Altoona Tribune from Altoona, Pennsylvania • Page 10

10 Altoona Tribune, Thursday Morning, Septembd 8, 1938 Current Attractions At Local Theatres Billy Halop, Veteran STAR TRIO REUNITED IN CAVALCADE OF MELODIES RICH MAN, POOR GIRL Stirring Drama At Strand Features Boy Gang of "Dead End" Swins Came In Ragtime's Lucky Break There might never have been any "swing." If a song written 30 years ago had been left lying on the shelf in a publisher's office history also might have been different. The relation of swing to history seems far-fetched but it is quite possible that if one certain song had not changed the entire American musical idiom there might have been no rousing marching songs for our World war heroes, no sentimental melodies for young lovers. ram Main does her usual fine work as the mother, and Robert Wilcox is excellent as Helen's sweetheart and friend. The story by Brenda Weisberg and Gilson Brown is vivid drama, replete with gripping situations that brings patrons to the edges of their seats, and produces tears, suspense and laughter in turn. Dramatic Story When Jim Boylan is sent to prison for murder, his family is left without funds.

The mother, son and daughter are forced to live in a poor tenement district. Helen gets a job in the chorus of a burlesque show to help buy food. Billy goes to work selling newspapers. The drama develops from the effect of their environment upon the young boy and girl. The girl is discouraged and defeated.

The boy, embittered by his father's imprisonment, becomes the leader of a rough gang of alley hoodlums (the "Dead End" kids. Jackie Searl, last seen with Jackie Cooper, gives realism to his role of the spoiled "rich kid" who joins the mob just "for the thrill." "Little Tough Guy," was direct Vividly revealing the life, laughter and tragedy which throbs in the hearts of young people of tho streets of a big city, Universale gripping story of modern youth, "Little Tough Guy," opens Friday at the Strand theatre, featuring the "Dead End" kids with Helen Parrish, Robert Wilcox, Jackie Searl and Marjorie Main. One point definitely impressed on the minds of first nighters is that the "Dead End" kids are a unique group of actors, and without peers in portraying the realistic phases of youth which stab through the heart. Sweeping in its scope, and filled with stirring emotional moments. the picture is a compelling human document which spectators will remember for a long time to come.

I Billy Halop Scores I Billy Halop, who captured wide favor in Dead End" and again in "Crime School." again delivers a dramatic portrayal that rivals the best efforts of skilled adult performers. Huntz Hall, Gabriel Dell, Bernard Punsley and the other "Dead End" boys are equally outstanding with their pungent brand- of acting. The sister role is plaved bv Helen Parrish, who scored as the "meanie" with Deanna Durbin in "Mad About Music." the girl who struggles bravely to save her brother from the sordid influence of the gang of young street hood- turns, she is splendid. Marjorie WIN SCREEN CAREERS Twenty-seven years ago Irving Berlin was elected to membership in the famed Friars club. The world was moving along at an easy gait.

Broadway trolley cars still issued transfers to cross-town horse cars. Hansom cabs still had the upper hand of the taxi. The Friars needed a catchv song for their annual frolic. It had to be done in a hurry and "Alexan- der's Ragtime Band'' was born. I "Alexander" and his "ragtime" caught that strange responding chord in the public fancy and.

to quote another Berlin hit "Every-! body's Doin' It Now," Other song writers were quick to pick up the spirit of this new musical beat and a nation's pulse was altered. When, a few years later. Amer ica marched off to a war, it was to i the words of "We're On Our Wav to France," "For Your Country I and My Country." "Oh. How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning." "You Can Always Find a Little Sunshine in the Y. M.

C. and many others. And from "Alexander's Ragtime Band" to today, ragtime has taken on the various aliases. joys. to the present Fundamentally it remains ragtime.

Apparently, "Alexander's Ragtime Band" was destined to be as deathless as any song could be. It approaches immortality of another kind in the spectacular 20th Cen-turv-Fox picture named for it: Irvin? Berlin's "Alexander's Rag- time Band." with Tyrone Power. Alice Faye and Don Ameche, Hollywood's star favorites, in top roles. ACTOR IS AX AUTHOR AWAY FROM STUDIO Paul Hurst, who plays the role of burly bartender in Irving Berlin's "Alexander's Ragtime Band," 20th Century-Fox spectacle, is noted for his vivid and forceful characterteations on the screen. But during his time off, Paul writes for the pulp story magazines.

He's considered a master of tender love stories! i I i i LI n. of st ed with fine understanding by Harold Young, and expertly pro duced by Ken Goldsmith. Jack Otterson's settings lend effective realism to the backgrounds, and the photography of Elwood Bre-dell is of his usual high excellence. and Billy Halop, brilliant young drama, "Little Tough Guy," at the Huntz Hall, Helen Parrish players featured in Universale STRAND tomorrow. tion of memorable melodies in a dramatic story of the screen's moment.

