The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1921-01-08

| Zoo and ssMaks-Believe' City
| Pictures Expensivsly Built Sur
rounded With Flowers and
Plants.-Ambassador
| Hotel Marvel.
Editorial Correspondence to The Sea
Coast Echo.-Los Angeles, Calf,
December 275- 1920.
Today we had our first view o1
the making of moving pictures, and
saw the great city of make believe
at Universal City, where every scene
imaginable is built for the camera.
From a street scene in Alabama
as the guide informed US. We saw a
replica of the famous court and
casino buildings at Monte Carlo. The
latter is about completed, and are
the outdoor scene for one of Stron-
helms pictures, Foolish Wives"
The building of the facade Or make
of Monte Carlo costs $800,000.a The
Italian villa for the same picture is
near by, and is a most elaborate pre-
sentatlon, the slightest detail is not
overlooked, for the camera is truth
full and gets it all. The photography
of the picture is in process, but the
company was at Monterey, Calf. to-
day shooting" the sea scenes which
will represent the front space of the
fake" Italian castle.
We saw a troupe engaged in the
manng OF a Western comedy, out
door scene OF cousse. Dorothy Wood
was marooned on the top of fence
with big buck goat in evident pur-
suit, but the truth of the matter, the
goat would not pursue" and the
enactment of the scene had to be
gone over and over until it rather
grew monotonous. Miss Wood wore
make UP of powder SO did the lead
ing man and others. They use
makeup" and speak aloud the
words.
Ihe other picture we saw in the
process of making was an indoor
comedy for the Century Company.
A baby. taken for an unseen burglar
In the house, and the petite French
nurse, were the principals. How
ever there was leading man. He
was very human and cordial, and
speaking to the writer asked from
where we hailed. When informed,
ne became interested and said, "my
mother lived in Bay st. Louis, in
Carroll avenue, and always number
ed some of her best friends from
among the people there" This gen.
rleman was Hugh Saxon, son of
Mrs. Lyle Saxon who lived in the
Lorch bungalow, and a warm and
lifelong friend of Mrs. Charlotte
Benrens. He has been eight years
IN pictures, and from him much in
teresting information from behind
the scenes was procured. We watch
ed the making Of this picture quite
while until it, too became rather
monotonous. The little French maid
acted the part of opening door and
'fainting" seven times by actual
count until the directors with the ar
tlstlc temperament was satisfied.
However, it is all interesting and one
must visit Universal City, the lar
gest group of studios in Los Angeles
to appreciate it all There are mil
lions OF dollars invested here and it
is evident no money is spared.
Someone is asking did we visit the
Zoo. Certainly, and We shook hands
whose various and intelligent stunts
many an evening we have gazed
upon with interest on the screen OF
Cne A. & u. theatre. The zoo is
larger than ever seen at any circus
ana to say the least is unusually in
Ceresting. Anu mere are the lions
we have so frequently seen on the
screen at nome. Ihe keeper told US
these animals were not only used by
The Universal company but were
hired out to other companies and al
ways at price of large proportions.
1t Is very dlIncult to visit the
studios, ana our success at gaining
an entrance and procuring the COM
plimentary service of a guide, was
due to the kindness of Mr.. e. v.
Richards, of the Saengar Amusement
Company, at New Orleans and Bay
st. Louis. But the visit to Univer-
sal City will not be all. We are
armed with almost dozen letters of
introduction to other studios, but
there is SO much to be seen in and
around Los Angeles and our engage
ment book is SO filled that there is
comparatively little time left for vis-
iting the studios, however, we intend
visiting others before bidding adieu
to this land of sunshine and flowers
and where man has lost no opportun
lty to embellish.
Every home here has its well-kept
grounds. with q wealth of flowers on
every side. Geraniums grow to the
heighth of the second-story windows
and from the second-story back
porch the poinsetta with its leaves Of
deep scarlet can be cut. But who
would cut them? For they grow on
every side. Carnations grow here
in every shade. We buy them, large
size in deep red colors, at 20 cents
an armful. The japanese here are
largely engaged in the floral busi-
ness. Their gardens are in the su-
burbs. Here are the carnations, as
tors. roses, ETC., growing In the open
and the scene is riot with color and
fragrance. And generally this Is
surrounded by the orange trees bur-
dened just now with the golden-col-
ored fruit. The oranges here are
the naval and valencia. On the
ground there are apparently as many
of these sunkist oranges as on the
trees.
In the residential district the gar
den scheme in front of home in
cludes the sidewalk, with palms, or
namental trees and flowers, with q
strip of cement to allow the pedes-
trian passage way. There are no
fences. Everyone's front ward In