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Post by Terry Harbin on Jun 2, 2005 23:49:40 GMT -5
1916: The Mysteries of Myra & Tensions with Hearst
In April of 1916, The Whartons signed contracts with the newly formed International Film Service to produce three 15-episode serials.
The first was a serial that dealt with psychic phenomena and the after-life. The film required special camera effects and double exposure work to depict the scenes, which were required. The Mysteries of Myra was a groundbreaking effort and was very successful. The serial featured Howard Estabrook and Jean Sothern in the leading roles. Many of Wharton's actors were to appear in all three serials to be produced. All episodes would feature local Ithaca actors in key roles.
The Whartons wrote into each contract the provision that they would be acknowledged during advertising as producers for the International Film Service. Not until production was about to begin on the Letters to Beatrice serial did the Whartons demand from Hearst that proper credit during the publicity be given to them as agreed to in their contracts. Hearst reluctantly agreed and production began.
The long relationship with Hearst was becoming tense, and this would continue to be a problem, and would ultimately contribute to the collapse of Wharton Inc. In July of 1916 the Myra serial was completed and showing in theatres. The International Film Service supplied the Whartons access to newly signed actors. Hearst chose many of the lead actors of each serial. He also had his own writers and directors assist the Whartons' producing each episode to his standards and desires.
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Post by Terry Harbin on Jun 2, 2005 23:50:01 GMT -5
1916: Beatrice Fairfax
Basil Dickey wrote the scenarios for The Beatrice Fairfax chapters. Ideas from actual letters received by The New York Evening Journals "Advice to the Lovelorn" columns inspired some of the stories. Marie Manning and Lillian Lauferty wrote for the paper under the pen name of Beatrice Fairfax.
Grace Darling, a former successful Hearst/Selig reporter, was chosen for the part of Miss Fairfax because of her acting ability and physical resemblance of the "real" Beatrice Fairfax. Harry Fox, a former circus clown, dancer and vaudeville comedian, was selected to star as Jimmy Barton the cub reporter.
Fox was married to Yansi Dolly of the Dolly Sisters and was well known for his "Fox Trot" dance steps in stage performances. Fox received top billing in the series and earned $400 a week, while Grace Darling got $300 a week because she had no formal theatrical experience.
The first episode of Beatrice Fairfax, "The Missing Watchman," included appearances by The New York Evening Journal's publisher Arthur Brisbane. Tad the papers cartoon writer and William R. Hearst himself appeared in the opening scenes shot in the NYC offices. This is the only chapter that is not available of Beatrice in the Marion Davies collection from the Library of Congress' film collection. Hearst apparently did not like the way the Whartons had serialized the episodes. He would later in 1918 reproduce Beatrice Fairfax with his mistress Marion Davies in the title role. The follow up film made by Hearst received very little attention in the film world and may not of even been produced or released. But the intentions of Hearst to improve upon the Whartons efforts would only save the original film from total extinction.
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Post by Terry Harbin on Jun 2, 2005 23:50:24 GMT -5
1916: Patria
On July 11th 1916, the famous dancer Irene Castle arrived at the Lehigh Valley train station. She was to star in "Patria" the third serial being produced by The Whartons for Hearst. The flamboyant actress arrived with her many animals and took up residence in the Cornell Heights area just off the Cornell campus. Her co-star was to be actor William Boyd but he was unable to be signed and Milton Sills was then selected.
Irene Castle was to receive the incredible sum of $1,500 a week for her part, Sills received $400 and the Whartons themselves only took in $500 each per week. The payroll was paid by Wharton Inc. and reimbursed upon demand to the International offices in NYC.
Hearst had arranged Irene Castle's salary for a twenty-week period that ended in late December.
She received $30,000 dollars for the entire serial that cost more than $85,000 to produce. The film was released in December of 1916 and was then stopped after president Woodrow Wilson asked for changes in the war preparedness film. Because it depicted Japanese as instigators and might draw the nation into WWI. Hearst agreed to the changes requested by the president and the names were changed from Japanese to Mexican. While producing the first ten episodes of "Patria" the Whartons were also completing the filming of Beatrice Fairfax.
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Post by Terry Harbin on Jun 2, 2005 23:51:02 GMT -5
Guest Stars & Local Actors All Around Ithaca
The actors and actresses stayed at the Ithaca Hotel and rented cottages along the lake and they occupied huge houses on the hill. They partied many days on Tremans private property, soon to be state parks (upper & lower Treman) 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 invited them. Chief Buck and many Ithaca police officers appeared when needed by the Whartons in film scenes.
All the actors enjoyed driving around the beautiful finger Lakes region. Both Grace Darling and Irene Castle had their own roadsters and were often observed horseback riding, and swimming together in Cayuga Lake. Harry Fox moved into a cottage on the east shore of the lake at McKinneys point with his brother in-law Eugene Schwartz who was married to the other Dolly sister.
Fox learned that the road to Wharton's studio would be difficult to traverse due to road repairs scheduled for the summer. Luckily for Fox he spotted Frank Burnside, of the Thomas Aeroplane Company, practicing take-offs from the lake right outside his cottage. He waved in Burnside, explained his dilemma, and an agreement was reached. Burnside would pick up Fox each morning just before noon and fly him to the Wharton Studio. The Thomas Aeroplane Company would later become involved in the local moviemaking and Fox would have a lasting love of flying.
During the filming of Beatrice Fairfax, Hearst had a novel idea, a concept of having special visiting stars from his International Film service appear in each episode. The actors from International included Betty Howe, Mae Hopkins, Elaine Hammerstein, Mary Cranston, Evelyn Farris, Miss Yumiko Nagahara, Nigel Barrie, Mike Rale, Wellington Playter, and Olive Thomas. The Wharton players included local actors and seasoned actors which included Dick Bennard, F. W. Stewart, Harry Carr, George Connors, John Herson, Gus & Leonard Rulein, Allan Murnane, James Gordon, Robin H. Townley, Little John Sullivan, Elsie Baker, Frances White, Bessie Wharton, and Jennie Parker.
