The Church Mouse (Warner Bros.) (1934)

| qura La Plante Trainec In ‘Western’ Film Serials / itieeeonet | our of “The Church Mouse” Gained Title of “Good Trouper” In Silent Thriller Days comparative youth, is a good trouper. This charming latest [on LA PLANTE, a sereen veteran despite her blonde star, whose youse”’ will open at the | is title years ago, a ; * “The Chureh Theater picture .... next, proved her claim to » was the only woman member ‘of the cast of the Western ‘‘thriller’’ serial ‘‘Perils of “the Yukon,’’ her first starring vehicle. Only Girl in Cast There were more than 20 men P the company making the blood and thunder serial of the “Perils of Yukon,” and one leading lady, 4 petite blond girl not quite 16 vars old, who had been working | shout two years in the Christie ; comedies. The company lodged at an old ‘nch house, and the scenes were ‘taken several miles away from it. All equipment had to be carried, and as the male members of the ast had their hands full, Laura uoted” the sandwiches and coffee for the noon repast. Six weeks were required for her frst serial, and immediately thereafter she was assigned to another, “§round the World in 18 Days.” The second ended her career as a thrill star. She appealed to the executives of the Universal Comjany, for whom she was working, for different parts, and got them. Miss La Plante’s start in films yas accidental. Born in St. Louis, Mo, she went to San Diego, Cal., with her parents when a small girl, and attended the high school of that city. A visit to a cousin in Los Angeles, coupled with a need for spending money, resulted inher application to the Christie studios for work as an extra. She was then 14 years old, blonde, blue eyed and pretty. She got the job. Has Had Active Career She herself doesn’t remember the titles of all the pictures in which she appeared, usually in support of Neal Burns. After working with Charles Ray, she went to Universal. Among her pictures for that company were ‘Home, James,” “Beware of Widows,” “Butterflies in the Rain,” ‘The Cat and the Canary,” “Love Thrill,” “Silk Stockings,” “Findes Keepers,’ “Thanks for the Buggy Ride,” “Show Boat,” ‘Seandal,” “The Last Warning,” “Captain of the Guard,” “King of Jazz,” “Arizona” and “God’s Gift to Women.” Several years ago, she decided to devote her time to the stage and for two years appeared, with “Private marked suecess’_ in Lives,” “Springtime for Henry” and “Among the Married.” In July, 1933, she went to England where her home. she has since made In that time she has LAURA LA PLANTE, Star of “The Church Mouse,” First National Film Coming to Strand : Next. Mat No. 11—10c made three pictures at the Teddington studios of Warner Bros.First National. They are “Her Imaginary Lover,’ “The Girl in Possession” and her current release “The Church Mouse.” Miss La Plante in private life is Mrs. Irving Asher, her husband being managing director of the Warner Bros.-First National Studios in Teddington, England. Her hobbies are reading, yachting, swimming, dog raising and horseback riding, but she lists as her favorite sport nothing less than sewing. Learn how to make the most of ‘IT’ from LAURA LA PLANTE in First National's THE CHURCH MOUSE wih IAN HUNTER « MONTY BANKS 180 Lines—Mat No. 1—20c oe nll . : *rn ra ewe ee BIOGRAPHIES Laura La Plante Laura La Plante, one of America’s outstanding screen stars who has become equally famous in England where she now resides, was born in St. Louis, Mo., November 1, 1904. Her early ambition was to be a violinist but a visit to cousins in Los Angeles when she was 14 years old, resulted in her becoming an extra in a number of Christie comedies. Later she was selected by Charles Ray for a member of his stock company. Her first picture with the then famous film star was “The Old Swimming Hole.” Later she became leading lady in a series of one reelers for Universal and starred in two serials, “Perils of the Yukon,’ and “Around the World in 18 Days.” Miss La Plante remained with Universal eight years, starring in “Captain of the Guard,” “King of Jazz,” “Seandal,” “Arizona,” “God’s Gift to Women,” and many others. After these films, she went on the stage and for two years played in such stage successes as “Private Lives,” “Springtime for Henry” and “Among the Married.” In July, 1933, she went to the Teddington studios to make three pictures for Warner Bros.