Universal Weekly (1914-1915)

12 THE UNIVERSAL WEEKLY UNIVERSAL MISCELLANY Scene Photographed at Night for "The Brand of TJix Tribe DEATH AVERTED DOING "THE MASTER KEY" Everything was in readiness and the real action was about to start. Some one suggested that they test out the strength of the cable before attempting the ride. A weight of about three hundred pounds was put in it and it was started on its journey. Just as it reached the deepest part of the canyon there was a sharp snap. The cable broke from its fastenings and the bucket dropped with a crash into the chasm. White-faced, the players looked at one another, thinking what must have happened if Robert Leonard had been in the car instead of the test weight. This occurred in the staging of the second episode of "The Master Key," produced under the direction of Robert Leonard, with himself playing the lead role. According to the scenario Ella Hall, returning from the mine, is given a ride on an ore car with one of the miners. On the way out, a premature shot stuns the miner and he falls from the car, leaving Ella unable to stop it. As it shoots from the mouth of the tunnel Leonard, as the mining engineer, sees it, and realizing her danger, jumps into an ore bucket which crosses the car-track and shoots along the cable at top speed, across a canyon one hundred feet deep and, stopping where the cable crosses the track, leans from it and drags Miss Hall from the ore-car as it passes under him. The following day the cable was repaired and again tested, this time to five hundred pouiuls, and the action was taken. And at that, the scene as it was taken was not without its danger. The ore-car in which Miss Hall was riding was really bound for the ore dump, and with no one (Tn board to check it in its wild race, if Mr. Leonard had failed to catch her as she went under, she would certainly have been dashed to death. But in the lexicon of the photoplayer there is no such word as failure, and the scene was taken without injury to anyone. SYDNEY AYRES NEW DIRECTOR FOR POWERS. KERRIGAN SIGNS NEW TWO YEAR'S CONTRACT. J. Warren Kerrigan, who has been one of the strongest players on the Universal program, has just signed a two years' contract with the Universal Film Manufacturing Company, which is entirely satisfactory to both parties and disposes of the immediate future of this talented photoplayer. Mr. Kerrigan has just begun the new series of Louis Joseph Vance's O'Rourke stories, which appeared in the Popular Magazine and virtually made it popular. No expense is being spared to make this series as wonderful as any the Universal has ever undertaken. Settings are being built for each story every bit as elaborate as the set of the Inn of the Winged God which is shown in the accompanying cut. Mr. Kerrigan is so interested in the series that the matter of signing a two years' contract was a very informal matter. However, everybody concerned, Mr. Kerrigan, the Universal and the Universal patrons, are to be congratulated. Universal City, Col., Nov. 9. — Syd uey Ayres, formerly with the American Company, has arrived in Universal City to direct and play leads in the Friday Powers Company. The acquisition of Mr. Ayres is an important move on the part of the Universal, and in line with its policy of obtaining the services of the best players on the screen for the Universal Program. Mr. Ayres has had wide experience both on the screen and on the legitimate stage. He was a member of the first "101 Bison" company. "DAD'S BOY" A FEATURE A special feature, in many howling parts, has been issued by William Worthington of the Universal under the titlp of "Dad's Boy". Long black cigar? and congratulations have followed Mr. Worthington all over Hollywood since the doctor announced that it was a boy. and that the mother was doing nicely. The father has not decided yet whether his son shall attend Yale or Harvard. In any event that baby is n dandy, weighing ten and a half pounds the day of its arrival. Mr Worth ington, the proud daddy, is a character player of no mean ability with the Turner Feature company. His work in "Damon and Pythias" was especially creditable.