Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1914)

270 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD CHICAGO LETTER BY JAS. S. McQUADE. COLIN CAMPBELL and Tom Mix spent the last week of the old year in Chicago. Mr. Campbell is the leadingdirector of the Selig Polyscope Co., with headquarters in Los Angeles, and Tom Mix is known everywhere that Selig western cowboy pictures are known, as the most daring rider and buUdogger cf wild steers in the world. Both visitors, accompanieil by Mrs. Colin Campbell, came direct from Pawnee, Okla., and were the guests of Mr. Selig at the La Salle Hotel during their sta}-. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell arrived in Pawnee, December i-'. from Los Angeles, and from that date until December 22 Mr. Campbell and Mr. Mix with a host of Indians and white men were engaged in making an oldtime, historical buffalo hunt production, which is at present about 10 reels in length, but will be cut down to about eight, •'Pawnee Bill's" (Major G. \V. Lillie's), ranch of 6000 acres was used for the hunt. The animals were hunted and killed by Indians and white men just as they were in the days long ago on the plains, and eight bulls altogether were killed in the chase. There will be quite a difference between the methods of the Indian and the white man in bringing down this big game, as shown in the films. The Indians will be seen stalking the herd in their own way and then killing their quarry with bows and arrows. Then the Indian methods of drying, curing and jerking the meat will be shown, affording" quite an interesting lesson to the spectator. Tom Mix is the leading man in this great western jjhotodrama, as the hunter and hero of the story. He is seen killing his game with musket or rifle while the animals are in wild flight, and his expert aim as a marksman will be evidenced here. In one thrilling scene Tom Mix appears rescuing his sweetheart from a stampeded herd of buffalo, after she had fallen from her affrighted horse. The scenario of this big subject has been written by Gilson Willets, who wrote the scenario of "The Adventures of Kathlyn." In this buffalo hunt story, Mr. Willets gives us a stirring romance of the days of the early settlers in the west. How well he has done it can be guessed when it is reinembered that he has written about 20 well known works, chief of which are: "The Double Cross," "The First Law," "The Workers of the Nation," "The Inside History of the Whitehouse," etc., etc. Tom Mix, who is shown in the accompanying cut, is one of the most picturesque figures in western outside life at the present time. He is so accustomed to horse-back riding, that he feels like a sailor ashore when walking through the streets of a city. Over six feet tall, straight as an arrow, with not an ounce of superfluous flesh on his symmetrical frame and with a face that has a shade of stoical, Indian dignity, Mr. Mix is a striking figure. When walking with him through Chicago. I noticed that many eyes' were turned on him; but Tom seemed oblivious of the attentions paid him. He is chuck full of nothing else, at the present time, except how to make good his part in moving pictures. He hasstudied the film game in his line very tlioroughly since he joined the Selig forces over four years ago, and has an ambition to excel as leading man in the great outdoor picture dramas. We shall all await with considerable interest the appearance of the big buffalo hunt pictures. The visitors left Chicago for Pawnee on New Year's night. Tom Mix. Miss Gertrude Spoor Makes Her Debut in Chicago Society. Miss Gertrude Spoor, daughter of Geo. K. Spoor, president of the Essanay Film Manufacturing Co., was brought out at a reception given by Mrs. Geo. K. Spoor, Saturday afternoon, January 3, in the Crystal room of the Blackstone Hotel, this city. The reception lasted from three until six o'clock. Mrs. and I Miss Spoor were assisted by Misses Lorna Walduck, Helen ' Whitbeck, Marjorie Bell, Louise Crosby, Ada Hopkins, Bessie Spoor, Hazel Candish and Ruth Wilk. A dinner followed at 7 o'clock, the guests being the young ladies who assisted in the afternoon, and their escorts. A formal ball followed the dinner, to which more than 300 guests had been invited. Miss . Spoor is an only daughter and graduated recently from Miss ^ Mason's School at Tarrytown, N. Y. Architect of Collapsed Home Theater Cleared. The Illinois board of examiners for architects decided by unanimous vote, on December 30, that Architect David Saul Klafter was not guilty of incompetency and neglect in designing and supervising the construction of the Home theater, which collapsed on December 9, 1912. The charges had been brought against Klafter by F. H. Davidson, representing the Chicago Architects' Business Association, asking that his license as an architect be revoked. When informed of the finding, Klafter announced he would immediately start suit for $100,000 damages against Davidson and associates, alleging conspiracy to ruin his business. "I have been made the goat by certain men connected with the Architects' Business Association, who were employed by Goldstein, owner of the theater, to take charge of the reconstruction of the roof," Klafter said. "In order to save Goldstein from possible prosecution by the city building department they conspired to place the blame on me and ruin my business. We will now see what a court of law will say about the case." The state board devoted nineteen days to hearing the Klafter case. It was asserted by the representatives of the Chicago Architects' Business Association that Klafter should be blamed for the collapse of the theater roof as supervising architect. Klafter's defense was that he did not draw the specifications for the theater roof as constructed; that R. Goldstein, owner of the building, had consulted another building engineer and had constructed the roof at a cost of $1,200 less than the estimate called for in Klafter's specifications. Klafter further alleged the owner had purchased the iron used in the construction of the roof at a low price because it was second hand. .\nother point, on which the attorneys representing Klafter put much stress, was that the construction of the Home theater roof had been inspected and passed by the Chicago city building department. Klafter asserted this action by city building inspectors absolved him from blame. Building Commissioner Ericsson, after an investigation, exonerated Klafter. Major Funkhouser, Tango Dance Arbiter. Major M. L. C. Funkhouser, second deputy superintendent of police, this city, looked in vain for a tango teacher Saturday night, January 3. He was the chief functionary at a ball given by the Keturah Hoover tent of the Daughters of Veterans, at the Hotel La Salle. Maj. Funkhouser, who had his badge buttoned out of sight, led the grand march with Mrs. Ella Wood Dean. After the march he remarked: "If some one would offer to teach me the tango I would try to learn." But no one offered to teach the dance which the majo/ has eliminated from the dance halls. "I am no enemy of the tango," he said, "if it is done my way." The gallant major has added to his duties those of tango dance arbiter. Remarkable Publicity Campaign for Pictures. For three weeks preceding the release date (Dec. 29), of the first set of "The Adventures of Kathlyn," readers of the Tribune, American, News and Journal, this city, were puzzled by display advertisements concerning one Kathlyn. The space used at first was small, and it gradually increased until a whole page was used in the three last mentioned papers, while the Tribune had two full display pages and two pages, in connection, devoted to the first chapter of Harold MacGrath's serial story and beautiful illustrations in colors. These took up the entire magazine section of the Sunday Tribune, January 4, and over 500,000 extra copies of this section were printed to meet the requirements. The well laid and perfectly carried out plans resulted in a great tidal wave of interest and curiosity throughout the city. This culminated in a turnout of crowds at the eleven