Florence pancho barnes became the first female stunt pilot in hollywood in 1929 and. Because of her flying skills, pancho became famous as a stunt pilot for films of. The legend of pancho barnes and the happy bottom riding club is a documentary profile of one of the most colorful and accomplished female pilots of the early 20th century. After receiving her pilots license, even though her ambitions get in the way of her love life, she becomes a stunt pilot, barnstormer, and even forced howard hughes to change his mind about unions. Her place in that movie was important but peripheral to the. Pancho barnes barnstormer, stunt pilot, test pilot. The legend of pancho barnes and the happy bottom riding club is a documentary profile of one of the most colorful and accomplished female pilots of the. She quickly earned a reputation at airports throughout southern california as a woman that could fly, fix airplanes, tell flying stories, and drink with the best male pilots of the era. Her career spanned such varied activities as racing against amelia. Florence pancho barnes was the first woman stunt pilot in.
Welcome to the official blog of pancho barnes and the estate of pancho barnes. A made for tv movie in which valerie bertinelli portrays florence pancho barnes, a bored socialite who decides to learn to fly. After receiving her pilots license, even though her ambitions get. Pancho barnes movie plot leaving an arranged marriage to reverend rankin barnes james stephens, florence lowe pancho barnes bertinelli takes an interest in flying light planes in the 1920s, and soon rivals amelia earhart nance williams, breaking world speed records. Built a ranch in the mojave desert and stayed very involved in aviation history. The biography of florence lowe barnes details the life of one of aviations most colorful members.
Watch the legend of pancho barnes online 2009 movie yidio. The ceremony itself was a brief, nononsense affair, taking less than a minute. October25,1988 19881025 pancho barnes is a 1988 american madefortelevision biographical film starring valerie bertinelli, ted wass, james stephens and cynthia harris. The film covers the life and exploits of pancho barnes, a female aviator born at the dawn of the 20th century and descended from the man who created the first american air unit. Pancho was a pioneer aviator and the founder of the first test pilots union. I first heard about pancho barnes and her happy bottom riding club in the move the right stuff. Jan 14, 2019 florence lowe pancho barnes july 22, 1901 march 30, 1975 sitting with legendary test pilot chuck yeager. The remarkable life of the colorful female aviator pancho. Pancho barnes 19011975 was a fearless pilot and aviation pioneer, flying at a time when flight was in its infancy. The emmyawardwinning documentary film broadcast version now airing on most public television stations. All photos, with the exception of usaf official photos and the photo of pancho and chuck yeager, are courtesy pancho barnes trust estate archive pancho barnes enterprises and used with permission. In june of 1952, after pancho barnes had healed and was back on her feet, she began planning her fourth wedding to mac, her friend, and lover.
She ran an adhoc barnstorming show and competed in air races. Barnes was one of the most colorful and accomplished women pilots of. Pancho barnes is a 1988 american madefortelevision biographical film starring valerie bertinelli, ted wass, james stephens and cynthia harris. Lowe, a balloonist, and inventor who had pioneered american military aviation with the army of the potomacs balloon corps during the american civil war. Nov 14, 2016 pbs sponsored a documentary film, the legend of pancho barnes and the happy bottom riding club, completed in 2009. Barnes had had many lovers, but she met robert hudson nichols, jr. Florence leontine lowe, later to be called pancho barnes, was born on july 14, 1901 in pasadena, california. Eager to hear about any pancho barnes events held out there. Granddaughter of civil war balloonist thaddeus lowe, she was born into a life of wealth and privilege in san marino, california in 1901. A tough and fearless pilot, pancho flew on amelia earharts wingtip, performed as a.
