EXPLOITATION

°“*“Dick Foran Dude Ranchers’ Club

HOW TO ANNOUNCE IT

Newspaper, heralds, ad underliners. Story to papers about the new club will start interest. Special herald can carry details of activities. Lobby display can show exciting shots of Foran in action along with copy on ‘How to Join the Dick Foran Dude Ranchers.’ And—there’s the chance that paper will sponsor club and provide membership cards, contests and news of intra- club activity.

MEMBERSHIP CARDS

You'll want to give the youngsters cards show- ing that they’re real Dude Ranchers, so we’ve made ’em available. Prices: $2.50 per M; 5M— $2.25 per M; 10M or more—$2 per M.

Order direct from: ECONOMY NOVELTY CO. 225 West 39th St., New York City

CLUB MEETINGS

Club meetings should be held in any available room in theatre. If there’s no place you can think of, mezzanine would do. Encourage all the lads to come in cowboy suits. Meetings could be held once a month, but if you want to be real energetic about it, once a week would be fine.

Since Foran is starring in a 6-show series, support you get up now will boost them all. That’s why we’ve worked up this idea for “Dick Foran Dude Ranchers’ Club. Meetings, contests, and talks motivate interest, with the West as their theme and Dick Foran as their leader. Below you’ll find the complete line-up—on this and the next page you'll find contests as well suited for the club as they are for general exploitation.

PARADE TO OPENING

On opening night, your Ranchers ought to pa- rade to theatre in cowboy suits. Maybe the Boy Scout Band will join in with a little music.

GIRLS, TOO

If the boys don’t object, allow girls to join club, too. They'll probably be just as interested as the fellows in being Dude Ranchers.

RIDING ACADEMY TIE-UP

If you can promote free rides for the ‘Ranchers’ from local riding academy in return for lobby and newspaper publicity—you can offer some- thing the kids’ll be proud of. Or Academy can instruct the lads in return for a small charge.

YOUR PUBLICITY

Of course you'll make every effort to get paper to co-operate with stories, but your program and school paper can also be worked in. If one of your members is on the school paper, he could write a weekly or monthly column on club af- fairs—in addition, your program can carry the same info.

KIDS HELP WITH BALLY

Youngsters, in their cowboy outfits, could dis- tribute heralds on street and at school, Or do you think putting ’em on a bannered truck and sending them around town would be better? They’d be awfully cute if local Academy had a pony or two you could borrow.

COWBOY SINGS ON STREET

You can dress up singer, put him on a horse as illustrated, and let him wander up and down Main Street plugging songs from film. Placard on back tells playdate.

Cowboy Party for Kiddies

You could throw a kids’ party, with the youngsters coming in cowboy suits. An old Westerner tells some exciting stories from stage, and does rope tricks for them.

Western Exhibit in Lobby

An exhibition of Indian blankets, jewelry, bows and arrows—or of cowboy equipment might make an interesting lobby display. If you think it would be better to plant it in a store window along with your stills and copy, go to it!

Stunt Effect with Trailer

Want a gag to work back-stage before trailer flashes on? Then fire a couple of shots, imitate the clatter of hoofs and have somebody give a few cowboy yells—then screen the trailer.

Page Six

Patrons Guess How Much Water 10 Gal. Hat Holds

Here’s an oldie with a new twist: Take big cowboy hat, shellac the inside and set it up in lobby or store window with this cap- tion: “Dick Foran wore a hat like this dur- ing the filming of ‘Moonlight on the Prai- rie.” Dudes call it a 10 gallon hat. How much water do YOU think itll hold? Free tickets for the closest 5 answers.”

Gag Rodeo for Youngsters

Maybe you can promote an amateur rodeo for the youngsters. Substitute roller skates, skooters and bicycles for horses— then let the kids have races and do tricks to their hearts’ content. Stores tie up with first prizes, while you supply the also-rans with ducats.

Contest On Cowboy Terms

For a one day program or lobby contest,

why not ask folks the meaning of various

words used by cowboys? If you like the idea, the 10 words below will get you started:

Pull Leather—To hold on to the saddle with one’s hands when riding.

