The Raymer enterprise., 1916-07-27

In a hundred ways risking life and
limb This Is what scores Of motion
picture actresses and actors do every
day with hardly the wink Of an eyeash in the per-
formance Of the stunts.
1t is all In answer to the cry for realism In the
movies which has recently been raised by directors
Realism Is now watehword. Above all, the pro-
ducuon must he realistic. The directors argue
that the public has become tired Of faxed dangers
and mechanical feats that make ordinary scenes
appear hazardous. The desire for realism may be
all right for the public and the director but 1t Ia
hard on the performers.
Patrons of the pictures are so familiar with
scenes depicting rough riding. descents Of mountain
sides on horseback and leaps from cliffs In which
the rider falls clear of the and In other ways
hlrts with death that they never stop to think OF
The real danger incurred by those actors who dare
so much for the silent drama OF course there ara
certain pictures In which the danger is faxed. But
those pictures are almost equally balanced by the
kind which depicts "A real danger encountered to
accomplish the desired result.
Jumps From Moving Trains
When first began to jump of moving trains,"
said Helen Holiness when asked for her impressions
of daredesilling in the films, II confess was
somewhat umid, but now take ii as something
which must be done to complete the picture
i
months ago / went through the action with my
heart In my mouth, and for moment at least felt
like quitting. 1t was railroad picture in which
| was TO drive big engine across bridge which
was TO be blown up the engine reached the mid.
die.
"A torpedo on the track about twenty feet from
the spot where the dynamite charge was placed TO
wreck the bridge was TO give Inc my signal to dive
from the cab To the river thirty feet below From
the moment that the engine reached the wooden
restle kept thinking what would happen II the
torpedo did not 90 on and should be carried down
into the wreckage
The run of about thirty yards seemed ntermIn.
able, but everything worked according to plans and
made the dive safely but was shaking like a
Ieat when hshed from the river, | was so fright.
ened could hardly keep myself afloat
But now hive become so used TO rfskine my
neck that accept II ns matter Of course II is
much like the of an nviutnr when he starts ay
ing AT first he is cautious and only makes sligbt
nscents and safe desccnts bur soon the sprlt of
daring enters his soul and he is looping the loon
and doing spirals 1000 feet in the air and other
dangerous stunts"
Danger in the ouicksand
There was Marion Swayne, who thought ii pretty
hard when SHE was called upon recently 70 allow
herself To he rescued from quicksands on n treacb
erous bit Of picturesque Florida beach II vouId
not suffice To have her buried In fl sand hole on .
solid portion Of the beach where she could easily
be eXlriented without danger to herself George
Foster Flatt, who directing the nye-reel fea
ture entitled "The Net" insisted that the best re-
suits could only he obtained by having the star
caught In the real qulcksand
Outside the range Of the camera n group of men
were ready with planks and rope TO rescue the
tFaS. In sHz4 fl,.,g ,,I,.
she should need other help than that offered by
Bert Delaney. the leading man and hero. Miss
swaync was reluctant at first 10 try the scene but
finally consented and timidly went out to the
treaeherous sandhar. The feeling of helplessness
that came over her when her feet sank slowly from
under her without means of staying them alarmed
the screen star As she sank to the waist her fea-
lures registered genuine fear. and at this point
the camera man began shooting the scene while
the gallant hero with stout rope lassoed her II
required all his strength 10 drag her from the sands
which were enguhng her. When on solid ground
again Miss Swayne with tremulous voice said:
Il suppose on the screen that will look easy but
don't care TO try It again"
Leap From High Cliff
Wide publicity was once given To stunt picture
In which trained acrobat jumped horse from
hilltop into chasm. lnnietng injuries upon him.
The humane society officials This man was not a
regular member OF the picture company but was
engaged ut big price 10 perform the daring act
Anna Little hld somewhat similar experience
although part of 1t was not done Intentionally I'm.
der the direction of Frank Borzage a gluttoa for
realism. Miss Little was to slide down the side of
a cliff some seventy feet high on horseback TO
escape band of Indians In pursuit The ride
called for skilled equesrlenne uuflnchng cour.
age and sure-footed horse. Il was impossible to
rehearse the scene because the director knew that
after having gone through il once neither Miss
Little nor the horse could be persuaded TO repeat
the action
This scene was to be the biz thrill in the picture
Much care was taken In preparing ii. Three cam
era men were stationed to catch the slide from
three different angles. thus insuring good pie
turc from at least one Of the machines
Barely Escaped Death
Careful instructions had been given the actress
and sbe started on the slide. At first The horse