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Jessie Ralph
Jessie Ralph Patton ( Chambers; November 5, 1864 – May 30, 1944), known as Jessie Ralph, was an American stage and screen actress, best known for her matronly roles in many classic films. Early life Jessie Ralph Chambers was the 13th child born to sailing captain James Chambers and his wife. Born in Gloucester, Massachusetts in 1864, she made her acting debut in stock theater in 1880, at age 16. Career Her Broadway debut came in ''The Kreutzer Sonata'' (1906), and her final appearance on Broadway came in ''The Good Earth'' (1932). Ralph debuted in two-reel films in New York in 1915 and went to Hollywood in 1933. in a movie career that spanned 25 years, she became a permanent Hollywood actress in 1933. She was nearly 70 then, so her parts were limited to matronly roles, but her expertise at stealing scenes captured the imagination of cinema-goers of the time. Her best-known roles are as Greta Garbo's maid in '' Camille'', as W.C. Fields' battle-axe of a mother-in-law in ...
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Trailer (promotion)
A trailer (also known as a preview, coming attraction or attraction video) is a commercial advertisement, originally for a feature film that is going to be exhibited in the future at a movie theater/cinema. It is a product of creative and technical work. Movie trailers have now become popular on DVDs and Blu-ray discs, as well as on the Internet and mobile devices. Of some 10 billion videos watched online annually, film trailers rank third, after news and user-created video. The trailer format has been adopted as a promotional tool for television shows, video games, books, and theatrical events/concerts. History The first trailer shown in an American film theater was in November 1913, when Nils Granlund, the advertising manager for the Marcus Loew theater chain, produced a short promotional film for the musical ''The Pleasure Seekers'', opening at the Winter Garden Theatre on Broadway. As reported in a wire service story carried by the Lincoln, Nebraska ''Daily Star'', t ...
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Mervyn LeRoy
Mervyn LeRoy (; October 15, 1900 – September 13, 1987) was an American film director and producer. In his youth he played juvenile roles in vaudeville and silent film comedies. During the 1930s, LeRoy was one of the two great practitioners of economical and effective film directing at Warner Brothers studios, the other his cohort Michael Curtiz. LeRoy's most acclaimed films of his tenure at Warners include '' Little Caesar'' (1931), ''I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang'' (1932), ''Gold Diggers of 1933'' (1933) and ''They Won't Forget'' (1937). LeRoy left Warners and moved to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios in 1939 to serve as both director and producer. Perhaps his most notable achievement as a producer is the 1939 classic '' The Wizard of Oz'', of which he was also uncredited as a director. Early life LeRoy was born on October 15, 1900, in San Francisco, California, the only child of Jewish parents Edna (née Armer) and Harry LeRoy, a well-to-do department store owner. Both hi ...
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Rouben Mamoulian
Rouben Zachary Mamoulian ( ; hy, Ռուբէն Մամուլեան; October 8, 1897 – December 4, 1987) was an American film and theatre director. Early life Mamoulian was born in Tiflis, Russian Empire, to a family of Armenian descent. His mother, Virginia (née Kalantarian), was a director of the Armenian theatre, and his father, Zachary Mamoulian, was a bank president.Luhrssen, David (2013)''Mamoulian: Life on Stage and Screen'' University Press of Kentucky. p. 8; Mamoulian moved to England and started directing plays in London in 1922. He was brought to the United States the next year by Vladimir Rosing to teach at the Eastman School of Music and was involved in directing opera and theatre. In 1925, Mamoulian was head of the School of Drama, where Martha Graham was working at the time. Among other performances, together they produced a short, two-color film titled ''The Flute of Krishna'', featuring Eastman students. Mamoulian left Eastman shortly after, and Graham ch ...