Pinto—A horse colored with large white and brown or black splotches.

Arroya—Dried up river beds, quite com- mon in desert country.

Chaps—Leather trousers worn by cowboys for protection against coarse underbrush which would tear ordinary trousers.

Cayuse—Indian pony.

Rocky Mountain Canary—Mule, so called because of its braying.

Maverick—Unbranded yearling.

Sheep Man—A belittling term used by cowboys, who have no respect for sheep herders.

Corral—Enclosure, usually circular, for keeping horses and cattle.

Lope—Canter.

ROPE TRICKS IN LOBBY

If there’s a talented cowboy available, you can have him do rope tricks in your lobby or out front. Think it'll amuse the grown- ups as well as the kiddies?

Western Etehing Exhibit

Etchings of the West, cowboys and horses are pretty popular these days, which sug- gests a tie-up with art shop. Window can be devoted entirely to Western art, aug- mented by stills and copy from picture. Or maybe you’d rather move the whole exhibit into your lobby, so that patrons have something out of the ordinary to look at.

Identify Screen Cowboys

For lobby or window contest, you could arrange a display of stills of famous screen cowboys of the past, with folks guessing who they are. William S. Hart, Tom Mix, Harry Carey, William Farnum, are a few of the old names for your contest. No need to tell you to have Dick Foran’s picture featured in the center as the screen’s new singing cowboy.

EXPLOITATION

CRASHING THE MUSIC SHOPS @

Title page, illustrated at left, is available on both songs from picture. One is printed blue on white; the other is pink on white, both with plenty of title display. They’re FREE

in limited quantities, so order yours in a

hurry.

FREE RADIO SKETCH

Just the thing to help sell show. Two cow- boy songs of the type that have become so popular lately, the punch-packed Western action that radio listeners love—all con- tained in 12 minutes of fast-moving dia- logue from film. Remaining three minutes are for picture plug. If you can use the radio sketch, write to Campaign Plan Editor, 321 West 44th Street, New York City, and you'll get a mimeographed copy for each member of the cast by return mail.

BALLY ON STAGE COACH

If there’s an old stage coach in town, ban- ner it with your theatre plug and send it around town. Four horses hitched on an old-time wagon ought to ‘rouse interest.

TWO WESTERN NOVELTIES

they’re

LARIAT

LUCKY NAIL —$7 per M. RING Order direct from: ECONOMY NOVELTY CoO.

225 West 39th Street, New York City

These two novelties can be used as giveaways to kids at opening, but really good enough to offer as prizes for contests you’re hold- ing for youngsters. The lariat is priced as follows: 25 to 49—7 4c each; 50 to 99—7e each; 100 or over — 616c each. The nail ring is a nickel- plated horseshoe nail. Card plugs star and pic- ture in addition to giving directions on how to make the ring. Price: $7.50 per M; 5M or over

Order from:

SAM SERWER R. C. A. Building, 1250 Sixth Ave., N. Y. C.

Department Store Tie-Up

Department and toy stores might co-ope- rate with displays of cowboy and Indian outfits for the youngsters. Be sure your stills and copy are worked in.

Cowboy Quartet Contest

New York recently ran a barber shop sing- ing quartet contest which broke in the papers with a big splash and had the Mayor officiating at the finals. This suggests a cowboy quartet contest along the same lines, with finals on your stage.

Cowboy Yelling Contest

If a little noise won’t bother you, have a “Yippee” and “Kiyoohoo” contest on stage or in street. Youngsters vie for the honor of yelling loudest and most closely imitat- ing a real cow yell.

Remember to Plug Songs

Film contains two singable cowboy songs. Bands and vocalists in clubs and on air might plug *em—and your show, if you speak to them.

BURGEE

The Singing Cowboy

MOONLIGHT ON THE PRAIRIE

Made of attractive col- ored duck, it is available

in two sizes.

20” x 30” 24” x 36”

Order direct from:

ART FLAG, Inc. 449 West 42nd Street New York City

Camera In Lobby Snaps Folks In Western Duds

And here’s another lobby stunt. Set up a camera along with a cowboy outfit. Patrons can have picture ‘snapped of themselves in cowboy duds, paying a dime for the privi- lege. O'r can you promote the works by giving co-operating photographer credit?

