Behind the scene story
How The West Was Won (1962)
There was a dramatic action scene involving a buffalo stampede, charging toward a water tower, causing it to collapse with three stuntmen (Harvey Parry, Joe Yrigoyen and Troy Melton at the top.
To accomplish this,m a bulldozer driver was hired to push the water tower over.
All in place ... set and ready to shoot the scene, the Director yelled ‘Action’!
The bulldozer driver was to push the water tower forward and the stuntmen were to get set and ready to ride it down to the ground.
Several large cardboard boxes with ‘Talmadge Pads’ (invented by the legendary stunt, Richard (Metzetti) Talmadge, were placed in position.
As the bulldozer driver began pushing the water tower forward, water started splashing back on him and he panicked, and suddenly put the vehicle in reverse, causing the water tower to fall out of position for the stuntmen to land safely on the landing area.
This resulted in the stuntmen landing short of the safety area, causing serious injury. Harvey Parry suffered broken heels...when this happens to a stuntman or any athlete, he is unable to get a spring in his jumps or leaps. Joe Yrigoyen and Troy Melton also broke bones.
After recuperating, all three were back to work...only Parry did mostly acting...playing ‘drunks’!