The Singing Kid (Warner Bros.) (1936)

PUBLICITY Jolson Seldom Laughs When He Is Not Working Al Jolson is known to the world as a comedian. Aware of the meaning of that word, one would suppose he would be in gales of laughter, himself, when he was not working. And yet, nothing is farther from the truth. Jolson, now starring in the First National musical, ‘‘The Singing Wade at ther. oe Theatre, seldom laughs. His long training in the theatre has made him highly analytical of what is funny and what is not. As a result he is so busy, generally, diagnosing a quip or a joke, that he doesn’t have time to laugh. Those men who have spent a good part of their lives making the public laugh frequently are that way. Many of their friends think they have no sense of hu. mor at all, but the truth is that they’ve heard nearly every joke, or its parent, and are tired of pretending to be amused. ‘‘The Singing Kid’’ is a combination of hilarious comedy, heart throbbing drama, mammoth spectacle and music. Besides Jolson the cast includes Sybil Jason, Beverly Roberts, Edward Everett Horton, Lyle Talbot, Allen Jenkins, Claire Dodd and Wini Shaw. The Yacht Club Boys and Cab Calloway and his band are also featured. The numbers were staged by Bobby Connolly with music and lyrics by E. Y. Harburg and Harold Arlen, with orchestral arrangements by Ray Heindorf. William Keighley directed the picture from the screenplay by Warren Duff and Patsy Flick, based on the story by Robert Lord. Al Jolson Tries To Out-Sing Wife In Automobile A cacophonous dissonance is not a new development in an automobile radio but something that oceurred in the back seat of Al Jolson’s long black sedan one eyening while returning home from the studio with Ruby Keeler. Al was rehearsing ‘‘You’re the Cure for What Ails Me’’ from the new First National musical, ‘‘The Singing Kid,’’ now showIPL Ate tnG et ee Theatre. Ruby was intent on learning the words and music of ‘‘I Don’t Have to Dream Again,’’ one of the numbers from her current musical, ‘‘Colleen.’’ The result was a cacophonous dissonance which to one who has never seen a musical director tear out his hair, is a harsh discordant noise. The two songs, of course, were never meant to be sung together and the chances are that they never will be sung together again, either on the screen, or the radio or even in the back of the Jolson car. ‘“‘The Singing Kid’’ is a com. bination of hilarious comedy, heart throbbing drama, mammoth spectacle and music. Besides Jolson the cast includes Sybil Jason, Beverly Roberts, Edward Everett Horton, Lyle Talbot, Allen Jenkins, Claire Dodd and Wini Shaw. The Yacht Club Boys and Cab Calloway and his band are also featured. The numbers were staged by Bobby Connolly with music and lyries by E. Y. Harburg and Harold Arlen, with orchestral arrangements by Ray Heindorf. William Keighley directed the picture. Loves To Singa Edward Everett Horton shows a couple of dancing chorus girls how to sing ‘‘I Love To Sing-a,’’ a featured number in ‘‘ The Singing Kid,’’ said to be the greatest of Al Jolson’s starring vehicles, which Opens. Gt -the.....ccxissecccan.. Theatre OWS ee ee Mat No. 110—10c Jolson Song Hits Make Film Medley In “Singing Kid” Here’s a ‘‘reel’’ romance — something new in movie matrimony. Here, if you please, is a marriage between a ‘‘montage’’ and a medley. All of which sounds a bit complicated, but, translated from film lingo, it simply means that a series of swiftly interblended screen picture flashes will be accompanied by a series of quickly changing snatches of various songs. The ‘‘montage’’ (quickly intereut picture scenes) has been used in countless movies. The song medley is commonplace. The conjoining of the two is new. This novelty, quickly to register with audiences some snappy and happy reminiscences of Al Jolson’s stage and screen successes down the years, has been recorded as the unusual opening of his latest First National musical, ‘‘The Singing Kid,’’ which comes to the Waren Theatre on 2 ae The ‘‘montage’’ consists of screen flashes of special backgrounds, with Jolson in blackface in each: case, of such hit shows as * “Robinson =“ Crusee,. Jr? ‘*Bombo,’’? ‘*The Singing Fool’’ and ‘‘Go Into Your Danee.’’ The medley, snatches of each chorus sung by the stellar showman, consists of such old favorites as ‘‘Swannee,’’ ‘‘Rockabye Your Baby With a Dixie Melody,’’ ‘April Showers,’’ ‘California Here I Come’’ and, of course, ‘“Mammy.’’ ‘‘Sonny Boy’’ and ‘About a Quarter to Nine’”’ chorus bars will be sung to the screen-play flashbacks. ‘“‘The Singing Kid’’ combines rollicking comedy with heart throbbing drama and spectacular musieal numbers. Besides Jolson the cast includes Sybil Jason, Beverly Roberts, Edward Everett Horton, Lyle Talbot, Allen Jenkins, Claire Dodd and Wini Shaw. The Yacht Club Boys and Cab Calloway and his band also are featured. Beverly Roberts Makes Film Bow In “Singing Kid” Beverly Roberts’ debut in Hollywood films was a driving as well as acting test. She passed both with colors flying. The script for ‘“The Singing Kid,’’ a First National picture, which comes to the fo caeee When tre-<Olle= gies sess called for her to drive a dilapidated roadster into the scene, stop with creaking breaks on a chalk line, look pleasant and clamber out with a ‘‘Hello there, playing house?’? She made a perfect drive the first attempt, read her lines without a flaw. ““Now I feel better,’’ Beverly sighed as she drew her newly lettered folding chair to the edge of a lake, high up in the Santa Monica mountains, and began to rearrange her make-up. ‘“What do you mean, you feel better?’’ she was asked. ‘“T’ve felt guilty ever since I arrived in Hollywood with a sereen contract, and guiltier when I was assigned this marvelous role opposite Al Jolson,’’ she replied. ‘“Maybe I still feel a bit guilty, but I trust it will wear off as the picture progresses. ’’ Miss Roberts is the English girl discovered recently by a First National scout as she ‘‘song-talked’’ in a famous New York night club. The official asked her to make a sereen test. Four months later she did—and a contract was the immediate result. ‘(The Singing Kid’’ is a combination of hilarious comedy, heart throbbing drama, mammoth spectacle and music. Besides Jolson and Miss Roberts the cast includes Sybil Jason, Edward Everett Horton, Lyle Talbot, Allen Jenkins, Claire Dodd and Wini Shaw. The Yacht Club Boys and Cab Calloway and his band are also featured. The numbers were staged by Bobby Connolly with music and lyrics by E. Y. Harburg and Harold Arlen, and orchestral arrangements by Ray Heindorf. William Keighley directed the picture from the screen play by Warren Duff and Patsy Flick, based on the story by Robert Lord. Hi-De-Ho Cab Calloway leads his famous band in some of the hottest swing numbers ever filmed when he appears with Al Jolson, Sybil Jason, the Yacht Club Boys, Edward Everett Horton and scores of other entertainers in First National’s ‘‘The Singing Kid,’’ which opens Qb:1he a es Théatre on ...........6 Mat No. 103—10c Claire Dodd Charming film star who takes Al Jolson for his bankroll in the great comic’s new picture, ‘‘ The Singing Kid,’’ which opens at the ............ Ae ea URCOUO2OW 3x sch cere Mat No. 106—10c 300 Dancers Die For Rhythm In “Singing Kid’’ Three. hundred dancers died to music at the First National studio during the production of ‘‘ The Singing Kid,’’ which comes to thtes.as te Theatre on Se He es Be Their deaths were rather inconclusive. As is usually the case with motion picture fatalities, they rose and lit cigarettes a minute later. The number and manner of the deaths provided the interest. They were for the climax of the ‘‘I Love To Sing-a’’ musical number featuring Al Jolson, and the Yacht Club Boys. Al Jolson, it seemed, wanted to sing about ‘‘Mammy.’’ The Yacht Club Boys wanted him to sing about anything but ‘‘Mammy.’’ In their efforts to persuade him, they led him a= merry chase from a broadcasting station through crowded city streets. Everyone but Jolson caught the rhythm of their ditty.. The crowds danced to the tune until they expired. He survived to get ‘‘Mammy’’ off his chest. Some of the group were dancers. Others were from the regular extra list to provide diversity of type. They were all used to dying in the day’s work but perishing to music had them puzzled for a while. Eddie Larkin, an_ energetic dancing instructor for Bobby Connolly, explained it to them over the public address system. He was enjoying himself immensely. “‘You are dying for rhythm, so be sure to do it on the word ‘rhythm’,’’ he yelled. ‘‘Hold it for 16 bars and I don’t want to see any movement. Don’t die behind the automobiles. And, above all, die like you mean it.’? So they perished, not once but six times. They died, not for their country, but for the pay check at the end of the day. “<The Singing Kid’’ is a powerful human interest drama which swings intermittently between hilarious comedy and heart wrenching pathos. There are two big production numbers staged by Bobby Connolly, with music and lyrics by E. Y. Harburg and Harold Arlen. Besides Jolson the cast includes Sybil Jason, Beverly Roberts, Edward Everett Horton, Lyle Talbot, Allen Jenkins and Claire Dodd. The picture was directed by William Keighley. Beverly Roberts Reverses Style In Plaid Skirts Beverly Roberts, new First National importation from the New York stage, who makes her screen debut opposite Al Jolson in ‘‘The Singing Kid,’’ now showing at the cee ees Theatre, made good use of her time before starting work on her own picture. Each day she was to be found on the sets of pictures in production, learning screen technique and studying the work of such players as James Cagney, Pat O’Brien, Ruby Keeler and Joan Blondell. Sound stages are sometimes drafty, however, and the newcomer took no chances of catching cold before the start of her own film. So she took special pains to plan an ensemble for sound-stagewear which reversed the modern fad of wearing wool skirts with a plain colored top jacket. Beverly’s costume consisted of a heavy, black nubby wool skirt, contrasted with a plaid wool top in red, black and gray. Long, tight sleeves, a high, draped neckline, and a narrow black patent leather belt are features of the outfit, with which she wore very high heeled strap pumps. ‘““The Singing Kid’’ is a combination of hilarious comedy, heart throbbing drama, mammoth spectacle and music. Besides Jolson and Miss Roberts the cast includes Sybil Jason, Edward Everett Horton, Lyle Talbot, Allen Jenkins, Claire Dodd and Wini Shaw. The Yacht Club Boys and Cab Calloway and his band are also featured. Blonde Dancer Teaches ‘Truckin’ To Harlem Girls Harlem may have created that undulating dance known as ‘“Truckin’,’’? but it took a Hollywood show-girl, and an extremely blonde one, to show the colored girls how to swing it. So Bobby Connolly, dance director of the First National musical, ‘‘The Singing Kid,’’ which COMES 00> the nce cc era Theatre ON ee , decided after he had tested a total of over 200 trained Negro girl dancers for a ‘“hot Harlem’’ number. Connolly sent for pretty Eleanor Bayley, platinum blonde dancer who has been featured in many First National musicals. ‘“Show ’em how to shake it, Eleanor,’’ were Connolly’s instructions, and while the Harlem chorines watched every little movement, Miss Bayley strutted her stuff. Miss Bayley, who has never even visited a night club, says she learned to ‘‘truck’’ between scenes while making the musical ‘‘Colleen.’’ Some of the ‘‘Colleen’’ chorus girls started strutting the stuff. Eleanor picked up the elementary steps and added a few extra twists of her own invention. The colored chorus of over 100 Negro boys and girls, stepping to the syncopations of Cab Calloway’s hot-foot rhythms, will dance in a night club scene in ‘‘The Singing Kid,’’ starring Al Jolson. ‘“«The Singing Kid,’’ is a powerful human interest drama which swings intermittently between hilarious comedy and heart wrenching pathos. There are two big production numbers staged by Bobby Connolly, with musie and _ lyries by E. Y. Harburg and Harold Arlen. Besides Jolson, the cast includes Sybil Jason, Beverly, Roberts, Edward Everett Horton, Lyle Talbot, Allen Jenkins and Claire Dodd. Page Thirty-one