WAR OFFICE HOAXED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 66, 18 March 1936, Page 8

WAR OFFICE HOAXED

FILM “STUNT" RECALLED Known as ‘‘the man who hoaxed the War Office,” Air. James Van Bibbci Bryson, former American him inanufa< turer, died recently in University College Hv.'pilal, London, at. the age of 52. Air. Bryson was admitted to trie hospital on Ciinstma? Dav with a Jrac lured skull, received the previous eve » ing. when he clipped outside his home in Camden Town. He was married last year to Miss Port Belas, a young dancer, whom he had known for many The exploit in which the War Office was hoA'.eii, and which resulted in a wave of public indignation occurred tin veais ago, when Mr. Bry.-oir landed at Southampton with copies of the film, •'The Phantom of Ibe Opera.” He was met by a guard of honour of thv teriiiorialr. A detachment accompanied him to Waterloo. and then maiched across London, with their band plaving. to the film company s offices in Wardour Street. Mr. Bryson iode impre.'Sivelv behind in a limousine car, with the < opies or the film. it was all magnificent publicity 10 the American mind, but it rai.-red a public outcry, and question.* were a«ked in Parliament. On behalf of the War Office it was explained that the terlitorla’s had escorted the picture be-cau-e they thought they were being filmed for recruiting purposes. Afanv feet of news-reels had. in fact, been taken, but the film company hau Io hand them over to rhe War Office, and undertake that, no further U'* would be made of the publicity ootained. So irreat was puldie anger that ’’ lhe Phantom of the Opera” could not be shown in Britain, and thic. Mr. Bryson estimated, meant a loss of £106,000. Mr. P»rvson began his career as o newspaper bov. In the first day of tne films he bought a lltt’ n cinema seating 100 people. One of his friends was t.ic own*'! - of another small cinema. T’nev arran'rpd to bov films and theni to exhibitors. Hi« rolleagu’ wa c Carl T.aemmhy and thev were lay in° the foundations c.f a fortune. Ca l T.aemnile b-'eame head of Universal Pictures, and Mr Bry«on became managing director of ’*' n cprnpanv in Britain, at a «a'ar t ’ of £7BOO a vear. but wa<s dismissed in 1931 following a <bc-pn-repniont with his oL] colleagu - '*. Tn 1932 Mr. Pryson sued th n company fodamages for wrongful dismissal, but the verdict went against him.