View source for Ormer Locklear

{{short description|American aviator (1891–1920)}}
{{use mdy dates|date=October 2015}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Ormer Locklear
| image              = Ormer Locklear in 1919.jpg
| caption            = Locklear in 1919
| birth_name         = Ormer Leslie Locklear
| birth_date         = {{Birth date|1891|10|28}}
| birth_place        = [[Greenville, Texas]], U.S.
| death_date         = {{Death date and age|1920|08|02|1891|10|28}}
| death_place        = [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], U.S.
| death_cause        = Airplane crash
| resting_place      = Greenwood Cemetery
| spouse             = {{marriage|Ruby Graves|1915}}
}}

'''Ormer Leslie "Lock" Locklear''' (October 28, 1891 &ndash; August 2, 1920) was an American daredevil [[stunt pilot]] and film actor.

His popular flying circus caught the attention of Hollywood, and he starred in ''[[The Great Air Robbery]]'' (1919), a screenplay about the mid-air piracy of a US airmail plane. In his next film, ''[[The Skywayman]]'', the plane crashed during a climactic dive, when the lighting team supposedly failed to douse the lights on cue, so Locklear was dazzled and flew blindly into the ground, dying instantly with his co-pilot Milton "Skeets" Elliott. The scene remained on the film.

==Early life==
Born in [[Greenville, Texas]], Locklear was raised in [[Fort Worth]]. In 1911, Locklear met [[Calbraith Perry Rodgers]], who landed his plane in Fort Worth to unclog a fuel line. After meeting Rodgers, Locklear became fascinated with aviation and airplanes. Shortly thereafter, Locklear and his brother constructed their own [[Glider (aircraft)|glider]].<ref name="utdallas">{{cite web|url=http://www.utdallas.edu/library/specialcollections/hac/general/Locklear.html|title=Guide to the Ormer Locklear Collection, 1898-1920 H07-75|publisher=utdallas.edu|access-date=October 12, 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150710100423/http://www.utdallas.edu/library/specialcollections/hac/general/Locklear.html |archivedate=2015-07-10}}</ref>

Upon completing his education, Locklear went to work as a [[carpenter]].<ref name="utdallas"/>

==Flying career==
In October 1917, Locklear joined the [[U.S. Army Air Service]]. He trained in [[Austin, Texas|Austin]], at Camp Dick and [[Barron Field]], becoming a flying instructor. Locklear was an exponent of [[wing walking]] to make aircraft repairs in flight.<ref>Wynne 1987, p. 14.</ref>

A [[second lieutenant]] at the end of the World War I, Locklear had been assigned to military recruitment when he saw a [[barnstorming]] show and realized his own usual flying exploits were far more impressive. After briefly reenlisting, Locklear left the Army in 1919, along with two military colleagues, Milton "Skeets" Elliott and Shirley Short. With manager and promoter William Pickens, they soon obtained aircraft and formed the "Locklear Flying Circus".<ref name="Century">[http://www.century-of-flight.net/Aviation%20history/daredevils/lunatics.htm "Barnstormers and Racers."] ''Century of Flight''. Retrieved: October 23, 2014.</ref>

Pickens had a great deal of experience promoting barnstormers, with Locklear being his greatest success. Both men became wealthy and lived in high style. His trademark stunt of jumping from one aircraft to another led Locklear to perfect a transfer from a car, and then the "Dance of Death," in which two pilots in two aircraft, would switch places in midair.<ref name="Century"/>

On April 7, 1920, Locklear was flying in the city of [[Los Angeles, California]], where he was issued the first aviation law violation for reckless aerial driving. He was fined $25.00 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|25|1919|r=-1}}}} in {{CURRENTYEAR}}).<ref name= "Federal Aviation Administration p. ">{{harvnb|Federal Aviation Administration|2019|p=}}</ref>

==Film career==
[[File:Ormer Locklear.jpg|thumb|Locklear performing one of his famous stunts.]]
The Locklear Flying Circus performed throughout the United States. When they came to the attention of [[Cinema of the United States|Hollywood]], Pickens arranged for Locklear to appear as a stunt man in film work.<ref name="Century"/> This opened the way to a movie career in California for Locklear, now considered the foremost "aviation stunt man in the world". [[Carl Laemmle]], head of [[Universal Pictures]], agreed to purchase all of Locklear's future air show dates in July 1919 in order to have him on contract for a proposed two-film series.<ref>Farmer 1984, p. 13.</ref> Locklear was signed to star in ''[[The Great Air Robbery]]'', a film depicting pilots flying [[air mail]].<ref name="Locklear">Farmer 1984, pp. 10, 16.</ref>

