 Introducing the Daredevil's of Hollywood. All right, now listen, everybody. Listen. A man's life depends on your teamwork in this next shot. Now be careful, everybody. Be careful. Okay. We're all sad, Mr. Vance. Now listen, Don, you're supposed to be driving that firetruck to a big fire, and you're in the hurry, see? Yeah. When I hit the corner, I go into a skid and do a spill, is that it? Yeah, that's right. And now when you turn over, make it good. Leave it to me, Mr. Vance. That's how we'll make about 65. Okay, well, here we go. Come on, on your toes, everybody. Paces, everybody. Pactress, take your places. All right, Phil. Signal the trucks. Signal the trucks. All right. Okay, Jack. Oh, boy, I'll be glad when this one is over. So will I, Mr. Vance. Here he comes. Oh, look at him. 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 comprise the strangest fraternity on Earth. The Suicide Squad. The movie Stunt Men. The Daredevil of Hollywood. Ladies and gentlemen, in bringing you this copyrighted radio feature, we are privileged to have as our guest one of the top-notch Stunt Men of Hollywood, Matt Gilman. It is through his cooperation that we are able to reenact some of the highlights of his dangerous profession. The thrilling scenes you are about to hear are his own actual experiences. Matt Gilman is here in the studio right now. And later in the program, we will bring him to the microphone. But first, let us learn something of his work. We take you back to an autumn day in 1933. The Paramount Studios are filming a picture entitled If I Had a Million with W.C. Fields and many other stars. The script of the picture calls for several automobile crashes. And the studio has engaged one of Hollywood's top Stunt Men, Matt Gilman, to make those scenes. Most of the minor crashes have already been photographed. But the important smash-up, a very dangerous stunt, is yet to be filmed. As the scene opens, we find Matt Gilman in a garage, preparing the car he is to use. A colored boy is doing what he can to assist him. What are you all going to do with this bus, Mr. Matt? Well, I'll tell you, Spud, I'm going to smash it up. Smash it up? You don't mean on purpose. That's right, Spud, on purpose. Why, Mr. Matt, are you sure you feel all right? Aren't you out of your hate? I'm all right, Spud. You see, I'm going to crash this car for the movies. It'll be in a picture. Man, oh, man, I sure glad I ain't you. The fella done bent my fender yesterday. Like a scab me to death. Well, I'm afraid we're going to do more than bend the fenders on this hike. Hand me that settling torch, will you? Oh, you mean this funny looking thing? Yeah, that's it. Hand it here. Now, don't look at that flame, Spud. It'll hurt your eyes. What are you all trying to do, Mr. Matt? That dying on fire? Well, I'll tell you, Spud, I'm going to cut this automobile right in two. Frame, body, everything. I'll leave just enough to hold it together. Let me see. What are you doing that for? Because when the other car comes down the street at about 65 miles an hour, and hits this car, I want it to break in two. That's the way it's supposed to be, according to the picture. Man, I won't be in that car for a million dollars. Well, I'm doing it for a lot less than that, Squid. Oh, mercy me. Here, take this wrench and loosen those bolts on the frame. Yeah, Spud. Come on, Spud. Step on it. We've got to finish this today. Yes, yes, I'll tell you. But Mr. Matt, I got a little present I want to give you all. Yeah? What is it, Spud? It's this here rabbit foot, and it's a good one. Yes, I shot that rabbit myself at midnight in a graveyard. It is now two days later. The scene is the intersection of Havenhurst and Los Feliz Boulevard in Hollywood. A large crowd of nearby residents has gathered to witness the filming of the spectacular scene. Passersby also stop to mingle with the spectators in the roped-off area. Studio workers are busy setting up reflectors, cameras, and other equipment. Time for the big scene is almost at the time. Matt Gilman is going over final plans with the director. I'll only be doing about 20 miles an hour on the Model T, and he'll hit me at about 65, won't he, Mr. Wolf? Yeah, about 65 or 70 as fast as the car will go. Now, look, Matt, we'll have to get this right on the first take, because if we miss it, it'll take a week to duplicate that car. I don't think we'll have any trouble, Mr. Wolf. Everybody knows what to do. Chick Collins, the driver of the other cars, are plenty good stuntmen. Yeah, well, do your best, Matt, and don't spoil the shot. I'm message to save your own life. Okay, I'll go up the top of the hill and wait for the signal. All set for cameras? And how about sound? Okay, here, Mr. Wolf. All right, start him turning. Okay. Now watch it, everybody. Okay, so far. All right. He's really stepping on it. Here to present the courageous man who made that scene, who for the past 18 years has been making some of the most dangerous scenes in motion pictures. We are privileged to present Matt Gilman, interviewed by Hal Stiles. Well, Matt, what happened? Well, after the crash, I was thrown on the running