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

yr UpA1 Cal a ¥ Continental Star Adopts American Customs Quickly Star Of “The King And The Chorus Girl’ Refuses French ‘Stand-In”’ Fernand Gravet’s slogan is ‘‘When in America, do as the Americans do.’’ World traveled, experienced on the stage of virtually every important European country and starred in 27 Continental motion pictures, he brought no nationalistic prejudices or customs with him. Instead, he insisted upon con forming to the American way of doing things. His first picture made, on this side of the Atlantic is Mervyn LeRoy’s production of “The King and the Chorus Girl” for Warner Bros., a swift, exciting, humorous romance in which the foreign star, as a spendthrift ex-monarch, seeks the affections of Joan Blondell, in the role of an American chorus girl. It comes to the .......... has had some rather exciting times with foreign players, was prepared for the worst when M. Gravet arrived. To their surprise, they found that he spoke excellent English because of his early schooling in London, and that he wanted to learn and obey rather than give orders. He rejected an ornate Louis XIV suite in a hotel for a typieally modern American bungalow. He went to three football games in as many days, learned all the slang possible and asked for an American stand-in instead of the Frenchman the studio suggested. He explained that conversation with the American would help his command of the language. “Of course, I have a strong affection both for Belgium, my native land, and for France, where I now live,’ M. Gravet said. “But I’ve traveled too much, seen too many people, experienced too many foreign customs to attempt to tell other folks how they should do things.” Edward Everett Horton tops the long list of featured players in “The King and the Chorus Girl,” the cast of which includes Mary Nash, Alan Mowbray, Jane Wyman, Luis Alberni, Kenny Baker of the radio, the Bobby Connolly dancing girls and many others. Mervyn LeRoy both directed and produced the picture. The story is an original by Norman Krasna and Groucho Marx. She’s The Reason Joan Blondell is the reason Fernand Gravet is willing to leave home in Mervyn LeRoy’s production for Warner Bros. ‘‘ The King and the Chorus Girl,’’ the comedy romance with music that opens at the: es .. Theatre on Mat No. 104—10c¢ Page Eight Work Behind The Laughter LeRoy Has Colleen’s Old Bungalow Mervyn LeRoy, famous young Warner Bros. producer of “The King and the Chorus Girl,” which comes to the .......00... Theatre OME Hs. Shree , has converted the former bungalow of Colleen Moore into an office for himself. There’s a coincidence about it. When LeRoy first joined the movies, he was a comedy expert on Miss Moore’s films and helped her design the bungalow. Now it’s his own office. It looks easy on the screen, but Producer Mervyn LeRoy (right), his star, Fernand Gravet (left), and Joan Blondell held daily luncheon conferences during the filming of ‘‘The King and the Chorus Girl’’ the Warner Bros. picture now at the Pay i ee Theatre. The hardest kind of work and innumerable hours of labor went into the making of the scenes which daily provoke gales of laughter. Mat No. 201i—20¢ New Filmusical’s Dancing Beauties Have Hard Chore Despite their envied positions, Hollywood dancing beauties have plenty of hard work. Imagine, for example, having to dance both the graceful, slow Spanish Bolero and the contrasting swift-paced, high kicking Parisian ‘‘Can-Can’’ in one day. Yet, that is what Bobby Connolly’s famous dancing girls do in Mervyn LeRoy’s production of ‘“The King and the Chorus Girl,’’ the Warner Bros. comedy romance which comes to the ..............00..00. Thedtre=0n ano oe Connolly required three weeks to find girls who could do both difficult, intricate dances. Another three weeks were spent in rehearsal, then a week of dress rehearsal] and finally a week for the actual filming. In all, eight long weeks for two dance scenes showing the famed Folies Bergere in Paris. Meanwhile, Joan Blondell had been having strenuous practice and instruction because, despite her position as a star, the script called for her to be in the front rank of the dancing girls. She learned her lessons rapidly and well, Connolly reported, for she has been in many musical and dancing films. The picture introduces a new star — Fernand Gravet, Continental sereen idol, who portrays the character of a happy-go-lucky, spendthrift ex-monarch and_ his tempestuous romantic pursuit of an American chorus girl, played by Miss Blondell. Edward Everett Horton in the role of the ever worried and perplexed uncle of movie ‘‘King’’ Gravet, leads the supporting cast, aided by Alan Mowbray, Jane Wyman, Kenny Baker of the radio, and others. Mervyn LeRoy both directed and produced ‘‘The King and the Chorus Girl,’? Most Novel Film Contract Is Held By Foreign Star There are many strange contracts in Hollywood, but that of Fernand Gravet’s probably is the strangest. The famous Continental star, whose first American film, ‘‘The King and the Chorus Girl,’’ opens atthe aS ee Theatre on Se ee , signed the novel agreement with Mervyn LeRoy, Warner Bros. producer, in Paris last summer. Gravet had long declined offers from Hollywood. Famous in Enrope, starred in 27 big produetions there, he was unwilling to go until conditions were right. Here are some of the clauses: Gravet need not salute distinguished figures while on the set or at public functions. He is not required to contribute to funds for military forces once opposed to the Allies. He may re-design or alter any military uniforms he is to wear. And for each clause Gravet has a sensible explanation. Once while working in Berlin, he was sharply reprimanded for not giving the Nazi salute to a government official. Once he was threatened with penalties for declining to contribute to a Storm Troopers’ fund. <A Belgian by birth, he refused to aid a military system that once had warred with his own nation. In the matter of military uniforms, he is a recognized expert, possessing a colleetion of 13,000 accurate miniature figures. But not a single unpleasant incident marked the making of ‘‘ The King and the Chorus Girl’’ in which Gravet plays the role of a spendthrift ex-monarch who falls in love with an American chorus girl, played by Jean Blondell. Mervyn LeRoy both directed and produced the picture. To Play In “‘Horse Opera’”’ Is Star’s Seeret Desire Fernand Gravet, Lover Of Horses, Has Never Had Chance To Ride In Films A secret ambition burns fiercely within Fernand Gravet, the Continental screen star whose first American picture, ‘‘The King and the Chorus Girl,’’ produced by Mervyn LeRoy for Warner Bros., comes to the ....... Seis 2 Theatre on ........ I 5 os M. Gravet wants to play in a ‘‘hoss opera’’ or Western thriller, and he feels a strong, Buck Jones, Tom Mix and the other lads whose yip-yips resound over cinematic hills and prairies. A strange ambition, perhaps, for the film idol of all Europe but there it is and the trouble is that M. Gravet can’t do a thing about it. His film bosses have ideas of their own about his pictures and roles. Some years ago, when he reached 21, Gravet was called back to his native Belgium to serve two years in the army. He selected the cavalry because of his love of horses and riding, evidenced now by his possession of an excellent stable at his country home in Franee. Although Gravet has starred in 27 pictures — drama, comedy, musical, all sorts — in not a single one has he had a chance to ride. His equestrian activities have been confined solely to his leisure hours. Mervyn LeRoy, director and producer of “The King and the Chorus Girl,” declares he didn’t know about his foreign star’s ambition when he selected the comedy romance as Gravet’s first American film. Gravet, however, reported that he thoroughly enjoyed the role of a wealthy, spendthrift ex-monarch who ardently pursues an American chorus girl, played by Joan Blondell, all over Paris. Joining in the merriment are Edward Everett Horton, Alan Mowbray, Mary Nash, Luis Alberni, Jane Wyman, Kenny Baker, Bobby Connolly’s famous dancing girls and a host of others. Girl Skater In 2311 Mile Trip For Movie Work Roller skating all the way from Duluth, Minnesota, to Hollywood in search of a job as a dancer in pictures, Miss Teddy Blue reached her goal at Warner Bros. studios when Bobby Connolly signed her for the dancing chorus that appears in the Mervyn LeRoy production for Warner Bros., “The King and the Chorus Girl’ which will open at the ............... Theatre next ay Unable to find work in her native city, Miss Blue, accompanied by a school chum, bought two pair of roller skates, tucked $75 into her purse and started for Filmland. The two girls refused all offers of rides and reached Los Angeles with $9 of their trip budget left. The job in “The King and the Chorus Girl” was won the day after Miss Blue reached Hollywood. Miss Blue was a dancer and professional figure skater in Duluth and the roller skating trip to the West also served as a ‘training trip’, for she lost six pounds en route. Combining comedy, romance, music and dancing and a brandnew star — Fernand Gravet, a Continental idol — “The King and the Chorus Girl” is a refreshingly new sort of picture. Gravet is the King; Joan Blondell the Chorus Girl. abiding envy of Dick Foran, “Grin And Bear It” Is Motto Of Director LeRoy Temperament, or perhaps temper, may be rampant on Hollywood’s movie lots, but successful directors know from long experience that the grin generally wins over the angry grimace. Consider, for example, the troubles that beset Mervyn LeRoy during the filming of just one scene for ‘‘The King and the Chorus Girl,’’? the Warner Bros. producetion that comes to the ..............0... EE AGLO DON a tr ns The scene was a comparatively simple one. Alan Mowbray, entering a room, was to be caught in a bitter crossfire of dialogue between Fernand Gravet, the Continental screen star making his bow to American audiences in this picture, and Joan Blondell. Gravet plays the role of the king, Miss Blondell the chorine and Mowbray a rival for her affections. The silence bell sounded, the cameras turned, the three players snapped out their lines—and from above came the deep-throated roar of a low-flying airliner preparing to land on nearby Grand Central Airport. The noise from its twin 1,000 horsepower engines penetrated even the supposedly soundproof stages. ““Once more, please,’’ said Mr. LeRoy, still smiling. Midway through the scene, it was abruptly halted by the rumble of rollers as a gigantic 65-foot water tower was moved past. Attempt number three was also wrecked by an ear-splitting sneeze from Tony Gaudio, chief cameraman, valiantly but unsuccessfully trying to conquer a bad eold. Nerves were becoming a bit ragged as the fourth attempt began but this time it was LeRoy who, with a burst of laughter, stopped the proceedings. He was pointing at Alan Mowbray, down whose face persperation was cascading. Clad in a heavy overcoat and muffler, and carrying another coat, he had been silently suffering in the center of the beams from the powerful lights which produce intense heat as well as illumination. ‘“How about a rest?’’ LeRoy suggested. Never once had his smile departed, not once had his voice been raised. A few minutes of relaxation and conversation and on the next attempt the scene was neatly put in the cans, movie parlance for a successful screening. Mr. LeRoy and his disposition had triumphed over (1) two 1,000 horsepower engines, (2) a 65-foot water tower, (3) a bad cold, and (4) an overheated actor. Combining comedy, romance, music and dancing, ‘‘The King and the Chorus Girl’’ is a refreshingly new sort of picture. Besides, Gravet, Mowbray, and Miss Blondell, the star-studded cast includes Edward Everett Horton, Luis Alberni, Mary Nash, Jane Wyman, Kenny Baker, of radio fame, and a host of others. Norman Krasna and Groucho Marx (of the Mad Marxes) wrote the original screenplay.