HORSES PARKED FREE

Hitching post with card shown can be planted on corner or in front of theatre. Maybe you can park an old horse there— to make it look as though it’s being used.

Organize Charity Rodeo

Combination horse show and rodeo would make a good charity event at local ball park. Horses from riding academy, a few trick riders, some rope throwing, and the show’s on! You get behind it with ducats and organization, and you stand a chance for some good publicity.

Noted Westerners Contest

Want another contest for the kids .. . or grown-ups, too? A display of famous west- erners like Buffalo Bill, General Custer, Chief Sitting Bull and the rest, with con- testants trying to identify photos is one you might try on your ole mustang.

30” x 40” AND LOBBY STANDEE

2: Colored—$3.50 each; black and white — $2.25 each.

Fully colored, cut-out, 6 feet in height — $7.45 each.

NATIONAL STUDIOS, 226 W. 56th St., N.Y.C.

Page Seven

PUBLICITY

New Star in New Type of Western Coming to Strand

A thrilling drama of the West, packed with romance, comedy and music will introduce a new film star to...... Theatre audiences, where Warner Bros. will present Dick Foran, the Singing Cowboy, in “Moonlight Ol the ee rattle. (Ole e ere a

“Moonlight on the Prairie” has nothing in common with the old style “made over night” Western. On the contrary, it is the first of six big production features Warner Bros. are making with their new star.

Reports from Hollywood state that while it has all the exciting elements of the Western picture of the “silent days,” including the exciting plot, the romance, the rough riding, daredevil exploits and wild adventure, it also has robust comedy, clever dialogue, and an element entirely new to “Westerns’”—music.

Dick Foran has a fine baritone voice, and sings two numbers written especially for the pro- duction. Hard riding old time cowboys, as well as rustlers and badmen, when gathered round their campfires or frequented their cow-town amusement places, were wont to roar out their plain- tive songs. The film, made with all the care to detail typical of Warner Bros. pictures, has caught the spirit, as well as the music of those days.

The plot centers about the at- tempt of a band of cut-throat cattle rustlers to murder a widow and her small son in order te cheat them out of their inheri- tanee of a large and prosperous ranch. The thrilling action in- eludes a terrifying wild horse stampede, many hand fights and gun battles and the burning of the bandit hide-out in a smashing climax.

Foran, formerly a football star at Princeton University, is said to be one of the best riders of the West, an expert with both lariat and six gun and has a thorough knowledge of cowboy life, as well as a fine singing voice and real dramatic ability.

Sheila Mannors, a native Cali- fornian, plays opposite him as the feminine romantic leads Both she and Dickie Jones, the child actor who has the role of her small son, are to the saddle born and ride the hills abandon as the men.

George E. Stone plays a com- edy part with Foran while Joe Sawyer is the chief of the bad men, who include Robert Barrat. Milt Kibbee and Raymond Brown. D. Ross Lederman di- rected the picture.

Red Headed Lovers

Smash Superstition

Red heads being noted for their fiery temperaments, it has become practically a super- stition in Hollywood, never to cast two of them as leads in the same film.

But traditions were broken in Warner Bros.’ ‘Moonlight on the Prairie,’ which comes to -thene aoe theatre on

production is Dick Foran, a flaming red head. Sheila Man- nors, the feminine lead, also has red hair.

When Director D. Ross Led- erman saw the two he whistled in astonishment.

“Red head lovers,’ he ex- claimed. “Well, Ill take a gambler’s chance, but don’t you two pull any temperamen- tal stunts on me.”

The two film sweethearts made love without any flare- ups.

Page Eight

thrills, |

with as reckless

(ood Lueck For Film Fans

Two red heads and a white horse have the principal roles in

Warner Bros.’ “Moonlight on the Prairie,” a new type of Western

picture with music which opens at the. Theatreron=a. so

They are Dick Foran, the singing cowboy, Sheila Mannors and “Smoke” so named because he’s white.

