Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 - 1954), Friday 4 February 1927, page 8


"THE KID STAKES."

ROCKHAMPTON'S SHARE

Tomorrow afternoon on the Show Grounds will be run the thrilling and all-important "Kid Stakes," the goat race which is to be the climax of Mr. Tal Ordell's picture of the same name. So far at least 60 goats have entered for the event, and spectators may ex-pect an amusing and exciting, after-

noon.

Mr. Ordell arrived yesterday after-noon from Sydney, accompanied by his camera man, Mr. A. Higgins, his son, Pop Ordell, and another young actor, Frank Boyd. Mr. Ordell explained that the story of the picture was founded on the "Fatty Finn" comics, drawn by Syd. Nicholls, in the Sydney "Sunday News." "Fatty" is training a goat, "Hector," to win the big race, and "Bruiser Murphy," his rival, knowing Hector's ability, hires some traitor to let the goat loose. The animal dines on unprotected washing and assists in an elopement before it is caught. But the time of the race is drawing near, and :Hector," with the aid of a plane and a car, gets there just in time to win the race. That is the skeleton of an elaborate and amusing plot.

All the events but the race have been "shot," and this is Mr. Ordell's last location. He expects the film to be cut, titled, and released in a few months' time. Mr. Higgins, who is responsible for the camera work, has had a wide experience, having "shot" all E. J. Carroll's pictures, including "Ginger Mick," "The Sentimental Bloke," and "On Our Selection." Mr. Ordell has played the prominent parts in all these pictures, and his knowledge of the art is wide. He has been associated with, and assisted by, Mr. E. J. Carroll for some years, including support for his own latest play, "Kangaroo Flat," which had a good run in the south.

The "Sunday News" is giving this production, "The Kid Stakes," great publicity, at the same time advertising Rockhampton, stating that our Agricul-tural Society is the most progressive

in Australia.

Mr. Ordell said that this race means a great deal to him, as it will be the climax of the picture. In fact, every-

thing depended on it, and he was grate-ful to the Society for giving him the opportunity. He hopes that the grounds will be crowded, for the cameraman will "shoot" the spectators, thereby giving everyone a chance to appear in

the movies.

A great deal of the picture was filmed in Wooloomooloo, where the inhabitants were antagonistic at first, but later, when they learned that it was a real Australian film for Australians, they were only too willing to assist. The finished production will be a five-reel comedy and one that will be apprecia-ted by Australians, especially those people of Rockhampton who are present at the running of the great race to-mor-row, the first attempt to put a goat

race on the screen.