Great Berlin Score The Berlin score is, of course, without previous or subsequent parallel. It took the Shakespeare of syncopation 27 years to writs it, and every one of the 23 songs, used wholly or pa ially in the picture, topped the hit parade of its era. They are the mileposts along rhythm's conquest of mankind from the Barbary Coast co Carnegie HalL The film makes them integral i story material bv casting the prin- i I tipai cnaraccers as merjioers oi a fictitious Alexander's Ragtime Band and letting them do just about what the members of a real Hand would have done. "illiant Cast In the bewildering brilliance of Alexander" one remembers that Tyrone Power starts with a small Hand in a honky-tonk. Don Ameche writes the tunes which Aliea 7aye sir.g3.

Love smolders, flares. coois. oiows up ana is rekindled over the years for Tyrone and Alice. History-eyes with the dies of Berlin moves before the reminiscent melo- as a gentle guide I through the plot. Such a story framework i the ca- girl who sang the nation's love Shakespearean Actor Billy Halop Is believed to bo the only actor In the world to ust Shakespeare's dramas as a stepping stone to later roles as a tough young street hoodlum! With the help of the illustrious "Bard of Avon," the young stai' of "Dead End" and "Crime School'1 climbed to fame as the most hard boiled young actor in the country.

Billy confessed his Shakespearean background during the filming of "Little Tough Guy," Universale swiftly paced drama of reck less youth, which begins tomorrow at the Strand theatre. The pic ture stars the "Dead End Kids with Helen Parrish, Robert Wilcox, Jackie Searl and Marjorie Main featured. "I played 'Puck' in a radio ver sion of Shakespeare's 'Midsummer Nieht's Dream' when I was Id years old." the actor admitted to Ken Goldsmith, the producer. "A little later I did 'Romeo in a ran dio play of 'Romeo and Juliet'." Progressed Quickly After that distinguished debutJ Billy progressed quickly. He ap-j peared on the "March of Time program and in radio plays withj Maude Adams.

For three years! he starred on the N.B.C. net work, creating the character of Bobby Benson, in which he became a hero to millions of other boys. Appearing as a special attraction at Madison Square Garden with Col. W. T.

Johnson's rodeo show, he was credited with boosting the gate receipts enormously. The Colonel was so pleased he gave Billy a horse which the boy trained and later rode as a hcadliner with Barnum and Bailey's circus on a tour through the east. Billy has never taken a dramatic lesson in his life. Billy began humming nursery tunes at the age of two years. By the time he was five, he had a job as a boy tenor on the national radio networks.

Sport Addict He was educated at the Children's Professional school and at McBurney's School for Boys. Keenly interested in sports, Billy has a reaBy pair of fists and can hold his own with any boxer of his size. His ambition is to follow in the footsteps of his idol, Paul Muni, as a character star. Outside of his desire to perfect his acting, Halop is a "nut" on hobbles. They include photog-J raphy, collecting American stamps and swing records.

Billy is 5. feet, 9 inches in height, weighs 145 pounds and has blue eyes and brown hair. He plays baseball, tennis, hockey and holds a junior life guard rating in Long Island. and a large chorus. He became a musical student for a year in, preparation for this role.

Well on his sensational screen) career, Tyrone concludes that it'sl well to prepare as much as pos sible for the future. He also be lieves that the fellow who coined that old adage about preparednes. must be laughing to himself ye because no one could ever be full prepared for anything so vari as a screen career. WHENCE ICE The advent of Sonja Heme on the cinematic scene, sod months ago, made semi-tropi Hollywood the Mecca for skaters. Before Miss Henie era: ed the films the official castr office for film talent had only ice skaters registered on its ro Midsummer 193S found the tion picture 'colony boasting young men and women official listed as, expert skaters.

boost in the skating fratern was revealed during the preli inary production days of "Bre ing the Ice," which stars Bob Breen and features the five-yea1 old Irene Dare in an ice ballet. Edward Cline. director, had an ticipated trouble getting the 60-odd skaters required by Dance Director Dave Gould. He found instead that the Central Casting Agency, operated by the film studios, could give him a heavy surplus of people experienced in Polar Carnivals of all types. The question is, where, in sunny California, did all these skaters suddenly come from? They do and say the silliest things in Hollywood The current phrase riding the popularity waves is "I give you Hello," which is the equivalent of "Hi!" "Howdy" and the simple, "Hello." The phrase may amount ro nothing more than a passing vogue, but it is being passed around quite liberally and as might be supposed is from a picture! The film is "Breaking the Ice," whose locale is a small Mennonite village in Pennsylvania and there the people do the strangest things! They give you hello! A new 18 story hotel in Santiago, Chile, will have a grand foyer extending upward the height of three stories.

