A Malcolm in the Middle mystery has finally been solved after twenty years. It's one whose answers proved more elusive than the title character's last name since the answers went beyond a simple rewatch of the underrated sitcom. The identity of the burning skier seen in Malcolm in the Middle's opening credits has finally been revealed.
YouTuber Kid Leaves Stoop discovered the clip's origins, solving a mystery that's eluded internet sleuths for years. Fan consensus was the clip came from an obscure syndicated television show, Thrill Seekers, which ran from 1973 to 1974. The show was hosted by Chuck Connors, best remembered for his role on the TV western The Rifleman. However, attempts to prove this was difficult because searching for the clip online only led to results from Malcolm in the Middle's intro, creating a feedback loop.
There isn't much footage of Thrill Seekers online. Using a gag reel, Kid Leaves Stoop was able to discover the identity of the skier, Glenn Wurtele. Connors can be heard mocking Wurtele for his fiery stunt on the reel, calling him a "stupid bastard" for setting himself on fire and the stunt itself "more stupidity."
In order to see the scene in its original form, Kid Leaves Stoop acquired the show's complete run as physical media. Through watermarks on Vimeo videos, he discovered that MFI Media had obtained the rights to Thrill Seekers. MFI is a division of Conde-Samaniego Advertising, a company that holds the rights to thousands of hours of obscurities like Thrill Seekers.
Kid Leaves Stoop discovered that MFI produced a DVD set for Thrill Seekers in 2014 through the show's official, if not very active, Facebook page. The set's first printing was sold through an eBay auction. No trace of that original listing remains. Neither do any secondhand copies or DVD rips on torrent sites. Kid Leaves Stoop was lucky enough to stumble upon a second, extremely limited, listing on eBay. With only two days and three copies left, he snagged a copy of the DVD. With his copy in hand, he watched the entire segment as it originally aired.
Kid Leaves Stoop discovered the footage wasn't original to Thrill Seekers. It was a clip from director Warren Miller's 1974 film The Color of Skiing. Miller, whose IMDb credits include dozens of skiing documentaries and appearances on Adam West's Batman as a cab driver, licensed the footage to Thrill Seekers. It may seem like a slight distinction, but it makes a world of difference.
As Kid Leaves Stoop puts it, it changes the clip from "lost media" to merely "misplaced." The Color of Skiing is a far more accessible piece of media than Thrill Seekers. It can be streamed through multiple outlets, including iTunes and Amazon Prime. Fans went on a wild goose chase for Thrill Seekers when the footage was readily available in Miller's film.
To answer the question many Malcolm and the Middle fans had about the mystery skier's fate, Wuertel survived the stunt. He went on to coach the Canadian Men's World Cup Skiing Team. Holding the highest certifications in the skiing industry, he remains active as a ski-tester. As Kid Leaves Stoop puts it, his stunt days are surely behind him. Unless someone reboots Malcolm in the Middle, or makes a movie, and retains its iconic title sequence.
0 Comments