Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-07


dition just in time to SAGE her Hfe.
And after that she had to retake the scenea
John Gilbert declares that . fire hazard u
worst Of all.
IT was playing extra In the old Ince Studio
as one of q troop OF Confederate soldiers: We
were supposed to be lying dead in D burning
building The walls Of the set had been soaked
with kerosene and the soldiers were ordered to
lie perfectly still. All went well until feit
a terrific heat and pain in my leg and opening
my eyes discovered that my trousers and shoes
were on fire. popped out OF the scene ana
jumped into . pool My life was saved. but
the director never torgave me for running the
scene"
The habit Of soaking infammable stun with
kerosene almost wrecked the early career OF
Norma Shearer too. 1t seems that In Lucretia
Lombard" she and Irene Rich were directed to
run through q blazing forest. The forest was
built ON the stage and drenched In coal OIL IL
burned 50 much more rapidly than expected
that the two women found themselves hallway
through the woods when they were surrounded
by o van Of flames How they got out remains
q mystery.
ONE Of the most exciting scenes in Painted
~ Desert" pictures the drive Of . wagon
train from q mine to . frontier town. The
location men had discovered an old. disused
mountain road in q bad state OF preservation
that seemed excellent for the wild pictorial
scenery required. It's danger however. was
apparent, since Bill Boyd the star, must head
tn. train driving the first wagon, with all the
train hitched together. to act as dead weight
going doWnhill, and the director hesitated to
suggest it.
If the camera boys are willing to ride their
truck over it, I'll take chance" said Bill.
No double could be used, since the ride had
to be mainly in closeup. Once the lead wagon
lurched and was almost the side Of
precipice before Bill could get the mules under
control; once the whole train seemed to be
slipping backward, and once Bill lost his seat
and fell nearly under the feet of his team be-
fore he regained his balance.
There was no discussion Of retakes," grinned
Bill.
George Fawcett has come to the conclusion
that he bears a charmed life
Accidents always nearly happen" he ex-
plains In The Old Homestead had to walk
under a building that toppled over the instant
I had passed, wrecked by storm. In another
scene safe was supposed to be hurled from q
window before the players came into the pic
ture Through mistake, the safe wasn't hurled
until after we were on the set, and it hung
over threateningiy, falling just as the last
of us fed to safety
When Dewitt Jennings playing the part
Of a run-runner, he was driving car along
a deserted highway each side of which was
a deep ditch. pursuing aiplane swooped
down so low that he lost control of the wheel,
skidded to the side and overturned in the ditch.
Rising unhurt from the wreckage, he was al
most run down by the camera car.
Gosh, I'm the villain groaned Mr.. Jen-
nings, but you needn't be SO darn realistic!'
Carole Lombard wasn't aware that her
greatest risk was risky until afterward. She
had been cast opposite an ape as q circus ami
NAL trainer. She thought the ape . well
trained creature and went through the scene
without trepidation. only to discover later that
he had history for sudden temperament that
had incapacitated several strong men!
Mary Brians first Western picture was very
nearly her last. Richard Arlen had to pick
her up from q plain where she stood in the
path OF stampeding cattle and ride at . galop
out Of sight. During the scene Mary's grip on
Dicks arm slipped and her entire weight was
suspended from his grip. If Mary had been
heavier or Dick less strong. the ride had better
never have been made.
Copyright, 1919