Pictures of Mantz's N1203 from the movie, THEM!

[Craig59]

In the hopes of inspiring Scott to begin a B-25 Movie page on this site like the one for B-17’s, I offer up the following images of Paul Mantz’s N1203 (43-4643) from the 1954 Sci-Fi film, Them! The film starred James Whitmore, James Arness, and Edmund Gwenn. The premise involves giant ants mutated as a result of the nuclear explosions in the New Mexico desert. More information about the film can be found here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047573/

The Mantz B-25 was used in a brief scene where U.S. Department of Agriculture “scientists” are flown to New Mexico to investigate. My video captures are grainy as they were copied from VHS. I plan to purchase the DVD and provide better captures in the near future.

In this first picture, N1203 taxies in from screen right. The Cinerama nose can be seen to good advantage. The aircraft must have received a coating of “Hollywood” paint for the role to include stars and bars and “USAF” lettering under the left wing. At the bottom of page 58 of Scott’s, B-25 Mitchell in Civil Service, is a picture of how N1203 appeared in 1954, the same year this film was made. It shows the aircraft with an all white upper fuselage and bright orange nacelles and rudders.



The second picture shows the aft fuselage and “1203” vertically on the left vertical stabilizer, the “N” having been painted over for the film.



The third photo shows the left engine shutting down and a view of the pilot. It’s not possible for me to tell but, I wouldn’t be surprised if this was Mantz himself.



Pretty good detail for a 50’s sci-fi as evidenced by the “USAF” lettering under the wing.



And last, another view of the nose modification as actors Whitmore and Arness walk toward the camera.



While it had plenty of "behind the scene" movie roles, this is the only "on screen" appearance of N1203 of which I am aware. Anyone know of any others?

How about it, Scott? Any chance of a B-25 movie page in the future? Thanks for a great site!

Craig

[DryMartini]

Great job! As a kid, that movie scared me pretty good.

[k5dh]

As I recall, the animation of the giant ants was revolutionary for the day. They were "life size" robots that were fully articulated and moved using embedded hydraulics, and it took a team of people to move each one. Pretty advanced stuff for back then!

And I'll have to agree with DryMartini... that was a scary flick!

Cheers!

[aerovin2]

Craig,

Great shots of N1203...I had no idea those were in that movie. I'll have to rent it just to see those scenes. The only other on-cameral view of N1203 I know of is a brief appearance in the background in an early scene in Catch-22 during the runway line-up shots.

As for the B-25 movie page...good idea and one I'll pursue as time permits. If anyone can shoot me known lists of B-25 movies and/or screen shots/movie stills it will be of great assistance and I'll start working on it.

[Chris Brame]

Here's an enlarged frame from "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" that shows N1203 in the background:

[aerovin2]

Chris,

That's some careful analysis but it sure is sitting back there on the ramp, isn't it. Off hand, when was that filmed? N1042B came on line in 1962 or 1963 so there's a chance it was that airplane also, depending on the date. It looks like the B-25 has white cowlings.

[maxum96]

Mad Mad Mad Mad World was released in November 1963. Shooting of the film most likely would have been from late 1962 through 1963. Supposedly the billboard Tallman flew through was set up on approach to the Chino, CA. airport runway. This was done because of fears that once Tallman went through the billboard that the paper and balsa (it was made out of balsa wood) would likely clog the carburetors. Tallman would only have to lower the gear and make a deadstick landing at the airport after going through the billboard. I had an instructor in my A&P school 20 years ago say that when he went through the billboard that it did kill one engine and flatten the leading edge of the wing. I don't know where he got that info.

I'm still amazed at the shot where Tallman flew the Beech through the open hanger. That man had some major cajones!

[Chris Brame]

A couple years ago I attended a screening of a documentary on the Cinerama filming process that had a lot of nice color footage of N1203 flying (although in one sequence discussing Mantz having an engine failure, they showed a B-24 engine shutting down!). The documentary has not yet been released due to copyright release negotiations for some of the footage.

[aerovin2]

Here's the 1954 photo of N1203 referred to above:

[aerovin2]

And a 1970 view of the same airplane....

[Craig59]

Chris,

Wow, that's incredible. IAMMMMW is one of my favorite movies and I'd thought I'd seen every little nuance of every scene but the Mantz B-25 (Be it N1203 or 1042B) is real find. When time allows. I intend to take Scott up on his offer and help provide some stills for a B-25 movie page. Your photo added to the mix.

Regarding Tallman's flying through the billboard in IAMMMMW, I too have read that the billboard was located near Chino but have never seen or heard of any supporting evidence. Quoting the forward by Joe Brown in Frank Tallman's, Flying The Old Planes,:

In one scene, he was to fly a twin-engined Beechcraft through a billboard. A practice sign, using cloth tapes, was set up in an Orange County pasture and Tallman flew through it several times a day for three weeks. Then he switched to a real billboard in which the usual wood or metal base was replaced with styrofoam and balsa wood strips...

Smashing through the sign at 160 mph before the cameras, the right engine sputtered dead. Paper, wood, and other debris splattered around Tallman in the cockpit. The fron twindscreen was shattered...

Tallman radioed the nearby Orange County Airport for an O.K. to make an emergency landing and got in without injury.

Anyone know if this is correct or the Chino version?

Craig

[maxum96]

This is the link where I got part of my info about Tallman flying through the billboard.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057193/trivia

[aerovin2]

Okay, for all those masters of trivia, I have the definitive answer about the great mystery of Tallman flying through the billboard for Mad Mad World: the stunt was flown by Tallman on December 19, 1962, in Twin Beech N63158 during a local flight from Orange County Airport that lasted about 1 hour. It would appear that the account in Flying the Old Planes is correct.

Also, Tallmantz records indicate that B-25N N1042B was the one used for the filming, so that is the one probably in the view in the prior posting on this topic.

Many of the Tallmantz files are available for researchers at the Margaret Herrick Library at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills. Some notable informaton missing also, but these little tidbits were culled from a recent review.

[Craig59]

Scott,

Thank you for that update and confirmation. Did your research give any indication as to the location of the billboard? Also...might there be a book on Mantz and/or Tallman in the offing and where do I order my advance copy?

Cheers!

Craig Thorson

[aerovin2]

Craig,

No, I looked at the billing invoice for Tallman's time flying the stunt...I think he was being paid $500 per hour, though I'd have to double check that. the billboard had to be near Orange County Airport and in 1962 there were plenty of bean fields, etc, around. I am going to Netflix the movie and take a close look...I grew up in that area.

I have long considered a book about Mantz, Tallman, and Tallmantz Aviation but at this point don't think it would be particularly commercial. Of course, I'm usually wrong about what I think might be commercial (usually I think it will be but turns out it isn't). What is in the offing, though, is a whole sub-website dedicated to the history of Tallmantz, et. all coming off the Aero Vintage website. That way if no one looks at it it won't cost much money, just much time. It will be coming along soon enough. I'm also finishing an article for FlyPast on the Movieland of the Air museum, or "MOTA" for those in the know, that has information and photos I'll include on the new web pages. Should be a good little project, like I need another one.