The Mind Reader (Warner Bros.) (1933)

a FEATURE STORIES (Advance Feature) Warren William Offered Big Career as Fortune Teller Old Timer, Watching Him in “Mind Reader” Finds He Has Great Possibilities as a Crystal Gazer ARREN WILLIAM, star of the First National production, “‘Mind Reader,” which opens at the -..s....0-:6... ec Tpeaire on c ee ee , made the accidental discovery during the making of that picture, that he has been a potential fortune-teller for years, without having the slightest suspicion of it. In fact, a successful career as a seer and crystal-gazer awaits Warren, any time he eares to give up acting in pictures. The ‘discoverer’ of Warren’s unsuspected talents was one of the professional fortune-tellers who appeared as ‘atmosphere’ around the carnival show where the star, as ‘Chandra The Great’, astounds the rural visitors nightly with his ability to read the future. And. being a _ practical business woman, this white-haired psychic who had spent years telling fortunes by every approved method in most parts of the world, lost no time in taking Warren aside and telling him what tremendous opportunities she thought he was passing up, by sticking to acting. ‘*T don’t think this old dame has given up hope of making me see the light yet,’’ laughed Warren, ‘‘because, as far as she’s concerned, I’m the ‘White Hope’ of the fortune-telling racket. What I can do with it, according to her, if I’ll only give up this penny-ante picture business, and let her tutor me in the fine points of the game, will make all the fortunetellers the world has ever seen look like a bunch of panhandlers! Has Standing Offer ‘“Anyhow, I’ve got a standing offer to go into business with her any time I get ready,’’ chuckled Warren. ‘*She’ll teach me all the tricks of the trade, and all she wants is 25% of the gross. ‘“Tt was.about the thir ~ <** the erystalgazing sequence “vol, ——16 Welt it on, an ana © haa just left the set for a rest while Roy Del Ruth, the director, shot some of the other scenes_in_ which I_had no.part. “T had picked out a seat behind the sidelines and was getting ready to study the next few scenes, when the old lady came over to me. She came to the point without any preliminaries. ‘¢¢T hope you won’t get sore at what I’m going to say, Mr. William,’ she began, ‘but after the way you spieled off that line of chatter for the saps in that tent, I want to tell you that you’re wasting your time in the picture business. ‘¢¢T don’t care what you’re making in this game—there’s ten times that waiting for you in this clairvoyant racket. You’re a natural. You’ve got everything it takes to knock ’em cold—voice, presence, personality. Believe it or not, you almost had me falling for that stuff once or twice, you were so good! And I’ve been monkeying with glass balls and palm reading and trances and all the rest of the gimmicks for years.’ ‘<T took occasion to assure her that I was immensely flattered by her tributes to my acting, and appreciated her enthusiasm. Then I went on to explain that I was perfectly satisfied with the sereen and the stage, and hadn’t given the slightest thought to changing my profession since I first put on make-up. A Business Proposition ‘<She wouldn’t take that for a final answer, though. Before I knew it, she was making me a business proposition. I was to give up the screen, go into retirement for six months, and go to school to her. At the end of that time, she guaranteed that I would b a 24-karat fortune teller, able » knock ’em dead (to use_her, OWN —_——— aimMlistry, horoscopes, mind-reading, crystal-gazing, cards, magie sand or any of the otker ancient inventions for taking money away from boobs. And all she wanted was the job as my manager and 25 percent of the ‘take.’ ’’ With Warren William in ‘‘ Mind Reader’’ are Constance Cummings, Allen Jenkins, Donald Dillaway, Clara Blandiek, Natalie Moorhead, Clarence Muse, Robert Greig and a number of other well-known players. Roy Del Ruth directed the picture from the original drama by Vivian Cosby. The sereen play is the work of Wilson Mizner and Robert Lord. CARNIVAL SLANG Here is a glossary of carnival slang used in ‘‘The Mind Reader,’’ a First National picture featuring Warren Wil fim, -wirieh opens at the: 4 cs kek Theatre (9) 8 [See eete Sak eg ore eee a TL aR See Bea bie A plant, or confederate, working with the mind reader in the audience, ostensibly as a client. Pushover ............. SE ees An easy mark; any person (or thing) that ean be won with little or no effort. NUT) eae penne a Somer Same as ‘Shill.” a” Saree haere Another name for “Privilege Car,” where meals are served to the performers en route from town to town. AIORGUBE = ool cet A pocketbook or wallet. CARR DR 22 ran tire a fool; dumbell; sap. Ducat (or ducket) ........ a ticket. Hey, Rube! ......0..c...... The S.O.8. call for help, used by the employees of a circus or carnival show when a riot starts. FlCR-DAR icine! Contemptuous term applied to another side show or concession on the lot. Blow the joint ................ To get out in a hurry; the equivalent of ‘ “scram.” Slough the joint ............ A warning to break up any performance or show and hide the paraphernalia (particuarly if it is crooked) when the authorities are expected. WALPKOP Fhe ket The announcer outside any attraction or side-show in the carnival, whose business it = is to attract patrons. Oe, scccch ess cissQncnec Same as “Barker.” SEEN IN STRAND WARREN WILLIAM, star of “The Mind Reader’ gazing affectionately upon the lovely CONSTANCE CUMMINGS, his leading lady. Allen Jenkins is also in this picture which is now being shown at the ee Theatre. Cut No.10 Out 380c Mati10c ( Advance Feature) Constance Cummings Has Made Rapid Progress in Films Within Two Years Plays Leading Role Opposite Warren William, as Bedazzled Innocent Girl in ‘‘Mind Reader’’ OLLYWOOD fame and fortune caught up with Constance Cummings while she was on her way to a Los Angeles rail_ road station to start back for New York to resume her stage career. mings a obevbiet, =a ES oO Or oeeL.y An BS producer r reached her by messengerand deack =tong-enough to oiter Mass CumA ten minute consultation with her mother made up her mind, changed her plans and resulted in adding the name of Constance Cummings to the short list of new stars in pictures. That was more than two years ago, and in the months intervening between that hasty decision and her appearance opposite Warren William in the First National picture ‘‘Mind Reader,’’ which comes to the SE ee ee ee aS Theatre on Se eae ee ee , Miss Cummings has been featured in many productions and opposite many famous stars. Outstanding are her roles opposite Harold Lloyd in ‘‘ Movie Crazy,’’ with Walter Huston, in ‘* American Madness,’’ and her present lead with Warren William in ‘Mind Reader.’’ Started as Dancer Miss Cummings is a Seattle girl who made good in New York before she almost failed in Hollywood. In school she was noted for her red hair, her interest in amateur theatricals and her vivid freckles. She still keeps all three of these although the freckles disappear before the camera. In New York she specialized in dancing and she was brought to Hollywood originally to play a role opposite Ronald Colman, a part which she did not get because the picture was never made. Her real name is Halverstadt, but the name of ‘‘Cummings’’ belongs in the family. Unlike the other ‘‘Connies’’ in motion pictures, Miss Cummings’ interest in clothes is very slight. She may be known, in time, as the most plainly dressed woman in Hollywood, although when dressed for pictures by a studio designer, she exhibits rare ability to display the creations. People and books interest her more than wardrobe and her hats are the despair of her mother and her friends. 1931 Wampas Star Miss Cummings was chosen in 1931 as a Wampas Baby star and was presented to the public, with her sister baby stars, before an immense audience in the Los Angeles coliseum during-an annual fiesta there. She was late for the occasion, but managed to arrive in time to make her appearance. A new book had delayed her. CONSTANCE CUMMINGS Out No. 6 Cut 15e Mat 5c Her interest in books is real and almost violent. Her library is filled with a unique combination of unusual and modern volumes and she likes to argue about them with her friends. All told, Constance Cummings, has been one of MHollywood’s busiest young women for the past two years. Less interested in social events than most young girls, she has surrounded herself with a group of young intellectuals who would rather debate than dance. She lives in a suburban district near Hollywood, with her mother, and drives a Ford with such abandon that few people will ride with her. Her work in ‘‘Mind Reader’’ is evidence that she has lived up to the high promise of her earlier roles. She plays the part of an innocent girl who is bedazzled and half hypnotized by a likeable rascal of unusual personality, the role of Warren William. ‘Mind Reader’’ is an interesting stcry that unfolds the trickery of fortune telling charlatans with a wealth of humor and drama. In the supporting cast are such well known players as Allen Jenkins, Donald Dillaway, Natalie Moorhead, Clara Blandick, Mayo Methol, Harry Beresford, Robert Greig, Clarence Muse and Ruthelma Stevens. Roy Del Ruth directed the film. Page Nine