621:. In it Wiles reveals that although Hill had split the end off of several arrows, he was unable to split the arrow exactly as scripted (from end-to-end). Finally, a specially constructed arrow with a large bladed head was used and shot at the target arrow along a concealed wire. Nevertheless, Hill's accuracy was otherwise so precise that he routinely hit extremely small targets in both live and filmed demonstrations.
681:
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216:, located just north of Miami. Soon, his growing involvement working in Hollywood films as an archery expert, stuntman, and adviser prompted the Hills to move to Los Angeles, California, where by 1940 they owned a home at 12007 Saticoy Street and Howard identified his full-time occupation then as a performer or "Artist" in motion pictures.
322:
several short documentaries that highlighted other difficult trick shots. Some others included hitting a small coin flipped into the air and splitting a wooden ball in half while it was rolled across the ground. He would also perform difficult shots standing on one leg or while lying on the ground and holding the bow with his feet.
645:. In that televised broadcast, Hill describes the most challenging trick shot he ever performed and also briefly discusses his experiences hunting elephants with a bow and arrow. He and his game partner then attempt to win the show's grand-prize of $ 1,500; but they lose, failing to answer correctly a question relating to the
348:
581:
305:, in 1975. His remarkable achievements have been highly regarded internationally as well as in the United States. In Canada, for example, Archery Toronto currently recognizes Hill as "one of the three greatest archers of the last century", the other two being, in that organization's estimation, the legendary
837:
During Hill's life, his full name varied in official records. In the federal census of 1910 his given name is "Lemuel H. Hill"; on his 1918 draft registration he signed “Howard H. Hill”; in the 1920 census he is documented "Howard L. Hill"; and on his 1922 marriage license he is recorded once again
284:
Among his many achievements in archery, Howard Hill in 1928 set a new world record for the farthest recorded flight shot with a bow and arrow, at 391 yards (358 m). That same year, he won his 196th field archery competition in a row. Hill, though, was not only one of the most decorated archers
321:
Hill enjoyed the challenge of making remarkably difficult trick shots, such as shooting an apple or prune off the top of someone's head from a distance of 60 feet. After accomplishing that, he would perform the same bow-and-arrow stunt with an even smaller item from a greater distance. He produced
176:
Crumpton) and John F. Hill's nine children. Growing up on a cotton farm, Howard learned how to use various tools, along with weapons of all types, including bows and arrows that his father made for him and his four older brothers. He began using a bow at age four and by age six he received his own
601:
in 2008. Byron
Ferguson, however, did not split a wooden arrow but telescoped a modern aluminum arrow into another. The aluminum and carbon-fiber arrow shafts used by modern archers are more consistent and straighter than wood arrows, making for more consistent shots. That makes Hill's feat truly
289:
He also produced 10 different films of his own and was a technical adviser in far more motion pictures, providing his expertise in the field. As a bowhunter himself, he killed over 2,000 animals with his longbow, including a 10,000-pound
African bull elephant, becoming the first white man to kill
196:), where he continued to play baseball, football, and basketball. He completed two years of study at Auburn, paying his tuition and living costs at school with money he earned giving archery lessons during summer vacations. Later, after getting married in 1922, Hill and his wife moved to
143:
who for over two decades, from the early 1930s into the 1950s, was often introduced or billed as "The World's
Greatest Archer". He established the record for winning the most bow-and-arrow field tournaments in succession, a total of 196 competitions. In addition, Hill served as a
208:, and he also played semi-pro baseball on the side. When his interest in a possible career in baseball began to ebb, he considered playing golf professionally; but he returned again to his childhood passion for archery. Hill became a regular competitor in field events for the
571:), Hill made perhaps the most iconic bow-and-arrow shot in American film history: Robin Hood shooting his own arrow to split a competitor's arrow already embedded in a distant target. In 2006, cast members of the Australian-American television series
325:
Beyond Hill's great ability at trick shooting and hitting stationary targets, he demonstrated amazing skills hunting wild game, especially with his traditional longbow. Some of his great trips were filmed or documented, including
592:
Byron
Ferguson, a renowned bowhunter himself and a trick-shot expert, was able to perfectly split an arrow lengthwise using a modern laminated longbow, a shot that was filmed for the television special
189:
card, he signed his name "Howard H. Hill", indicating that he had altered his full name, adding a middle "H" and dropping his first name Lemuel, as it is documented in the federal census of 1910.
