Reel Life (1915-1916)

Willard K. Wilson, Norbcrt A. Myles, Edyth Sterling, Louise Hutchinson and Francis J. McDonald, members of the Signal Dramatic Company, who make their bows in the Signal Mutual Master picture, “In the W eb of the Grafters.” Gleaned on a Tour of Mutual Studios New and newsy stories of the players and the plays gathered on a tour of Mutual studios EXPERIENCES that would have baffled the imagination of Jules Verne were encountered by L. J. Burrud, Mutual Weekly cameraman, in taking the only moving pictures made of the recent incursion of the United States by Villa and his band of marauders at Columbus, N. M., recently. Burrud was stationed with a United States cavalry troop at El Paso, Tex., when the word of the raid and the loss of American lives was received. Eager to get to the scene at the earliest possible moment, he chartered a locomotive. Permission was obtained from the officials of the Southern Pacific Railroad to give the special the right of way and a record dash was made to Columbus. Burrud arrived at the devastated border town six hours after the Mexicans had been driven out, and just in time to take more than a hundred scenes of the work of the marauders before starting into Mexico with the army. Among the pictures is a panoramic view of the burned and shot riddled dwellings and business houses as well as numerous scenes of the killed and wounded. All the pictures are exclusive, as the Mutual man was on the job nearly a whole day before any other animated news cameraman. The pictures include closeups of Colonel Slocum and Mrs. Wright, the wife of the American rancher, who was compelled to ride nine days with Villa’s band, while it was on its way to attack the New Mexico town. That the followers of the Mutual W eekly will be furnished with more exclusive scenes in connection with activities in Mexico is evidenced by the fact that Burrud is the only cameraman now with the Army division which will cross into Mexico in pursuit of Villa and his outlaw army. =1= * * * * Helen Holmes and J. P. McGowan, the heroine-star and the director of the Mutual Film Corporation’s spectacular railroad feature, The Girl and the Game, have returned to Los Angeles from Los Vegas, Nev., where they had been at work on some of the scenes for the picture. Miss Holmes had a great surprise awaiting her in Los Angeles when she jumped off the train. There was a brand new eight-cylinder coupe at the station to meet her, and when she arrived at home she found a tiny box from an exclusive jeweler containing a diamond ring — hers “for her excellent work,” the card accompanying her gift said. Robert Burke Broadzvell, of the HorsleyMutual studios, is shown here directing a scene from “The Love Liars,” a five-part Mutual Masterpicture, De Luxe Edition, featuring Crane Wilbur. Director Broadwell, ’script in hand, is shown at the extreme right, giving his instructions. Mr. Wilbur is seen in the foreground Three of the fair members of the Horsley Mutual studios will shortly stage a shooting contest to determine which of the trio is the best rifle as well as revolver shot. The entrants to date are Nan Christy, Lucy Payton and Bessie Clark. The latter is the leading woman of the Cub comedy company, while the other two were especially engaged by Mr. Horsley to play in the five-reel Mutual Masterpicture, De Luxe Edition, The Love Liar. Three targets are being made by the studio carpenters. The contest calls for half a dozen shots with the revolver at arm’s length from a distance of twenty-five yards, and when the larger arms are used it will be three shots standing, kneeling and prone at various distances from 100 yards to 300 yards. Each contestant will fire at her own target so as there will be no mistake in scoring. Rena Rogers has joined the Jack Dillon company at the VogueMutual studios. She was for some time with Universal and had an engagement with the Crown City company at Pasadena. REEL LIFE— Page Eighteen