City Lights 1930 1931 1932 next previous
City Lights Clippings 165/387
Film Daily, New York, January 6, 1931.
Vaulted room of Grand Central Terminal, East 42nd
and Vanderbilt, New York, 1935–1941, Works Progress
Administration
& Charles Chaplin, 1931, Topical Press Agency
& NOTABLES OF THE WORLD
TO OPENING
Chaplin Premiere Draws Celebrities; New Theater
to Be Dedicated
Friday night „with fanfare seldom equaled at a first-night
event,“ the new Los Angeles Theater on Broadway
between Sixth and Seventh will make its debut on the local
rialto, it is announced.
Not only will the opening of the new motion-picture
playhouse, which is hailed as one of the „most
unusual and beautiful theaters in the world,“ be a matter
of importance to Angelenos, but celebrities from all
walks of life from all parts of the country are to be in attendance.
The theater management reports that movie notables
to attend will include Charlie Chaplin, whose most recent
vehicle, „City Lights,“ will be given its world premiere;
Carl Laemmle, Sr. and Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Louis B. Mayer, and
others; the group of civic notables will be headed
by William Gibbs McAdoo and Mayor Porter, while first
on the group of internationally famed personalities
who will grace the event will be the celebrated scientist,
Prof. Albert E. Einstein and Frau Einstein.
Apart from the interest which is being evidenced in the
premiere because of the fact that it marks the formal
opening of a theater structure which introduces innovations
entirely new to motion picture audiences and is a model
of beauty and modernity, the event has long been anticipated from
a professional standpoint, as it marks the presentation
of the first nondialogue picture filmed in Hollywood in several
years. „City Lights,“ although featuring sound effects
and musical synchronization, does not have spoken lines,
and for this reason the local film industry has been
awaiting the advent of the Chaplin production with much
curiosity.
A distinctive stage show, directed by Albert E. Short,
and featuring a group of well-known New York
entertainers, and a program by the Los Angeles Theater
Symphony Orchestra will furnish a prologue
to „City Lights“ during its run at the new playhouse.
(...) Los Angeles Times, Jan. 25, 1931.
Albert Einstein, Elsa Einstein.
& Luminaries Attend In Gala Attire
LOS ANGELES‘ Broadway, the scene in years past
of many hundreds of brilliant openings, will bathe
in the glory of one of the most glittering events ever to illuminate
its length, when on Friday night the Los Angeles
Theater, a structure dedicated to the motion-picture industry,
will be opened with formal ceremony.
Attending the affair which long has been anticipated
will be hundreds of celebrities, from gorgeously
gowned feminine screen luminaries to distinguished scientists,
Government officials and others.
Hailed as a fitting monument to the screen art,
the Los Angeles Theater will exhibit to public gaze Friday
night many innovations, it is predicted.
„City Lights,“ bringing Charlie Chaplin to the screen in his
newest and outstanding characterization, will be given
its world premiere coincident with the debut of the Los Angeles.
Augmenting the showing of „City Lights“ at the
Los Angeles will be a unique stage show presented under
the direction of Albert E. Short, featuring a group
of well-known New York stage stars, and a concert by the
30-piece Los Angeles Theater Symphony Orchestra.
Among notables from various walks of life who will attend
the premiere are Charlie Chaplin himself, Louis B.
Mayer, Carl Laemmle, senior and junior, Mayor John C. Porter,
William Gibbs McAdoo and Prof. Albert E. Einstein
and Frau Einstein.
(...) FORMAL CEREMONY MARKS OPENING OF NEW
CINEMA HOME HERE, Los Angeles Evening Express, Jan. 24, 1931.
Albert Einstein, Elsa Einstein.
& Celebrities At Opening Of Theater
BRINGING to reality a dream H. L. Gumbiner, owner
and operator, has cherished for many years, the
Los Angeles Theater, on Broadway between Sixth and Seventh
street, will open tonight with the world premiere of
Charlie Chaplin in „City Lights.“
Many hundreds of celebrities are to be in attendance,
including Prof. and Frau Albert E. Einstein, Dr. Robert
Millikan, William Gibbs McAdoo, Marion Davies, Mayor John
Porter, Louis B. Mayer, Jesse Lasky, Jack Warner,
Charles Chaplin and scores of others equally important.
Besides the outstanding interest, centered
in the debut of the Los Angeles, which, it is asserted, is one
of the most beautiful and modern theaters not only
in America, but of the world, the advent of Chaplin‘s „City
Lights“ has also been anticipated for many months.
Reason for this is that it is the first nondialogue picture
of importance presented on the local rialto
in several years.
Conrad Nagel will appear as master of ceremonies
at the opening this evening. With the largest capacity of any
picture theater in the city, the Los Angeles seats
approximately 2500 persons, as its owner insisted that there
should be no crowding of seats.
Following the premiere of „City Lights“ tonight the
vehicle will be shown at popular prices and on a continuous
exhibition schedule daily.
(...) Los Angeles Evening Express, Jan. 30, 1931
Albert Einstein, Elsa Einstein.
„Mister Chaplin is the original Greta Garbo of the screen“
Editorial content. „Along the Rialto
with Phil M. Daly
WE HAVE been waiting years and years
for someone to explain Charlie Chaplin‘s remarkable
popularity that goes on perennially... he is the only screen
in the history of the biz who has been able to stay off
the screen for several years‘ running, and come back stronger
than ever... his forthcoming City Lights has bookings
running into the millions... THAT‘S Popularity, gents... also
Mystery... how does he do it?... admitting that he‘s the
greatest comedian the films have produced... also the outstanding
master of the pantomimic form, which is the underlying
and basic principle of pictures-in-motion... and ALWAYS will be,
talkies or no talkies... still all this does not fully account
for Chaplin‘s phenomenal perennial popularity... not to keep
you longer in suspense, we‘re going to let you in on the
Big Secret... Mister Chaplin is the original Greta Garbo of the
screen... Mysterious... Elusive... and he‘s been pulling
this Greta Garbo stuff for about two decades, but nobody ever
gave him credit for it... he proves it in his latest decision...
he has positively declined to go on the radio... although he can
command a higher price for an international radio
broadcast than any single individual in America... which decision
proves that Charlie is endowed with perspicacity,
business judgement and horse sense... ,familiarity breeds
contempt‘ is an old wheeze that still wheezes a load
of Truth... which screen stars overlook when they go on the
air... there is something psychological in the sound
of the Human Voice that dissipates Romance, Charm, Mystery,
Elusiveness... is Greta Garbo as elusive and mysterious
now that her Voice can be heard?... and why have so many
screen idols with good voices crashed since they started
to talk in the talkies?... so Charlie, the Wisest of ‘em All, preserves
his Mystery and Elusiveness in City Lights by not using
his Voice... for Charlie knows better than anybody that his great
comedy talent alone would not keep him perennially popular...“
The world premiere of City Lights takes place in Los Angeles
January 30, 1931 at the Los Angeles Theatre.
Los Angeles Theatre, 615 South Broadway (between
6th and 7th Streets), Los Angeles.
City Lights opens in New York February 6, 1931
at the Cohan Theatre.
George M. Cohan Theatre, 1482 Broadway (between
42nd and 43rd Streets), New York.
Redaktioneller Inhalt
City Lights 1930 1931 1932 next previous
