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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (May 24, 1914)
THE SUNDAY OREGOXIAX, PORTLAND, MAY 24, 1914. 9 f i MANY LITTLE TOTS PLAY STELLAR ROLES IN P.ICTURE COMPANIES Films From Biggest Concerns Feature Baby Actors in leading Farts and Several Have Made Hits When Thrown on Movie Screens Cupid Joins Troupes Some Leave Stage for Fhotoplays. BY MART ANNE SMITH. THE! youngest star in motion pic tures is Billy Jacobs, 28 months 'old. As the head of a new com edy company for children, he haa achieved tremendous success. He re ceives his training; from Ford Sterling, with whom he often appears. His act ing is entirely without self-consciousness. Another charming kldlet in photo play land is Helen Armstrong, with the "Flying A" Company. Sheis de voted to motion-picture acting "and is quick to catch the spirit of the other actors. Little Runa Hodges is one of the prettiest little girls seen on the screen. KhA hat II t-fily nil nkaniKln n n n ,4 1 . 15 aen curls tnat bob around all over her nettd. bhe appears and has a host of photoplay fans. Reliance films. admirers among Marie Eline. the "Thanhouser Kid," often takes boy parts. She Is a clever little actress and is frequently seen in Mutual films. Rosana Logan is 6 years old and has already made a name for herself as a screen actress. She is a sweet, brown-haired little maiden, with an Insight into the tricks of the trade that is phenomenal. It is reported that a state law for Oregon governing the censorship of motion pictures may be asked at the next session of the Legislature. Those Interested say that It depends largely upon exchange men and exhibitors whether or not the bill is Introduced. The County Clerk cf New Tork Coun ty, William F. Schneider, who Is daily grinding out American citizens, re cently wrote a scenario entitled, "Mak ing An American Citizen." He obtained consent of the authorities at Washing ton to produce his play, then set about the takintc of the picture. The making or an American citizen from the first step to the last is included in the pro duction. "It is a work of patriotism and pleasure," said Mr. Schneider. One of the most radiant, magnetic little-big women seen on the screen is Ethel Grandin. She is Just five feet , one-half inch tall or short her eyes are like tke proverbial "bla- black Dan. sles." and her hair a mass of brown one is a clever little actress, I wo. ner acting is good in any role, but she Is the most adorable in a happy, i smiley, sunshiny one that lets her radi ate ner charming personality. She ap peared, together with Mary Pickford. in Chauncey Olcott's company before sne deserted the legitimate stage for the screen. ( Herbert Pollard, the "original Qib ,;eon man." and "man of a thousand i faces." has begun to be a familiar fig , ure In motion pictures. Pollard took , up "legitimate" acting for a time, "but I did not like the work and returned to his original role of artists' model. He has posed for some of the foremost A tti r i cH n nrtUti I noli, H In t'l I Eisner. uiDson, Foster, Hutt and I Christy. J He made his first appearance In Fllm ' dom only last year, and has not as yet achieved stellar success. He has appeared in about 60 photoplays, hav , lng star parts three times. 1 Pollard's picture has appeared tit times In popular novels and he was in 721 pictures In magazines last year. Robert Edeson. who has for years been one of the foremost dramatic utars on the American stage, has signed with the Jesse L. Lackey Company for ; the production of "Tne Call of the North," a former dramatic success. Mr. i Ede I will jl whe l-.orson ana nis supporting company 1 go to Moose Factory, Canada, ere the play will be produced. It Is rumored that Ford Sterling, who has taken Miss Teddy Sampson away from the Mutual Company to be come his leading woman, has married the pretty star. The funny man denied the report with a queer hesitation la his voice which caused his co-workers to whisper among themselves. A Minneapolis clergyman has turned his parish house Into a seml-motlon-picture theater. He installed the nec essary equipment and 700 young peo ple of the parish attended the show the first afternoon. The pictures are largely entertaining, with soma educa tional among them. 1 . ... "Tammany" (William F. Toung), I , . , - . . . l- Jockey, copy boy In the Russo-Japanese I secretary to Paul Armstrong, the play- 'vplrht lannflpv nrnnrlotnr rpa I nrtnr photoplay comedian and goodness " - ; J ' ' ' ' knows what not, is married. Mae Ger trude Savage Is the woman. Although Mr. Young is essentially