STATE THEATRE.

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 107, 9 May 1939, Page 6

STATE THEATRE.

Thrills and Comedy.

All the thrills of the "big top," the colour and excitement are captured with exceptional realism in "Peck's Bad Boy With the Circus," RKORadio's film built around George W. Peck's renowned boy hero of American literature, which opens tomorrow at the State Theatre. Expert performers, trained animal acts, and a corps of able technical advisers were employed to achieve this remarkable atmosphere. A complete circus show, comprising the spectacular Escalante high-wire balancers, the noted Pina family, and the Colourful Liberty Horse act and a variety of sensational animal performers, is seen in the picture. "Peck's Bay Boy With the Circus" brings to the screen Tommy Kelly in his first picture since his debut in "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer." Ann Gillis, also of "Tom Sawyer" fame, has the top featured role, with Edgar Kennedy, Benita Hume, Spanky MacFarland, and Louise Beavers in important characterisations. Hollywood turns the spotlight on itself in general, and on personal appearance tours in particular, in "Annabel Takes a Tour," the second in the series of Annabel stories co-starring Jack Oakie and Lucille Ball, which will be the associate film. Ruth Donnelly and Bradley Page again portray the roles of the bored secretary and the jittery movie producer, while Oakie and Miss Ball are seen as the dynamic Press agent and the temperamental film star. Frances Mercer and Alice White figure prominently as a rival player and a movie-struck manicurist respectively. The story opens in Hollywood where Annabel (Lucille Ball), a glamorous movie queen, is instructed by film producer Bradley Page to embark on a personal appearance tour in order to revive interest in her pictures. The often-fired Oakie is brought back as a Press agent into the Wonder Studio fold and assigned to accompany the actress. From this point on the action is fast and furious —champagne baths, framed arrests, and a score or other hilarious stunts keeping Annabel's name on the front pages, and herself on the verge of insanity. Also on the programme will be a Walt Disney technicolour cartoon, "Donald's Golf Game."