Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-09-25


making motion pictures requires
men and women of many and var
led professions. In the major studios, each OF
which is small city within itself can be found
all kinds Of experts from backsmiths to imi-
tators of wild animals. And that covers a
multitude OF callings
Naturally there is nothing glamorous about
the movie racket to these people. Some go
weeks on end without even seeing the stars
who wouldn't be half so famous but for this
small army OF unseen and unknown workers.
Every studio teens with these craftsmen.
Besides there are certain few specialists,
some Of whom are employed regularly on one
lot while others take work wherever they can
get it.
TAKE Irene Tranger, for instance. Miss
Tranger works for Paramount. She spends
her time directing her chauffeur from one shop
to another-and goes home in the evening to
cook her dinner. The car and chauffeur are
supplied by the studio and Miss Tranger visits
the stores to buy much-needed articles for
various pictures.
Her purchases consist largely Of materials for
dresses and coats, accessories and sometimes
ready dresses. Since the studio main
tains large wardrobe department, the ready
made dresses are bought only in emergencies.
Usually Miss Tranger goes alone her
shopping tours. Occasionally, however, she Is
accompanied by a world-famous actress and
when it Is necessary for an actress to buy
something in store for picture Miss Tranger
Is sent along. Probably because of their over
sized incomes, few actresses are good buyers.
Miss Tranger is an expert. Furthermore she
knows the Photographic values of nearly all
materials and colors. She never will permit a
star to buy 500 gown when a $50 one will
look Just as well on the screen.
MOTHER person with an extremely odd lob
is Jimmy Rowe. In the business Rowe Is
known as a powder monkey" and the king of
the lot. Whenever a studio is about to start q
war picture it sends for Jimmy. Upon his un-
faltering Judgment and sensitive fingers rests
the safety of scores. sometimes hundreds, Of
men.
Let's take, for example. the filming of Fare
well to Arms" Days before a battle scene was
to be shot, Rowe and the director laid out the
plans down to the minutest detail. Then the
battlefield was wired in exact accordance with
the plans which had been drawn. Rowe then
spent hours studying the plans so that he
would know the exact location and strength of
each charge.
On the day the scene to be filmed he
took his place in elevated position from
where he could watch the entire battlefield. In
front Of him was an instrument closely resem-
bling q small organ. From each key a wire led
to a charge of gunpowder. He had to remem-
Der without fail which key would set of which
charge. To touch the wrong key, or even the
right one at the wrong moment, might bring
death or serious injury to dozens of men.
That Is why men can work in battle scenes
with perfect safety. Rowe knows Just when to
press the various keys so as to make the scene
look realistic and stfll be safe. And he never
fails.
Seldom do the poor prop boys get the credit
due them for the part they play in making pic
lures. Their Job h to furnish every article
necessary to keep production going smoothly.
No matter what . director wants-whether q
tcothpdck Or an empty whisky bottle-the prop