a wild Westerner." he resents the In sinuation that he was obliged to coerce the present Mrs. Toung into becom ing a party to the compact. Dorothy Gish is nt longer "Lillian Gish's little sister," but a star, all on her own account. Miss Dorothy is 17 years old. Since the advent of the "Mountain Rat," she has become an individual to be reckoned with in the motion-picture world. . The engagement of Irving Cummings, for a number of years one of the lead ing men on the screen, and Miss Mig non Anderson, a Thanhouser Ingenue, has been recently announced. Cummings has been playing leads opposite Eleanor Woodruff. He is one of the most handsome and versatile actors in the motion-picture world. . 9 Not only will the story of the actual fighting in Mexico be told by motion pictures, but the suffering, privation and courage of the Mexican woman during the struggle will be shown also. The lower class of women, which comprises the geratest portion of the population, is of Indian extraction and she possesses the fortitude and bravery of the race. Hundreds of these women have fol lowed their husbands to the battle field and have fought side by side with them. The pictures of the conflict will doubtless be among the greatest ever taken. They will, at least, show us that France has not produced all the Jeanne d'Arcs, nor America all the Molly Pitchers. . . Francis X. Bushman, with the Es sanay Company. recently won the "Ladies World" hero contest by a mar gin of 643,890 votes over his neaerst contestant, J. Warren Kerrigan. "The Baby Spy." a thrilling two-part Seltg drama, features "Baby" Lillian Wade. The plot of the story Is woven about a child who, while at play, over hears the plans of the Confederate of fleers for the capture of certain Union strongholds. The child gives the In formation to her mother, who, in turn, carries it to the Union leaders. The film will be released May 25. . . Dolly Larkln is a popular actress who has never appeared before the foot lights. She began her motion-picture career six years ago and has played leads with several companies since, i .... "The Heart of Midlothian." from the novel by Sir Walter Scott, is a power ful five-reel feature soon to be re leased. The photoplay holds ciosely to the story and critics declare it to be masterpiece. An immense nine-reel production of Rex Beach's "The Spoilers has recent ly been released by the Selig Com pany. William Farnum will take the part of Glenlster, Kathlyn Williams that of Cherry Malotte and Bessie Ey ton that of Helen Chester. The film ought to make a big hit. A three-part drama by Bronson Howard recently released is "The Banker's Daughter." It is a story of a beautiful young woman who mar ried a wealthy man whom she did not love to save her father from disgrace. The photoplay Is a strong study of human emotions. The English picture stage has bevy of pretty and clever actresses. J mm- I j y? " I 1 - " 1 ' ' " 3 Among the most attractive ones Is Miss Ivy Close, a demure blond-haired little woman who is sometimes seen on the screen In this country. Claire Prldelle, Flora Morris and Madge Campbell are other English stars who are making a name for themselves in filmdom. ... Al Jennings, one-time bandit, train robber, knight of the road and now prospective candidate for Governor of DIZZY HIGH FLIGHT OF STEPS BUILT ON STAGE IS WHERE CHORUS GIRLS GAILY DANCE AND MARCH Novel and Thrilling Scene in 'The Passing Show of 1913," Coming to Heilig Theater, Has Awed Many Audiences Actors Make Entrance From Fly -Galleries First Time in Theatrical History Bridge 20 Feet High Erected on Two Sides. If-- 4 ' '- '1IL. LJi : : : : ; w HO would think that a flight of steps could be thrilling? Thrilling the same way that one admires the grandeur of a lofty mountain. In everyday life they are eommonplacq enough but when made Oklahoma, is being- filmed In a six-reel Thanhouser production, "Beating Back." The story appeared in the Sat urday Evening Post. It is the biogra phy of Jennings, written by Will Ir win. A successful young 'director is Mar shall Nellan, 22 years old. . He directs the Kalem forces in Hollywood, Cai., and everything runs along smoothly under his guidance. The champion writer of photoplays is James Oliver Curwood, of Owosso, Mich. He is assisted in his work by three women. One gathers material from all the - photoplays produced, another reads history in search of plots, and the third writes " the scenario from Curwoods' dictation. In addition to this work . Mr. Curwood writes about one novel and one series of short sto ries each year. His receipts for March for scenario