Elmer the Great (Warner Bros.) (1933)

PLANT THIS SERIES OF ANECDOTES WITH YOUR LOCAL SPORTS EDITORS Note to the Exhibitor :—These siz amusing anecdotes by Joe E. Brown, dealing with baseball players, made quite a hit when pub lished in the Chicago Daily News. We suggest you plant them with the Sports Editor of your local newspaper, using three stories for advance publicity and three during the run of your show. Mats of Joe E. Brown shown in the head are available at your exchange. No. 1 OEE. BROWN opens his MOUTH Cut No.9 Cut 15e By JOE E. BROWN (Movie comedian, ex-ball player and part owner of the Kansas City Blues, whose latest First National comedy picture, “Elmer the Great,” comes to the.... Theatre... =. .) Mat 5c Many good stories are told about Jay Kirk, who was the best batter in the American Association for a number of years, He cared about nothing but his hits. If his team were taking a 10 to 0 lacing, he would still be whistling if he got a couple of hits. I met him one night in Toledo and asked him who won the game. “I don’t know,” Jay replied, “but I got three hits.” One spring while he was with Louisville he and Mrs. Kirk were living in a pretty little cottage at the edge of town. After the opening day game Mrs. Kirk saw him coming down the street, rushed out, put her arms around his neck and said: “How was the game, Jason; was there a big crowd?” Jay with a big smile said: “The old boy was smacking ’em today, sweetheart. Three hits, one for the circuit.” He gave her a kiss and into the house they went, arm in arm. Next day, same time, Mrs. Kirk saw her “Jason” coming, dashed out to the gate to greet him with: “How was my boy today?” Did you win, Jason?” Jason said: “Four hits outa four times up, honey. Looks like the old boy’s going to have a big season.” He led her into the house with his arm around her waist. Next day she saw her boy coming after the game, rushed out to meet him, yelling happily: “Well, did my ‘Jason’ have a big day today?” “Jason” pushed her aside and said, in a gruff voice: “The woman’s place is in the kitchen.” No. 2 OE E. BROWN Cut No: 9. Cut 15c By JOE E. BROWN (Movie comedian, ex-ball player and part owner of the Kansas City Blues, whose latest First National comedy picture, “Elmer the Great,” will open at the poeta T heatte: a: -,..) Mat oc In the fall of 1920 the Cleveland Indians were fighting for the American League pennant. Badly in need of pitchers, Tris Speaker acquired Walter Mails (or “The Great Mails,” as he called himself) from the Coast League. He pitched and won nine games and practically won the pennant for Speaker’s club single-handed. Mails was and still is known as a great clown. One day in Oakland he had worked the first game of a double-header. Pat O’Shea was umpiring and, according to Mails and about every fan in the park, Pat hadn’t called one decision correctly. Just before the start of the second game Mails walked up to the plate where O’Shea was standing, followed by players of both teams. Walter removed his cap and made a opens bis flowery speech about “the great esteem in which we hold you and it is with great pleasure we present you with this cup,” and handed Pat a tin drinking cup. O’Shea said: this cup?” Mails said: cils later!” Another day in Portland the “great one” had a one-run lead—ninth inning, two men on bases and Jim Poole, the hardest hitter in the league, at bat. Walter walked off the pitching mound up to the plate, put his arms around Poole’s shoulders, took off his cap and addressed the grand stand: “Ladies and gentlemen, you are looking at the greatest pitcher and the greatest hitter in the world. After I pitch to the greatest hitter in the world one of us is going to be a bum. He then walked back on the pitching rubber and proceeded to strike Jim out on three pitched balls. He took off his cap, bowed and said: “I’m still the greatest pitcher in the world.” “What’s the idea of “We'll have the pen No. 3 OE E. BROWN opens his MOUTH fut No.9 Cut 15e By JOE E. BROWN [Movie comedian, ex-ball player and part owner of the Kansas City Blues, whose latest First National comedy picture, “Elmer the Great,’ will open at the .... Theatre . =} Mat 5c Baseball has had many colorful tharacters, but few to compare with “Ping” Bodie, who played for a number of years with the Yankees and White Sox. “Ping” didn’t have the advantage of an education, but he didn’t need an education to know how to “smack the old American potato,” as he called it. “Ping’s” family lived just back of right field in San Francisco, and they used to sit on the upper porch and watch the games. One day “Pizzola” went back after a long fly