As I continue to do research on theaters in La Grande, Oregon from 1914-1921, I ran across an article in the La Grande Evening Observer which states that in the spring of 1916, the Arcade theater was going to remodel. The news came from the newest manager of the Arcade theater, Mrs. H. B. Leiter. So far this is also the only theater I have come across with a female manager. Mrs. Leiter was going to remove the vaudeville shows entirely from the theater. She claims that the movies are becoming higher in quality, and that is what audiences really want to watch, not vaudeville. Mrs. Leiter also reminds the readers/audience that they are seeing the same quality pictures for 10 cents, that others are seeing in Portland for 15 cents, as a way to entice them to continue coming to the Arcade.
I have no real explanation as to why Mrs. Leiter would remove vaudeville from the theater, except that around that time, there were traveling movie showings. Calvin Pryluck talks more about these traveling movie showings, explaining that they had a circuit they would travel, stopping in towns large and small, and showing their movies. While Pryluck couldn't find evidence, there are stories of some of these itinerant movie showings traveling around eastern Oregon up until the 1950s.
For Mrs. Leiter, these itinerant movies could have been a problem for her business if they were able to show a wider variety of movies, while she was showing vaudeville and movies. The second article, which was found directly underneath the first, talks about how Mrs. Leiter is also going to redecorate the theater to make it new and attractive. She states that she wants everyone to feel at home while at the Arcade, as well as how well taken care of the children will be, especially since from time to time, the Arcade will play specific movies directed towards the children. The remodel, as well as the language directed at the family, could possibly be another way in which Mrs. Leiter is competing against the itinerant shows. While we may never know exactly why Mrs. Leiter was remodeling the theater and removing vaudeville shows, she was at least making her mark on the Arcade theater.
Sources
La Grande Evening Observer, 4 Jan. 1916, p.8
“The Itinerant Movie Show and the Development of The Film Industry” Hollywood In The Neighborhood (Calvin Pryluck): 37-52