production- alone were 12866.40. a A man whose name is obscure in the motion picture world, but who is al ways i "the man behind the g-un,' is J. Stewart Black ton. the "Belasco of the movies." Blackton began his career on the stage as- an artist with Albert A. Smith, a magician wltn a mechanical turn of mind. The duo traveled with an Edison "projecting machine'' " over New England giving "stereoscopic ex hibitions." Soon the artist nature in Mr. Bla'ck ton asserted itself and "he- announced hjs intention of- manufacturing his own pictures. This 'was in 1898, Just after the declaration of war with Spain. Blackton's first motion , picture was that of the Spanish flag waving In the breeze. A hand crept slowly up, th& banner was pulled down and the Stars and Stripes hoisted up in its place. ' Blackton's success as a producer is largely due to the fact that he pro duces the right thing at .the -right time. Muriel Ostriche of "Princess" fame has won several trophies for her won derful dancing. She has never made special preparation for contests and is a genius at inventing new steps. BIRD LOVERS TO AID COUNT . v Xatkra-Wlde Census to Encourage Protection of Wild- IIfe. MINNEAPOLIS, May -17. Minnesota bird-lovers will co-operate with the Federal Department of Agriculture in the first Nation-wide bird census ever taken, to begin about May 30. Esti mates as to the numbers of each species will be made and the census will be repeated from year to year, according to the plan announced in Washington recently, to see whether the country's wild life is increasing or decreasing. Bird-lovers of this state will count noses, or rather bills, for the birds of about 75 species which make their Summer homes in Minnesota. An effort will be made to estimate how many pairs of birds of each species breed within definite areas. "In the past, under mixed game reg ulations of various states," the De partment says, "bird life has been de creasing. Now that the birds have been placed in charge of the Depart ment definite and uniform measures are being taken to preserve them and increase their number." - The count is to begin about May 30 and the Department hopes to have final results in hand by June 30. PATH STRAIGHT FOR YOUTH Michigan Penitentiary Establishes Extension Work Department. JACKSON, Mich., May 17. With the threefold purpose of keeping young men out of prison, aiding paroled con victs to keep their promises, and pre venting discharged prisoners coming back, the management of the state prison here -announced the establish ment of an extension work? department. Lectures by men connected w4th the Michigan penitentiaries and otler penologists will be delivered before various organizations throughout Mich igan. : n wi. i r 4.- CAPITOL STEPS. SCENE. DAZZLI.VG the basis for a scenic setting they are a sensation. In the latest Winter Garden revue. "The Passing Show of 1S1J." which opens a seven days' engagement at the Heilig Theater, beginning Monday, June 1. they are 'doing what has never &"S h. r i 1 i t- . '1 1 " V - , trs ' ' ' '1', a COLONEL, GARRIGUS IS SAID TO BE INCORRECT I. McMahon, of Oregon Loyal Legion, Points Out Discrepancies Between Officers' Story of Cbickamauga and Authenticated Records. BT'J. M.' M'OOWIS, ' . ' -f Senior Vice-Commander Ioyal Lesion, Con- manaery or uregoa. N your issue of April 9 you publish an article from the pen of Colonel Gar rlgus entitled, "Campaigning With I the Confederates." in which statements are made so utterly at variance with the official recee-ds aa found in Series 1, volume 30, part 2 Chlcfcamauga campaign, that for the sake of the truth of history a reply seems due. Ev idently the Colonel writes from mem ory and records events as impressed upon his mind in the enthusiasm ot youth and pride In his corps. So com mendable in a soldier. But 50 years is a long time, and cold type- is liable to create sad havoc with memory two and & half score years old when con fronted" by official reports prepared with great care by gallant and able participants in the stirring events of Civil War times. They , were honest men, both Federal and Confederate, and have, given the world a library of over 100 large vol umes that required years of painstak ing labor to compile. These records are accepted univer sally as authentic history and the fol lowing quotations that seem to clash with Colonel Garrtgus' breezy and easy disposal of General Rosecrans' army. at Chlckamauga ought to be -accepted as true Jiistory, for they are copied from the official reports of gallant . Confed erate officers, some of whom" .later in the war laid down