Top Speed (Warner Bros.) (1930)

igger, Better, Funnier Than The ‘Stage a Show That Had Them Rolling In The Aisles Biography of JACK WHITING A visit by Florenz Ziegfeld to a ~~oduction of amateur theatricals in delphia was responsible for Whiting’s stage career. iting, who is now playing a leading role in “Top Speed” at First National studios, was born and edueated in Philadelphia, his father being a famous surgeon there, Dr. H. D. Whiting. He wanted his son to follow the same profession, and with that in view young Jack had gone to the University of Pennsylvania. Whiting appeared in amateur theatricals at college, and in addition had joined a social set which produced amateur musical shows at the Little Theater. The plays and music were written by members of this group. Whiting wrote a number of songs in company with Richard Meyers, who is one of the best known composers today. He also acted in the shows and was stage manager. ; So successful was one of these, * “Why Not,” that it was deto give it at the Academy of + & theater seating several thousand. It taxed young Whiting’s ingenuity to make the small setg from |the Little Theatre stretch enough to fill the larger stage. The affair was one of the outstanding successes of the season, and among others who viewed it was Flo Ziegfeld. At a party for the last later he met Whiting and told him that any time he wanted to go on the stage he would put him in the Follies. ° Young Whiting decided to think it over until fall, and meanwhile fulfilled a contract that he had as senior instructor of a boys’ camp in Maine. In the fall he decided to stay in college until he finished. In the fall of 1919 he met Raymond Hitchcock, playing in “Hitchy Koo,” end Hitcheock offered him a nlaea —— in his show, which he decided not to take. He finished his college work, and ‘o work in a machine shop the ng summer. He had definitely ‘ .ed to abandon a medical career. Inthe fall he went to New York, and Ziegfeld immediately put him in the new Follies, featuring him as a@ principal in three song and dance numbers. Gilda Gray, Alexander Gray, and Will Rogers were among those in the Follies that year. “It didn’t take me long to find out that I wasn’t as good as I had thought—or as Mr. Ziegfield had thought me. I decided to learn the business from the bottom, and went into the chorus. Of course you know there are no chorus boys in Ziegfeld’s show—they are |‘gentlemen of the ensemble.’ “I also understudied Hal Skelly, and when he was taken sick in Chicago I stepped into the part, and played the Chicago and Detroit engagements.” This work led to a contract with C. B. Dillingham, and he played with Cyril Maude in “Aren’t We All.” { ‘ext appeared in “Stepping ,”? and with Billie Burke in _ .e Dear.” A tour in vaudeville for experience followed, and then roles in “When You Smile,” “Rainbow Rose,” “The Ramblers,” “Yes Yes Yvette,” She’s My Baby,” with Beatrice Lily, and “Hold Everything,” in which he played Georges Carpentier’s role. His last stage play was “Heads Up.” He was then signed by Jack L. Warner to appear in Vitaphone productions, and came to Hollywood. His first picture was “Top Speed,” in which he played the leading part epposite Bernice Claire. Paris, New York, Hollywood. Entertaining the guests of night clubs in Paris and New York gave Rita Flynn the training that landed her among the Hollywood luminaries. She plays the role of a society girl in “Top Speed” which features Joe Brown, Bernice Claire, Jack Whiting, Laura Lee and Frank McHugh. Mervyn LeRoy directed this First National and Vitaphone comedy. Biography of BERNICE CLAIRE — MA Here he comes! Riding 20TtA ond BAU hal Bernice Claire in the w, : aves of laughter! “Top Speed” Zooming through a whirlCut No. 22 Cut 15¢ wind of mirth. pee “ at 5C¢ Top speed ahead into the fun Bernice of star Speed,” grew into childhood with the ambition to become a writer of niest situations you’ve Claire, “Top He’s_ the Clown Prince Of Joy. ever seen. Christmas plays for children, She was continually singing as a child and for that reason her mother started giving her voice lessons at the age of six. At the same time she took dancing lessons from Madame Morosino of San Francisco. Bernice was born in Oakland and was graduated ‘from the Oakland High School. She played leads in all the school dramatic efforts—but still wanted to write Christmas plays. One summer her mother sent her to New York to study. Madame Jeritza, famous opera star, heard Bernice and was captivated by the young girl’s voice and charm, and made her her protege. This enabled the girl to study under Emile Polak, the star’s accompanist. She became a ballet singer and then understudy for the leading role of Margot in “The Desert Song.” Luck was with Bernice. The star became ill and the understudy was |jcalled upon to replace her. The re. {sult was a triumph. And he’s brought a boatload of thrills to make the fun complete. Directed by Mervyn tia: my A First Na> LeRoy. Alexander Gray, who had sung the tional & Vitaphone masculine lead in “The Desert Song,” Picture took a talkie test for “Sally” and || Bernice accompanied him to the studio, where she also had a test. Gray «| went to Hollywood, the test having agi | Deen made in New York, and Bernice went back to Oakland. Two months later she was called to First National to play opposite Gray in “No, No, Nanette.” with JOE E. BROWN BERNICE oe -soenets —— « Cut No. 13 Cut 6o¢ Mat rsc And. Another “BELIEVE IT OR NOT” in which Robert L. Ripley brings his cartoons to