Parachute Jumper (Warner Bros.) (1933)

long records of performance. — ~employed for flight purposes in the Providing Air Thrills in -Movies Is Risky Business Famous Air Pilots Used in “Parachute Jumper” to Insure Realism With a Minimum of Danger of the most difficult problems with which the Hollywood studios Tee production of air thrills for a motion picture presents one are confronted. As everyone knows,~a star is too important a personage to his company to barrel turns, nose dives, tail spins risk his neck needlessly in doing and other stunts. Yet, if he is to be an air pilot in a picture he must appear in , enough air scenes to make the pic ture convincing. Ordinary flying, however, is not now considered a matter of super danger, and many of the Hollywood stars not only fly, but are excellent pilots. Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., who has the stellar role in ‘Parachute Jumper,” a Warner Bros. picture, which opens at the... . Theatre on ...., is not only fond of sport but holds a pilot’s license. His flying experience came in handily in the production of his latest picture as there were many sequences that called for action in the air. Not even with his skill as a pilot, however, was he permitted to do the more hazardous stunts, which were performed by a corps of professional aviators who make a specialty of such work. The flying is done at a regulation airport with perfect landing fields and other facilities to minimize the dangers. Even then there are risks, and the amount of work involved is tremendous. Filmed at Airport In the making of “Parachute Jumper,” an entire production company was moved bag and baggage to the Metropolitan airport at Van Nuys, California. The airport is. a busy one, humming with the activity of a large city airways, with frequent arrivals and departures, much as a busy railway terminal. This interesting and colorful atmosphere was carefully photographed and into this background the filming of “Parachute Jumper” was incorporated. Monstrous hangars, smooth runways, level field areas, fliers awaiting orders, ships to depart at a moment’s notice, for near or distant flight—all these elements which go to make an airport the beehive of industry it is were duly recorded. Stunt flying, with the exception of a few instances in which it was neces sary for Fairbanks, Carrillo.and McHugh to take part, was performed by genuine aviators of proven merit and Those making of “Parachute Jumper” were all members of the Associated Motion Picture Pilots, an organization which caters to the demands of an exacting business—the movies. One ship, set apart from the others, bore the legend, “Camera Ship” and, as the name indicates, is the ship from which the cameras operate. The pilot of it has worked in innumerable air sequences and knows how to guide his plane so that the camera shots are obtained with a minimum of risk and lost time. He knows the various positions necessary to get the best camera angles and, too, how to avoid shadows and. bad lighting effects. The Fliers’ ““Who’s Who” “In the list of fliers who worked to make the thrilling, absorbing air scenes in “Parachute Jumper” are names of men known from coast to coast for their flying achievements— men whose names are known for their government work. One of the fliers is on the exclusive roster of The Caterpillar Club. He is Lieut. Clinton Herberger, U. S. Army Reserve Corps. On June 18, 1929, while engaged in conducting a government test at a Los Angeles airport, his plane suddenly fell into a flat spin, one of the most deadly of falls. Trying desperately to save the ship, Lieut. Herberger “stayed with it” through nineteen complete turns while it hurtled down to earth at a terrific rate. Sensing the hopelessness of it all, finally, he “bailed out” and made his parachute leap to safety when the plane had descended to four hundred feet above the earth, a very low and dangerous altitude from which to make a jump. 139 in the famous Caterpillar Club. Ira Reed, another flier whose work won admiration in the filming of “Parachute Jumper,” is an old movie veteran. He was one of the Chief Pilots in “Hell’s Angels” and “The Dawn Patrol” and a list of important air pictures in which he has worked reads like a complete inventory of all air pictures ever made. Captain “Robbie” Robinson, U. S. N. G., was in charge of the fliers employed in making “Parachute Jumper.” In addition to Herberger and Reed, there were employed O. C. “Boots” Le Boutillier, R. F. C., possessed of an enviable record for rtunt flying and _ plane-changing; “Chub” Gordon, Jack Rand and _ Dick Ranaldi. Real flying? Real parachute jumps? These air demons scurry about in their Stearmans, Curtis Fledglings and Buhls. Their parachute jumps, during the making of the picture, were no less spectacular than their adroit flying. The jumps, carefully planned and timed, worked without a hitch and the landings all indicated complete mastery of the art, for it is an art. Jumping an Art A parachute jump requires endless — finesse and technique unknown to the average witness. It doesn’t merely mean jumping and gliding down to earth. In picture making it is particularly difficult, for there is the camera finding and focus to consider. The jumper must wait for the proper altitude and position. The air currents must be studied—the jump from the plane must be neat and clean. Knowing the camera range, the parachute jumper must land within the specified area and this requires careful handling of the shroud lines which govern the descent of the parachute and its burden. He Starts Running As the jumper nears the earth he starts his legs in motion. In rapid “stride” he hits the earth surface and, because his legs are already in running movement, he goes as fast as possible to avert having the heavy parachute descend upon him. It must be right, for if one tiny error creeps in and it becomes necessary to shoot the scene again, a tremendous expense is naturally incurred. Bette Davis has the leading feminine role and others in the cast include Claire Dodd, Sheila Terry, Harold Huber and Thomas E. Jackson. Frank McHugh and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., in one of their many less serious moments in the Strand’s current film, “Parachute