Stranded (Warner Bros.) (1935)

FEATURES Glamorous Kay Francis Leads the Simple Life Star Of ‘Stranded’? Has Humble Home And Drives Inexpensive Car Considered by many the most glamorous figure on the screen, Kay Francis, the Warner Bros. star of ‘‘Stranded,’’ now showing at the .................... glamorous life, off-stage. ee Theatre, leads the least Her modest little home, just off Fountain Avenue in the Western section of Hollywood, is just without swimming pools. golf courses, thousand dollar doilies or even gold door knobs. It is a typical California bungalow with no frills or unessentials, except perhaps a_ guest room, which is seldom used. Her only car is one of the three in the lowest price field, and was exchanged this year for another of the same make, which she had driven for three years. She has never owned an expensive motor. Her personal maid is a combination secretary and general factotum, who shares the entire household service with a cook. In the sense of general supervision of expenditures, Miss Francis “runs” her own house. Her one extravagance—if extravagance it may be called—is the quality of everything she wears. Even the overalls in which she works around her garden are made to order. Her simplest house costumes are of impeccable eut and quality. While always in demand socially, she is hostess only often enough to keep her social obligations balanced. Usually she gives one big party a year, such as her much-discussed “Nautical Dance,” held recently. “When working on a picture, nothing can induce her to accept any invitation that will interfere with her own 9 o’clock curfew law.” “While making “Stranded” she not only missed several important parties, but two had to be postponed after invitations were out, because she was to be guest of honor. In any of the less glorified walks of life, Kay Francis would be known simply as a hard-working girl. She has often been asked why she lives on so modest a scale and invariably her answer is the same. “No home can have more than comfort, convenience and an inviting atmosphere. Anything beyond that is vanity. My friends must take me as I am, and I have no. desire to impress strangers.” Except for a touch of lip rouge, she wears no make-up in private life. Always perfectly groomed, she makes a fetish of simplicity and good taste. “Stranded” is a stirring drama featuring Miss Francis and George Brent, based on the story, “Lady With a Badge” by Frank Wead and Ferdinand Reyher. Others in the cast include Patricia Ellis, Donald Woods, Robert Barrat, Barton MacLane, Joseph Crehan and William Harrigan, ' The picture is a Frank Borzage production, directed by him from the screen play by Delmer Daves. Grand Central Terminal Is Outclassed On Screen Bigger One Built In Six Days For Warner Bros. Picture, “Stranded” The Grand Central and Pennsylvania Stations were once the finest Railway Terminals in America, but Hollywood built a bigger and finer one in just six days. Its massive Gothic beauty, framed in columns of Carrara marble, limned as though to stand the ravages of centuries, were used for one week. Then it was removed to make room for a Park Restaurant and a San Franeiseo lodging house. _ Grandeur is a transitory thing in Hollywood. The enormous railway station was built for “Stranded,” the Warner Bros. production which comes to the ........... Theatre re oe The set was designed by Art Director Anton Grot along the general lines of a typical metropotitan terminal, but with innovations that gave it a definite importance to artichects outside the little Hollywood world of make believe. The most interested visitors to this unusual motion picture structure were John Parkinson and his son, Donald, the famous architects whose present commision is the building of the great new Los Angeles Union station to be used jointly by the transcontinental roads. “The wonderful part of it all to me,” said Mr. Parkinson, “is the fact this is an actual station. I can hardly believe my eyes.” The main portion of the set was a vast lobby, with an area of about 45,000 square feet. In the center was the circular information booth, with its folders and brochures of all kinds. Behind the desk busy clerks presided. Nearby was the magazine stand —almost a department store on a small seale. In evidence were all the latest books and _ periodicals, cases packed with colorful boxes of candy, a profusion of novelties and gifts, cigars, cig Page Four arettes and traveling accessories. For this stand alone, the property department hsted over 950 items. On the right was the usual Telegraph counter, with its familiar lighted sign—and adjoining was another counter which plays an important part in the picture. Here a small sign announced simply “Travelers’ Aid Society.” The beautiful but businesslike young woman in charge is Kay Francis. Beyond, on either side of the lobby were the waiting rooms with the ramp descending to the street level, and at the far end the long line of train gates. Parts of stations have often been built for previous pictures, but this is said to be the first terminal to be erected on such a seale. Many of the important scenes of “Stranded” are laid in this station and Director Frank Borzage insisted that his backgrounds be authentic in all details. “Stranded” carries an all star cast headed by Kay Francis and George Brent, and includes Patricia Ellis, Donald Woods, Robert Barrat, Barton MacLane, Joseph Crehan and William Harrigan. It is a Frank Borzage production, directed by him from the screen play by Delmer Daves, and based on the story “Lady With a Badge,” by Frank Wead and Ferdinand Reyher. At The Strand Patricia Ellis and George Brent. who share stellar honors with Kay Francis in “Stranded,” now showing at the ..............0..000..06 Mat No. 102—10e Kay Francis Proves Riding Expert Kay Francis is one star who never needs a double when it comes to hard and fast riding. An expert equestrienne, she rode one of the most spirited horses on the Warner Bros. ranch during the production of her latest picture, ‘*Stranded.’’ Donald Woods Takes Up Tap Dancing -Donald,.Woeds, whose latest Warner Bros. picture, ‘‘Stranded,’?.:comes. to the-f2 oc. Theatre OM ......:i0:cce. ; has taken up tap dancing and. singing. ‘* They ’re just hobbies,’’ Woods said, ‘‘but of course I may find them useful in future sereen roles.’? director . PATRICIA is the daughter of Alexander Leftwich famous Broadway producer and . educated in private schools... wanted to be a farmer and a nurse but got a part in a school play and decided to be an actress... understudied ingenues in her dad's shows... the Queen” when Warner Bros. saw her... two days later she was Hollywood bound! in “Elizabeth George Brent Burns All His Bridges Behind Him Leading Man In “Stranded” Looks To Future Instead Of The Past All his life George Brent, who has the leading masculine role opposite Kay Francis in the Warner Bros. production, ‘‘Stranded,’’ which comes to the ..............0.0...0ceeee Theatre nt aoa ae eee , has burned his bridges behind him. Never, so far as his best friends know, has he gone back to pick up threads of a lost romance, followed through on an adventure after it had once lost its zest for him, or tried to renew a career in which he has some time failed. Born George Nolan in Ireland some thirty years ago, Brent was left an orphan when he was eleven and he was sent by relatives to America to make his home with members of the family who had already become established in this country. The farm where he was born and the countryside where he spent an active and sometimes adventurous childhood, have never seen George Brent since that day. When he did return to the troubled island of his birth it was to attend the Dublin University and to become interested in the Abbey Players there, who were, at that particular time, making theatrical history. Those activities were halted by the outbreak of civil. war, in which the young man took an active part as dispatch carrier for Michael Collins. When Collins was ambushed and killed, Brent knew that another chapter in his life had been closed. As George Nolan, the actor, his career culminated some years ago in a stock company. of his own. That brought him financial ruin and left him broke and disillusioned. His first marriage ended in divorce. = : He never tried to recapture either his lost money or his shattered romance. Instead he changed his name and came to Hollywood. ae “Stranded” is a stirring drama featuring Kay Francis and Brent. 2: d (4) Mat No. 302—30e KAY FRANCIS starred currently in “Stranded”...was born in Oklahoma . . then finishing school ... where she excelled in athletics ... took a business course ... became social secretary to society notables including Mrs. W: K. Vanderbilt ... decided to try the stage... played in stock and on Broadway Walter Huston, with whom she had appeared on the stage, was signed for films, he arranged for her screen test...now she’s ‘the best-dressed star in Holtywood ! World’s Biggest Bridge Is Shown In Film, ‘Stranded’ Only an eighth wonder of the world could stop the Hollywood set builders. It did. Warner Bros. could not reproduce the great Golden Gate Bridge, now being built and which is the background of important action in ‘‘Stranded,’’ now showing at the Be i OE Theatre, although the company did reproduce sections of it, The Golden Gate Bridge has a suspension span nearly three times as long as that of Brooklyn Bridge. It is supported by towers so huge that it requires 450 freight cars to haul the steel for one tower. While the bridge proper is 6450 feet long, the total length, including the approaches is 7 miles. Even the movies could not. build this. Its massiveness, however, set the scale for the rest of the production of ‘‘Stranded.’’ The use of the monster Golden Gate Bridge is in the nature of a preview of the biggest undertaking of its kind in history, and a project that will be prominent in the world’s headlines for years to come. ‘“Stranded’’ is a stirring drama featuring Kay Francis and George Brent. Frank Borzage directed. . educated in a convent when | J GE@RGE ERENT is 31 years of age... was born in Dublin and graduated from the National University there where he was a football star ... became a sailor on tramp steamer... herded sheep...was a blacksmith... worked in diamond mines. .joined Dublin's famous Abbey Theatre group...later became a secret service agent for the Irish during the Rebellion, .. forced to flee to Canada on a freighter...got a job in a stock company ... acted in almost 200 different roles before he appeared on Broadway ...a short time later Hollywood grabbed him! (Additional Publicity on Page 9)