Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1914)

THE MOMXG PICTURE WORLD Sidney Olcott. Sid Olcott in Traveltalk Weil-Known Producer Tells Some Incidents of a PictureMaking Trip That Contained Real Thrills. By George Blaisdell. IN HIS home the other day, surrounded by many souvenirs picked up in long journeys in search of locations for n.otion pictures, Sid Olcott was led into talking of his experiences when he produced "From the Manger to the Cross" in the Holy Land. The former Kalem director, who is now producing Sid Olcott International Features, had told how, after ten days in Jacksonville, Fla., he had received a telegram from Mr. Marion to bring his company to New York to prepare for a trip abroad. Record time was made, and it was only a few days later when the whole party was aboard ship bound for ^lediterranean ports. In Algiers the party used their first camels. Natives also were pliotographed. Mr. Olcott secured a few pictures in Rome, and in the Vatican photographed the Swiss Guard and the gardens. There was a hitch at Naples. Mr. Olcott had cabled from the Island of Madeira to a dragoman in Beirut. Syria, asking for his terms and instructing him to reply by letter to Naples. When the director reached the latter city the letter awaited him. The terms being satisfactory, the O'Kalemite chief wired back to Beirut : accepted. Be ready." "That was innocent enough, don't you think?" asked Mr. Olcott. "But, you see, I had overlooked the fact that Italy and Tripoli, Turkish territory, were at war. From the moment I left the ship every move had been watched; when I told the officers where I had been traveling they said it was so— they knew. I satisfied them, however, we were on no warlike e.xpedition. "One of the pleasant incidents of our trip was the pride shown by traveling Americans in the fact that an .\merican firm should have the enterprise to send so many persons so far from home. There were many anxious to join our party because of their belief that we would get away from beaten tracks. After a stop in Cairo we went to Luxor, 500 miles up the Nile. We were here three months. On our return to Cairo we began active work on 'From the Manger to the Cross.' There were pictures to be taken at the Pyramids and in the shadow of the old Sphinx. These were taken on Palm Sunday, by the \yay. "How many were used in the portrayal of the Christ? Five in all. There was a week-old infant in the rnanger scene. "Then an Australian family stopping at Shepheard's, in Cairo, kindly permitted us to use their baby. George Hollister, Jr., was the third. Then came Percy Dyer and R. Henderson Bland, both English. But you are getting me ahead of my story. W hen we arrived in Jerusalem one of the first things I did was to call on the American vice consul, Louis Heck. I want to say that the consideration and courtesy we received from the United States Consuls was very much appreciated. In company with T. A. Gelat, official interpreter, I called on the Turkish Governor General of Jerusalem. With much ceremony we were received in audience. The Governor was skeptical ; he could not see things my way. -After a long conversation, punctuated by many attacks of near-heart failure on my part and the exercise by us of much diplomacy, he finally admitted that the production was to be commended. Although a Mohammedan, he appreciated the interest the subject would have for the Christians of the world. He was so kind as to wish the blessing of .Allah upon our work. "I immediately got busy looking for locations. For a studio we secured a piece of ground between a monastery and a nunnery of the Roman Catholic Church. The owner was a Greek Orthodox priest. Knowing it would be impossible to secure in Jerusalem the men we required for apostles and other characters I started back to London, Ijeing certain that the remaining members of the company would do everything to further our "Te plans. In eight days after leaving Jerusalem I was in the English metropolis. Did you know that Isidor Straus, the famous Jewisli philanthropist, paid $5,000 for transportation for himself and wife between Joppa and Alexandria in order that he might make connections with the Titanic? You remember they were both drowned. "On reaching London I went to Blackmore's. I asked the man who came to the rail of a crowded room if he could supply me with people for Jerusalem. He looked at me and his jaws spread. 'Where did you say, sir?' he asked. 'Jerusalem,' I replied. "'Good Lord, where next?' he stammered. "When I explained the situation and told him I wanted a man to portray the Christ he immediately suggested Bland, who happened to be there. In ten minutes the deal was closed, contingent on the approval of Mrs. Bland. Then we searched for a lioy to take the part of the young Christ. Percy Dyer, the lad we selected, was over sixteen years old but looked nearer eleven. Tliere was waiting for me a message from Mr. Marion, saying tliat he, with Mrs. Marion, had sailed from New York. On the steamer with them was Miss Helen Lindroth. who made a journey from Jacksonville to Jerusalem, which, I think, establishes a mileage record for a jump to join a theatrical organization, certainly for pictures, anyway. Mr. Marion said he had come over just to shake hands and wish us success. "In forty-eight hours from the time I reached London I was leaving it with a party of eleven. One of the last things I did in the English city was to secure a work on the life of the Saviour. During the trip we took turns in reading the liook aloud, so that all would become imbued with the spirit witli which to approach the work. When the members of the party were engaged I explained to all what they were going to do, and that I didn't care to have them come if they could not unreservedly enter into the spirit of the task and live clean, wholesome lives. There must be no occasion for any one in Jerusalem, Mohammedan or Christian, to take exception to any act of any member of the company. It is a pleasure to say there was not one complaint during all our stay in Jerusalem — that is. against any individual of the company. "There was. however, trouble a day or two before we finished the work. I'll tell you of that later. We took pictures in Bethlehem, Bethany and in the Valley of Jehosophat. as well as in Jerusalem. We traveled by wagon and horseback to the Sea of Galilee, 224 miles, through a bad country. The East still has its robbers. We dared not travel at night. In the City of Tiberias Mr. Bland took the first scene in the life of Christ. Here we gathered some shepherds right from their flocks. We stopped at Nazareth for the scene of Mary at the well. It is supposed to be the same well, with sliglit improvements. "On Fridays, the Mohammedan Sunday, it was customary for the members of the cabinet of the Governor General to visit us. One day I persuaded them all to be photographed in a group with the apostles, the latter arrayed in the ancient garb. It was very fortunate for us, as events proved. In the crucifixion scene we were to employ many natives who lived in the Mohammedan quarter. Now, it is not necessary to point out that the graft we hear of here at home is not a recent invention or a trait of any particular nationality. These natives of whom I speak were on a par with the gunmen of New York. Apparently, they arrived at the conclusion that there was something being overlooked. On the day before the crucifixion was to be made we were taking scenes on the Mount of Olives, near the Garden of Gethsemane. I was very much surprised to find that orders had been sent by the Governor General to the officers stationed with us that they were to withdraw immediately." It was at this point we got so interested we forgot to make notes, and what follows will be from memory of a conversation several days since. It seems Mr. Olcott and George Hollister started out to discover what had happened. A dozen or fifteen Mohammedans armed with clubs attacked the two. They backed up against a coflfee-house. When matters began to get serious Mr. Olcott drew an automatic revolver, and after much use of the sign language amplified with suggestive gestures with the weapon, the thugs departed. George Hollister was having a hard time with the camera. The director got the Vice Consul and the interpreter to accompany him to the oftice of the Governor, after he had been assured by smiling and smirking officials that not a thing could be done to help him and that his privilege had been withdrawn because it was felt that what he was doing was degrading the Mohammedan belief. The Governor was adamant. He said that Constantinople would not like it, and that he himself had not understood the circumstances anyway. Mr. Olcott's turn came right here. He recalled to the Governor the photograph of the cabinet and the apostles. The Governor evidently realized that in face of that picture he could not plead ignorance and told Mr. Olcott he might proceed and that his jirotection would be restored. When the director went back to Vifhcre he had left his company he found all had gone to their