Jumper.” Bette Davis is seen as the picture’s romantic interest. Cut No. 11 Page Six Cut 30c Mat 10c This leap earned him Niche Number. Frank McHugh, Bette Davis and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., in “Parachute Jumper,” the new Warner Bros. comedy romance current at the Strand. For loads of action mixed generously with laughs, there’s no better picture in town. Don’t fail to see it! SHORTS Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Must Have Fresh Air Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., star of the Warner Bros. picture, “Parachute Jumper,” now showing at the.... Theatre, is a fresh air fiend. He uses a portable dressing room on wheels, intended for location work, even while working on the stages, keeping it just outside the building. No Need for First Aid Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Bette Davis, Leo Carrillo, Frank McHugh and others in the cast of “Parachute Jumper,” a Warner Bros. picture now showing at the .... Theatre, are laughing at “Doc” MacWilliams, the studio first aid man, for carrying coals to Newcastle. When the company moved to the Metropolitan Airport at Van Nuys to do air stunts that entailed considerable danger, MacWilliams took most of his crew along. At the airport, however, he discovered they had a field hospital, efficient ambulance service and trained nurses. He and his staff quickly right about faced. Alfred E. Green Directed Eight Pictures This Year Alfred E. Green has directed eight successful pictures for Warner Bros. in a year, which he maintains is some kind of a record. These include “Smart Money,” “Union Depot,” “It’s Tough to Be Famous,” “The Road to Singapore,” “The Dark Horse,” “The Rich Are Always with Us,” “Silver Dollar.’ His latest production is “Parachute Jumper,” starring Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., which is now showing at the .... Theatre. Rian James, Versatile Rian James, the erstwhile New York columnist, who has been noted for his humor and pungent satire as exemplified in his stories, “Crooner,” “Love Is a Racket” and “Hat Check Girl,’ now shows that he is versatile enough to handle romance and thrills as well. His latest story, “Parachute Jumper,” the Warner Bros. picture, starring Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., and now showing at the . ... Theatre, while filled with humorous situations and sparkling dialogue, also carries spectacular air stunts and a lively romance. Dance Girl's Lament There is a little dancing girl at the Warner Bros. studios who worked with Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. in “Parachute Jumper,” the picture now showing at the . . .. Theatre, who thinks he is not as gallant as pictured. In the picture Doug swings her into the air, and lets her drop at the approach of his commanding officer in a marine corps. She went down with a thud. When reminded that it was all a part of the scene in the picture, she remarked tearfully: “Well, I think he mighta pulled his punch.” Cut No. 19 . Cut 45c Mat 15c BRIEF BIOGRAPHIES Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., who is ideally cast in his latest Warner Bros. picture, “Parachute Jumper,” is a native of New York. Educated in New York, Paris, London, Pasadena and Los Angeles. Is an accomplished painter and sculptor as well as writer. : He is six feet tall and weighs 180 pounds .. . was married a little over two years ago to Joan Crawford. First became interested in pictures through watching his father perform on the set and eventually wrote the titles for a number of Doug. Sr’s silent pictures. He started his own career as an extra and rose rapidly to stardom. r First important role in pictures was in “Stephen Steps Out.” Since becoming a Warner Bros. star he has appeared in “Love Is a Racket,” “It’s Tough to Be Famous,” “Union Depot,” “Scarlet Dawn” and many others including “Parachute Jumper,” in which he enacts the role of a rollicking marine aviator. z aa Cut No. 1 Cut 15¢ Mat Se Bette Davis Bette Davis, who has a featured role in the Warmer Bros. production, “Parachute Jumper,” starring Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., was born in Boston. Her first stage experience was in school theatricals. Later she attended a New York dramatic school and following the completion of | her course joined a Rochester stock company. Her first part in pictures was in “Bad Sisters,” after which she played in a number of productions before being signed by Warner Bros. for a role in “The Man Who Played God” Cut No. 26 . * ise with George Arliss. Cut 15¢ Mat 5c Her most recent pictures include “The Cabin in the Cotton” with Richard Barthelmess, “Twenty Thousand Years in Sing Sing,” “Three on a Match,” “The Dark Horse,” “So Big” and “Parachute Jumper.” Frank McHugh Frank McHugh, the Marine buddy of Doug Fairbanks, Jr., in the Warner Bros. picture, “Parachute Jumper,” has had a lifetime of stage experience. Born in Homestead, Pa., of theatrical parents, his earliest recollections are of the theatre. Following years of stock, made his first screen appearance in “Bright Lights.” Speedily proving his adaptability to films he appeared in a number of important roles in outstanding productions before being signed on contract by Warner Bros. His latest pictures in addition to “Parachute Jumper” include “Blessed Event,” “Life Begins,’ “One Way Passage,” “The Wax Museum,” “The Crowd Roars” and “The Dark Horse.” Leo Carrillo Leo Carrillo, who enacts an important character in the Warner Bros. picture, “Parachute Jumper,” starring Doug Fairbanks, Jr., is a native Californian and a descendant of one of that state’s oldest nad most influential families. After completing his education, Mr. Carrillo, who had an early penchant for drawing, secured a position with the Los Angeles Examiner as a cartoonist, a post he held for several years before going on the stage. His outstanding stage successes include “Lombardi Ltd.” “Mr. Antonio,” and a revival of “The Bad Man,” in addition to others in which he was starred. He has appeared in prominent roles in many pictures, probably the best known of which are “The Dove” with Dolores Del Rio, “The Broken Wing,” “The Guilty Generation,” ‘Homicide Squad,” “Hell Bound” and “Lasca of the Rio Grande.” 7