Lucky Teter
Earl "Lucky" Teter (9 October 1901 – 5 July 1942) was an American stunt driver, showman and entrepreneur. He pioneered and popularized the touring stunt driving show, performing across the country until his death in a car jumping stunt.

Born in Noblesville, Indiana, Teter was a gas station attendant who, by 1932, was performing automobile and motorcycle stunts. "Lucky Teter and His Hell Drivers" performed across the United States and Canada beginning in 1936, and had great success for six years. His show was so popular that, in some years, he performed at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto in the afternoons, then flew to Syracuse, New York, to appear in the New York State Fair at night, which required two sets of equipment. He is credited with creating such now-staple stunts as jumping a car from ramp to ramp and rolling a car. He was also the first to team up with an automobile company, in his case Plymouth, promoting its products in exchange for backing.

He entered the 1936 Indianapolis 500, but did not race. He also appeared in some documentary shorts and did some (uncredited) stunt driving for the 1936 film "Speed", which featured James Stewart in his first starring role.

On 5 July 1942, he was the last performer at an Army Relief benefit at the Indiana State Fair Grounds. He planned to break his own world distance record by jumping over a transport truck. He drove a 1938 Plymouth at and jumped off the first ramp, but came down several feet short and crashed into the supports of the landing ramp. He died in the ambulance taking him to the hospital.

His widow sold the show to Joie Chitwood.

He was the subject of a 2011 documentary, "Lucky Teter and His Hell Drivers", which has been released on DVD and can also be rented online.
Q1645069
Noblesville, Indiana
LOC
Q857399
Canadian National Exhibition
EVE
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Toronto
LOC
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Syracuse, New York
LOC
Q5599624
New York State Fair
EVE
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Plymouth
Concept
Q898744
1936 Indianapolis 500
EVE
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Speed
MEDIA
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James Stewart
PER
Q6023424
Indiana State Fair
EVE
Q172340
Joie Chitwood
PER
Q84546152
Lucky Teter
UNK
Q84546152
Lucky Teter
UNK
1901-10-09T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
9 October 1901
DATE
1942-07-05T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
5 July 1942
DATE
1932-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1932
DATE
1936-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1936
DATE
1936-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1936
DATE
1936-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1936
DATE
1942-07-05T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
5 July 1942
DATE
1938-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1938
DATE
2011-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
2011
DATE
point in time
cast member
publication date