and crashed into the cement wall, bounded back about fifteen feet and laid there Page Six —dead to the world. The players all] rushed out and started to fan him. Some one threw water on him and finally “Ping” sat up, looked around dizzily and said: “Hey, you fellers, ‘| stand back so my folks can see me.” _ A couple of years ago “Ping” got a job umpiring in a California league. One day fans disagreed with him on about every decision he made. Finally “Ping” called time, took off his mask and protector, waddled up to the fifth row in the grand stand and sat down ies himself and yelled “Play all!” _The home manager rushed up, put his nose through the screen and yelled: “What’s the idea?” “Well” “Ping” answered, “if these guys can see ’em better from here then this is where I sits, Play ball!” No. 4 opens bis MOUTH Cut No. 9 Cut 15e Mat 5c By JOE E. BROWN (Movie comedian, ex-ball player and part owner of the Kansas City Blues, whose latest First Nationa] comedy picture, “Elmer the Great,” is now playing at the-........ Theatre. 32.) : The hero of this story is “Bugs” Raymond, a great pitcher who never failed to live up to his nickname. “Bugs” was a lover of raw tomatoes, always had a bag of them in his hand or one in his pocket. The Giants, of which team he was a member, were making the jump from New York to St. Louis. “Bugs” was the first in the diner, had finished his dinner and was sitting on the back platform of the observation car with his bag of tomatoes, eating away on one. The train drew up at a small town in Pennsylvania. There was a husky|°* ° ; young fellow sitting on a_ truck. “Bugs” yelled at him, “Hey, Rube.” The young fellow called back good naturedly, “Yeah, I guess I am a. rube, but I’ve probably got the money for those tomatoes you are eating.” “Bugs” had no answer and was a little burned up. About this time the train started to draw out of the station. “Bugs” took a tomato out of the bag, wound up and let her fly. It was a perfect bull’s-eye on the young fellow’s forehead. “Bugs” started to do a dance on the back of the platform and said, “Who’s the rube now?” Just then the train stopped and started to back up. The young fellow got on and beat the daylights out of “Bugs.” No. 5 Cut No.9 Cutis5c Mat 5c By JOE E. BROWN (Movie comedian, ex-ball player and part owner of the Kansas City Blues, whose latest First National picture, “‘Elmer the Great,” is now playing at the.... Theatre... .) In the spring of 1926 the New York Yankees took to St. Petersburg a big catcher whom they drafted from Smith was a big boy and proud of his strength, was constantly giving exhibitions by bending horseshoes or tearing telephone books. Two weeks after we arrived at St. Pete there wasn’t a whole telephone book to be found in the St. Mark’s Hotel. We were playing poker about 2 o'clock one morning when Smith came in to look on. Finally asked, “Hey, fellas, what do yuh do with yure laundry?” Joe Bush, who was a great clown, said: “Give it to Hug.” i Hic JJOEE.BROWN opens his MOUTH “Yuh mean the manager?” “Sure. He takes care of it.” “Yeah, but it’s 2 o’clock and I would like to get it out tonight.” Bullet Joe finally convinced the rookie that Huggins would feel hurt if Smith did not call him about it right away. Smith went to the phone and asked the operator for the man| ager’s Troon). en the operator told him he could not connect him at that hour Smith said, “Oh that’s all right, he wants me to call him.” The operator took his word for it and after ringing a few times a sleepy voice answered, “What d’ yuh want?” Smith said, “This is Smitty—Smitty your catcher—say Hug, I’ve got three shirts, four collars and three pairs of socks. What’ll I do with ’em?” Hug yelled, “Don’t do anything with them. Just take them back to WilkesBarre with you tomorrow.” No. 6 Cut No.9 Cutl15e Mat 5c By JOE E. BROWN (Movie comedian, ex-ball player and part owner of the Kansas City Blues, whose latest First National picture, “Elmer the Great,” is now playing at the... . Eneatre>. 