 Introducing the Air Devils of Hollywood. All right, George, we're ready for your scene. All you do is fall backward off this ladder and go through that skylight down there. You're playing a bank robber. You're trying to get away from the cops. They're chasing you across the top of these buildings. When you get to this ladder, they shoot. You fall off backwards. Now get the idea? Well, is that all? Yeah. Well, let's take it. All right, everybody. Here we go. This is picture. Quiet, please. Quiet, everybody. Roll him. Got the action. There he goes, running like a quarterback. He's on the ladder. Okay, kill for the gunshot. He's losing his balance. There he goes. From Hollywood, the motion picture capital of the world, we bring you the thrilling, true life experiences of those men behind the scenes. Those daring, unsung heroes whose breathtaking adventures on the screen have thrilled millions. Whose daily jobs bring them face to face with death. Those men who complies the strangest fraternity on earth. The Suicide Squad. The movie stuntmen. The dead evils of Hollywood. Ladies and gentlemen, in presenting this copyrighted radio feature, we are again privileged to have as our guest one of the leading stuntmen of Hollywood, Cecil Kellogg. It is through his cooperation that we are able to re-enact some of the highlights of his dangerous profession. The thrilling scenes you are about to hear are his own actual experiences. Cecil Kellogg is here in the studio now, and later in the program, we will bring him to the microphone. But first, we invite you to witness a routine day in the life of this courageous young man. It is early morning, on a day in the summer of 1933. Universal Studios have set up a complete location unit on a sandy country road near Palmdale, California. Besides the cameras, reflectors, and other movie-making equipment, one large speedy fayette and automobile, and a single-motored bombing plane are being prepared for their participation in the filming of an extremely hazardous scene. Cecil Kellogg, the stuntman who is to do that scene, sits relaxed as he goes over the final details with the director. Well, that's the same, Mr. Taylor. I start the car back up the road there about a half a mile, is that right? That's right, Cecil. You gain speed all the way down. When you get even at the cameras here, you should be wide open. And that's where the airplane starts dropping bombs on me. Yes, at least that's the way it's supposed to look. Of course, we'll have charges of dynamite planted in the ground. The powder man will set them off as you pass over. Well, how far apart will these charges be? All about every 50 yards. Now, here's the idea. You're doubling the charge. You're supposed to get through two of the explosions. But the third one blows the car up the road and smacks it into a tree. Now, that's the tree right down there. Yeah, I see. What about this powder man? Is he okay? Well, frankly, Cecil, he's new on the job. But I think everything will be all right. The dynamite is planted three feet underground. Well, of course, a lot depends on the exact moment he sets off his charge. By the way, who's flying the airplane? Oh, didn't I tell you? Frank Clark's flying the ship. Hey, he ought to be showing up pretty soon, too. Frank Clark, well, at least that's one thing I won't have to worry about. That boy can do all of my flying. Yeah, he's funny good, all right. Oh, here he comes now. Hello, Frank. Hello, Mr. Taylor. I hope I'm not late. Well, what do you say, Cecil? Long time no see. Hi there, how are you, boys? Hey, it's just about on time, Frank. We'll be ready to go any minute now. What's new, Frank? Old same old thing. Say, they've got quite a gag figured out here for you, haven't they? Yeah, it looks that way. You're going to be flying pretty low, aren't you? Yeah. I plan to dive just before each explosion. It's got to look real, you know. Sure. Well, use your own judgment. Okay, Mr. Taylor, we're all set. All right, fine. Well, boys, are you ready? Yeah, sure. Let's take it. I'll take off and circle around until you get started. Right. And I'll drive down the road there and wait for the signal. I'll be seeing you, Mr. Taylor. Hope you get a good shot. All right, Cecil. And take good care of yourself, boys. All right. Everybody, now listen carefully. Remember to stand clear. Watch for cameras and don't get excited. When you see the power coming... A store of anxious faces turn toward the director as he speaks. Every eye reflects the seriousness of what he has to say. These cameramen, technicians, and others, all veterans of many dangerous scenes have heard these instructions before. Nevertheless, they stand almost breathless, streaming to catch every word. One side of the road, standing before his electrical switches, is the powder man. His face is white and drawn. His heart beats rapidly. The responsibility of a man's life is his. Everybody on your toes. Okay, Mr. Taylor, the airplane's up and everything else is ready. All right. Here we go. This is it. Quiet, everybody. Quiet, please. All right, give him the signal. There he comes, right over the hill. Hey, he's not wasting any time. And here comes the airplane. Look at that dive. Won the car around, too, but he's still going, making at least 75 the ship's turning back for another dive. Ladies and gentlemen, it is our pleasure