The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1916-02-05
TIiOt CHILDREN PLAY
PANT Or GNONts ~ tstitMtDN


The largest cast of child actors ever
used in any theatrical off.rings-mo-
ton picture or othcrwlsc-is seen In
the William Fox milIion-dollar pho
to-play starting Annette Kcilormann.
which II bcing made In Kingston. ia
maica. 10y Herbert Brenon. directors
general Of the Fox studios IN jamaica.
one thousand jamaican youngsters.
ranging from two to min, years Ut age.
took part IN the scenes of the Gnoine
Village. which " claimed to he "a
of the most unique fantasies In con-
nection with the kcllermInn produce
tion.
The Gnomc Village Itself was built
on The banks of Roaring river. one of
tn. beauty spots of the West Indies.
\ force of sixty carpenters and ma
sons laborcd three weeks in It's com
%struction. The setting called for the
erection Of innumcrable matched huts
to serve as the domiciles of the
gnomes, raised bowers In which the
gnomes might make love: giant toad
stools IN and under which they could
shops In which they were supposed to
DiN iufiT 1tSl'tNtlNf lfdIfSs
The Gnome Village was built in
miniature. The huts. fences. bridges
and other objects IN the setting were
made OF a size In Keeping with the
stature Of the gnomes and the prop
critics. such n casks. whcei-harrows,
sacks. and 80 forth. were also made
cn u small scale.
The children who ooh par, Ia the
scene were drilled Tor ~, crtl weeks
before the making OF the scenes was
attein ptcd. They were diViuud into
groups. with q supervisor Tor each
group. and h groups were divided
Vocationaily. Certain children were
assigned tc play the part 81 fisher
men. millcrs. boatmcn or shepherds.
~ the case might he. They were re-
| spective parts and then the entire cast
was rchcaised collectively.
Few people. unless .nth1atc win
the bnckstago sidc Of thepui,ais. re-
alizc the undertaking of working
n thousand children In one scene
The costuming Itself proved - bee no
small task, and "a fnr mahinc NJ the
dlminutiNc players. that offered "a
problem which was surmount"d only
10y patience and indcfntigablc labor.
The gnome were dressed In little
brown Jenkins, wore peak ri caps and
were made up To- have luns. gray
boards. white eyebrows aud fawn-
shaped ears. Two makeup special.
lists were employed to make up II,
children until II was discovered thn;
the children first made up tore little
resemblance To gnom.s bS the time
tn. hnisnlng touches had been added
10 the faces Of the others. Conso.
quently III" makeup force vas in
creased to my persons. each OF whom
dressod ana made up ton children.
Prior to rehearsals IA" children
were fa,niliarizcd with gnonos and
gnomc customs. \ fairy tate schuo
was opened and the three "r 81 wcr,
omitted from the curriculum Fairs
tales and legends of an countries wor,
read TO the children. aud Their cxami
nations were held To ascertain " tn,
children had comprohonded what hat
been read To them. Although ea,i
of the small Jamnicans was paid fol
his time an added stimulus for Close
attention was offered IN the form ~
prizes FOR the host compositions or
snomes. Thanks To- the schooling, m,
chDdrry were fairly familiar with
what was expected Of them when !
came time Ia take the plctu,cs.
Roaring river. whore. az alrcad,
said, the gnomc scenes wero staged
II ~ of the most picturesque strcam M,
To he nun anywhere. II consists %