Beverly Homer DeLay (August 12, 1891 – July 4, 1923) was an American aviator who pioneered many of the popular stunts used in the early barnstorming air-shows. He soon adapted them for the movies, where he appeared with top Hollywood stars. DeLay died in a plane crash that was almost certainly caused by sabotage, but no one was ever charged in connection with the death.
Biography
DeLay was born in the San Francisco Bay Area, Alameda, California on August 12, 1891. He was educated at the Engineering School of the University of California (UCB - University of California Berkeley) and at the University of Heidelberg in Germany. He spoke French fluently, since his parents spoke French. DeLay's mother's side of the family originated from Alsace Lorraine, France.
DeLay first worked as a gold mine manager, since his father Charles Young DeLay was a gold mine operator. DeLay became a racecar driver, then later an airport manager and owner, which evolved into performing for motion pictures. DeLay's early daredevil style was theatrically demonstrated in his high-speed race moves in the domed dance pavilion on Pickering Pleasure Pier in Ocean Park, California. His theatrical family entertainment history reaches back over a hundred years to France, including stage actors, dancers, musicians, and theatre impresarios.
DeLay's grandmother Babette Wedell was born in France. Babette was a Premiere Danseuse (Lead Dancer) on stages, such as Maguire's theatre in San Francisco. His aunt Emma Schutz was a stage actor. DeLay's uncle Eugene Schutz was a San Francisco theatre impresario. The great 1906 San Francisco quake damaged and destroyed theatres that they performed at. DeLay's uncle Louis Harrison continued stage directing, writing plays, songs and acting as a comedian on Broadway.
B.H. DeLay married Juanita Carman Smythe in 1914, in the San Francisco Bay Area. Juanita was part of a literary family, including Bliss Carman, Charles G. D. Roberts and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Her middle name of Carman, named her after her first cousin, medal award-winning writer Bliss Carman. B. H. and Juanita had two daughters, Patricia and Beverley DeLay. Their daughter Beverley performed on stage in the Meglin Kiddies dance troupe with Shirley Temple.
DeLay acted in aviator roles and performed aerials in both comedies and dramatic films in the classic motion picture period (see the movie section below). He died in an airplane crash on July 4, 1923, while performing in an air show for an audience. Newspapers reported that he was sabotaged while performing between Venice and Santa Monica (Ocean Park), California.
Aircraft
DeLay tirelessly promoted aviation, while pushing the limits in the entertainment industry, especially through innovative performances. He implemented the first lighted airport in the United States on DeLay Airfield. He also initiated the first aerial police in the nation in Venice, Los Angeles. DeLay was inspired to this action after a marine rescue attempt was thwarted. He proposed that his aerial forces, equipped with flotation devices, be ready for rescue at a moment's notice. This force was approved through the Board of Directors of the Venice Chamber of Commerce. When DeLay took charge of Ince Airfield (Venice Airfield) he was on a mission so that “the passenger service will be advanced to a degree of perfection and safety never before attained.”
DeLay was a constant aviation promoter through staging exhibitions (including barnstorming) and through performing aviation firsts for the movies. Some of his airshow expertise included the nose dive, ghost dive, Immelmann turn, barrel rolls, tail spins, multiple loop-the-loops, mock battles, racing, and flying fireworks. DeLay pioneered several aviation firsts for the motion pictures.