The King and the Chorus Girl (Warner Bros.) (1937)

PW BAH scare »F ““4.M.” and “P.M.” Are Comedian’s Children Versatile Is The Word For Film Producer Lekoy Varied Career In All Branches Of Theatre Brings Him To Top Regal Settings Built For “King And Chorus Girl”’ Royal Atmosphere Of Film Calls For Lavish Sets And Backgrounds Alan Mowbray ealls his children “Morning” and “Afternoon.” One is named Alan and the other Patricia and their initials thus are “A, M.” and “P. M.” Mowbray next will be seen in “The King and the Chorus Girl,’ Mervyn LeRoy’s comedy romance production for Warner Bros. which stars Fer Dollars fly out the windows when movie kings come on the set. Whereas ordinary cinema mortals can move in ordinary surroundings, royalty must be shown against a prop ‘here are any number of comedy directors in Hollywood. There is a formidable list of directors who excel in dramatic productions. And it has been said that never the twain shall meet. But the versatile young Mervyn LeRoy turns from drama to comedy to musical with equal ease — and what is more im portant — with excellent results. Recently he was elevated to the position of producer, and ‘‘The King and the Chorus Girl,’’ a comedy romance with music starring the Continental film star, Fernand Gravet, which comes to the-............ See cutie, OM. sccisig <a. 18 his first film as producer for Warner Bros. Previous to this, LeRoy directed ‘<Three Men on a Horse,’’ a straight comedy adapted from the hilarious stage play with a Broadway run of more than two years to its credit. And just before that, he made the massive and intensely dramatic ‘‘Anthony Adverse,’’? which was selected as one of the ten best films of 1936. Some clue to LeRoy’s amazing versatility may be found in his life story. Born in San Francisco, he was not quite six when the earthquake and fire wrecked the city, and wiped out everything that his family possessed. From that time on, he was more or less on his own. At 10, he was selling newspapers outside the Alcazar Theatre, and when a small boy was needed for a role in ‘Barbara Frietchie’’ he was pressed into service. He made a hit, and a tremendous urge to make good in the theatre had entered his blood. In 1915 at the World’s Fair in his home city he got a job as a singer, then teamed up with a lad named Cooper, and the pair got into vaudeville. They toured the country for years, eventually getting up into the high-salaried class. Looking ahead, however, LeRoy thought that he saw a much bigger future in motion pictures than on the vaudeville stage, so he got a job as wardrobe boy with the old Famous Players-Lasky outfit at the almost non-existent wage of $12.50. Ambitious to get into the acting end, he wheedled a job from Alfred E. Green doing a bit in the late Wally Reid’s ‘‘Ghost Breaker.’’? He introduced several amusing gags into the picture, and was retained by Green as a gagman at First National. Still looking ahead, he decided that he would like to be a director, so he pleaded with John MceCormick, then a First National producer, to give him a chance. He was finally assigned to a little picture called ‘‘No Place to Go.’’ It was a success, and his next assignment was to direct Colleen Moore in ‘‘Oh Kay!?’’ LeRoy’s manifold experiences had served him in good stead, and from then on it was clear sailing. He directed such tremendous hits as ‘‘Five Star Final,’’ ‘‘T Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang,’’ ‘‘Little Caesar,’’ and more recently ‘‘ Oil for the Lamps of China’’ and ‘‘I Found Stella Parish.’’ Then came the previously mentioned ‘‘ Anthony Adverse’’ and ‘‘Three Men on a Horse.’’ But resting on his laurels has never been a LeRoy trait. There was one more step up the ladder that he was ambitious to take, and a few months ago, the executives of Warner Bros. announced that Mervyn LeRoy had been made a producer. His first official act under his new status was to sign Fernand Gravet, who had hitherto refused all American offers, to a long-term contract. ‘‘The King and the Chorus Girl’’ is truly royal entertainment. nand Gravet, Continental film idol, and which comes to the Theatre Makes Bow As Producer erly regal background. That’s why the usually complacent brow of Mervyn LeRoy, briliant young Warner Bros. director and producer, was deeply furrowed before and during the making of “The King and the Chorus Girl,” the comedy romance in which he introduces his new Continental star, Fernand Gravet, to American audiences. In the picture, Gravet plays the role of a happy-go-lucky, spendthrift ex-monarech who falls violently in love with an American chorus girl, otherwise Joan Blondell. His high-pressure courtship, in the face of her obstinate refusal to take royalty seriously, provides the swift humor. Because of the royal atmosphere, every one of the movie sets had to be specially designed, constructed and furnished. One room, the King’s bedroom, provides an example of LeRoy’s