New-York tribune., 1920-11-21
''kismet" lmmersions
" ere Much Harder on
Stage Than OH Screen

AS rule the notion picture actors
wto also have spent SOM time in the
"legltimate' are almost unanimous III
the decision that "movies' are many
time more strenuous in their unlimited
range Of "stuntS" thaa the definite y
regulated routine o. the stage a Gu
rious reversal Of this promise, where
4 part in the pictures proved child's
pay in comparison TO the arduous de-
mands Of the same role enacted on the
stage, is TO be found in the experience
q. Hamilton Reveile. who has recently
re recreated his original stage role OF
the Wazir Mansur in the screen version
OF "Kismet"
81 VIII never forget my engagement
IT hlsmet, declared Mr.. Revo ie
because II was the most truly aquatic
Of my whole career. The work before
the camera mas been 50 simp after
tce rigorous experience OF the stage
role that j. is difficult 10 believe they
are one and the same. Although | AM
good swimmer and fond of water, |
can't say thai / appreciate it in such
.&rge doses as it was administered dur
ing the run OF the 'kismct' engage
ment. At the climax OF the play, after
8 struggle and pretease Of being
choked 10 death, ! was rurled By Otis
Skinner into d tank OF water more than
SIX feet deep. OF course, | always went
straight to the bottom. came up again
and then mad to remain in tie tank
Tor nine full minutes until the scene
was over, When the water was prop
ery heated | didn't object, but cold
tank Tor nlne minutes in winter time
was no joke
The first catastrophe occurred a.
the dress rehearsal. Mr Fiske had
warned me tnat the tank was cold, ani
not 20 20 into it, so whispered the
warning 20 Mr.. Skinner. in the midGle
OF the choking scene. not to throw me.
but it was too late. sHe had ALREADY
worked himself Up 70 such q pitch OF
excitement that he did not hear my
frantic whispers, and splash ! went
into the cold water. got out in q
rage, none the worse for the cold bath,
however, and durn ng the long New,
YORK season that followed the tank was
perfectly heated every night. Then we
started out on the road, and again
there was catastrophe. ! came on the
stage one night in my bare feet as |
Went attired in the play and the door
vas steaming rot Every one was COM
nenting on it. We thought The iheater
had begun 10 catch fire Then an in
vestigation vas made, and they discov-
cred that the engineer had turned or
the steam iu!l force, and the tank o.
water, instead Of being 70 or 80 degrees
Fanre nheit, was az the boiling po NJ,
and when the planks were raised bill
lowy clouds Of steam issued rom
the cavern below. 1t was like some
subterranean boiling geyser. So it was
necessary 10 mold the curtain an hou-
while the stage hands were sent afte.
great blocks Of ice TO cool it off
The last tragedy occurred in Balti-
more. Tnat was my swan song II r.
in midFcbruary the tank was the tenn
perature of the river water, actually
freezing cold. Before my scene with
MIR. skinner l had 10 idea that the
water had not been heated, so the
shock was terrific when was hurled
violently into perishing cold water.
came out numbed and purple, and the
next night | was in the hospital with
appendicitis.
IN aging the picture OF 'Ksmet
the nightly repetition of the agonies o1
apparent drowning in uncertain TEN
oeratures was entirely eliminated
That's Why contend that the work be
fore the camera has been infinitely
more simple in this case than the legl
innate stage work. AS matter Of fact
it is generally a vice versa situation
but in tins instance. at least. X was n,
stage and not the screen that required
couIage and endurance"