A swimming pool and terrace will be provided on the seventeenth floor. The Congo river is exceeded in size only by the Amazon. a Hollywood Has World's Strangest Army I Actor Must Do Everything many other members of the cast.Hn YlOVieS, lyrOne LCdnS The only standing army in th-j world that marches under first one flag and then another as long as they get their $11 a day (the world's highest soldiering wage) is located in Hollywood. The commander of this unique army is Jack Pennick, one time United States Marine who now has a collection of flags from every corner of the world under which his private army marches, fights, drills and encamps with out ever getting out of the cinema capital. World War Outfit Jack's most recent assignment was fighting the World war all over again in Irving Berlin's "Alexander's Ragtime Band," Tyrone Power and Don Ameche were in the Pennick army, as were ASTONISHING, NO LESS! auection has that touch of Derfection that eives everv scene, particularly the romantic phases, the finish of a masterpiece.

Alice Faye never was more beautiful nor did she ever sing or perform with greater effect. Tyrone Power and Don Ameche are equally tremendous in vividly contrasting portrayals. Ethel Merman, who comes into the story later, handles a role with her usual spirit. Jack Haley and Chick Chanclier lend a pleasant comedy touch as members of the band and later as soldier pals of Tyrone's. other in Jean Hersholt and Helen West ley take efficient care of roles as the music teacher and young Power's aunt.

Paul Hurst is a standout in his part as a friendly bartender and John Carradine delivers a fine portrayal as a taxi driver. There, too, are fine portrayals by Waily Vernon, Ruth Terry, Douglas Fowley and Eddie Collins. The script by Kathryn Scola and Lamar Trotti and adaptation bv Richard Sherman: musical di- rection by Alfred Newman; dance Hjrertinn bv Sevrnonr Felix: nho- toaranhv bv Peverell Marlev and associate production bv Harry Joe Brown ail tops in their respec- tive lines, help weld the whole cf "Alexander's Ragtime Band" into true, splendid American Cav- alcade. to Appear liance, especially when one considers the fact that their only instrument is an ancient guitar. The Mills brothers are the originators of the style of vocal harmony that Ls commqn among radio entertainers today, but prior to the time of their debut in the entertainment world, they were simply four happy-go-luckv col- ored lads who entertained the boys around the corner barber shop in their home town.

Having been "discovered," their sensational rise to success came about in short order, and their unique stvle has won them a vast following both here and abroad. I Talented Tots Starred In "Breaking the Ice" At Olympic I i 1 I The old American adage to the youth of the land- "prepare yourself that you will be ready when opportunity arrives" was phrased by a sage who never heard of Hollywood. And one actor is willing to take issue with him. Tyrone Power, handsome 20th Century-Fox star, admits he studied hard in school and later on the stage under his late, distinguished father and other stage stars to prepare himself. But when he got his big chance in cinemaland, he suddenly discovered that each film he was assigned a role in, presented difficulties he never dreamed would ever arise.

In his first big picture, "Lloyds of London," which made him an overnight screen star, Tyrone had to learn French, navigation, and the intricacies of the insurance business. That, Tyrone thought, would complete a fair foundation of pre paredness, but he reckoned too soon. In "Cafe Metropole," he had to learn Russian. In "Thin Ice" he had to learn to 6ki. For his starring role in "Second Honeymoon," he had to learn to manage a harpoon gun.

But all this, it seems, was noth- ing to the demands of his starring role with Alice Faye and Don Ameche in "Alexander's Ragtime Band," starting tomorrow at the Olympic theatre. For this part of orchestra leader, Tyrone had to learn to play the violin, conduct an orchestra LOVELY LITTLE LADY Helen Parrish, who gets her first romantic role in Universale "little Tough Guy." 'if-. If-n- in ordinary times, rennics maintains a working army nucleus of 200 men who can in turn drill other men in the manual of arms of any country in the world and have them ready in a day's time to face the camera. The 'Shooting' Squad Facing the camera, Pennick explained is as dreadful to many as actual firing squads. Those who cannot overcome their camera shyness, of course, are dropped from the army rolls immediately.

Medical and hospital bills for home accident victims last year averaged almost $2,000,000 a day, on the basis of available statistics. Paul Webster, wrote three of the five songs Bobby sing3. Churchill is the man who composed those unforgettable numbers in Disney's "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." The picture numbers among its supporting cast such stellar players as Charlie Ruggles and Dolores Costello, and Robert Bar- rat, Dorothy Peterson, Charlie I Murray and Billy Gilbert. But the big surprsie is little Irene Dare, the six-year-old figure skater who is known throughout the middle-West as the "baby Sonja Henie." "Breaking the Ice" is little Miss Dare's debut in motion pictures, and it is fortunate that she found a picture and a producer worthy of her unique talent3. This child is a marvel at skating.

