100 years ago in Spokane: A movie star known for a scandalous first was planning to film her next picture in the city

Nell Shipman, “popular outdoor movie star,” was about to give a new jolt of energy to the moribund Minnehaha film studios in Spokane.

She signed on to make at least a year’s worth of movies at Minnehaha, and to use the surrounding forests and mountains as locations.

Shipman, from British Columbia, was already an established star, having made numerous outdoor adventure movies such as “God’s Country and the Woman” and “Back to God’s Country.”

“A noted athlete, Miss Shipman excels in outdoor work, is a strong swimmer and a skilled aviatrix,” said W.W. Philbrick of the Minnehaha studios. “She never permits another actress to ‘double’ for her in dangerous stunts.”

She was also a successful screenwriter.

Philbrick did not mention that Shipman was known for another, more sensational, reason: She was the first actress in “legitimate film” history to do a full nude scene, a swimming scene in “Back to God’s Country.” It was brief and relatively discreet, but the notoriety helped make the movie a Canadian box office hit.

Philbrick said Shipman would begin work on her next film, “The Grub Stake,” before Christmas.

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(From the Associated Press)

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