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Published Sunday, January 01, 2012 in Close-Up

Bridges' vintage movie poster exhibit opens Jan. 28 in Carrollton

From Staff Reports

closeup@newnan.com

Sharpsburg's Herb Bridges will help open an exhibit of his original MGM movie posters at the Carrollton Cultural Arts Center Jan. 28.

Bridges' posters were created by artists in the "Golden Age" of Hollywood cinema for the Loew's Grand Theater in Atlanta.

Built in 1893 as the DeGive Grand Opera House, the venue was remodeled in 1923 to become Loew's. It was here that the gala world premiere of "Gone With The Wind" was held in 1939.

The Loew's was owned by MGM and only premiered MGM-produced movies. In the 1930's and 1940's, the hotel employed two full-time movie poster artists to create movie posters and displays exhibited at the front entrance and in the theater lobby.

Printed promotional material shipped to theaters from Hollywood was never used at the Loew's Grand. Original pastel and paint posters were created each week by the poster artists to add elegance and prestige to the movie palace.

Included in the Carrollton exhibit will be original posters from movies starring Clark Gable, Joan Crawford, Marlene Dietrich, Vivian Leigh, Judy Garland, Lana Turner, Henry Fonda, Jane Russell, Barbara Stanwyck, Robert Taylor and William Powell. A featured display will be original posters from "Gone With the Wind."

Bridges will be available to answer questions about the exhibit at its opening.

Herb Strobino, a Carrollton watercolor and acrylic artist, will open his "Various Themes By" exhibit Jan. 28 as well. The Carrollton Cultural Arts Center will host a free reception for the exhibits' openings from 1-5 p.m. in the building's lobby.

To further celebrate, the public is invited to a special screening of the Susan Hayward musical "With a Song in My Heart" to coincide with the openings. Movie tickets are $5 each and include bottled water and popcorn. For information and movie tickets, call 770-838-1083.

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