“THE FIREFLY**
(SYNOPSIS)
Nina Maris (Jeanette MacDonald), "Tbe
Firefly," a Spanish cabaret singer, is cottrted
by Don Diego (Allan Jones) who does not
know that she is a spy, hired by King Fer
dinand VII (Tom Rutherford) to trail
Napoleon. So when Nina leaves for
Bayonne, Don follows her and saves her
from a bandit attack.
Arrived in Bayonne, Nina makes love to
Mat. de R ougeneont (Warren William)
learning thereby that he it planning the
arrest of King Ferdinand. To prevent this,
she appeals to Don Diego, but discovert
be it a tpy also and trailing her.
Soon after, Ferdinand abdicates and
Joseph Bonaparte becomet king. Eventu
ally, Nina gelt behind the French lines
again and meets de Rougemont. Don, ar
riving unexpectedly, finds the two of them
making love. So he denounces Nina who
it to be executed at a spy.
Don begs her to forgive him for doing
hit duty and Nina, pretending to do so,
throws her arms around him, seizes his gun,
wounds him and escapes in his uniform.
Soon after, Napoleon is driven out of Spam.
AH barriers now removed, Don is reunited
to Nina, .
booking Forward with JCeo
n ‘ °
A counter love affair between two sisters, involving an old sweetheart and a
new, forms the background of the forthcoming Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture of
the month, "Double Wedding.”
The story is based on the original stage success by Ferenc Molnar, who is well
known as the author of "The Swan,” "The Guardsman" and "The Play Is The
Thing.” , ,
The cast is headed by William Powell
and Myrna Loy, this being their seventh co
starring production. Powell plays a penni
less artist who lives in a raccoon coat and
a trailer, and falls in love with Myrna. She
is the attractive older sister, wl\o spends
her life planning a career. Wise and con
scientious, she is unexpectedly emeshed in
her own love plans.
"Double Wedding” celebrates the return
of John Beal to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. This
personable young actor came into promi
nence for his excellent acting in the stage
and screen versions of "Another Language,
following these with the part of the mi
nister, with Katherine Hepburn, in "Little
Minister.” A Missourian by birth, he at
tended the University of Pennsylvania and
started his stage career on Broadway as
Frank Craven’s understudy.
Florence Rice plays the younger sister role,
second in importance to that of Miss Loy s.
Miss Rice won noteworthy attention in
"Man of the People” and "Married Before
Breakfast.”
After an absence of two years, Sidney
Toler returns to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to
play the part of Miss Loy’s butler. Usually
identified with dramatic roles, he is doing
a complete reversal in what is expected to
be one of the most hilarious comedy per
formances of his career, a butler with a
policeman’s complex and a tendency to spy
on everything from people to three-minute
boiled eggs.
Mary Gordon has appeared in "Vanessa —
Her Love Story,” "The Bride of Franken
stein," "Waterfront Lady” and "Laughing
Irish Eyes.”
That fine character actress, Jessie Ralph,
who gave color to ' After The Thin Man
as the arrogant widow, will again play a
dowager, this time a patrician, in "Double
Wedding."
Edgar Kennedy pl*ys the part of aa
Italian restaurateur and Powell’s crony.
Barnett Parker, prominent English come
dian, is said to have the best role of his
film career as the bookkeeper in "Double
Wedding.” Parker made his greatest hit ia
"Born to Dance,” and has appeared in "Per
sonal Property,” "The Last of Mrs. Cheyoey’
and "Married Before Breakfast.”
"Double Wedding” was produced by
Joseph Mankiewicz and directed by Richard
Thorpe.
Noteworthy on the list of other new
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer pictures is "Live,
Love and Learn,” starring Robert Mont
gomery, and "The Bride Wore Red,” star
ring Joan Crawford.
PICTURE OF the MONTH
Doit Diago (Allan Jonos), a French tpy, falls In
lovo with Nina Mario (Joanotto MacDonald), not
knowing that tho is a Spanish tpy. Nina, how
ever, leaves Den (foot behind the French
lines and wins the love of Mo|or De Rovgemont
(Warren William).
Bartholomew Tricks
Aunt Cissie Into
First Airplane Ride
Freddie Bartholomew today took his first
Airplane ride. And, much to her amazement,
so did Aunt Cissie, who had sworn that she
never would. But Freddie outguessed her.
At the invitation of Col. William H. Neb
lett, law partner of Senator William G.
McAdoo, Freddie had gone out to the Los
Angeles municipal airport to inspect the
colonel's two planes and supposedly to take
a ground lesson. Aunt Cissie was urged to
come in and look at the instruments and
the accommodations, which she did, only to
discover that in another second or two, she
was up in the air.
"Now. tell me you really enjoyed it,”
grinned Freddie at his aunt.
"Oh, yes, I did,” she agreed.
, But telling the story later in the day' to
friends, when Freddie wasn’t present, she
declared that for forty-five minutes her
heart was in her mouth.
Actress Uses Straw
Bandeau for Sports
Maureen O’Sullivan, Metro-Goldwyn-
Mayer actress, has discovered the ideal head
covering for active sports.
When playing tennis, badminton, or other
such games, Maureen slips a straw bandeau
about her curls.
PLAID COAT WEAKNESS
William Powell has a weakness for loud
plaid sports coats, which he wears almost
constantly when not appearing before the
cameras.
BANANAS AND RICE
Florence Rice gained fourteen pounds
in two weeks on her banana diet. Twice a
day, she ate two bananas, mashed thor
oughly, topped with cream and a tablespoon
of brown sugar.
