The Brooklyn Daily Eagle from Brooklyn, New York • Page 23

BROOKLYN DAILY EAGLE, NEW YORK, SUNDAY, JUNE It, 1933 'Elmer the Great' and Warrior's Husband' Make Brooklyn Screen Debuts IN 'ELMER THE GREAT The Screen Joe E. Brown a Five-Career Man 1 Star of 'Elmer the Great" and Other Comedies Combines Jlaschall and Aerobatics With His Screen Work Field of Literature Lures Other Movie Pluvers -By MARTIN DICKSTEIN- Increasing Popularity of Musical Pictures Spurs Production of Girl-and-Tune Entertainments Britain Points With Pride MAY or may not be a direct but it is a fact that nearly every Important producing company in Hollywood has one or more musical films on its schedule of forth s-U. I in "Elmer the Great." He ha.i played baseball since his childhood days, finally getting good enough, as he grew older, to play in th minor leagues, with the St. Paul Club, and then with the New York Yankees for a brief time. Now ho owns an interest in the KiMmns City Club of the American Association and wants to play second ba.se with the team as well.

He manages, too. to be one of the country's most rabid fans. trav ellng. as de did last Fall, across the) country to see the World Series games in New York: then he fol troupe of German acrobats, are on the same bill with Joe. Brown's domestic propensities and his love of a larRe family are be.st observed at meal times.

Joe Is in his glory then, heading the table, joking and having a good time with food and family, which includes the two Brown boys and Mary Elizabeth Ann Brown, their baby, and a recently adopted infant. He believes very strongly that a man's place Is at the. head of the table and therefore generally eschews "location trips" which involve traveling too far to permit the entire coming releases. This type of picture, it appears, ts becoming increasingly popular with the movie-going public, and the produoers are determined to cultivate the new vogue by maintaining the. highest possible standard of production in these girl-and-muslc exhibitions.

Certainly there is no fault to find with the productional qualities of "Gold Diggers of 1933," which arrived on Wednesday evening at the Man-hattan Strand. The dance numbers have been staged with unusual imagination, and the costumes and scenic If i 1 Joe Urown and Patricia at the Brooklyn RKO Local Houses Present New Films "A Bedtime Story," newest film with music to star Maurice Chevalier, is the current screen attraction at the R. K. O. Kenmore, Madison, Prospect, Dyker, Bushwick, Tilyou, Greenpolnt and Orpheum Theaters.

Helen Twelvetrees, Edward Everett Horton and Baby Le-Roy head the supporting cast in this Jolly photoplay. During the last half of the week Nancy Carroll, a featured the i V'- 't Ht i I 1 i i. result of the success of "42d Street," rad Vcidt in the role of the wandering Novello's Stage Hit "I Lived with You," an adaptation of Ivor Novello's London stage hit, with "a brilliant performance by Mr. Novello, ably supported by Ursula Jeans." "Early to Bed," another Erich Pommer production filmed for Ufa-Gaumont-British in Berlin and featuring the popular Sonnie Hale, Heather Angel and Conald Calthrop. wever come Back," a screen transcription of Frederick Lonsdale's play, with Tom Walls in the role of a gentleman crook.

"The Ghoul," a British attemDt at horror with our own Boris Karloff in the principal role. "Falling for You," a "comedy on the grand scale," with the popular and inseparable Jack Hulbert and Cicely Courtneidge, These productions may be less than "talkies that will sweep the world," but no one will deny that they appear to be tremendously interesting on paper. It is a list which moves us to remind you of what we have said on previous occasions in this corner: Hollywood's keenest competition will some day come from England. IN Eliua Landi engage in jWtte-: Iff! J' 3r 'THE WARRIOR'S HUSBAND' v. v.v.v.w AV v.

OE E. BROWN Is Hollywood's only star who manages to keep Ave careers going at once. The star of "Elmer the Great," the baseball picture based on Ring Lardner's play, now at the Brooklyn Strand, is primarily a family man, leading off with that career. Next, In the order of importance, is his movie career. Following in close succession are baseball, stage appearances and acrobatics.

