Al Wilson (pilot)

Albert Peter Wilson (December 1, 1895 – September 5, 1932) was an American film actor, producer and stunt pilot. Wilson died in Cleveland, Ohio, in an air crash while doing flying stunts at the 1932 Cleveland Air Races show.[1]

Al Wilson
Al Wilson, in front of his Curtiss JN-4 c. 1920
Born
Albert Peter Wilson

(1895-12-01)December 1, 1895
Harrodsburg, Kentucky, US
DiedSeptember 5, 1932(1932-09-05) (aged 36)
Cleveland, Ohio, US
Occupation(s)Actor, producer, stunt pilot

Biography

Born in Harrodsburg, Kentucky, Wilson grew up in Southern California, where his family had moved, and since he was young he has always been passionate about flying. He started at Schiller Aviation School as a maintenance assistant, where he also began to study as a pilot. After that, he taught in flying schools and finally he became chief instructor at the American Aircraft Company. After a short period as manager of Mercury Aviation Company, founded by one of his students, Cecil B. DeMille, Wilson became more and more skilled in performing stunts, including wing-walking, and left the company to become a professional stunt pilot.[2]

poster for The Phantom Flyer

Wilson worked together with stuntmen like Frank Clarke and Wally Timm and also for movie companies, including Universal. After numerous appearances in stunt roles he started his actor career in 1923 with the serial The Eagle's Talons.[3] He produced his own movies until 1927, when he went back to work with Universal. Wilson was also one of the pilots in Hell's Angels (1930) and during filming, he was involved in an accident where the mechanic Phil Jones died. This episode marked the end of his career as stunt pilot in movies.[4]

During the National Air Races in Cleveland in 1932, his aircraft crashed and he died a few days later in hospital due to the injuries he suffered. The accident is documented in the film Pylon Dusters: 1932 and 1938 Air Races, an historic film about the 1932 Cleveland Race.[1][4]

Filmography

References
Notes
  1. "The Albert P. "Al" Wilson." Archived March 22, 2014, at the Wayback Machine Davis-Monthan Airfield Register Website. Retrieved: January 16, 2011.
  2. Wynne 1987, pp. 16–17.
  3. Wynne 1987, pp. 5–17.
  4. "Stunt Pilots." Archived December 28, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Silents are Golden. Retrieved: January 16, 2011.
Bibliography
  • Wynne, H. Hugh. The Motion Picture Stunt Pilots and Hollywood's Classic Aviation Movies. Missoula, Montana: Pictorial Histories Publishing Co., 1987. ISBN 0-933126-85-9.
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