Voltaire (Warner Bros.) (1933)

CURRENT FEATURE — BIOGRAPHIES Size of Louis XV’s Paunch | Puzzled “Voltaire” Staff Hundreds of Problems Had to Be Solved Before “Voltaire” Starring George Arliss Was Made HE size and location of Louis XV’s paunch was the most T amusing if not the most important question which had to be answered by the Warner Bros. studio research department before the picture ‘Voltaire,’ starring George Arliss, now playing at the Es . Theatre could be started. It is a well established fact that Louis XV was fat — but fat and how proportioned — another question. Most of the contemporary portraits of the monarch, cut him off at the waist, as though Louis himself may have been a little ashamed of his shape. Voltaire, who was skinny almost to the point of comedy, made fun of Louis’ figure so it was a | matter of importance to the pic ture to learn the facts. All in all “Voltaire” brought more problems to Maude Bowman, head | of the research department than any other picture filmed at the studio. Louis’ shape was a minor matter, at least to everybody except Louis himself and the actor who was to play the part, but it was one of a thousand details which had to be settled before the picture “Voltaire” could go into pro how that was duction. The smaller the detail the more difficult it is, generally to find. Handkerchiefs for Madame Pompadour for instance gave researchers a bad few hours. Were they large or small plain or faney and where did the lady carry them? Did a French mail earrier in 1762 whistle when he made a delivery to notify the tenants in house that the mail had arrived? What kind of a medical bag did a doetor of that period carry and what sort of instruments and bottles did it contain when it was opened? a All Vital Details which but details are not easily hunted out tally necessary if the picture is to earry authenticity. These are small a ee vi What size was a newspaper of those times? How big was a family bible? What did a printing press look like? Did Voltaire use envelopes for his letters? How would a pot of coffee be served in a bedroom and what kind of clothes did aestage carpenter wear? Voltaire’s spectacles, Voltaire’s night clothes, Voltaire’s wigs, the pens he wrote with, the inkstands he used, the popular songs of the time, the games the children played in the streets, the size and the shape of the loaves in bakery windows, these are minor matters which kept the research department busy for weeks preceding the filming of the picture. The costumes of the period, the streets of Paris, the houses the people occupied, the furniture they used — these are items easily duplicated because much information } about them is commonly available. There are hundreds of pictures of DORIS KENYON She plays the glamorous role of “me. de Pompadour, the King’s istress in George Arliss’ “Voltaire,” current at the Strand. Cut No.9 Cut rsc Mat 5c yAngeles public libraries for the use the Bastille, for example, but amazingly few which show a cellar entrance of the same period. The cellar entrance is just as important to the picture “Voltaire” as is the facade of the prison. Did a medicine bottle in Voltaire’s time have a cork or a glass stopper? This may very well tion more difficult to answer curately than it is to provide a picture of Voltaire’s own giddy blue carriage with the gold stars on the sides. The uniform of a marshal of France in the eighteenth century is easy to find but how did a eanary cage look and what kind of a box held pills? be a quesae The palace of Versailles and the theaters of the times are pictured in a hundred places. A “breakfast room” in Voltaire’s house is not. Almost every department of the studio involved in the filming of “Voltaire” appealed to Mrs. Bowman during the weeks of preparation and rehearsal for the picture. 40 Volumes Consulted. More than forty volumes con¢erning the life and times of Voltaire were borrowed from the Los of Paul Green and Maude Howell while they were preparing the script. These were used in addition to the great number of similar works already in the studio’s in its own library. possession Two hundred and ten pictures and drawings in these books were copies the studio’s cameras and supplied to the various departments which needed them. Many went to the wardrobe department, charged with providing all costumes, including those for the hundreds of extras to used in the picture. Others supplied the makeup and wig departments with the necessary information for their work on the picture. Mr. Arliss himself received a full set of these pictures and kept them close at hand during production and rehearsals. by be The art director, who designed the sets for “Voltaire,” the property man, charged with duplicating the hand props in the photographs for use on the sets and the drapery de partment which provided all set decorations, received copies which guided them in their respective lines. Meanwhile Mrs. Bowman established a clearing house of general information about Voltaire and his times in the research offices. She answered or found the answers to dozens of questions daily during the preparation and actual making of the picture. One of the “last minute” demands, made this time by the casting office, was for information as to the size and loeation of King Louis XV’s paunch, There were several candidates for that part. The casting office hoped to fit the part to the paunch or the paunch to the part, thus avoiding the necessity of having to add apparent poundage to the actor playing the role. It was a big assignment but Mrs. Bowman came through. She produced a picture of Louis XV which left no doubt as to his size and shape. Reginald Owen was finally selected to play the role of Louis, but as he was nowhere near fat enough he was made over to fit the research department’s figures. This was done by supplying a four inch stomach pad. Others in the east include Doris Kenyon, Margaret Lindsay, Alan Mowbray, Helena Phillips and David Torrence. The sereen play is based on the novel by George Gibbs and E. Lawrence Dudley and was directed