The last two are very likely to become one if the Maxellos, a famous AT THE FOX player in "The Kii Before Mirror." squadron," the organization of stunt planes through their paces for the of the air scenes in "The Eagle and 1 and "The Big Wednesday and Thursday, "42d Street." BEDFORD Today, "Looking Monday and Tuesday, "Whoopee," with Eddie Cantor; Wednesday and Thursday, "The Constant Woman" and "The Keyhole." BREVOORT Today, "Pick Up," and "Perfect Monday and Tuesday, "The Story of Temple Drake" and "The Cohens and Kellys In Wednesday and Thursday, "The Silver Cord" and "Circus Queen Murder." CONEY ISLAND Today, "Looking Monday and Tuesday, "The World Gone Mhd" and "Somewhere in Wednesday and Thursday, "The Keyhole" and "Night of Terror." 46TH ST. Today and Monday, "Looking Tuesday to Thursday, "Keyhole" and "Parole Girl." -v t1 family to eat together. And, In addition to their own children and the newly adopted baby, Joe has atlarhed one Mike Friuikovirh to his retinue. Frankovlch. a Serbian youth whom Joe Is sending through tha University ol California, played utellar football with the school's team, made the baseball team, sneaks five languages and has become a great source of pride to his adopted father.

The Brown movie career Is wrapped up in a way with his family career, having made possible the thing he enjoys so much with his family. He has been able to buy them things and to provide all the niceties of living as a result of his stardom. In addition to that, how ever, he feels his movie career Is a responsibility and has become Hollywood's unofllelal ambassador to the public. Joe has, in fact, prob ably made as many speeches and laid as manv cornerstones as the Prince of Wales in the last few years. He Is in demand as Hollywood's representative by clubs, lodges, schools, municipal organiza tions ann pnuamnropio societies.

As a result, he belongs to more organizations than any other Hollywood player. The Baseball Yen Joe's movie work is wrapped up with his baseball career, too, and he manages as often as possible to appear In a uniform. He did It in "Fireman, Save My Child," and Is doing it to an even greater extent New Films "The Warrior's Husband," with Elissa Landi, Ernest Truex and David Manners. BROOKLYN STRAND "Elmer the Great," starring Joe E. Brown, with Patricia Ellis and Frank McHugh.

CAPITOL "The Devil's Brother," with Laurel and Hardy and Tlielma Todd. FOX "The Kiss Before the Mirror," featuring Paul Lukas, Nancy Carroll and Frank Morgan. LOEW'S METROPOLITAN "The Eagle and the Hawk," with Fredrlc March, Cary Grant, Carole Lombard and Jack Oakle. MUSIC HALL "Ann Carver's Profession," with Fay Wray, Gene Raymond and Claude Gilllngwater. PARAMOUNT (Manhattan) "Jennie Gerhardt," starring Sylvia Sidney, with Donald Cook, H.

B. Warner and Mary Astor. RIVOLI "Lilly Turner," with Ruth Chatterton, George Brent, Guy Kibbre and Grant Mitchell. Opening Wednesday. ROXY (7th Ave.) "Trick for Trick," featuring Ralph Morgan, Victor Jory and Sally Blane.

KAMEO Today and Monday, "Looking Tuesday to Thursday, "The Constant Woman" and "The Keyhole." KINGS and TRIBORO Today and Monday, "The White Tuesday to Thursday, "The Nuisance." WILLARD Today and Monday, "Looking Tuesday to Thursday, "The Keyhole'' and "Susan Lenox." Loew Theaters Offer Varied Stage and Film Attractions THE roar of airplane motors, the rat-tat-tat of machine guns, and i the friendship and hatred that flourish between men engaged in flying to death characterize "The Eagle and the Hawk," at Loew's Metropolitan Theater this week. Fredrlc March and Cary Grant play the leading roles in this picture. Jack Oakle furnishes the comedy, while Carole Lombard takes care of romantic angle. Stuart Walker handled the directorial effects are more striking than one is likely to encounter in the best of the Broadway musical productions. The "Shadow Waltz" incident in "Gold Diggers," with its effective use of Neon-lighted violins against ft pitch-black background, is a particularly good example of the inventiveness of the new type of screen musical.

More Musicals The Warner Brothers, Inspired by the success of their recent efforts in this field, are planning to tum out more musical films next season. "Footlight Parade," In which most of the stars on the Warner lot will participate, will be placed before the cameras scon. And the same company has just acquired the screen rights to "Wonder Bar," Al Jolson's Broadway stage vehicle of a couple seasons ago, with a view to presenting Mr, Jolson in his original role In the film version. Next season also will bring at least one important musical picture from Universal, namely "Moonlight and Pretzels," which is currently in the process of filming at the Astoria studios. Mary Brian, Leo Carrillo and Roger Pryor will be seen in this glrl-and-music entertainment which is being directed by Monte Bnce and the clever Karl Freund.