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We Live Again
''We Live Again'' is a 1934 film directed by Rouben Mamoulian and starring Anna Sten and Fredric March. The film is an adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's 1899 novel ''Resurrection'' (''Voskraeseniye''). The screenplay was written by Maxwell Anderson with contributions from a number of writers, including Preston Sturges and Thornton Wilder. Producer Samuel Goldwyn made the film to showcase Russian actress Anna Sten, his newest discovery. It was Goldwyn who named the film "We Live Again", on the theory that it meant the same thing as "Resurrection" and was easier to understand. The first film adaptation of the Tolstoy novel was made in 1909 by D. W. Griffith, and ran 10 minutes.Erickson, HaPlot synopsis (Allmovie)/ref> Numerous other film versions have been made since then. Plot Russian Prince Dmitri Nekhlyudov (Fredric March) seduces innocent young Katusha Maslova (Anna Sten), a servant to his aunts. After they spend the night together in the greenhouse, Dmitri leaves the next mornin ...
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One Night Of Love
''One Night of Love'' is a 1934 American Columbia Pictures romantic musical film set in the opera world, starring Grace Moore and Tullio Carminati. The film was directed by Victor Schertzinger and adapted from the story ''Don't Fall in Love'', by Charles Beahan and Dorothy Speare. In the relatively new use of sound recordings for film, ''One Night of Love'' was noted at the time for its innovative use of vertical cut recording, for which Columbia Pictures received an Academy Scientific and Technical Award. It also won the Academy's first Award for Best Original Score. Plot Opera singer Mary Barrett (Grace Moore) leaves to study music in Milan, Italy to the disappointment of her family in New York City. Mary gets a job at the Cafe Roma, where Giulio Monteverdi (Tullio Carminati), a famous vocal coach, hears her sing. Giulio promises to make Mary a star if she will allow him to control her life. He also tells her that there cannot be any romance between the two of them, as that wo ...
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Gregory La Cava
Gregory La Cava (March 10, 1892 – March 1, 1952) was an American film director of Italian descent best known for his films of the 1930s, including ''My Man Godfrey'' and ''Stage Door'', which earned him nominations for Academy Award for Best Director. Career La Cava was born in Towanda, Pennsylvania. His father was a shoemaker, and the family moved to Rochester, New York. La Cava reported for the ''Rochester Evening News'' and studied at the Art Institute of Chicago. He was a member of the Art Students League of New York, Art Students' League. Animator Around 1913, he started doing odd jobs at the studio of Raoul Barré. By 1915, he was an animator on the ''Animated Grouch Chasers'' series. Towards the end of 1915, William Randolph Hearst decided to create an animation studio to promote the comic strips printed in his newspapers. He called the new company International Film Service, and he hired La Cava to run it (for double what he was making with Barré). La Cava's first ...
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The Affairs Of Cellini
''The Affairs of Cellini'' is a 1934 comedy film directed by Gregory La Cava and starring Frank Morgan, Constance Bennett, Fredric March, Fay Wray, and Louis Calhern. It is set in Florence. The film was adapted by Bess Meredyth from the play ''The Firebrand of Florence'' by Edwin Justus Mayer. Plot Both the duke and duchess have an eye for beauty and other partners. The duke presently fancies a young woman who poses as an artist's model. The duchess has her eye on the famous artist, Benvenuto Cellini, who is in the palace making a set of gold plates to be used at ducal banquets. Cellini purportedly hypnotizes young women, and cuckolds the duke of Florence. The somewhat oblivious duke is loath to punish the young man because Cellini fashions gold wares for him, but throws him into the torture chamber. However, a goblet of poisoned wine solves the problem. Cast * Constance Bennett as Duchess of Florence * Fredric March as Benvenuto Cellini * Frank Morgan as Alessandro, Duke of Flore ...
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Mitchell Leisen
James Mitchell Leisen (October 6, 1898 – October 28, 1972) was an American director, art director, and costume designer. Film career He entered the film industry in the 1920s, beginning in the art and costume departments. He directed his first film in 1933 with '' Cradle Song'' and became known for his keen sense of aesthetics in the glossy Hollywood melodramas and screwball comedies he turned out. His best known films include Alberto Casella's adaptation of ''Death Takes a Holiday'' and ''Murder at the Vanities'', a musical mystery story (both 1934), as well as ''Midnight'' (1939) and ''Hold Back the Dawn'' (1941), both scripted by Billy Wilder. '' Easy Living'' (1937), written by Preston Sturges and starring Jean Arthur, was another hit for the director, who also directed ''Remember the Night'' (1940), the last film written by Sturges before he started directing his scripts as well. ''Lady in the Dark'' (1944), '' To Each His Own'' (1946), and '' No Man of Her Own'' (1950 ...
