Born in England on Dec. 10, 1886, Victor McLaglen moved to Hollywood, Calif., and began acting in the 1920s, starting a career that would span four decades. He appeared in movies including "The Quiet Man" with John Wayne and "Gunga Din." He also enjoyed riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
In 1935, McLaglen sponsored a horse drill team that led parades and performed at exhibitions. A friend told him he had buddies who could ride motorcycles and do tricks just as well as the horse team. They put on a show for McLaglen who was impressed and agreed to sponsor them.
In 1936 the newly formed motorcycle drill team went head-to-head against the famed Mexico City Motorcycle Drill Team and won the competition. The team still exists and performs nationwide.
McLaglen died of a heart attack on Nov. 7, 1959.