Behind the Make-Up (1930)

65 mins | Romance | 11 January 1930

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HISTORY

The 8 June 1929 issue of Motion Picture News announced that Paramount Famous Lasky Corp. recently purchased screen rights to Mildred Cram’s 1926 short story, “The Feeder.” George Manker Watters and Howard Estabrook were set to adapt the script, and Hal Skelly and Esther Ralston were cast in the leading roles; however, Ralston did not remain with the project. Fay Wray’s casting was noted in the 25 June 1929 Los Angeles Times. Filming began on 6 July 1929, according to a studio production chart in the 10 August 1929 Exhibitors Herald-World. Shooting took place at Paramount’s studio in Hollywood, CA, where Stage 13 was used, as stated in the November 1929 Screenland. Filming was still underway as of 1 September 1929, when a Los Angeles Times brief reported that Guy Oliver, a “Paramount featured player,” was cast in the role of a theater manager. The completion of principal photography was announced in the 22 September 1929 Los Angeles Times.
       Theatrical release occurred on 11 January 1930. A 26 January 1930 Los Angeles Times review of the New York opening at the Paramount Theatre deemed it “the best film of the week” and praised William Powell and Hal Skelly’s peformances as “mature, legitimate, [and] restrained.” ...

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The 8 June 1929 issue of Motion Picture News announced that Paramount Famous Lasky Corp. recently purchased screen rights to Mildred Cram’s 1926 short story, “The Feeder.” George Manker Watters and Howard Estabrook were set to adapt the script, and Hal Skelly and Esther Ralston were cast in the leading roles; however, Ralston did not remain with the project. Fay Wray’s casting was noted in the 25 June 1929 Los Angeles Times. Filming began on 6 July 1929, according to a studio production chart in the 10 August 1929 Exhibitors Herald-World. Shooting took place at Paramount’s studio in Hollywood, CA, where Stage 13 was used, as stated in the November 1929 Screenland. Filming was still underway as of 1 September 1929, when a Los Angeles Times brief reported that Guy Oliver, a “Paramount featured player,” was cast in the role of a theater manager. The completion of principal photography was announced in the 22 September 1929 Los Angeles Times.
       Theatrical release occurred on 11 January 1930. A 26 January 1930 Los Angeles Times review of the New York opening at the Paramount Theatre deemed it “the best film of the week” and praised William Powell and Hal Skelly’s peformances as “mature, legitimate, [and] restrained.”

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GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS
SOURCE CITATIONS
SOURCE
DATE
PAGE
Exhibitors Herald-World
10 Aug 1929
p. 56
Exhibitors Herald-World
25 Jan 1930
---
Film Daily
9 Jun 1929
---
Film Daily
18 Jul 1929
---
Film Daily
29 Jul 1929
---
Film Daily
31 Jul 1929
---
Film Daily
1 Sep 1929
---
Film Daily
19 Jan 1930
---
Hollywood Filmograph
24 Aug 1929
---
Los Angeles Times
25 Jun 1929
Section A, p. 6
Los Angeles Times
1 Sep 1929
Section B, p. 9
Los Angeles Times
22 Sep 1929
p. 24
Los Angeles Times
26 Jan 1930
Section B, p. 15
Motion Picture News
8 Jun 1929
---
Motion Picture News
31 Aug 1929
---
Motion Picture News
26 Oct 1929
---
Motion Picture News
8 Mar 1930
---
New York Times
18 Jan 1930
p. 21
New York Times
26 Jan 1930
p. 109
Pittsburgh Courier [Pittsburgh, PA]
7 Sep 1929
Section A, p. 3
Screenland
Aug 1929
---
Screenland
Nov 1929
p. 41
Screenland
Apr 1930
---
Variety
15 Jan 1930
p. 22
CAST
PRODUCTION CREDITS
NAME
PARENT COMPANY
PRODUCTION COMPANY
DISTRIBUTION COMPANY
NAME
CREDITED AS
CREDIT
DIRECTOR
WRITERS
Adpt and dial
Adpt and dial
PHOTOGRAPHY
Charles Lang
Dir of photog
FILM EDITOR
Film ed
SOUND
Harry D. Mills
Rec eng
SOURCES
LITERARY
Based on the short story "The Feeder" by Mildred Cram in Red Book (May 1926).
LITERARY SOURCE AUTHOR
SONGS
"My Pals," "Never Say Die," "Say It With Your Feet" and "I'll Remember, You'll Forget," music and lyrics by Leo Robin, Sam Coslow and Newell Chase.
SONGWRITER/COMPOSER
DETAILS
Alternate Title:
Behind the Makeup
Release Date:
11 January 1930
Premiere Information:
Norfolk, VA opening: 6 Jan 1930
Production Date:
6 Jul--mid Sep 1929
Copyright Info
Claimant
Date
Copyright Number
Paramount Famous Lasky Corp.
8 January 1930
LP981
Physical Properties:
Sound
Movietone
Black and White
Duration(in mins):
65
Length(in feet):
6,364
Length(in reels):
8
Country:
United States
Language:
English
SYNOPSIS

Hap Brown, an easygoing, happy-go-lucky actor, falls in love with Marie, a waitress in the French Quarter of New Orleans. He befriends Gardoni, a fallen actor with whom he forms a partnership. They soon fall out when Gardoni insists on dominating the act, and Hap takes a job with the cafe where Marie works. When he and Gardoni team up again, Marie is taken with the Italian and they are soon married, leaving Hap hurt and rejected. Overwhelmed by a brilliant Broadway reception, Gardoni neglects his wife for Kitty Parker, an adventuress, and though Hap knows of it, he does not tell Marie. Then, scorned by Kitty, Gardoni dies tragically. Hap turns to Marie for support, and under her guidance he proves himself to be a brilliant ...

More Less

Hap Brown, an easygoing, happy-go-lucky actor, falls in love with Marie, a waitress in the French Quarter of New Orleans. He befriends Gardoni, a fallen actor with whom he forms a partnership. They soon fall out when Gardoni insists on dominating the act, and Hap takes a job with the cafe where Marie works. When he and Gardoni team up again, Marie is taken with the Italian and they are soon married, leaving Hap hurt and rejected. Overwhelmed by a brilliant Broadway reception, Gardoni neglects his wife for Kitty Parker, an adventuress, and though Hap knows of it, he does not tell Marie. Then, scorned by Kitty, Gardoni dies tragically. Hap turns to Marie for support, and under her guidance he proves himself to be a brilliant comedian.

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Legend
Viewed by AFI
Partially Viewed
Offscreen Credit
Name Occurs Before Title
AFI Life Achievement Award

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The American Film Institute is grateful to Sir Paul Getty KBE and the Sir Paul Getty KBE Estate for their dedication to the art of the moving image and their support for the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and without whose support AFI would not have been able to achieve this historical landmark in this epic scholarly endeavor.