Mat No. 201—20c

(Review )

‘‘Moonlight On Prairie”’ Thrilling New Western

Dick Foran, Singing Cowboy, in New Type Film, Makes Smash Hit at Strand Premiere

A new film star and a new form of ‘‘Western’’ motion picture, were: introduced “at the... 75 Pee Theatre yesterday, and both made smash hits with the audience.

It was the first showing of ‘‘Moonlight on the Prairie,’’ a drama of the Old West, which Warner Bros. had filmed with all the disregard of cost and attention to detail that

characterizes their big productior features. It is so far removed the

drama” of silent picture days that

from conventional “horse it must be reviewed only in the light of the big feature film it is.

The revival of interest in West- ern stories and song as evidenced by the popularity of magazine fic- tion of that type and radio pro- undoubtedly influenced Warner Bros. to take a fast mov- ing story of the Old West, intro- duce into it a number of new

grams,

songs as well as traditional bal- lads of the prairie, give it a new star who can both sing and ride, and then produce it as no “West- ern” before has been produced. That the result is worth the ef. fort, everyone who saw it at the \ Gea rea Theatre yesterda; will attest, and there is no doubt that the entire series of six pic-

tures in which Foran will be

starred will be equally successful.

Foran is one of those occasional young men who are born to be movie heroes.

An Easterner by birth, edu- eated at private schools and Princeton university, he learned to ride almost as soon as he could walk. He was an outstanding ath- lete in his collegiate days, has spent much time on Western ranches, knows how to shoot, rope and punch cows. In addition to a smiling, pleasant face atop a six foot 3 inch body, he has a pleasant strong baritone voice, red hair, and real dramatic ability. Also he makes love in a way few romantic heroes of the screen can equal.

Just as capable a rider and act-

ress is his red headed feminine lead, Sheila Mannors, a native Californian. With seven-year-old Dickie Jones, who comes from Texas, playing the part of her son, they ride the hills and plains with the reckless daring of any cow puncher.

The story evolves about a plot of cut-throat bandits to cheat them out of their ranch by caus- ing their death, the chief villains, who outvillain villainy, being Joseph Sawyer and Robert Bar- rat, both capable actors of the stage and screen.

This plot includes the stamped- ing of maddened horses in the ravine through which the two are riding—one of the most exciting scenes in a picture filled with thrills.

Seldom have more picturesque backgrounds been seen than in the settings of this picture, the story having been filmed in the Sierra Nevada Mountains around the snow line and on the vast prairies not so far from Scotty’s Death Valley home.

D. Ross Lederman directed the picture with great skill.

Two special songs, both with the flavor of the West, were writ- ten for the picture by the song teams of M. K. Jerome and Joan Jasmyn and Vernon Spencer and Bob Nolan. Both the story and screen play are by William Jacobs.

Others in the cast who deserve mention for excellent characteri- zations are George E. Stone, Gor- don Elliott, Joseph King, Herbert Heywood, Raymond Brown, Rich- ard Carle and Milton Kibbee.

“Moonlight on the Prairie” should not be missed by anyone who enjoys thrilling action,

robust comedy, clever dialogue, tuneful singing and romance.

Singing Cowboy At Strand Today

In New Western

Dick Foran, the singing cow- boy, COMES tO the: fora. eee theatre today, in “Moonlight on the Prairie,” with which Warner Bros. introduce a new type of Western drama.

To a thrilling Western drama of hard riding, roping, two gun fighters and romantic ladies, Warner Bros. have added the songs of the old West, two of them specially written for the production by two noted song writing teams, M. K. Jerome and Joan Jasmyn and Vernon Spen- cer and Bob Nolan.

Dick Foran, who is said to have an exceptionally fine baritone voice, spent some years on the Western ranges, although he originally came from the Hast and has a Prineetonian back- ground. He is an expert rider, roper and marksman, and can sing as well as he rides—and act as well as he sings.

His leading woman is pretty red headed Sheila Mannors, also a daring rider who has done very capable work in many pictures. Others in the cast include George E. Stone, Joe Sawyer, Gordon Elliott, Joseph King, Robert Bar- rat and Dickie Jones.

The picture is filled with thrill- ing action and exciting se- quences, as well as containing a fascinating romance, set in the picturesque background of the High Sierras and the Western prairies.

