The Washington times., 1916-01-06
PHOTOPLAYS AND
PHOTOPLAYERS
Ry GARDNER MACK
If Appendicitis Can
Afflict a Feline
Miss Hamper
May Win.
By GARDNER MACK.

Does an animal, more especially
a valuable Persian cat, have an
appendix? And II a cat has an APP
pendiN, can 1t be removed success
fully by operation upon IT. the same
as a surgeon operates upon human
being?
These are questions which press
agent declares New York court
will be called upon to decide In n
suit pertaining to the manner
"Waw- -Waw." the valuable Persian
cat belonging 10 Genevieve liam
per, came to an untimcly end. 1t
is noted here that the press agent
is the only authority for the iuea
that a cat can have appendicitis
in the first place. But it is rather
an original idea for press agent
to have, and because of that fact
1t has a certain amount of interest
even II there never was cat.
According to the press agent.
Miss Hamper had a Persian cat
called "W:w-Waw," of which she
was very tond. She had owned the
cat several years, 1t had played
with her in several stage produe-
tions. and when she went to work
L
husband. Robert Man;ell. she i'm
mediately commenced training the
cat with a possibility OF using II in
motion pictures. Director j. Gordon
Edwardes had promised to find a
scenario containing big part for
cat with the poetic name Of Nv aw-
Waw" Just as soon as he could.
One day 'NVaw-Wsw' became i'll.
A veterinarian was sent for and he
diagnosed the case as appendicitis.
He explained that the cat was sick
in the same way human being
would be sick II human being had
appendicitis and that, therefore. the
only way to cure the cat was the
same way human being is cured
by an operation. Miss Hamper gave
the veterinarian a check for $500 and
the cat. The cat was operated on
and died. And now Miss Hamper
has been informed that cats do not
have appendicitis and that the vet
crinarian who operated on her cat
was mistaken in his diagnosis.
Therefore Miss Hamper has sued
the veterinarian to recover the
amount OF the check she gave hlm
and the value OF the cat which she
come up for trial. 1t Is understood:
and the question of appendicitis apd
cats will be thoroughly gone into
so the press agent says.
Cleaning up motion pictures Is to
be an important feature OF the pro
gress of 1916, according to the wise
men of fimdom and E.. d. Hork.
heimer. secretary and treasurer or
the Balboa Company, is ono of the
men who believes the cleaning pro-
cess will pe beneficial to the MIN m
dustry and the public alike. The
Balboa Company is the concern
,zl, t. no n
from Albert Payson Terhunes IN.
interesting novel. THE Red Circle y
which Ia being published as seriai
story In The Times every week fay.
DIRTY dollars are not lasting. MT
IIorkheimer observed. 1he coIn,
ones that are putting on the pn9to- p,
plavs with a constructive viewpoint.
wholesomeness must be the key.
note. Each picturepiay should pom.
a moral. That does not mean VIC
are to screen dry sermons. InCre
tales that stick are invariably those
which tell something.
II don't agree with w. a. BRADY n
recent remarks that the most peoplo
want nasty plays. either on the staFe
or on the screen. That would mean
there were more evil mnoeo or
than clean. can't think SO nleaniy
Of the multitude. Just because
few misguided men and women are
crooks IL no sign that the "orld Is
largely en- underworld.
Heart interest is the best element
with which to held picture goorS IL
applies to the story parer as wei ns
to the SPOKEN drama. Just recall the
novels and plays that have gone on
indefinitely like Tennyson,s proof
and nnalyze them. Their heart IT.
terest is what has always appealed
to the multitude. In every mar
woman. and child there Is a better
nature, as represe ented by the heart.
IT can only be touched by a clean
story.
II realize that there are certain,
things represented in productions a,
tines from the very hest motives OF
tha producer. which advertisers DIS
tort in order to make sensual appeal
Then. too. some stories. which have
been written with good motive IT
view. are twisted out OF all sen'..
blarce TO original for the purnose ol
wandering to the baser part or r1er
and women. But happily. they are
bee pming fewer and fewer. =,