Melody Parade (Monogram) (1943)

‘Strange Man’ Proved Open Sesame to Screen Career Though Mary Beth Hughes had felt that she was ready for motion pictures when she arrived in Hollywood in 1938, she spent several months in vain assaults on studio casting offices before a fortunate circumstance brought her not a single role, but a six-month contract. Miss Hughes, now firmly estab-* lished in the film capital, comes to iN) a\ sn erenc te we THERLLE OM Aa ees in the starring role of Monogram’s colorful musical comedy revue, “Melody Parade.” Mary Beth had spent 11 years in the study of dancing, and several years as a member of a stock company in Washington, D. C., when she went to Hollywood with her mother. But for six months, while the family funds ran low, she received no encouragement from the studios One day in Hollywood a stranger stepped up to Mary Beth and said that he wished to talk to her. But she had heard of such things, and backed away in alarm. He became insistent, saying that he was a film agent, and forced a card into her hand. The frightened girl ran over to her mother, who was waiting nearby, and the two hurried home, only to be followed by the strange man. They contemplated calling the police, but instead got in touch with a film writer they had met, and frantically began to ask questions. The author vouched for the agent, and four days later the actor’s representative secured for the amazed and delighted Miss Hughes a sixmonths’ contract at MGM _ studios. Mary Beth was in the movies at last! The cast supporting Miss Hughes in “Melody Parade” includes Eddie Quillan, Tim & Irene, Mantan Moreland, Jerry Cooper, Armida and many other top-notch entertainers. Arthur Dreifuss directed from an original screenplay by Tim Ryan and Charles R. Marion, and the film was produced by Lindsley Parsons. “SILENT” PIANIST The first professional job of Ted Fio Rito, since established for many years as one of America’s outstanding orchestra conductors, was aS a “piano pounder” in a five-cent motion picture known as a nickelodeon, in the screen’s silent era before the introduction of sound and dialogue. Fiio Rito and his orchestra come to Che Oe eae Theatre: On eae in the colorful Monogram musical film , “Melody Parade,’ starring Mary Beth Hughes, and in which he shares the melodic spotlight with the Anson Weeks orchestra. DANCER Mary Beth Hughes is one of the sereen’s most accomplished dancers, having trained in all branches of the art for 11 years, and completing her studies with a course in Russian ballet under the famous Tamara Darlova. Miss Hughes comes to the Pa ES: CREBULE POD. case eae PS the star of “Melody Parade,’ Monogram’s lavishiy staged musical comedy revue in which she is supported by Eddie Quillan, Tim & Irene, Mantan Moreland, Jerry Cooper, Armida and many other entertainers. Actor Is Also Writer When he was a vaudeville actor many years ago, Tim Ryan pursued a lively and profitable sideline as an author, not only of the acts in which he himself appeared with his wife Irene, but also. of sketches and “routines” used by many other performers. And, although he has long been out of vaudeville, Ryan has been acting and writing simultaneously ever since. After quitting the variety stage, the couple became widely popular as the radio comedy team of Tim & Irene, and for several years broadcast weekly under the sponsorship of various well known manufacturers, such as Texaco, Goodrich and Royal Crown. Tim wrote the programs. Now the Ryans have transferred their acting talents to motion pictures, and Tim is devoting a portion of his time to the writing of scenarios. Most recently, in collaboration with Charles R. Marion, Ryan wrote the original screenpplay of the Monogram musical revue, “Melody Parade,’ in which both Tim and Irene play important roles, and which comes to the .......... theatre: on..2. 886.0. with Mary Beth Hughes in the starring part. This gay and tuneful film was directed by Arthur Dreifuss for producer Lindsley Parsons, and the cast also includes Eddie Quillan, Mantan Moreland, Jerry Cooper, Armida and Andre Charlot, as well as the orchestras of Ted Fio Rito and Anson Weeks. | THREE HAPPY PEOPLE | Hilariously funny are the troubles of Eddie Quillan and Tim and Irene Ryan who back a night club in “Melody Parade,” opening .......... at Chess Theatre. Mary Beth Hughes has the lead. Two Column Scene Mat No, 28 | LATIN-AMERICAN SWING | Mexican pepper-pot Armida leads a bevy of slick senoritas in the Latin American number of Monogram’s “Melody Parade” coming to the ...... Theatre. Two Column Scene Mat No. 27 Mexican Singing, Dancing Star Gus Edwards Protege One of the outstanding proteges of the famous Gus Ed wards is Armida, tiny ‘‘Mexic an bombshell’ who comes to DYE oP ee ENGALTS Oe oa in “Melody Parade,” Monogram’s lavish musical c¢ Beth Hughes. Armida was born in the town of¥* La Colorado, Mexico, though her father had previously been a magician in Spain, and shortly after the child’s birth the family moved again to Arizona. As a young girl she acquired her dancing skill under the coaching of Edouardo Cansino, head of the celebrated Dancing Cansinos and father of Rita Hayworth. Armida joined Gus Edwards when she was 13, following in the footsteps of such products of the Edwards tutelage as Eddie Cantor, George Jessel and Lila Lee. She appeared in many of the Gus Edwards acts as a dancer and a singer in -both the