American cinematographer (Jan-Dec 1924)

July, 1924 AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER Seventeen so busy with his own troubles and Paley's work was so technical, that he had to depend largely upon himself. He got a lot of good stuff around Baiquiri, where Shafter landed, but didn't get any "action" stuff until that fatal day at Las Quasimas, where the Rough Riders first went into action and where Hamilton Fish, Lieutenant Tiffany and Captain Capron were killed. This fight was in the brush, an ambuscade in fact, and Paley's film showed for the most part but puffs of smoke where the fighting was hottest. He got shots of Wood, Roosevelt and others going into action, but once in the undergrowth it was impossible to follow the men. Just before the battle of San Juan he was at Shafter's headquarters one morning filming some camp stuff when a negro courier rode up with a message for the general. As the courier, who was an alert, bright young fellow, stood at attention before the general and his staff he was seen to be restless, and his eyes shot many rapid glances far away to his left. An aide quickly noticed the courier's unrest and questioned him. "Something the matter?" inquired the aide. "Yes,sah." "Speak." "Ah sees a sha'p shootah in dat cocoanut tree 'way ovah on dat hill. With you-all's p'mission, Ah'll bring him down." Everybody looked at the cocoanut tree. It was easily 1400 yards away, and nobody could see anything in it, even with a glass. But the colored boy was positive, and General Shafter gave him leave to shoot. Paley set up his camera to train it on the tree, but before he could do it the courier shot and sure enough a second later a Spanish sharp shooter, still gripping his riflle, tumbled headlong from the tree. For this the negro boy received the thanks of the general, and later was given a medal. Mr. Paley saw Edward Marshall, the New York newspaper correspondent, shot at Las Quasimas, and on July 1, 1898, filmed the first shot fired by Capron's Battery in the general advance on Santiago. This Captain Capron was the father of the Capron Capron killed at Las Quasimas. In the attack on San Juan, Grimes' Battery was just going into action when Paley set up just behind the line to get the effect of the first shot. As he stood ready to crank Grimes saw him and shouted : "Better get up there in the shade of that sugar mill. We are using black powder, and as soon as fire the enemy will get our range." Paley took the cue and moved. The battery cut loose and was almost immediately answered by the Spaniards. A shell dropped on the exact spot where Paley had been, and at the same time a ball from a sharpshooter's rifle smashed into his camera box, passing from behind under his left arm and tearing through his coat sleeve. He jammed his finger into the hole until he could chew up some paper and plug it. When developed the film in the box was a bit fogged, but was shown with a sub-title explaining the incident. During the next fifteen days Paley was busy getting action stuff and Was in the thick of the fighting up to the surrender of the Spanish commander-in-chief, General Toral, at 9 o'clock, July 17, 1898. In the meantinme he had filmed the scene of the exchange of Richmond P. Hobson and his men for Spanish prisoners of war and on July 3, was all set up to shoot the landing of Admiral WINFIELD-KERNER STUDIO LIGHTING EQUIPMENT OUR NEW ROTARY SPOT LIGHT Is Second to None Ask for Demonstration Al. De Bus "The Heavylite Man" SOLE DISTRIBUTOR Winfield-Kerner Products Factory: 323-27 East 6th Street Phone VAndike 62 I I Hollywood Office: 6725-55 Santa Monica Blvd. Phones: GRanit 9601. CRanit 9402 Night Phone CRanit 4864 FOR SALE Pa the No. 1110, completely equipped with six magazines, tripod, tilt head, mats and vignettes of every description. Guaranteed in perfect shape. 40, 50 and 85 mm. lenses. Bargain. JAMES C. VAN TREES American Society of Cinematographers SCHEIBE'S PHOTO-FILTER SPECIALTIES Are now popular from coast to coast, and in some foreign countries. If my many varieties do not always fill the bill, tell me your wants and 1 will make them on special order. Always at your service. GEO. H. SCHEIBE 1636 Lemoyne St. DUnkirk 4975 Los Angeles, Cal. "Walter. J. van Rpssem 6049 Hollywood Blvd. Phone Holly 725 COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY Still Developing and Printing UhWflCoinaas-FOa RENT— Still