Marie Walcamp Captures Japan (1919) 🇺🇸
Marie Walcamp Captures Japan (1919)
Universal serial star on first visit to Orient amazed at the greeting accorded to her in Tokyo. New serial being made in wonderful settings.
While the Universal is wrestling with the arduous task of selecting a proper title for Marie Walcamp’s serial which is now called “The Petals of Lao-Tze,” Miss Walcamp, Henry McRae and a large company are working just as hard in Japan to make this serial the best that the Universal has ever released.
Eight weeks ago, a company of eighteen persons, and a huge equipment of baggage consisting of raw stock, chemicals for use in the developing laboratory, electrical equipment of all kinds, costumes and other hand baggage, shipped from Seattle on the Steamer Suwa Maru for Yokahama. The first photographs and letters have just been received in New York giving visual evidence of the enthusiastic reception of the company of which the Universal had only heard through meagre cablegrams. From all accounts Tokio has gone crazy about Marie Walcamp and Miss Walcamp has gone equally crazy about Tokio. To both Miss Walcamp and Mr. McRae a trip to the Orient has been a treat which they have had in anticipation for three years. Both are enjoying the experience to the full and the realization is ever so much more glorious than the anticipation.
Miss Walcamp is the idol of the movie fans of Japan and has been for years. Her serials have been extremely popular in Japan, exhibitors fighting for the exclusive privilege of showing them because they were certain of packed houses during the entire run. The Red Glove is raging over Japan like an epidemic at the present time and Tom Cochrane, manager of the Universal’s Oriental Office has wired the Home Office for more prints on this and every subsequent Walcamp serial. Incidentally, Mr. Cochrane had made ample provision for entertaining and receiving the Walcamp Company. All he had to do was to inform theatre owners that Miss Walcamp would be in town and would graciously permit herself to be invited to appear in several theatres. Immediately a mania for Marie Walcamp and all of her films threatened to swamp Mr. Cochrane’s office. The papers were full of advertisements announcing Miss Walcamp’s appearance without dates, and the result was that huge parties journeyed to Yokohama to meet the vessel when it came in, and men, women and children of all ages, sizes and stations in life banzaied their lungs out in riotous welcome. Incidentally, the same movie — struck crowds impeded Miss Walcamp’s movements in every attempt she made to go anywhere, and Mr. McRae had to allow her from one-half to a whole hour leeway in keeping any appointment he made for her appearance at a theatre or on location.
Miss Fried, in a letter to Mr. Laemmle [Carl Laemmle Sr.], said:
“Miss Walcamp has not been alone since she set foot on Japanese soil. There is never a moment when she is on the street either in a rikshaw or a car that she isn’t surrounded by hordes of people craning their necks to get just a glimpse of their favorite serial star. All of her appearances at the theatres are attended by thousands and thousands of people, many of whom cannot get inside the theatre but stand outside an lock the street for many squares aw citing her arrival. It always takes her more than half an hour to wedge her way through these crowds. The people stand around her hotel like pilgrims visiting a sacred shrine, and all of the Japanese papers are full of stories about her and photographs of her. Mr. Cochrane has prepared the way for us splendidly. The theatre owners entertained the company lavishly, and geisha parties in honor of Miss Walcamp are becoming so common that they scarcely interest us any more. I had a flashlight of one taken the other night, however, which is quite interesting, and I am sending it to you. Please don’t get me mixed up with the Japanese girls. In this picture beside Mr. Lederer you will see one of the most famous of Japanese actresses, Kazu Mori. She has taken a great fancy for Miss Walcamp, and Mr. McRae has arranged for her’ to take part in one of the scenes of the serial. Cordially,
“Eleanor L. Fried.”
Of course, the primary object of the company in Japan was to film a serial, but the theatre appearances, etc., tock up a great deal of time the first few weeks, and in addition to that bad weather set the company back about two weeks, but this time was put to excellent use by the theatres, who reaped a rich harvest from Miss Walcamp’s appearances. After the comical accounts of theatres as they are in Japan by Homer Croy and other humorous observers of the Orient, it may be a surprise to know that there are many theatres in Japan which would do credit to Broadway. Ginza Street, which is the Rialto of Tokio, is lined with beautiful theatres, of which the Komparu Kan Theatre is a fair example. A reproduction of it will be found on page eight. It is a 2,500-seat house with the most modern architecture, seating arrangement, ventilation, screen, booths and projection. It is managed by Mr. S. Mitsuhashi, who claims that his theatre had the honor of introducing the Universal product in Tokio. Mr. Mitsuhashi wrote a letter to Mr. Laemmle telling him all about it, and it is so emblematical of the oriental idea of our language and the courtesies of such an occasion that we are reproducing it here in full. “Mr. Carl Laemmle, President, The Universal Film Mfg. Co., 1600 Broadway, New York City, U. S. A.