English and Mexican languages. Armida made her screen debut in 1929 with John Barrymore in “General Crack,” and has since appeared in a large number of films. On the New York stage she was starred in the operetta, “Nina Rosa,” and featured prominently in “Sons of Guns” and “Strike Me Pink.” In radio, she appeared for long periods on Manhattan Merry-Go-Round and other programs. And, finally, she has been a potent attraction in vaudeville and night clubs. Others appearing with Mary Beth Hughes in ‘‘Melody Parade” are Eddie Quillan, Tim & Irene, Mantan Moreland, Jerry Cooper, Andre Charlot and the orchestras of Anson Weeks and Ted Fio Rito. Weeks Band Is Leader School In addition to winning fame for himself in the orchestra world, Anson Weeks has provided the entertainment world with three other outstanding successes in the same field. Weeks and Iifis orchestra come to i oY setulae kevetiee tea theatrevoni eens in “Melody Parade,’ the colorful Monogram musical and comedy film starring Mary Beth Hughes. One of Week’s first proteges was Bob Crosby, who received his start with the ‘“Dancin’ with Anson” organization at the Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco, and eventually graduated to head his own orchestra. Another Weeks alumnus is Griff Williams, and the third is Xavier Cugat, the tango and rhumba king. Demonstrating the versatile scope of the Weeks training, these three. graduate orchestra leaders feature completely different styles. omedy revue starring Mary Band Leader Is Song Composer Before he became the head of one of the country’s most popular orchestras, Ted Fio Rito had already attracted attention as a composer of popular songs, and has since written many of the country’s hit tunes. Fio Rito and his orchestra come COULDOR EE eee: PHEAENE* ONC pera. sos in “Melody Parade,’ Monogram’s lavishly staged musical comedy revue starring Mary Beth Hughes. “While he was attending high school in Newark, New Jersey, Fio Rito began to write songs, and after his graduation became a member of the staff of Shapiro, Bernstein & Company, New York music publishers. Among his hits are “Laugh, Clown, Laugh,” “Then You’ve Never Been Blue,” “Three On a Match,” “Charley, My Boy” and “I Never Knew.” Anson Weeks and his orchestra are also featured in “Melody Parade,’ and Miss Hughes’ supporting cast includes Eddie Quillan, Tim & Irene, Mantan Moreland, Jerry Cooper, Armida and Andre Charlot. Arthur Dreifuss directed from an original screenplay by Tim Ryan and Charles R. Marion, and Lindsley Parsons was the producer. Actress Achieves Her Ambition Mary Beth Hughes was raised by her grandmother, a former actress who was proud of the fact that for one season she appeared on the stage with Ethel Barrymore, and who imbued her young. granddaughter with an enthusiasm for the theatre. She had been thrilled by the stories of the great Miss Barrymore, and awed by the name. “Consequently,” said Mary Beth recently, “you can well believe that I reached the high point in my film career when I was chosen for the leading role opposite John Barrymore in ‘The Great Profile’. I was thrilled beyond words, for now I found myself in a position to exchange reminiscences with my grandmother. I had reached a goal that I had hardly dared to hope Miss Hughes comes to the ........ GHEALTE® ON ak: Fens in the starring role of “Melody Parade,” the lavish Monogram musical comedy reyue in which she both sings and dances. Her supporting cast includes many such popular entertainers as Eddie Quillan, Tim @& Irene and Mantan Moreland in the comedy department; Jerry Cooper, one of the country’s outstanding ballad singers; Armida, ‘the Mexican bombShell”; Andre Charlot, noted English character actor; and the or chestras of Anson Weeks and Ted Fio Rito. Arthur Dreifuss directed for producer Lindsley Parsons, and the original screenplpay was written by Tim Ryan and Charles R. Marion. | TIM AND IRENE | Dubbed as the All-American Scatterbrains by radio fans, Tim and Irene appear at the ...... Theatre in Monogram’s “Melody Parade.” One Col. Scene Mat. No. 14 Popular Colored Comedian In Tuneful Screen Revue Mantan Moreland was one of the favorite colored song and dance exponents of the New York stage a few years ago. Now he is achieving vast popularity as a screen comedian, and is solidly established as a member of the Hollywood film colony. Moreland comes to the .......... *% theatre*oni sess in an important comedy role of “Melody Parade,” the lavish Monogram musical picture which stars Mary Beth Hughes at the head of an exceptional cast of entertainers. On the stage, Moreland was particularly successful in musical revues presenting all-negro_ casts, playing long engagements in such well-remembered extravaganzes as “Shuffle Along,” “Singing the Blues” and “Blackbirds of 1928.” The high point in Moreland’s career came in his first picture, in 1938, when he went to Hollywood to play a featured role with Joe Louis in the negro picture, “Spirit of Youth.” In this film the comedian engaged in a fight with the heavyweight champion, and was still on his feet at the end of the bout—mainly, however, because this outcome was called for in the scenario. From this auspicious beginning, Moreland has appeared in a large number of important roles. Other members of Mary Beth Hughes’ supporting company in “Melody Parade” are Eddie Quillan, Tim & Irene, Jerry Cooper, Armida and Andre Charlot. a