803:
691:
624:
593:
302:. On the first two takes, the pipe emitted smoke perfectly, but on the third take, the pipe exploded. Danko was blown off the broomstick and sustained a 2 in (51 mm)-deep gash around the circumference of her leg, landing her in the hospital for eleven days. According to Scarfone and Stillman, damage to her internal organs from the explosion required a
294:". Hamilton had refused to do the scene after suffering serious burns from descending into the opening in the stage floor amid fire and smoke. The production crew rigged up a broomstick suspended from wires, with a steel saddle for Danko to sit on. Underneath the saddle lay a pipe that emitted smoke when she pushed a button.
170:
In her first week in Los
Angeles, she was approached in a store by a woman who asked her to accompany her to an outdoor film shoot that evening. At the shoot, one of the actors came over to the two and asked if they worked in film. The woman replied that they did. The man told Danko she would make "a
313:
I have fallen into ditches, lakes, pools, through trap doors, from piano tops, over chairs and tables, down laundry chutes and stairs. I have fallen over backwards from a height of 25 ft (7.6 m) into 32 in (810 mm) of water and into a pool fully clothed though I can barely swim.
330:. Later she visited the trainer with the animal on the set and he encouraged her to show the animal her foot again, and move a little closer. The lion grabbed her leg and chomped down on it thirteen times. Danko received thirteen stitches and permanent scarring.
130:
scene, a pipe attached to the Witch's broomstick exploded, landing Danko in the hospital with a serious leg wound. Her career was cut short by a non-stunt accident in the late 1950s when she was struck by a car while waiting for a bus. She resided in a
171:
good college type" for their next film and asked for her phone number. A few weeks later, Danko received a call to report for work on a film playing a member of a girls' basketball team. Someone on that film suggested she apply for more work at
147:, on September 19, 1903. Her father, John Danko, was from Germany. Her mother, Mary Danko, was from Hungary. She had an older brother and sister. Danko was very athletic. In school she played right forward and competed in
314:
I've been yanked around on wires, had pies and knives thrown at me, have lain amid flames of gasoline—all for the sake of Art and a pay check. But I still like it and it enables me to support my mother and myself.
297:
At first, Danko's cape was pinned down to hide the pipe, but the director wanted the cape to blow in the wind, so the pipe was concealed under Danko's body. Danko noticed that the crew coated the pipe with
163:
with her family in 1927. The Dankos had relatives living in Los
Angeles and her father was convinced by their description of the city to sell their home and other real estate he owned in
858:
309:
In interviews, Danko said she plied her career as a
Hollywood stuntwoman in order to support herself and her mother. She described falls as her specialty, saying:
1023:
247:
167:
and move across the country. Danko intended to stay in
California for a year earning money to pay for tuition at a chiropractic school back in New Jersey.
283:
how to avoid the circular piece of metal, and fell through the opening onto Danko's shoulders. She was treated by a chiropractor at the studio's expense.
1018:
1043:
1038:
333:
Danko's career was cut short by a real-life accident, when she was struck by a car that jumped the curb while she stood at a bus stop.
1028:
989:
968:
947:
926:
905:
828:
364:
1033:
275:
and the opening through which the Witch would spring out was covered by a thin aluminum cover, painted the same color as the
326:
in a Hal Roach comedy. While she was getting used to being around the animal, it suddenly swiped at her brightly-colored
863:
388:
263:
122:
254:
113:
679:
258:
117:
868:
404:
802:
690:
623:
592:
832:
356:
112:. She doubled for many leading actresses of the 1930s and 1940s, but is best known for having doubled for
234:. Danko referred to her stunts as "bump work", and received the standard studio fee of $ 11 per day as a
444:
164:
160:
132:
67:
215:
1013:
1008:
380:
243:
785:
318:
Like other stuntwomen, Danko risked life and limb in her work. Her most serious injury came from a
306:. Her total earnings from her work on the film came to $ 790, plus $ 35 for the broomstick stunt.
