Life Backstage in a Musical Comedy Company

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7314, 15 November 1933, Page 5

Life Backstage in a Musical Comedy Company

“42nd, STREET” HAS ALL-STAR CAST AND LAVISH SPECTACLES

“Forty-second Street,’’ the film production by Warner Bros., wliicb concludes at the Regent to-night, carries a scintillating all-star cast of 11 stars, besides featured actors of note, a picked chorus of 150 beautiful girls and hundreds of extras.

The cast is headed by Warner Baxter, the star of many successes, and Bebe Daniels, of “Rio Rita.’’ fame. Ruby Keeler, wife of A 1 Jolson, and the Ziegfcld star of ‘‘ Show Girl,” makes her picture debut as the heroine of “-i2nd Street.”

George Brent, Una Merkel, Guy Kibbec, Ned Sparks, Dick Powell, Ginger Rogers and Allen Jenkins, all popular on both stage and screen, complete the star cast. Other important featured players include such well-known names as Henry B. Waltaull, Edward J. Nugent, Harry Akst, Clarence Nortstrom, Robert McWade, George D. Stone, and Al Dubin and Harry Warren, the song writers, who both wrote the song hits for the picture and played the roles of the song writers for the production around which “42nd. Street’’ revolves. The chorus of 150 girls was selected by Busby Berkeley, the famous Broadwav director, who created and staged the dance numbers and ensembles. “42nd. .Street’’ is a show within a show, the dramatic story of life backstage in a musical comedy company, from the day the stars and chorus are chosen to the opening night.

Acclaimed to be “the most beautiful co-ed of the American Campus in 4953” Lucille Lund, who is featured in the cast of “Saturday’s Millions, ’' Universal’s big college production, is on lier way to stardom. This is not a prediction, but a statement of fact. She very definitely “has what it takes” and Universal will give her “what it needs” to make a star. She has looks, brains, talent, and a fine speaking voice and screens excellently into the bargain, 3> <S> <•> After deciding, to accept M-G-M’s offer of the starring part in their now version of “Tho Merry Widow, Maurice Chevalier has, at the last moment, declined the proposal. His reason, it is stated, that he wishes to avoid being identified exclusively with “prince charming” and “smiling lieutenant” roles. Ho would prefer his next picture to be a story of real human beings and genuine emotions. Meanwhile lie plans to return to France for a long holiday as soon as he has finished “Way to Love” for Paramount. <S> <•> <S> <s> “Before Dawn,” Edgar Wallace’s last book, has been filmed by Radio Pictures with Warner Oland, Dorothy Wilson, Dudley Diggcs and Stuart Erwin in the major roles. I