The Coconino sun., 1927-04-15
INDIANS AND WHITES
I'M GAP MOVIE COLONY
GOT PRETTY CHUMMY

Filming of the Drums of the
Desert" ended last Friday and the
Famous Players -Laslzy tent city on
the desert near the Gap vanished.
The settings were on the very spots
between the Gap and Lees Ferry where
/ incidents of the Zane Grey story were
i located, in line with Mr.. Grey's stipu-
/ lation that all Of his stories must be
! filmed in true settings.
Frank S. Matheny, locating auditor,
generously praised j. G. Brown and
| Joe Lee of The Gap Trading company
and "Parson" Smith for their cooper
alton and success with the Indians.
All three were frequently his guests
at dinner at the movie city. Mr..
Matheny believes that never before
have Indians working with motion
! picture companies been 50 satisfactory
He says that from the first they
seemed to feel the whole atmosphere
Of the story and to live it so naturally
that they hardly seemed to be acting
at all.
The Lasky company showed It's ap-
probation of the Indians by giving
! them a picnic party on the first OF
April. The guests provided the enter
! tainment, which consisted of chicken
/ pulls without chickens or gambling
and other native sports for which
i their hosts gave prizes. These
i exhibitions were of great interest tc
/ members of the cast, as practically
4 none had ever been on the reservation
or seen natives in their natural set
/ tings.
II The event was such a success that
| from that day until the last night the
Indians responded by their native
custom Of lighting big bon fires night
4 ly against the high cliffs back of their
encampment in the high valley over
4 the bluffs from the trading post
i Until the fires died down the whites
heard the n9uffled beat of the tom
tom. And each evening dancers came
down from the Gap and danced on the
| hard ground before the trading post
for the interested and curious
movie folks. The last night before
/ the latter left the Indians put on the
suuaw dance, which afforded much
i nerriment. For the squaws reached
1 into the crowd around them and
selected male members of the cast foi
partners and made each pay quarter
for the privilege.
The last day Of the shooting
wound up with a typical desert sand.
storm through which shone q perfect
4 rainbow. To the movie folk, who are
prone to see omens. this sandstorn
appeared symbolical Of the hurry anc
hustle and discomfort of the trials ant
tribulations of motion picture trooI
on location; while the rainbow typl'
fled the finished product, as well as
the development and broadening Q.
mind and personality through associ
ations and intimacy with nature II
this beautiful and rugged setting.
The stars of the picture were War
ner Baxter and Miss Minor, the Latter
Just over from Germany, while the re
rnainder of the cast was Ford Sterling
Heine Conklin, Guy Oliver, Wallace
Mcdonald, George Irving, Bernie
Siegel, who played the part of tht
Indian chief; Jannett Star, the In
dian moiden, and Mr.. and Mrs. Jacl
Moore, the former in charge of the
horses and owner of the famous Grey
Ghost, and the latter, whose film
name is Della Mont, who doubled fol
the star in all the heavy riding scenes
johnny Waters was director. Lee
DOYLE with the assistance of Jos
Murry, business manager, came in fol
hearty thanks for their business-liks
manner Of handling the transportation