San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-11-08
Ray Thompson Doubling Star in One Play Had Leap
Into Den of Lions One of the Lions Broke Through Cage of
Invisible Wire Separating from the Actor and Ray Beat the
Animal with the Handle of His Wooden Sabre 1t Was
One of His Closest SLAVES with Death.

"shot" by the motion picture camera was
produced by. Ray Thompson, doubling for
John Bowers in Quincy Adams Sawyer
With Blanche Sweet playing the part of a
little blind girl cropping her way toward
the falls, where Barbara La Mari, in a
jealous rage, had cut the cable, Ray
Thompson, made up as Bowers, mounted a
horse and rode at breakneck speed down
the bluff to rescue the wanderer. At a
point forty-eight feet above the water
some false-work had been built, covered
with earth and grass and so constructed
that trigger made it give way when a
cable was pulled.
"Red," as Ray used to be called, rode
his horse on a dead run over the false
work and at the psychological moment the
trigger was thrown. Down went the two,
head over heels, forty-eight feet to the
water Thompson left the horses back
the first time the animal turned over and
managed TO throw himself beyond it be-
fore he sank. Neither was hurt.
81 picked out the place for that fall and
supervised construction of the false
work." Thompson said. "There was no
danger in it save in getting clear of the
horse and landing safely in the water.
The picture shows | went under in per-
feet dive"
But the thrill which the falling horse
and rider gave to the picture was classic.
Ray Thompson is now playing some i'm
portant roles in pictures, but he first
gained recognition by his daring horse
manship. Many audiences were thrilled
t.g1 I'll II,
which a hOrseracc was featured. Mabel
mounted the thoroughbred, posed for a
few closeup pictures, then gave way to
"Red" Thompson, who rode the race. This
was staged at the old Exposition Park
track in Los Angeles, when 10000 per-
sons were on the grounds.
To this day few know that the horse
which fell near the grandstand that after
noon was put in the race to be thrown by
its rider before a motion picture camera,
stationed just back of a small white flag
or the fence. When Ray suddenly reached
forward and pulled his mounts head
quickly and violently to one side and
caused the animal to stumble and go down
in a heap, the great crowd gasped.
Ray lay still on the track and a crowd
quickly gathered. All the time the camera
was clicking.
"Stand back Stand back and give him
air" some special officer shouted.
After the camera had enough Ray
arose, smiled and said: Gentlemen,
thank you. That will be all to-day"
He led his horse, not hurt, away. And
many persons have marveled at the Won
derful ride that mabel Normand" made
in Mickey" and marveled that she es-
capped in such nasty spill.
"Red" Thompson has a wonderful
IL, ri tIo nf or;,,
him Zines" which many women would
envy In "The Shooting of Dan McGrew"
he doubled for Barbara La Mari in fire
scene which entailed his racing about a
cabaret encircled with burning "serpen-
tine" Persons who saw this picture will
recall how Barbara, when the place began
burning, became frantic with fear and
dashed madly from place to place, spread
ing the confagration.