| During the subsequent chase, Dorothy performs a Cossack drag, a maneuver where she swings off one side of the horse, turns backwards, and locks a knee under the saddle fender so that she is hanging on the side of the horse, facing the horse’s rear and with both hands free so that she can fire a rifle at her pursuer. (Just prior to the filming of this sequence, the studio received a call from the Burbank Police Department. They had picked Dorothy up on the bridle trail in Griffith Park, where she had been practicing for this stunt by riding backwards on the side of a horse and firing a rifle while at a full run. When asked what was wrong with practicing on a public park bridle trail, the policeman responded, “She was using live ammunition.”) |
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Chapter 8 #4 (performing the Russian drag)
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Although Dorothy Herbert was effective in her small role, the studio never used her for any additional films. She can be seen performing her fire jump act in the Castle Films short subject HERE COMES THE CIRCUS, which was filmed on the Cole Bros. show around 1941.
MYSTERIOUS DOCTOR SATAN is available on DVD. Made during the “golden age” of Republic serials, it is particularly noteworthy because of the amazing stunt work and the special effects.
FYI: Dorothy must have started a trend... people are STILL fireing live ammo all over Griffith Park!
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