D. Ross Lederman, an old hand at Westerns directed the picture which is a big production typi- eal of all Warner Bros. films.

Feminine Lead in Western Once Miss California

The herited through her mother, who

“Spanish influence,” in-

was one of the Santa Barbara de la Guerras, seems to have fol-

lowed Sheila Mannors, Warner

Bros. screen player, with an espe- cially beneficient influence.

Miss Mannors, who is playing the leading feminine role in “Moonlight on the Prairie,” which comes to the............ theatreson.4-8..%.=.2 , said that a trip to Havana as ‘Miss Cali- fornia” really gave her a start in the show business.

“Kveryone in Santa Barbara, especially people of the old fam- ilies, speaks Spanish,” explained Miss Mannors. “When I went to Spanish-speaking Cuba as_ the California girl of a San Francis- co newspaper contest, I was espe- cially lucky at being able to speak the language.

“My mother, known profession- ally as Corinne Grant, was with me. In Cuba, because we both spoke Spanish, we were able to show many of our fellow pas- sengers sights they might have missed.

“Among these whom we helped, was Marion Orth. An introduc- tion to film and stage executives from Orth resulted in my getting started on the stage, and later in pictures.”

“Moonlight on the Prairie” is the first of a series of Western feature productions introducing the new singing cowboy star, Dick Foran. Others in the cast besides Miss Mannors are George E. Stone, Joe Sawyer, Gordon Elliott, Joseph King, Robert Bar- rat and Dickie Jones.

D. Ross Lederman directed the production from the screen play by William Jacobs. The songs were written by the two teams of Jerome and Jasmyn and Spen- cer and Nolan.

Cowboys Agree That Dick Foran Is Real Hombre

Far above June Lake, Calif., in the 9000 foot elevation of the High Sierras, veteran cowpunch- ers sat around their campfire one night and paid a typical western tribute to Dick Foran, singing cowboy star of Warner Bros.’ “Moonlight on the Prairie,” wihiche comes “ton ther, 2... 2. ..48 TROALLO WOM: ode ce sae scare tise

Director D. Ross Lederman, it seems, decided that he wanted to shoot some of the scenes at a wild and desolate spot high up on the mountains. The winding, twisted trail was only wide enough for horses and_ burros climbing Indian-file; not even wagons could negotiate it. So the company and staff, accompanied by pack-animals, started riding up toward the 9000 foot eleva- tion.

Dick Foran Starring in “Moonlight on the Prairie’ at the Strand

Mat No. 102 —10c

“We were still about two miles from the place,’ said Director Lederman, “when Foran’s horse threw a shoe. Some of the punch- ers told Dick not to worry; that the trail was pretty soft going. But Foran’s mighty considerate, and loves horses.

“So he got off and led his pony the rest of the rising two miles. The air’s mighty thin at that altitude. But Dick was as fresh as a daisy.”

Real punchers, as are the bona fide top-hands who are working in this new type of western drama, admire a horse, and they admire a man. That’s why, as they hand-rolled their cigarettes that night around the glowing blaze, they sealed their approval with the opinion that, “Dick Foran’s one tough hombre!”

“Moonlight on the Prairie” is a thrilling romance of the “Old West” with plenty of hard riding, fast action and a stirring plot.

New- West Star

The singing cowboy, Dick Foran, Warner Bros., newest film star who is coming to the COLT CxO a2 awn in ““Moon-

light on the Prairie,” is a quick

shooting, hard riding, sweet smging..6 ‘ft. 3 an. tall, 200 pounder who was weaned on a saddle and cut his teeth on a six gun. Mat No. 106—10c

PUBLICITY

Thrills At The Strand

All the action,

excitement, thrill and romance of the old time

Western are included in “Moonlight on the Prairie,” the Warner Bros. drama of the old West. Above is seen Dick Foran, the singing cowboy, landing a fast one on the button of a cow rustler.