285:
in the modern era of target shooting, hunting, and flight archery competitions, he was also a celebrated writer and producer. During his career, he produced 23 films about archery for
762:, listing of Hill’s notable achievements in archery competitions and bowhunting, Howard Hill Archery website, Hamilton, Montana, December 10, 2008. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
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homemade archery set, which he used for target practice and for hunting in the woods surrounding his family's property. Later, when Howard attended high school in nearby
649:. Ironically, considering Hill's profession, archers played a pivotal role in that battle, which occurred in England in 1066. According to some historical accounts, the
673:, who was his former high-school English teacher. They remained together for 53 years, until Howard's death at age 75 in February 1975. His gravesite is located in the
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impressive since he used only cedar wood arrows. Hill had designed and used specially made aluminum shafts to hunt
African elephants for his full-length color film
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were unable to replicate the end-to-end splitting of an arrow, so they concluded that Hill probably used a shaft made of bamboo, not wood, for the famous shot.
258:, as well as portraying "Owain the Welshman" at the archery tournament, followed by additional stunts and trick shots for other films starring Flynn, including
334:. The marksmanship and daring that Hill exhibits in just those two films exemplify why many archers consider him to be among the greatest hunters of all time.
914:, record of "Hill, Howard H." and his wife "Elizabeth H." in "Opa Locka City", Dade County, Florida, April 3, 1930. FamilySearch. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
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1060:, video copy of original broadcast, originally posted October 23, 2013 on YouTube, Alphabet, Inc., Mountain View, California. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
181:, he proved to be an exceptional athlete in a variety of other sports, including baseball, basketball, football, and golf. On September 12, 1918, during
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In the United States Census of 1940, Hill stated that his highest level of education achieved was completion of two years of college.
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185:, he registered for the United States military, but the war ended just two months later, so he never entered the service. On his
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Numerous local, state, and national organizations devoted to the sport of archery have honored Hill. He was inducted into the
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such an animal with an arrow. To accomplish that feat he used a 41-inch-long (100 cm) arrow while pulling a 115-pound bow.
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732:, image of original census page for John F. Hill family, "Wilsonville Town", Shelby County, Alabama, April 18, 1910.
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contest between Hill and a marksman armed with a shotgun. In 1938 he also performed all the bow-and-arrow stunts for
828:. FamilySearch. Retrieved October 3, 2018. Hill subsequently confirmed in the 1940 census that he was a non-veteran.
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788:, Alabama Humanities Foundation, a service of Auburn University Outreach, 2018. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
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Following his graduation from high school, Hill enrolled at age 19 at Auburn
Polytechnic Institute (now
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871:, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, April 12, 1940. FamilySearch. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
800:, Wilsonville Precinct, Shelby County, Alabama, June 9, 1900. FamilySearch. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
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740:), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City Utah. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
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1086:, online edition, updated February 4, 2019, Chicago, Illinois. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
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1054:"You Bet Your Life #54–23 Groucho meets a psychiatrist (Secret word 'Door', Feb 17, 1955)"
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Hill was married only once. On
October 31, 1922, he married Elizabeth Hodges, a native of
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and feature films. He also produced and directed documentaries and instructional films on
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Lemuel Howard Hill was born in
Wilsonville, Alabama, in 1899, the youngest of Mary E. (
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943:, Archery Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, August 2014. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
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as "Howard H. Hill". Finally, his gravestone in
Alabama is simply inscribed "Hill".
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posted on YouTube by heckofjob, August 19, 2010. Retrieved
October 4, 2018.
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The splitting-the-arrow scene can be viewed in an extended excerpt from
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148:, trick-shot performer, and technical adviser on archery for Hollywood
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954:
My Days With Errol Flynn: The Autobiography of Stuntman Buster Wiles.
515:(December 6, 1952) "Technicolor Special" (20 minutes, filmed 1946–47)
716:(Pell City, Alabama), October 1, 2014. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
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991:, Googleplex, Mountain View, California. Retrieved October 4, 2018.
