Notice the bloody tree branch that killed the pilot.
“Pilot Error” ruled as cause of crash. Tree branch dislodged his cap and a section skull.
Inside-no passengers involved-more mystery
Falls Lake -Universal Backdrop film set. I actually forgot what set I was on here-I ask my audience for help. Does anyone recognize this plane wreck? After 35 years off non stop Universal Movie sets-this crash flew under my radar. I would love to match the show to the pictures I took here.
The tail piece beyond the cockpit/fuselage is a different film than this-both involve huge plane crashes.
Falls Lake snowed in.
Landing gear behind our fake forest set up. This usually has 7 to 10 feet of water here in the basin beneath the sky backdrop.
From this mysterious plane wreck to a more famous crash that because of great piloting, everyone on board walked away. “Sully” lands where others crashed before.
“Sully” recreation of The Hudson emergency, Universal Falls Lake Backdrop.
Plane interior at lake
A successful “saving grace aviation moment” captured at Universal Studios.
This plane died a movie star death for War of the Worlds…
Location-Victorville, Ca- same ANA Jumbo Jet being packed up for transport to Universal Studios Backlot.
Here is that plane on the set of War of the Worlds. A Paramount Blockbuster, directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Tom Cruise. It still sits as viewed here, a very popular Tram picture stop.
The street light remains on after the crash and the car alarm goes off when trams pass by.
“Welcome to….Los Angeles”
“Is there a doctor on board?”
A news copter view of this -Breaking News!
TRUST ME-I”M GOOD!
Pictured right-Director Jack Smite at work.
I did not realize – we did this Tour Show. I wish it was there when I started…I had my own airplanes I pretended to fly at MGM in this era.
The Captain left his Heineken bottle behind in a hasty exit with a group of stewardess’s…MGM
1970-Airport- 1
When I started my Universal career, I worked with guys who were on this film. Wind Machines, my department operates Ritter Fans used for special effects. We maintain and operate these and supply the necessary Direct Current needed for their operation. Effects would in this case toss snow flakes in front of the fan blades creating a blizzard. Fun stuff.
Key scenes were done in our huge parking lot located on Barham Blvd. A plane was stuck on a snow-covered runway.
This story paints the picture of what all took place. The studio parking lot was not the intended location. Conditions made it impossible to film at M.S.P. Back to Hollywood we go, the Art Department cleverly decided to utilize our huge parking lot. We can make snow, even in comfy temperatures. No pictures exist, I would have took some but this is before my employment.
But I was lucky enough to work with the guys who created the snow storms and shared stories with me.
2005 War of the Worlds
30 years after Airport 1975- Steven Spielberg creates a town that has a 747 crash into it, because we are at war with Extra -Terrestrials. Not the friendly kind like E.T, ones that don’t really like us- humanoids. To finish off a set just built specifically to appear ravaged by a 747 crash, all we needed now was a Big Old Jetliner.
Out of a scrapheap in Victorville, we found our star. A Boeing 747 S.R. A domestic wide body built for Japan. ANA painted its emblem on the sides and the initials stand for All Nippon Airways (ANA). The plane was bought for $60,000. Transporting it to the studio cost 3 times more and the logistics were difficult since-we really don’t have an AIRPORT-at this studio.
Using a helicopter, as well as a series of lorries that were escorted by police, it spiraled the cost upwards into the $ 200,000 thousand altitude. This set was only a 3-day shoot, critical in the film. On my Phantomofthebacklots -Youtube Channel, I have film of these scenes on my tutorial site. I highly recommend a visit to the behind the scenes making of this movie.
This crash never left, this Paramount film had the responsibility to strike this set located in between The Psycho House and The Greeting Center when visiting-Jurassic Park. Universal waved the “strike – phase” and accepted keeping this set up for the Studio Tour.
This is a fun story to read next time your waiting in an airport…
Written and Lived by…Donnie Norden
Phantom of the Backlots 