their- lives, alas, from a mistaken sense of duty. Federal Reports Omitted, The reader will note that not a line is taken from the reports of Federal officers, that would naturally be still more complimentary to the Federal soldier. Confederate testimony is quite sufficient. Colonel Garrigus says:: "Our division (Breckinridge) from Mlssslppi, and Longstreet's corps from Virginia were sent to augment Bragg's forces and enable him to meet Rose crans upon something like equal con ditions." In Series 1, .volume 30, part 2, page 27, in his official report. Bragg says "two divisions Joined me from Mississippi." And the Colonel has for gotten that Buckner's Corps of two divisions came down from Knoxvllle and Bragg also mentions three bri gades that came by rail from some point south. " - . In the roster of the ' Confederate army (Series 1, volume 30, part 2) ex clusive of artillery, 45 bridages are listed. ' In the same volume, part 1, the FederaJ Army, 39 brigades are listed; this Includes the whole of Granger's Corps only three brigades of which were on the field. The Colonel says: "The battle opened on Saturday the orphan brigade on the extreme left of Bragg's axmy where we lay under the fire of several field batteries and. for once, were not sent to capture them." He fails to express his thanks for that favor. "At night we were shifted to the extreme right, where the battle wis expected to be fiercest next day. We restud In the rear of the main line during the- night and early next morning moved forward and took position at the front. We were ordered to charge. We charged with a will and carried everything be fore us, capturing four pieces of ar tillery handsome Napoleon guns a great number of small arms and a few prisoners. After our success in driv ing back their left wing and practical ly putting it out of commission, we were moved a short distance to the rear Different Story Told. Shades of Ananias! What will the ghost f Thomas say to that? And, in deed, all the ghosts of the gallant thousands of Confederates who - went down before night in their heroic ef forts to put the left. wing of Rose crans' army out of commission.- The Colonel's superiors tell a different story. General Bragg, on page 33, vol ume 30, part 2, says: "When the action opened on the right nearly all parts of the right wing were repulsed with heavy losses." General D. H. Hill, who commanded the right wing of Bragg's U2 nr FEATURE OF FASSI.VG SHOW OF been done before. Instead of utiliz ing a flat surface upon which to drill the beauty chorus, a flight of steps reaching from the footlights to the back wall and as high as the fly gal leries and as wide as the proscenium opening has been provided. ltl" - --? - . - v ! 5 I , X army, says on pages 141-142, part 2: "My' corps was the extreme right of the infantry force. General Forrest had brought up his Cavalry corps to guard the right flank. Breckinridge advanced at 9:30 A. M., with Adams' brigade on the right, Stovall's in the center and Helen's (the orphans) on the left. The Yankee skirmishers were driven rapid ly and within about 700 yards, the left portion of the breastworks were en countered by Helm. Two heroic ef forts to take them were repulsed and that noble officer received a mortal wound while in the gallant discharge of his duty. The brigade was then withdrawn to the rear. This, unfor tunately, left a. gap in our line which was the source of much trouble and disaster during the rest of the day, since the Yankees were not slow to pour Into the opening and secure a position from which they had a cross fire upon our troops attempting to swing round upon their left. Walthall and Gist were then sent in, but the Yankees were securely posted in the gap and they were met by a front and flank, fire that threw their brigades into confusion, and , they were driven back precipitately. The whole division now fell back to a ridge overlooking the Chattanooga road." General Cleburne Gives Version. . General Cleburne was next on the left of the orphan brigade and- sought to aid them in putting the left wing of Rosecrans army "out of commission and gives his experience with genuine Irish frankness. On pages 154 and 155, Series 1, volume 30, he says: "Polk's brigade and the right of Wood's encountered the heaviest 'ar tillery fire I have ever experienced. Five hundred men were killed and wounded by this fire in a few minutes. Finding it & useless sacrifice of life. I took up a strong defensive position some 300 or 400 yards in rear of the point from which Folks and Woods brigades had been repulsed. . Noble Pat Cleburne! No more gal lant knight ever bestrode a horse on the batlefield. He rode to his death at Franklin more is the pity. Major Thomas St. Thompson, commanding Colonel Garrigus' regiment (Fourth Kentucky), says: "Colonel Joseph P. Nuckols having been severely wound ed soon after deployment, the com mand devolved upon me. We charged the enemy, capturing two" (Garrigus says Tour) pieces or artillery, one Im pounder Parrott and one 12-pounder Napoleon, one Casson and two horses. We were ordered back and took po sition in rear of Walker's division," (Page 210, Vol'. 