The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-08-15
Comic Devices Resorted
to in Pleasing
Public.
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
First Kellermanns Were Black
Ones and First Vampire
a Chorus Girl.
By MRS. J. n. McwnL1AMs


to be photographed by the moving
picture machine were black-skinncd
natives OF the West Indies2 And
that they dived FOR a paltry copper
that was flung to the bottom OF the
sea? And would our little Mary be
happy to know that the first "Close-
up" ever registered on the screen
wsls that OF q man in the throes OF
physical agony caused by an urgent
necessity TO sneeze and accompanied
by the inability to do so7 or per-
haps the onco-famous 'vamp" Of
the studios, Thoda Bara, would like
TO feel that her first ancestor in the
business was careless, high-step-
ping dancer from Philadelphia
vaudeville house who danced before
the first picture machine ever in
vented for the enormous sum of 50.
Her name was Annabelle and she
executed the butterfly dance" In
the back yard OF the boarding house
where the erstwhile director, mana
ger, and operator combined in one
person occurred his one meal day.
These things are not pleasant for
our stars to think upon. But they
are amusing for our fans to mediate
and mediate they will. For the
Book OF the Past" has opened and
the memories of those who witness
Ell the first attempts are telling us
df the troubles and difficulties they
saw before and behind the screen.
Behind tho Screen" you say?
Verify. That very thing. For in the
'49 days of the business, moving
pictures were viewed by tho audi
hu tuh a ~ Y l.
terry, solve the puzzle, and cease to
be the dupes OF an unscrupulous
faker. And the place to unravel the
yarn OF the unknown was behind the
sheet whence the figures came forth
TO leer. jump and flicker across tho
sheet and leave thsir audience IN
fear and doubt. And many were
the children, yes. and men and wom-
en- who sought hasty flight when a
numbering elephant or smoking lo-
connective bore down upon them from
the ever resourceful "behind-the-
sheet" region.
"The Great Train Robbery was
tho first real feature in the field
and 1t measured 500 feet and cost
t400 TO produce. For two or three
months the shows put before the
public were of the Diamond Dick
variety and gained their passing
favor by means OF their quick and
fierce action with no thought OF
sequence OF time or emotion. Then
came n spell OF animal pictures"
and the chief among these were,
Buffalo Horse Show" Feeding
the Doves" and washing the Mig
ger Baby" At length the public
grew weary OF feeding tho doves
and they knew every donkey in the
-. l. ~, al NNa1f
witted theatrical men turned 10
other fields. And here we find an
other shock for our stars. Players
from the~legitimate stage were pre-
vailed upon TO appear before tho
camera with the ono understanding
stipulated by the actors tat they
be allowed to so disguise themselves
that they would run no risk of be-
ing recognized and thus lose popp-
larity on the speaking stage. Even
with this rule adhered to there was
great dearth OF suitable screen
stars and one william Shea was
compelled to play 10 different parts
in one reel and to die twice within
100 feet OF war ground. In the film
entitled Washington at Valley
Forge" that intrepid general was
compelled to lead an army OF eight
IN number by their many trips
across the raging waters.
Another huge difficulty that was
coped with was the inability to Sc
rcure suitable settings, costumes. and
"props." Romeo often marched forth
TO depict the passions of tho i'm
mortal lover and confronted a blank
wall with no place where his Juliet
might stand to receive the love notes
of her lover. Undaunted the noble
fellow would call for a saw, hammer
and a plank and forced to build his
much-needed balcony after which
he would verify his grease paint and
step forth again with a mein In
nowise humbled by his recent con-
nection with board and nail. II
Ceasar wero found with too few
trousers for his brave men, he Med
himeslf to yonder general store
took unto himself can of tan paint
and provided his soldiers with gar
ments that answered to all Of the
requirements as concerned color.
Edwin Thanhouser arrived at his
studio one day to find a generous
blanket Of snow covering everything
due to delay in constructing the
roof. Not to he daunted. the ever,
ready man Immediately set about to
enact a play or the iar north. Bul
the elements were otherwise dis
posed and AT noon he returned "a
find all traces Of Siberia disappeared
by way Of the gutter, Again Mr.
Thanhousor gave evidence of great
ingenuity in his makeup by manipu-
lating a pencil and portion Of the
senario and 10, the next scene was
laid in Panama.
Tho many convenionces Of the
moving dressing rooms, enormous
cars and airplanes used today arc
well known to all Of US, but were
We 20 ride back In n Ctuffy little
coach to a forlorn little black paper
covered house that represented the
first moving picture studio and see
above tho low entrance-way the dar'
ing name "Black Maria" and ther
enter and find ono medium sized
room with a portion OF a barn OF
! dried tree bouEh as the partition
between regions TO be visited and
regions not TO be visited, and view
the shame faced actors who hid be-
hind terrifying boards and enormous
wigs, wo would sigh for the open
and betake our twentieth century
civilization TO fan-cooled, cushion
seated, Yelvet-carpeted palace where