RKO-Radio reminds us that they will be represented in the coming season's musical-film list by an elaborate production called "Flying Down to Rio. This, we are informed, will be no ordinary musical, for most of its numbers will be filmed in the air. Thus, in "Flying Down to Rio," you may expect to witness the spectacle of a line of chorus girls going through their numbers "on the wings of giant planes as they soar aloft over Rio de Janeiro." That, at least, sounds like a departure from customary musical comedy methods and should be interesting, even though no one really expects the giant planes to "soar" any higher than a safe distance above the floor of the RKO-Radlo studio. 'Hollywood Party' Metro Goldwyn Mayer's major musical contribution next Fall will be "Hollywood Party." Presumably, it will be fashioned along the lines of "Hollywood Revue," which was made during the first but short-lived craze for "talking and singing" pictures four or five years ago. So far only Jean Harlow and Joan Crawford are definitely slated for "Hollywood Party," but it is quite likely that every star and featured player on the Metro lot will have been drafted for the big production before It is completed.

The mounting vogue for musicals finds the Paramount company pre-aared with "College Humor," which is now nearing completion with 3ing Crosby heading a large cast if well-known performers. Paramount also has acquired the picture rights to Thomas Mitchell's recent tage play, "Cloudy with Showers," which, after the necessary altera- inn. and additions, will emerge on rhe screen as a musical comedy. This sudden appetite on tne pud- ic's part for musical comeay movies nrobablv represents a Heslre for something a little lighter hnd a little gayer than the stun tne has been giving us during nosf. xpRson.

It oueht to be a bood thing, too, this exploration and hevelopment of new fields ior tne novie camera to conquer. Britannia Is Proud Under the heading "Talkies that Will Sweep the World," a London heatrical weekly edited by the re- lowned G. A. Atkinson lists a num- er of British films which are held ip as examples of the recent strides he British studios have been mak- ns in the world of the cinema. These ilctures, the correspondent for the mblication feels certain, "win go ar to capture the world's screens or British talkies." As it is likely that many of these iims will eventually be shown in Kmerica, we herewith reproduce the 1st so that you will know sometning their virtues when, and if, you hould run across them.

"Waltz Time," an adaptation of tohann Strauss' "Die Fledermaus," i escribed as a light opera 01 tne ype enjoyed by all lovers of music ind romance." The cast includes Ovelvn Lave, Glna Malo, Jay Laur- tr and other favorites of the Lon- Hon stage. "The Only Girl," a Britisn picture Produced in Germany under the mpervlsion of the talented ancn Pommer. It is called "an enter- iainlng story with lilting music" and it features the winsome Lilian Har- fey- The Wandering Jew," with Con- 'Broadway Rounder' Charlie Bloomfield has just fin-shed a book, "The Broadway founder," which consists of little liographies and anecdotes, stories if stage, screen and radio celebrl-les. Mr. Bloomfield is an old time lerformer.

lowed the teams to Chicago for thn end of the series. Joe will talk baseball 'to anyone who will listen and gets as big a kirk out of watch ing a group of kids playing thfl game on a lot as he does when sees Babe Ruth smack out a homf with the bt-tr full. With stage-appearing a hla fourth career, Joe manages to get into touch with live audiences a.1 often as studio schedules permit. Usually he makes his stage appear anees during a vacation and considers them exactly as such. Hn has been known to travel 2,000 miles to a one-week engagement of vaudeville.

He did that aJew weeks ago, going to Detroit ancj then Joining the "42d Street Spe cial" in Chicago. Acrobatic Memories The acrobatic career is the leasll Important as far as time occupied goes, but Joe has many pleasant (and painful) memories of his days with the Five Marvelous Ashtorw and manages to do a few cartwheels, handstands and similar acrobatic exercises every onee in While. At the present time, th MVxellos are his favorite act. He became acquainted with them two years ago during a series of person! appearances and managed to gri Into their act. He found himself able to bo an "under-stander" after all these years and to join them in many of their comedy turns.

It particularly pleased Joe to find himself as supple as he was when he was purposely dropped by a cruel acrobat-taskmaster at the ago of nine, suffering a broken leg which wos to "teach him a lesson." Literary Minded Speaking of multiple careers, there is the current rush among; screen stars for honors in the field of literature. Already the dust front flying lead pencils is clouding Hollywood's otherwise tonieky sir, and the scratch of pens and the clatter of typewriters are heard far into th night. Possibly this is the aftermath of George Bernard Shaw' recent visit. At any rate actors are) turning authors with alarming frequency. Latest to be bitten by the write-a-book bug is Mao West, already ft playwright of note.