to present the fearless young man who made that scene, whose job it is to make dangerous and thrilling scenes for motion pictures. One of Hollywood's ace stuntmen, Cesar Kellogg, interviewed by Glenn Hardy. Well, Cesar, I'll have to admit that that stunt was certainly a thriller. Tell me, were you hurt at all? No, I wasn't. But I was plenty stiff and sore for several days afterwards. The jar when I hit that tree was terrific. I'll bet it was. Say, were you strapped in the car? No, not that time. I always strapped myself in if the car had to turn over. But I'm just a crash, and I'd rather be loose. Look, Cecil, have you ever been injured doing any of these dangerous stunts for the movies? No, not seriously. Well, how do you account for that? Well, it's partly luck and partly knowing what to do at the right time. Well, I can understand that all right. You see, there are thousands of ways you can get hurt doing a stunt. But maybe two or three ways not to get hurt. A stuntman must figure out those two or three ways and take one of them. By the way, Cecil, I understand your wife is doing stunt work, too. What about that? Yeah, that's right. She's Francis Kellogg. Especially his horse stunt. I think she's the only woman in the business who can drive a span of six horses in stunts, I mean. Well, that's very interesting. But tell me, Cecil, what stars have you doubled for? Oh, many of them. Let's see, the Douglas Fairbanks, Buster Crabb, Gain Whitman, Tom Mick, Buck Jones. Oh, a lot of them. I see. And have you also doubled for women? I'm sure. Mary Pickford, the late Ruth Roland, Norma Talmad, Norma Shearer, Carter Colbert. Well, I can't think of all of them offhand. Well, Cecil, I should imagine this stunt business is plenty exciting. Yes, it is. But there's quite a fascination to it. You see, there are no two cents exactly alive. For instance, take the time I get a gag up into Hunger Canyon. Pardon me, Cecil. We want to hear about that. In fact, we wouldn't let you get out of here without telling us. But first, let's have just a word from our sponsor. All right now, Cecil. What about that stunt up in the canyon? Well, it was back in 1927. As I say, we were up into Hunger Canyon at about 20 miles from Hollywood. William Kraft, the director, was explaining to me what I was supposed to do. Hello, Cecil. Your address is the leading lady in this scene, and you're on a runaway horse. And I see. A bob will be doubling the leading man. He'll be right behind you. The idea is the old rescue gag. Get the point? Yeah. Well, what happens then? Well, it develops. The two fall off the horse. The four bob can catch up with you. And you just roll over on that ledge there and hang on till he comes and gets you. You mean hang by my fingers over that canyon? Why, man, that thing's 200 feet deep and straight down. Yes, I know, Cecil. But we've got a piano wire net stretched across there about 10 feet below. So if you can't hang on the wire, we'll catch you. Yeah, maybe. That piano wire holds sometimes and sometimes it doesn't. Besides, that'll be a terrific jerk at 10-foot fall. Well, there's a good solid rock ledge down there for you to hang on to. I think everything will be all right. Well, I guess we'll soon know whether it will or not. I see they've got the camera set up. Yes, we're ready to shoot. And look, when Bob comes to get you, he'll lasso you and pull you up the bank. Is that all clear? Yeah. Well, let's take it. Okay, boy. Get on your horse and get down the roadways. Well, Bob's waiting for you down there. I'll give you the signal to start. Right. All right, everybody. We're all set. This is the picture. Fire, please. Everybody take your places. Fire, please. All right, men, pan them all the way down. Ready now? Okay, give the signal. Roll them. Here they come. And I have those horses running. You bet they're running. This is going to be good. Boy, look at these. They'll make that call up the horse. It was perfect. He's rolling down to the ledge. Say, this is swell. Here comes Bob. He's getting ready to left to him. Great, Scott. Cecil's hands are slipping off the rock. He can't hold on. Hurry, Bob! Throw that rope over him. Quick! Oh, you really did slip off that rock after all, eh, Cecil? That's right. My finger slipped off and I had to let go. And the other fellow lassoed you before you fell. Is that it? That's it. Of course, a piano wire net might have held me, but I'm not sure. Anyway, I was sure glad to feel that rope around my waist. I'll bet you were with that, Cecil. Now look, how did you happen to get into this movie stunt business in the first place? Well, I started out doubling for Mary Pickford and little Lord Fauntleroy, working with horses. I did a few easy stunts at first, but one thing led to another until I was doing all kinds of gigs. I see, but tell me this, Cecil. Do you like the stunt business? In some ways I do, others I don't. Very fascinating, but on the other hand, it's unquestionably a very dangerous profession. Well, I think I understand your point of view. And all of this has been very interesting. You've given us an exciting and entertaining time, and on behalf of our listeners, I want to thank you sincerely for coming here. I know that everyone joins me in hoping that we may have you on this program again very soon. Take care of yourself, old boy, and happy landings!