Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1916-07-27

picture actresses and actors do every
day with hardly the wink of an eyelash in the per-
Torrance of the stunts.
y 1t is all in answer to the cry for realism in the
a%nories which has recently been raised by directors.
Realism is now a watchword. Above all, the pro-
'duction must be realistic. The directors argue
that the public has become tired of faxed dangers
and mechanical feats that make ordinary scenes
appear hazardous. The desire for realism may be
all right for the public and the director, but it is
hard on the performers.
Patrons of the pictures are so familiar with
scenes depicting rough riding, descents of mountain
sides on. horseback and leaps from cliffs in which
the rider falls clear Of the mount and in other ways
iiirts with death that they never stop to think OF
the real danger incurred by those actors who dare
so much for the silent drama. OF course there are
certain pictures in which the danger is faxed. But
those pictures are almost equally balanced by the
Kind which depicts a real danger encountered to
accomplish the desired result.
Jumps From Moving Trains.
"When | first began to jump off moving trains"
saidsHelen Holmes, when asked for her impressions
of daredevilling in the films, II must confess / was
somewhat timid, but now / take it as something
which must be done to complete the picture.
in one picture in which / worked about six
months ago | went through the action with my
heart in my mouth, and for a moment at least l felt
like quitting. It was a railroad picture in which
L MAS u uflNe IL Dig engine across q bridge Which
was to be blown up as the engine reached the mid
IDLE.
"A torpedo on the track about twenty feet from
the spot where the dynamite charge was placed to
wreck the bridge was to give me my signal to dive
from the cab to the river thirty feet below. From
the moment that the engine reached the wooden
trestle l kept thinking what would happen if the
torpedo did not go off and l should be carried down
unto the wreckage.
sTho run ne about +Iir4r -..Iz L ~. H
able, but everything worked according to plans and
l made the dive safely, but I was shaking like a
leaf when fished from the river. / was so fright
,ened | could hardly keep myself afloat.
But now | have become so used to risking nv
neck that | accept it as a matter of course. 1t is
much like the case of an aviator when he starts fy-
ing. At first he is cautious and only makes slight
;ascents and safe descents, but soon the spirit of
daring enters his soul and he is looping the loon
and doing spirals 1000 feet in the air, and other
dangerous %stunts.'
Danger in the Quicksand.
There was Marion Swayne, who thought it pretty
hard when she was called upon recently to allow
herself to be rescued from quicksands on a treach-
erous bit Of picturesque Florida beach. It would
not suffice to have her buried in a sand hole on a
%solid portion of the beach where she could easily
be extricated without danger to herself. George
Foster Platt, who was directing the fve-reel fea-
buiS ltlIi IL 4NCl, 81 lnSlSlGu that Tie D6SI re-
suits could only be obtained by having the star
caught in the real quicksand. K
Outside the range of the camera a group of men
were ready with planks and rope to rescue the
actress in case the scene as planned miscarried and
she should need other help than that offered by
Bert Delaney, the leading man and hero. Miss
Swayne was reluctant at first to try the scene, but
finally consented and timidly went out to the
treacherous sandbar. The feeling of helplessness
L that oo1,,o nuor Iop vyIn0 lo, Zoo ,o-I.A - -. So
under her without means of staying them alarmed
the screen star. AS she sank to the waist her fea-
lures registered a genuine fear, and at this point
the camera man began Shooting the scene while
the gallant hero with a stout rope lassoed her. 1t
required all his strength to drag her from the sands
which were engulfng her. When on solid ground
again Miss Swayne with a tremulous voice said:
v Il suppose on the screen that will look easy, but
j don't care to try it over again"
Leap From High Cliff.
Wide publicity was once given to a stunt picture
in which a trained acrobat jumped a horse from a
hilltop into a chasm, ~inficting injuries upon him
self and the animal and getting into trouble with
the humane society officials. This man was not a
regular member of the picture company, but was
engaged alta big price to perform the daring act.
Anna Little had a somewhat similar experience,
although part Of 1t was not done intentionally. I'm
der the direction of Frank Borzage, a glutton for
itdllSHl, hlnS Lltllc was " Slluc v TIT nlue VI
a cliff some seventy feet high on horseback to
escape a'band Of Indians In pursuit. The ride
called for a skilled equestrienne, unfiinching cour-
age and a sure-footed horse. 1t was impossible to
rehearse the scene because the director knew that
safte. having gohe through it once neither Miss
Little nor the horse could be persuaded to repeat
the action.
This scene was to be the big thrill in the picture.
Much care was taken in preparing At. Three cam
III -,.H man ,xnra @cfaftnnad IN acnfchW Tho GIfIa fror,
three different angles, thus insuring a good pic
4 ture from at least one Of the machines.
Barely Escaped Death.
Careful Instructions had been given the actress