TIRED OF COWBOYS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1522, 19 August 1912, Page 9

TIRED OF COWBOYS.

PICTURE-MAKERS IN SOUTH SEAS. A PECULIAR EXPEDITION, On June 24, -Mr. Gaston Melias, • and a .Complete kineniatograph outfit, consisting of operators, singe managers, and a complete'dramatic company, set out from San Francisco by the Alannka for the South Seas, for the purpose of gathering fresh miucnai in novel settings lor moving pictures.' Mr. Gaston Me;ies was the hrst ono to niako cowboy pictures, and is a brother of Air. George Atones, the father of tne. picture business in the United' States.. He has ohices in Paris and New Fork, and a "picture farm" at Santa Pauia. ' Ho is 10 visit New Zealand nest month, and in all probability will bring the entire company with him. Mr. liumuna'Ai'uciien will write the scenario and dialogues.of the pictures to be worked out in the Islands,' and probably in New Zcalaild.

"1 believe the public is getting a little tired of cowboys anil' the! prairie life of America," said Air. Relics to a San Francisro "Call" reporter.!- '"I am going to try to get something new. We will reproduce in moving pictures tho customs of the South Sea Islanders, the scope of our work being divided into dramatic und educational lines. 'Wo will get pictures of a marriage, a funeral, a dance, a festival, and such like for educational purposes.

"For our dramatici sketches I have two or three stories planned.' Our actors will take the leading roles- and will bo aided by the natives of the country through which we axe passing. ; "A great- many pictures of experiences in foreign or untravelled lands are what we call studio pictures. Tho public might call them fakes. I intend, to have every detail of! the South Sea Island pictures correct, ■ and for this reason expect to spend upwards of 200,000 dollars (£10,000)." The full troupe consists of Mr. Bertram Bracken,, directol 1 ; Mrs. Melies; Mr. George Scott, operator-.'for educational pictures; Mr. Hugh M'Clung, dramatic operator; Mr. Gustave Henschcn, photographic operator; Mr. Samuel Wiel, stage manager; Mr. John Urtiga, master ol transportation; Mr. Henry Stanley, char-, acters-; Mr. William Ehfe, juvenile lead;' Mr. Ray Gallagher,-heavy; Mr. Leo. Pierson, juvenile; Miss Mildred Bracken, juvenile lead; Miss Faunie Midgley, character, and Miss Betty Tracy, ingenue. ■• : Mr. Melies'intends to take a lot of pictures in New Zealand, including Native dances in snitable surroundings.