With the least amount of effort she somersaults on ice, whirls, spins and dances to the accompaniment of a full orchestra of 40 pieces. Film critics, always skeptical of new child discoveries, seem unanimous in their belief that she may become a really big child motion pictures. This same thought must have occurred to the producers, for they have given her an elaborate sequence said to have cost $100,000. "Breaking the Ice" is a distinctly different Bobby Breen ve-hicle better in story, larger in scope, superior musically, and by all odds the most entertaining film yet credited to the boy singer. Edward Cline directed, from a screenplay by Mary McCall, Manuel Seff and Bernard Schubert, and based on the story oy Fritz Falkenstein and N.

Brewster Morse. Sol Leaser produced the picture for RKO Radio distribution, Six-Year-Old Ice Queen in Bobby Breen's Picture With Bobby Breen coaxing sweet tunes from the harmonica, Charlie Ruggles is tempted and falls into an exhibition of vooal-ism so astonishing that even Bobby is startled at the result The scane is from the RKO Radio picture. "Breaking the Ice," Bobby's latest starring vehicle. In which Ruggles heads the featured supporting cast. An elaborate tee-carnival provides the show-piece of the film.

Boasting a story genuinely human in theme, richly enhanced by homely humor, with scenes laid in the contrasting backgrounds of a quaintly rustic section of Pennsylvania and the entertainment world of Chicago, and with an elaborate and beautiful sequence of an ice-skating carnival as its show-piece, Bobby Breen's latest and by far most pretentious picture, "Breaking the Ice." approaches screen presentation. It will be seen at the Capitol theatre. beginning tomorrow. Featuring the world's youngest ice figure-skater, Irene Dare, ani Charlie Ruggles and Dolores Cos-; tello, at the head of a supporting cast of brilliant names, the film takes rank easily as Bobby Breen's most important vehicle. Bobby himself, whose glorious singing voice has enriched four previous pictures, emerges in "Breaking the Ice" as an entirely different screen personality.

The boy is strangely revitalized. Many of the mannerisms which he had been taught to adopt in his previous work are gone, and he stands out as a dominant character, a scrappy, happy-go-lucky youth who fights adversity with a song on his lips and dynamite in his fists. Another factor which lends importance to the picture is its size and quality. Plain is the fact that this is the costliest of all Bobby Breen features to date. The sets are elaborate, and the songs the boy sings are the best he has eve' had.

It is interesting to observe that Victor Young, the noted orchestra leader, is responsible for the mu- sical setting, and that Frank Churchill, in collaboration with One hundred thousand dollars is lot of money to invest in a child who was practically unknown to film audiences, yet this was done in the case of six-year-old Irene Dare, "the baby Sonja Miss Dare, who makes her first local screen appearance in "Breaking the Ice," in which Bobby Breen is the star, is considered one of the most promising new discoveries of the year. The $100,000 spent in introducing her to film audiences was used in the creation of an elaborate ice fantasy in which the world's youngest figure skater spins, somersaults and dances with all the grace and sureness of an adult professional. To support the child skater in the ice sequences, Producer Sol Lesser, engaged the celebrated dance director, Dave Gould, who utilized professional skaters in a whirlwind number. In addition, Victor Young was employed to conduct an orchestra of forty pieces to play music composed by himself and Frank Churchill. Churchill is the man who wrote the most popular songs in Walt Disney's great success, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." Introducing a child star is a problem distinct from that met in the development of an adult player.

A grown-up can be placed in a dramatic lead at little expense, except for salary. But Lesser has discovered that children destined for starring honors must be "dynamited" into prominence in their first appearance on the screen. That is, a picture must be built about them, or they must be featured in a series of sequences highlighting the film in which they made their debuts. This was the practice employed in the development of Bobby Breen, Jackie Coogan, Jackie Cooper, Freddie Bartholomew ani Shirley Temple; and it is now being applied to young Irene Dare. The result, in "Breaking the Ice," is said to amply justify the confidence placed in this tiny six-year-old performer.

Residents of a Cape Breton mining community have been fighting the same fire for a year. It broke out when several homes burned a year ago and set fire to a bootleg1 coal mine. The mine was apparently under one of the houses. The office of corona- dates back to 12th century England. Colored Radio Stars On Capitol Stage To thousands of radio fans, the Mills brothers are "tops" among the better novelty quartets, ani! taeir personal appearances are ai- Way3 attended by large crowds of admirers.

The Capitol theatre has, after! much difficulty succeeded in booking this celebrated group for i the entire day of September loth, the act to appear on the Capitol stage in addition to the usual fine screen fare. These talented colored lads are an unusual group of singers, andi their ability to create a great var- lety ot instrumental effects makes Uieir act one of outstanding bril-1 Article Cxt Oat in Or 131 nal.