2) Along about 1909 or 1910 the Cubs took a big raw-boned catcher to the training camp with them. He was Ring Lardner’s Elmer come to life. He had led the South Atlantic League in hitting the previous year and had been given a diamond ring by the league as the most valuable player. He thought every one in the U. S. A. had heard of him. In an exhibition game in Chattanooga—score tied—he was sitting on the end of the bench eating peanuts. Frank Chance turned to our hero and said: “Get a bat and hit for Lundgren; Archer is up first.” “Tll do her, Frank,” -the rookie OE E. BROWN opens his MOUTH answered as he jumped up and started to paw over the bats. Archer singled as Elmer started for the plate. Chance called him back and told him to lay it down. “Whatta yuh say, Frank,” he asked. When Frank made it clear that he wanted him to bunt he could hardly believe Chance wasn’t joking, but finally said, “Oh, all right, you’re the manager,” then walked up to the plate, pushed his bat-at the first ball pitched and popped a fly back of second base which was caught by the shortstop. The big man from the bushes came striding back to the bench, threw his bat ahead of him and raising his voice so every one in the park could hear him, cried: “Never again, never again will I change a three-base hit for a poppy ” up. What's Happening on the WarnerFirst National Lot A new news service instituted by Warner Bros. presents the latest news from the Warner Bros.-First National studios, duction — Hollywood ~ previews — and about about the coming product. First National Lot.” dealing with pictures in proeverything you should know It is called “‘What’s Happening on the Warner Make use of this up-to-the-minute news, by planting it with your local movie editors, taking care to mention the fact that the picture will be shown at your theatre. Write for this free service without delay . Address: Warner Bros. PUBLICITY DEPT., 321 West 44th Street, New York City. | Advanee Shorts Joe E. Brown, Red-Hot Fan, Owns Ball Team Once a big league player and always a baseball fan, Joe E. Brown waxed so enthusiastic over the game during the production of “Elmer the Great,” which opens at the. ... Theatre on that he up and purchased a professional team. Joe has always had his own baseball club in Hollywood, but when Tris Speaker called him up at the First National studios and said he would sell him a third interest in the Kansas City Ball Club of the American Association, he closed the deal immediately. Speaker and Lee Keyser, owner of the Des Moines Club, own the other two-third’s interest. “Elmer the Great” is the baseball comedydrama written by Ring Lardner and George M. Cohan, which made such a tremendous hit on the stage. Joé has enacted the same role on the stage that he plays in the screen version. Joe E. Brown's Mouth Has Lots of Company Joe E. Brown has no corner on big mouths in Hollywood, but he has made it a valuable asset for his comedy work. Most actors have them, according to Perc Westmore, studio makeup specialist at First National. They go with the profession, he Says. As mouths go, George Arliss is as well equipped as the next one. Wallace Beery, when he wishes, can show a face cavity nearly as large as the wide-mouthed comedian. Even Richard Barthelmess, with his long and slightly crooked smile, offers no handicap to the exploring dentist, and Edward G. Robinson would be a runner-up. in any wide-mouthed contest. Joe in his latest picture, “Elmer The Great,” which comes to the.... Theatre on... ., opens his mouth so ide, however, that it is difficult to this respect. — Sas = wa COIs pC caerUlIn its “Elmer the Great" Star in Familiar Role Joe E. Brown, who plays the title role in the First National screen version of the Ring Lardner-George M. Cohan stage hit,“Elmer the Great,” which comes to the .... Theatre on + + vy Played the same role on the stage, and consequently was entirely familiar with the part before starting the First National picture The role is somewhat different, however, in many sequences, as the great World Series games and the action on the baseball field, which are only hinted at in the stage production, are actually carried out in the picture. Film Baseball Scenes at the World's Series A number of the scenes for “Elmer the Great,” Joe E. Brown’s latest starring picture for First National, which comes to the .... Theatre on... . were taken during the World’s Series games last Fall between the Cubs and the Yankees. The great climax of the picture, which is based on the stage play by Ring Lardner and George M. Cohan, is a World’s Series game between these same two clubs. Brown and Director Mervyn LeRoy attended the games with a cameraman and took many shots of the crowds in the grandstand, and some of the players in action. These Scenes are incorporated in the picture. s \ Joe E. Brown Happy in His Baseball Role Joe E. Brown, who has the role of the world’s champion batsman in the baseball epic, “Elmer The Great,” a First National picture now showing at the... . Theatre, was for many years a ball player himself. He started on the St. Paul team and later was with the New York Yankees. He was no “Elmer The Great” in those days, however, for, according to his own version, he warmed the bench for a year and then quit.