Did Lykens almost have a Hollywood film premier? In the promotional article for “Seven Days Leave,” which was scheduled to be featured at the Budd Theatre in Lykens in late January 1943, the author suggested that RKO’s Philadelphia office tried to get a premier showing in Lykens, but was unable to do so “because of unforeseen events.” Whether this was true or not, the film certainly had reason to be shown in an early release in Lykens because two of the stars were from Lykens – Les Brown and his brother, Warren Brown.
This is the promotional article that appeared in the Lykens Standard, January 15, 1943.
LES BROWN’S FIRST PICTURE COMING TO BUDD THEATRE
Les Brown, son of Mr. and Mrs. R. W. Brown, Lykens, who appears with his orchestra and his brother Warren Brown, in “Seven Days Leave,” a smash military musical hit coming to the Budd Theatre on Friday and Saturday, January 22-23 [1943].
Les deserves a great deal of credit for at only 30 he his at the top of the musical world, an accomplishment gained by his own efforts, and the people of this community are proud of him.
During his youth, Les was thoroughly trained by his father in music and by the time he entered high school he could play expertly any musical instrument, but the saxophone was always his first choice. The came an opportunity for Les to study at Ithaca Conservatory of Music and upon completion of that course he went on to New York Military Academy, from there to Duke University where he organized the Duke Blue Devils, an orchestra better than any Duke University ever had. Upon graduation Brown and his entire orchestra fulfilled a long summer engagement at Budd Lake, New Jersey, where well-known music critics and bookers showed a profound interest in the orchestra. Then following a period of reorganization, musical rearrangements and song writing. Les was joined by his younger brother, Warren Brown, who by this time was also a musician of merit. Finally after months of preparation and under the skillful management of Joe Glaser, noted New York manager, they were ready to tackle Broadway, the toughest, cruelest street in the world to anyone coming up the entertainment ladder.
Then came the opportunity Les was hoping for — an engagement at the famous Michael Todd‘s Theatre Cafe in Chicago. Les Brown knew he had to take everything this opportunity afforded him if he wanted to short cut his way to the top, so he not only fulfilled the engagement with an extended run but he wrote, directed and conducted a musical show entitled “Right This Way.” This show was the hit of the Chicago night clubs and from then on Les was besieged by leading bookers for engagements in theatres, night spots, resorts, on the radio and by record recording companies. in the summer of 1942, Hollywood beaconed to Les Brown and his orchestra to take part in “Seven Days Leave” which stars Victor Mature and Lucille Ball. In the picture Les portrays the role of the former employer of Victor Mature and does a swell job of it. Warren portrays the part of an orchestra member in the picture.
Critics of the picture world tag the picture with a “Very Good” rating and Philadelphia branch of RKO Radio Pictures tried to bring a premier showing of the picture to Lykens, in honor of Les Brown and Warren Brown, but because of events unforeseen, the idea had to be discarded. Warren is now serving in the Navy at Great Lakes, Illinois.
It is hoped that the people of this vicinity will be proud to see a local boy, who by honest effort and perseverance, became famous enough to be called to Hollywood.
The management of the Budd Theatre states that “Seven Days Leave” is the outstanding military musical of the season and that a special matinee will be held on Saturday afternoon, January 23rd [1943] at 2:00 P. M.
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News article and photo from Newspapers.com.
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