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About La Grande evening observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1904-1959 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 20, 1933)
Friday, October 20, 1933 Page Eight tA GRANDE EVENING OBSERVER, EA GRANDE, ORE. HITS GREATER SHOW SEASON BRI OFFIOALLr LAl'SCH NEW SEASON OF FINE PICTURES AT LIBERTY NGS : i Management Expresses Pride in Schedule of Motion Pictures Booked for Showing in La Grande; Lib- ' eity to Be in Step With the Largest (Theatres in the Country; Hope to Have Stage Attractions Also "Greater Show Season," being officially launched at the Liberty Theatre this week, will come in the way of a treat to the movie fans of La Grande and the vicinity. It marks the start of the new season of 1933-34 pictures coming from studios that are producing 35 more pictures than during the 1932-33 season, and brings actual proof of the revived ef forts of the major producers to give the entertainment world the best that can be produced. Studios of the major com panies have been operating during the past season on slashed budgets to such an extent that productions have Buffered. "Our 'Greater Show Season' attractions look so strong that one might think we had been saving up the best pictures for several months in order to give them a concentrated schedule of big pictures," said C. M. Wight, manager of the Liberty, in commenting upon the list of pictures dated for the next month. "But this is not the case," he said. "We merely hope to show the fans in La Grande that the new sea son is to bring a class of pictures that will over-shadow any thing they have seen so far. With strained economic condi tions during the last two years, movie-producers were no dif ferent from any other executives in not knowing just what was to be the bottom. But every major company has re sponded to the national recovery administration with such enthusiasm and earnestness, that movie fans are to benefit, and incidentally the movie industry itself." "W are actually proud of our$ schedule of pictures for the coming season, os It enables us to keep step with the largest theatres In the coun try. For that reason, and because Mrs. Wight and I like La Grande Immensely, I am b'"1 I was placed In charge here In time to usher In the new season of better pictures." ' Stage attractions, an almost extinct form of entertainment since the ad vent of talking pictures, Is making a valiant attempt to again gain Its place In the entertainment world. According to word Mr. Wight Just received from Frederick Mercy Br. and Junior, owners and directors of the corporation operating tho La Grande theatres, If the opportunity presents Itself in the nature of worth while stage attractions, La Grande will be benefited with such, attractions this season. ''Greater Show Season" has a triple significance for Frederick Mercy Br. and Frederick Meroy Jr., directors of the corporation i operating, the La Grande theatres. Primarily it Is the announcement of the ' now season's pictures. To Frederick Mercy Sr., It marks the twenty-sixth year of his career as a showman In the Paclfto Northwest. Twenty-elx years ago, when movies wero hardly more than an experiment, with the modorn facilities of talking pictures and screen fame undreamed of, Mr, Morcy started his first thoutro In Seattle, Wash., in a small store convorted by mesne of benches and a screen into a "nlcklodeon." This year also marks the third an niversary of the Mercy entrance to La Grande. Three years ago In Septem ber Inland Theatres leased the Lib erty and Granada, theatres, Inter taking over the Btotc. After remotlol llng and reconditioning these theatres they were re-opened with a now policy of pictures and operation. ' "We have gone through some tough times In La Orande." Mr. Morcy stated on one of his recent visits here, "but probably no more so than some of the other business concerns located hero. Theatres aro true baro meters of business conditions, and La Grande has been no exception to that rule. We have always had a great deal of faith in this community how ever, and while It might have been tho natural thing to look for a way out when the going was hard, we have consistently held to tho Idea that tho potentialities of La Grande far exceed the dreams of somo of its best boosters. Tho fact that La Grande was among tho last cities of IU size In the Northwest to foel tho depression Is a clear Indication that this Is ono community which will sco Increasingly prosperous times In a few years." Mr. Mercy stated his regrets at having to temporarily close two of the local theatres. Repeated at tempts were mode In tho face of declining business to keep those theatres operating. "If the business upturn Increases to such an extent that we have suf ficient grounds for believing that La Orande can support more than one theatre, we will bo ready to Imme diately re-open tho closed theatres." Mr. Mercy staled, "and our belief that such conditions are not far off con be seen In tho fact that wo have contracted for moro pictures than It will be posslblo to run In tho Liberty tills season." Theatre One Of First To Sign NRA Agreement The Liberty theatre Joined Its com. pany, First National Theatres of Ore gon artd Washington, as one of the llrst theatre companies in the north west to sign President Roosevelt's re employment agreement under the na tional recovery act. The signing or tho blanket NRA agreement lias created an addition to, the Liberty payroll ot two men and an Increase of approximately 180 a month. "My Weakness." a diversion of tho musical trend, brings Lilian Harvoy, a sensation in the larger cities, co - LIBERTY SPENDS $19,000 HERE IN TWELVEMONTHS During the fiscal year ending Oct. 1 this year, the Liberty theatre has spent locally In the neighborhood of $10,000. This amount Includes pay roll, supplies, electric power and light, advertising, express