He Falls From Trains, Says it's Fun

Radio Record, Volume XII, Issue 30, 6 January 1939, Page 5

He Falls From Trains, Says it's Fun

NE of the most interesting men to be interviewed before the microphone at 1ZB, Gil Perkins, a stunt .artist, who has dared death hundreds of times during the last 10 years he has been doubling for actors in Hollywood, entertained listeners for a quarter of an hour last week. Questioned by Guy Nixon, he gave listeners a thrilling account of his risky calling. Wrecking motor cars, jumping over cliffs, falling from fast moving trains, being thrown from galloping horses and leaping from burning speéedboats are every-day incidents in his life. Gil, who is a man of huge avoirdupois and broad shoulders, has frequently sustained serious injuries in the course of his work, yet he looks the picture of health. He said he liked his work a lot. And the pay was good, a regular weekly salary being paid, with substantial additions for more perilous feats. "Now and again stunt men are killed," he said, "but if a fellow watches his step he can live to be an old man. You gotta develop a technique for routine matters such as falling from a horse or turning a motor car over. This is all done as the result of experience. Whenever | have any falling or jumping to do, } always see that 1 am well padded on elbows and knees." © He has "doubled" for many famous fiim stars of whom he spoke interestingly. Regarding the controversy concerning the stars to be featured in the film production "Gone With the Wind," he said that it was almost certain that Paulette Goddard would be seen as "Searlett O’Hara," and Clark Gable as "Rhett Butier." Mr. Perkins was a passenger on the Monterey on his way to Melbourne to visit his parents. He was most amused about Auckland’s traffic laws. "Gosh," said the stunt -1an, "the cop raises his hand and everybody walks across the road!"