. Mat No. 202—20c

Tiger Courage Won Film Stardom For Dick Foran

Singing Cowboy Now Has the Stellar Role in “Moonlight on the Prairie”

Five years ago Dick Foran, the new singing cowboy star of the Warner Bros. romantic Western thriller, ‘*Moon- light. on the Prairie,’’ now showihe at fhe? s.sac acres o:* : theatre, was seated on the sidelines at Palmer Stadium, Princeton University, waiting for the word from the late Coach Bill Roper to go into the game.

The Princeton Tiger was

having a rather bad time of it

with Navy. The Middies had turned their big guns loose

early in the game and by the beginning of the second period they were out in front by two touchdowns.

Finally Coach Roper Dick Foran over and said:

“Foran no Navy team is that good. Get out there and slow down that Navy backfield. Stop Chung Hoon (Navy backfield star who was mentioned for All- American honors) and don’t for- get a Tiger has plenty of cour- age.”

Those last words of a great eoach, “A Tiger has plenty of courage” meant a great deal to Dick Foran then and ever since. It was this same courage that won him the starring role in the new series of Westerns being made by Warner Bros.

Dick Foran, or John Nicholas Foran as he was christened, was born at Flemington, N. J., on June 18, 1910. He received his primary school education in Flemington and then went to Mercersberg Academy and to Hunn School to prepare for en- trance into, Princeton University.

At Princeton he majored in Geology and was an outstanding all-around athlete. He played on the football, baseball, lacrosse and ice-hockey teams.

Two successive years, while at Princeton, he spent his summer vaeation period with two other members of the football team by shipping as an able seaman on board freighters, visiting most of

called

the South American countries and the West Indies. After matriculating from

Princeton University he went to work for the Pennsylvania Rail- road as a special investigator. One of these investigations took him to Los Angeles. He met Lew Brown, of the musical com-

edy producing organization of De Sylva, Brown and Henderson and was persuaded to take a screen test. A contract was the result.

He was assigned by Warner Bros. to play a leading role in “Gentlemen Are Born” and did such an excellent job that he was east in the role of “Midshipman Gifford” in “Shipmates Forever,” the new Cosmopolitan Produc- tion released by Warner Bros.

It was while this production was under way that a series of tests were conducted for a cow- boy star for the six westerns to be made by Warner Bros.

Associate Producer Bryan Foy had seen Foran’s work and asked him to make a test. He was im- mediately contracted for the starring role in the series.

Dick Foran has never been on the professional stage but played leads in prep school and college.

He has an excellent baritone voice and has sung on many radio programs mostly as a cour- tesy to friends and for experi- ence.

Foran is six feet, three inches tall, weighs 190 pounds and has flaming red hair and blue eyes.

“Moonlight on the Prairie,” is a thrilling romance of the “Old West” with plenty of hard rid- ing, fast action and a stirring plot. Besides Foran, the cast in- eludes Sheila Mannors, George E. Stone, Joe Sawyer, Gordon El- liott, Joseph King, Robert Bar- rat and Dickie Jones.

Music and lyries are by M. K. Jerome and Joan Jasmyn and Vernon Spencer and Bob Nolan. D. Ross Lederman directed the picture from the screen play by William Jacobs.

Barrat Blames Injured Arm On

Lucky Horseshoe

Robert Barrat has become a horseshoe pitching fiend. Any horseshoe he finds he pitches but not over any stake. He throws them as far away from him as he can and he has plenty of arm and shoulder to hurl them.

Barrat, who has the “heavy” role in “Moonlight on the Prai- rie,’ the Warner Bros. picture which comes to the.......:..:-: Theatre Owe. ewe hace , had one unfortunate experience with a horseshoe and has become preju- diced.

When returning from _ the High Sierras, where he had been working with the company on location, Barrat found a _ horse- shoe. Believing it to be a lucky omen, he tossed it into the back of the car and went on his way.

Shortly afterward his car sud- denly slipped into a soft shoulder of a dirt road and rolled over three times into a ditch.

A rancher heard the crash and extricated him from a_ badly wrecked ear. Bob suffered a crushed arm.

Now he’s off horseshoes for life.

“Moonlight on the Prairie” is the first of a series of six west- ern feature productions starring the singing cowboy, Dick Foran. It is packed with romance, thrill- ing action and with the spirit of the “Old West.”

