STRONGHEART, FILM DAY HERO.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17218, 8 December 1923, Page 1 (Supplement)

STRONGHEART, FILM DAY HERO.

MOVIE STAR OF HIGH PRICE.

We hav© unearthed unotlier Hollywoo(i " scandal l” (wi ites fccoop l uulon in the " San Francisco Chronicle”). We have discovered a screen star with nine legitimate wives. And, paradoxical as it may sound, it is quite legitimate in the eyes of the law. I his screen star is not .committing bigamy. * He is Strongheart, the dogOn his own ranch, nestling at the foot of Mt Hollywood, resides Strongheart, his nine wives, several hallbrothers and sisters, many of his children and other close friends, among which*)* re a team of Alaskan sled-dogs. | two full-blooded timber-wolves and a Siberian wolf, with whom Stringheart came in contact in his jaunts in Alaska and the wilds of Panada- Here, he roams, proud oi' his family, friends and possessions—king of all he surveys. Always a lover of dogs and deeply interested in them, wo welcomed the invitation from "Laurence Trimble, his discovered trainer and director, to journey to Strongheart\s ranch, hut fifteen minutes’ ride from the heart of Hollywood, and see this* dog marvel in the open country away from the busy bum of the studios and the blinding light of the Kleigs. What we saw firmly convinced us that this dog is almost human in intelligence. Strongheart. who is probably the greatest of animal screen actors, who has been a big financial success, who opened the channels of animal-starring motion pictures, is not a trick dog. Unlike our conception of all great public animal performers, this dog has absolutely no tricks. He lias never been trained to perform certain stunts upon command. No time has ever been monotonously spent in getting Strongheart into a certain habitual practice. STORY OF DOG.B CAREER But first wo must give- you a little of Strongheart’s history as related to us by Larry Trimble. F-or many- years Trimble bad dreamed-of-a certain dog for the later famous picture, “The Silent Call." He had--hunted and hunted in the kennels of-this country and England for that animal.- • Finally, in 1920. Bruner Hoffmuii, of New York, a dog fancier and importer, asked him to come ont and see w dog that he had but recently received from This dog was first 'trained' and used in the war as a Red Cross dog and afterward as a. police dog. He had the finest of pedigrees and show ratings. “ ENGAGED ” AT FIRST SIGHT. Larry Trimble first saw him jumping through a. high window at Hoffman’s command and knew instantly that this was the dog he wanted. Strongheart was immediately purchased-and taken to the Northland for. the filming of the first picture, “ The Silent Call,” which stands to-day as one of‘the financial

successes of motion picture history, as well as being an artistic novelty. It is a picture long to be remembered by the public. Next came "Brawn of the North,” and at present there is practically completed for release "The Love Master,” which his critics consider a bettor picture than either of his others. While in the Canadian Rockies last winter for the filming of this last picture the winter version or prologue of White Fang,” the Jack London story, was taken. The main part of the story, which the reader will remember w r as laid in the summer in the Northern woods, is to be taken soon, probably in the timbered Sierra Nevada mountains. STRONGHEART NEVER WHIPPED NOR SCOLDED.

i In all the handling of Strongheart for picture work Trimble alone has continually directed and watched the sensitive animal. Strongheart has never been whipped nor scolded. Never has he been rewarded for doing that which was wanted by a piece of raw meat. In fact the dog has very seldom been petted. The manner in which Trimble handles him would about convince one that the dog actually understands everything told him. The method of handling seems to he one of telepathy and word. Strongheart will do things at long range the first time, without practice and mereby by his master telling him wliat to do. When the camera stops clicking lie knows the seen© is finished. EVStER TO DIRECT THAN A HUMAN. j H.e knows by lus master’s words, al-' 1 ways spoken in the same intonation, whether there* will be a retake of the same scene or not . ' When a still camera photograph, is taken he will maintain the position, lie ! has been told to assume until lie hoars the faint click of the shutter. Then li© will go to some corner of the studio to rest until he hears his name spoken. In fact, w© agree that, lie is e&sier to direct than a human in respect that he oesn’t run away, doesiit hold up the picture through whims' or illness, and does-just what he is told to do in his free and natural manner. Strongheart lias been insured for a quarter of a million dollars, which doesn’t seem at all high when on© consider.; that his earning ability on bis lir>t picture to date reached more than half a-million dollars and that the picture is still running all oyer-the world. Being of excellent lineage and practic T , ally unbeatable for show purposes as L well,"nis"value for breeding makes him worth a great deal aside from his cam-

era value. So far his owners have not commercialised his kennels. None of his puppies have been sold., and although worth 5000 dollars at lirth, have been given away when not kept Wives are hard to find for Strongheart, because, of course. Trimble wants no children unless of excellent familv Hues. Hence, practically all of his nine wives have had to be imported from Germany in order to get the proper genealogical strains. HARD EXERCISE KEEPS HIM FIT. Strongheart is now six years old, and weights eighty-five pounds. He is Kept rugged and active He is given much hard exercise and seems to be in the prime of life. While several of his relatives and children arc practically as large, ho rules the ranch, wolves included, and none doubt his authority. None of the others has quite the intelligence, lines or colouring of Strongheart, although the one thing being watched and hoped for by bis owners is a ‘ second, Strongheart. Two of his ten puppies born on the steamer returning from Canada last May give the greatest of promise of replacing him in the years to come, when -Strongheart shall have passed to his final reward.