INDOOR PUTTING
Rita Johnson believes that practice makes
perfect. After joining the Lakeside Golf
Club, Rita started playing as often as pos
sible. But she soon found that the long
layoff had ruined her putting stroke. Now
Rita has rigged up an indoor game which
permits her to practice putting in her
apartment evenings, after finishing work ia
M-G-M’s "London by Night.”
sH
mb L '“h -Ari^
In ordsr to dlieovar Franch war sscrsts, Nina Maria
(Jsanstts MacDonald) maka* lavs to Major Do
Rowgomont (Worron Williom) bot Is caught by
Don Dlogo (Allan Jonos) who donouncos hor.
(Scenes from M-G-M's “The Firefly”j
Wear Longies
In Mountains,
Advises Actor
—
It is freezing cold at 9000 feet in the
High Sierras, as Reginald Owen dis
covered recently.
. Owen came on location to Twin Lakes
with M-G-M’s "The Bride Wore Red”
company, nattily attired in the latest
summer resort sport togs.
On the second day, a studio driver
going to Bishop for supplies, carried a
secret order from Owen.
In a scene that afternoon with Joan
Crawford and Franchot Tone, filmed on
a mountain road, Owen wore a Tyrolean
costume.
"You look fatter, Reggie,” said Joan,
"than you did when we arrived.”
Owen stammered.
"Maybe it’s the long winter under
wear I’m wearing,” he said.
Tin Pan Alley Calls
To Mickey Rooney
Mickey Rooney has "arrived” again. This
lime as a song writer.
He has written the music for six tunes
during the past month and they all have
great possinilities, according to the tune
smiths lUr’’ Brown and Arthur Freed.
One of them is so good Irving Berlin has
consented to publish it. The song is a slow
fox trot entitled "Mister Heartbreak.”
Rooney composed the music while Sidney
Miller, the guitar player with Mickey’s or
chestra, wrote the lyrics. The young actor
composed several of his best songs, includ
ing ’’Mister Heartbreak," between scenes of
"Captains Courageous.”
Gives Up Dancing
For Movie Career
Grace Ford, Oklahoma dance instructor,
who came to Hollywood seeking jobs for
her pupils and landed one herself, today
laid aside her dancing slippers for all time.
Miss Ford acted upon the advice of pic
ture directors, who discovered histrionic
talent in her, to forget dancing and concen
trate on dramatic acting. As a first step
toward her new career, the brown-eyed
Tulsa lass is portraying a nurse in "Between
Two Women.”
ACTOR LOSES FIGHTING JOB
Bruce Cabot first aspired to be a prize
fighter. He got a job as sparring partner
for a second-rate boxer. But when he
knocked out his boss, Bruce had to look
for a new livelihood.
NO SCHOOL ATHLETE
Glenn Morris, featured in a forthcoming
Pete Smith specialty, was not famous as a
school athlete. He was an automobile sales
man at the time he decided to try out for
the Olympic team.
* • a
Luise Rainer found, when arrived in
her portable dressing room on the "Em
peror’s # Candlesticks” stage, two hand
painted urns filled with a special blend of
tea, a beautiful Chinese robe and a bolt of
white Chinese silk—gifts from Mrs. Chiang
Kai-Shek, wife of the Chinese MarshaL
fib
Tho French ormy being defeated, however,
Nina (Jeanette MacDonald) and Don Dioga
(Allan Jona*) ara raunitad in thair lova.
SPOT NEWS
<►
luise Rainer considering the purchase
of a "vacation farm” in the East . . . Freddie
Bartholomew going in for the oquestrain
sport of jumping . . . Priscilla law son on
a buttermilk diet to lose weight.
• a a
Clark Gable, Joan Crawford and other
stars having to hunt for new places to park
their cars . . . because writers' building in
being erected in the old parking space . . .
George Cukor dropping in on the "Con
quest" set to visit Greta Garbo,
a a a
Sophie Tucker jubilant over the first
crop from her vegetable garden . . . George
Murphy going around in a fog . . . really,
for his scenes in "London By Night” require
it.
a a a
Rosalind Russell preparing to move into
the English Colonial home she has just
purchased, giving up her idea of taking an
apartment . . . James Stewart showing hia
mother and sister the sights of Hollywood,
before taking them to Arrowhead for a
week.
a a a
Charles Boyer turning into a butler tha
other day when he set the table for tha
”Conquest ” set . . . for technical purposes
only, of course .. . Myrna l.oy on a shopping
tour looking for materials in her favorit*
blue.
a a a
Robert Benchley making the first of eight
miniatures to be completed during the year
. . . Cecilia Parker planning to spend part
of her vacation in her own trailer . . . The
interest of many important scientists in the
filming of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer pic
ture, "Radium” because of the danger and
fascination of the subject.
a a a
Eleanor Powell planning to make a danc
ing tour of the world after completing her
work in "Rosalie” . . . Della Lind purchas
ing a new home in Brentwood . . . Madge
Evans is the first Hollywood actress to have
a charm necklace . . . Eddie Quillan, fea
tured player in "London By Night,” is an ex
pert golfer ... held an important champion
ship at Lakewood for two years.
JeanrHe Mar Ronald
Philadelphia was the birthplace et
Jeanette MacDonald. When she was four
teen, Ned Way bum engaged bee fee bit
Dentil as se Revise.
Later she played small parts in "Irena"
end "Tengerino." When featssred in "Pern
lactic Pricasee," Hester W. Savage noted
bee ability and signed her for minor parts.
Some Sima after, Ernest Lubitscb cense
across her screen tests end engaged her te
appear opposite Maurice Chevalier in "The
Love Perode."
Prom shot time on, she has been e screen
celebrity, scoring enormous hits in
"Neughty Marietta." "Rose Marie" and
"May time
In her newest picture, "The Firefly," the
it supported by Allan Jones and Warren
Williem.