Post by Terry Harbin on Jun 2, 2005 23:48:20 GMT -5
In late 1914, Pathe' had chosen Leopold Wharton to direct the
next Pearl White serial, The Exploits Of Elaine.
Earlier, Leopold and his brother Theodore had formed The
Wharton Incorporated back in April at beautiful Ithaca NY.
Theodore Wharton had his own actors and crew from Ithaca along
to assist with the production in Jersey City, N.J.
William R. Hearst had been backing the production
of The Perils of Pauline, and now the three Elaine serials.
The local folks in Ithaca had embraced the movie-making and felt
that they were a valuable resource to the Wharton productions.
The actors and actresses often stayed at the Ithaca Hotel and they
rented many cottages along the lake shores, they occupied the huge
houses on the hill.
They partied at times, in the Tremans soon to be State Parks
(upper & lower Treman) and then late into the night on the private
property. Wild card games, hunting, fishing, hiking & swimming
in the abundant waterfalls and gorges all around them.
It was a time of impending prohibition and Ithaca was on the dry-side,
but local bootleggers provided a constant supply of shine for those
who would pay their price. The police knew the goings on, because the Whartons always invited them.
Chief Buck and many other Ithaca police officers often appeared when needed by the Whartons in film scenes.
Pearl White arrived in Ithaca in August of 1914. It has long been rumored that Pearl did all of her own film stunts. Not true, in Ithaca, her stand
in was a local girl named Francis White who wore a blond wig and stood in many times for Pearl.
Once she was tied to a freezing log rushing down the Cascadilla Creek,
Francis performed admirably while Pearl looked on as the perilous action
was played out before the camera.
Pearl smoked, drank, swore and even wore pants as she raced around town
with her wire-haired terror. She was also getting her fair share of speeding tickets while cruising the Finger Lakes in her yellow Stutz Bearcat.
next Pearl White serial, The Exploits Of Elaine.
Earlier, Leopold and his brother Theodore had formed The
Wharton Incorporated back in April at beautiful Ithaca NY.
Theodore Wharton had his own actors and crew from Ithaca along
to assist with the production in Jersey City, N.J.
William R. Hearst had been backing the production
of The Perils of Pauline, and now the three Elaine serials.
The local folks in Ithaca had embraced the movie-making and felt
that they were a valuable resource to the Wharton productions.
The actors and actresses often stayed at the Ithaca Hotel and they
rented many cottages along the lake shores, they occupied the huge
houses on the hill.
They partied at times, in the Tremans soon to be State Parks
(upper & lower Treman) and then late into the night on the private
property. Wild card games, hunting, fishing, hiking & swimming
in the abundant waterfalls and gorges all around them.
It was a time of impending prohibition and Ithaca was on the dry-side,
but local bootleggers provided a constant supply of shine for those
who would pay their price. The police knew the goings on, because the Whartons always invited them.
Chief Buck and many other Ithaca police officers often appeared when needed by the Whartons in film scenes.
Pearl White arrived in Ithaca in August of 1914. It has long been rumored that Pearl did all of her own film stunts. Not true, in Ithaca, her stand
in was a local girl named Francis White who wore a blond wig and stood in many times for Pearl.
Once she was tied to a freezing log rushing down the Cascadilla Creek,
Francis performed admirably while Pearl looked on as the perilous action
was played out before the camera.
Pearl smoked, drank, swore and even wore pants as she raced around town
with her wire-haired terror. She was also getting her fair share of speeding tickets while cruising the Finger Lakes in her yellow Stutz Bearcat.