The Skywayman (1920)

Curiosidades

The Skywayman is a 1920 American silent action drama film directed by James P. Hogan and produced and distributed by Fox Film Corporation. The film starred noted aerial stunt pilot Ormer Locklear and Louise Lovely. After having appeared in The Great Air Robbery (1919), a film that showcased his aerial talents, Locklear, considered the foremost "aviation stunt man in the world", was reluctant to return to the air show circuit. During the production, Locklear and his co-pilot Milton "Skeets" Elliot died after crashing during a night scene. The Skywayman was subsequently released shortly after, capitalizing on their deaths.

Production

After The Great Air Robbery, which was a commercial success for Universal Pictures, the studio head, Carl Laemmle, did not take up the option for a second film starring Locklear, prompting Locklear's $25,000 lawsuit against Universal. Unwilling to go back to the air show circuit, Locklear wanted to continue his Hollywood career, and in April 1920, he was signed to star in The Skywayman.

Principal photography on The Skywayman began on June 11, 1920, with DeMille Field 2 in Los Angeles as the main base of operations, although scenes were also shot in and around San Francisco. Despite Locklear's public claim that new stunts "more daring ever filmed" would be involved, the production would rely heavily on models and less on actual stunt flying.

The last stunt scheduled for filming was a nighttime spin, initially to take place in daylight with cameras fitted with red filters to simulate darkness. Locklear, under a lot of pressure, not only with his family life in upheaval but also learning that the studio head, William Fox, was not going to extend his contract beyond one film, demanded that he be allowed to fly at night.

With the entire film already "in the can" except for the night scene, Fox made the decision to capitalize on the crash and deaths of Locklear and Elliot by rushing The Skywayman into production and release.

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