THRILLS ON WHEELS

Year Published: 1950s

Description: Originally released in 1952 and re-released in 1959, this black-and-white film produced by Castle Films "Thrills on Wheels" shows footage of a variety of wheeled action sports, including bicycle racing, women’s roller derby, motorcycle racing, race car driving, demolition derby, racing stunts, and stock car racing. This film was part of Castle’s “Sports Parade” series from 1949 to 1963, which featured clips from action sports. The film begins with men and women riding bicycles in a variety of sizes (midget racers, trick bikes) in an auto thrill show as a crowd watches behind a wooden fence. A man in a suit smoking a cigar and reading a newspaper rides a hands-free wheeled contraption (0:43). A woman drives a stunt car like a thoroughbred, rearing up on the rear two wheels (0:52). A boy races a mini motorcycle in circles during a stunt race (1:07). Footage of a European bicycle race (possibly the Tour de France?) as riders crash and skid across the pavement (1:27). Two motorcycle racers perform stunts, with one held upside down on the other’s back (1:50). Scenes of motorcycle racing and stunts as drivers jump and crash (2:12). Drivers maneuver motorcycles through muddy obstacle races (2:30). Footage of motorcycle hill climb races is shown (2:49). Women wearing striped uniforms participate in roller derby racing in an indoor rink, followed by men’s roller derby races. (3:24). Women get into a fight in the roller derby rink. Daredevil motorcycle racers speed through burning banners and smash glass panels (4:53). Scenes of a demolition derby, with cars crashing into blocks and other obstacles and jumping over buses, are shown (5:08). These kind of planned automobile wrecks can first be traced back to the 1920s. "Hell driver" stunts: a truck performs a stunt involving driving over a stuntman (5:17). A man holds on to the hood of a stunt car headfirst as it goes into a burning banner (5:55). Scenes from cars flipping in a demolition derby (6:05). Footage from stock car racing around a dirt track is shown (6:15). A stunt car tumbles over a cliff and smashes into pieces at the bottom (6:37). Professional auto racing from the Indianapolis 500 is shown, as race cars speed along a track, skid, and crash (7:00). Professional midget racers (using smaller race cars) race around the same Indianapolis 500 track (7:23), followed by larger cars. The film ends with an automobile stunt of a plane picking up a man from a speeding car (8:20).

Complete Record: Originally released in 1952 and re-released in 1959, this black-and-white film produced by Castle Films "Thrills on Wheels" shows footage of a variety of wheeled action sports, including bicycle racing, women’s roller derby, motorcycle racing, race car driving, demolition derby, racing stunts, and stock car racing. This film was part of Castle’s “Sports Parade” series from 1949 to 1963, which featured clips from action sports. The film begins with men and women riding bicycles in a variety of sizes (midget racers, trick bikes) in an auto thrill show as a crowd watches behind a wooden fence. A man in a suit smoking a cigar and reading a newspaper rides a hands-free wheeled contraption (0:43). A woman drives a stunt car like a thoroughbred, rearing up on the rear two wheels (0:52). A boy races a mini motorcycle in circles during a stunt race (1:07). Footage of a European bicycle race (possibly the Tour de France?) as riders crash and skid across the pavement (1:27). Two motorcycle racers perform stunts, with one held upside down on the other’s back (1:50). Scenes of motorcycle racing and stunts as drivers jump and crash (2:12). Drivers maneuver motorcycles through muddy obstacle races (2:30). Footage of motorcycle hill climb races is shown (2:49). Women wearing striped uniforms participate in roller derby racing in an indoor rink, followed by men’s roller derby races. (3:24). Women get into a fight in the roller derby rink. Daredevil motorcycle racers speed through burning banners and smash glass panels (4:53). Scenes of a demolition derby, with cars crashing into blocks and other obstacles and jumping over buses, are shown (5:08). These kind of planned automobile wrecks can first be traced back to the 1920s. "Hell driver" stunts: a truck performs a stunt involving driving over a stuntman (5:17). A man holds on to the hood of a stunt car headfirst as it goes into a burning banner (5:55). Scenes from cars flipping in a demolition derby (6:05). Footage from stock car racing around a dirt track is shown (6:15). A stunt car tumbles over a cliff and smashes into pieces at the bottom (6:37). Professional auto racing from the Indianapolis 500 is shown, as race cars speed along a track, skid, and crash (7:00). Professional midget racers (using smaller race cars) race around the same Indianapolis 500 track (7:23), followed by larger cars. The film ends with an automobile stunt of a plane picking up a man from a speeding car (8:20).