In the cast besides Foran and Barrat are Sheila Mannors, George E. Stone, Joe Sawyer, Gordon Elliott, Joseph King, Rob- ert Barrat and Dickie Jones.

D. Ross Lederman directed the production from the screen play by William Jacobs.

Singing Cowboy Puts Horse to Bed in Kitchen

Dick Foran, singing cowboy star of the Warner Bros. picture, “Moonlight on the Prairie,” which comes» to the,» .<..5...: ThOaAtNe. ON cere vene , has been warned by his landlady that if he ever again attempts to turn his Hollywood home into a stable, he will be evicted.

Foran returned from location at Kernville, Calif., at daybreak, one day during the filming of the picture, on a roan stallion he had purchased in the High Sier- ras. He could not find stable ac- commodations for the horse at that hour and having a sizeable kitchen and an ample door lead- ing from his lawn, he took the animal into the house and pro- ceeded to make it comfortable.

Everything might have been all right about stabling “Smoke” in the kitchen and the neighbors might not have been aware of this strange boarder at the Foran house but along about noon the animal began to whinny. It seems that there had been no provision made for food.

Foran had become so accus- tomed to horses neighing that he slept through it until awakened by neighbors who had become curious about the strange sounds.

He explained to his landlady, who had arrived with early com- plainants, that bringing “Smoke” into the kitchen was just an emergency measure.

“Moonlight on the Prairie” is packed with romance and thrill- ing action. It is a big production typical of all Warner Bros. pic- tures. The cast includes Sheila Mannors, George E. Stone, Joe Sawyer, Gordon Elliott, Joseph King, Robert Barrat, Dickie Jones and others.

D. Ross Lederman directed the production from the screen play by William Jacobs.

Cowboys Still Punching Cattle In The Back Hills

But They’re Off Beaten Paths, Says Dick Foran, Star of “Moonlight on the Prairie”

The ‘‘passing of the Old West’’ has been the subject- matter of newspaper and magazine scribes for at least two decades or more. Much of the Old West, it is true, has

passed away, construction of highways

due to the motorization of America and the through the far-lying places of

the cow country. Nevertheless, the Old West—and some of its most picturesque manners and customs—is by no means

dead.

Particularly in the relatively inaccessible mountain country of Western states where mere trails discourage the motorist and where a horse is still man’s best friend, the old “ridin’ an’ ropin’ ” romance still holds its own.

This was discovered by mem- bers of the troupe of the new western picture, “Moonlight on the Prairie,’ the Warner Bros. picture now showing at the ae Shee Sahel s2 theatre, when on loca- tion for this galloping screen- play. Even in California, which state is generally not reckoned among the bronco-busters, the company came upon rolling ranges in the mountain mesas where much of the pristine sim- plicity of the “good old days” still obtains.

Dick Foran, hard-riding, sing- ing cowboy of the picture, who has pounded leather ever since he was tall enough to swing up on a cayuse, explains, logically, why most persons have the set- tled conviction that true cow- punching is as dead as the dodo.

“Most folks these days,” said Foran, “never get off the paved highway. Automobiles have just naturally spoiled people. They won’t even turn onto a dirt road, for fear it will be a little rough, or maybe will get their shiny ears dusty.

“So what do they see? Well, they see towns, and some bill- boards. They look off in the dis- tance, maybe, and see the far mountains and mesas and prai- ries. But, because the pavements they’re riding on are so smooth, they get a kind of notion that the whole blamed country is paved.

“As a matter of fact, there are millions of square miles right in the American West where there really are no roads—nothin but trails. This is especially true of

Warner Bros.’ new type story 0 name now showing at the__---------

Moonlight On The Prairie

the mountain country where there’s still unfenced open range, and the canyons and arroyos are no place for anything less safe than a sure-footed horse or pack- burro.”

“But isn’t it true,” Foran was asked, “that horses have largely been displaced by cars? One never sees a horse these days.”

Foran snorted.

“That’s because one sticks to the city. We’re still eating beef- steak, so you can figure there must be plenty of cattle. You can’t rope and tie a dogie from a flivver—though it’s