The Mad Genius (Warner Bros.) (1931)

WIN THOUSANDS OF ADMIRERS! LIMEY SPRAYS FLIP FILM FLY WITH A NEW FAKE FLIT Production of “The Mad Genius” ruptly. the picture stopped ab “Limey,’ bawled the camera man. “Meester Limey,” called Director Michael Curtiz. “Hey, Limey,”’ yelled Hollingshead, his assistant. “Limey,”’ echoed John Barrymore, the star. “Yes, sir,” answered Limey, appearing from nowhere in particular and addressing everybody in general. “Fly,” thundered the cameraman. “A fly, she is—’ began the director. “Fly on the set,’ howled Hollingshead. “Fly,” echoed Barrymore. Limey shot out and in an in. credibly short time shot back in again with a spray gun which he pumped into the air with great vigor. “Okay,” sang cameraman, director, assistant director and star in chorus. “You'd have thought I ordered the darn fly,” complained Limey, the property man, “‘the way they bawled me out!” Later he was overheard confiding to Marian Marsh, who plays the leading role opposite Barrymore in “The Mad Genius,” “I’m out of fly spray, see! There wasn’t anything in that sprinkler but water—but it kept ’em happy! That’s all that counts.” “The Mad Genius” showing at the Theatre. Barrymore’s Magnetism Is aupeyed In “Mad eens. (Current Reader) . The -almost hypnotic interpretive | power of John Barrymore which was so marvelously displayed in “Peter ~Ibbetson,” “The Jest,’ “Hamlet” and other of his stage triumphs— is manifest in the role of Tsarakov, “The Mad Genius,” who kidnaps a lad and brings him up as the great dancer, which Tsarakov himself is prevented from being by an infirmity. Marsh is _ the “The Mad Genius,” a Warner Bros. Marian feminine lead. picture, is now showing at the............ Theatre. Barrymore Has Aviary Of Two Hundred Rare Birds (Current Reader) John Barrymore, now at _ the Soe ......Theatre in “The Mad Genius,” his latest Warner Bros. starring vehicle, has an aviary containing over two hundred live tropieal birds. The prize feature of the collection is a huge king vulture, who answers—figuratively speaking —to the name of Maloney. Mr. Barrymore is supported in “The Mad Genius” by the seventeen-year-old screen discovery of the year, Marion Marsh, who was also his leading lady in “Svengali.” Don Cook Adds To His Fame In “‘Mad Genius” (Current Reader) Don Cook, the handsome young actor who is remembered for his fine work in “The Public Enemy” and “Side Show,” plays the juvenile lead in “The Mad Genius,” the Warner Bros. picture starring John Barrymore, now at the Theatre. He portrays Fedor, the dancer of the Russian Imperial Ballet, protege of the mad genius, who tries, through the lad, to see the fruition of his own ambition, thwarted by his infirmity. Marian Marsh the seventeen-year-old screen discovery of the year has the leadng feminine role, as the sweeteart of Fedor. Sg, Marian Marsh Has Wee/3 Barrymores Sail For New Cincinnati Namesake (Current Reader) Marian Marsh, seventeen-year-old screen discovery, who is now appearing atthe: = ea. Theatre as leading lady for John Barrymore in “The Mad Genius” the Warner Bros. feature — recently received word from Mr. and Mrs. Julian D. Stettinius of Cincinnati, Ohio, that their infant daughter has been named Marian Marsh Stettinius. Miss Marsh sent congratulations and thanks. York Via Panama Canal (Current Reader) After the filming of “The Mad Genius” the Warner Bros. picture NOWerdbe the = ee Theatre, John Barrymore and Dolores Costello took a short hunting trip to Alaska, then returned to Hollywood for the overhauling of the good. ship “Infanta” and in due time started for New York via the Panama Canal, taking with them their year-old daughter, Dolores Ethel Mae. Wouldn’t You Know That A Man Named -E. Percival Wetzel Would Manipulate Marionettes? He Does, In “Mad Genius” World’s Greatest Puppet-Player Makes One Hundred Figures Dance In Early Scenes Of Warner Bros. Picture Starring Barrymore, Now At The Strand (Human Interest Story for No. 1 Paper) Grandfather’s constant mention of the deplorable fact that the modern generation has no puppet plays may soon be stilled for one is coming to town. Climaxing Triumph Of His Stage And Screen Career, BARRYMORE world! NOW BARRYMORE —a tradition to the show A career studded with unforgettable achievements! But all his superb successes have been but stepping stones... prologues to the greatest, most amazing characterization the stage or screen has ever known! Carries you beyond the former limits of thescreen | —into a world of new drama! A realm hitherto unknown—undreamed of! Immortal masterpiece—it stands, a monument to itself, for all time! The MAD GENIUS is a story of the strangest passion man ever had for another man! A new being moulded from an outcast—jealously