# Archie R. Twitchell

Archie Raymond Twitchell (November 28, 1906 – January 31, 1957) was a pilot for over three decades between the 1920s and the 1950s. He also had a second profession as a movie actor. He was a captain in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. He was killed in the 1957 Pacoima mid-air collision.

## Background

Twitchell was born in Pendleton, Oregon on November 28, 1906. He made his first solo flight in 1923. Two years later, he began an acting career that took him through over 100 movies and television shows. His six-foot, one-inch stature with his grey eyes and brown hair suited the camera. He was sometimes billed as Michael Brandan/Brandon/Branden.
   Between pictures, he flew. In 1936, he toured air shows across the country, and in 1942 was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Air Force. During the war, he tested fighter planes in North Africa and flew transports. In 1951, he went to Israel and tested planes for the Israeli Air Force. Since February 1955, he had been a production test pilot for the Douglas Aircraft Co.

## Crash

On January 31, 1957, Twitchell was co-pilot on a test flight of a new Douglas DC-7B over Southern California. The four crew failed to see a Northrop F-89 Scorpion, also on a test flight, in time to avoid a mid-air collision. The fighter, coming out of 90-degree turn, struck the DC-7B almost head-on at 1118 hrs., ~1–2 miles NE of the Hansen Dam spillway, severing ~8 1/2 feet of the transport's port wing outboard of station 613. The DC-7B continued on a westward heading for about 4 miles before coming down. The aircraft broke up, 500 feet (150 m) – 1,000 feet (300 m) above the ground, and seconds later the wreckage impacted in the courtyard of the Pacoima Congregational Church near the corner of Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Terra Bella Street, near Sunland, California, killing all four crew. The CAB accident report states that "At 1118 activity in the Douglas radio room was interrupted by an emergency transmission from N 8210H. The voices were recognized by radio personnel familiar with the crew members. Pilot Cart first transmitted, 'Uncontrollable,' Copilot Twitchell then said, 'We're a midair collision – midair collision, 10 How (aircraft identification using phonetic How for H) we are going in – uncontrollable – uncontrollable – we are ... we've had it boy – poor jet too – told you we should take chutes – say goodbye to everybody.' Radio Operator Nakazawas voice was recognized and he concluded the tragic message with, 'We are spinning in the valley.' This final transmission from the flight is presented because it contained important information relative to the accident investigation. It not only establishes the midair collision but also indicates the DC-7 was rendered uncontrollable. It further indicates that Mr. Twitchell at least recognized the aircraft with which they collided as a jet. Further, the DC-7 spun during its descent to the ground." Airliner impacted across the street from Pacoima Junior High School – debris killed three students and injured some 74 others.

