Gang Builds Set And Acts In It

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 8, 4 October 1941, Page 5

Gang Builds Set And Acts In It

TVASHOE Indians of Nevada be’T came bush workers ou a unique set-buildiug assignment for FrankLloyd’s uew Universal picture, “I, James Lewis.” The Indians, who later acted in the picture, w'ere brought from Carson City, Nevada, to picturesque Lake Tahoe iu Northern California, where Lloyd and his company, headed by Franchot Tone, John Carroll and Walter Brennan, spent two weeks on location.

A giant fort and a complete Indian village were built by the Washoes after they had cut down the trees and hauled them six miles to the location site.

The location site belongs to Harry Comstock, an heir to the Comstock Lode fortune, who did not want the movie makers to cut down any trees growing ou the land. However, he offered them ail the trees they wanted at another spot, and there the Indians felled 15 giant cedars and 300 mediumsized pine trees. The cedars, rough hewu by hand, were used to build the fort, a replica of the oue built by trappers who established the American fur trade at Astoria, Oregon, in 18.10 for John Jacob Astor.

Two dozen Indians felled the timber aud built the set. Several hundred of their fellow tribesmen joined them later to become movie actors.

T UISE RAINER is in Hollywood and again hoping for a film job. She is testing for a role in “Shanghai Gesture.”