Sonny Boy (Warner Bros.) (1929)

i2 SCREEN’S YOUNGEST CELEBRITY SCORES B’WAY VITAPHONE HIT Davey Lee has made the biggest kind of hit in Warner Bros. Vitaphone presentation of “Sonny Boy,” which has just been shown in New York. This was expected. Broadway looked for a real hit and it got it. Judging by the reception given the baby star and his vehicle, there was good measure of praise for everybody. DAVEY LEE, BOY KING OF THE FILMS The throne was vacant, ready for a new king of child screen star, when little Davey Lee came along and was acclaimed the lawful occupant of the throne by the millions of fans who saw him with Al Jolson in ‘The Singing Fool.” It is a movie throne made vacant by time, and at frequent intervals, for when the occupant gets into his ’teens he is swept aside in favor of some other child actor. Jackie Coogan held sway longer than any other of the boy kings, but older picture fans will remember the acting of Ben Alxeander and Bobby North. For a few years they exerted a charm over picture fans that only the process of growing up dissipated. Davey Lee is probably the youngest child star that filmdom has known. He is but four years old and already he has been starred by —Warner Bros. in the Vitaphone talking picture, “Sonny Boy,” which comes to the Theatre on ee , and the producers are plan, ning other stellar production for him, Edward Everett Horton and Betty Bronson head the supporting cast, taking care of the love story of “Sonny Boy.” Archie L. Mayo directed the picture from the scenario by C. Graham Baker. SS Someone has said that fate or luck plays a big role in everything. One or the other placed the three year old Davey in the way of Al Jolson on the Warner studio grounds less than ten months ago. The meeting led to the child’s appearance in “The Singing Fool.’ His suecess in the picture is a matter of history. Today the youngster’s winsome expression is known throughout the English speaking world. His photographs are everywhere, but his indifference to it all is colossal. would cast aside all the adulation showered on him for a few minutes’ romp with Rin-Tin-Tin. At the Broadway opening of “Sonny Boy” some one referred to Davey as “the millionaire kid.’ The phrase ran through the distinguished audience and it promises to identiwy the youngster for many a day to come. The success of the youngest of all stars emphasizes again the astuteness of Warner Bros. in capitalizing Davey Lee’s charm and precocious ness. They also showed good judgment in the selection of “Sonny Boy” in which to introduce the youngster in a stellar role. In this picture Davey is the pathetic figure of a child whose parents believe they have come to the parting of matrimonial ways. It sounds emotional, but all the circumstances have fareical angles with the result that the picture is a succession of hearty laughs. The whole story ends in glorious fashion with Davey raising his childish voice in song. The picture abounds in talking sequences that are capital. “Sonny Boy” proves itself a fortunate production. It is a triumph for Davey Lee, for Warner Bros., and for Vitaphone, and it furnishes another reason for the popularity of talking pictures. Incidentally, “Sonny Boy” proves a triumph for Edward Everett Horton and for the delightful Betty Bronson, much of whose work is directly with Davey Lee. The fans will love Davey Lee |in this picture—and they will do so wholeheartedly. PETER RABBIT MEETS HIS WATERLOO Stock S-318—Cut or Mat He |} DAVEY LEE IS NOW A BROADWAY STAR Production Special X—-Cut or Mat DO YOU KNOW WHAT /HEARING OURSELVES AN AMPWORM IS? New expressions are constantly making their way into talkie vernacular just as they are into the language. Betty Bronson received something of a shock the first time she heard one of the latest of these phrases during the Vitaphoning of Warner Bros. production, “Sonny Boy,’ in which she is supporting the tiny Davey Lee. The electricity furnishing the many powerful incandescent lights of the Vitaphone sets is carried in cables with stretch over the floor and through the air in all directions. “Joe, straighten out this ampworm,” ishe heard the chief electrician say. Her startled look revealed Joe doing nothing more startling than straightening out a cable. Davey Lee in Warner Brothers’ latest Vitaphone talking picture at the Theatre now. AL JOLSON PICKED NEW FILM STAR AS OTHERS HEAR US When she heard her first playback | on Warner Brothers Vitaphone production of “Sonny Boy,” in which she is supporting Davey Lee, Gertrude Olmsted decided she disliked her voice. “It doesn’t sound at all as I expected,” she said. “Tt