She announce that she is just finishing a sprightly catalog called "How to and already a number of publishers are engaged in competitive bidding for the manuscript. A sister authoress at the Paramount studios' is the millionaire-minded Peggy Hopkins Jovce, whos first novel, "Transatlantic Wife." has Just bounced off tlie press, she threatens to start another at anr moment, giving her unexpurgated impression of Hollywood. Douglas Fairbanks commit poetry and sells short stories In odd moments. At present he Is writing a novel. The Four Marx Brothers are 50 percent literary.

Oroucho not long ago wrote a humorous pamphlet called "Beds," and Chlco is the author of an addition to that already crowded library of books on "How to Play Bridge." An Actress-Novelist Elissa Landi, of course, is THS lady of letters in the film community. She already has seen thre of her novels in print and is working on her fourth. Her last, "Housa for Sale," found a ready market, both in the United States and England. Charles Chaplin Is known to working on his memoirs, and they can be expected to create more than a casual ripple of comment. Another writer of promise is Dor.

othea Wieck, the German star, who created such a fine impression by her work as the sympathetic teacher in "Maedchen in Uniform." Mis Wleek has written several screen plays, among them an adaptation of Flaubert's classic story, "Madame Bovary." She aspires to bring the latter character to the screen. Miss Wieek's husband, the Baron Ernst von der Decken, is one of Ger-many's younger novelists. His first book, "A Sinner in the Holy has just been published. Eddie Cantor must bv all means be Included in the list of players who have turned their pens' to profit. As a collaborator he has produced short articles, long articles, funny articles and sketches to an awe-inspiring total.

Fay Wray, Gene Raymond On Music Hall Screen Fay Wray and Gene Raymond are featured in "Ann Carver's Profession," the screen drama at the Radio City Music Hall this week. Miss Wray, at last delivered from a long succession of thrill and adventure pictures, plays the role of a brilliant woman lawyer whose legaj success shatters her domestic happiness and plunges her young husband into the depths of a romantlo tragedy. Raymond, as the husband, is said to have one of his best screen roles to date, "Ann Carver's Profession has ft strong supporting cast, cpnslstlng of Claire Dodd, Arthur Pierson, Clauds (iiUinawater, Frank Conroy and Joni'j Kaiph. F.llit in the bateball comedy Strand thil Keck. these R.

K. O. neighborhood houses, with the expection of the Orpheum, will present a double-feature bill consisting of "So This Is Africa," with Wheeler and Woolsey, and "Humanity," featuring Alexander Kirkland and Boots Mallory. The Orpheum's double-feature program, starting Wednesday, will have "So This la Africa" and "The California Trail," starring Buck Jones. "Oliver Twist," with little Dickie Moore in the title role, and "Eleventh Commandment" may be seen today and tomorrow at the R.

K. O. Shore Road Theater. From Tuesday to Thursday, the Shore Road's features will be "Perfect Understanding" and "Pick-Up." warrior in the current talkie jviss lieiore me Mirror and 'Warrior's Husband' Are Other Features of Joe's buddy, "High Hips'" Healy. In Addition to the feature, a group of Vitaphone short subjects Is being shown at tbe Strand.

At the Fox I "Entertainment from everywhere" describes the bill at the Fox Brooklyn Theater this week. From the air the Fox offers Robert Simmons, billed as NBC's "voice with a thrill." From California comes Wesley Eddy, currently in his 14th week as Fox master of ceremonies. From Spain comes brunette Nadine Gae, "darling of the dance." England is represented by Tommy Atkins Boys, and Japan enters the lists with the Kltaro troupe of acrobats and tumblers. Canada contributes Gardner and Jackson, who bill themselves as "Microphonics" and contribute a hilarious radio skit. Sweden's entry is Large and Morgner, and Broadway sends over the Gae Foster girls, whose ranks have been recruited largely from outstanding musical comedies of the past several years.

