The Washington times., 1915-12-31
PHOTOPLAYS AND
PHOTOPLAYERS
BY GARDNER MACK
Teaches Animals How
To Become Actors
And Actresses in
Pictures.
BY GARDNER MACK.

Many persons who have viewed
the pictures of photoplays callinS
for animal actors-not horses and
the domestic tyie-but lions, tigers,
elephunts, monkeys, etc, usually
overlook the fact thai these animals
don't just happen" on the scene.
As a matter of fact they are part
of well thought out scenario and
are carefully rehearsed for their
parts And the business of re-
hearsing animals Is no easy job,
according to the people have en-
gagged in IL. At tirst-and even now
it is the case with some animal
pictures--the directors would wait
until the animal performed stunt
that was wanted naturally. Nova
days they spend the time they for
merIy spent i'm waiting, in training
the animal to do what is wanted.
With such animals as lions, tigers,
leopards, etc, the directors nave
little trouble, for the reason that
when such animals spring on the
leading man or woman for photo-
play purposes, they are really not
springing at the actor or actress at
all, but at a chicken or q piece OF
meat that an assistant. out of range
of the camera, is dangling before
them, With other animals how
ever, there arc weeks spent in ac-
tual training. The Paramount cor
poration has recently instituted a
natural history department with it9
news features I'm which It proposed
to produce regular photoplsXs WIN
something OF the "home" life OF
the animals and amuse at the same
time.
raymond l.. Ditmars, chief cura-
tor Of the Bronx zoo, in New YORK,
has been placed in charge OF TINS TINS
department, and the animals in the
Bronx Zoo will be used for the pur-
pose. Mr.. Ditmars calls his photo
play establishment a school OF
dramatic Arts for Animals" and
he takes his job rather seriously. =,
Our students have been gathered
from the four corners of the world,
Mr.. Dltmars states, but their at
tendance is not voluntary. am
the director and my stage mana
ger is Charlie Snyder, head keeper
and lover of reptiles and animals.
The star OF the school is not one
of the monkeys, as might be expect
ed, but a sobeT-faced old. porcuplne. 2.
who can portray every emotion or
the animal world, and on the Rialto
would be called a born actor.
In taking our pictures, 1t is
necessary to exercise. great patience,
for IL is mostly waiting game uHlH
the right moment comes and the
camera gets into action. After wait
ing the best part of week to get
a few feet of film showing several
monkeys playing a royal game OF
hide and seek. we figured out that
n would be much better to spend
the time wasted In waiting in teach
ing the animals to do just what
was wanted.
Meeting with success in teaching
monkeys several easy tricks, we de-
cided upon a more serious effort
in widening the scope of the teach
ing. we also admitted other species
to the classes. The next were the
trumpeter birds. II took two weeks
before "Prunpeterss- Romance was
rehearsed well enough to start the
camera. The scenario for this play
let was written by Snyder. though
designed would ,be a better descrip-
tive word.
'"The children viii be delighted
with what has been recently done.
While the work of my dramatic
school is not strictly scientific. 1t
will be of great value in promoting
an interest in animals among chill
dren, to say nothing of grown-up
folk. I am attempting TO do with
the actual subjects what kipling did
in the Jungle Tales for the benefit
OF the enormous motion picture pub
lie" G. Nj.