Stars over Broadway (Warner Bros.) (1935)

PUBLICITY tH OVER BROADWAY Popular Song Writers Are Born And Not Made Must Have Natural Talent Say Authors Of Hits In “Stars Over Broadway” Is there a secret of the art of writing successful popular songs—some sure-fire method of manufacturing hits—and if so, what is it? No song writers in the country should be better qualified to answer these questions than the team of Harry Warren and Al Dubin, who wrote the song hits for the Warner Bros. pro duction, ‘‘Stars Over Broadway,’’ now showing at the .......0..... Theatre. During the past three years they have constituted the most prolific team of song writers in the country, having in that time written fifty-seven songs for pictures as well as several other compositions. Incredible as it may seem, the majority of that long list of songs PAT O’BRIEN in “* Stars Over Broadway’’ at the Strand. Mat No. 102 106 have registered more than average success and fully twenty-five percent of them have been smashing hits. Among these are ‘‘42nd Street,’’ ‘‘Gold Diggers of 1933,’’ ““Footlight Parade,’’ Seandals,’’ ‘‘Wonder Bar,’’ ‘‘Twenty Million Sweethearts,’’ ““Dames,’’ ‘‘Gold Diggers of 1935,’’ ‘Go Into Your Danee,’’ ‘“Broadway Gondolier,’’ ‘‘In Caliente’’ and ‘‘Page Miss Glory.’’ With all of this in mind, they were asked the questions about the secret of successful songwriting— and they were forced to confess that the only manner in which they could account for their own success was that they worked hard and managed to keep an almost juvenile enthusiasm and zest for their work. Of course, modesty forbade them from giving the obvious answer, which is that the secret of a song writer ’s success lies chiefly in the talent he possesses. When that point was made to them, however, they agreed readily enough, pointing out that a special talent is required, just as a special talent is required to be a baseball player, golfer, sculptor, novelist, or mathematician. ‘*Popular song-writing can’t be taught,’’ both Warren and Dubin insisted, ‘‘A person either has or hasn’t the peculiar responsiveness to public taste that accounts for a song ’s success, and no one can tell him how to acquire that quality.’’ There isn’t even an accepted rule among. successful songwriters as to the mechanies of their work. Some writing teams have the lyricist first write the words which the composer then sets to music, while others work exactly opposite. Warren and Dubin adhere generally to the latter method, that is, usually Warren writes the tune first and then Dubin gets to work on the lyric. Whether or not tune or lyric was written first, the writer who tackles the second half of the task must make it fit the completed portion. Those are the only definable requirements for writing songs for motion pictures, but they are comparatively insignificant against the undefinable requirement — inspiration. ‘‘Stars Over Broadway’’ is a stirring drama with music featuring Pat O’Brien, Jean Muir, Jane Froman, James Melton, Frank MeHugh and Frank Fay. William Keighley directed the picture from the screen play by Jerry Wald and Julius Epstein, based on the story by Mildred Cram. “¢Roman | Melton Prefers Concerts To Night Clubs James Melton, New York radio star, who has the leading singing role in the Warner Bros. produetion ‘‘Stars Over Broadway,’’ now showingeat them... Theatre, never missed a Symphonies under the Stars concert at the Hollywood Bowl, during the entire time he was in the film colony, making the picture. To do this he passed up all the popular night spots. Star’s Orb Dotted With Thirteens James Melton, the New York radio star appearing in the Warner Bros. film musical, ‘‘Stars Over Broadway,’’ which comes to the RS. rats Ree Theatres one. 23cc esse, is one actor who is not superstitious. He had to work in a Bobby Connolly musical number with Jane Froman, another radio star, in Stage 12A. It’s really Stage 13. In the number there are 13 butlers. Jimmy is the thirteenth. Jane Froman Wears Gown Backwards Maybe Jane Froman is out to set a new style. The famous radio singer, who has a leading role in the Warner Bros. production, ‘‘Stars Over Broadway,’’ which comes to the cs fase dm: Theatre -08sac, has a quaint trick of wearing her clothes backwards. When seen at the studio working in the film in which she lends her voice to the screen for the first time, she was wearing powder blue silk trousers, with buttons in the back, and blue wool sweater with rolled up sleeves. Meet The Stars From the top ranks of radio to the screen come Jane Froman and James Melton, who make. their film debuts in Warner