Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-08-05

ing man last year got little too
much OF the real thing in picture
staged at Niagara. The scenario call
ed for ono scene IN which the villain
picks up the hero and throws him
bodily over Il wall. presumably Into the
rapids, but actually on !. narrow in
cline between the rapids and the wall
The villain. as IL happened. was chosen
from tho extra men on account OF his
gigantic size, and he was 40 anxious
to demonstrate the wisdom OF tho
choice that he forgot and flung the
hero FAR over the wall and incline into
the swirling rapids. Happily, the hero
was able TO catch hold Of rock and
cling To i, unt!l aid reached him, dur
ing which time the camcr;. man record
ed some very interesting realism.
Another actor also suffered from TOO
much OF the real thing not long ago
when he assumed the character OF a
sneak thief Boldly dashpiE up 10
real jcwelry store. he broke tho win
dow and departed hurricdlv with
handful o: valuable rings The street
had been chosen because of its ap-
parent isolation. and tho director held
IN check a group Of extra peopie as
spectators. As IL happened however.
the extra people were not needed. AS
soon .ts the cry Of STOP thief" was
circulated among them for the benefit
OF the camera an excited American
rorIlacc sp-arc M in al directions
ana pursued the sneak thief down the
street When he could run no further
the actor stopped and confronted an
angry crowd OF over n hundred per-
sons As he remarked later, it was an
extremely unpleasant situation until
the director arrived hrcathlcss and
managed 10 appease them with a num-
Der OF credentials and a satisfactory
explanation.
Much has been written concerning
the bitter experiences OF pedestrians
which have taught them to suspect tho
presence of the moving picture camera
III all street crime. but. according to
the rate accounts OF the moving pic
turc directors they still have lots to
learn one man relates. for example
that two young actresses in the en-
p'oy OF California company were
taken for sutfragcttcs while playing
street scene in mems clothes and
were pursued by a number of people.
who believed they intended to break
windows.
While the substitute Is growing more
and more out-of date there are st;ll
many cases where trained profess
Sional mast take the place of the ac-
Tor III several scenes. When the hero
makes hair. breadth escape in an
aeroplanc. for instance. he is usually
changed at the last moment for a pro-
icSsional acronaut, inasmuch as the
difference cannot be detected when
flying far above the camera( Acrobats
are substituted when the script calls
Tor an extremely dangerous leap. and
professional jockeys generally take the
place OF the principals at the last mo-
mcnt when there are spectacular rid
ing stunts to be done
one professional jockey was en-
pioycd by moving picture company
some months ago to substitute for tho
leading woman in leaping over
prccipicc on n horse. The horse was
very remarkable animal of vaudeville
famc. being able to do many marvel
Gus things. such counting up to
ten, opening and shutting door, re-
moving his masters coat and polish
ing his shoes. as we'll as diving from
dizzy heights which he had learned
at Concy Island. His career in NOV
ing pictures had been as brilliant as
it was in vaudeville. and many
scenarios were written around him.
In this particular play the heroine
was captured by band of brigands.
who tied her cruelty to a tree while
they consumed a hearty dinner Her
pet horse, however, who had been left
grazing near her seized the oppor-
tunity to chew her bonds apart and
release her. first Icing careful TO pick
III revolver in It's holster, lying on
INC ground. Once united. the young
woman lcaped upon his back covered
the brigands with the revolver, made
them return the stolen papers and exc
cn,tn brilliant exit, followed by the
villains. Her pnrsuers gainging on
her. tho heroine determined to lump
INC precipice along which she rode,
but here the jockey in girls clothes
was substituted. In order to make
the precipice appear sleeper than it
really was, ii had been built out with
temporary structure of scaffolding
painted to correspond with the rest
or the scenery. Just as the horse gath
cred for his dive. the scaffoldine COL
lapsed. and both horse and rider went
PIunsinG into the. river below Tho
jockey was picked up unconscious hut
awe. and, with the exception of n
few bruises tho horse came out all
right.