The Gypsy Moths - behind the scenes: 1969 skydiving

[@markelijio6012]

From the creators who gave us Seven Days in May, Seconds, Grand Prix and more: now comes in a motion picture event of the year, The Gypsy Moths. Starring Burt Lancaster, Gene Hackman, Dame Deborah Kerr, Bonnie Bedelia, Scott Wilson and William Windom. Released in the fall of 1969 with mixed reviews at its very best, some people were saying it was the best John Frankenheimer movie he'd ever produced and directed because it's got something for everybody to enjoy for many years to come. A co-production of the Bryna Companies and John Frankenheimer Enterprises, distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (1969-1985) and later, Warner Bros. Pictures (Fall 1985-present, Time Warner, all media).

[@701CPD]

Great documentary on the stunt skydivers who performed the jumps in the summer of 1968 for the 1969 film "The Gypsy Moths."

[@stevenreynolds2327]

I was 9 years old and remember watching them film some of this in my home town, El Dorado, KS. I think they used the Benton airport for the action .

[@rickharrison15]

I didn't see it till 1972 with my former instructor at a drive in. What a classic and a great cast.

[@JohnMusgrave]

Sadly Carl Boenish was killed making a BASE jump many years ago. He was one of the pioneers of skydiving photography.

[@michaelbolton7790]

I did my parachute training course in the UK in 1968 & had done a few jumps all on 'static line' assist parachutes when the film 'The Gypsy Moths' came out in 1969. Having seen the film, I think it's fair to say that it encouraged me to stay in the 'sport' eventually becoming an instructor. I stayed in the sport for 46 years having trained thousands of 'like minded' people to enjoy the thrills skydiving offered.

[@philipmartin708]

I saw the movie when it hit the theaters. Loved it. My very first plane ride was in one of the Howards they had at Skylark Field in Lake Elsinore, Ca. It was 1968, we went to 8 5, and it cost $5 for an observer ride. Great memories.

[@50buttfish]

The "observer" ride was called a WUFFO ride. WU FO you do that?

[@MrShobar]

The Howard DGA-15 is still operating and is presently registered to an owner in Temecula, Calif. It was built in 1940.

[@50buttfish]

Great jump plane.

[@JohnMusgrave]

Thanks for posting this clip. I've been a big fan of Gypsy Moths for decades but have never seen this footage before.

[@diverdrew]

Classic, probably what got me interested in skydiving....as well as John Noakes of Blue Peter completing his freefall with the Red Devils back in the 70's :)

[@davestephens8033]

In 1963 my Army Captain Dad was stationed in Dreux Air Force Base in France. During school hours, they had mass paratroop drops of soldiers from C130 transport planes. I always get yelled at by the teachers because I went to the windows to watch. One time, teacher is yelling at me and I yelled that one guy's chute didn't open and hi reserve chute was entangle with his tangled up main chute. Teacher shup and and the whole class watched this poor soldier hit the ground before all the other chutes did. That happening was fairly common, sadly. They would also drop Jeeps from the air and not a single one of those giant parachutes fully opened, they must have lost a lot of Jeeps that way. I became totally obsessed with parachutes, and one weeked we watched Special Forces Green Berets doing free fall sky diving. Man, I was just thrilled, but was so shy I couldn't go over and talk to them, but my brother and sister did. I subscribed to a sky diving magazine and got catalogs for parachutes, and any TV show or movie that had parachutes in it I glued my eyes to. Years later in Homestead, Florida I signed up for a skydiving class. I got criticized by the instructor for not correctly practice landing from a high platform. I was there on my motorcyle by myself. Time comes for the first static jumps. I let the first group go and when it came time for me, they were using a tiny Cessna, it was a hot day, and they crammed about 10 guys into that tiny space. I always had air sickness problems and here I was supposed to go into my worst nighmare, a hot sweaty plane, and me BACKWARDS, and I freaked and walked away. It was late and so I wouldn't have gotten to jump anyway. got on my bike and rode home and never went back. Oh, well. I gave it my best try.....

[@OwnOurLiberty]

Our cousin wrote the novel . I quit after my 42nd jump.

[@fiscue]

Thanks for uploading!

