The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-01-06
PHOTOPLAYS AND
PHOTOPLA YERS
BY GARDNER MACK.
# Appendicitis Can
Aftlict a Feline
Miss Hamper
May Win.
Rv GARDINER MACK.

Does an animal, more especially
a valuable Persian cat, have an
appendix? And II a cat has an APP
pendix. can It be removed success
fully by operation upon II, the same
as a surgeon operates upon a human
being?
These are questions which a press
agent declares a New York court
will be called upon to decide in a
suit pertaining to the manner
"Waw- Waw," the valuable Persian
cat belonging TO Genevieve Ham
per, came to an untimely end. IT
is noted here that the press agent
is the only authority for the idea
that a cat can have appendicitis
in the first place. But 1t Is rather
an original idea for a press agent
to have, and because of that fact
1t has certain amount of interest
even II there never was cat.
According to the press agent.
Miss Hamper had a Persian cat
called "Wcw-waw," of which she
was very fond. She had owned the
cat several years, It had played
with her in several stage produce
tions. and when she went to work
=
husband. Robert Mantell. she i'm
mediately commenced training the
cat with q possibility OF using II IN
motion pictures. Director ]. Gordon
Edwardes had promised to tind a
scenario containing a big part for a
cat with the poetic name of 'Waw-
Waw" Just as soon as he could.
One day 'NNaw-Waw" became i'll.
A veterinarian was sent for and he
diagnosed the case as appendicltie.
He explained that the cat was sick
In the same way a human being
would be sick IL human being had
appendicitis and that, therefore, the
only way to cure the cat was the
same way a human being Ia cured
by an operation. Miss Hamper gave
the veterinarian a check for $500 and
the cat. The cat was operated on
and died. And now Miss Hamper
has been informed that cats do not
have appendicitis and that the vet
erinarian who operated on her cat
was mistaken in his diagnosis.
Therefore Miss Hamper has sued
the veterinarian to recover the
amount of the check she gave him
and the value of the cat which she
places at $500. The suit VIII shorty
come up for trial, It Is understood.
and the question of appendicitis apd
cats will be thoroughly gone into
so the press agent says.
Cleaning up motion pictures IL to
be an important feature OF the pro-
gress of 1916. according to the wise
men of flndom and E.. ID. Hork-
helmer. secretary and treasurer OF
the Balboa Company, Ii one OF the
men who believes the cleaning pro-
cess will oe beneficial to the MIN m
dustry and the public alike. The
Balboa Company IL the concern
which is making a motion Pietui r'
interesting novel "The Red Circle =
which is being published as a serial
story In The Times every week DAY.
'Dirty dollars are not lasting" MI
Horkheimer observed. The com
panies that are going ahead are the
ones that are putting on the photo
ySisvs vsiIb. a constructive viewpoint.
Wholesomeness must be the Key.
note. Each picturepiay should poinI
q moral That does not mean VIC
are to screen dry sermons. Ih lvs,r
can be n point to amusement INT
tales that stick are Invariably those
which tell something.
~ don't agree with w. A. Brady
recent remarks that the most people
want nasty plays, either on the staEt
ar an, the screen. That would mean
there were more evil minded ones
than clean. 7 can't think so nleanly
Of the JuEN pNNo'iAD~
few misguided men and women are
crooks Is no sign that the world II
largely an underworld.
"Heart interest is the best elemen
with which to held picture goers; l.
apnlies to the story paner as wen ~
to the spoken drama. Just recall tht
novels and plays that have gone or
indefinitely like Tennyson,s BROOK
and nnnIyze them. Their heart II.
terest is what has always appealed
to the, multitude. In every mar
woman. and child there Is a bettel
nature, as represented by, the heart
It can only be touched by clear
story.
II realize that there are certain
things represented in productions a
times from the very best motives o.
the producer, which advertisers dlS
tort in order to make sensual appeal
Then. too, some stories. which have
been written with a good motive II
view. are twisted out of all sem
blance to original for the purpose o
wandering to the baser part OF mel
and women. But happily. they ar
becoming fewer and fewer" =,