heavily to the imside of the curve. David’s mother then explained that Davey chooses. something that he would like to be, every day. ; Some of his favorites are an alrplane, a traffie officer, a bumble bee, a butterfly, a tall pine tree, a lost pin, an organ grinder’s monkey, and a cloud. WHEN LITTLE DAVEY MAKES BELIEVE W hat playing You are, today, Tiny Davey Lee? “I’m being a twuck A big red twuck I’m it, and are you It is me. One day I was An airoplane, Yes, and bumble bee, And a traffic cop, And a butterfly, And a tall pine tree. And an organ Grinder’s monkey, And a pink cloud, In the sky— I been so very Lots of things— I wonder why! Mother says That even she, Don’t know what I, Can really be. And that’s the reason Why, I spoze, She teached me, “Mighty like— A aR woze! Harry Lee. | Sonny Boy: DAVEY LEE in “SONNY BOY” — Warner Bros. Latest Vitaphone Talking Picture ADVANCE STORIES SS RS choo train? Sure, where is it? Production No. SONNY BOY’S FAN MAIL, O BOY! What is considered a fan mail record for a child, is held by the Davey Lee, who receives more letters per week than many of the most popular grown-up actors in Hollywood. According to a recent Davey’s fan mail rose from four hundreds to thousands within the short space of two months after the general release of “The Singing Fool.” His record now closely approaches that of such film favorites as Dolores Costello, Al Jolson or Monte Blue. A picture that is bound to still further increase Davey Lee’s weekly postal package is his first starring talking film, “Sonny Boy,” which is to be seen next at the Theatre. check-up, Scene From Sonn y Boy starring Davey Lee A Warner Bros Production “I SPOZE ’!M NOT SPOZED TO HEAR—BUT—” Production No. 2—-Cut or Mat See satis boy starring yl ORS, ‘AUNT WINNIE KIDNAPS SONNY FROM HIS rATHER Aunt Winnie: Sonny Boy, would you like to go on a real choo world’s youngest talking picture star, | | Davey Warner Bros. Production ohare 1—Cut or Mat DAVEY LEE PLAYS “SONNY BOY” WITH | ELFIN WISDOM Although Warner Bros. Vitaphone itulking picture “Sonny Boy” conLee, the four year old star, a group of eight lead tains beside Davey | ‘ber are new voices to the screen. Those playing important roles in first starring vehicle who have been previously seen and heard the talkies are Edward Everett Horton, Betty Bronson, Tom Dugan, Edmund Breese 3eaumont. Members of the cast who appear for the first time on Vitaphone in Davey Lee’s in and Lucey clude the lovely Gertrude Olmstead, John T. Murray and Jed Prouty. The entire cast, however, is well equipped for talking pictures as all have had.experience on the legitimate stage. “Souny Boy” was adapted for the sereen by C. Graham Baker from a Leon Zuardo story and directed by Archie Mavo. It is a finely constructed comedy-drama in which a proposed divorée is responsible for bringing about an unexpected marriage. ’ Lee easily dominates the piece, his merry, yet wistful and elfin tininess, his lisping speech, his deft though wholly -unstudied use of eyes and body, sending audiences with ripples of laughter which are always mellowed by a_ tenderness which the diminutive Davey unfailingly brings forth. Comes to next. ele Theatres! =... “Men are but children of a larger growth—” -—DRYDEN. ‘ing players, only three of the num| “NEW YORK AMERICAN” REVIEWS CHILD ACTOR’S FIRST STARRING ROLE AT WARNER THEATRE By ROSE PELSWICK ‘Sonny Boy.”’ Combine all the ‘‘ohs’’ and ‘‘ahs’’ of doting parents at the ing eo anties of their offspr The four-year-old DAVEY LEE GETS FIRST NAMESAKE Davey Lee, four-year-old Warner star, to be seen at the Bros. p1ICSS "8 BAT) Hey 1d NY: eee eae Warner /Vitaphone Talking Picture, has had i“Sonny Boy,” Bros. latest one of the sure indications of fame —the honor of having a baby named for him. David Lee Ray is the pudgy possessor of the His and his celebrated cogno men. residence is with his parents sister Florence at The family would no doubt be glad to receive notification from others who consider naming their neweomers for Davey Lee. Florence in a letter to Davey Lee said that ever ‘in “The Singing Fool” she had loved the name, and that when the stork brought baby brother, she at onee importuned pa and ma to name him David Lee Ray. DAVEY LEE, TINIEST OF TALKIE STARS COMES IN “SONNY BOY” know nothing about women, but the question reverses ‘itself into just how much women know about or how much either know about the In | Warner Bros. latest Vitaphone talk mental workings of little boys. ing picture, “Sonny Boy,” Davey Lee, most delightful little boy of the screen world is starred. Archie Mayo directed Davey Lee The support Everett in “Sonny Boy.” in eludes Edward Horton, Betty Bronson, Gertrude Olmstead, John T. Murray, Lucy Beaumont and Jed Prouty. C. Graham Baker ad apted the Leon Zuardo story for the sereen. “Sonny Boy” depicts amusingly the contemplated divorcee of Sonny Boy’s parents. Containing moments of sparkling comedy and others of deeper dramatic tenseness this Vitaphone talking picture brings to the sereen an unusual story and through it all the personality of the tiny, lisping, little | Davey, flits like a will o’ the wisp. A tantalizingly lovable new star has arisei. 19 Wyman Street, Worcester, Mass. | since she had seen | him as Sonny Boy. with Al Jolson | youngster | lack | thing It is taken for granted that men |; men | and the same appreciative utterances of audiences gurgling at all the child players of the sereen, and you have a faint idea of the reception Davey Lee gets, and will continue to get, in his starring role as “‘Sonny Boy.” divided honors with Al Jolson in ‘‘The Singing Fool.’’ in which the child made his first screen appearance as the inspiration for the song, “‘Sonny And in the film of that name, which opened at the Warner Theatre last evening, he is so lovable, so delightfully appealing that everything else fades into insignificance. without a find of Brothers have Davey Lee the greatest The Warner to congratulate ehild is, doubt, sereen years. reason The is natural, with none of the themselves. affectations of most theatre prodi gies; he is amusing and winning; he acts, talks and sings with a most ingratiating charm and a refreshing of camera-consciousness, The lines Davey is given to say are immaterial; when the youngster puckers up his face and says anyat. all, on that?” to his prayers; and then from “Kin JI depend when he stands right up and sings “Sonny Boy” in a manner that one won’t forget for a long time, the his forever. of the audience is Moma veri sie. Ofithe esas0. Theatre next the ROROURCCS cua. ses for latest date Bros. Pieture as opening “Sonny Vita starring Boy,” Warner phone Talking Davey Lee. Mai = : = = = = > 233 ES tar “ME? NO! ’M A COWBOY!’ Stock S-310—Cut or Mat