[@ameliadiaz8040]

That was eight years after TV's Ripcord's debut or première.

[@dougankrum3328]

Burt Lancaster and the first Wingsuit...!

[@td12308]

You can buy the full movie at numerous places on line - Amazon, eBasy etc

[@dks13827]

The Gypsy Moths Jumpers. Jerry Rouillard, Carl Boenish, Garth Taggart, Mike Milts, Dave Thompson, Russ Benefiel Nancy Milts, Jay Gifford

[@ZiplineShazam]

Do you know of a Gypsy Moth by the name of Charles David ? I met him almost 20 years ago, He was associated with Sky Dive Dallas. He told me that he worked on this film, that he was one of the jumpers, he even gave me an original Gypsy Moth movie poster. He told me that he was the one in the wing suit. But I cant find his name anywhere.

[@davegieber3847]

For anyone interested, there is a documentary called Sunshine Superman. It is about Carl Boenish's life as the father of base jumping.

[@rerite2]

cool stuff. Big fan of the movie and the stars and the director. Thanks for uploading. Where did you find the film? Whatever happened to Boenish and the other skydivers?

[@jimday666]

@6:38 What? Each time the canopy has to be attached to the container/harness? Too many human error points in that case.

[@td12308]

No, not at all. Only if you'd cutaway, had a hopeless tangle which required disconnecting one or both risers or you were installing a new canopy. Just like now.

[@michaelz7683]

id do the 4 canopy jump if given the chance

[@00BillyTorontoBill]

tell me about it... round crw looks like a hoot.

[@michaelz7683]

it just looks fun. i wish it made the movie

[@andreluizbellafrontekutian1372]

How I can get the full movie? I search a lot but fail to find =(

[@701CPD]

The film is available on DVD.

[@ZiplineShazam]

Charles David

[@usforsarah]

Off topic but Deborah Kerr was so gorgeous and classy

[@markelijio6012]

She's never been more gorgeous and classier than that. Dame Deborah Kerr was MGM's long-time contract players since the mid-1940's and continues until 1994. Nominated for a Emmy in 1985 and six Academy Awards between 1950 and 1961, Dame Deborah Kerr has finally won an Honorary Oscar in 1994. At last. An artist of true grace and beauty, a dedicated actress whose motion picture career has always stood for perfection, discipline and elegance. Today, Dame Deborah has opened new doors for many great women such as Oscar winners Jamie Lee Curtis, Julianne Moore, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Dame Helen Mirren and now, 2024's Honorary Oscar winner Angela Bassett. Dame Deborah Kerr has died of Parkinson's disease at her home in England in October 16, 2007. She was 86 years old and survived by her children, grand-children and great grand-children. She'll always remembered and best of all her marvelous legacy that simply lasts forever. So thanks for everything. RIP, Dame Deborah.

[@zardozmyrh7789]

Well even though I know it was done well those kind of risks are just amazing that people will take I love the movie but I'm a big Burt Reynolds fan anyway and I like Gene Hoffman too Hackman Gene Hackman not a big William Wyndham fan though

[@robertgiles9124]

Oddly cheerful promo for a film that is about the dark side of the American Dream; features adultery and suicide....strippers and premarital sex....what's not to like? I link this with The Swimmer among Burt's best films.

[@bobduvar]

And what about this austrian man who jumped from the first floor o f the Eiffel tower in 1912.... Mr Heinrich Franz Reichelt did not resist to the impact with the ground.... He was 33 like the Christ !

[@michaelhead8668]

Firsts! Beer!

[@ameliadiaz8040]

No, better yet... ice cream sodas or milkshakes!

[@dpurplefox]

@@ameliadiaz8040 no not better. You must be a wuffo with a comment like that. First,s in skydiving is a long tradition to buy a case of beer for EVERY first in skydiving.

[@ameliadiaz8040]

@@dpurplefox I rather like ice cream sodas or milkshakes best, because they're smoother and alcohol free!

[@dpurplefox]

@@ameliadiaz8040 it does not matter what you like it is a tradition. what you like means shit

[@50buttfish]

@@dpurplefox AND, we drank the BEER, once the DZ was "closed" for the evening.