790:
428:
396:
144:
48:
985:
964:
958:
943:
937:
922:
901:
611:
606:
276:
172:
979:
916:
897:
Hollywood Death and
Scandal Sites: Seventeen Driving Tours with Directions and the Full Story
895:
575:
420:
268:
669:
345:, at 6526 La Mirada Drive in Hollywood for half a century. Danko died on February 3, 1979.
580:
436:
412:
279:. While Danko waited in the pit, the choreographer was instructing the actors playing the
105:
836:
795:
683:
674:
616:
585:
511:
485:
1002:
452:
231:
227:
219:
187:
183:
960:
The Road to Oz: The
Evolution, Creation, and Legacy of a Motion Picture Masterpiece
489:
303:
239:
207:
109:
323:
272:
223:
203:
199:
195:
191:
179:
372:
287:
127:
211:
148:
242:. In 1938, she was one of 25 stunt performers selected as "good risks" by
342:
327:
299:
280:
235:
104:(September 19, 1903 – February 3, 1979) was an American
319:
250:—a policy which also lowered insurance expenditures for the studios.
918:
Hollywood Stunt
Performers, 1910s-1970s: A Biographical Dictionary
652:
650:
286:
Danko sustained a more serious injury while enacting the Witch's
786:"Rendezvous With Death in Hollywood: But Stunt Girls Laugh"
726:
724:
552:
550:
548:
535:
533:
531:
529:
290:
scene, where she flies on her broomstick spelling out "
637:
635:
633:
246:, allowing her to purchase annual coverage against
83:
75:
56:
30:
23:
754:
656:
135:bungalow for 50 years with her widowed mother.
715:
267:. For the Wicked Witch's fiery entrance into
8:
978:Tibbetts, John C.; Walsh, James M. (2010).
615:. February 5, 1935. p. 9 – via
271:, a catapult had been rigged up under the
175:, and her career as a stunt double began.
20:
957:Scarfone, Jay; Stillman, William (2018).
178:Among the actresses she doubled for were
779:
777:
775:
607:"Lubitsch is Failure as Host for Dinner"
341:Danko and her widowed mother lived in a
815:
766:
742:
730:
703:
569:
567:
565:
556:
539:
480:
478:
474:
682:. May 30, 1938. p. 5 – via
641:
574:Chrisman, J. Eugene (August 9, 1936).
322:off-screen while she was doubling for
1024:Actresses from Hollywood, Los Angeles
7:
253:Her best-known job was doubling for
16:American stuntwoman and stunt double
486:"California Death Index, 1940-1997"
981:American Classic Screen Interviews
248:accidental death and dismemberment
14:
1019:Actresses from Newark, New Jersey
801:
689:
622:
591:
512:"New Jersey State Census, 1905"
939:The Making of the Wizard of Oz
1:
143:She was born Bertha Danko in
1044:20th-century American people
963:. Rowman & Littlefield.
864:AFI Catalog of Feature Films
784:Spiro, J. D. (May 1, 1938).
755:Scarfone & Stillman 2018
657:Scarfone & Stillman 2018
126:. During the filming of the
1039:20th-century American women
921:(2nd ed.). McFarland.
915:Freese, Gene Scott (2014).
900:(2nd ed.). McFarland.
1060:
670:"Stunt Men – 'Good Risks'"
151:, winning several medals.
1029:American stunt performers
794:. p. 65 – via
716:Tibbetts & Walsh 2010
584:. p. 79 – via
942:. Chicago Review Press.
936:Harmatz, Aljean (2013).
259:Wicked Witch of the West
238:, and $ 35 per day as a
118:Wicked Witch of the West
79:Stuntwoman, stunt double
894:Fleming, E. J. (2015).
869:American Film Institute
1034:Women stunt performers
833:British Film Institute
576:"Filmland's Fatalists"
316:
311:
68:Santa Ana, California
514:. FamilySearch. 2020
381:The Perfect Specimen
984:. Scarecrow Press.
839:on October 13, 2017
349:Partial filmography
292:Surrender, Dorothy!
791:South Bend Tribune
397:Street of Memories
216:Maureen O'Sullivan
145:Newark, New Jersey
49:Newark, New Jersey
45:September 19, 1903
745:, pp. 278–9.
