Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-17

r. XACTLY year ago, the veteran
sealing ship Viking was chr
actor in a movie melodra1na
IL which featured a shipwreck and
rescue extraordinarily like the
sea tragedy which has now befallen her
and her doughty crew.
One of the motion picture officials
who was aboard her when the film
Catastrophe" was staged is a WASH
ington man, Thomas B. Sweeney, lr,
and today he told of his incredulity
when first notified that the Viking was
lost in a real drama of the North.
Associated With FrisselI.
Sweeney, who is with his parents at
their home, 1920 New Hampshire ave-
nue., is close friend of Varick Frissell,
Hollywood producer, who is reported
missing in the explosion Of the sealer.
Sweeney, who was associated with
Frissell in the production OF the new
picture, to be called white Thunder,
said that Frissell had returned to the
sealing grounds with cameraman TO
film several additional atmospheric
shots" for insertion in the film.
1.-THE New York distributors criticized
the picture because it did not have
enough sealing and ice scenes-back-
ground stuff" Sweeney said. Frissel
decided to take another trip oack 10
Newfoundland with the Viking on her
regular March trip this year, so as to
get the necessary scenes. I don't think
he was accompanied by any one but
can1erarnan and his inseparable canine
companion, Cabot, a huge Newtound-
land, which went with us on the preVl-
GUS expedition"
Dynamite Used TO Blast Ice.
Sweeney said he did not know how
the loss of the Viking will affect plans
of the producers for early release OF
"White Thunder" The picture features
Can't. Robert Bartlett, polar explorer,
who actually piloted the ship during the
movie cruise. it was stated. 1t is Ger
tain no decision viii be made until the
fate of Frissell is established. Frissell
had borrowed approximately s25O,OOO
with which to make the picture,
Sweeney recalled.
store of dynamite last year. The ex-
plosive Is used to blast way through
the ice in case the vessel gets caught in
lam. he said. One of the sequences
in the movie showed members OF the
crew blasting an ice jam.
Disaster Like Picture.
-"The present disaster is tragic real
ization Of many OF the incidents con-
iured up by Frissell for his picture,
Sweeney stated. "Frissell hit Upon the
idea of filming a sea rescue among the
ice foes of the sealing grounds. He en-
listed the aid of friends in financing
the plan, engaged Capt. Bartlett and
supporting cast and hired the Viking,
which was one of the Oldest vessels IN
the sealing feet. :.
"The sealing season is from March l
to Is. Ali seal babies are born on one
day. usually about March /. 1t is
against the law to capture the seals
after they are q month old. All the &C
ton must take place in the short space
of about two weeks.
"Our scenario called for the wrecking
of the ship in an ice jam and the scat
tsring OF the survivors on floating Ice.
Some were supposed to make their way
to shore, but others died on the ice. I
have still pictures Illustrating various
of these sequences
when we got back to New York and
put the film together it was found that
while the plot action was satisfactory,
a few additional ice close-ups. for at
mosphere purposes were advisable. That
is what Frissell went back for q few
weeks ago"