Moving Picture World (May-Jun 1925)

June 20, 1925 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 90 7 Wanda Wiley, the beautiful Century Comedy (Universal) star visited New York City, taking Gotham by storm last week. Wanda has re' turned to the West Coast, thus eluding the Eastern hot spell. Planes Lay Smoke Screen Around the Los Angeles FOR the first time in history a smoke screen was laid by aeroplanes around a navy dirigible when at Washington, on Wednesday, June 3, a Martin bomber dropped a silvery curtain over the “Los Angeles” as the gigantic balloon sailed majestically over the capitol. The demonstration was arranged by the Bureau of Aeronautics, U. S. Navy and the Marine Corps, at the suggestion of International Newsreel, and the thrilling motion pictures of the epochal event are being shown at leading theatres exclusively by International Newsreel in issue No. 48. For the past two months, representatives of International Newsreel have been negotiating with the Navy Department to make such a picture, not only in order to secure the unexampled pictures themselves, but also to demonstrate that aeroplanes can protect a great army balloon from attack by laying a smoke screen around it. International Newsreel agreed to pay all of the expenses of the enterprise, but a suitable time had to be arranged. The auspicious day came last week when the “Los Angeles” went to Annapolis for the commencement exercises. It was arranged that she should return to Lakewood from Annapolis by way of Washington and that the smoke screen should be dropped over as she flew over the capitol. Fourteen representatives of International Newsreel, including a dozen cameramen, went to Washington. Some of them were in aeroplanes, from which to photo the demonstration, while others were scattered about the city photographing from every vantage point, including the Washington Monument. Two men climbed to the top of the high shaft (for the elevator was not running) carrying their cameras with them. The actual smoke screen was laid by a Martin bomber, operated by Lieut. Stanley E. Ridderhoff. In another Martin bomber, piloted by Lieut. Frank G. Cowle, was U. K. Whipple, International Newsreel cameraman, who followed in the wake of the dirigible. In another bomber was Norman Alley, International Newsreel cameraman, piloted by Lieut. H. D. Palmer. At the moment the “Los Angeles” left Annapolis, the Anacostia Naval Air Station at Bolling Field was notified by telephone. Thomson Launches New Picture “The Wild Bull’s Lair” from the pen of Marion Jackson, will be Fred Thomson’s first new vehicle for F. B. O. under the terms of his new contract with the distributing organization which makes him one of the highest paid stars in filmdom. Work began this week under the direction of Del Andrews. The aeroplanes were primed ,and ready and at the first signal of the sighting of the “Los Angeles” as she rode lazily up the Anacostia River, they took to the air. When the “Los Angeles reached the War College, she! was completely surrounded by the other aircraft and, at a signal from the ground, Lieut. Ridderhoff started to lay the smoke screen. The other planes, with cameramen photographing it from every angle, followed the gigantic dirigible across the city, over the Capitol, and remained with her until she slowly headed toward her hangar at Lakewood. She was commanded by Capt. George W. Steele. The visit of the “Los Angeles” to Washington and the laying of the smoke screen was a complete surprise to everyone in the Capitol ; all of the preparations having been made and carefully guarded by International Newsreel. Navy officers said that the demonstration would prove of incalculable value, while motion picture experts declared the picture to be among the most beautiful and thrilling ever made. Scenes from “The Sporting Venus,” a Metro -GoldwynMayer release with Ronald Colman, Blanche Sweet and Lew Cody in the cast