-First National. They were “Her Imaginary Lover,’ “The Girl in Possession” and her current picture “The Chureh Mouse,” which will be shown at the theater beginning Ian Hunter Ian Hunter was born in Kenilworth, near Cape Town, Africa, on June 13, 1900. He was edueated at St. Andrew’s College, in Cape Colony. After his marriage to Miss Catherine Pringle, he went to England and in 1917 enlisted in the Army, serving in France until the end of the war. After the Armistice he returned to London and studied elocution under Miss Elsie Fogerty. Ian Hunter Mat No. 8 —10c His first appearance on the stage was at the New Theater in 1919, when he walked on in “Jack o’ Jingles.” From then on his rise has been rapid. In 1923, he succeeded Basil Rathbone as leading man in “R. U. R.” In July, 1925, he went to New York where he played Charles Surface in “The Sehool for Seandal.” He returned to London, coming to New York again in 1928 in “Olympia.” IIe is considered one of the leaders of the English stage and has only recently engaged in sereen work. He will, however, be given important screen roles by Warner Bros., who will soon bring him to Hollywood. His most important film role to date is his current one with Laura La Plante in “The Chureh Mouse” which will be shown at the theater on Monty Banks Monty Banks, who plays a leading role in “The Chureh Mouse” is also director of the sparkling comedy. Mr. Banks, as all moviegoers of the silent days will remember, was one of the most pop ular comedians. His comie antics and ludicrous facial contortions made him as unique in his way, as Charlie Chaplin is in his pantomimie stunts. Monty Banks has been in England for several years, working at the Teddington studios of Warner Bros.-First National. He is one of the rare examples of versatility in his ability to act and to show others how to act. He also possesses the rare gift of making friends, to a remarkable degree and his off-screen comedy is even more amusing than his professional rib-tickling. “The Chureh Mouse” starring Laura La Plante, is his latest. slat ay ie a8 Se tance § * "Church se Mouse LAURA LA PLANTE and MONTY BANKS in an amusing scene from “The Church Mouse,” the First National comedy coming to Strand. next. Mat No. 7—20c Feature Life of Laura La Plante Has Been Cinderella Role Star of ““The Church Mouse”’ Has Had Hard Battle to Win Film Supremacy show places, and is the wife of one of the most im Deo the fact that she lives in one of England’s portant personages in the film industry of that nation, it was not at all difficult for Laura La Plante to portray a poor working girl, which is her role in the First National comedy ‘‘The Church Mouse’’ which opens at the “extra” in the old Christie studios in Los Angeles, and she still likes to talk about the days when she was the only woman in a cast making western thriller serials for Universal. Today, Miss La Plante’s home is a beautiful mansion standing in acres of grounds on the banks of the Thames river at Teddington. When Warner Bros., which has the largest studio in the world at Burbank, Cal., decided to extend its producing activities in Great Britain, they sent Irving Asher to England to organize the unit. He had grown up in the industry, and is one of the few major company executives who was actually born in Hollywood. Soon after reaching England, Asher purchased an old world mansion and around it he has built up one of the largest and best equipped studios in Europe. The studio grounds are a scene of intense activity all day long, but in the evening, it is given over to the home life of Mr. and Mrs. Asher. Both Mr. Asher and Miss La Plante are dog fanciers, and their kennels are frequently visited by experts. The pride of the lot is a British terrier known as Burhank Prinee. In addition to raising thoroughbred dogs, Miss La Plante is a keen yaehtswoman and swimmer, but she insists on remaining a working actress and after completing a number of other pictures now being planned, will organize a road company for a tour of English provinces. In “The Chureh Mouse,” which is based on the suecessful stage play of the same name, Miss La Plante plays the role of a poverty stricken stenographer who gets a job by invading the office of a banker through the window, and who not only holds the position by her efficiency as a secretary, but wins her employer’s heart by taking lessons in allure from that finaneier’s girl friend. Tan Hunter, one of London’s favorite actors is the leading man and the east ineludes a number of noted London players. ” LAURA LA PLANTE in First Nationol’s THE CHURCH MOUSE. with 1AN HUNTER « MONTY BANKS 16 Lines—Mat No. 2—10c Monty Banks directed from the° screen play arranged by W. Scott “Darling from the stage version of Paul Frank and Ladislaus Fodor. FILM STARS LAURA LA PLANTE and IAN HUNTER in “The Church Mouse,” First National film now at Strand Theatre. Mat No. 6—10c Antique Typewriter Used in Film What is probably the first typewriter to be used in England forms one of the properties in the First national comedy “The Church Mouse,” in which blonde Laura La Plante will open at the theater on cane The picture opens in a bank in 1834, and shows the reluctance with which the clerks discarded quills for newly invented steel pens. It then skips to 1884 and shows the introduction of the typewriter. The machine used in the pieture was loaned by the Remington Typewriter Co. It was built in 1873 and is still going strong. “The Church Mouse” is a spicy, clever comedy based on the suecessful stage play on the same name, Page Three ~