The film was directed by amanda pope and produced and written by. Pancho pursued just about anything that interested her, including partying. Since i was a child, i heard about her grandfather, thaddeus lowe, from my new hampshire relatives. Aside from being one of hollywoods best stunt pilots, she was actually the organizer of the hollywood film industrys first stunt pilots union. Pancho barnes 1901 1975 pilot, proprietor, partier. Read more film based on the true story of florence pancho barnes, a pasadena debutante who fled an arranged marriage to become an ace pilot and a contemporary of amelia earhart. Apr 01, 2012 pancho barnes last home posted on april 1, 2012 29 comments boron, california not exactly the place youd expect to find the last home of a famous aviatrix, stunt pilot and friend of many of the most famous test pilots in american history, but it was where pancho barnes lived out her final days. The saga of the air force flight test center would not be complete without. Swaggering, illbehaved and forceful, florence pancho barnes was a daring stunt pilot who shattered amelia earharts speed record. The biography of florence lowe barnes by barbara h. While millions of people have seen the legend of pancho barnes and the happy bottom riding club on public television, far fewer have had the privilege of seeing the extended version on dvd. Jul 21, 2019 the legend of pancho barnes july 21, 2019 by susan there are so many stories generated in the land of the free about extraordinary people, like last weeks kolb brothers who thrived on living on the edge, changing the way we perceived our worlds, making us all sit a little straighter and look at all the possibilities our american lives offer. A clash of cultures a new historical documentary film from old segundo productions in 19151916 the mobilization of the american army along the mexican border and the combat operations on the mexican punitive expedition in 1916 helped to forge the frontier army into a new mobile fighting machine that would soon face the.
In july 2007, spark and pope completed the extensive task of capturing 19 interviews with barnes friends and acquaintances on film. Its a bit raunchier, a bit funnier, and a bit more filled with the words that pancho dearly loved. On july 22, 1901, florence leontine lowe was born to florence mae dobbins and thaddeus lowe, jr. Cbs tv biographical movie pancho barnes, valerie bertinelli portrayed her. The facebook page for the documentary film the legend of pancho barnes and the. Groundbreaking new documentary resurrects florence pancho. Florence lowe was reared in an atmosphere of wealth and privilege on an estate in san marino, california.
Pancho barnes, aviator and movie stunt pilot, one of the first american women to establish a reputation and a business in the field of aviation. In the 1940s, pancho partied with test pilots at her happy bottom riding club, including chuck yeager the first man to break the sound barrier. With valerie bertinelli, ted wass, james stephens, cynthia harris. I also work in the film industry, have worked on hollywood projects, out of washington, dc. Rodney dangerfield at his best on the tonight show starring johnny carson 1983 duration. Florence leontine lowe barnes, nicknamed pancho, was a colorful and.
Florence lowe pancho barnes national air and space museum. Ruins of pancho barnes happy bottom riding club on the grounds of edwards air force base, photographed september 2004 by the author. Pbs sponsored a documentary film, the legend of pancho barnes and the happy bottom riding club, completed in 2009. The film was directed by amanda pope and produced and written by nick spark. However, the estate gave the film makers full access to her personal papers and photographs as well as her ed autobiography that are owned by the estate. She outflew amelia earhart, outsmarted howard hughes and ran. She went on to work as a hollywood stunt pilot, among many other things. Behind them is the lockheed vega earhart flew in the 1929 powder puff derby, a race that ended for barnes when her airplane crashed in waco, texas. Pancho barnes left and fellow aviatrix amelia earhart were both rivals. She broke amelia earharts air speed record in 1930. Pancho barnes 1988 debutante florence pancho barnes valerie bertinelli becomes a pioneer hollywood stunt pilot and trainer of civilian pilots. Florence lowe pancho barnes july 22, 1901 march 30, 1975 sitting with legendary test pilot chuck yeager.
