DICK POWELL MUSICAL

Evening Star, Issue 23129, 1 December 1938, Page 5

DICK POWELL MUSICAL

RACKETEERING DRAMA STARS LITEL ‘ Varsity Show,’ Warner Bros.’ musical, will come to the St. James to-morrow, starring the ever-ipopulair Dick Powell, and introducing to motion picture audiences Fred Waring and his internationally famous orchestra, the Pennsylvanians. ‘ Varsity Show ’is said to mark a new high in musical and comedy entertainment. Included in the stellar cast besides Dick Powell and Fred Waring are such figures as Ted Healy, Lee Dixon, Priscilla Lane, Rosemary Lane, “ Buck and Bubbles,” Walter Catlett, Johnny Davis, and Roy Atwell. ‘ Varsity Show ’ is a relief, in its story, from the well-worn “ back stage ” routine into which many musical comedies have been kept. Six songs were written by Dick Whiting and Johnny Mercer. They are ‘ Have You Got Any Castles, Baby,’ ‘ You’ve Got Something There,’ ‘ On With the Dance,’ ‘ We’re Working Our Way Through College,’ ‘ Love is on the Air To-night,’ and ‘ Old King Cole.’ _ How a big city was cleared of its racketeers by honest investigators and honest prosecutors is the theme of ‘ Missing Witness,’ a Warner Bros, melodrama, featuring John Litel, Dick Purcell, Jean Hale, Sheila Bromley, and Raymond Hatton, which will support ‘ Varsity Show.’ Written by two American police reporters who know their underworld —Don Ryan and Kenneth Garnet —the picture is said to be an authentic exposition of the terrifying process of getting witnesses out of the way who might testify damagingly against desperate criminals. Litel, who has played in many lawyer parte on both stage and screen, is the honest prosecutor in this case, Purcell is an honest detective, and Miss Dale, a lovely newcomer to the screen, risks her life to aid in his efforts to clean up their city. ‘ Missing Witness ’_ has many thrilling episodes surrounding a murder mystery. It also has romance and comedy. Others in the cast include William Haade, Ben Weldon, Harland Tucker, Earl Gunn, Louis Natheau, and Michael Mark.