'CALL OF THE FLESH'

Evening Star, Issue 20780, 30 April 1931, Page 9

'CALL OF THE FLESH'

RAMON NOVARRO'S LATEST For the first time in the history of the talking screen a concert pianist displays his art on the silver sheet. The pianist in this instance has other attributes, better known to screen fans, for he is Ernest Torrence. Torrence plays the piano in ‘ Call of the Flesh,’ Ramon Novarro’s now musical film which will open to-morrow at the Empire Theatre. It will ho the first time his admirers have heard him at the piano, although in Hollywood his musical evenings are well known. Torrence started Ins career as a concert pianist, having studied music at the conservatory in Stuttgart, Germany, and at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He won the Royal Academy gold medal in 1900 for operatic singing and also the Westmoreland Scholarship. In 1901 ho went on the stage in London as an operatic baritone with tho _ Savoy Opera Company. Following this he spoilt ten years in musical comedy in the United States, playing with Kitty Gordon and other musical comedy stars. _Ho made his first appearance in motion pictures as the “ heavy ” in ‘ Tol’able David.’ Torrence and Ramon Novarro have always been close friends, having been drawn close together by their common love of music. Torrence recently sot to music a collection of_ Spanish poems for Novarro's tenor voice which will he featured in one of, tho latter’s musicals at his Tcatro Inbimc. One of Torrence’s host known compositions, ‘ What An Irishman Means By Machree,’ iff a feature number on John M'Cormack’s concert programmes. ‘ Call of the Flesh,’_ which Charles Brabin directed, is a vivid romance of Spain, dealing with tho loves and the rise to fame of a young opera singer, the role played by Novarro. Tho cast is a notable one, with Dorothy Jordan as the heroine, Renee Adorce, Torrence. Nance O’Neil, Russell Hopton, and Mathilde Comont.