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Earlier, in 1937 for Spectrum Pictures, Hill had performed in the
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is explained by Hollywood stuntman Buster Wiles in his 1988 book
826:"United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918"
384:(1938) – Elwyn the Welshman (credited as "Captain of Archers")
810:"Howard Hill, Champion Archer Who Shot for Errol Flynn, Dies"
855:(Auburn, Alabama), June 18, 2010. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
657:, died in the fighting after being "struck in the eye" by a
232:. The next year he exhibited his expertise with the bow in
930:(AFI), Los Angeles, California. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
1025:"Scene from The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938 BluRay)"
956:
Santa Monica, California: Roundtable Publishing, 1989.
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On February 17, 1955, Hill appeared as a contestant on
156:, and in the 1950s published two books on the subject,
684:
Gravesite of Howard Hill, located in Ashville, Alabama
139:; November 13, 1899 – February 4, 1975) was an expert
301:, in 1972; and into the Bowhunters Hall of Fame in
297:in Birmingham in 1971, the Archery Hall of Fame in
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902:Stickbow.com website. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
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728:"Lemuel" is verified as Hill's first name in the
477:(November 4, 1944) "Warner / Vitaphone Novelties"
641:hosted on both radio and television by comedian
459:(May 29, 1943) "Broadway Brevities" (20 minutes)
392:(1945) – Henchman (uncredited) (final film role)
483:(November 18, 1944) Technicolor "Sports Parade"
435:(November 9, 1940) "Bow & Arrow Adventures"
429:(January 21, 1940) "Bow & Arrow Adventures"
423:(October 21, 1939) "Bow & Arrow Adventures"
1010:”, August 20, 2009. Retrieved October 4, 2018.
816:, February 6, 1975. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
730:"Thirteenth Census of the United States: 1910"
501:(January 18, 1947) Technicolor "Sports Parade"
495:(October 26, 1946) Technicolor "Sports Parade"
489:(January 12, 1946) Technicolor "Sports Parade"
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563:While performing in the role of an archer in
507:(October 6, 1951) Technicolor "Sports Parade"
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738:free enrollment required for archives access
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798:"Twelfth Census of the United States: 1900"
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471:(June 17, 1944) Technicolor "Sports Parade"
441:(May 17, 1941) "Bow & Arrow Adventures"
886:, FamilySearch. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
714:Discover The Essence of St. Clair Magazine
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1159:Players of American football from Alabama
465:(December 18, 1943) "Hollywood Novelties"
447:(December 27, 1941) "Hollywood Novelties"
1114:European Howard Hill Archery Association
520:Technical adviser and archery instructor
453:(February 6, 1943) "Hollywood Novelties"
376:(1937) – Maneeto – Grant's Indian Friend
261:The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex
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1039:(1951), AFI. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
912:"Fifteenth Census of the United States"
869:"Sixteenth Census of the United States"
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677:Cemetery in St. Clair County, Alabama.
1149:Auburn Tigers men's basketball players
710:"Howard Hill: World's Greatest Archer"
884:“Alabama County Marriages, 1809–1950”
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408:(1952, Short documentary) – Himself
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1164:People from Shelby County, Alabama
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1179:American men's basketball players
611:The splitting-the-arrow scene in
313:, a native of Alabama like Hill.
200:. There he found employment as a
31:
1199:Basketball players from Alabama
360:Feature films and documentaries
236:, a short film that includes a
1189:Auburn Tigers baseball players
1154:Auburn Tigers football players
1:
1194:Baseball players from Alabama
987:”, August 20, 2009. YouTube,
924:"The Singing Buckeroo (1937)"
535:The Bandit of Sherwood Forest
413:Short subjects (Warner Bros.)
400:(1951, Documentary) – Himself
1021:The Adventures of Robin Hood
613:The Adventures of Robin Hood
586:The Adventures of Robin Hood
565:The Adventures of Robin Hood
551:The Adventures of Robin Hood
381:The Adventures of Robin Hood
353:The Adventures of Robin Hood
255:The Adventures of Robin Hood
928:The American Film Institute
849:"The Legend of Howard Hill"
847:Henderson, Jeremy (2010).
