The Mad Genius (Warner Bros.) (1931)

BARRYMORE FANS WILL HAIL Barrymore, Tragedian And Great Lover, Has Yen For Burnt Cork (Short Feature for No. 1 Paper) You ean, no doubt, picture John Barrymore playing “Hamlet,” “Richard III,” “Peter Ibbetson.” You may remember him as “Beau Brummell” or as “Dr, Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” “Ahab,” “General Crack” or “Svengali,” and you will never forget him as Tsarakov, in Warner Bros. “The Mad Genius” which is playing now at the Theatre, but can you imagine him doing an impersonation of Ben Turpin? BARRYMORE AS COMIC Even SBarrymore’s best friends ean’t tell just what he is apt to do next, and there is a photograph hidden away by a sensitive studio personnel for more than two years that shows that the great J. B. is not above attempting an imitation of the cross-eyed comedian. It is picture history that Barrymore insisted upon playing the part of “The Man Fom Blankley’s” in -blackface and only the pleading of important executives and the reaction of the friends he trusted, kept him from following that idea through. It was not known then, of course, that his sister, Ethel Barrymore, was planning to do a blackface role onthe stage—“Searlet Sister Mary” —and the supposition now is that Barrymore knew it and wanted to throw the majority of the famous theatrical family into blackface roles at the same time. There was a logical method for Barrymore to get into burnt cork in “The Man From Blankley’s” too, and Strangest Passion Man Ever Had For Another Man! | ““T made you! I poured into you my mind, my soul, my genius! You are all I wanted to be but could not — Your life is mine to live as I direct! It is not yours to waste on a love that will murder your genius!” Did this madman dream he could control a power greater than himself— Love ! JOHN ARRYMORE (¢ & MARIAN his greatest dra there is no doubt that the star rematic achieve grets to this day that he did not ment — your follow out his first idea in that MARSH supreme mo matter. _CANADIAN CAPERS In three of his talking pictures Barrymore has tried without success to have incorporated into the incidental music’ his favorite popular music, an ancient recording known as “Canadian Capers.” The chances are good that it will eventually figure in some one of his pictures. He was with difficulty persuaded that it could not be incorporated into the | music used for the ballet scene in “The Mad Genius.” There is a less well authenticated story that Barrymore once answered a woman who asked him if he would play “Hamlet” in modern clothes, by saying, “No, madam, but I might play King Lear in the nude.” Far enough away from comedy is the role of Tsarakov, the mad genius of the Russian Imperial Ballet which the star triumphantly portrays now at the Theatre. His leading lady is Marian Marsh. Others in the cast are Donald Cook, Carmel Myers, Charles Butterworth, Luis Alberni, Andre Luget, Boris Karloff, Frankie Darro and Mae Madison. Michael Curtiz directed. Who And What Was Tsarakov, The Mad Genius Barrymore Portrays Weird Role In New Warner Bros. Picture eclipsing all former successes She shares her dis er’s glory: THEMAD GENIUS S T R A Be D with CHARLES BUTTERWORTH A WARNER BROS. & VITAPHONE PRODUCTION ment to witness the ultimate in_ DONALD COOK Cut No. 3 Cut 40c Mat roc CATCHLINES “The Mad Genius,” John Barrymore’s Most Melodramatic Role! With Marian Marsh as His Lead! *% * * He Makes Marionettes Dance — But Young Lovers Refuse To Obey His Command! * * * He Creates the Frankenstein That Destroys Him! * * He Pours His Genius Into Another Man’s Veins—But His Creation Becomes An Avenging God! e * * “The Mad Genius” Greater Than Svengali’ Barrymore’s Most Sensational Screen Characterization! ** : ** John Barrymore — Greatest Star — With His Greatest Cast — Marian Marsh — Don Cook — Charles Butterworth—Carmel Myers and Luis Alberni— and Brilliant Russian Ballet * * * Melodramatic Gem in a Gorgeous Setting * (Advance—Plant 2 Days Before) Was he madman or genius—ogre or artist? Tsarakov, master mind of the Imperial Ballet driving power behind Serge, crazed genius of the dance—creator and master of Fedor, dancer extraordinary carried through his hopes and plans with all the driving force of a powerful intellect, a ruthless will and a burning sense of injustice. Chained forever to dull earth by a deformed foot, Tsarakov sought to create the perfect copy of his own hampered genius by shaping the life of a lad he had kidnapped. To do this he trampled relentlessly on only man able to successfully play bodies and souls of those he domin-|the role of Tsarakov in Warner|play the juvenile leads—others are ated. Bros. spectacular drama, “The Mad | Charles Butterworth, Luis Alberni So weirdly powerful a character Genius,” which opens Carmel Myers, Andre Luget Boris is rarely created for an artist’s|at the Karloff, Frankie Darro adit Mae portrayal. John Barrymore is the | next. Madison. Michael Curtiz directed. Marian Marsh and Donald Cook Page Four | BARRYMORE KEEPS THE SAME OLD CREW WHETHER HE SAILS THE HIGH SEAS OR SETS.OUT ON A NEW PICTURE VENTURE Star Coming To Strand Theatre Next In Warner pS Bros. “The Mad Genius,” Values Friendship And Experience Of Men Who Have Helped In Many Hits (Interesting Feature for No. 1 Paper) Barrymore goes to bat for his-friends. And his friends, more often than not, are those comparatively unimportant people who work with him in the making of pictures but who get neither screen credit nor services. The same group of assistants which has been associated with Barrymore in the making of the last ten or twelve pictures in which he has appeared, were in the crew that helped the star make “ Mad Genius,” the Warner Bros. picture which OPONs 5s ae at the 5 a eee Sees Theatres ser =... 