Even though the airship only “flies” on the end of a crane,and not under it’s own power,the film’s producers were required by law to notify all people living within a 100 mile radius that a woman was operating a vehicle with a motor.
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Film historians still argue over which shots contain the real baby,and which have the doll.It’s been confirmed the bag in this shot contains the actual baby.
Smithee actually set fire to the set to get the proper look for this scene.Unfortunately he did it on the second day of filming.
The original script for 1912,or Portents,Disasters,and The World’s End included several musical numbers.These were scrapped when it was pointed out that sound film wouldn’t be commercially viable for another decade.
Doris(1909-1913),played The Cow.Those who worked with her described her as “tender,slightly sweet,and with a smoky aftertaste.”
Some people wonder about the lack of Christmas references in the film,since the Mayan Calendar runs out in December.At this point in American history,Christmas in most rural communities revolved around the birth of Jesus.Some communities even made the celebration of Christmas with “Pagan and/or Foreign Influence” punishable by fine or imprisonment.
The most infamous account of the Christmas Laws takes place in the small town of Hainted Holler,Va in 1914.A traveling medicine show decided to have a member dress in a Santa suit to hand out candy to the children.He had been on the streets less than 15 minutes before the townsfolk descended on him and the medicine show.The rest of the show made it to safety but “Santa” was shot,and exhibited as an example of “Heathen Practices”,until the coming of spring and increasingly powerful stench made them cut him down.
In 1947 by a vote of 6-4 the town finally repealed the law.
Smithee makes a cameo in this scene,as the miffed church member,starting a trend that continues to this day among directors.Smithee’s cameo was for economic reasons,having spent most of the film’s budget on actors and special effects he used friends to fill small parts.In a bizarre twist the praying man is actually a young Stan Lee,while the woman is,naturally, a shaved bear.
Like most modern stars Jules and Nora’s onscreen romance spilled over into real life.They married in 1914,divorced in 1920,remarried in ’24,divorced later that year,and married for good again New Year’s Eve ’25.They had 4 children Linus,Honora,Cornelia,and Godlove.
Jules Harris(1882-1967),who played Marshall Royal Lowe,was a former performer with the Dr. Winesinger’s Pyroadsorbtion Elixir Traveling Medicine Show.His specialties were knife throwing,and trick shooting.Just a month before starting this film he had starred as Bandit #3 in Smithee’s first western “The Buffalo of My Heart”.Harris would star in several other Smithee films before moving behind the scenes as a screenwriter in the 20′s.
Glenn Fuller(1900-1918),who played the kid,never worked in film again.When America entered The Great War,he enlisted and died tragically 3 days before the war ended,of syphilis,contracted from a French prostitute.
