Three Extras Killed Filming "Noah's Ark" (1928) 

A fourth dude lost a leg, and the lead actress (I'm assuming the one shown here, but not sure) nearly died of pneumonia. Michael Curtiz was a twit.

The complete reason Hollywood safety regulations were made. RIP to those 3 people.

As someone who has been to the beach and been taken right out by unexpected wave breaks a couple of times, this footage is absolutely terrifying. There is absolutely no fighting water when its crashing and pulling so strongly, it takes you wherever it pleases, and if that's into a rock or other hard object? Well, say goodnight.

this looks like it could be a fun thing to swim in if there wasn't, y'know, the possibility of death

Can’t believe John Wayne almost dies as an extra during the flood

John Wayne , Andy Devine , Ward bond we’re among the thousands of extra in the temple collapse. Wayne was a Property boy for the film. The 3 are in the scene when the 7 people in the bridge trying to get on. At 0:55 they are at bridge

Sad, people still criticise health and safety laws.

Thanks, this was exactly what I was looking for.

This is some incredible acting you can feel like their panicking for their lives.

"Right, listen up ladies and gentlemen, we are about to let out a massive ton of water from the tanks at high speed, theres absolutely nothing to worry about if you can swim, but if you can't, then I recommend not appearing in this scene, I'll be patient and give you all 10 seconds to leave the hole now...... alright! roll cameras aaaaaand ACTION!" -The Director, probably

Came here because of Cats Don't Dance and its' stage flooding scene. "What appears to be a tidal wave is actually just a special effect!"

Psychopathic director, literally doesnt care if people gets killed in his quest for personal glory

i mean oh my god. they did not take any safety precautions. these people were thrown in a death trap at certain parts

Those three were fantastic method actors

"keep filming"

How the hell did they even film this?

This is why you have to: 1. Take into consideration the possible bad outcome of using practical effects. And 2. DISCLOSE TO THE EXTRAS ABOUT SAID PRACTICAL EFFECTS!!!

Well, they are all dead now...

A Reddit "TIL" post from today had me looking for the video. Thanks!

They should've just built a miniature model set and threw a lot of water over it and the scenes where people were swimming away they could've used a swimming pool

Was the director charged? That's such a horrible thing. Imagine being excited to work as an extra not knowing you'll lose your life.

got to admit its a pretty impressive scene

That how dangerous filming was back then.

Today they probably wouldn't even be able to releaser the movie. The lawsuits would be in the many millions...possible manslaughter charges...though we see from alec (the shooter) baldwin, you don't always get charged

From The Hollywood Hall of Shame by Harry and Michael Medved: 'Being sprayed with prune juice, however, represented only one of the many indignities to which the poor extras were subjected. For them, the most difficult scene involved the flood's destruction of the gigantic Temple of Moloch. This sprawling set had been constructed within a "studio tank", essentially a huge concrete lake. For months, engineers worked on accumulating 15,000 tons of water in a series of reservoirs in the Hollywood Hills, then designing a complex system of chutes and spillways to carry it with maximum impact on to the set. When the flood waters came whooshing down these channels cunning concealed atop the temple columns, the entire set was supposed to collapse and the studio tank would be flooded within minutes. At the height of the devastation, the extras were supposed to scurry around the tumbling masonry and to splash about for a while in the rising waters. 'The day before shooting this awesome scene, director Curtiz explained the procedures to chief cameraman Hal Mohr. As he visualized the resulting chaos, Mohr asked, "Jesus, what are you going to do about the extras?" and the director calmly replied, "Oh, they're going to have to take their chances." As cinematographer Mohr later recalled the episode, "When they started talking about how to do it, I objected, not as a cameraman but as a human being, for Christ's sake, because it seemed to me they were going to kill a few people with these tons of water and huge sets falling on them...We had stuntmen who knew what they were doing, but we also had several hundred other people who didn't know what it was all about...They would do anything you'd tell them, just to get a day's work, but they had no idea what the hell was going to happen. I wouldn't have any part of it, but they insisted they were going to do it, so I told them to shove the picture and walked off the set. 'During the filming Hal Mohr's worst fears were fully realized. As the torrents slammed down on the unsuspecting hordes the expressions of terror were absolutely genuine. Three extras died on the set, another lost a leg and half a dozen more were crippled by broken limbs. Surveying this devastation, [Darryl F.] Zanuck and his henchmen merely shrugged their shoulders with the implied comment, "That's show business," and did their best to keep the scandalous story out of the newspapers.'