30.) Route Not Shown. .Just what position the Colonel held in his regiment or brigade does not appear. He refers to the battle on the left. General James Longstreet says on pages 28S-289, volume above mentioned: "I was assigned to the command of the left wing- The attack was made by our right, about 10 o'clock. The tattle seemed to rage with some fury, but did -not progress as anticipated. About 3 o'clock in the afternoon I asked the commanding General for some of the troops of the right wing, but was informed by him that they had been beaten back" so badly that they could be of no service to me." It is due to General Long street to say, in this connection, that he won the only great success when he charged through the opening left in the Federal line by the withdrawal of Wood's division routing Davis and Sheridan's divisions and driving them off the field until Just before dark, when the Confederates took possession of the barricades where the Yankees had stood for a whole September day defying the utmost efforts of a heroic body of American - soldiers to take them. Yet Colonel Garrigus had them "out of commission" at 10 P. M. General Longstreet "reports the loss In the six divisions that he command ed on the 20th at 7866. Colonel Garri gus says: "Just betore sundown we were moved forward and in double quick time charged and drove the Fed eral army completely 'from the field." It was easier taking barricades de fended only 'by dead and wounded men y 191X" On this precipitous incline the girls perform evolutions that are kindred to the daily pranks of a fly. To date not a spangle has been lost nor a shin skinned, but at each performance the audience sits awed and breathless waiting for the first human toboggan. than during the day when they wern defended by a live line of men dressed in blue. The Colonel does not seem to have read the official records or he would know that for more than an hour before the final assault General Thom as had in obedience to orders from Gen eral Rosecrans been withdrawing his troops and starting them on the march to Kossvllle. , When the gallant Confederates made the last grand charge, four divisions had been withdrawn and the remainder ordered to fail back, which they did. fighting at every defensive point. Two ' miles from the breastworks Johnson's and Balrd's divisions, with McCook'a brigade of General Granger's corps that had not been in action, lined up across the Chattanooga road and waited for hours for another attack that did not cbme. Line Remade nt Rossvllle. -At RossvlMe Thomas placed his men In line, together with the rallied -divisions of McCook's corps that" Long street had driven from the field. Dur ing the night the position was made, impregnable to- attack from the direc tion of Chlckamauga. where it waited all day on the- 31st to receive the Con federate assault. Colonel Garrigus says: "The battle of Chlckamauga was a very decided Confederate victory, and if General Bragg had pushed on vigorously, he could, no doubt, have gone into Chattanooga and possibly have destroyed or captured the Federal army." General Bragg says on page 81, vol ume 30: "Any immediate pursuit by our infantry and artillery would have bees fruitless, as it was not practicable with out exhausted force to assail the ene my." General Forrest says on pages 525, 526, same volume: vOn Monday morning (21st) I moved forward. On taking possession of Mission Ridge, .a mile from Rossvllle, we found the ene my fortifying the -gap and attacked them, but found the force too large to dislodge. On the arrival of. my artil lery, wo opened upon them and fought them for several hours, but could not move them." If such a resolute fighter with his two divisions of brave men could not make an impression even Colonel Gar rlgus with his brother "orphans" would have found destroying or capturing the Federal army a strenuous Job. The Colonel compliments the orphan bri gade for being expert thieves. It is not believed that they carried that ac complishment into civil life when they went marching home. The official records give the losses in killed and wounded of the Federal army 11,413; Confederates 16.986. Of the large number reported missing in both armies. 