“Dear Sir:
“We feel great satisfaction in advising that in our country, Japan, the motion picture has received such recognition as the foundation of many theatres showing feature films especially.
“We feel also honor to introduce the existence of the Komparu Theatre, which is standing at the Ginza Street, so called the Broadway of Tokio, showing your productions only, with a great many customers, with best musics, etc.
“It has passed many years since your films have imported, and now your pictures are appreciated so much. The theatre which introduced your films is no other than this Theatre Komparu, or Golden Spring. We are very happy that all your stars have much popularities in this world. We are doing our best to make far more prosperity of your company in Nippon.
“Miss Marie Walcamp has appeared in Japan. How had she had been welcomed is hard to say, but you will hear from her own lips in near future. Indeed, all cinema fans waved their flags at the harbor of Yokohama, then the parties are made every day and night. It is the desire of Nipponese to welcome your stars in here gradually, and we hope you would kindly tell your stars that going across to Japan means much popularity and prosperity.
“We are herewith enclosing the Japanese letter of congratulation (not enclosed) and a collection of pictures which are taken at the entrance of this theatre and a few programs of the same, and we hope you will kindly publish them in your periodical, the Moving Picture Weekly.
“Thanking you for your kind consideration shown on this letter, we are most faithfully yours,
“The Komparu Theatre.
“by S. Mitsuhashi,
“Managing Director.”
But with all of the entertaining and theatre appearances, Miss Walcamp has found time to take three full episodes of the serial, and they are now on the way to this country. Mr. McRae has selected as backgrounds for his scenes in these episodes many of Tokio’s prominent streets and imposing buildings as well as its parks and temples. One scene was filmed in Oskasa Park on one of the most fashionable streets in Tokio, and in spite of the fact that the police had promised “ample protection,” a crowd of almost 10,000 people packed the actors and the cameraman in like sardines in a tin can. Mr. McRae got so desperate that he allowed the announcement to go out that he was to be in a certain part of the city, and then at the last moment he conveniently changed his plan and swooped down like a hawk on a choice background, filmed the action in front of it in a hurry and bore away the exposed negative in triumph before the pack discovered their presence.
One of these excursions was made to Kamakura, one of the beautiful suburbs of Tokio. They stopped for lunch at the Kamakura Kaihim Hotel, got into their car by the back door and made a circuitous route to one of the famous shrines of Japan. It is renowned for its huge bronze image of Buddha called the Daibutsu. It is the largest and most celebrated image of its kind in all of Japan. Miss Walcamp and Mr. Lederer had a scene in front of this statue, and while they were rehearsing it an old pilgrim approached them and through the interpreter warned Miss Walcamp that unless she wore the costume of the pilgrim her prayer would not be answered. This kind-hearted old man had no idea that he was talking to an actress but thought Miss Walcamp was a piously inclined foreigner offering up her prayer to Buddha as thousands and thousands had done before her. In the kindness of his heart he offered to change clothes with her so as to avoid the sacrilege which he felt she was about to commit. Mr. McRae and Mr. Hively got busy with the story while Miss Walcamp was changing clothes with the pilgrim, and so arranged the story to fit the costume, and the scene in front of this shrine was filmed for the second episode of the serial.
When she returned the garments to him the old pilgrim thanked her profusely for her willingness to make this necessary concession to the religious custom of Japan. Mr. McRae thanked him for injecting a realism which the author had not thought of.
The Petals of Lao-Tze was written by J. Allen Dunn, the noted California author and one of the most prolific contributors to all adventure magazines. The action takes place in Japan, China, the Philippines, India, Siberia and the United States. The foreign scenes are being taken first, and Japan is the first country to be visited. The story is eminently fitted for Miss Walcamp and gives this daring girl a wonderful opportunity to exhibit the intrepidity for which she has become famous.
Supporting Miss Walcamp are Harland Tucker, former leading man for the Oliver Morosco Stock Company and one of the matinée idols of Los Angeles; Otto Lederer, a case-hardened villain who has committed his villainies in any number of companies and countries; Wadsworth Harris, a sterling actor and a Universal standby; he is also an accomplished villain.