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1937 | Sophie Lang Goes West | Clerk | |
| 1937 | This Way Please | Soldier | Uncredited |
| 1937 | Partners in Crime | Photographer | |
| 1937 | Hold 'Em Navy | Jerry Abbott | |
| 1937 | Daughter of Shanghai | Secretary | Uncredited |
| 1937 | Wells Fargo | Man with Paper | Uncredited |
| 1938 | The Buccaneer | Party Guest | Uncredited |
| 1938 | The Big Broadcast of 1938 | Steward | Uncredited |
| 1938 | Scandal Street | Photographer | Uncredited |
| 1938 | Her Jungle Love | Roy Atkins | |
| 1938 | Tip-Off Girls | Hensler | |
| 1938 | Cocoanut Grove | Radio Station Technician | Uncredited |
| 1938 | You and Me | Salesman | Uncredited |
| 1938 | Prison Farm | Telegraph Operator | Uncredited |
| 1938 | Men with Wings | Nelson | Uncredited |
| 1938 | The Texans | Cpl. Thompson | Uncredited |
| 1938 | Give Me a Sailor | Businessman #3 | Uncredited |
| 1938 | Spawn of the North | Fisherman | Uncredited |
| 1938 | Illegal Traffic | Duke | |
| 1938 | Say It in French | Elevator Operator | Uncredited |
| 1938 | Ride a Crooked Mile | Byrd | |
| 1939 | Disbarred | Juror | Uncredited |
| 1939 | Ambush | Bank Teller | |
| 1939 | St. Louis Blues | Cameraman | Uncredited |
| 1939 | Persons in Hiding | Co-Pilot | Uncredited |
| 1939 | King of Chinatown | Hospital Interne | |
| 1939 | Street of Missing Men | Reporter on Dock | Uncredited |
| 1939 | The Lady's from Kentucky | Radio Announcer | Uncredited |
| 1939 | Union Pacific | Secretary | Uncredited |
| 1939 | Mickey the Kid | Shelby, the Bus Driver | |
| 1939 | Flight at Midnight | | Uncredited |
| 1939 | Calling All Marines | Ranger Radio Dispatcher | Uncredited |
| 1939 | The Arizona Kid | Lieutenant Fox | Uncredited |
| 1939 | Television Spy | Jim Winton | |
| 1939 | Geronimo | General's Orderly | Uncredited |
| 1940 | Wolf of New York | Cop | Uncredited |
| 1940 | Granny Get Your Gun | Joe | |
| 1940 | Buck Benny Rides Again | Mac - Attendant | Uncredited |
| 1940 | Manhattan Heartbeat | Pilot | Uncredited |
| 1940 | I Want a Divorce | Bill - Husband | Uncredited |
| 1940 | Dr. Kildare Goes Home | Bates | |
| 1940 | Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum | Carter Lane | |
| 1940 | Barnyard Follies | | Uncredited |
| 1940 | Young Bill Hickok | Phillip | |
| 1940 | North West Mounted Police | Mountie | Uncredited |
| 1940 | Mysterious Doctor Satan | Ross | Serial |
| 1940 | Behind the News | Reporter | |
| 1941 | I Wanted Wings | Lt. Clarkton | |
| 1941 | Mr. District Attorney | Motorcycle Officer | Uncredited |
| 1941 | West Point Widow | Joe Martin | |
| 1941 | Caught in the Draft | Stretcher Patient | Uncredited |
| 1941 | Kiss the Boys Goodbye | Photographer | Uncredited |
| 1941 | Bad Man of Deadwood | Cavalry Lieutenant | Uncredited |
| 1941 | Prairie Stranger | Barton | |
| 1941 | Among the Living | Tom Reilly | |
| 1941 | Dick Tracy vs. Crime, Inc. | Radio Announcer | Serial, Voice, Uncredited |
| 1941 | Pacific Blackout | Suspicious Cafe Waiter | Uncredited |
| 1942 | The Fleet's In | Petty Officer | Uncredited |
| 1942 | A Tragedy at Midnight | Henry Carney | |
| 1942 | Sing Your Worries Away | Second Music Publisher | Uncredited |
| 1942 | Sabotuer | Motorcycle Cop | Voice |
| 1942 | Thundering Hoofs | Steve Farley | |
| 1942 | The Major and the Minor | Cadet Sergeant at Main Gate | Uncredited |
| 1942 | USS VD: Ship of Shame | 'Doc' Taylor | Uncredited |
| 1945 | The Missing Corpse | Officer Jimmy Trigg | Uncredited |
| 1945 | Swingin' on a Rainbow | Hotel Clerk | Uncredited |
| 1945 | Behind City Lights | Jewelry Salesman | Uncredited |
| 1945 | Don't Fence Me In | Police Officer | Uncredited |
| 1946 | The French Key | Murdock | |
| 1946 | O.S.S. | Officer | Uncredited |
| 1946 | Black Angel | George Mitchell | |
| 1946 | Angel on My Shoulder | Police Sergeant | Uncredited |
| 1946 | Accomplice | Sheriff Rucker | |
| 1946 | Affairs of Geraldine | Charlie March | |
| 1946 | That Brennan Girl | Minor Role | Uncredited |
| 1947 | The Arnelo Affair | Roger Alison | |
| 1947 | Suddenly, It's Spring | Captain Jergens | Uncredited |
| 1947 | Dishonored Lady | Freddie Fancher | Uncredited |
| 1947 | That's My Man | | Uncredited |
| 1947 | Web of Danger | Ramsey, Meteorologist | |
| 1947 | Robin Hood of Texas | Jim Prescott | |
| 1947 | Second Chance | Barker | |
| 1947 | Out of the Past | Rafferty | Uncredited |
| 1948 | Fort Apache | Reporter | Uncredited |
| 1948 | Big Town Scandal | Newspaper Man | Uncredited |
| 1948 | Moonrise | Carnival Barker | Uncredited |
| 1948 | The Saxon Charm | Mr. Maddox | Uncredited |
| 1948 | Sealed Verdict | Medical Captain | |
| 1949 | Follow Me Quietly | Dixon | |
| 1949 | Mighty Joe Young | Reporter | Uncredited |
| 1949 | Red, Hot and Blue | Movie Patron in Trailer | Uncredited |
| 1949 | Chicago Deadline | Reporter | Uncredited |
| 1949 | Bride for Sale | Officer White | Uncredited |
| 1950 | The Daltons' Women | Honest Hank | Uncredited |
| 1950 | Mother Didn't Tell Me | Dr. Tod Morgan | Uncredited |
| 1950 | The Gunfighter | Johnny | Uncredited |
| 1950 | I Shot Billy the Kid | Saloon Tough Slapped by Billy | |
| 1950 | Sunset Boulevard | Salesman at Men's Shop | Uncredited |
| 1950 | Revenue Agent | Ernie Medford | |
| 1951 | Follow the Sun | Pro Golfer in Locker Room | Uncredited |
| 1951 | In Old Amarillo | Mike Carver | Uncredited |
| 1951 | Kentucky Jubilee | Barney Malone | |
| 1951 | The Thundering Trail | Gov. Tom Emery | |
| 1951 | Yes Sir, Mr. Bones | Emcee | |
| 1951 | The Vanishing Outpost | Mack | |
| 1952 | The Frontier Phantom | Sheriff | |
| 1952 | Kansas City Confidential | Police Dispatcher | Uncredited |
| 1952 | Off Limits | Officer | Uncredited |
| 1954 | The Long Wait | Heckling Workman | Uncredited |
| 1954 | The Bounty Hunter | Harrison | |
| 1955 | Illegal | Mr. Manning | Uncredited |