Ethel Hall was an American silent film actress who died at the age of 29 on June 29, 1927 when her boat capsized in the rapids of the Merced River near the town of Merced in the San Joaquin Valley. At the time she was performing as a stunt double for actress Dorothy Dwan in the film Tumbling River. [1]
Hall was accompanied in the boat by Wallace McDonald, who played villains in motion pictures. The actors were supposed to be rescued by a group before they entered the foot of the rapids. When the boat suddenly overturned McDonald was able to swim ashore. However Hall's head struck a rock and she was taken out of the water unconscious and soon expired. [2]
She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John McGee of Fresno and had just recently wed stage actor John Drayer, who was performing in Seattle at the time of her fatal accident. The film's male lead, Tom Mix, was injured in a horseback accident just a few weeks earlier. [3] [4]