Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-12-17

Mermaids in the Making.-One Of
the interesting features in William
Foxs picture. "A Daughter Of the
Gods" is the mermaid's fish tail. Quite
a story in connection with this is told.
Miss KelIermann and Mr.. Fox hunted
for weeks in the large wholesale houses
in New York city to find cloth that,
while representing a fish scale, would
at the same time be practical in the
water. More than 10000 yards of the
Jamaica, where the costume depart
ment, under the supervision of Mrs.
Lee. took over the girls, fitted them
with the mermaid tails and sent them
on their way.
In order to costume the girls $50
sewing machines and operators were
employed. While the fabric withstood
the water to a certain extent. it did
not last more than a week or ten days.
so many duplicates had to be manu-
featured to complete the. picture.
Before the mermaids attempted to
swim thus incumbered they practiced
for more than two months under the
direction of Miss Annette Kellermann.
who would send them out into the
harbor with their feet tied together by
handkerchief or ropes. In this way
the. girls became experts. and, when the
call came for them to put on their fish
success Is shown on the screen.
How They Named It.-What's in a
name? Winchell Smith. John L. Golden
and Digby Bell were discussing one
evening at the Lambs Club. or. rather,
they were trying to decide upon a name
for the new playlet in which Messrs.
Smith and Golden were to present the
star in vaudeville.
Bell, elated with the novelty of the
little sketch, wanted title suggestive
of Turn to the Right" the big Smith
Golden production.
THE titles the thing" insisted the
actor.
Then Suggest one" said Golden.
But that's not my business" replied
Bell Pm an actor. not a playwright"
Then mind your own business,
laughed Golden, and let Winchell and
me get the title"
That's it," cried Bell excitedly.
"What?" demanded the producers.
Mind your own business said Bell.
But, Digby," interposed Smith. Jack
didn't mean to offend you. He was only
Joking. Why
but with pleasure Don't you under
stand?' he explained. Mind Your Own
Business is just what we want for the
title: for If the old folks had minded
their business
"There wouldn't have been any play"
retorted the author.
There was a sigh of relief; the title
had been found. and all went out to din
ner.
Rose From MelOdrama-JoSeph SAINT
ley, who has an important male role in
Betty" Charles Dillingham's new mu-
steal comedy, by means of his graceful
dancing, his excellent singing and a
histrionic ability rarely found on the
musical comedy stage. has risen to such
heights in his profession, that, accord
ing to rumor. he is now close to the
door that leads to stardom.
It has required but a few years for
him to establish himself as the most
sought after musical comedy juvenile
on the American stage.
Before he began putting to use his
timber legs and his pleasing voice Mr..
Santley was a leading man in melo-
drama. In a succession of blood-cur-
ding stage connections his was the
part, as the denouement Of the third
act was ready to be unfolded, to leap
from the cliff edge into the camp of the
villains and. by the skillful manipula-
ton of his trusty six-shooters. clean
out the nest of crime and rescue the
sorely beset heroine.
AS the exponent Of the titular role in
four-act thriller called BILLY the
Kid" which undertook to lay bare one
moving epoch in the life Of q notorious
Younn outlayv. GautlAv fravAlAdi eAYArRl