706:, pp. 267–8.
612:Spokane Chronicle
464:
277:yellow brick road
261:in the 1939 film
255:Margaret Hamilton
244:Lloyd's of London
173:Hal Roach Studios
120:in the 1939 film
114:Margaret Hamilton
91:
90:
84:Years active
1051:
995:
974:
953:
932:
911:
881:
880:
878:
876:
855:
849:
848:
846:
844:
835:. Archived from
825:
819:
813:
807:
806:
805:
799:
781:
770:
764:
758:
752:
746:
740:
734:
728:
719:
718:, pp. 52–3.
713:
707:
701:
695:
694:
693:
687:
666:
660:
654:
645:
639:
628:
627:
626:
620:
603:
597:
596:
595:
589:
571:
560:
554:
543:
537:
524:
523:
521:
519:
508:
502:
501:
499:
497:
482:
462:
421:The Spanish Main
405:Broadway Limited
389:The Wizard of Oz
365:3 on a Honeymoon
264:The Wizard of Oz
123:The Wizard of Oz
63:
60:February 3, 1979
44:
42:
21:
1059:
1058:
1054:
1053:
1052:
1050:
1049:
1048:
999:
998:
992:
977:
971:
956:
950:
935:
929:
914:
908:
893:
890:
885:
884:
874:
872:
857:
856:
852:
842:
840:
827:
826:
822:
814:
810:
800:
783:
782:
773:
765:
761:
753:
749:
741:
737:
729:
722:
714:
710:
702:
698:
688:
668:
667:
663:
655:
648:
640:
631:
621:
605:
604:
600:
590:
581:Oakland Tribune
573:
572:
563:
555:
546:
538:
527:
517:
515:
510:
509:
505:
495:
493:
484:
483:
476:
471:
459:
413:Murder, He Says
351:
339:
159:Danko moved to
157:
141:
87:1927—late 1950s
71:
65:
61:
52:
46:
40:
38:
37:
36:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1057:
1055:
1047:
1046:
1041:
1036:
1031:
1026:
1021:
1016:
1011:
1001:
1000:
997:
996:
990:
975:
969:
954:
948:
933:
927:
912:
906:
889:
886:
883:
882:
850:
820:
808:
796:Newspapers.com
771:
769:, p. 279.
759:
757:, p. 258.
747:
735:
733:, p. 278.
720:
708:
696:
684:Newspapers.com
675:Calgary Herald
661:
659:, p. 257.
646:
629:
617:Newspapers.com
598:
586:Newspapers.com
561:
559:, p. 266.
544:
542:, p. 267.
525:
503:
473:
472:
470:
467:
466:
465:
458:
457:
449:
445:Soldiers Three
441:
433:
425:
417:
409:
401:
393:
385:
377:
369:
361:
352:
350:
347:
338:
335:
156:
153:
140:
137:
89:
88:
85:
81:
80:
77:
73:
72:
66:
64:(aged 75)
58:
54:
53:
47:
34:
32:
28:
27:
24:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1056:
1045:
1042:
1040:
1037:
1035:
1032:
1030:
1027:
1025:
1022:
1020:
1017:
1015:
1012:
1010:
1007:
1006:
1004:
993:
991:9780810876750
987:
983:
982:
976:
972:
970:9781493035328
966:
962:
961:
955:
951:
949:9781613748350
945:
941:
940:
934:
930:
928:9780786476435
924:
920:
919:
913:
909:
907:9780786496440
903:
899:
898:
892:
891:
887:
870:
866:
865:
860:
859:"Betty Danko"
854:
851:
838:
834:
830:
829:"Betty Danko"
824:
821:
818:, p. 22.
817:
812:
809:
804:
797:
793:
792:
787:
780:
778:
776:
772:
768:
763:
760:
756:
751:
748:
744:
739:
736:
732:
727:
725:
721:
717:
712:
709:
705:
700:
697:
692:
685:
681:
677:
676:
671:
665:
662:
658:
653:
651:
647:
644:, p. 70.
