Bursting of shrapnel during filming of "The Patent Leather Kid," on March 15, 1927, at Camp (Fort) Lewis. Trenches were dug and explosives laid before filming of the big battle scenes depicting the "Battle of the Argonne." 27,000 similar shrapnel shells were made and stored at Camp Lewis. Thousands of spectators had the opportunity to watch the filming until further into the war manuevers when it was decided that it was potentially too dangerous. Gravel and rocks were strewn over a wide area when the charges of powder exploded. An assistant powderman for First National studios, Walter Holt, was seriously injured in an explosion when a rock badly fractured his skull. He stayed on the job for half-an-hour to set off the complicated explosives before finally collapsing. (TNT 3-25-27, p. 1, TNT 3-16-27, p.1) BGN-103

Richard Barthelmess & Harry Dillon on set of "The Patent Leather Kid," Camp (Fort) Lewis, March 29, 1927. Harry Dillon was a real-life boxer from Canada who was in Tacoma to defend his light heavyweight crown against Eastern Washington's Fred Lenhart. He was on the set of the First National studio's motion picture, "The Patent Leather Kid," to meet a celluloid boxer, Richard Barthelmess, who is dressed in a doughboy 1917 service uniform with tin hat. Mr. Barthelmess was cordially invited to attend the boxing match on March 31, 1927, at the Greenwich Coliseum. (TNT 3-30-27, p. 10) BGN-118

Silent movie star Richard Barthelmess, boxer Harry Dillon, & Hollywood director Al Santell posed for a picture on location at Camp (Fort) Lewis during the filming of "The Patent Leather Kid" on March 29, 1927. Mr. Barthelmess is dressed in doughboy attire for his role as a boxer who enlists in WWI. Mr. Dillon, a Canadian boxer who was known for his knockout right handed "Static Punch," was in Tacoma for his March 31st title fight against Washington native Fred Lenhart to be held at the Greenwich Coliseum. An invitation was extended to the film "boxer" by the real pugilist to attend the bout and Mr. Barthelmess accepted. Mr. Dillon lost his light heavyweight crown by referee's decision. (TNT 3-30-27, p. 10) BGN-164

Crown Prince & German soldier "Battle of Argonne." Arms akimbo and cigarette in hand, the German "Crown Prince" converses with a soldier from the "German" Army during filming of "The Patent Leather Kid" at Camp (Fort) Lewis on March 24, 1927. Even the wooden sign behind them is in the German language. The war scenes filmed were said to be the most vividly real sequences ever made for the camera. Trenches were dug, barb wire strung and fallen trees and other debris were scattered across the war zone. Thousands of extras, mostly Army personnel, were used to depict the sheer magnitude of the bloody battle. 37 Army and National Guard tanks were used as well as 100 army trucks, 15 ambulances and 15 wagon trains. Four batteries of 75 mm guns, two batteries of 155 mm guns, two batteries of 8-inch howitzers were also utilized. BGN-182

Filming of "Battle of Argonne" scenes - "The Patent Leather Kid," March 24, 1927 at Camp (Fort) Lewis. "German" soldiers beat a hasty retreat back to waiting comrades in trenches as their attempt to battle American troops are thwarted by the presence of 27 whippet tanks. Later scenes would show the tanks hurdling German trenches and fierce hand-to-hand fighting .

Actor Richard Barthelmess & champion boxer Harry Dillon shaking hands on location at Camp (Fort) Lewis, March 29, 1927, during filming of "The Patent Leather Kid." Harry Dillon, a Canadian, was in town to defend his light heavyweight title against native son Fred Lenhart at the Greenwich Coliseum on March 31, 1927. He extended an invitation, which Mr. Barthelmess apparently accepted, to watch the bout. Mr. Dillon lost the match by referee's decision; this brought along a mixed reaction by the packed house. (TNT 3-30-27, p. 10) BGN-119

Ed Barry and Major John McDonnell on set of First National's "The Patent Leather Kid," Camp (Fort) Lewis, March 21, 1927. Ed Barry was a film executive with the First National studio. He is posed with Major John G. McDonnell, who was the supervisor in charge of technical work from the Army's standpoint. The Army, which supplied the film with thousands of active duty soldiers, wanted to be sure that the film was as accurate as possible regarding munitions and machines. (TNT 3-22-27, p. 1) BGN-107

Shell damaged cathedral on set of "The Patent Leather Kid" located at Camp (Fort) Lewis; photographed on April 14, 1927. Desperate German soldiers would hole up in the church that they had attempted to previously destroy. American troops and massive tanks would rout the enemy from the church cemetery although suffering losses by sniperfire from the belfry. Star Richard Barthelmess would kill his nemesis, German General Lucien Prival by bayonet at this location. The cathedral would be blown up by dynamite at the movie's end. BGN-125

Richard Barthelmess & Harry Dillon at Camp (Fort) Lewis on March 29, 1927 during break in the filming of "The Patent Leather Kid." Still in his doughboy uniform, Mr. Barthelmess shares a moment of conversation with Canadian boxer Harry Dillon who was in town to defend his light heavyweight crown. In "The Patent Leather Kid," Mr. Barthelmess portrays a self-centered boxer who finally enlists in WWI for the love of beautiful Molly O'Day. He was invited by Mr. Dillon to attend the March 31, 1927, match held at the Greenwich Coliseum downtown. Mr. Dillon ultimately lost the bout to southpaw Washington native Fred Lenhart. (TNT 3-30-27, p. 10) BGN-120