The Great Dictator 1939 1941 next previous
The Great Dictator Clippings 84/369
L. O. P., Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, Pa., July 19, 1940.
His New Job Scene, Ben Turpin, Charlie Chaplin
& Veterans of Movies Pay
Turpin Final Tributes
BEVERLY HILLS, Cal., July 2 (AP) – Veterans of the
custard pie days of silent pictures gathered in a Catholic church
Wednesday to pay a last tribute to one of the greatest
of them all – Ben Turpin, who turned an affliction into a fortune.
Ben Turpin, whose cockeyed comedy made him
a star in the long ago days of Keystone Kops and bathing
beauties and slapstick fun, died suddenly early
Monday. (...)
The largest floral piece was a seven-foot spray
of red roses, from Charlie Chaplin. Ben made
his debut in a half-reel picture starring Chaplin a quarter
of a century ago.
(...) AP, Salt Lake Tribune, Salt Lake City,
Utah, July 4, 1940
AP, Associated Press.
& Fellow workers at the Charlie Chaplin studios,
right up to the great comedian himself, are amazed
at Meredith Willson‘s industry. He‘s now in the
final stages of his music chore for the Chaplin film „The Great
Dictator.“ Willson has been spending all week ends,
as well as evenings, on the job despite Chaplin‘s pleas
to „take it easy.“ „How can I“ asked Meredith.
„After 10 years in radio, doing two to five shows a week?“
(...) Belvidere Daily Republican, Belvidere,
Illinois, Aug. 23, 1940
& 9,000 Acclaim Oscar Levant
in Fair Concert
Music From Chaplin Film Presented
by Meredith Willson
By Alexander Fried (...)
DOUBLES HONOR.
Conductor of the evening was another young American,
Meredith Willson. He doubled his honors by presenting
his own Prelude to Charlie Chaplin‘s film, The Great Dictator,
and his own Symphony No. 2.
True, the program called Chaplin composer of the former
piece. But the piece was evolved by Willson from
certain of the comedian‘s fragmentary tunes. Merely to think
up tunes is not to compose. To compose – literally –
is to put together, to build, to organize.
The Chaplin-Willson number was a potpourri
of attention-calling fanfares, capricious vivacity
and warm-toned balladry. It should serve well as incidental
movie music. It cannot claim to be concert music.
(...) San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco,
California, Aug. 28, 1940
& SPARKS: Meredith Willson, who just finished scoring
Charlie Chaplin‘s new film about dictators between
NBC broadcasts, lost nine pounds conducting the San
Francisco Symphony Orchestra. . . .
(...) Stars and „Mikes“ By Hal Rorke, Kansas City Star,
Kansas City, Missouri, Sept. 8, 1940
„Has genius merit as a symphony“
Editorial content. „By Louella O. Parsons“
„Chaplin Music Offered in Concert
Charles Chaplin has been working for months on the music
of The Dictator and according to Meredith Willson his
Prelude to Production No. Six has genius merit as a symphony.
Willson must believe that the Chaplin music, apart
from the picture, is worthwhile, for he is presenting it at the
San Francisco World‘s Fair Aug. 27 in an all-American
concert. Chaplin always has written compositions, but has
really never done anything with his music.
Interesting that the score of The Dictator will be presented
before the picture is seen and that reminds me that
Chaplin better keep his word and let me have a look at that
movie of his.“
The Great Dictator world premiere is in New York Oct. 15, 1940
at the Capitol and Astor Theatres.
Capitol Theatre, 1645 Broadway (at 51st Street), New York.
Astor Theatre, 1531 Broadway (at 45th Street), New York.
Redaktioneller Inhalt
The Great Dictator 1939 1941 next previous
