Screen Mirror (Jun 1930 - Mar 1931)

Screen Mirror • For March 25 Tessie Moves Along • continued from page IS girl was satisfied with the wad she was chewing. Tessie had a perfect horror of law courts and the police, and it took an heroic effort on her part to refuse to “tell on” her weak sister on the occasion when Kitty had stolen from Dorgan’s till, for it meant going before the juvenile judge and submitting to the fear of a jail sentence. But because of the judge’s inability to fix the blame, the sentence was not imposed, both girls being put on probation instead. Up to the time of her interview with Driver, Tessie did not know she had been branded as a “delinquent.” She felt the word had a horribly sinister meaning. “What are you thinking about, little one?” asked McGowan an hour later, near the street-set, as he hooked his arm into Tessie’s and walked along with her. “Oh, hello, Mr. Mac,” she replied, looking up wanly into his smiling face. “I was jest wondering what does the word ‘delinquent’ mean.” “Why, it usually means some one who has defaulted a debt. Why do you ask?” “No, that ain’t it. I mean in regard to a girl.” "Oh, ho,” laughed her companion. “Well, Tessie, a delinquent girl is one under legal age who has done something wrong, stealing, breaking windows and what not. Any so-called crime a kid does nowadays will make her one if she’s caught. But you’re not breaking windows, are you, Tessie? Don’t, for a lot of people misunderstand these things, and the fact that you’ve been in court would be hard to explain, especially for a girl. Tell me, how are you getting on? Are they treating you all right?” “Sure, but this is the foist time I’ve ever been jealous of Kit’s pretty map. I see it’s worth a lot in this business. But I’m goin’ to stick it out.” “Don’t you worry, little girl. Take care of yourself and keep your eyes open. The baby-dolls are having their day now, but there’s a big chance coming for the girl with wit and intelligence and ability to act. Any time you get into a jam, just come to your old Uncle Mac.” VII • IT WAS NOT only by her wit that Tessie began to make herself useful on the lot of the Climax Studio. Her nerve was even more valuable. While Kitty achieved almost instant success because of her good looks and the transparent partiality of Montaigne Belmont, Tessie proved her worth by doubling in an animal picture that Driver had tried with small success to fake. Tessie in her impish and slangy freespiritedness had made friends with everybody on the lot, from the camera-kids, as the assistants were called — one of whom, by the way, was old enough to be her father — to Big Otto, the animal trainer, in charge of the zoo. Otto had noted with interest her absolute lack of fear in playing with his charges, and he began to think up little scenes he might be able to use in the pictures. Thus it came about that they had secretly framed, and even surreptitiously rehearsed, a bit of spectacular action with Caesar, the big African lion. The secret was finally confided to Driver, who immediately wrote an episode into a story he was doing, in which Cutie Cutura was taking the leading part. As it was necessary to give the star “the gravy,” all Tessie could hope was to double for Cutie and let her have the credit. On the day the picture was to be shot, every person on the lot suspended operations and crowded around the high wire fence enclosing the half acre in which a very realistic jungle had been built. There was always a fascination about the animal stuff, even when it was faked; but the rumor had gone about that a dangerous picture was to be shot, and so the crowd was as alert as a society gathering of the long-ago in the Roman coliseum. “Heavens, it’s Cutie Cutura,” exploded a big fat extra woman, as a petite little figure, wearing the costume of the film queen, with whom she had just been acting, entered the enclosure. “Cutie, yer grandmother,” snorted Hank Todd, while emitting the salivary consequences of a large wad of Teamster’s Delight he had just bitten off. “That’s Tessie Boggs! I’ll bet my britches Cutie’s hidin’ in the camera vaults. She ain’t got nerve enough to act with a brass monkey. But take it from me, that Tessie kid’ll ride anything from a baby to a bear.” Hank Todd had evidently been present at the rehearsals. It was no time for further comment. The set was ready; Caesar paced his cage, way off back of the jungle, from which he was soon to be released; the sharpshooters were at their posts, the gatekeeper ready for an emergency exit; the camera men tuned up within their respective wirings; and Driver, concealed behind a bamboo screen, stood ready with his megaphone in hand. The intention of the scene was to duplicate and improve, if possible, a story that came across the continent from a Los Angeles studio a month before, telling how Gene Williamson had, in an emergency, faced a pursuing lion and stopped it with the sheer impact of her unexpected nerve; but as the action was unlooked for, the cameras had not secured the scene. Big Otto, using his promising pupil, was determined that the Climax would get it if it cost him three cameras and a twothousand-dollar lion, to say nothing of an actress. Though there weren’t many film actresses for whom he’d sacrifice the king of beasts. Suddenly Driver lifted his megaphone: “Let ’em out, Bill.” Then hearing the cage open he called: “Camera!” A hush fell over the audience. In the foreground Tessie could be seen walking slowly toward the camera apparently unconscious of any danger, stooping to pick flowers in order that her face would not show and spoil the “double.” Then all at once a crash, and Caesar sprang through the concealing underbrush at the rear of the enclosure. At a signal from Driver, Tessie turned her head with a sudden gesture of horror, and began to run down stage, the big lion gaining upon her with great bounds. “Now!” called Otto, who had taken the megaphone from Driver. Girl and lion had come within twenty feet of the camera, when quick as a flash Tessie stopped, whirled about and walked straight back to Caesar, who had come to an abrupt standstill, and eyeing him face-to-face, she deliberately reached out and scratched him between the eyes. So far, the scene had gone according to schedule; but now a great fear gripped even the heart of Otto; for at both tryouts, when Caesar had been thus confronted, he had slunk away in sheer chagrin and shame. But whether it was the presence of the crowd, or the fact that he had been twice defeated by the young girl, or the strangeness of her clothes, or the click of the cameras — in any event, on this momentous occasion he did not turn, but began suddenly and menacingly to snarl, and lash his tail in quick staccatic sweeps. “Stick it out, kid; he’ll quit if you don’t weaken,” boomed Otto through his horn. And Tessie stuck, though there was none present who understood what it was costing her for her legs seemed on the point of giving way beneath her. The wits inside her little blonde head were not giving way, however. “Forget it, Caesar, you big chump,” she was saying. “Now, run along or I’ll bite yer ear off.” During ten terrible seconds, Caesar emitted such a series of sinister snarls that the spectators were chilled to their hearts and their voices stopped in their throats. Then slowly — slowly, and furtively — “Making it SAFE to be THIRSTY since 1890” GArfield 1131 White Rose Spring Water Co. 4835 Pasadena Avenue, Los Angeles SAN DIEGO ARMY AND NAVY ACADEMY “The WEST POINT of the WEST" A fully accredited school preparatory to College, West Point and Annapolis, with Lower School for Younger Boys. Land and aquatic sports during entire year. Christian influence. War Department Class “M” rating. The largest private school west of the Mississippi River. For catalog address COL. THOS. A. 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