Henry McRae has directed many Universal successes, and his faculty of including action in the film as he makes it will come in handy in the present instance. For if Mr. McRae sees a characteristic scene which will fit into the action he will of course shoot it. If he sees a bit that is striking and remarkable, but has nothing to do with the serial, he will change the serial to include the new scene. He has already, in the three weeks that he has been in Japan, had occasion to take this advantage of the wonderful settings which abound in the Flowery Kingdom, and he realizes better than ever before that circumstances alter cases. The greatest trouble he has had has been with the enthusiastic and ever-present-to-suffocation crowds which follow Miss Walcamp everywhere she goes, and which no amount of police protection can disperse. In fact, the police seem, if anything, to be in the forefront of the picture and the biggest close-up hounds which the cameraman has ever seen.
Thomas Gubbins is Mr. McRae’s assistant and also acts as interpreter, for he is the only member of the party who can converse in Japanese. Mr. McRae is not the only member of the company who has been in need of Mr. Gubbins’s expert services. The whole company wants him most of the time, and he is indispensable at all of the Geisha parties and the intimate interviews and shopping expeditions. George Hively, who has provided Harry Carey with several of his best vehicles, is writing the continuity and providing the incidental story under Mr. McRae’s direction. Miss Eleanor Fried is business manager and film editor, and she is at her wits’ end most of the time to obtain proper places to develop the negative, so that they may be certain that they have just what they want before they move on to another location. Joe Waddell, who accounted for two German planes while he was an aviator in Italy, is the cameraman, and he is making a honeymoon trip of it by taking his bride of a few weeks on the trip with him. Earl H. Hinds, expert developer; Charles Monroe, electrician; Stockton Quincy, property man, and Eddie Bernoudy [Edmond F. Bernoudy?] complete the technical staff. In the baggage is a fully equipped laboratory, with drying drums, film tanks and printing machine and all of the developer needed to develop two hundred thousand feet of film.
There were several incidents on the trip which deserve mention in connection with the unfilmed part of this serial. As the special car which brought the company to Seattle to take the boat was pulling into the Portland station, the Presidential special bearing the President of the United States was just pulling out on almost as picturesque and enthusiastic a trip as Miss Walcamp was starting. The two trains stopped on adjoining tracks, and the President shook hands with each of the party and wished them a Godspeed. Each felt that this was a happy augury for the trip.
On the steamer Suwa Maru, which carried the party safely through three severe storms and a near-typhoon, the Walcamp party was the centre of all interest. Besides making several scenes on the deck of the steamer, Miss Walcamp organized a dramatic society for the main saloon. The company consisted of Miss Walcamp, Mr. McRae, Harland Tucker, Otto Lederer, Wadsworth Harris, George Hively, Eddie Bernoudy and Joe Waddell. Through the courtesy of Captain R. Shmidizu, a temporary stage was erected in the dining saloon which was used every night either for rehearsals or for performances. It was very well equipped, too, by Stockton Quincy. All of the proceeds went to the Red Cross and the Sailors’ Fund. Before leaving the ship at Yokohama, the passengers tendered Miss Walcamp and her party a vote of thanks and a set of resolutions for the pleasure the performances had given them.
Though nothing has been permitted to reach this country in regard to it and though the company is in no danger, Cholera is raging in certain parts of Japan and Mr. McRae is anxious to finish the scenes he has scheduled for Japan, and hurry on to China, India and Siberia in each of which countries important parts of the story must be taken. The motif of the story is the search through the Orient for the missing petal of the Lao-Tze flower or the flower of life. An old man has spent years of his life in the pursuit and has found four of them. One has always eluded his eager grasp. It forms an innocent part of a collection of an American gentleman who does not know its value. His daughter becomes mixed up in the story and takes the most interesting pail.
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Marie Walcamp and Otto Lederer acting a scene for a Japanese audience in the Komparu Kan Theatre. Note the stocking feet.
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Henry McRae, Miss Walcamp and the interpreter in front of the Komparu Kan Theatre, Tokyo.
Scene in interior of Komparu Kan Theatre, Miss Walcamp appearing in person.
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A comedy four which is famous throughout Japan. Miss Walcamp enjoyed them immensely.
The Komparu Theatre orchestra assembled in the lobby to greet Miss Walcamp
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The Komparu Kan Theatre in Tokyo, one of the best in the Orient. It was running The Red Glove when the Walcamp company was in Tokyo. Note The Red Glove poster. This theatre stands on Ginza St., the Broadway of Tokyo. In English the name is Golden Spring. S. Mitsuhashi is the manager and proprietor.
