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
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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 --' -