19 Facts About Helen Gibson

Helen Gibson's father had wanted a son, and encouraged her to be a tomboy.

At the investor's ranch outside of Pendleton, Oregon, Helen Gibson worked his horses every day, and learned new forms of trick riding.

Helen Gibson worked for Selig and for the Kalem Studios in Glendale.

Helen Gibson leapt without hesitation and landed correctly, but the train's motion made her roll toward the end of the car.

Helen Gibson caught hold of an air vent and hung on, dangling over the edge to increase the effect on the screen.

Helen Gibson had this sensitivity to spatial relationships between objects in motion, but it is certainly not a gift shared by all stuntmen.

The highly successful series had begun with Helen Holmes in the lead role for the first 49 episodes, but Helen Gibson was given her chance to replace Holmes for two pictures when she took ill, and starred in A Test of Courage and A Mile a Minute, for $35 a week.

One of her best stunts appeared in this serial: traveling at full speed on a motorcycle chasing after a runaway freight train, Helen Gibson rode through a wooden gate, shattering it completely, up a station platform, and through the open doors of a boxcar on a siding, with her machine traveling through the air until it landed on a flatcar in a passing train.

Hoot Helen Gibson, who had joined the Army tank corps, returned during Christmas 1918 and Universal gave him a contract to appear in two-reel Westerns.

Census records for 1920 indicate that the couple were living separately; Hoot Gibson listed himself as married, and Helen listed herself as widowed.

Helen Gibson made personal appearances in connection with bookings of No Man's Woman and The Wolverine in theatres and at rodeos, including visiting her old friends at the 101 Ranch in Ponca City, Oklahoma.

In September 1926, Helen Gibson joined a Hopi Indian act and worked the Keith Vaudeville Circuit out of Boston.

Helen Gibson returned to Hollywood in 1927 and began doubling for stars such as Louise Fazenda, Irene Rich, Edna May Oliver, Marie Dressler, Marjorie Main, May Robson, Esther Dale, and Ethel Barrymore.

Helen Gibson worked constantly stunt doubling and in uncredited or bit parts.

In 1935, Helen Gibson married Clifton Johnson, a studio electrician who had been a chief gunner in the Navy.

Helen Gibson continued to take character parts and extra work until 1954, when the couple moved to Lake Tahoe for health reasons.

Helen Gibson suffered a slight stroke in 1957, but it did not prevent her working as an extra in film and television.

Helen Gibson retired in January 1962, on a Motion Picture Industry pension of $200 a month plus social security.

Helen Gibson died of heart failure following a stroke in 1977 aged 85.