Elmer the Great (Warner Bros.) (1933)

; Cut No. i.) 16 Cut 30c Mat 10c with PATRICIA ELLIS, FRANK McHUGH, CLAIRE DODD PRESTON 8S. FOSTER Elmer Kane, one of the greatest batters in the history of baseball, is both lazy and lacking in ambition. His chief passions are eating and sleeping. However, he does harbor a smoldering love for Nellie Poole, proprietor of a grocery store in their home town of Gentryville, for whom he drives a delivery truck when not playing baseball. The Chicago Cubs buy his contract from Terre Haute, and Wade, a scout, goes to Gentryville for Elmer, but he refuses to leave Gentryville. Nellie tries to persuade him to go with Wade, whereupon he tells her of his love, which he believes to be hopeless. She hides her own love for Elmer, whereupon he signs the contract. Elmer goes through a hectic baseball season, the constant butt of the rest of the players, because of his colossal conceit. Evelyn, a friend of the players, assists in stringing Elmer along. Their supreme joke is to have Elmer broadcast through a thermalite, which he believes is a microphone. The World Series comes along and the Cubs take three games in succession, largely due to Elmer’s batting. When he returns to his hotel after the game, Evelyn throws her arms around him. Just at that moment Nellie, who had gone to Chicago to meet Elmer and confess her love, enters the lobby and witnesses the act. Elmer Length 6638 feet Running Time CREDITS | rushes after her, but she refuses to have anything to do with him. Elmer is broken hearted, and when High Hips, his room mate, suggests they go on a “bust,” Elmer is all for it. High Hips takes him to an exclusive gambling club. Elmer does not realize he is being charged with tlie chips he uses, but when he is ready to go home, he finds he is out $5,000. Elmer signs an I. O. U., but starts a fight at the suggestion of throwing the game. He and High Hips are put in jail. While being patched up by the doctor, Elmer sees a thermalite, and when the doctor explains what it is, he sees red, realizing the players have been making a fool of him. Elmer refuses to leave the jail and no one knows where he is. The Yankees win the next three games. High Hips finally gets out and reveals Elmer’s whereabouts. The Cubs’ owner and manager try to get Elmer out, but he flatly refuses to leave. Eventually Nellie learns where he is and persuades him to enter the game. The gamblers try to keep him out of the game, but after a series of exciting adventures and funny incidents, Elmer goes to bat, knocks a ball against the fence and wins the game in the last inning. He is hustled to the microphone to give a real broadcast, where he is joined by Nellie. 74 min. IS ee ee Mervyn Le Roy Based on play by... on Ring Lardner and George M. Cohan ORCC SN «om Geragthy ONO DRY OY ee ce ea Arthur Todd Be Oh Thomas Pratt Pee Pen oe asin uae ee Robert Haas tS ea et eg Orry-Kelly Vitaphone Orchestra Conductor... TABLE OF Accessories: 2 16 Advance Publicity ............... 2 NS Se nee 8 to ll Durgee on 13 Biographies ence ae Current Publicity 0000. =3 CONTENTS Exploitation: 12 to 15 Peatures 2 a ROVICW ac ee 3 NOT a3 ose 5, 6 Special Sport Feature ................ 7 Per ee. = ee JOE ~. BROWN Netie So oe ee eg ee BONICIa Is Pligle Tipe Ti Can ee Frank McHugh ee, pret came = reat ae no emg aa nlimien ese wes Fee ea Claire Dodd PE CE oe pani ee Preston S. Foster TT oa eee ee Russell Hopton Fi Ges eee I OPE ot ae er eet Oc Pe SE ir NEE Sterling Holloway DOGG Se oe ee ee Emma Dunn Bull McWade ............... gia hte Re rc aS Charles Wilson RU COW O e eee e Jessie Ralph fh Ug Saget nee ie otf Risto ale Ar Douglas Dumbrille OO ee a ee aa Charles Delaney Ci Ae Ot bs ee Berton Churchill PE Sg ia Se a es IS ee See eam RIES ene J. Carroll Naish PRONE CE a ee Gene Morgan OFFICIAL BILLING ‘First National Pictures, Inc., and The Vitaphone Corp. 10% presents JOE E. BROWN 100% it “ELMER THE GREAT” 75% Based on a play by Ring Lardner and George M. Cohan’ 5% with Patricia Ellis — Frank McHugh 10% Claire Dodd — Preston S. Foster 10% Russell Hopton 10% Directed by Mervyn LeRoy 20% ‘A First National and Vitaphone Production 40% SUGGESTED VITAPHONE SHORTS TO BALANCE YOUR PROGRAM Merrie Melodie (1 reel) and Newman World Adventure (1 reel) and Rambling Round Radio Row (1 reel) FIRST NATIONAL PICTURES’ MERCHANDISING PLAN FOR