786:The Encyclopedia of Alabama
295:Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
16:American archer (1899–1975)
1215:
898:Huntington, Cliff (2002).
559:“Splitting-the-arrow” shot
87:New Ashville Cemetery in
30:
1174:Warner Bros. short films
1109:Bow Hunters Hall Of Fame
1084:Encyclopaedia Britannica
1006:, posted on YouTube by “
939:Kagansky, Irena (2014).
812:, obituary, archives of
618:My Days With Errol Flynn
527:Across the Wide Missouri
332:Howard Hill vs. Elephant
303:Squaw Valley, California
1075:Encyclopædia Britannica
1003:Howard Hill vs elefante
665:Personal life and death
481:Champions of the Future
280:Achievements and honors
1023:available on YouTube.
1000:Excerpt from the film
973:Excerpt from the film
952:Wiles, Buster (1989).
685:
589:
469:Filipino Sports Parade
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1144:American male archers
708:Smith, Jerry (1914).
683:
637:, a popular American
597:and broadcast on the
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463:Hunting the Devil Cat
350:
309:bowman Awa KenzĹŤ and
299:Springfield, Missouri
168:Early life and career
1080:"Battle of Hastings"
853:The War Eagle Reader
760:"The Legend's Story"
689:References and notes
499:Battle of the Champs
487:Cavalcade of Archery
439:Hunting the Hard Way
373:The Singing Buckaroo
328:Howard Hill vs. Lion
225:The Singing Buckaroo
158:Hunting the Hard Way
57:Wilsonville, Alabama
1119:Howard Hill Archery
976:Howard Hill vs Lion
451:King of the Archers
366:The Last Wilderness
338:Partial filmography
206:Hughes Tool Company
204:with a division of
99:Professional Archer
76:Birmingham, Alabama
814:The New York Times
758:Elkin, C. (2008).
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647:Battle of Hastings
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512:Cruise of the Zaca
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133:Lemuel Howard Hill
1058:You Bet Your Life
671:Ashville, Alabama
634:You Bet Your Life
626:You Bet Your Life
584:Split arrow from
194:Auburn University
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53:November 13, 1899
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456:
450:
444:
438:
432:
426:
418:
403:
395:
387:
379:
371:
365:
352:
331:
327:
324:
320:
307:Japanese Zen
292:
287:Warner Bros.
283:
271:
265:
259:
253:
250:swashbuckler
233:
223:
218:
191:
171:
161:
157:
136:
132:
128:
127:
70:(1975-02-04)
18:
1139:1975 deaths
1134:1899 births
1100:Howard Hill
1072:Editors of
1008:RUDAPITBULL
985:RUDAPITBULL
926:, catalog,
651:Anglo-Saxon
639:quiz series
574:MythBusters
569:Errol Flynn
389:San Antonio
246:Technicolor
242:Errol Flynn
183:World War I
129:Howard Hill
25:Howard Hill
1128:Categories
962:0915677369
567:(starring
317:Performing
267:Dodge City
230:Fred Scott
179:Columbiana
154:bowhunting
49:1899-11-13
655:Harold II
214:Opa-locka
202:machinist
117:Spouse(s)
112:1928–1952
1078:(2019).
675:Ashville
608:(1951).
1037:"Tembo"
981:YouTube
661:arrow.
221:Western
210:longbow
198:Florida
960:
659:Norman
653:king,
588:(1938)
554:(1938)
546:(1944)
538:(1946)
530:(1951)
355:(1938)
343:Acting
270:, and
150:shorts
141:bowman
131:(born
78:, U.S.
59:, U.S.
605:Tembo
397:Tembo
187:draft
103:Actor
1104:IMDb
983:by “
958:ISBN
330:and
160:and
65:Died
43:Born
1102:at
244:'s
174:née
1130::
1082:,
1065:^
1056:,
1044:^
891:^
876:^
860:^
851:,
784:,
767:^
745:^
721:^
712:,
697:^
276:.
264:,
252:"
164:.
101:,
964:.
736:(
248:"
51:)
47:(
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