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A remarkable chapter of an epic story of the early days of a great industry
By Terry T^amsaye
it. The Anthonys listened and took an interest in the Latham patents. It seemed a timely aid then, but it was to prove unfortunate. Destiny was against the Lathams.
At about this time the Lambda Company, the original Latham concern, became the Eidoloscope Company, largely with a new set of stockholders. It was decided to make more machines and more films. The first experience of exhibitors, as exemplified in the brief store show career of Le Roy Latham, in 1895, indicated that a community could soon grow tired of pictures that merely moved. A variety of subjects seemed important. Otway Latham, who had produced the first subjects for the eidoloscope, was commissioned at the instance of the Anthony interests to go to Mexico and make pictures of a bull fight, and if possible to get pictures of the religious festival of the Flagellantes, a Mexican religious sect which annually carried on a ritual somewhat like the Passion Play, but frequently involving, in an excess of zeal, the actual crucifixion of the actor in the role of the Christus.
Such expeditions lor the films are commonplace
Secrets of '96
and forgotten adventures told in this
chapter
The crash of the first romantic loves of the motion picture world — a tale of Old Mexico.
How the pioneer of the screen went down the road of misfortune and became a book agent at the end of his career.
The newspaper "sob artist" who became a great producer because Edison laughed at a cartoon.
The one long kiss by which an actress started censorship of the screen.
The newspaper man who went to New York and caused a theater revolution — the father of vaudeville.
The cowpuncher who rode into the film business in hair pants and jingling spurs — up the trail to millions.
«■. V//'^ rj ,/e i<l~
The first real life romance of motion pictures was crushed by a temperamental misunderstanding. The first motion picture expedition ended in disaster. Otway Latham and his bride Natalie quarreled and parted. The screen itself never told a more tragic story
affairs enough now. But this was the first one. It was a daring notion, a wild conception then. It involved the expenditure of some thousands of dollars, in a time when the few other films that had been made at the Black Maria and about the streets of New York cost perhaps from twenty-five to fifty dollars each.
Otway Latham and his bride, Natalie Lockwood, set out for the City of Mexico. The arrival there of the world's first motion picture expedition was an event of acclaim in that enthusiastic capital. The Mexicans were fired with interest about the pictures that lived and moved. Young Latham and his beautiful young wife were considerably entertained. This was in the height of the days of the regime of Porfirio Diaz, the dictator-president. There were fetes and bull fights and garden parties, bright with the zest of Mexicans at play.
One day Otway Latham went to the arena to see a bull fight, leaving Natalie at the hotel.
What followed may have been a fling of resentment
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