Tom Mix 'Jumps' Over Beale's Cut
"Three Jumps Ahead," 1923
[FULL IMAGE][CLOSEUP]
Tom Mix "jumps" over Beale's Cut in Newhall in the 1923 John Ford 5-reeler,
"Three Jumps Ahead," from
Fox Film Corp. Mix, whose star rose as Bill Hart's waned, did a lot of filming in the
Newhall area from about 1916 to the early 1920s, and ran one of several "Mixville"
movie towns in downtown Newhall between San Fernando Road and Newhall Avenue, prior to his
establishment of a permanent Mixville in the Silverlake area of Los Angeles.
One thing is certain about the jump over Beale's Cut: Mix didn't do it.
Several movie stuntmen claim credit for the jump over Beale's Cut, but the jump in the film
is most likely a composite. (In spite of the ramp at upper left, consider the proportions of the
horse and rider to the actual crevice.) What is likely, however, is that a stuntman or two — including
Andy Jauregui of Newhall — did make a similar jump over Beale's Cut, doubling for Mix,
for three (?) trailers that were shot for various releases of the film.
LW2159b: 2400 dpi jpeg from printed image
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