MOVIES WAY BACK WHEN: Overheard at the Hacienda

By Betsy J. Green

A major misunderstanding occurred during the filming of the “Flying A” production, “The Ghost of the Hacienda.” A journalist, who was new in the city, got excited when he heard a woman at the Casa de la Guerra saying, “They have shot out all the windows and now they are smashing in our door.” The newspaper man thought he had found a front-page story, until he noticed a cameraman filming the scene.

“The making of the scenes at the old mansion attracted quite a crowd. There was shooting and a very sensational piece of work when the door was battered in. The [‘Flying A’], however, provided its own windows and doors, all of which were completely demolished.” – Reel Life, September 20, 1913

Betsy’s Way Back When book — Movies & Million-Dollar Mansions — is now available in local bookstores and at Amazon.com. This is the seventh book in her series on the history of Santa Barbara. Learn more at betsyjgreen.com​.