And the scariest thing is that this scene was the most realistic

I heard from someone who did research on the film that no one died and there were no documents to suggest that anyone did. Until I am sure I take issue.

Weren't there only two extras on the Ark?

What is RU-vid’s recommendations trying to tell me?

That's how it was back then. Risk lives to shoot a potentially epic scene.

Hello, Ewu crew.

I guess this must of have inspired John Landis.

So that's a snuff movie right?

After seeing this, I'm surprised there weren't way more casualties & injuries. This looks insane

Depression era.. must of been huge settlements of at least 20,000 pecos

Bruh wtf Michael Curtiz be like : " its just a prank bro" The Prank:

Is that true?

The name of the movie?!!

Most realistic scene ever wow 😂

Alec Baldwin wishes he could go back to those days….

Who else is here from sp0uk_

Not a phone in sight, just people living (or dying) in the moment.

Pretty good CGI

I be learning abt the most random shit at the most random times

El verdadero: por qué el que graba no ayuda??? Se quedaron grabando a los actores que estaban muriendo

Why is Hollywood so fucking mind bendingly insane?

Sad

Pain is temporary, film is forever..

The director gave zero fucks about them lmao

Well thats one way to get good disaster footage... In some scenes it looks like they are running to one side (the exit) waving their arms and yelling ENOUGH WITH THE WATER ALREADY

Is that you John Wayne is this me

Thid is why you hire stunt performers.

The film industry is really full of scumbags . How is the director not in jail

How did they even do that?

This reminds me of that twightlight film where 3 people died on screen

How did only 3 die?

Drew Barrymore’s grandmother is the lead actress of this film lololol

Came here from EWU Crew

Is there proof John Wayne is really in this?

Me Beast squid games:

Sadly the Laws and Rules of Safety are written in blood

This is amazing

This is Warner bros first film

"Killing in the name of"

Is there proof John Wayne is really in this!

Actually, they're all dead now, so, no biggie.

You're just having some fun with it?!?? Okay...

Crazy.

Wow

Bible has incredible scientific accuracy like round Earth 🌎 and the hydrologic cycle and jet streams and much more!

Bible has incredible scientific accuracy like round Earth 🌎 and the hydrologic cycle and jet streams and much more.

Having fun with a scene that kills 3 people, is to be considered highly infantile!

Director was doing too much

how it feel at the county pool when it free jit night

:

Omg

most safe christian movie

is this a scene that many people say took many lives. And why is it so realistic

Very realistic 👏👏

This is just a clip from the film with text edited in explaining said deaths in very minor detail... If you're gonna clickbait someone, at least put more effort into your explanation of the tragedy.

Why isn't this movie banned?

lol first time using reddit and it brings me here XD

Lmao that kinda creepy

F

Reddit is trash.

Omg no way

Who else is from reddit

Libertarian’s wet dream.

Nothing is more great than real

It's a good thing Alec Baldwin wasn't in this one with a revolver.

le reddit army has arrived

these scenes must be appreciated, 3 people gave their lives for us to see it

The director should have called out: "Once more with feeling!" All good art requires sacrifice. What's a few extras in the grand scheme of things?

Always remember to repent of your sins (sin is transgression of YAHUAH’S LAW: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, & Deuteronomy) And Have Belief On YAHUSHA HAMASHYACH. HE Died and Rose Again On The Third Day So that you can be forgiven of your sins! HE Loves you! Come to HIM

Thumbs up if you're a fellow Reddit Army soldier

Mr. TB! That,s funny! LMAO!

Wow that’s crazy. No wonder how the Actor’s Guild came into being. So where was this particular scene filmed?