Mary Stevens MD (Warner Bros.) (1933)

CURRENT FEATURE-FASHION LAYOUT Lyle Talbot Has Traveled Hard Road to Film Fame Work Wins Recognition in Form of Leading Man To Kay Francis in ‘Mary Stevens, M. D.” ‘‘Wanted: Two young actors for hypnotic subjects. Apply H. M. McKnight Tent Show.’’ T was when he read this brief want ad in the Omaha Bee, I one night twelve years ago, that a certain 16 year old amateur magician decided then and there on a stage career. He wasn’t an actor although born of theatrical parents and he had never in his life been hypnotized unless possibly by a fair maiden or two. Nevertheless his prepossessing appearance and earnest sales talk got him the job. And so for the princely remuneration of $10.00 per week (when he could get it) and expenses, this budding thespian by the name of Lyle Hollywood allowed himself to be hypnotized each night, always “coming to” in time to put on his magic act between scenes and otherwise make himself generally useful. HER MAN After joining the show, one of his first moves, not unusual in itself but decidedly uncommon as to the reason thereof, was to change his name from Lyle Hollywood to that of Lyle Talbot knowing that no one would believe that Hollywood was his real name.anyway. After about fifteen weeks with this particular outfit, young Talbot transferred his activities to a bigger and better tent show operated by the famous Dubinsky Brothers, the oldest and most noted of all repertoire or “rep” shows as they were known. Jean Eagles who married one of the Dubinskys was for a time a prominent member of this troupe. Small bits and juvenile roles together with his specialty act in “feats—oflegerdenrain were Talbot’s contribution to the show. ne | As Character Man | Gaining confidence in his ability and anxious to forge ahead more rapidly than seemed possible under the somewhat safe and sure methods of the Dubinskys, Talbot next applied for and secured a position with the Chase-Lister show as @ character man. LYLE TALBOT as Doctor and Lover in “Mary Stevens, M.D.,” at Strand. Kay Francis is starred. Out No.4 Cuti1ice Mat ic the recipient of this near knock-out blow was one of the owners of the show and therefore vested with some authority. His first appearance with this company was in an old melo-drama called “Her Other Husband” in which Lyle was to portray the missing husband, long thought dead but who turns up, a worthless, be-whiskered tramp, just in time to interfere with his wife’s marriage to the leading man. A fight ensues in which the tramp husband is bested. All might have been well had it not been for a little matter of whiskers. Lyle didn’t know what kind of whiskers to use and worse yet hadn’t the slightest idea how to go about applying them to his person. Having painted himself in glowing terms as a versatile character actor he dared not ask any of his fellow actors for aid. KAY FRANCIS, Hollywood’s most smartly attired star is shown in cinemaland’s new fall creations. Her current Warner Bros. suc cess, ‘‘Mary Stevens, M.D.”’ will begin an engagement at the Strand Theatre tomorrow. Finally, in desperation he smeared his chin and cheekbones with a generous amount of black grease, covering the rest of his countenance with a red rouge which happened to be a rather violet shade. The effect was startling to say the least. Keeping to himself in the wings and nervously mumbling his lines, Talbot escaped the notice of the members of the cast until he made his entrance amid the laughter of the audience. Considerably fussed by this greeting, Lyle stumbled through his speech and went into the fight scene with the leading man determined to make the best of a bad beginning. Whether his timing was bad or whether his opponent, dazed by his appearance, failed to duck, is not clear, but in any event, something went wrong and Lyle to his horror felt his right fist connect solidly with his adversary’s face in the region of the mouth considerably marring the noble features of that discomfitted gentleman. It didn’t help matters at all that Page Sia As a character actor,| Huber. Lyle passed out of the picture then and there as far as this particular show was concerned. Through the intervention of the leading lady, he was allowed to stay with the show as general handy man, shifting scenery, rustling props from house to house in the small towns and doubling as a singer and a magician in the between-the-act specialties. Saved by Leading Lady Two years later, he got his first real “break” when one of the principals failed to show up for the regular evening performance. Lyle went on in his stead and this time there were no titters from the audience when he made his entrance. The first ten days, he had to learn a new play each day in order to keep up with the repertoire of the other actors. For the next four years Lyle continued his training with some of the finest stock companies in the country, eventually organizing his own company which however was shortlived due to his lack of money combined with a strike of stage hands. Then followed two lean years on the New York stage after which he returned to stock in Columbus, Ohio, with the Hartman Company as leading man. The Movies Call Upon the suggestion of a friend, Talbot borrowed enough money to screen test at Warner Bros. studio. He was immediately signed to a long term contract. He has had a rapid rise to leading roles appearing in increasingly important parts in “Love is a Racket,” “Ladies They Talk About,” “20,000 Years in Sing Sing,” “The Purchase Price,” “Three on a Match,” “No More Orchids” and numerous other pictures. In “Mary Stevens, M.D.” now at the oer ee Theatre, he plays the male lead opposite Kay Francis. “Mary Stevens, M.D.” is a highly dramatic picture based on the novel by Virginia Kellogg and adapted to the screen by Rian James. There is a strong cast which includes Glenda Farrell, Thelma Todd and Harold Lloyd Bacon directed. At left: sable. and corded girdle. Out No.15 Cut 60c Kay Francis wears a gr worn over a matching nightgown and is trimmed with cuffs of aceful Next to it: A Grecian evening gown of ivory brocaded velvet In Romantic Story of Woman Doctor KAY FRANCIS in a scene trom “Mary Stevens, M.D.,” the Warner Bros. production now at the Strand Theatre. Cut No.7 Cut 80e Mat 10c SCREEN RECORDS KAY FRANCIS—‘The Keyhole,” “The Maltese “One Way Passage,” “Jewel Robbery,” “Man Wanted,” “Street of Women,” “24 Hours,”. “The Pas sion Flower.” “Broad-Minded,” Falcon.” HAROLD HUBER—“The Mayor of Hell,” “The Silk Express,” “Central Airport,” “Girl Missing,” “The Life of Jimmy Dolan,” “Frisco Jenny.” JOHN MARSTON — “Heroes for Sale,” “SilversDotiar,” “I Am~a Fugitive from a Chain Gang,” “Blessed Event,” “The Cabin in the Cotton.” CHRISTIAN RUB—“Silver Dollar,” “The Trial of Vivian Ware,” “Grand Hotel,” “The Connecticut Yankee,” “Dance, Fools, Dance.” WALTER WALKER—“‘Hard to Handle,” “The Kid from Spain,” “Employees’ Entrance,” “You Said a Mouthful,” “Life Begins.” LYLE TALBOT—‘She Had To Say Yes,” “Girl Missing,’ “The Life of Jimmy Dolan,” “Ladies They Talk About,” “Twenty Thousand Years in Sing Sing.” GLENDA FARRELL—“The Keyhole,” “Central Airport,’ “Grand Slam,” “Life Begins,’ “Girl Missing,” “The Mystery of the Wax Museum,” “I Am A Fugitive from a Chain Gang.” THELMA TODD—“Her Private Life,’ “Careers,” “The House of Horror,” “Monkey — Business,” Second from right: Kay Francis in a white satin evening gown trimmed with red. Shoulder straps are braided. Jewelry worn are bracelets, rubies set in platinum. Below: Beige broadcloth and astrikan combine to form this smart tunic dress fastened with large broadcloth buckles. negligee of beige crepe, Mat 20c¢