Review by patricia kean, may 31, 2000 a juicy, smart biography of heiress pancho barnes, who wanted only one thing. A charismatic figure featured in tom wolfes book the right stuff, florence pancho barnes was one of the most important women in 20th century aviation. The legend of pancho barnes and the happy bottom riding club 7 8. Nicky, about the time her husband asked for a divorce, freeing her and nicky to get married. The documentary was made independently of the estate of barnes. Winner of an emmy and multiple film festival awards including best documentary film and audience awards in 2010, the legend of pancho barnes and the happy bottom riding club is a funfilled documentary romp through the life of one of the most colorful and accomplished female pilots of the early 20th century. Florence leontine lowe pancho barnes 19011975, pioneer. What did pancho barnes do after her airracing career came to an end in 1935. This emmywinning documentary examines the life and downfall of one of the most colorful female pilots in history. The life and times of pancho barnes random house, 2000. A friend pointed out that pancho and i have a passion for planes. Elizabeth mcqueen the founder of the womens international association of aeronautics, amelia earhart, elizabeth kelly inwood, clema granger mostly obscured, in background, gladys odonnel in background with cap and goggles, janet roberts, mildred morgan, valentine sprague.
Public broadcasting service pbs sponsored a documentary film, the legend of pancho barnes and the happy bottom riding club, completed in 2009. Kocetv pbs television, huntington beach, will encore the awardwinning documentary, the legend of pancho barnes and the happy bottom riding club on tuesday evening, april 20th. The legend of pancho barnes and the happy bottom riding. Jul 14, 2014 flying high with pancho barnes duration. Aviation pioneer florence lowe pancho barnes became a legend in her own lifetime because of her many accomplishments as a world renowned pilot. She outflew amelia earhart, outsmarted howard hughes and. While stunt flying for the movies, pancho ran her own civil pilot training school at her own muroc dry lake airfield with five instructors and fifteen planes. Pancho the biography of florence lowe barnes, describes florence lowe as a woman who not only set some records in aviation endurance, but was also an accomplished stunt flyer. Pancho barnes tv movie 1988 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. The documentary was made independent of the estate of pancho barnes. Study 588 terms sosc 302 final exam chapters combination. The legend of pancho barnes and the happy bottom riding club.
Pancho barnes earned her pilots license in an age when few women were allowed, much less encouraged, to fly. Their subjects include bob hoover, bob cardenas, chuck yeager, apollo 11 astronaut buzz aldrin, biographers lauren kessler and barbara schultz, dr. What famous californian, who died in the 1920s, endowed a library and art gallery that became renowned as one of the states outstanding art museums and a mecca for the worlds. Through her efforts, the motion picture stunt pilots association was created. In the 1920s, pancho barnes barnstormed her way through the skies to become one of the best, capturing the womens speed record in 1930. The official web site for pancho barnes and happy bottom riding club. She grew up in a wealthy family, raised like any privileged girl in the early 1900s. Aug, 20 eager to hear about any pancho barnes events held out there.
One of the students distinguished himself from the others. Pancho barnes, center below who owned the famous bar and resort, the happy bottom riding club, was one of americas most famous female aviators in her own right. Uncensored version now on dvd and in film festivals. Pancho barnes was the film industrys first woman stunt pilot, and worked in pictures such as howard hughes famous 1930 world war1 spectacle, hells angels. Pancho barnes left and fellow aviatrix amelia earhart were both rivals and friends. The documentary was made independently of the estate. Pancho barnes lived her life throttle to the firewall and wouldnt have it any other way. In it, kathy bates provides the voice of pancho barnes.
A third biography appeared in 2000, written by lauren kessler, the happy bottom riding club. Florence pancho barnes became the first female stunt pilot in hollywood in 1929 and shattered amelia earharts air speed record in 1930. The legend of pancho barnes and the happy bottom riding club is an american documentary film from the year of 2009. The life and times of pancho barnes by lauren kessler is a narrative biography about a woman named florence mae dobbins. The legend of pancho barnes july 21, 2019 by susan there are so many stories generated in the land of the free about extraordinary people, like last weeks kolb brothers who thrived on living on the edge, changing the way we perceived our worlds, making us all sit a little straighter and look at all the possibilities our american lives offer.
731 6 737 1070 370 1473 855 5 1655 912 763 520 1252 1194 652 1618 677 42 855 660 1215 160 45 1164 13 746 886 1364 54 656