M. Leclinche and Dionys Kovalik (lost footage of fatal filming accidents; 1912)

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2nd September 1912 issue of Hull Daily Mail reporting on the M. Leclinche incident.

Status: Lost

On 30th August 1912, M. Leclinche was filming a scene in Issy-les-Moulineaux, Paris. It required him to fall eight metres into the River Seine near the Ponts de Billancourt. But after performing the dive, Leclinche never resurfaced and his body was not recovered despite an extensive search. That same day, a similar fate befell Dionys Kovalik when he jumped off the Franz Josef Bridge in Budapest. Their fatal dives were reportedly filmed.

Background

19-year-old M. Leclinche lived with his mother on the Sauvageot street of Paris.[1][2] French publications described him as a talented swimmer and diver.[3][1] Hence, a French film company determined Leclinche would be adept for a comedy production centred around rescues.[2] He alongside seven other young actors rendezvoused at the Ponts de Billancourt at 6 pm on 30th August 1912.[1][3] Sources conflicted on Leclinche's role in the film. Some claimed he portrayed a gasman who fell off his ladder and into the River Seine while trying to clean a street lamp.[3][1] Others alleged Leclinche was enacting a suicide scene.[4][5] Regardless, Leclinche's character was to have been rescued in the film.[2]

Leclinche fell eight metres into the Seine as instructed, with his dive successfully recorded on camera. However, the expected re-emergence never happened.[3][1][2] The exact reasons behind Leclinche's drowning were never confirmed, though a few theories emerged. This included Leclinche suffering an injury following his eight-metre fall, his heavy coat potentially dragging him further underwater, and the actor encountering difficulties caused by the raging currents.[3][1] The film crew conducted a desperate rescue search until nightfall, but Leclinche's body was nowhere to be found.[3][1][2] It is believed the currents caused Leclinche's corpse to be swept away.[3][1] His drowning was the second to have been filmed at the River Seine. The first involved acrobat M. Otreps on 14th June 1909, who actually did re-emerge but encountered difficulties that the film crew mistook as being realistic acting.[6]

Disturbingly, Leclinche was not the only actor to drown in front of a film camera that day. In Budapest, 16-year-old Dionys Kovalik landed a deal with filmmaker Albert Colussi to have his dive from the Franz Josef Bridge recorded.[7][8][2] Originally, Kovalik requested the equivalent of £40 ($200) for the stunt, but later settled on £10 ($50),[9][10][8] just under £1,000 ($1,625) when adjusted for 2024 inflation.[11][12] Kovalik put on swimming trunks and, as instructed, ascended to the highest column of the Franz Josef Bridge.[2][8][9] He quickly alerted people to his presence, attracting a large crowd and firefighters who tried to reach him with ladders.[8][3] Rescue motorboats were also situated in the Danube River.[8][3] Just before firefighters could reach him, Kovalik dived off the column at a 45-degree angle.[8][9] Reportedly, he was meant to have performed a basic dive.[2] However, Kovalik instead decided to perform a double somersault, which ended with him smashing back-first into the Danube with such force that it horrified those in attendance.[8][3][2] It took some time before rescue efforts were underway,[3] but it appeared no corpse was ever found.[8][2] Some sources theorised Kovalik was either instantly killed or suffered serious injuries and became unconscious from his awkward landing.[9][2]

Following Kovalik's drowning, Colussi and the cameraman Adler were arrested by Budapest police.[2][8][9] Kovalik's friends revealed to the police the full extent of the filming plans, which deemed Colussi and Adler to have masterminded the sequence of events leading to the actor's untimely death.[8] Consequently, police charged the pair with being accessory to murder.[8][9] The 5th September 1912 issue of Kinematograph Weekly strongly criticised the production company involved, insisting that recordings of "foolish sensations" would tarnish film standards over time.[9]

Availability

Outside of contemporary French reports and brief coverage in some British publications,[2][3][5] Leclinche's fatal accident fell completely into obscurity. Kovalik's drowning was extensively covered by both nations and the United States,[2][3][8][10] with some UK newspapers later listing his and Otreps' deaths as among the earliest known fatal filming accidents.[13] Neither recording is believed to be in existence, as they likely would have received similar infamy as available early death footage, including that of Franz Karl Reichelt and Emily Davison.[14] Additionally, considering how footage of Elisabeth Imre's drowning was confiscated as part of a criminal investigation,[15] it is possible the Kovalik tape was also removed from possible circulation by Budapest police. The tapes are likely among 90% of pre-1929 silent recordings that will probably never be recovered following poor preservation efforts.[16][17] No photos are known to exist of either incident.

See Also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 31st August 1912 issue of Le Matin reporting on Leclinche's drowning and providing some information about his life (article in French, found on RetroNews, p.g. 1). Retrieved 19th Oct '24
  2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 1st September 1912 issue of La Semaine illustrée reporting on the deaths of Leclinche and Kovalik (article in French, found on RetroNews, p.g. 2). Retrieved 19th Oct '24
  3. ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 31st August 1912 issue of Le Bourguignon extensively reporting on the drownings of of Leclinche and Kovalik (article in French, found on RetroNews, p.g. 3). Retrieved 19th Oct '24
  4. ↑ 1st September 1912 issue of Le XIXe siècle reporting on the claim Leclinche filmed a suicide scene (article in French, found on RetroNews, p.g. 3). Retrieved 19th Oct '24
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 2nd September 1912 issue of Hull Daily Mail reporting on the Leclinche incident, republishing the "suicide scene" claim (found on The British Newspaper Archive, p.g. 4). Retrieved 19th Oct '24
  6. ↑ 15th June 1909 issue of Le Figaro providing a comprehensive report on Otreps' death (article in French, found on RetroNews, p.g. 5). Retrieved 19th Oct '24
  7. ↑ Library of Congress providing a photo of the Franz Josef Bridge. Retrieved 19th Oct '24
  8. ↑ 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 8.11 31st August 1912 issue of Sheffield Independent reporting on the death of Kovalik (found on The British Newspaper Archive, p.g. 1). Retrieved 19th Oct '24
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 5th September 1912 issue of Kinematograph Weekly commenting on the Kovalik tragedy (found on The British Newspaper Archive, p.g. 9). Retrieved 19th Oct '24
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 1st September 1912 issue of The New York Times reporting on the Kovalik incident (p.g 51). Retrieved 19th Oct '24
  11. ↑ Based on inflation data used the Bank of England's Inflation Calculator. Retrieved 19th Oct '24
  12. ↑ in2013dollars noting $50 in 1912 is roughly $1,625.26 when adjusted for 2024 inflation. Retrieved 19th Oct '24
  13. ↑ 28th January 1914 issue of Gloucestershire Echo listing early fatal filming accidents, including that of Kovalik's and Otreps' (found on The British Newspaper Archive, p.g. 3). Retrieved 19th Oct '24
  14. ↑ Ben Beck's Website summarising early recorded death footage, including that of Franz Karl Reichelt and Emily Davison. Retrieved 19th Oct '24
  15. ↑ 19th September 1913 issue of London Evening Standard reporting on the Elisabeth Imre tragedy and how the footage was confiscated by officials (found on British Newspaper Archive, p.g. 6). Retrieved 19th Oct '24
  16. ↑ Film Foundation claiming that roughly 90% of pre-1929 films are forever lost. Retrieved 19th Oct '24
  17. ↑ Deutsche Kinemathek stating roughly 80-90% of silent films are permanently missing. Retrieved 19th Oct '24


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