The Moving Picture Weekly (1917-1919)

THE MOVING PICTURE WEEKLY 19 Bluebird Players Rescue Kidnapped Child EXCITING EXPERIENCE OF JOSEPH DE GRASSE'S COMPANY, WHICH PROVES AGAIN THAT TRUTH IS STRANGER THAN FICTION. f<T~ >0R God's sake, help me — a H Chinaman is running away with my babv!" And with this startling exhortation a young woman leaped on the running board of an automobile in one of the outlying districts of Los Angeles and frantically indicated that she was in great trouble. In the machine were Bluebird Director Joseph De Grasse and the leading members of his company, who were moving from one location to another in the southland city, where a variety of scenes was being made for De Grasse's current production, "The Maverick." De Grasse had just given orders to journey to the new location when the hysterical cries of the young woman caused a halt and riveted attention upon her. "Turn around and come back to the next block, please, please." cried the woman. "That's were he is — that Chinaman and my babv! Do, please do!" The supplicating cries scarcely had died away when the chauffeur brought the car around with a sharp swing and it was headed in the direction indicated by the young mother, who, still standing on the running board, clutched the side of the car. literally "holding on for dear life." It goes without saviner that Franklyn Farnum, Lon Chanev. Miss Claire Du Brey and Miss Mariorie Lawrence, who, in addition to Director De Grasse, were the occupants of the car, were keyed up by the unusual excitement. The machine had not proceeded more than several dozen yards when Farnum sprang from his seat and was at the side of the young woman, holding her so that she would not be shaken off the car. She was crying piteouslv all the time,, and calling out for her child. A melodramatic situation? In truth is was — just the kind one so often sees on the screen or back of the footlights, and the actor folk in that machine were quick to recognize it as such. The next corner was reached in & jiffy. De Grasse was paying no attention to speed laws — it was essential that the little one be saved from what undoubtedly would be a life of slavery in the future. But there wa*> no sign of the Chinaman. Then the car was driven up and down several streets in search of the Oriental, who finally was espied bv the young mother as he was about to enter the basement of a laundrv. "There hs is — oh, my girl!" she exclaimed, bounding up the street. All the men were out of the car by this time and John Chinaman soon was in their grasp. "Mamma, mamma!" gleefully cried the youngster — a prettv. brown-eyed girl of three years — as she ran to her mother, the latter now overioyed onct more to clasp her little one to her breast and smothering the upturned face with kisses. It was only natural for Farnum and Chaney to feel inclined to "beat up" the child stealer, but De Grasse decried the use pf methods of violence and the Chinaman was taken to police headquarters instead. SOLVED ! in Tomorrows Papers Miss Tennyson Resolves to Learn to Swim Miss Gladys Tennyson of the Victor Company. A millionaire's beautiful swimming pool was used one dav this week by the Universal Victor Company of comedians. No, they did not disport themselves in the water of this luxurious pool for their own pleasure — they were there on business bent, that business being the making of scenes bv Director Craig Hutchinson for his current comedy, in which Dave Moms and Miss Gladys Tennyson plav the leading roles. The swimming pool is located on the spacious grounds of L. M. Armstrong, a member of the colony of millionaires at Pasadena. Cal., and it was the first time it had ever been used for motion pictures purposes. In one of the scenes Miss Tennyson receives an involuntarv bath — she is standing on the edge of the pool talking to her sweetheart in the play when she is pushed into the water by a jealous rival. Miss Tennyson cannot swim a stroke and her expression of fright and her desperate floundering in the ten feet of water effectively produced the realism desired by Director Hutchinson. "The Curse of a Flirting Heart" is the name of the current Victor comedy by this company. Violet McMillan is the featured player in a three-reel drama, which is being made at Universal City under the direction of Roy Clements. It is called "The Potato Patriot."