New-York tribune., 1921-06-26

lions and bad lions have this point in common
they both go mad at the sight and taste of
blood
Tie great thing is never to let them find out
that human beings have blood and that is why
the study of their mental processes is the very
cornerstone of success in handling them for
pictures. Until the time when it knows better
your good lion stays good lion, but not a
moment longer After that it's all off. That
is why the public likes to see Steckler wrestle
with Ethel, the pretty and playful young
lioness, for with Ethel the trescherous
cat nature is there, and every time he romps
with her Steekler takes the chance without
which no lion comedy can hope, to interest its
public any more nowadays than it did in the
days of the old cruel Roman amphitheater,
Feed the lions" is the safety first slogan
IN motion pictures where these animals are
employed. As a rule they have only one meal
late in the afternoon-but on days when they
go out on location you can be sure that they
receive a corking good breakfast thrown in
for good measure, for fear that there might
be some aching void in their stomachs which
would cause their mouths to water at the sight
Of some plump young person of the movie star
variety.
Filling them full of grub is supposed to make
them comparatively safe, for lion rarely at
tacks unless it is hungry-but, of course in the
jungle there are no trainers behind it to crack
whips IN its ears or to prod it into more fero-
cious action. Hence you see snarling. roar
ing member CT the cat family with his nerves
on edge, no matter how we'll fed he is and as
julius Stern, the president of the Century
Comedies, says with deep feeling: "FulI or
empty, don't want to be near 'emI" Whereat
ne shows his great good sense.
The Century hons-a troupe of fourteen.
nine males and five females-are the most
highly trained jungle animals in the business.
That means as much as you can train lion.
They are continually being rented by other
companies for from 800 day up, principally
up, and besides this chaperon in the guise of
a trainer goes with every lion-salary. extra.
The hon trainers get about $3.50 a week. if
they are any good, so one car see that it paws
to learn cat nature better than it does To
study Greek
AS an incident of how the unexpected-the
fool mistake of the other fellows to blame
for all serious accidents with lions, what hap
pened to Eileen Sedgwick in "The Diamond
Queen" is typical
Eileen and her leading man, George Cheese
horo were to be pursued by lions in the
Jungle. OF course the lions were let out of !.
trapdoor, camouhaged with bushes Eileen
and George were supposed to have quite a
start, and the lions were being urged from
behind until they were wild to get out and
run The man in charge OF the trapdoor be-
came nervous and opened it moment too
soon, so that the beasts were let loose with a
rush just as the two actors were abreast OF
hem.
There was only one thing for them to do
fall fiat on their faces and let the frantic
animals race over them. Eileen was thinly
clad. SO the leading man, who wore stoutest
khaki, threw himself over her and very brave
ly shielded her with his body Now, lions are
Ike cats--when excited they run with their
claws partly out Gheseboros uniform was
torn into ribbons, as if it had been Georgette.
apd Eileen's shoulder, which happened to be
exposed, was lard bare to the bone And all
The lions did was to run over them at tou
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