and freight, and repairs. This does not Include rental of the Liberty, Granada and State buildings, the taxes paid to Union county, Insurance, and varied miscellaneous expenditures. The 1D,000 placed , in circulation locally by the Liberty Is exclusive of the vast amount spent yearly for film rental, administration costs, up keep and repair of sound equipment, advertising supplies, and for the pur chase of miscellaneous Items It Is Each of the Attractions Listed Here Are to I'lav at The LIBERTY During "GREATER SHOW SEASON" "Warrior's Husband" Edward G. Robinson Starring ELISSA LAND! ln DAVID MANNERS Th T W4l rinnl ERNEST TRUEX 1 lie Little bUlM James Cagney "Another Language" in with rm t f TT HELEN HAYES 1 he Mayor of Hell kobert Montgomery "What Price Innocence" "Arizona to Broadway" With a C-sjJuvenilc Players JEAN PARKER JOAN BENNETT W1LLARD MACK SPENCER TRACY Will Rogers I I "The Power m And The Glory" "Fir Hull" Featuring: a Big Cast Including Lfi, DUll Spencer Tracy - Colleen Moore "Hold Your Man" I "My Weakness" Staining with JEAN HARLOW LILIAN HARVEY CLARK GABLE LEW AY RES H Space i, Aim Hurtling -nwu Chmrtei, Bule Uory Cooper A IflWl SZ'h'h AMS SBTo. Btefcort William l'owoll r. "t9ml W&wmfmmmak'-- : rWV.. ';. bt J Martin. Mtfrich Koblnson narthelmess "Hk . ' ''iw li ASr 1 aTi 1 Sbs GsSll? f ' Sfi 44- bJIs Iji J (mi i Crawford Curey Grant Impossible to secure excopt from theatre supply nouses In Portland and Seattle, The staff of thirteen people now employed at the Liberty Is comprised of six young women graduates of La Grande High school and some of them students at Eastern Oregon Normal, making up the crew of cashiers and usherettes, and seven men, two projectionists, three door men, a Janitor, and the manager, or the men, three support families and maintain homes in La Grande, two are' single, and one is a student at the Normal school. 'WNNER AT EIGHT' AMONG NEW FILMS COMING TO CITY La Grande movie -goors are to bene fit this season from the revived ef forts of the major producers Inas much as the pictures from all the major companies are contracted for showing here. Probably outstanding of tho new season product are those plcturos emulating from the Metro Goldwyn Mayer studios. Among 'their an nounced schedule for the 1033-34 season appear the following: "Dinner At Bight'' destined by re ports of Its premieres to occupy a niche In tho hall of movie fame, and Does Not Allow n Complete List of Greater Show Season Attractions JtllllL'H CilKlU) Helen JfuycH sturrlng Marie Dressier, Wallace Beery, John and Lionel Barrymore, Jean Harlow, Lee Tracy, Made Evans, Karen Morley, Franc hot Tone, May Robson, and Jean Hersholt. "Night Flight" with a brilliant cast Including Clarke Gable, John and Lionel Barrymore, Helen! 'Hfiyes, Robert Montgomery, and Myrna Loy. The story of this picture hinges around the airmail pioneering of the South American Rockies. "Hollywood Porty," Metro's supreme effort at establishing a musical screen fare that can never be equalled. Into this picture they have seemingly thrown their entire star power with Joan Crawford, Marie Dressier, Jean Harlow, Lee Tracy, Jimmy Durante, Nils Asther, Lupe Velez, Jean Her sholt, and 300 beautiful girls. "Another Language" the ploy which taught Broadway that . the true, human things of life are the most dTamatlc. Written by a com paratively unknown author, It speed ily became the sensation of New York dramatic circles. Robert Montgomery and Helen Hayes star. "Soviet," bringing Wallace Beery and Clarke Gablo in another giant dramatic spectacle along the lines of "Hell Divers," probably will .create as much talk as any picture sclii uled for production this season. . j ! Beery vehicle. Is to be highly Inter esting because of Beery's Interprets.-. tlon of the titled character, ..While production has not begun on this picture aa yet, Mctao Is backing Beery up with a powerful supporting cast. "Flro Chief" (tentative title; will bring Ed Wynn, radio idol, to tho screen with a story that Metro claims will bring down every house through out tlie country. ' " "Tarzan and His Mate," a sequel to "Tarzan the Ape Man," and star ring the same cast of Johnny Weiss muller, Maureen O'Sulllvan, and Nell Hamilton, will overshadow its predecessor from Indications now ap ' - M i i m i ii ii in i M m I Mil II M II M IMIIHIHW MIlM IIM II Mil WHHI ' " .i ..i -fr iP SlB ll H FRIDAY - SATURDAY f HH llFll AS MIGHTY AS THE SOIL Hfjf WVf mi FROM WHICH ITS CHARACTERS SPRING! yi' Ml fi The Soul of America is in this III Wfl M Stalwart Character ... the most j SI n nmrFn HH ! I Miriam nopKms "-p t. ' - M B ill 111 I j igp TjQ y IF ; 1 If character aieal, liv- I fc I WSmHS -nig. breathing people Its , ; ,U ? , it, fl'M I MfOJln I I Sli Btory as human s its peo- ;V ) i , J 'ttMW I iSJlrfl I f8llr- Laurel And Hardy ' ;.'iS3l fesHN. ' in "TWICE TWO" ' I I V P .rENIcTNEWS ; y l parent about the studio sets. Fox studios have created consider able excitement with their strong schedule of screen fare for this sea son. Among the first Fox pictures of the new season to be shown here will appear: "Berkley Square," starring Leslie Howard and Heather Angel. This pic Cluuilettti Colbert Frederic March ture is creating much comment with its cxirrent runs on the coast. "The Power And The Glory," es tablishing three year records with its premiere showings, brings Spender Tracy and Colleen Moore to the screen in a dramatic vehicle of rail roading entirely different from the old ''thundering flicker-drama" still Montgomery George Arllss shown during the lost few years. "While the City Sleeps' will ,be welcomed by fans, as it brings War ner Baxter in his famous role of the Cisco Kid. Undoubtedly this one will bid for its place among the sea son's best box , office attractions, bqth because of Its Cisco Kid char acter and because of Its own merits. j j starred with Lew Ayrca. ,. . r --' -