by John Adolfi. George Arliss plays the dynamic role of the French genius, Voltaire, in the picture of that name which will be shown beginning at the Theatre. Cut No. 17 Cut 30c Mat 106 BRIEF BIOGRAPHIES GEORGE ARLISS George Arliss, dean of stage and screen stars, whose next starring vehicle for Warner Bros. is ‘‘ Voltaire,’’ was born in London, England, the son of an English printer and publisher. Ilis earliest ambition was to Gordon Westcott Gordon Westcott, who has an in the Warner Bros. picture, “Voltaire,” starring George Arliss, was born in St. George, Utah, the son of a minister, a profession he himself prepared for at the University of Utah. Later he decided upon a journalistie career and attended Columbia University with this in mind. He became interested in the theatre through having written a melodrama which was pro| duced by a stock company. Eventually he organized his own stock company and played character parts which led to Broadway productions of note and eventually to the screen. important part Some of his recent appearances were in “Lilly Turner,” “The Working Man,” “Private Deteetive 62,” “Merrily We Go To Hell,” “Guilty As Hell,” “Heritage of the Desert” and “He Learned About Women.” Theodore Newton Theodore Newton, who has an important role with George Arliss in “Voltaire,” is a native of Lawrenceville, New Jersey, and a graduate of Princeton. His theatrical career started through his acquaintance with Ann Harding who was instrumental in getting him a contract with the Hedgerow Theatre in Philadelphia where remained for three years. His next step was to New York, where he appeared in “Elmer The Great” with Walter Huston, a part he landed through the friendship of Grant Mitchell. Warner Bros. he spotted him in the New York production and become a circus clown. Instead he started his life-work as an apprentice printer in his father’s establishment, where he remained for one year. The opportunity then presented itself to engage in theatricals in a stock company touring England. After a number of years in stock and one season in Musical Comedy, Arliss appeared with Mrs. Patrick Campbell in London’s ‘‘ West GEORGE Side’’ and it was with her that he made ARLISS “ag ; —— 2 his first trip to America where he has been oa nial more or less continuously ever since with Cut 15c Mat 5c A only occasional returns to his native land. Ilis first starring stage production was ‘‘The Devil,”’ then ‘‘Septimus’’ followed by a five year run in ‘*Disraeli’’ later made into a picture by Warner Bros. with Arliss in the starring role, his first appearance on the screen. The picture won honors as the best production of the year and Arliss was thrust into the front ranks of screen players in his first appearance. Ilis recent pictures include ‘‘The Working Man,”’ ‘‘The King’s Vacation,’’ ‘‘A Successful Calamity,’’ ‘‘The Green Goddess,’ ‘Old English,’’ ‘‘ Alexander Hamilton’’ and ‘*The Millionaire.”’ Doris Kenyon Margaret Lindsay Margaret Lindsay, who has Doris Kenyon, who plays Mme. : a3 i a _— one of the leading feminine roles Pompadour opposite George Arin George Arliss’ latest Warner liss in the Warner Bros. produeBros. picture, “Voltaire,” was tion Voltaire,’ was born in born in Dubuque, Iowa, her real “Saaagrvenens ae sae a name being Syracuse, New York. After a a —~ w acsexes success ful \ Ties. stage career She was which ineducated in cluded sisi the National eral seasons || J Park Semin. in concert ary in Washwork, she ington, D. C, oe Sr d and in the 1er activities ee to California MARGARET pet ay fi and tijhe LINDSAY ; : DORIS Dramatie Art. KENYON screen where Cut No. 41 She began ius han she met and Cut 15c Mat sc with oumati Cut 15c Mat sc was married parts on the stage and worked to the late up to leading roles, playing also Milton Sills. Following his death a few years ago she returned to the concert stage for a period but soon was back in Hollywood to gain new laurels. Some of her are: “Alexander Hamilton,” “The Her big“Death in stock and repertoire. gest stage hit was in Takes a Holiday.” Recently she entered pictures and made a striking success in her role in “Cavaleade.” Other pictures in which she has ap recent pictures Road to Singapore,” “Beau peared include “Private Detee/ : ive 62.” “Baby Face,” “Capit.” “The Bargain,” “The tive 4 oe : pends, 7 e a Fi tured!”, “All American,” “Okay Ruling Voice, The age America,” “Once in a Lifetime,” Points,” in addition to the ecur rent “Voltaire.” “The Fourth Horseman” and “West of Singapore.” gave him a screen test. He was signed for a part in “The WorkMr. Arliss liked the young man’s work so well he was again assigned to play with him in “Voltaire.” ing Man.” Alan Mowbray Alan Mowbray cast in the important role of Count de Sarnac in the Warner Bros. production of “Voltaire” starring George Arliss, is native of London, England. After several years the English stage, Mowbray came to America playing with stock companies in Boston and New York as well as in a number of New York productions, in which he appeared in various capacities as director, producer and actor. a on While in Los Angeles directing the stage play “Porgy” he was engaged to enact the role of George Washington in “Alexander Hamilton,” with Arliss since then he has been seen in a number of Warner Bros.-First National productions including “Two Against the World, “Jewel Robbery,” “Winner Take All” and others in addition. Reginald Owen Reginald Owen, who portrays the character of King Louis XV in “Voltaire,” the Warner Bros. picture starring George Arliss, is one of three noted English actors who appear in the film, the others being of course Arliss and Alan Mowbray. Following a number of successes on the English stage, Owen came to America in 1922 to appear in numerous leading roles in Broadway successes, The movies soon claimed him however, and he came to Hollywood to make good with a vengeance. Some of his recent pictures include “The Narrow Corner,” “The Scarlet Ring,” “Sherlock Holmes,” “Robber’s Roost,” “The Man Called Back,” “Platinum Blonde” and of course “Voltaire.”