guarded by his creator—until a girl comes to carry away the hearts of both!...... MARIAN MARSH .... dazzling young star—the screen’s newest sensation. CHARLES BUTTERWORTH w DONALD COOK vw A WARNER BROS. & VITAPHONE PRODUCTION HOLLYWOOD Cut No. 10 Cut 6o0c Mat 15¢ Berlin Opera Interior Is Built For ‘Mad Genius”’ (Advance Reader) A great theatre interior, designed as a replica of a Berlin opera house, was built by Warner Bros. for use in staging the dramatic Imperial Ballet scenes in “The Mad Genius,” the feature attraction coming..... ; next.to: the... = Theatre in which John Barrymore is starred. Bros. and which will open Hundreds Apply As Ballet Girls In ‘Mad Genius” (Advance Reader) Seven hundred dancing girls from . Hollywood fought for the seventy some places in Adolph Bolm’s ballets which appear in short sequences ‘during the progress of the picture “The Mad Genius” in which John Barrymore is starred by Warner at the ' Theatre ing to the .... |"“Mad Genius’? Dance-Maker Hired For Chicago Fair (Advance Reader) Adolph Bolm, who planned the dances and trained the ballets appearing in the new. Warner Bros. picture: in. which John Barrymore is starred, “The Mad Genius” comTheatre next, is to have general charge of all dancing at the Chicago World’s Ex .| position in 1932. ‘““The Mad Genius,’’ John Barry star more’s newest Warner Bros. ring vehicle, which opens at the sh ati Ora. coats, ee next is the story of a weird ballet impresario who begins his professional career as the operator of a traveling puppet show. Since Barrymore is depicted as a genius in the manipulation of marionettes it was necessary for Warner Brothers to produce a puppet show in keeping with the logic of the story. On the Russian stage a puppet show was produced which was only fair, but the difference between a stage audience, from twenty to two hundred yards from the performers, and a motion picture audience, which sees the marionettes in closeup, or a dozen times as large as they really are, demands a show that really is as astounding as the plot claims it to be. ENTER E. PERCIVAL WETZEL So E. Percival Wetzel was ealled in. E. Percival Wetzel, besides possessing one of the most whimsical names in the world is also one of the most famous puppet players on earth. Wetzel, Sarg, and Buffano rule the puppet world. Mr. Wetzel, having answered the call, proceeded to deftly duplicate the puppet ballet scene and the puppet marionette show which constitute the repertoire of John Barrymore’s troupe. Wetzel used his own puppets, one hundred and sixty-five strong, slanufactured and collected |by him over a period ot twenty } years. Some of the marionettes are three hundred years old, having been made by the Castino family, patron saints of all puppetdom. His stock in trade, consisting of three hundred dressed | and undressed figures and innumerable stages, is assessed at $150,000. In Wetzel’s own show he has a ballet scene, but not exactly the one described. For a month he worked on new figures and routines, finally emerging with a breath-taking ballet which vies with the flesh-andblood show put on later in the picture. The Russian wedding scene is the most famous single number in puppet shows. Cne hundred figures move in prearranged patterns to Rimsky-Korsakoff musie, guided by Wetzel and four assistants. THIRTY-STRING MAN Wetzel is a _ thirty-string man, which means he holds that many threads connected to thirty joints of his ‘principal players. The first ballerino of the troupe can control her arms, legs, head, hair, fingers, toes. ankles, dress, waist, shoulders and hips; every joint, in fact, that a live. ballerina employs in toe dancing. Wetzel has performed before King George of England, Alfonzo of Spain, Albert of Belgium, Marie of Roumania and ex-Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany. He announced his retirement less than a year ago, intending to devote his time to teaching, but the temptation to record for all time a puppet show which he himself had guided was too great for the artist’s will power. In “The Mad Genius” you see Wetzel’s last performance as the world’s greatest puppeteer. Supporting Mr. Barrymore in “The Mad Genius” are Marian Marsh as leading lady—Donald Cook, Charles Butterworth, Carmel Myers, Luis Alberni, Andre Luget, Boris Karloff, Frankie Darro and Mae Madison. Michael Curtiz directed. Russian Imperial Ballet Staged In “Mad Genius’”’ The latest Warner Bros. picture, starring John Barrymore is “The Mad Genius,” which oneps ....... Ate the asa Theatre. os next. It is a story told against the colorful background of the Russian Imperial Ballet and offers a stellar supporting cast including Marian Marsh, Donald Cook and Charles Butterworth. Page Seven