Principal photography for ''The Great Air Robbery'' began in July 1919 at DeMille Field 1, [[Los Angeles]], California, owned by producer [[Cecil B. DeMille]]. Besides being used as a base for flying,{{clarify|date=April 2015}} Locklear's [[Curtiss JN4|Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny"]] aircraft was also mounted on a raised wooden platform at the airfield in order to film closeups. ''The Great Air Robbery'' 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."<ref>Pendo 1985, p. 59.</ref> The promotional campaign included a premiere at the Superba Theatre in Los Angeles, and a two-month personal appearance tour with Locklear.<ref name="Farmer 1984, pp. 20–21">Farmer 1984, pp. 20–21.</ref>

Reviews were generally favourable, as ''The Great Air Robbery'' was the first of a cycle of postwar films dealing with the exploits of stunt pilots. ''[[The New York Times]]'' 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, robberies, and battles between the forces of law and lawlessness adds excitement."<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9407EEDD1131E03ABC4E52DFB466838B639EDE "Movie Review: The screen."] ''[[The New York Times]]'', February 16, 1920. Retrieved: October 22, 2014.</ref>

Although ''The Great Air Robbery'' 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 Hollywood career, and in April 1920, he was signed to star in ''[[The Skywayman]]'' (1920).<ref>Farmer 1984, p. 20.</ref>

Principal photography on ''The Skywayman'' began on June 11, 1920, with DeMille Field 2 as the main base of operations.<ref name="Pendo p. 5">Pendo 1985, p. 5.</ref>{{#tag:ref|Producer Cecil B. DeMille owned two airfields engaged in commercial aviation, in [[Los Angeles]], California.<ref>Wynne 1987, p. 10.</ref>|group=N}} Despite Locklear's public claim that new stunts "more daring ever filmed" would be involved, the production would rely heavily on models and less on actual stunt flying.<ref name="Farmer 1984, pp. 20–21"/> Two stunts, a church steeple being toppled by Locklear's aircraft and an aircraft-to-train transfer were both problematic and nearly ended in disaster.<ref name="Pendo p. 5"/>

==Personal life==
[[File:Ormer Locklear & Viola Dana - Aug 1920 EH.jpg|thumb|Ormer Locklear and Viola Dana]]
Locklear married Ruby Graves in 1915. The marriage was largely unhappy as Graves and Locklear had vastly different personalities. They separated in 1919 after Locklear moved to Los Angeles to pursue a film career. Despite the marriage being an unhappy one, Graves refused to grant Locklear a divorce. They remained legally married until Locklear's death.<ref>Golden 2000 pp.80-81.</ref>

While separated from Graves, Locklear met widowed silent film actress
[[Viola Dana]]. They began a relationship and were engaged at the time of Locklear's death. Dana witnessed the plane crash that killed Locklear. She was so traumatized by the event that she refused to fly for the next 25 years.<ref name="anderson">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1955&dat=19750421&id=MhBXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TEMNAAAAIBAJ&pg=5365,161695&hl=en|title='Waldo Pepper's' Lover Recalls Fiery Crash|last=Anderson|first=Nancy|date=April 21, 1975|work=Reading Eagle|page=10|access-date=October 12, 2015|location=Reading, Pennsylvania}}</ref> In 1980, Dana recalled her relationship with Locklear and also spoke about his fatal crash in the documentary ''[[Hollywood (1980 TV series)|Hollywood]]''.<ref>Golden 2000 p.80.</ref>

==Death==
The last stunt scheduled for filming for ''The Skywayman'' was a nighttime spin, initially to take place in daylight with cameras fitted with red filters to simulate darkness. Locklear, under a lot of pressure, with not only his family life being in upheaval but also learning that studio head [[William Fox (producer)|William Fox]] was not going to extend his contract beyond one film, demanded that he be allowed to fly at night.<ref name="Farmer p. 23">Farmer 1984, p. 23.</ref> The studio relented, and on August 2, 1920, publicity surrounding the stunt led to a large crowd gathering to witness the filming of the unusual stunt.<ref>Pendo 1985, p. 6.</ref> Large studio arc lights were set up on DeMille Field 2 to illuminate the [[Curtiss JN4|Curtiss "Jenny"]], to be doused as the aircraft entered its final spin. The dive towards some oil derricks was to make it appear that the airplane crashed beside the oil well. As arranged, Locklear had forewarned the lighting crew to douse their lights when he got near the derricks so that he could see to pull out of the dive, saying that "When you take the lights off, I'll know where I am and I can come out of it."<ref>{{cite interview |last=Dana |first=Viola|subject-link=Viola Dana|interviewer=[[Kevin Brownlow]] |title=Hazard of the Game |work=[[Hollywood (1980 TV series)|Hollywood]]
|publisher=[[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] |year=1980}}</ref> After completing a series of aerial maneuvers, Locklear signaled that he would descend.<ref name=Ronnie>Ronnie 1973, p. 278.</ref>

