10 Bizarre And Shocking Things That Happened On Film & TV Sets
6. Harold Lloyd Blows Off His Own Finger While Filming Haunted Spooks
Haunted Spooks is known for many things: saccharine romance, slapstick comedy in the shape of water-gun-based suicide attempts, and a generous helping of old-fashioned Southern racism. Shooting for the Alfred J. Goulding and Hal Roach directed film began on 9 August 1919, but just two weeks later, it was temporarily halted due to the incapacitation of lead actor Harold Lloyd.
When posing for promotional photographs, Lloyd decided to throw shapes while playing with a prop bomb. Holding it to his face, he pretended to light his cigarette on its fuse. Luckily he had begun to lower the bomb when it inevitably exploded in his hands, but it still caused him serious injuries. He lost two fingers, suffered burns to his face and went temporarily blind. When filming resumed, Lloyd had to wear a glove with prosthetic fingers to conceal his lack of digits.
Reports regarding the cause of the accident differ. Some claim that the bomb was actually a real one rather than a prop, while others say that the prop bomb just happened to detonate. Whatever may have occurred, it was undoubtedly a photoshoot to remember.