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was primarily an opportunity to showcase the aerial stunts that had made
Locklear famous. The studio promotion was extensive, with Laemmle declaring the film was "... the most amazing and unbelievable photodrama of all time." The promotional campaign included a premiere at the Superba Theatre in Los
415:
review focused on the exciting elements of the film. "Lieutenant
Locklear swings from one airplane to another and crawls out on the tail of a flying machine several thousand feet, presumably, above the earth. The melodrama's use of airplanes for midnight mail deliveries, highway, or rather highair,
335:, that featured a spectacular aerial sequence of an actual midair collision. Hiring the foremost stunt pilot of the time, Laemmle planned a series of aviation features that would highlight the aerial stunts performed by Ormer Locklear, who would also be the star of the films.
243:
is a film that showcases the talents of stunt pilot
Locklear, considered the foremost "aviation stunt man in the world", and depicts pilots flying air mail, the first film to deal with the subject. There are no known archival holdings of the film, so it is presumably a
264:. He faces a deadly foe, Chester Van Arland (Ray Ripley), the leader of the "Death's Head Squadron", intent on stealing a $ 20,000 shipment of gold that will be on a midnight flight to Washington. Van Arland has the medal air mail pilot Wallie Mason (
272:). He offers to return the medal in return for inside information about the gold shipment. Cassidy, Mason's friend and fellow pilot, is able to stymie the gang's plans, using his aircraft to chase down Van Arland and rescue Mason's girlfriend.
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was a commercial success, Laemmle did not take up the option for a second film starring
Locklear, prompting his $ 25,000 lawsuit against Universal. Unwilling to go back to the air show circuit, Locklear wanted to continue his
359:
training aircraft. The DeMille aircraft portraying air mail aircraft were prominently displayed with the "CB" logo on their fuselages and rudders, while the "Death's Head
Squadron" had skull and crossbones markings.
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aircraft was also mounted on a raised wooden platform at the airfield in order to film closeups. The film was the first to be set at one of the DeMille airfields, with
Universal leasing both the facilities and
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loaned aircraft, engines and miniatures, and numerous model aircraft contests were staged as part of the advertising campaign. During a promotion for
370:. He would later go on to work on many films as an aerial cinematographer of great renown. Studio and location work was completed on August 2, 1919.
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434:(1920). Locklear was killed during the production when he and fellow pilot Milton Elliot crashed during a night scene.
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was the first of a cycle of postwar films dealing with the exploits of stunt pilots.
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robberies, and battles between the forces of law and lawlessness adds excitement."
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From the Wright
Brothers to Top Gun: Aviation, Nationalism, and Popular Cinema.
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The Motion
Picture Stunt Pilots and Hollywood's Classic Aviation Movies.
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509:"The Great Air Robbery / Jacques Jaccard [motion picture]"
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Angeles and a two-month personal appearance tour by
Locklear.
366:, who assisted cinematographer Milton Moore, got his start on
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Missoula, Montana: Pictorial
Histories Publishing Co., 1987.
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To simulate flight, stage hands moved the wings up and down.
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In 1925, pilot Larry Cassidy (Ormer Locklear) is flying
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Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania: Tab Books Inc., 1984.
756:, promotional tour for film, University of North Texas
350:. Besides being used as a base for flying, Locklear's
325:, the head of Universal Studios, noted the success of
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at Portal to Texas History, University of North Texas
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career, and in April 1920, he was signed to star in
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as Larry Cassidy (credited as Lieut. Ormer Locklear)
661:Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press, 1995.
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Ormer Locklear performing one of his famous stunts.
644:Celluloid Wings: The Impact of Movies on Aviation.
611:, February 16, 1920. Retrieved: October 22, 2014.
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691:. New York: Perennial (HarperCollins), 1997.
227:directed by Jacques Jaccard and produced by
676:. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1985.
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342:began in July 1919 at DeMille Field 1,
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689:Houdini!!!: The Career of Ehrich Weiss
405:Reviews were generally favourable, as
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136:Universal Film Manufacturing Company
126:Universal Film Manufacturing Company
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587:The Hudson Triangle, Volumes 9-13.
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810:Films directed by Jacques Jaccard
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346:, California, owned by producer
293:Ray Ripley as Chester Van Arland
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790:1910s English-language films
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262:United States Postal Service
50:Jacques Jaccard (screenplay)
16:1919 film by Jacques Jaccard
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825:Silent American drama films
604:"Movie review: The screen."
151:December 28, 1919
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338:Principal photography for
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498:Farmer 1984, pp. 10, 16.
392:Essex Motors touring car
216:Cassidy of the Air Lanes
820:Films set in the future
795:American aviation films
754:Still of Ormer Locklear
555:Farmer 1984, pp. 20–21.
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138:Jewel Productions, Inc.
674:Aviation in the Cinema
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738:The Great Air Robbery
727:The Great Air Robbery
511:. Library of Congress
421:The Great Air Robbery
407:The Great Air Robbery
388:The Great Air Robbery
379:The Great Air Robbery
368:The Great Air Robbery
340:The Great Air Robbery
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241:The Great Air Robbery
210:The Great Air Robbery
22:The Great Air Robbery
785:1910s American films
687:Silverman, Kenneth.
629:Pendo 1985, pp. 5–6.
352:Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny"
297:Francelia Billington
270:Francelia Billington
620:Farmer 1984, p. 20.
590:Detroit, Michigan:
732:TCM Movie Database
608:The New York Times
576:Pendo 1985, p. 60.
546:Wynne 1987, p. 15.
537:Paris 1995, p. 56.
489:Pendo 1985, p. 59.
412:The New York Times
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299:as Beryl Caruthers
229:Universal Pictures
815:Films set in 1925
697:978-0-06092-862-9
667:978-0-7190-4074-0
652:978-0-83062-374-7
642:Farmer, James H.
564:Wynne 1987 p. 16.
331:(1919), starring
305:as Viola Matthews
231:. The film stars
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33:Theatrical poster
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702:Wynne, H. Hugh.
672:Pendo, Stephen.
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62:by George Hively
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167:Running time
144:Release date
101:Lloyd Nosler
86:Milton Moore
357:Curtiss JN4
344:Los Angeles
192:intertitles
39:Directed by
770:1919 films
764:Categories
748:Lobby card
515:2019-12-28
456:Tom London
438:References
364:Elmer Dyer
310:Production
225:drama film
155:1919-12-28
118:Production
89:Elmer Dyer
78:Ray Ripley
47:Written by
475:Citations
426:Hollywood
419:Although
374:Reception
246:lost film
202:$ 250,000
190:(English
95:Edited by
260:for the
258:air mail
184:Language
107:Music by
67:Starring
57:Based on
730:at the
398:to the
176:Country
153: (
120:company
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221:silent
199:Budget
188:Silent
443:Notes
390:, an
213:(aka
60:story
743:IMDb
708:ISBN
693:ISBN
678:ISBN
663:ISBN
648:ISBN
276:Cast
252:Plot
741:at
766::
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
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