New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-10


took them. Jimmy, who all but passed away with the
lion, didn't calculate on the hazard Of the hypodermic
needle.
NOR did the actress calculate on a hazard when She
faced the villain and let him shoot her dead with
a blank cartridge.
That was easy They DO such things on the legiti-
mate stage and it has been done often that there's
little thrill left in it. But the actress for the movie
company just referred to got her own little thrill just
the same.
"Isten' she said to the villain just before the scene
took place. you point that pistol straight at my
heart, you hear? Don't shoot over my head, because
that will register on the film and spoil the scene Shoot
straight We want to put plenty of punch into this
scencl'
The critical moment arrived. Throwing out her arms
in an attitude Of utter defiance the actress babe the
villain shoot her-shc didn't care The villain regis
tered fendish gee and raised the pistol But he
not a villain at heart and for the life of him he couldn't
overcome his respect for the old injunction to
point pistol or gun at anybody.
So as he pulled the trigger his hand Involuntary
moved to the right There was the usual explosion,
smoke, and slow sinking Of the skilled heroine. Then
the camera man stopped grinding, and preparations
were started for the next scene.
Suddenly the heroine uttered exclamation Of ex-
element. She examining her dress. There was an
ugly rent in the goods at her left side At the same in
slant the property man. in the act Of taking down the
scenic wall behind her, whstled softly and pointed.
Through several layers Of painted canvas and an inch
deep into oak plank had penetrated the brass shell
Of the blank cartridge. cartridge Of smaller calbcr
than that Of the property pistol had been used The
aversion of the villain pointing that pistol straight
at the heroine had saved her life
TT was a stage hands bungng that all but cost the
life Of a well known movie actor The scene required
that the actor impersonang the villain should struggle
with the heroine and then be cast backward down
open elevator shaft.
Everything had been arranged. The elevator was
lowered few feet and mattress placed on top Of it to
break the actors fall The scene started and was hur-
RED through TO the climax. The heroine gave the
villain the fatal push, and over he went into the yawn
ing shaft. Then the camera stopped and she peered
the edge-o the actor lying unconscious on TOD
Of the mattress fifteen feet below where the top Of the
elevator should have been! workman had lowered
the without stopping 70 find out why it was stand
ing just few feet below the stage floor
COMEDY on the film is not without its tragedy and
near-tragcly while the film is being made There
IS the of the rural bicycle policeman who chasing
a thief and falling off his wheel every few wards lust 10
make the children laugh, suddenly rides through a nest
Of internal machines that the thief has planted in the
road, which We're due 20 explode with great bechngs OF
smoke-ust after the rider had safely passed bv
But something went wrong Either the man
who controlled the electric decorators forgot
what he was doing and closed the circuit at the
wrong tnne or because the wires 60, crossed,
those bombs went of just as The rider was in the
midst Of them The film anil the laugh were
b spoiled. He was taken 20 thc hospital in an UNI
conscious condition, eyebrows burned off. skin
acerated, and his eyesigl, nearly ruined
And the fellow wh, intended % make an
audience laugh boy jumping into the ocean when
be couldn't swim didn't register his laugh on the
--f nal -frff of b44 o i,, [