The Murder of Dr Harrigan(Warner Bros.) (1936)

PUBLICITY Kay Linaker Makes Film Bow After Broadway Hit Plays Leading Role In Clue Club Drama “The Murder of Dr. Harrigan” Kay Linaker is a little girl from Arkansas who made good in the Big City. Having made a success on Broadway with her name in marquee lights, she is now a twinkling starlet in cinematic Hollywood with her name heading the cast of the First National production, “The Murder of Dr. Harrigan,’ now show itig« at Aiea ow. the Clue Club. Miss Linaker’s first picture is a mystery drama. But there’s no mystery or even uncanny luck about the way she reached stage heights and then obtained film fortune. The converse of the picture title in which she has the leading feminine role, the steps by which Miss Linaker climbed upward,were those of a “bright stairway” — bright with a good background, excellent education, proper dramatic training and a natural amount of solid preliminary work in stage productions. Pine Bluff, Arkansas, was her birthplace. For the benefit of those that know Arkansas only through “Slow Train” tales, or have formed a judgment from hearing Ozark mountain melodies, it may be stated right here that Pine Bluff is no hill-billy place. It’s a right urban city of some hundred thousand souls.: Miss Linaker’s parents came over from England. They brought with them a bona fide coat-of-arms, a pride in historic British ancestry, and a string of family names. Miss Linaker’s father—now deceased— was Charles Arthur Algernon Talbot Linaker. Her mother, who is now in New York, was even more fully equipped. Her complete name is Regina Margaret Anne Marie Katherine Brigitta Schlecht ~TLinaker, which is, even in the Anglo-Saxon language, quite a lot of name. “I guess my parents got pretty tired of carrying around huge record books containing their complete names,’ laughed Kay. “At any rate, when I was born — the first girl in the family for five generations—they gave me _ one simple Christian name and let it go at that.” Born July 19, 1913, Miss Linaker was sent to Miss Boyett’s Private School and through the Pine Bluff Junior High School. Her father, fortunately, had acquired extensive wealth in “the States” and hence there was no limit to his daughter’s schooling expense. From Arkansas, Miss Linaker went to Hillside School, in Norwalk, Conn. She didn’t care for Cortez Played Every Conceivable Role “ve played practically every male part ever written for the drama—including Hamlet,” said Ricardo Cortez, who has the leading role opposite Kay Linaker in the First National picture, “The Murder of Dr. Harrigan,’ now Showing ‘at “thes-eee.4.. theatre. “T’ve certainly borne out Shakespeare’s saying that ‘One man in his time plays many parts’,” said Cortez. Juveniles, heavies, characters and even 60-year-old men roles are included among his parts in the last 14 years. New Screen Player From Arkansas Arkansas, which has been quite notably represented in Ilollywood by Dick Powell, now has a state daughter in the person of Kay Linaker, new First National featured player. Miss Linaker signed from the stage to play the principal feminine role in “The Murder of Dr. Harrigan,” which comes to the SS ner ceren ie ae ae Pheatre: ON 25.20.0005 5 proudly proclaims the city of Pine Bluff, Ark., as her home town. Page Six Theatre under the auspices of her life there and entered Washington Square College and later New York University. She was ambitious for the stage, but, told she was too young, she entered the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and finished the dramatic training that she had been having consistently for a number of years in her several schools. She first played in summer stock at Ivoryton, Conn., at the age of 20. She was cast—of all roles—in the part of a 50-year old mother character. She really registered, however, and got a chance on New York’s Broadway. She played the part of a “matron” in “Jackson White.” Then she was ‘given a leading role in “Nothing Up Her Sleeve.” The screen scouts, ever on the lookout for young Broadway talent, were quick to test Miss Linaker. She passed it with such flying colors, a leading role was assigned her. In the meantime, Miss Linaker had won added Manhattan laurels, for she had been signed to play the lead in “Damn Deborah.” So, with the proviso that she would be allowed to go back to New York after a ten week screen engagement, Miss Linaker flew to Hollywood to play in “The Murder of Dr. Harrigan.” Miss Linaker is rather tall and slender—five feet six inches in her stocking-feet, and 116 pounds. She has brown hair. She classes her hazel eyes as “green.” She says she has always had a “boyish figure and took boys roles in her school plays. “The Murder of Dr. Harrigan,” is a thrilling Clue Club mystery drama based on a story by the famous author, Mignon G. Eberhart. The cast includes, beside Miss Linaker, Ricardo Cortez, Mary Astor, John Eldredge, Joseph Crehan, Frank Reicher, Anita Kerry and Phillip Reed. Frank McDonald directed. Hero At Last Ricardo Cortez, most swave of all film villains, finally has an heroic role in the First National picture “The Murder of Dr. Harrigan” which opens at the................ Theatre OU ee eae under the sponsorship of the Clue Club. Mat No. 102—10c Two Against The World Mary Astor and Phillip Reed have tragic roles in the thrilling murder mystery drama “The Murder of Dr. Ilarrigan,’ the First National picture MOR) GEROWINGE AL CNC scat pee Theatre. This film is sponsored by the Clue Club. Mat No. 201—20c New Mystery Fila Thrills Fans at Strand Premiere Latest Clue Club Sponsored Drama Marks Film Debut of Charming Young Star When the Clue Club places its endorsement on a motion picture, patrons may be sure of a fascinating and thrilling entertainment. First National’s latest mystery thriller, “The Murder of Dr. Harrigan,’ which was shown for the first time locally at thes...4........... Theatre yesterday is no exception. It kept the audiences in a high pitch of excitement, gripped by the intensity of its fast unfolding action, and is fully worthy of the Clue Club’s distinguished sponsorship. While essentially a melodrama with startling disappearances and strange attacks and murders, the picture is not without comedy relief, to which the highly wrought audiences reacted with gales of laughter. The plot, based on the story of Mignon G. Eberhart, famous writer of mystery novels, revolves about the attempt of several persons to obtain the formula for a priceless anaesthetic, which has been stolen from them by the grasping head of a drug company. There follows the inexplicable disappearance of the drug magnate, who vanishes as though by magic from an operating room where he is to undergo the surgeon’s knife, the finding of the body of the surgeon, stabbed with scalpel, in an elevator, and later a mysterious attack on _ three women, who narrowly escape with their lives. Kay Linaker, who has the stellar role of a nurse, suspected of the crime, makes her bow to the films in this picture, although she is a noted Broadway star. She proves herself a talented actress, with Cortez Wants to Play French Legionnaire Aside from Western roles, which he admits are his favorite, Ricardo Cortez, First National leading man in “The Murder of Dr. Harrigan,” which comes to the.............. Theatre OUMER eke set ee , would prefer the adventuresome part of a French foreign legionnaire. Cortez is now playing the part of an interne in “The Murder of Dr. Harrigan,” opposite Kay Linaker. both charm and a sympathetic understanding of her role. She gives an exceptionally strong performance and promises to be one of the radiant stars of the screen. Ricardo Cortez, who plays opposite her, both as her lover, and the man who eventually solves the mystery of the killings, has the heroic role and handles it with the same cool adroitness and sang froid as he does in his more frequent roles of arch villain. He and Miss Linaker supply an interesting undercurrent of romance. Mary Astor, the divorced wife of the slain doctor, carries out her part with her usual polish, and rises competently to the more emotional situations. Joan Blair, another newcomer to the screen, has the role of the slain surgeon’s wife who carries on a flirtation with a gigolo under her husband’s very nose, the gigolo being capably played by Gordon Elliott. The comedy parts are taken by Don Barclay, former comedian of the Ziegfeld Follies, as an inebriate, and Johnny Arthur, a nervous patient. Others who do unusually fine work in their roles include John Eldredge as the surgeon finally slain, Robert Strange, the head of the drug company, who vanishes, Joseph Crehan as the police officer in charge of the investigation, Phillip Reed, as a queer and somewhat unbalanced orderly in love with the drug magnate’s daughter, Anita Kerry; and Frank Reicher. Frank McDonald has given the production a deft touch through his excellent direction. Actress Plans to Visit Rio De Janeiro As soon as Kay Linaker, First National actress playing in “The Murder of Dr. Harrigan,’ now showing at: the... === Theatre, can get away for a vacation, she is going to Rio de Janeiro. “IT was about to go to South America a couple of months ago when Warner Bros. signed me up” the brunette actress said. Roles of Cortez Alternate from Kisses to Hisses Hero one day and a villain the next! This is the actual experience of Ricardo Cortez, who plays the leading role in the First National picture “The Murder of Dr. Harrigan” which comes to the......... JUN ERR HA Sei0) | le eee , under the sponsorship of the Clue Club. In the mystery story, directed by Frank McDonald, Cortez is what is known as the “fair-haired boy.” The day that “The Murder of Dr. Harrigan” was finished, the First National officials called Cortez and informed him that he was to have one of the principal parts in “Frisco Kid.” But what a contrast ! He stepped out of a sympathycreating, love-inducing part, to become the “heavy” of the film. “But it’s nothing new to me— such a contrast,’ grinned Cortez. “T’ve alternated between hisses and kisses ever since I got into the screen show business.” “The Murder of Dr. Harrigan” is an exciting murder mystery melodrama, based on the story by Mignon G. Eberhart. Stars Separate on Broadway and Meet in Movies “Fancy meeting you _ here!” chorused Kay Linaker and John Eldredge when the two, cast in important roles of the First National picture, “The Murder of Dr. Harrigan,” now showing at the PE LEDER COR PRATT Theatre, met on the studio set as a Clue Club release. Miss Linaker and Eldredge had met in New York several years ago and had once been cast for parts opposite each other in a revue. This was their first meeting since Miss Linaker recently arrived in Hollywood to play in films. “We were scheduled for leads in a revue,” said Eldredge, “but the backers ran out on us, and no bond was ever posted with Equity, so it did not materialize. But we both thought it rather an amazing coincidence that we should both have parts in Miss Linaker’s first film vehicle.” Miss Linaker plays the role of a nurse, and Eldredge that of a physician, who is the murder victim, in the picture, a hair raising mystery drama based on the story of Mignon G. Eberhart. There is an all star cast which includes Miss Linaker, Ricardo Cortez, Mary Astor, Eldredge, Joseph Crehan, Frank Reicher, Anita Kerry and Phillip Reed. Frank McDonald directed. New Film Star Kay Linaker, stage star, makes her film debut in the First National Clue Club thriller “The Murder of Dr. Harri gan” which opens at the Thedtre=0nts seo i Mat No. 103—10c noted Broadway