The Adventurous Blonde (Warner Bros.) (1937)

PUBLICITY FOR --?r-=. A. TORCHY Ud ‘s _ BLANE aa ADVENTURE =. a a fo o we ee ee (Advance) EX-BOXER IS NOW A LAUGH WINNER IN FILM COMEDY If he had entered films ten years earlier, Tom Kennedy wouldn’t have been a comedian. In the older, more serious days of the flicker business a former heavyweight prize fighter with a somewhat battered face couldn’t have been anything but a “heavy”’—a villain. Today, there are several of Tom’s sort doing excellent comedy work, but none so effective, probably, as the husky fighter who flattened Bombadier Wells and other top-flight heavyweights at the old Madison Square Garden. Kennedy’s best comedy opportunities to date have come in the “Torchy Blane” series of pictures filmed by Warner Bros., featuring Glenda Farrell and Barton MacLane. Tom, as chauffeur to Detective MacLane, is an excellent foil for the latter and for newspaperwoman Glenda. No. punch-drunk, slug-nutty gent is Kennedy, despite the stupidly bewildered looks he can put on his battered face in film scenes. After doing a few early “silents” he left the screen temporarily to fight against being classed as a villain, Donald Crisp in “Broken Blossoms” and others having popularized the cauliflower-ear in that capacity. Returning early in the talkie era, Kennedy began playing comedy and quickly established himself in that field. He has appeared in many out-and-out comedies, and in all the “Torchy Blane” series, latest of which is “Torchy Blane, The Adventurous Blonde.” This picture, which Frank McDonald directed, opens next week at the Strand. UPS AND DOWNS IN FILM LIVES When in high school at the age of 14, Glenda Farrell played in stock at the old Strand Theatre in San Diego, a protege of Virginia Brissac, the then leading lady and owner of the repertoire company. Leatrice Joy was the ingenue of the company. Recently at Warner Bros. studio, where Glenda Farrell played the leading role in “Torchy Blane, The Adventurous Blonde,” Virginia Brissac played a small character part in the same picture. “Torchy Blane, The Adventur ous Blonde” will come to the Strand Theatre next week. Mat 104—15c BARTON MacLANE — As Steve McBride he plays opposite Glenda Farrell in “Torchy Blane, The Adventurous Blonde,” coming to the Strand on Friday. Page Four Mat 203—30c “GOIN? MY WAY, BIG BOY ?’—Glenda Farrell, who plays the title role in “Torchy Blane, The Adventurous Blonde,” gives her co-star, Barton MacLane, the glad eye—but all he’s interested in is murder! The picture comes to the Strand Theatre next Friday. (Advance) Glenda Farrell A Trouper Since She Was An Infant It takes time more than talent to make stars, according to Glenda Farrell, who plays the title role in Warner Bros.’ production of “Torchy Blane, The Adventurous Blonde.” Time, says the vivacious Glenda, gives the player the finesse that talent alone can never give. It polishes off the rough edges, adds the little bits of professional business and knowledge which add up to “There is a trouper.” “Of course,” Glenda explains, “there can never be great acting without talent. That is the foundation. But it’s time that builds that talent and gets the most out OLeits “A talented player without the experience brought by time will be able to do better at a role than a player without talent and a good deal of experience. The thing is, though, that the job will still be incomplete. It takes the combnation of time and talent to make the job entire!” Miss Farrell is one of Hollywood’s actresses who has had long experience to back up her contention. She started on the stage at the age of 7, playing Little Eva in “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” No small part of her experience was going to heaven in that part over a thousand times in companies which toured the Southwest. As she grew older in the theatre Miss Farrell progressed to jobs with more and more important stock companies, from which many of our leading film stars have come. Eventually her success as an actress took her to Broadway. A series of impressive roles there brought her back to California and Hollywood for the beginning of a screen career which has corroborated her contention that it takes time and talent to turn out a finished player. In “Torchy Blane, The Adventurous Blonde,’ Miss Farrell carries on the adventures of that demon lady journalist, “Torchy” Blane, especially with the police department as represented by Barton MaclLane, her leading man. The picture, which was directed by Frank McDonald, opens next Friday at the Strand Theatre. Besides Miss Farrell and MacLane, the cast includes such notables as Anne Nagel, Natalie Moorhead, William Hopper, Tom Kennedy, Charley Foy and others. BART’S ANCIENT CLUB Barton MacLane, golfing enthusiast, received a driver recently on the ‘Adventurous Blonde” set at Warner Bros. studio from a fan in Scotland. The driver is estimated to be more than 100 years old. Bart is now playing in “Torchy Blane, The Adventurous Blonde.” This Publicity Featurette available in one and two column mats. 30c for the two column, No. 115—15c for the one column. GLENDA IN IVORY A miniature painter gave Glenda Farrell a little portrait of herself on ivory. Under the picture on a tiny gold inset is engraved “Torchy,’” which refers to Glenda’s Warner Bros. films of the “Torchy Blane” series. The latest of these, “Torchy Blane, The Adventurous Blonde,” is now playing at the Strand Theatre. Order No. 213— (Advance ) Bart MacLane Bans Yarns About Off-Screen Traits There will be no more stories written that Barton MacLane, who usually plays tough guys in the movies, possesses a heart of purest gold. Mr. MacLane, one of the stars of Warner Bros.’ “Torchy Blane, The Adventurous Blonde,’ which opens next Friday at the Strand Theatre, has written a handbook for his publicity men. In it, he has listed the stories he doesn’t want written. Particularly taboo is the story about Mr. MacLane’s mother awakening him by waving a freshly picked rose under his nose. That story, Mr. MacLane points out, practically ruined George Bancroft. “An alarm clock wakes me,” Mr. MacLane says. “If it doesn’t my mother bangs on the door. And if that doesn’t work she sends my brother in to put ice down my neck. Never has anyone waved a rose under my nose. Never has anyone touched my lips with a fresh peach just off the tree.” Also forbidden is the one about Mr. MacLane taking care of every stray dog in the neighborhood. Mr. MacLane has never gone about picking up stray dogs or cats. He has his own dogs and cats and feels that any such tales might hurt the feelings of his pets. Another stock story to which Mr. MacLane objects is the one about the rugged star who goes around helping old ladies across streets, and taking home downand-outers. You can’t write that about him anymore. You can’t write that anyone with a hard luck tale can get a few bucks from Mr. MacLane. “T am not a sucker for a touch,” GLENDA FARRELL RETURNS HOME WITH MANY GIFTS Glenda Farrell, film comedienne, has introduced the “unpacking party” to Hollywood. One night a few weeks ago a small group of friends, headed by Assistant Director Drew Eberson, No. 1 man in her life, helped her to empty the several trunks she brought back from her recent European tour. There were gifts for all of Glenda’s friends. Rare old pieces of English lustre china, old pieces of Sheffield silver, cashmeres from Scotland and other fabrics, Lencia dolls, rare Italian china and other treasures of her trip was unpacked. Outstanding among the gifts was a rare Lencia china mask which she gave to Drew. Miss Farrell was abroad three months. She filmed “Have You Come For Me?” at Teddington Studio in England, for Warner Bros. release, and then toured England, Scotland, France and Italy. ; She is now playing the leading feminine role in “Torchy Blane, The Adventurous Blonde,” which comes to the Strand Theatre next week. It is the third of the popular Torchy Blane series, in which Glenda is a girl reporter and Barton MacLane is her detective lieutenant boyfriend. There’s a fake murder, a real murder, plenty of romance, and lots of comedy included in the story which has a real newspaper office for its background. Also prominent in the cast are Anne Nagel, Natalie Moorhead, William Hopper, Charley Foy, Tom Kennedy and many others. he says. “There’s no use saying that I am.” And here are some more verboten ones; That he keeps a canary in his bedroom; That he never takes a drink of hard liquor; That he can’t stand the smell of a pipe; That he sends half his pay check to orphans’ homes; That he is afraid of policebe able to do better at a role the combination of time and talmen; That he can tear a telephone book apart with his bare hands; That he used to be a blacksmith; That he bends iron bars with his teeth; Mr. MacLane’s handbook doesn’t give any tips on the stories he wants written. He’s leaving that up to the writers. FAKED MURDER STOPS WEDDING “Nearly Married” would be an appropriate title for the Warner Bros. newspaper-mystery drama, “Torchy Blane, The Adventurous Blonde,” the third of the popular “Torchy Blane” series, which comes to the Strand Theatre next Friday! In it, Glenda Farrell and Barton MacLane are continually on the verge of getting married. But they don’t—quite. The news of their planned trip to the altar has thrown the rival news-sleuths into consternation. To delay the impending nuptials, this group of worthies frame up a fake murder. But the hoax boomerangs, when a real murder is discovered. “Torchy” and Steve become so involved in solving the crime that their wedding is postponed again and again, and they end up as they started, ‘Nearly married.” DARK-HAIRED PAIR Kay Francis and William Hopper take note: According to the indexing color filter in the Warner Bros. makeup department these two are not only the darkest-haired folk on contract to the studio—but they index identically the same shade on a gadget which registers nearly 500 shades! Hopper, son of the late great DeWolf Hopper, is now to be seen at the Strand Theatre in “Torchy Blane, The Adventurous Blonde,” which costars Glenda Farrell and Barton MacLane. Mat 102—15c GLENDA FARRELL—She plays the title role in the third of the Torchy Blane series, ‘“‘Torchy Blane, The Adventurous Blonde,” coming to the Strand this week.