In front of spectators and film crew, Locklear and his long-time flying partner "Skeets" Elliot crashed heavily into the sludge pool of an oil well, never pulling out of the incipient spin. The crash resulted in a massive explosion and fire, with Locklear and Elliot dying instantly. After the accident, speculation revolved around the five arc lights that had remained fully on, possibly blinding the flight crew.<ref>Wynne 1987, p. 24.</ref>
[[File:In Atlantic City Ormer Locklear of Locklear's Flying Circus clings to one plane waiting for a 2nd plane trailing a rope ladder.jpg|thumb|alt=Two planes flying|In Atlantic City Ormer Locklear of Locklear's Flying Circus clings to one plane waiting for a 2nd plane trailing a rope ladder]]
With the entire film already completed except for the night scene, Fox made the decision to capitalize on the fatal crash by rushing ''The Skywayman'' into post-production and release.<ref name="Locklear2">Paris 1995, p. 56.</ref> With notices proclaiming "Every Inch Of Film Showing Locklear's Spectacular (And Fatal) Last Flight. His Death-Defying Feats And A Close Up Of His Spectacular Crash To Earth," the film premiered in Los Angeles on September 5, 1920.<ref name="Locklear2"/> The advertising campaign that accompanied the film was very similar to that of Locklear's first feature film, focusing on his earlier exploits and combining model displays and exhibition flights across North America to coincide with the film's release.<ref>Pendo 1984, pp. 6–7.</ref> Upon the film's release, [[Fox Film Corporation]] publicly announced that 10% of the profits would go to the families of Locklear and Elliot.<ref>Farmer 1984, p. 24.</ref>

Locklear is buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Fort Worth, Texas.<ref>Nichols 2014, p. 26</ref>

==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1919
| [[The Great Air Robbery]]
| Larry Cassidy (as Lieut. Ormer Locklear)
| [[Lost film]]
|-
| rowspan="2"|1920
| [[The Skywayman]]
| Capt. Norman and a stunt man
| Lost film, posthumously release
|-
| Screen Snapshots, Series 1, No. 7
| Self (as Lt. Locklear)
| [[Short film]], posthumously release
|-
|}

==Legacy==

Locklear was reputed to be the [[prototype]] for the character of Waldo Pepper, played by [[Robert Redford]] in ''[[The Great Waldo Pepper]]'' (1975). Viola Dana was an honored guest at the premiere of the film.<ref name="anderson"/>

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=N}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Bibliography===
{{Refbegin}}
*{{cite web |last=Federal Aviation Administration|author-link=Federal Aviation Administration|date=2019|url = https://www.faa.gov/about/history/timeline/|title =Timeline of FAA and Aerospace History|publisher = [[Federal Aviation Administration]]| access-date = June 1, 2019 }} 
* Farmer, James H. ''Celluloid Wings: The Impact of Movies on Aviation.'' Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania: Tab Books Inc., 1984. {{ISBN|978-0-83062-374-7}}.
* Golden, Eve. ''Golden Images: 41 Essays on Silent Film Stars''. McFarland, 2000. {{ISBN|0-786-48354-7}}.
* Hatfield, D. D. ''Los Angeles Aeronautics 1920-29''. Inglewood, California: Northrop University Press, 1973. ASIN B0006CB8ZI
* Nichols, Michael. ''Lost Fort Worth''. The History Press, 2014. {{ISBN|1-626-19235-9}}.
* Paris, Michael. ''From the Wright Brothers to Top Gun: Aviation, Nationalism, and Popular Cinema.'' Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press, 1995. {{ISBN|978-0-7190-4074-0}}.
* Pendo, Stephen. ''Aviation in the Cinema''. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1985. {{ISBN|0-8-1081-746-2}}.
* Ronnie, Art. ''Locklear: The Man Who Walked on Wings''. Cranbury, New Jersey: A.S. Barnes and Company, 1973. {{ISBN|0-498-01073-2}}
* Wynne, H. Hugh. ''The Motion Picture Stunt Pilots and Hollywood's Classic Aviation Movies.'' Missoula, Montana: Pictorial Histories Publishing Co., 1987. {{ISBN|0-933126-85-9}}.
{{Refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Ormer Locklear}}
* {{IMDb name|0516912}}
* [http://libtreasures.utdallas.edu/xmlui/handle/10735.1/1949 Still of Ormer Locklear], promotional tour for ''The Great Air Robbery'', University of North Texas
* {{Find a Grave|7202809}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Locklear, Ormer}}
[[Category:1891 births]]
[[Category:1920 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:Accidental deaths in California]]
[[Category:American male film actors]]
[[Category:American male silent film actors]]
[[Category:United States Army Air Service pilots of World War I]]
[[Category:American stunt performers]]
[[Category:Aviators from Texas]]
[[Category:Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents in the United States]]
[[Category:Barnstormers]]
[[Category:Filmed deaths of entertainers]]
[[Category:Male actors from Fort Worth, Texas]]
[[Category:People from Greenville, Texas]]
[[Category:Stunt pilots]]
[[Category:United States Army officers]]
[[Category:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1920]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Texas]]