life. JACK CLAIRE LAURA LEE WHITING Biography of LAURA LEE Laura Lee, whose forte has been comedy, is a versatile actress and a newcomer to the screen. She has blonde hair, large brown eyes that twinkle with merriment, and a melodious voice. She was born Laura Lee, in July, 1910 in New York and received her education in. the same city in a private school for theatrical children only. Her first stage role was in “Tarzan” which she did when she was twelve years old: She was a tremendous success and when she finished this role, went with a vaudeville company which billed her as “Laura Lee and Co.” Her next engagement was with Johnny Dooley over the Keith circuit. At this time, Earl Carroll saw her at the Palace Theatre in New York and secured her for one of the leads in his “Vanities of 1927.” From there on her career was one good happening after the other. In rapid succession such successes as, “Little Dearie,” “Greenwich Village Follies,” “A Night in Venice,” “Broadway Nights,’ and “Great Day,” followed. It was not long after her last show that she was signed for the role of “Babs” in the First National and Vitaphone production “Top Speed” coming to the Theatre. First Fan Letter Rita Flynn, playing the role of “Daisy” in First National and Vitaphone’s “Top Speed” now playing at the Theatre, received her first fan letter during the filming of the picture. She was so thrilled that she did not work the rest of the day. Joe E. Brown, Scree _ Comedian, Doctor’s Proverbial Pet Star of “Top Speed” Spends Many Hours in Medics’ Offices Some persons support musical comedies, they are called “angels”; others support prize fights, they are called promoters; some support doctors, and one of the most famous of these is Joe E. Brown. Brown estimates that if the doctors’ bills he has paid during his twenty years on the stage, twenty years spent in be-. ing funny by throwing himself from the stage to the orchestra piano for JOE E. BROWN in “TOP SPEED” a continuous run of fourteen months, Tuesdays and Saturdays matinees, would be placed one on top of each other and let down to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean it would have saved him a great amount of money. During the filming of “Top Speed,” First National’s musical comedy coming to the theatre beginning next ........ Joe E. Brown had the following injuries to prove that . funny was no fun at all. _ 1 nose, chin, and forehead n Screen’s Premier Souse Is A Strict Teetotaller Frank McHugh, within the brief space of six months, has become the premier souse of Hollywood. That is, on the screen. In private life, as one of life’s little ironies, he is a teetotaler. His first camera test was as a “drunk,” and it won him a featured role in “Bright Lights.” Other roles have followed, all of them alcoholic and all sereamingly funny. The latest of them is in “Top Speed,” the First National and Vitaphone picture now at the Theatre. Joe E. Brown, Bernice Claire, Jack Whiting and Laura Lee are among the other featured members of the east of “Top Speed.” for diving deep in shallow water in a motorboat sequence. A turned ankle for jumping from a balustrade twenty feet above ground to get away from the amorous advances of Laura Lee. Two square inches of necessary and important skin torn from his right shoulder during a shot depicting him fixing an automobile that’s supposed to run away while he’s still under it. A bleeding nose from a higher dive than he’d like to have taken. A strained back from being folded up in the hood of a motorboat, a trouble he could have avoided if he knew Director Mervyn LeRoy was going to cut that scene out anyway. And a tiny bit of a stomachache from eating location food. All of which tends to prove, as Joe E. Brown claims, that the A in S. P. C. A. stands for Acto:s. This established a new romantic film team. They played together in “Spring is Here,” and “Song of the Flame.” Miss Claire teams with Joe E. Brown in “Top Speed.” Singing and | Acting Both Are Gifts Of This Girl Bernice Claire, Star of “Top Speed,” Proves Her Versatility Both singing and acting lie very close to the heart of Bernice Claire, who has the feminine lead with Joe E. Brown in “Top. Speed,” coming Pie seston to the Theatre. Miss Claire, who is only twentytwo years old, won her first laurels on the stage in “The Desert Song.” Then First National Pictures called her to California and gave her her first screen opportunity in “No, No, Nanette,” a singing and dancing role. This was followed by “Spring is Here” and “Song of the Flame”’— the latter an admirable vehicle for the display of her exceptionally beautiful soprano voice. But about that time a certain First National director, Mervyn LeRoy, took it into his head that this sensational young discovery was not only a really marvelous singer but an exceptionally capable actress. To prove it, he insisted upon Miss Claire being assigned a straight dramatic role in “Numbered Men,” with no music at all. It was a difficult role, too, calling for high emotional interpretation. The success of “Numbered Men” supplied the answer, and proved that LeRoy had known what he was doing. In “Top Speed” Miss Claire has a chance to combine her talents, as her role demands both singing and acting. The acting is in the vein of light comedy, for which her gift has became well known during the past season. Besides Miss Claire and Joe E. Brown, the featured east of “Top Speed” includes Jack Whiting, Laura Lee, Frank McHugh and a distinguished array of lesser lights. Page Three