problem. The bed itself, large enough for four husky persons, was draped with rich plush and embroidered with the King’s royal erest. A rug made from the matched skins of four Himalayan bears lay on the floor. Handsome oil paintings decorated the walls and black marble tables, art objects, bits of statuary, crested drapes and similar items were scattered around. An imported car, valued at $30,000, was rented for $1,000 plus insurance for the King’s use, which consisted solely of a brief ride within the sound stage. Other costly scenes included Fernand Gravet Mervyn LeRoy, directed such outstanding films as ‘‘ Five Star Final,’’ ‘“ Little Caesar,’’ ‘‘ Anthony Adverse,’’ ‘‘Three Men on a Horse’’ and many others before he made ‘‘The King and the Chorus Girl,’’ starring the Continental film star Fernand Gravet, which marks his debut as a producer for Warner Bros. This sparkling comedy with music, written by Groucho Marx and Norman Krasna, is now playing at the Spee Theatre. Mat No. 204 — 20c the interior of the Folies Bergere in Paris, the King’s lavish reception room, a Parisian restaurant and the spacious salon of the French liner Ile de France. A gay, whimsical, romantic comedy, “The King and the Chorus Girl’ has a large star stud Declared by 50,000,000 French ‘‘How Does A King Woo?” Just The Way We All Do! Director Of “The King And The Chorus Girl’’ Found That Was The Answer Mervyn LeRoy is very glad that he held stubbornly to his idea that ‘‘all young men same way.”’ in love act pretty much the Despite his long experience, he had to tackle a new problem when he started making of ‘‘The King and the Chorus Girl,’’ the Warner Bros. comedy romance which introduces Fernand Gravet, noted Continental star to American audiences, and which will be seen at theese. .esess Theatte A tees totes 3 LeRoy had directed all sorts of lovers — soda clerks, business, men, ex-convicts, coal miners, college students but never once a King. How, said LeRoy to himself, would a King embark upon an amorous adventure? Perhaps some questioning among his friends might help. Friend Number One said: “A King would make love in a very dignified, restrained manner. No excitement or hurrying. Friend Number Two said: “A King would be brusque and commanding. He’d expect the gal to obey him and no stalling around.” Friend Number Three said: “A King would go in for soft music, throbbing words, moonlight. Then, following the lead of his ancestors, he’d probably propose in four syllable words. LeRoy weighed all the advice and said something that sounded like, “Nuts!” Whereupon he proceded to follow his own hunch, which was to have his cinema King make love exactly as a commoner would. “Be very ritzy in all the other scenes but nix on the fancy stuff when we get to the romance,” he told Gravet, while Joan Blondell, who plays the role of chorus girl, smilingly listened. “Just act like anyone in love. Ever been in love yourself?” “Certainly,” Gravet responded with a touch of spirit. “Were you able to think of anything else when it first hit you?” “Of course not. I couldn’t!” “Swell,” said LeRoy. “Kings may come and Kings may go but there’s only one way for a guy in love to act. Do it that way.” ded cast, including Edward Everett Horton, Mary Nash, Alan Mowbray, Luis Alberni, Jane Wyman, Kenny Baker and scores of others. Norman Krasna and Groucho Marx wrote the story, Ted Koehler and Werner R. Heymann composed the new songs, Bobby Connolly staged the dances — including the sensational French “Can women to be their country’s real gift to womanhood, Fernand Gravet will be seen for the first time in America in ‘‘The King and the Chorus Girl,’’ which comes to the Se GTS Theatre on Mat No. 105 — 10e Can’ — and Mervyn LeRoy, both directed and produced the picture. Joan Blondell Giz Take A Joke—Even On Herself Leading Lady Of “King And The Chorus Girl” Collides With Her Own Car Joan Blondell really doesn’t know how the accident oe curred. She backed her big new coupe out of the parking station and bang! — two fenders and the running board of a new and smaller car had permanent waves. Perhaps she had been driving too swiftly because she was late that morning for an important scene in “The King and the Chorus Girl,” the Mervyn LeRoy production for Warner Bros. which; comes =to (the=3.--1 ans. Theatre: On. 5.4 acn ie starring Fernand Gravet, the Continental screen idol. But, anyhow, Joan knew she was to blame for the rumpled fenders and running board. The owner of the car was nowhere in sight. So Joan took paper and pencil from her purse, wrote a note promising to pay for the damage, placed it in the car and sped for the studio. “The damage to the automobile is being taken care of,” the butler said at dinner that night. “Thanks,” replied Joan. Then, curious, she asked: “Whose car was it?” The butler hesitated a moment. “Your car, Miss Blondell — the new one we got for the house. I was in the grocery store at the time.” Page Seven