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Murder At The Vanities
''Murder at the Vanities'' is a 1934 American Pre-Code musical film based on the 1933 Broadway show with music by Victor Young. It was released by Paramount Pictures. It was directed by Mitchell Leisen, stars Victor McLaglen, Carl Brisson, Jack Oakie, Kitty Carlisle, Gertrude Michael, Toby Wing, and Jessie Ralph. Duke Ellington and His Orchestra are featured in the elaborate "Ebony Rhapsody" number. The film is primarily a musical, based on Earl Carroll's long-running Broadway revue ''Earl Carroll's Vanities'', combined with a murder mystery. Songs featured in the film by Arthur Johnston and Sam Coslow include "Cocktails for Two" sung by Brisson, "Sweet Marijuana" sung by Michael, "Where Do They Come From (and Where Do They Go)" sung by Carlisle, and "Ebony Rhapsody" performed by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra and sung by Michael. In the film, Lucille Ball, Ann Sheridan, and Virginia Davis had small roles as chorines. It was released on DVD (as part of a six-disc set entitled ...
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John G
John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second Epistle of John, often shortened to 2 John * Third Epistle of John, often shortened to 3 John People * John the Baptist (died c. AD 30), regarded as a prophet and the forerunner of Jesus Christ * John the Apostle (lived c. AD 30), one of the twelve apostles of Jesus * John the Evangelist, assigned author of the Fourth Gospel, once identified with the Apostle * John of Patmos, also known as John the Divine or John the Revelator, the author of the Book of Revelation, once identified with the Apostle * John the Presbyter, a figure either identified with or distinguished from the Apostle, the Evangelist and John of Patmos Other people with the given name Religious figures * John, father of Andrew the Apostle and Saint Peter * Pope Joh ...
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Coming Out Party
''Coming Out Party'' is a 1934 American Pre-Code drama film directed by John G. Blystone starring Frances Dee, Gene Raymond, Alison Skipworth and Nigel Bruce. It was produced and distributed by the Fox Film Corporation. Synopsis Joy Stanhope, a Park Avenue debutante whose Coming out party is the highlight of the social calendar. Although she is linked to the very eligible bachelor Jimmy Wolverton, she is in fact in love with Chris Hansen, a violinist in a jazz band and the son of poor Swedish immigrants. She keeps secret her relationship with Hansen, knowing her parents would not approve. In fact they pressure her to go on a date with Wolverton, which enrages Hansen. After quarrelling they reunite later that night and soon after she finds herself pregnant. She is about to tell Hansen, when he announces that he has received a "once in a lifetime" offer to tour Europe with a renowned opera singer. Unwilling to deny him this chance she keeps silent about her pregnancy. While he i ...
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Nana (1934 Film)
''Nana'' is a 1934 American pre-Code film, produced by Samuel Goldwyn, released through United Artists, starring Anna Sten. and directed by Dorothy Arzner and George Fitzmaurice. This version of Émile Zola's 1880 novel and heroine was to be the vehicle for Sten's triumph as Samuel Goldwyn's trained, groomed and heavily promoted answer to Greta Garbo. Despite a record-breaking opening week at Radio City Music Hall, Sten was beautiful but disappointing. Goldwyn's tutoring of Sten is mentioned in Cole Porter's 1934 song "Anything Goes" from the musical of the same name: "If Sam Goldwyn can with great conviction / Instruct Anna Sten in diction / Then Anna shows / Anything goes." Plot A Parisian streetwalker is discovered by a theatrical impresario and becomes a stage success. At her height of popularity, she falls in love with a soldier, and draws both ire and fascination from his protective older brother. Cast * Anna Sten as Nana * Lionel Atwill as Colonel André Muffat * ...
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