Mr. Lederer before the Diabutsh
Flashlight taken at a reception after a personal appearance.
Left to right, bottom row, the Americans are Miss Walcamp, Tom Cochrane, manager of the Universal business in Japan; Eleanor Fried and Harland Tucker.
Thomas Gubbins is in the second row.
Top row, Otto Lederer, Wadsworth Harris, Henry McRae and Eddie Bernoudy.
Collection: Moving Picture Weekly, December 1919
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Marie Walcamp — The Price of Shooting in the Far East (1920)
Marie Walcamp’s company which is busily engaged in filming the forthcoming Universal serial, The Dragon’s Net in the Far East has completed its Japanese scenes and moved on the Shanghai. The entire company fell in love with Japan and its people. Everything was so beautifully arranged for them by Tom Cochrane, Universal’s oriental manager, that the weather alone proved the deterring factor, for it was the rainy season in Japan and however bright the day might be, it was certain to rain before any long scene could be completed. The living in Japan was exceptionally economical for one traveling on American money, and especially in comparison with living in Shanghai. Our old friend, H. C. of L. gave place to another bogey of finance named Exchange. Exchange in Japan is almost two for one in favor of the dollar while in Shanghai, the American dollar had dropped down at the time of their visit to 88 cents and on one day its purchasing value was only 79 cents, a most alarming and expensive condition.
Miss Eleanor Fried, who is the business manager of the Company and whose duty it is to wrestle with the wiley oriental, has been pretty successful in making economical arrangements. She was told before the steamer landed in Japan that the prevailing practice of Europeans of soaking Americans double had long been in existence in the Far East. Miss Fried has had but one opportunity to get back at them and that was in the case of some paraphernalia which was broken and damaged at the Nippon Yusen Kaisha. Knowing that the bill for damages would be cut in half by the hotel, Miss Fried doubled the amount and collected from them all that the damages amounted to. In a letter to Tarkington Baker, general manager, Miss Fried comments on the exchange situation as follows:
“The exchange to-day has been 79 cents on the dollar and I haven’t paid a bill. If the exchange doesn’t break to-morrow, I don’t know what I will do. It seems a terrible thing that the American dollar is worth only 79 cents and I don’t believe that this condition exists anywhere else in the world but in China. The worst part of it is that exchange is different everywhere in China and when we get to Peking we will have to pay exchange on our Shanghai money. I get a better rate of exchange from the American Express Company than I do from the banks here, but even their exchange is very poor.
“The serial is developing beautifully under Mr. McRae’s direction and that in spite of several draw-backs. It rained most of the time in Japan and interrupted all of the long scenes, but we got used to that in a short time and made due allowance for it. On the way from Japan to Shanghai, Miss Walcamp contracted a severe case of tonsilitis and all of my efforts at nursing proved unavailing. I am sending her to a British hospital here in Shanghai for an operation on her throat which should not be serious. In the meantime, the Company is working on the scenes in which Miss Walcamp does not appear. Mr. McRae is working to-day in the native city of Shanghai in a beautiful location which is now used as a tea house but which five hundred years ago was a Mandarin’s home. It is about a quarter of a mile long and contains marvelous caves and curious Chinese houses which make it interesting for our work. Mr. McRae is working in order to exhaust this territory and get into a more economical one.
“The serial will make a wonderful hit in Japan, I am sure. Miss Walcamp’s personal appearances at the different theatres created a tremendous vogue for her and greatly increased her already great popularity with the Japanese theatre-going public. The publicity preparation in Japan was all that we could desire and Mr. Mitwer provided the Japanese papers with a tremendous amount of publicity about Miss Walcamp and the company. His knowledge of the country and locations also was a great help and he secure us permits to shoot scenes in restricted territory which no other film company has ever obtained. We expect also to get a number of scenes in Japan on our way back. To-morrow the company will work in the Loonwha Pagoda, which is dedicated to the King of Heaven and cared for by three hundred monks who live in a monastery near by. The Pagoda itself is very picturesque and I am sure has never been shown in pictures before. From here we expect to go to Shansi, one of the most interesting and famous cities in the much debated Shangtung peninsular, and from there we go to Peking.”
Elinor Fried.
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Marie Walcamp working in The Dragon’s Net, the new Universal serial which is being shot in Far East. Miss Walcamp is posed in front of the Daibutsu, the huge bronze image of Buddha, largest in Japan.
Wadsworth Harris, Otto Lederer, in native costume, and Henry McRae, director, are in the foreground.
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Collection: Moving Picture Weekly, January 1920