Sweet Adeline (Warner Bros.) (1934)

Production Briefs Personal Star Bits AS SUGGESTED BY FILM DAILY’S POLL OF EDITORS Pirouette One of the cute Bobby Connolly dancers in Warner Bros.’ “Sweet Adeline”? coming to the. ..:05..°...°. Theatre. Mat No. 2—10ce > ON THE CAST a Donald Woods Has Packed Big Career Into A Few Years ee Donald Woods, who plays the leading role opposite Irene Dunne in the Warner Bros. production, ‘“Sweet Adeline,’’? which comes to GHG) nonce Theatre on .............. is only 28 years old, but he has two Broadway successes to his credit, one road tour and seven stock engagements, including romantic leads, with Elitch’s Garden Stock. Ever since he went on the stage, Donald has had as many mothers as there were ladies in the troupe. He is 6 feet 1 inch in height, with dark brown hair and eyes and a face like Otto Cushing used to draw on his Roman soldiers. The Little Theatre Groups captured him first, but the temptation to conquer the world soon took him to the commercial theatre. He played in Salt Lake City, San Antonio, Houston, Toledo, Indianapolis, Washington and Denver. In New York, he won his spurs in ‘‘Singapore’’ and ‘‘ Social Register.’’ Among those with whom he has appeared are Edna Hibbard, Suzanne Caubot, Mrs. Leslie Carter, Guy Bates Post and Irene Purcell. In Denver, his leading woman was Margalo Gilmore. In ‘‘Sweet Adeline,’? Warner Bros. mammoth musical spectacle by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II, he has the role of a young songwriter in love with Irene Dunne. Others in the cast include Hugh Herbert, Ned Sparks, Joseph Cawthorn and Louis Calhern. Mervyn LeRoy directed the picture from the screen play by Erwin S. Gelsey and Bobby Connolly staged the dance ensembles. } PRODUCTION STORY a Six Weeks’ Work To Show Star 3 Seconds In Film A big moment on the screen usually means thousands of big moments in the story, planning, technical, art and construction departments of a studio. One of the big moments in “Sweet Adeline,’ the Warner Bros. production which comes to TG Tse hG ceamraretA Theatre on wiih nice Sie , is a scene where Irene Dunne sings Jerome Kern’s “Lonely Feet” number. It is on the screen three seconds, after six weeks preparation. Miss Dunne is in a room, when the song starts and Bobby Connolly, who stages the musical numbers, wanted to emphasize her loneliness by having other girls and their sweethearts dancing within sight. This was simple enough. He simply provided a window, through which she could wateh the others. But he wanted her to join the dancers for the finale. It seemed like an impossible feat to have her do this in three seconds. It was done by constructing a special set, using a great Cheval mirror in the interior and by a series of special effects. Miss Dunne walked through the mirror, as though it was a door into the other section of the set. To get the effect required the building of mechanical contrivances, special set designs, a special dolly, a special technical crew and when it was finished, a special laboratory handling for the film. “Sweet Adeline” is a mammoth musical spectacle based on the sensational Broadway hit by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II, who also wrote the music and lyrics. Irene Dunne has the stellar role with Donald Woods playing opposite her. Others in the cast include Hugh Herbert, Louis Calhern, Ned Sparks and Joseph Cawthorn. Mervyn LeRoy directed the production. Working In Harmony a PRODUCTION STORY > Ten Jerome Kern Big Song Hits In “Sweet Adeline” Jerome Kern, who wrote the music for “Sweet Adeline,” the Warner Bros. operetta which COMOS £0: EAE 5.......,.0ccscccscves Thea= gai RRR nae one: Rp » has been called, by a New York critic, “The White Hope of American Music.” Kern’s career has been astounding, mainly because it has been so continuously successful. Before he was thirty, he had composed six musical comedies of Broadway calibre, including “The Girl From Utah” and “Oh, Boy.” Season after season has found a Kern show on the Gay White Way. He did the scores for “Show Boat,” “Sally” and “Sunny” and, among many others, has composed such song numbers as “Here Am I,” “Look For The Silver Lining” and “Ol’ Man River.” “Sweet Adeline” is one of the finest scores that Kern ever wrote. Especially beautiful are the numbers sung by Adeline, which Irene Dunne plays: “Here Am I,” “Why Was I Born,” “Lonely Feet,” “Don’t Ever Leave Me” and “Naughty Boy.” The duets, rendered by Phil Regan and Miss Dunne, are “Twas Not So Long Ago” and “We Were So Young.” Regan sings alone the lilting “Molly O’Donoghue.” The rollicking favorite “Do The Polka Dot” is sung by Dorothy Dare and a special comedy duet, “I Get That Way” is sung by Hugh Herbert and Nydia Westman. Then, of course, there is the barroom classic “Down Where The Wurtzburger Flows” by Harry Von Tilzer which is sung by the chorus. Mervyn LeRoy directed “Sweet Adeline,” which is taken from the spectacular Broadway musical comedy by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II. Bobby Connolly directed the dance specialty numbers. The cast of Warner’s “Sweet Adeline,” are led in a chorus of the famous song by their famous director, Mervyn LeRoy. In case you're interested, and you should be, the stars pictured are Irene Dunne, Hugh Herbert, Ned Sparks, Joseph Cawthorn and Donald Woods. The film is coming to the ............................ Theatre soon. Mat No. 5—20c DARLY PUBLICITY Lovely Lady She can easily be recognized as Irene Dunne, charming star of “Sweet Adeline,” Warner Bros.’ musical romance, now at RR eee PS Theatre. MatNo. 19—10c a STAR STORY + Irene Dunne Is One Actress Who Is Never Angry Irene Dunne, who plays the title role in “Sweet Adeline” the big Warner Bros. operetta, now Showing at--the ............0:icscuglus: Theatre, is one of the most equable persons in pictures. Calm, pleasant and smiling she goes about her work with no noticeable change under any condition. The phrase that followed her about the Warner lot was “she gets along with everybody,” which is literally true. Her manner of playing dramatie scenes, and even the heart that goes into her singing, prove that she has temperament, but she saves it for her work. Her attitude is the same toward Ida, her efficient wordrobe woman as toward her director, Mervyn LeRoy, or her leading man, Donald Woods. “Sweet Adeline” is a gigantic musical spectacle by Jerome Kern and Osear Hammerstein II, who also wrote the catchy songs. Others in the cast with Miss Dunne and Woods are Hugh Herbert, Ned Sparks, Joseph Cawthorn, Louis Calhern, Winifred Shaw, Nydia Westman, Dorothy Dare and Phil Regan. Page Fine