board of my car with my feet on the running board of the other one. The two cars clapped, closing in toward each other, and if Chick hadn't stopped when he did, I'd have been a gone goblin. I'll bet you would have. Matt, I understand you've been in this business for a long time. Do you like it? Well, at least I like the dough that's in it. I'd say you deserve it, too. Look, do you ever intend to retire? No, no, I'll keep on doing stunts for the movies till I get too old and feeble, or until I get into a jam that I can't walk away from. Hey, tell me you've doubled for quite a lot of stars in your time. Is that right? Oh, sure. Men stars, women, too. Oh, you've doubled for women. Yeah, a few times, you know, and real dangerous stuff. I remember once I was doing a gag for dear old Marie Dressler. She was supposed to fall off a motorboat and be picked out of the ocean with a sea dredger. It was down there. Well, wait a minute. Maybe I'm wearing out my welcome here. Do you want to hear this one? Hey, don't think for a minute you could get out of here without telling it. But first, let's have just a word from our sponsor. Okay, Matt. Now that dangerous business on the motorboat. How about it? Well, the dangerous part wasn't on the motorboat. You see, I was being picked out of the ocean with this dredger. You know, those things are about like steam shovels. And when that big scoop come down into the water to pick me up, that was the tough part of the gag. What was the name of that picture? The men in Bill, you remember, it was several years ago. Oh, yeah. Well, we were all down near San Pedro on location, and the director was going over the gag with me and we tried it. Now look, Matt, you ought to be standing in the bow of the motorboat. She makes a sharp turn and you fall into the water out there near that dredger. Yeah, in the meantime, the dredger keeps on operating and on one scoop picks me up out of the water. Right. But Matt, you're going to have to watch that big shovel. That thing weighs several tons, you know. Yeah, I'll have to let it hit the water near me and then I'll grab on before it goes back up again. And above all, don't let the thing close up on you. It'll crush you to death. Well, I'll do the best I can. How about it? Are we ready to take it? And I'll have to check. I think we're all set, though. How about a picture today, boys? Got those cameras set? Everything's all ready, Mr. Gallagher. Okay. All right, Matt. We'll be right behind you in the other boat. Cover off, Al. All right. Give it up for you, boys. All right, Charlie. Let's go. There are about 50 feet behind him, Charlie. When he falls off, stop. I want to get a close-up of that dredger shot. Almost to the dredger. I'd hate to have that thing scoop me up. Yeah, so would I. This boy is pretty clever. He's always been able to take care of himself. Well, there goes the sharp turn. Look, he fell right under the shovel. Good night. He's coming right down on top of him. Small, Charlie. We've got to get this. He's trying to swim out of the way, but he can't make it. There comes the shovel. It's got him. He hooked his clothes. They're angling like a fish on a hook. They're picking him up. They're pulling him up. 10 feet. Coming around trying to get a handhold. Look, Mr. Gallagher. His clothes are tearing off. They won't hold. He's still going up. 40 feet. 45. 50. Look, the names are about to give away. It's going to fall. Matt, I'm beginning to understand why they pay you stunt men such good money. That was a fine fickle being, wasn't it? Yes, it was. You see, I was dressed as a woman. A lot of skirts and things. And when all those clothes got soaking wet, they weighed plenty. And that added to your own weight was quite a pull on your arms, I imagine. Can you imagine, right? I almost pulled my arms out of the sockets before I got back down. Say, Matt, judging from the variety of the two stories you've told us, I suppose you do all kinds of stunts. You're right again. I'll do anything that I think's possible, that is, if they lay the door on the line. And, uh, by the way, when did you come to Hollywood? 20 years ago from Parkersburg, West Virginia. I see. Well, tell me, a lot of people seem to think that dangerous scenes are faked. What about that? What do you think? Well, from what you've told us, I'd say they were very real. Well, you see, if the dangerous stuff were faked, the stunt men had to go out of business. As it is, there are possibly two dozen of us working practically all the time. Matt, there's one other thing I'm still curious about. When that colored fellow offered you his rabbit's foot, did you take it? Sure. Oh, so you're superstitious. Well, not exactly superstitious, but I've had good luck ever since I carried that rabbit's foot, and I wouldn't do a stunt now without it. Well, let's hope that good luck piece continues to bring you success. Matt, you've certainly entertained us, and on behalf of our listeners, I want to thank you for coming here. I know that everyone joins me in hoping that we may have you on this program again very soon. So, so long, Matt Gilman. Thanks again, and good luck.