Spider Matlock
William Earnest "Spider" Matlock (June 30, 1901, St. Joseph, Missouri – January 27, 1936[1]) was an American stuntman, stunt pilot, car racing promoter, driver and mechanic.[1][2]
Stunt flying[edit]
One day, an airshow was scheduled at the Burdette Air Port and School of Aviation in Los Angeles. When the performers did not show up, Ronald MacDougall, a part-owner of the airport, persuaded Matlock (a student at the aviation school[3]) and Ken Nichols to help him. After five minutes of instruction (according to Nichols), the pair performed as wing walkers, with MacDougall flying the airplane.[4]
The burgeoning field of aviation reached Hollywood, and stunt pilots were needed. In 1924, MacDougall, Nichols and Matlock, formed a group called the Black Cats, later renamed the 13 Black Cats, to set standards and rates for aerial stunts for movies.[5][6] Each of the Black Cats was supposed to have a name that was 13 letters long, which is how Matlock acquired the nickname "Spider", MacDougall got "Bon" and Nichols "Fronty". Among other things, they charged $1500 to blow up an airplane in mid-air. Matlock was once asked to do just that at 2,000 feet (610 m) by a newsreel company.[7] Something went wrong; explosives had been rigged on the wings with a switch with a 30-second delay, but went off prematurely before Matlock could parachute to safety.[7] Fortunately, he survived.
As the 1920s came to a close, the 13 Black Cats succumbed to increased safety regulations and cut-rate competition.
Auto racing[edit]
Matlock also participated in auto racing, becoming "a promoter, driver and starter in California 'outlaw' racing circles".[7] He was the riding mechanic for winning 1930 Indianapolis 500 driver Billy Arnold.[8][9] They also teamed together for the 1931 and 1932 races, but crashed both times while leading, in the 162nd and 59th laps, respectively.[9] The first time, Matlock was flung 200 feet (61 m), but landed on some grass and only suffered a collarbone broken in three places.[7] The second time, he was badly injured, with a skull fracture and many broken bones (a collarbone, six ribs, a shoulder, pelvis and hip), but was back racing in six weeks, only to break his nose and a thumb in yet another racing crash.[7] He also teamed with Ernie Triplett in the 1933 Indianapolis 500.[9]
He was scheduled to compete as a driver in the 1936 race for Ford,[7] but his luck finally ran out. He and driver Al Gordon crashed at Ascot Speedway in Los Angeles on January 26, 1936; Gordon died that day, while Matlock succumbed the following day.[1]
He appeared as himself (uncredited) in the 1932 auto racing film The Crowd Roars, starring James Cagney.[10]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c "Al Gordon Joked At Death-Crash Claims His Life: Mechanic Succumbs". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. January 27, 1936. p. 7.
- ^ "Spider Matlock". Motorsport Memorial.
- ^ "The 13 Flying Black Cats". San Diego Air & Space Museum.
- ^ Robinson, Nancy (April 8, 1995). "Aerial daredevils soar on silver screens". Abilene Reporter-News – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Onskt, David H. "Hollywood Stunt Pilots". Centennial of Flight Commission.
- ^ Kelly, Shawna (2008). Aviators in Early Hollywood. Arcadia Publishing. p. 44. ISBN 9780738559025.
- ^ a b c d e f Finch, Frank (August 18, 1935). "Spider Matlock Plays Tag With Grim Reaper". Los Angeles Times – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Risking His Life Everyday Routine for 'Spider' Matlock". Indianapolis Times. May 30, 1933 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c "Spider Matlock". www.champcarstats.com.
- ^ "Request for return of copyright deposits" (PDF). National Audio-Visual Conservation Center blog Now See Hear!.
External links[edit]
- Photograph of (left to right) Matlock and fellow Black Cats Al Johnson and "Fronty" Nichols wing walking on the top wing of a biplane piloted by Black Cat "Bon" MacDougall
- June 1935 Popular Mechanics article "Riding Race Cars for a Living", written by Matlock
- YouTube video of his 1932 Indy 500 crash
- Photograph of Matlock and Billy Arnold in the #5 car at the 1932 Indy 500
- Photographs of Matlock in the UCLA Library Digital Collection