643:
638:
636:
634:
630:
625:
618:
614:
613:
608:
602:
599:
594:
587:
583:
582:
577:
570:
568:
566:
562:
558:
553:
551:
549:
545:
541:
536:
534:
532:
530:
526:
513:
507:
504:
491:
487:
481:
479:
475:
468:
461:
460:
455:
454:
453:The Searchers
450:
447:
446:
442:
439:
438:
434:
431:
430:
426:
423:
422:
418:
415:
414:
410:
407:
406:
402:
399:
398:
394:
391:
390:
386:
383:
382:
378:
375:
374:
370:
367:
366:
362:
359:
358:
354:
353:
348:
346:
344:
336:
334:
331:
329:
325:
321:
320:mountain lion
315:
310:
307:
305:
301:
295:
293:
289:
284:
282:
278:
274:
270:
266:
265:
260:
256:
251:
249:
245:
241:
237:
233:
232:Blanche Yurka
229:
228:Marie Windsor
225:
221:
220:Marie Prevost
217:
213:
209:
205:
201:
197:
193:
189:
188:Joan Crawford
185:
184:Binnie Barnes
181:
176:
174:
168:
166:
162:
154:
152:
150:
146:
138:
136:
134:
129:
125:
124:
119:
115:
111:
107:
103:
99:
95:
86:
82:
78:
76:Occupation(s)
74:
69:
59:
55:
50:
33:
29:
22:
19:
980:
959:
938:
917:
896:
873:. Retrieved
862:
853:
841:. Retrieved
837:the original
823:
816:Fleming 2015
811:
789:
767:Harmatz 2013
762:
750:
743:Harmatz 2013
738:
731:Harmatz 2013
711:
704:Harmatz 2013
699:
680:United Press
673:
664:
610:
601:
579:
557:Harmatz 2013
540:Harmatz 2013
516:. Retrieved
506:
494:. Retrieved
490:FamilySearch
451:
443:
435:
427:
419:
411:
403:
395:
387:
379:
371:
363:
355:
340:
332:
317:
312:
308:
304:hysterectomy
296:
291:
285:
269:Munchkinland
262:
252:
240:stunt double
208:Elissa Landi
177:
169:
158:
142:
121:
110:stunt double
101:
97:
93:
92:
62:(1979-02-03)
35:Bertha Danko
18:
1014:1979 deaths
1009:1903 births
642:Freese 2014
324:Patsy Kelly
273:sound stage
224:Thelma Todd
204:Patsy Kelly
200:Jean Harlow
196:Madge Evans
192:Irene Dunne
180:Jean Arthur
25:Betty Danko
1003:Categories
875:August 24,
843:August 24,
469:References
373:45 Fathers
357:Love Birds
337:Later life
288:skywriting
139:Early life
128:skywriting
106:stuntwoman
41:1903-09-19
281:Munchkins
212:Myrna Loy
165:Elizabeth
161:Hollywood
149:high jump
133:Hollywood
518:July 24,
496:July 24,
463:Sources:
437:Frenchie
343:bungalow
328:moccasin
300:asbestos
236:stand-in
888:Sources
257:as the
116:as the
988:
967:
946:
925:
904:
871:. 2019
492:. 2020
456:(1956)
448:(1951)
440:(1950)
432:(1948)
429:Hazard
424:(1945)
416:(1945)
408:(1941)
400:(1940)
392:(1939)
384:(1937)
376:(1937)
368:(1934)
360:(1934)
230:, and
155:Career
94:Bertha
102:Danko
98:Betty
986:ISBN
965:ISBN
944:ISBN
923:ISBN
902:ISBN
877:2020
845:2020
520:2020
498:2020
108:and
70:, US
57:Died
51:, US
31:Born
1005::
867:.
861:.
831:.
788:.
774:^
723:^
678:.
672:.
649:^
632:^
609:.
578:.
564:^
547:^
528:^
488:.
477:^
226:,
222:,
218:,
214:,
210:,
206:,
202:,
198:,
194:,
190:,
186:,
182:,
100:"
994:.
973:.
952:.
931:.
910:.
879:.
847:.
798:.
686:.
619:.
588:.
522:.
500:.
96:"
43:)
39:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.