Wonder Bar (Warner Bros.) (1934)

KAY FRANCIS A Personality Portrait ITTING alone, sometimes, in her unpretentious, rather old-fashioned Hollywood home, a famous and beautiful motion picture actress, decidedly independent, yet often lonely, utters sentimental sighs over her treasures—a faded rag dog and a dilapidated cloth horse. Kay Francis, a sym posium of beauty, grace, intelligence and allure, is at home— surrounded by all those little ‘‘worth-while’’ things she most enjoys. Although she has been firmly ensconced in starring bright lights for many seasons, the ravishing brunette is democratic, driving her anemic-looking Ford to the First National studio daily while working on the production of ‘‘Wonder Bar,’’ now showing at the sasbuasteeeeeneseys: Theatre. She doesn’t believe in competing with other KAY FRANCIS Mat No. 4—10ce stars’ Rolls Royces and rather boastfully declares she’s never owned one. Further proof of her convictions —all women have a few—is evident in the unusual little things she does because she finds them interesting. Like looking for fourleaf clovers, reading the last chapter of a mystery story first, eating corn on the cob, hot fudge sundaes, and going in for mountain climbing in a big way. And, too, you might find her scanning antique shops for rare pieces of bric-a-brac, but you wouldn’t see her buying them! Why? Because Miss Francis claims she can’t drive a good bargain and consequently has friends do her shopping in oddities. Her business qualities? Maybe she has inherited a few from her mother who keeps elaborate scrapbooks of Kay’s accomplishments— fourteen of them in fact. At any rate she has them as evidenced by the fact that off the screen she dresses simply and economically and can read a ticker-tape like the most hardened broker. She likes to talk—over the telephone—and frequently has_ her phone number changed to preserve her isolation. Doesn’t like beer, but ‘‘goes’? for food flavored with sherry. Never writes letters and prefers to sit on the floor. Wears monogrammed ‘‘nighties’’ and just can’t learn to whistle. Has a distinctive personality of her own you’ll agree. Under no circumstances would Kay attempt to change a tire. She would rather be marooned until ‘someone came along.’’ Her sense of independence balks at fixing an automobile. One of the few times she will rely on a man. And did you know she goes prowling? Yes, through ten cent stores—she loves it—buying little knick-knacks she never uses. She says she never attempts to Starring in “Wonder Here are caricatures of a few of the stars of “Wonder Bar,” that new musical drama at the Strand. Reading from left to right, we see Kay Francis, Ricardo Cortez, Dolores Del Rio, Hal LeRoy, Hugh Herbert, Guy Kibbee, Al Jolson, and Dick Powell. 300 gorgeous girls but they’re in You can’t see the the picture, too. Mat No. 18—30c judge a man but she does judge women. How?—By their hands! Believing that character, nature and insight to personality lie there, awaiting a connoisseur’s identification. As Katherine Edwina Gibbs she was born in Oklahoma, and says that she never had an ambition to be an actress until she was fully matured. Kay Francis, her stage and screen name, was borrowed from her first husband, F. Dwight Francis. She thinks it more fitting to her own appearance and personality. She isn’t afraid of the dark but uses electric lights about her home, extravagantly. One of the few things she ‘‘squanders,’’ she says. Always knows just how much money she makes and just how much she loses but doesn’t lose much on bathing suits because she thinks she’s a trifle too tall to appear so very choice in one. Childish interests in Miss Francis contradict themselves. She likes to swing, eat late at night and gather fine pictures of all kinds. But her childish enthusiasm balks at diamonds, most children’s dream. She doesn’t like them. But, too, like every child, she loves picnics and would rather have a sandwich and an apple in some shady glen than to eat turkey and dressing in her own comfortable home. Her home life is in marked contrast to her role in ‘*Wonder Bar,’’ in which she plays the glamorous part of a banker’s wife who is madly infatuated with a popular night club entertainer of a fashionable Parisian Cafe. The picture, based on the interntionally famous musical drama in which Al Jolson starred two seasons on the American stage, was adapted to the screen by Earl Baldwin, while the gigantic musical spectacle, in which 300 beautiful girls appear, were created and staged by Busby Berkeley with Harry Warren and Al Dubin writing the music and lyrics. There is an all star cast headed Thrills, Laughs, And Beauty In “Wonder Bar” Here is how the artist sees some of the many stars and spectacles in First National’s new musical cocktail, “Wonder Bar,” currently appearing at the Strand. Glamorous Kay Francis heads an all-star cast which includes such notables as Dick Powell, Dolores Del Rio, Ricardo Cortez, Al Jolson, Hal LeRoy, Guy Kibbee, Fifi d’Orsay, and innumerable others. Oops, we almost forgot to mention—Buz Berkeley has collected 300 of the world’s most beautiful girls for the dance numbers. Mat No. 37—40c by Miss Francis, Dolores Del Rio, Ricardo Cortez, Dick Powell, Hal LeRoy, Al Jolson, Guy Kibbee, Hugh Herbert, Louise Fazenda, Fifi d’Orsay and Merna Kennedy. Lloyd Bacon directed the production. Dolores Del Rio, Kay Francis Seen in Gorgeous Gowns Sartorial success, from the Hollywood actress’ view, is measured by the amount of brilliance in her formal garb. Gone are the days when a trim little frock of wash cotton received honorable mention from style conscious ladies. Practical fabrics are now seen and worn only in the daytime. Evening brings forth an array of glamorous, colorful, shiny fabrics, enhancing the charms of the lovely creatures who wear them, especially for the screen. Kay Francis aud Dolores Del Rio, the two dark haired beauties who perform the leading feminine roles in the First National picturization of ‘‘Wonder Bar,’’ Which comes tO the ..........ccceeeeee Theatre ON .......cccceeeeeeeeees » appear in several ravishing gala costumes designed by Orry-Kelly. Beaded fabrics lead the group— Miss Del Rio wearing two sequin gowns, one gold and one black, while Miss Francis wears a white beaded gown, showing an extreme low decolletege, with an enveloping cape of black velvet also richly embroidered with beads. ‘*Wonder Bar’’ is the international famous musical drama with an all star cast, others being Al Jolson, Ricardo Cortez, Dick Powell, Hal LeRoy, Guy Kibbee, Hugh Herbert, Louise Fazenda, Fifi d’Orsay and Merna Kennedy. The picture is set amid the gay revelries of a Parisian night club with spectacular musical and dance numbers created and staged by Busby Berkeley in which 300 beautiful girls take part. Music and lyrics are by Harry Warren and Al Dubin while Lloyd Bacon directed. Kay Francis Fooled By Artificial Flowers Artificial flowers, rather than real ones, are almost invariably used in the making of pictures. This because it is often necessary to return to the same set and scene days after the first shot has been taken and it would be hard to duplicate exactly the original flowers. The artificial flowers used however, could never be detected on the screen. They are so natural looking that they often fool the players themselves, which is just what happened when Kay Francis was handed a nose-gay by Ricardo Cortez during the production of her latest First National picture, ‘“Wonder Bar,’’ which opens at GHG cdctvsaiszestocestes Theatre on ............ sftacemetila ts They looked so life-like she instintively put them to her nose to sniff the perfume and was disappointed when there was none. ne Page Seven