rarely does, to the speaker,” said Director Archie Mayo. “For the first time in your life you are hearing your voice as others hear it.” By the end of the picture, however, Miss Olmsted had decided that she could at least tolerate her voice. “Its like getting a pair of glasses,’ said John T. Murray. “At first the world seems a bit blue, but one finally becomes accustomed to them and the world resumes its rosy hue.” Davey Lee in “Sonny Boy,” Warner Bros. latest Vitaphone talking picture, is at the Theatre now. Davey lee, the four-year-old VALUE OF HIRSUTE screen star of Warner Bros. new Vitaphone talking picture, “Sonny | Theatre | , was selected by Al Jol| Boy,’ coming to the on ADORNMENT Archie L. Mayo, director of War son, star of Warner Bros. Vitaphone | ner Brothers Vitaphone production, picture, “The Jazz Singer” and “The Singing Fool.” A child was needed Singing Fool,” and all kinds of tests had been made of boys who had appeared in various pictures. None of them quite filled the bill. Neither the director nor the star were satisfied. Then Jolson wandered set for another picture that was not in use. He found Davey Lee there and they were soon deep in a game. When the director at last found him Jolson held the boy up in his arms. “Were’s the boy to act the part of my son in ‘The Singing Fool’ ”, he said. “Nobody else will do.” So Davey got the part, made a _ hit second only to that of the star and became a star in his own right a few months later in “Sonny Boy.” Edward Everett Horton and Betty Bronson are chief in the support. out on a “Sonny Boy,” starring four-year-old for “The Davey Lee, says that he has proved that of whiskers and mustaches are some Mayo clean-shaven luxuriant black eyebroys. While pondering over a scene with his eyes on some distant point of the ceiling he unconsciously twirls an eyebrow, ending his meditation with a last desperate twist which threatens to unthatch his eye and calls, “Al-1l-1 right,’ and proceeds to the rehearsal of the scene. “From the benefit derived from my personal experience,” he says, “T can imagine the immense advantage of the goatee, the mustachio and the good old beard!” Davey Lee in “Sonny Boy,” Warner Bros latest Vitaphone talking pieture at the Theatre now. use. is but has DAVEY LEE in “SONNY BOY’ — Warner Bros. Latest Vitaphone Talking Picture FEATURES FOR NEWSPA PERS Davey Lee “Panicks” _ New York Critics Davey Lee, in “Sonny Boy,” took the audience by storm. When he opened his Broadway starring career at Warner Bros. Theatre, Little Davey “panicked” the crowds and caught the critics for a complete surrender. a : : o high Never has a child on Sletarn | screen won such praise. He won the hearts of all in attendance, and the reaction of the audience is reflected in the following quotations: “When Davey has the floor he is positively great. All about you you can hear people catch their voices and murmer: “God love him,’ and similar expressions. “And when, near the end of the picture, he sings ‘Sonny Boy,’ he fairly brings the house down.’—New York World. Davey Lee is the cutest baby the screen has ever exploited, and that includes Jackie Coogan.—Bland Johaneson, The Mirror. Davey Lee, four, hitting “Sonny Boy” on all six is pleasure not to be missed. The infant is a knockout.— Richard Mason, Standard Union. In his infantile lisping fashion, Davey Lee is a movie find.—Betty Colfax, The Graphic. Davey Lee is without doubt the greatest screen find of years.—Rose Pelswick, The Journal. An infant prodigy that can keep a packed house hugging itself in glee—Katharine Zimmermann, The Telegram. He’s a lovable little fellow who ;Seenms to take his thespian role seriously. Davey Lee is a lovely sight throughout.—Ann Silver, Brooklyn Times. As sweet and cute as your own, kid.—Regina Cannon, The American. Makes you want to put your arms around him and hug him and eall him pet names.—Irene Thirer, The News. As for Davey Lee he’s a swell little boy.—Creighton Peet, The Post. Davey Lee is indeed a very clever child and possesses a great deal of natural charm.—Mordaunt Hall, The Times. The lad is just plain “eute.’ His naturalness is effective and appealing.—H. David Strauss, The Telegraph. He gives a performance.rWho is positively amazing.—GeoA] Jolferhard, Evening World. A human being and an appealing child.—S. B., Wall Street Journal. He is one of those rare creations —a screen child who can talk baby talk and otherwise act “cute” without being altogether intolerable.— Martin Dickstein, Brooklyn Eagle. . Warner Bros. predictions—have been fulfilled. Davey Lee is a wonder child—with resistless appeal—to old and young.