Cleveland born rodeo star Rose August Wenger married Hoot Gibson in Pendleton in 1913 and shared his career path into the movies. She changed her name at the request of the producers of the action serial The Hazards of Helen, when she was promoted from stunt double to star.
Widely acknowledged as Hollywood’s first professional stuntwoman, Gibson was regarded by her peers with awe.
Here’s Helen leaping from the top of a building to the roof of a moving train.
It seems that in such a leap the safest place to aim at is the gap itself. At least in that way one can guarantee to miss it. Arthur Wise, from Stunting In the Cinema, 1973
And you thought you worked hard for a living!
After a long career, Helen Gibson retired to Roseburg, Oregon, where she died of natural causes in 1977.
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