San Quentin (Warner Bros.) (1937)

PAGE 5—‘‘SAN QUENTIN’’—PUBLICITY MOVIE MAKERS DIG UP SOME JAIL HISTORY A gale of wind put the famous San Quentin penitentiary where it now is on a rocky point in San Francisco bay. This curious bit of information concerning the establishment of California’s first penal institution was uncovered by the Warner Bros. research department, which assembled data for Director Lloyd Bacon, who guided the making of the melodrama, “San Quentin,” which comes to the.. TIP Rk Spt 5 Theatre oneve. 2.54 with Pat O’Brien, Humphrey Bogart and Ann Sheridan in the leading roles. There was no prison in Cali fornia during the gold rush, the research department learned. As a matter of fact, none was needed because the Vigilance Committee didn’t waste time putting offenders in jail. Ropes were cheaper and more effective. But there came a time when a few criminals remained and had to be given a milder sentence. One of the state Senators agreed to take upon himself the responsibility of restraining and employing these offenders for a certain sum. He was to have the benefit of their labor and to see that they were properly housed, fed and guarded. ‘He sublet this contract to a man who gained notoriety in a few years as the keeper of McCauley’s gang. In common parlance, every offender who was not killed was sent to McCauley’s gang. And for safe keeping these prisoners were lodged on a hulk that had brought treasure-seekers around Cape Horn and had been abandoned in the bay. In the beginning, the prisoners worked along the Sacramento River. After a while the hulk was moved down the bay and in a gale of wind became unmanageable, drifted across the bay and was grounded on San Quentin Point. Being unable to ge the vessel afloat again, McCauley built a barracks for his charges on the Point. He was led to this step by the fact that nearby there was an abundance of brick-clay. This prison remained under private charge until 1856, when the state purchased the whole establishment from McCauley, and began its enlargement. PRISON LINGO USED IN FILM To the ordinary citizen, a clam is something one puts in chowder or eats raw with a drop of tabasco sauce. But to the men in San Quentin prison, a clam is a sucker, a boob or a sap. ey Director Lloyd Baegn found this out when he was in the famous California penal institution recently filming background secénes for the First National picture “San Quentin,” starring Pat O’Brien and now showing at the Duy O53 Le ee eater The director came back with a dictionary of prison and criminal slang. Here are some of the terms in common use in the grey pile of stone and steel on San Francisco Bay: SCREW ... not a device used by carpenters, but a guard. He is also referred to as a key. SACK DUST... the ‘mak ings.’ Cigarette tobacco. FISH ... new prisoner. SELV* 2. “alent es BIG CRUSH prison break. SLEEP ... one year prison term. TOADSKIN ... paper money: STIR... prison. STIR BUGS ... prison crazy. LIFE BOAT... a pardon. IN THE SHADOW OF DEATH — Humphrey Bogart makes one last desperate attempt to _ escape prison in “San Quentin,” the thrilling melodrama coming to the Strand Theatre. ‘Mat No. 209—206 HAS MOUSTACHE CUP BUT NO MOUSTACHE Humphrey Bogart, film player, who is modern in every other respect, is said to be the only man BAD MEN REUNITED IN ‘SAN QUENTIN’ Six years ago, Barton MacLane and Mare Lawrence, two screen villains, played together in Hollywood who sticks to an old-fashioned moustache cup, which he uses even when giving a formal dinner. And he has no moustache! Bogart is now appearing in the First National melodrama “San Quentin,” at the Strand Theatre. on the New York stage in “The Tree.” Recently they worked together again — in the First National production, “San Quentin,” which is the current feature at the Theatre. MacLane plays the part.of a brutal prison official in the film, in which Pat O’Brien is starred. Pretty chorus girls rest in between scenes of a sequence in “San Quentin” in which they got their first break in the movies. (Right) Pat O’Brien and red-headed Ann Sheridan co-starring in “San Quentin,” coming to the___________Theatre. They have already reached the top rung on, the ladder of movie success. Sereen villain No. 1 —Humphrey Bogart scores a fresh _ triumph in the intensely dramatic role he plays in “San Quentin.”’ Many a man would like to be in his shoes. Mat No. 304—39¢ How Would You Like To Be In Their Shoes? You don’t have to resemble Adonis to become a film star. A finely chiseled profile helps, but it isn’t necessary. Charm, acting ability and personal magnetism are far more important than masculine beauty, film records prove. Pat O’Brien is a nice looking fellow. So is Humphrey Bogart. But neither could be called an Adonis. Pat, for instance, has a broad, genial Irish face. He is heavy set. Bogart is lean and has a dark, sinister look about him. Both get by on their charm and ability as actors. And women are crazy about them. During the filming of .“San Quentin,” the First National melodrama now at POM a er eres Theatre, they received hundreds of missives from feminine admirers. Leslie Howard is a slight, frail fellow with a wistful, lost look. There is nothing of the Greek God about him. Yet he has the female fans at his feet. There are dozens of others who wouldn’t win male beauty contests — Charles Laughton, Paul Muni, James Cagney, William Powell, Edward G. Robinson, Joe E. Brown and Claude Rains, ‘Pretty Boy Type Is Passe among others. Yet all of. them are terrifically popular — not only with men but with women. Casting directors are beginning to realize that it is ability more than looks that counts and among the new crop of actors there are few who could be called downright handsome. ~ The easting officials, however, like to get a combination of looks and ability. That’s why Errol Flynn, Patrie Knowles, George Brent, Dick Powell, Clark Gable, Gary Cooper, and Robert Taylor are so popular around the studios. Yet, the studios know that it is the ability and charm of these players more than their looks that swells their fan mail. “San Quentin” is a melodramatie thriller which has for its loeale the famed old prison on the shore of San Francisco Bay. Pat. O’Brien is starred as Captain of the Yard. Humphrey Bogart and Barton MacLane are featured as the “menaces,”. and. lovely, redhaired Ann Sheridan is.the leading woman. | ; Te ag Lloyd Bacon: directed the.-pic-. ture from a screen play by Peter Milne and Humphrey..Cobb, based. on a story by Robert Tasker and. John Bright. Sy oe TOUGH GUY HAS ‘SISSY’ HOBBY His hobby should be collecting grave-stones, machine guns or death-house statistics. A man so tough he eats cord wood as a breakfast cereal ought to have sereen character. But he doesn’t. Barton MacLane, the meanest mean guy on the screen, fools you. His hobby is raising carrots. Recently, he has been very busy in “San Quentin,” the First National melodrama that stars Pat O’Brien and is now current at the Strand Theatre. But whenever he got a couple of hours off, he headed straight for is earrot patch. Last year, Barton raised a prize carrot that weighed 2 pounds and he is out to break his own record this year. PAT O'BRIEN IS A REGULAR GUY Like all film stars, Pat O’Brien has a chair with his name on it. But, Pat’s different. He seldom sits in his chair. It is usually occupied by one of the sound men, or a grip, or a make-up man. And though O’Brien has a dressing room on the set, it really isn’t his. Visit any stage he’s working on—the last one being that on which was made “San Quentin,” now showing at the ae ae Theatre, and take a peek into Pat’s dressing room. You may find Pat in it. And if he’s there, you’ll find half a dozen other fellows. If he’s working, his dressing room will be bulging with men. Everyone is welcome. And during a baseball game or a football game or a_ horse-race, anyone can sit in Pat’s car and listen to the radio. Pat welcomes these invasions of his privacy. He likes company — particularly company that will talk about horses, football, baseball and fights. Those are favorite topics of conversation wherever hevis; % Slip up behind O’Brien and Director Lloyd Bacon while they wait for the cameraman to get ready fro the next scene. Ten to one this is what you’ll overhear: Pat: “That guy can’t fight .a. lick. He’s terrible.” “San Quentin” is a melodramatic thriller which has for its locale the famed old prison on the shore of San Francisco Bay. Pat is starred as Captain of the Yard. SCREEN MADMAN WAS POWDER-PUFF MAKER Garry Owen is an expert at playing madmen. He played a crash-crazy aviator in “Ceiling Zero,” and in “San Quentin,” which comes to the.... Theatre, on plays a mad prisoner who tries to shoot his way out of jail. All in all, he’s a pretty scary personality on the screen. Owen’s former occupation— before entering the movies— was manufacturing powder puffs! ,