The new screen feature at the Fox is "The Kiss Before the Mirror," in which Nancy Carroll, Paul Lukas, Gloria Stuart, Donald Cook and Frank Morgan play the princi-oal roles. It was directed bv James Whale, who produced "Franken-n stein" and "Journey's End." The story is about a Viennese lawyer, who, retained to defend the slayer of a faithless wife, finds that his own wife has been unfaithful to him. A two-reel comedy, "My Pal the Prince," starring George Givot and Morton Downey, and a Walt Disney "Silly Symphony" cartoon, "Bears and Bees," complete the bill at the Fox. At the Albee "The Warrior's Husband," Jesse Lasky's film production of the stage play, starring Elissa Landi, Mar-jorle Rambeau and Ernest Truex, may be seen at the R. K.

O. Albee Theater this week. An hilarious comedy, the story is set in a mythical, early-day coun try where women did the providing and the men devoted themselves to the less strenuous domestic duties 'The Warrior's Husband" is said to take full advantage of this situa tion in which women are teen ai New Films Occupy Downtown Screens tome airy pertiflage mth a Greek at the Alhee Theater, ball is his hobby. In fact, It's been more than a hobby with Joe, for he was once a big league player himself. Ring Lardner probably didn't have Joe E.

Brown in mind when he wrote "Elmer the Great." But the role of the Gentryville, Indiana boy who modestly admits that he is the greatest batter in the world, couldn't fit Joe more perfectly if he had been the playwright's original model. Elmer Kane has three interests in life eating, sleeping and baseball; and he's champion of all three. And then he falls in love! A splendid oast supports the star in this production. Patricia Ellis is the girl with whom Joe falls in love. Frank McHugh has the role BRENT RUTH CHATTERTON 'Elmer the Great' Offers Merriment With Joe E.

Brown at the Strand ADMIRERS of Joe E. Brown may see their favorite comedian In one of his funniest roles In "Elmer the 'Great," at the Brooklyn Warner Strand Theater this week. There are many reasons why this hilarious comedy of big league baseball should fit Joe E. Brown more perfectly than any other role he has yet played. Joe's middle name should have been baseball, for if making millions laugh is his business, ba.se- GEORGE 1 mm I I I 1 reins.

Hollywood's famed "suicide pilots who risk their lives putting screen, participated In the filming the Hawk." On the stage this week the Met ropolitan is offering several of radio's biggest stars, including Arthur Tracy, the beloved "Street Colonel Stoopnagle and Budd, renowned radio nuts, and Edward C. Hill, famed news commentator. Others on the new stage bill at the Met. are Ethel Parker and Bandine, clever dancing team, and Georges Campo, accomplished mimic. At Loew's Valencia tills week George Arllss in "Working Man," with Bette Davis, is the screen feature.

This film gives Arllss the opportunity once again to play a role such as he had In "The Millionaire." In the supporting cast are J. Farrell McDonald and Hardie Albright. On the stage the Valencia is presenting N. T. G.

and his new Paradise Revue. A Summer Fashion Show, the Brems, Fits and Murphy Brothers, Cherry and June Prelsser and MacGowan, Mack and Land complete the bill, During the first half of the week Loew's Gates is showing Lionel Barrymore in "Looking Forward," with Lewis Stone, Benita Hume, Phillips Holmes and Elizabeth Allen also in the cast. On the stage the Saxanoff Revue, Mel Klee, the Rio Brothers, Ruth Sherry and the Leach LaQulnlan Trio are the cur rent attractions. From Tuesday to Thursday, the Gates' film will be Kay Francis and George Brent in "The Keyhole." The Keller Sisters and Lynch, Raye and Maye, Tucker and Smith, Olyn Landick and Ora will be the stage offerings at the Gates during the last half of the week. Feature films showing at other Loew houses this week are as fol lows: BAY RIDGE Today, "Bondage," and "Sailor Be Monday and Tuesday, "The Constant Woman," the political, military and intellectual leaders.

Elllsa Landi in the film has the role played on the stage by Katharine Hepburn. Marjorle Rambeau, Ernest Truex and Helen Ware are others in the cast. The.Albee's vaudeville bill this week features The Rimacs Havana Orchestra, the band which did so much to popularize the rumba. Now it offers a new idea, the Rumba Maxixe, Sidney Page and his "Pages of Fun," with Petite Marie and Peggy Earle, also enliven the stage program, which includes the Honey Family, amazing gymnastics, and Phil Fabello and his Albee '-'Ail i v- I 7TV 'to- lP Mill Chatter ton' i leading man in "lilly Tumm," opening Wedneiday at the RltolU Playi the title role In "Lilly Turner," ha Broadway prvmivre thil week..