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Post by Terry Harbin on Jun 2, 2005 23:52:22 GMT -5
Location Shooting
Ithaca was not the home of abundant sunshine, yet sunny days did arrive at various times, but you could not depend on it. For the film production that needed to be done out-doors, the cloudy Ithaca days provided many evenly lit landscapes. Often when the sun came out, it would ruin a scenes' exposure; a flaw that often was not noticed until the film was developed. The Whartons came up with away to check the negative for quality before sending it off to the editing room, this was quite a cost savings and re-takes were kept to a minimum. Shooting interiors at the studio was possible when it was raining day after day. Exteriors were also filmed outside the studio complete stages and sets were covered by clear tarps that could filter the occasional sunbursts. Wardrobes were kept in the studio and dressing rooms nearby provided a bustling atmosphere around the studio.
In the Beatrice Fairfax series the Whartons' included many recognizable Ithaca scenes in each episode which was a special delight to see when the films were shown locally at the Star Theater on Seneca Street. The local actors got applause and recognition when they appeared on the screen. In episode three, "Billy's Romance," a messenger boy falls in love with a judge's daughter. That part was played by Little John Sullivan as a lead role and he did very well. He later participated in dramatic productions at the Ithaca High School and he always got bit parts in Wharton productions. Maybe the fact that his father was the head chef at the Ithaca Hotel had helped. The hotel was a common place where Wharton staged scenes and hosted many dinner parties for the dignitaries and stars that visited. When Pearl White arrived in town she stayed at the hotel.
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Post by Terry Harbin on Jun 2, 2005 23:52:48 GMT -5
Props, Sets, Camera & Lighting
The Wharton camera operators were Ray June, Levi Bacon, William Pyles, John K. Holbrook, and Lew Tree.
The set designers were Archer Chadwick & E. Douglas Bingham. Local employee Howard Cody was the Whartons' resourceful property man. They had all worked in the same capacity during the Exploits of Elaine series and continued working for the Whartons into 1919. When new stages were built, they became valuable production tools for the growing demands of filming. The Whartons had inherited the sets they used after finishing the "Elaine" serials. The local folks in Ithaca had embraced the moviemaking since 1913 and felt they were a valuable resource in the Whartons films: The Whartons often borrowed the furnishings for the sets from locals and Cornell Professor's houses. They would regularly empty a house on N. Tioga Street in the morning of all pictures, lamps, rugs, couches, tables and chairs. The owner would often arrive home unaware of anything out of place except a thank-you note and a vase of flowers.
Leroy Baker handled the technical lighting, power requirements and special effects. Baker had developed a very realistic gun blast that released a visible smoking discharge.
Bess Spencer was the assistant film editor & treasurer for the Whartons.
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Post by Terry Harbin on Jun 2, 2005 23:53:16 GMT -5
Moviemaking in Ithaca
1916: The Black Stork
The Black Stork, also produced by the Whartons, dealt with tainted blood that caused birth defects in newborns. Hearst had publicized the famous "Bollinger" baby case in many of his newspapers and the propaganda generated by the accounts brought about the desire to bring the subject to local theatres. The production was arranged by the Whartons while Hearst was busy with his numerous other ventures as he was during the Myra serial which probably accounts for the film being completed in a timely manner. Distribution of the film would not be a problem the Whartons sold it outright for $35,000. Wharton Studios had actually produced an independent feature film during the time before Beatrice Fairfax began production. The rigorous shooting schedule was nothing new to the Whartons' they had the skills to do several things at one time. The furor caused by the showing of the clinical victims deformities brought about censorship of the film. It was deemed not a form of entertainment and was not fit to be shown to the public without some warning of its content. Little evidence of The International Film Service involvement appeared during the filming. No International actors appeared in the picture and Whartons actors performed the secondary parts.
Wharton Studio had stepped in and got the picture done and it exists today. The 63 minutes of the Whartons production is literally placed in the middle of a 1928 film Are You Fit To Marry. They had just added a new 9 minute intro to the beginning that would set-up the telling of the Black Stork story. In addition, a different ending was created that urged blood tests before marriage. Alan Murnane and Elsie Esmond were featured in the Stork film as was Leopold Whartons wife Bessie and it was filmed in Ithaca in mid July of 1916.
The controversial film made more than 85 years ago by Wharton studios, The Black Stork depicts the social ills of the time involving the right to life, the quality of life and the ever-growing institutionalization of deformed and unwanted children. The newly formed film censors were concerned that the films content was not a form of entertainment but only propaganda thus censoring of films had its beginnings. In the subject appear many deformed children which are brought forward to exemplify the evil effects flowing from uneugenic marriages. The stark truth that is portrayed was meant to shock the audience into thinking, " what can I do." Simple blood tests could elevate much unneeded suffering that was thrust on the innocent unfortunates that were creations of tainted blood! Dr. Heiselden portrays the doctor based upon himself and a true 1915 case in which the "Bollinger Baby" was allowed to die, at the mothers request and the doctors urging, causing the infants' deaths and a trial against the doctor for failing to operate!
A reviewer from Moving Picture World said "I am convinced that an exhibitor who shows this picture with or without preliminary examinationwill do himself and his community a distinct disservice. In saying this I would in no measure detract from the high and noble purposes that in all probability inspired Dr. Heiselden in his participation in the enterprise."
Martin Pernick wrote a book in 1996 entitled The Black Stork; Eugenics and the death of "defective" babies in American medicine and motion pictures since 1915.
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