7 next There was Gordon Hollingshead, assistant director, Barrymore’s personal friend, who has been assistant director for eleven Barrymore features. Hollingshead has the privilege of calling Barrymore “Jack” and if you think that isn’t a privilege ask the man who tried it once be fore a large number of mutual friends. “CALL ME ‘KID’!” “Jack, old man,” he began, as though he had known Barrymore from boyhood when in reality he had only met him, “let’s ” But Barrymore interrupted quietly. “Don’t be so formal,” he suggested pointedly, ‘Call me ‘kid’!” Another among the crew who has served long and faithfully in the making of Barrymore pictures is Herbert Plews, better known in pictures as “Limey,” a Canadian war hero who is probably the best known property man in the motion p ture colony. Limey has “proppe Leer a Tee qd” and ean Dower iene niatey rac ce ae fu pruve vra_, nn0ws what Barrymore wants before the want is expressed. He calls Barrymore “Boss.” Another favorite is “Smoke Kring,” wardrobe expert who keeps a mental file of every costume Barrymore has even worn in a picture. Barrymore never forgets a garment used in a picture and frequently wants the same one for some new production. This happened in “Moby Dick,” when the star demanded the same old pea jacket that he had used five years before in “The Sea Beast” and again in “Svengali,” when he wanted the ragged robe made of a Paisley shawl, in which he had died in “Beau Brummel.” It happened a third time in “The Mad Genius,” when Barrymore insisted upon a certain fur trimmed overcoat which he had worn in a previous picture and upon a velvet jacket which had pleased him four years ago in “When A Man Loves.” “LET SMOKE DO IT” “Smoke” Kring it is who finds these misplaced and sometimes lost garments and who, when they can’t be found replaces them so exactly that the very particular Barrymore is pleased with the substitution. Kring has served in his capacity in twelve Barrymore features. Still another veteran in Barrymore’s studio service is Johnny Wallace, make-up artist who assists Barrymore in his characterizations. These are worked out by Barrymore first, with the assistance of Wallace and others and having once fixed upon his appearance the star then >» ho ae studio recognition for their trusts to Wallace to make him up in exactly that way each day. Barrymore is peculiarly particular about his makeup and many otherwise expert makeup men are too nervous when working with him to do good work. Not Johnny. After thirteen pictures, he ig the veteran of them all, Wallace knows every mood ‘|and manner of the star, exchanges books and recipes with him, comments on picture roles and is in other regards treated and respected as a friend and companion. “THE OLD MAN” Kring and Wallace call Barrymore “the old man”’—but not to his face. Then they say “Mr. Barrymore” and Barrymore is apt to call one. of them “old man,” his favorite appellation for people of whom he approves. Others are being added to the list of Barrymore’s permanent crew in picture making. These include John Ellis, photogapher, who makes the portrait studies of Barrymore in his various characters, and who missed a few but very few of the last twelve pictures the star has made. Yet another is Fred Applegate, script clerk for the last four Barrymore features, who appears now to have been added to the approved list of assistants in these particular sound engineer and official “m fan aur ep one a is Dave Forrest, mranar maaAnlating of the PV an anne Barrymore voice in eavuu~_ __ has served as long as Applegate with the Barrymore crew. “WILL GO TO THE BAT” For this little coterie of hench-— men Barrymore manifests genuine appreciation and regard. He not infrequently asks their advice, which he sometimes accepts and he invariably asks for them when a picture is coming up. He has been known to postpone production when one of the first four named was unavailable just at the moment for his picture. For these men Barrymore, as suggested, stands eternally willing to go to bat. He has known them long enough to trust their judgment and their actions and he shows his favoritism for them in many ways. Important studio officials Barrymore is not above snubbing or openly insulting if a disagreement arises. He enjoys a fight of that kind. But to those who are in no position to answer back he manifests a consideration, a friendly understanding that makes him the most popular star in the business with his particular crew. Mr. Barrymore showed the same trait in again choosing Marian Marsh, the seventeen-year-old screen discovery of the year, who was his leading lady in “Svengali” to act in the same capacity in “The Mad Genius.” The juvenile male lead is played by Donald Cook. Others featured are Charles Butterworth, Luis Alberni, Andre Luget, Boris Karloff, Frankie Darro and Mae Madison. Michael Curtiz directed. Wa Ino DRAMATIC HIGHLIGHT of the YEAR! BAR JOHN RYMORE The MAD GENIUS with MARIAN MARSH now ravine STRAND Cut No. 17 Cut goc Mat roc