Evening Star Newspaper, March 16, 1930, Page 98

", 1 THE SUNDAY STAR WASHINGTON D. C MARCH 16 Patrick 'of \Old Trebin John McCefiflacl’, Idv{ of Irish. L Lyes,, H&;H 1tclted o i Talkie st Hopes for Drz ving Out of the World the Snakes of Misinformation About the. Emerald Isle—He Will Carry the True Story of Old Erin to Millions in His First Picture “Song o> My Heart.” BY DAN THOMAS, HE patron saint of Ireland: ‘! nhtorytellsusnmhubeenonlyonemehm— Butthe!flshpeopkmemselmvmwnyoummae hnvebeentwopat.ronumt.s—mot&hm,JohnleOor mack, being still very much alive. Never since the days of St. Patrick have the Irish people honored .mufiheynowhmor(:ount.!ohnum Although he never uses the title in this country, the great temor is knmown throughout Europe as count, a title bestowed upon him some years ago by Pope Pius XI. lmkmaonemoretomdnrthe!rhhbmmu the entire world than any other living man. 'His own great personal- ity, indelibly stamped upon the minds of thousands who have seen and heard him during the last 24 years, par- tially accomplished that feat. And his Irish folksongs, sung in the strong tenor voice, added the finishing touches. Now he is about to carry this work to mil- love of beautiful tmnu It s John who sings his betntffulsongsln ‘% manner’' that will hold any sudience 'spell- bound. But it is the count who’ receives the praudits’ of ‘the crowd, and afterward in his “dressing’ ¥dom accepts the congratilations of ‘hotables. ‘That's how dquickly he ' changes. Even on the movie set with but a handful’ of ' ‘people around, it'is apparent. 3 Standing ‘before that black’ cyflndrlcl.l ‘miéro- ‘phone, “Johft" McCormack ‘ will 'sing a “beautiful * ‘sbng, accompanied on the piano by ‘Edwin ‘Behneider,“whd hds Been his accompanist for 14 years. But when Director Frank Borzage "#Houts “cut™ and the ‘cametas ‘stop ‘grinding, J6hn ‘fades and Count McCormstk i.sf!ldyto discuu the next scene. ' e bungalow built apecifi!y for him on the studio lot and which he uses 4s a dressing room, the same ‘holds true. If your vmthb!tmntmmt.yonmneetedby Count McCormack, genial and witty host, who spares no effort to make your visit enjoyable. But if you drop in unexpectedly you are apt to find John softly singing at his piano in the himself in the ways of the business world, who at all times is an affable host, who owns a stable of racing horses and who spends much of his spare time watching these horses in various racing meets. But it is John who is awakened by beautiful music and who loves to slip away by himself and dream. McCormack was born in the town of Ath- lone, Ireland, June 14, 1884. He received his early education at the Marist Brothers school there. At 12 he was sent to Summerhill Col- lege in Sligo. He was graduated at 18 with the highest honors, taking all prizes in lan- guages, in mathematics and in English com- position. . His parents then wanted him to go to Dublin to take an examination for a scholarship in -’ the Royal College of Science. Nobody had yet discovered the voice that was to make the youth world famous before he was out of his twen- ties. A few days after arriving at Dublin the young student dropped into the Mater Misericordiae Bospim!otam'lfihnr.m.nboyhood thione. ne waited in a room madbytbe urses test, O'Brien exclaimed, “There is a fortune in " 1930. ow&mmmmmw sell his home, which was in the center of much By winning the Feis Coeil award, McOor- mack's reputation was made in Dublin. His friends organized concerts to enable him to get funds to study in Italy. For the next two and McCormack’s first meher Vincent O’Brien, Ireland’s other saint, John McCormack, who has probably done more to endear the Irish to the world than any other persom. In the village of Lust John McCormack sang his first movie song to a group of little children. did not hear his pupil sing again until several years later when he returned to London in the Covent Garden opera, mraomumysmnmhrcelyrupomlbla singer’ he was forced to stand on the piano and sing .& last song. After that first tour, McCormack has record- -ed\ 'one - triumph after-another. He became & naturalized. citizen of the United States in 1919, However, he still maintains a home in Ireland— the 1,200-acre estate, Moore Abbey, at Monas- terevan. < ' xtwuntl(ooreAbbeythntmmyo(the exterior scenes for “Song o' My Heart” were filmed. Others were in the little village of Lusk and arbund Galway, West Donegal, Sligo ‘and Kerry. Five weeks were spent in picturing native Ireland: ‘That was one of two thlngs McCormack in- sisted upon' when he signed his contract. The other was that all the time he deemed neces~ sary be spent in experimental work for' the recording of his voice. No other person was given - the' right to pass upon the voice record- ing. If it didn’t suit him i'.wnreoordedmin and min antil he was satisfied. _I’r .was in the village of Lusk that McCormack & mhisflrstsonzfotthhpmducuon The song was-one of his own compositions, entitled “Ahlryswrybytheflre"mdhemgn to a group ot children, with all of Lusk’s 150 inhabitants - lookln( on. All were .cautioned that they would have to maintain absolute silence. This warning and the watchful eye of a policeman were unnecese sary, however, as not one of them did more than breathe during the scene—except a little girl who, as soon as McCormack finished his song, piped up: “That's gorgeous, sing it .’ And.so spontaneous and natural was this little girl’'s remark that it was decided to -keep it in the film, ‘To further assure the authentic portrayal of Ireland in this gigantic production, three of the important roles were filled by native Irish, who were brought to Hollywood for completion of the film. They are Joseph M. Kerrigan, for years prominently connected with the Irish stage; 18-year-old Maureen O'Sullivan and 1l-year-old Tommy Clifford, neither of whom has ever before appeared on the stage or screen, Miss O'Sullivan, who possesses one of the most charming personalities ever seen in Hollywood, has the leading feminine role. And she has done so well that Fox officials have given her 8 new contract. As this is being written, the last scenes of the picture are being filmed and recorded, and it is planned to have the fllm ready for its premiere in New York on St. Patrick’s day. (Copyright, 1930.)