Bros.’ picture ““Stars Over Broadway,’’ a story of the lives and loves of radio stars, which opens at the Theatre on Mat No. 113—10e Shining Stars AAAS P SAAR RRRS RASA RRO RRR ERRRRE DRA RP DR DARE DSSEIDDIDERD DDR DDDARGG, At last Jean Muir gets her man and Pat O’Brien conducts a successful courtship. It’s a new film experience for them, but this time they twinkle and shine among the ‘‘Stars Over Broadway’’ the musicomedy which COMESINOR NS Sere ee TRECOPEZ ON a Mat No. 205—20e Autograph Hounds Mob Jane Froman Back in New York where she starred in radio programs, Jane Froman was as sought after as Garbo by autograph hunters. When she came to Hollywood to JANE FROMAN im “Stars Over Broadway’’ at the Strand. Mat No. 101 10e work for Warner Bros. in ‘‘Stars Over Broadway,’’ which comes to theses See, he aitte-On eats ; she figured no one would know her. But one night when dining at at the Hollywood Athletic Club, she was besieged by a score of autograph hunters. She gave up. Pat O’Brien Likes to Smoke in Film Pat O’Brien always prefers a film role in which he can smoke. He is such an inveterate smoker, using about two dozen cigars a day, that he says he doesn’t feel quite at ease unless he has a cigar. ““T ean do much better work while smoking,’’ declared Pat. That’s the reason he liked his role in the Warner Bros. production, ‘‘Stars Over Broadway,’’ now showing at the .........0..0.000.. Theatre. McHugh Teaching Girl His Goofy Laugh Frank McHugh is teaching his famous goofy laugh to Marie Wilson, a new Warner Bros. contract player. Miss Wilson makes her film debut with Frank in ‘‘Stars Over Broadway,’’ now showing at the Rea os a S. Theatre. The blonde miss, when not busy clowning in front of the camera, studies with McHugh. ““No mere man ean be funnier than I am after I get wound up,’’ declares Miss Wilson. ‘‘ Frank apparently isn’t afraid of competition. He’s teaching me how to laugh his funny way.’’ Florida Radio Star Likes Oranges Georgia born and Florida edueated James Melton, New York radio star under contract to Warner Brothers and playing in ‘‘Stars over Broadway,’’ which comes to Gen aes Mheattezon sa. i was of the opinion for years that California’s climate and oranges were excellent only because Chambers of Commerce said so. When Melton left for New York to return to the air before making his next Warner Bros. picture, he took two crates of California oranges with him. ‘*Do I like California oranges better than Florida?’’ asked Melton. ‘‘Sh-h-h! Don’t ask. I have a lot of relations and friends in Florida. ’’ Melton has the leading singing role in ‘‘Stars Over Broadway.’’ Radio Star Meets Song Authors Jane Froman, New York radio star, has sung songs written by Al Dubin and Henry Warren into a microphone hundreds of times. It wasn’t until Miss Froman worked in the Warner Bros. film, ‘<Stars SHOWINGS ateathe.os.5secs Theatre Over Broadway,’’ now that she met the men who wrote her hit songs. Miss Froman introduces ‘‘ You Let Me Down’’ a torch song, ‘‘ At Your Service, Madame,’’ which she will sing with James Melton, another New York radio star, and ‘‘Broadway Cinderella,’’ with Phil Regan, also known to radio dialers, in the picture. Talented Trio Do Film Radio Stunt Three talented men put on a laugh provoking act for ‘‘Stars Over Broadway,’’ the Warner Bros. production which comes to these tac ees EheatrecOne cee ce The Park Avenue Playboys, as they call themselves in the picture, appear in an amateur radio hour sequence. They are Patsy Flick, famous magazine writer under contract to Warner Bros. as a diolog writer; Louis Mercier, a grand opera basso, known throughout Europe; George Econemides, concert guitar teacher. In ‘‘Stars Over Broadway’? they clown with Frank Fay. Pat O’Brien and Jean Muir head the cast. Radio Star Orders Yacht to Coast James Melton, New York radio star now playing in the Warner Bros. picture, ‘‘Stars Over BroadWay, csdt=the 2. aes Theatre, has ordered his yacht to the Pacific Coast from New York. The craft, a Dawn twin screw cruiser, was named ‘‘ Melody’? by Mrs. Melton a couple of years ago when it was launched. A mooring place has been selected at Wilmington near Warren William’s craft the ‘‘Pegasus.’? Champ Watches Filming Jack Dempsey, former heavyweight champion of the world, whose New York restaurant was the locale of several scenes in ‘‘Stars Over Broad way,’’ which opens at the .......0..0..... ea Re Theatre on Doe beer scene ae eeecenscecens ’ is shown the replica of his establishment built in the Warner Bros. studios by Mervyn LeRoy, one of Warner Bros. ace directors. Mat No. 206—20e Page Twenty-three