Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-08-05
One vf tho Days Best Cartoons.
By Frederic J. IInskIn

NEW YORK. August "a young
girl stood gazing in Mortified silence
across = vide cxpansc OF lake. where
Il rowboat lay pitching around on the
surface. its sole occupant sleeping;
infant. The next instant she plunged
into the water and struck out for the
boat. which was drifting farther away
every second suddenly, Ier strength
gave out and she sank. TO rise. s;rug-
gle and sink again. The third time
she went down, Il man on the opposite
bank. who had been steadily turning
the handle Of a moving picture camera.
tore of his coat and divcd in. bringing
the girl 20 the surface Just in time.
Unfortunately, this was not pre-
mc6itatcd action. and II went unphoto-
graDhcd. The scenario had called
merely for the rescue OF the infant by
the girl. ana all would have gone we'll
had not tn" leading woman ovcrcsti-
mated her swimming strength As 1t
was. She had to be rolled in a blanket
and otherwise rcsuscitatcd before she
rccained consciousness, while some one
els" rescued the infant and restored
II to its terrified mother. The lake
which was part OF n large estate on
Long Island. had a bottom OF black
mud several feet deep that nearly suf-
located the camera man in his dive
ana made the rescue extremely diff
cult. And. 10 make II more interest
ing, some OF the villagers stood around
and rccounted tho rrucsomc details of
how the lake had a secret outlet. the
body OF one man drowning in its
depths having been recovered floating
far out At sea. III spite Of this acct
dent. however. the leading woman re-
turned. the next day and PLAYED the
scenes required to complete tho pic
ture.
The life OF n movie star these days
Is perpetual risk. In order TO achieve
any great popularity. a picture must
have a: least two Eood-szcd thrills,
and ii Is M t" the actor to lend him
self amiably 10 walking off prccipiccs
or sliding over falls, If he would win
prestige with the fans man who
asks for q substitute every time there
Is a risk. moreover, does not acquire
merit with his directors Substitutes
ar" usually expensive, and tho director
must keep the cost Of his pictures
down. Then, too. the moving picture
audience is getting to be expert in the
detection Of deception or fake, which
makes tho use Of substitutes and dunn
mics precarious.
II must be said to the credit OF tho
moving picture companies that tho
risks are always made as SAT. as pos
sihle. Mattresses are provided for pco-
pie 10 fall on when jumping out or a
window in the fourth story: boats arc
sent out to pick up the players who
cast themselves into the water in n
wreck scene, and squad of police
accompanies the company when it. en-
tiers the Chinese section TO take scenes
The Chinese have many weird super
stitions regarding the camera which
is supposed to set loose a whole gang
of evil spirits so that as a rule John
Chinaman would as soon commit sui
pict folx
director and his company barely
escaped with their lives from the Chi
nese section OF New York when they
attempted to take some scenes OF a
certain restaurant there. The Chinese
proprietor had promised the day be-
fore 10 let the place he photographed
for good price, hut on talking IL
over with some Of his companions he
thought it cxpcdicnt to change his
mind. The director. however. having
made all his arrangements and brought
the entire company down with him.
was determined to get the scenes he
wanted. He ordered the camera man
to proceed. Instantly mob Of China
men surrounded the players, and II took
a large squad of policemen to escort
them safely out of the danger zone.
In the majority of cases. the really
bad accidents that occur are due to tho
players themselves. IF an actor is
seriously hurt so that he cannot work.
the cutirc company is held ZIP on tho
picture. which Is a great annoyance:
consequently. every precaution is taken
to noe that no does not get hurt. 4
yourE actress playing the lead In {,
thrilling serial recently was required
BY tho script TO jump ont OF a third
story window and lower herself by
n rope TO n lower window In the next
houac. Seen I'm the picture II appears
TO bc ~ remarkable and dangerous feat,
but M % matter Of fact it was simple
and safe. heavy metal belt was
placed around her waist beneath her
Rkirt. and to thi8 tho rope was at
tachod, which made It impossible for
her To fall. When tho time came TO
thko this hcnnc. the director thought
that tho belt was not quito strong
enough and tho work was delayed I'M
I'll ,hs property man could have It
strrnRthcncd.
Tho necessary element in moving
picture to-day Is realism. Many largo
companies silll maintain props" In
their hnckyards with which thev can
construct anything from barnyard
to desert island. but In most instances
nhturni 5conery Ia tho background. The
roal thing Inuat BIO filmod, Ono lead