6225 it was not possible to determine how many were killed, and the world will never know how many young men gave up their lives at Chlckamauga that maelstrom of death the recollection of the glsastly scenes of which cause a shudder to this day. The Nation is proud of its soldiers, past and present, and all should strive for the truth in history. i UNWRITTEN LAW IS PLEA Soutli Carolina Case Is Attracting Wide Attention. GREENVILLE, S. C. May 17. All South Carollnla is watching for the trial of George W. Tidwell, Sr.. charged with the murder of R. Emmett Walker, superintendent of a cotton mill. "The unwritten law" will be the plea. "I killed him because he induced my wife to leave home and. also ruined my daughter." An acquittal Is expected confidently! - - James H. Price, formerly a reporter on a Washington newspaper, and a grraduate of George Washington Uni versity, is the leading counsel for the defense. As Tidwell and Walker represented two of the state's first families, the trial is attracting as much attention as that of James Tillman, who killed Edi tor Gonzales, .ot the Columbia State, several years ago. $196,000,000 IS HIDDEN. Bullion May Fall Into Hands of Hnerta if Found. VERA CRUZ. May 17. If was ru mored here today that $196,000,000 in silver bullion belonging to six mining interests was secreted in Mexico City when the owners sought safety on the coast. Huerta, it is said, has refused to per mit the transfer of the silver bars, and if discovered the huge sum will go to his war fund. It Is the first time in stage history and this goes from Shakespeare to Rhelnhardt that actors have made their entrance from the fly galleries. This is so high above the level of the orchestra that persons sitting in the balcony and gallery and even the rear orchestra seat wonder why the others are applauding, for it is almost impos sible to see the top flight. Conse quently they miss the opportunity of extending a hand when a favorite ap pears. Steps Occupy Whole Stage. These steps are really a little pro duction within themselves. They oc cupy the entire stage when set up. and when not in use there is barely room for the company to move about. To be exact, there are 32 steps in all. They are constructed in multiples of four. This arrangement Is necessary on account of the music The top step is 28 feet high, which means a height of 33 feet above the heads of those sitting In the orchestra chairs. The depth Is 40 feet and the width 32. In order for the company to enter the scene they climb to the topmost floor of the dressing rooms and from there to the fly galleries, one of which is on each side of the stage. Reach ing from each gallery Is a wooden and steel cantilever bridge. 20 feet in length and three feet wide, and able to support five tons. - Blithely the little girls emerge from these dixzy heights to go through marches and dances which are done with such precision and abandon as to rob them of, much of their real danger. Training Renulres Mock Time One can hardly realize the trouble and time required to train the girls to become used to the steps. They had to be taken up four at a time and, walked up four flights and then down. Then up eight and down. Then up 12 and down until the .entire flight had been covered. It took weeks for some of the girls to become accustomed to walk to say nothing of the dances. For every dance there had to be 32 steps and the evolutions of the chorus bad to correspond rythmical!- to the music For Instance, the 12 llttis cow boy girls gallop down the steps at a two-four tempo or douole quick time and not one misses a step if they did, well, the audience would see some thing for which It did not pay. Pastel Marck Bloat Spectacular. The first big number is a march down the steps, the second a dance and march which begins at the bot tom and the third Is the Pastel March, wnicn Degins in tne cenier nait wy up the flight. The latter is the most spectacular and by far the most im pressive. There are, of course, several special ties by the principals, including a spir ited toe dance down the entire flight by. Mazle King, and what Is described as the "Tangle-Footed Monkey Wrench Rag" by Teddy Wing and George Ford. In all 20 men are required to set up this scene and the time required Is nine minutes. While the stagehands are moving noiselessly about. 22 elec tricians are preparing the light ef fects which are brought into play when the curtain rises on the scene.