Teddy Tetzlaff
Encyclopedia
Teddy Tetzlaff was an American
racecar driver active in the formative years of auto racing. He competed in the first four Indianapolis 500
s, with a highest finish of second in 1912
. He earned the nickname "Terrible" Teddy Tetzlaff due to his rough treatment of his vehicles. His wide-open throttle racing style would variously win a race, blow up his engine or cause him to crash. As auto racing strategies evolved from the early "go as fast as you can and see if you can stay on the track," his early dominance of the sport waned.
ads claimed, a stock 49 hp (37 kW) model piloted by Teddy Tetzlaff set a world record for 100 mi (160 km) at 1:14:29.
In 1914 the Moross Amusement Company of Ernest Moross
engaged Teddy Tetzlaff to campaign the 300 HP Benz, naming it "Blitzen Benz 2." Tetzlaff broke the world land speed record mark by running 142.8 MPH on the Bonneville Salt Flats.
. He even appeared in one Sennett film alongside fellow racing driver Barney Oldfield
. He later became an assistant to actor Wallace Reid
on Reid's car racing movies. His son Ted Tetzlaff
was a noted cinematographer.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
racecar driver active in the formative years of auto racing. He competed in the first four Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
s, with a highest finish of second in 1912
1912 Indianapolis 500
The 1912 Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, or International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race, the second such race in history, was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Thursday, May 30, 1912....
. He earned the nickname "Terrible" Teddy Tetzlaff due to his rough treatment of his vehicles. His wide-open throttle racing style would variously win a race, blow up his engine or cause him to crash. As auto racing strategies evolved from the early "go as fast as you can and see if you can stay on the track," his early dominance of the sport waned.
Speed records
On March 19, 1911 a LozierLozier
The Lozier Motor Company was a brass era producer of automobiles in the United States of America. The company produced luxury automobiles from 1900 to 1915, with a factory at 3703 Mack Avenue, Detroit, Michigan....
ads claimed, a stock 49 hp (37 kW) model piloted by Teddy Tetzlaff set a world record for 100 mi (160 km) at 1:14:29.
In 1914 the Moross Amusement Company of Ernest Moross
Ernest Moross
Ernest "Ernie" Moross was an early twentieth century press agent and promoter specializing in American motorsports. He was a longtime associate of the first American auto racing superstar, Barney Oldfield. Moross also obtained distinction as the first Contest Director for the Indianapolis Motor...
engaged Teddy Tetzlaff to campaign the 300 HP Benz, naming it "Blitzen Benz 2." Tetzlaff broke the world land speed record mark by running 142.8 MPH on the Bonneville Salt Flats.
Motion Pictures
Around 1912 Tetzlaff began appearing as himself in several silent motion pictures produced by comedy pioneer Mack SennettMack Sennett
Mack Sennett was a Canadian-born American director and was known as the innovator of slapstick comedy in film. During his lifetime he was known at times as the "King of Comedy"...
. He even appeared in one Sennett film alongside fellow racing driver Barney Oldfield
Barney Oldfield
Berna Eli "Barney" Oldfield was an automobile racer and pioneer. He was born on a farm on the outskirts of Wauseon, Ohio. He was the first man to drive a car at 60 miles per hour on an oval...
. He later became an assistant to actor Wallace Reid
Wallace Reid
Wallace Reid was an actor in silent film referred to as "the screen's most perfect lover".-Early life:Born William Wallace Reid in St...
on Reid's car racing movies. His son Ted Tetzlaff
Ted Tetzlaff
Dale H. "Ted" Tetzlaff was a noted Academy Award-nominated Hollywood cinematographer active in the 1930s and 1940s. He was particularly favored by actress Carole Lombard...
was a noted cinematographer.
Indy 500 results
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Filmography
actor:- 1913 The Speed KingsThe Speed KingsThe Speed Kings is a 1913 short comedy film featuring Fatty Arbuckle.-Cast:* Ford Sterling - Papa* Mabel Normand - Mabel* Teddy Tetzlaff - Himself - a race car driver* Earl Cooper - Himself - a race car driver...
- 1919 The Roaring RoadThe Roaring RoadThe Roaring Road is a 1919 silent film action romance produced by Famous Players-Lasky and distributed by Paramount Pictures. It is taken from the short stories by Byron Morgan; Junkpile Sweepstakes, Undertaker's Handicap and Roaring Road. A successful film, so much so that it spawned a sequel,...
- 1920 Double Speed
- 1921 Too Much Speed
- 1922 Across the ContinentAcross the ContinentAcross the Continent is a silent film released by Paramount Pictures in June 1922. It was one of star Wallace Reid's last films before his death on 18 January 1923...
External links
- Pictures of Teddy Tetzlaff by James Walter Collinge 1. picture in a FiatFiatFIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
, 3.,4.,9. in a LozierLozierThe Lozier Motor Company was a brass era producer of automobiles in the United States of America. The company produced luxury automobiles from 1900 to 1915, with a factory at 3703 Mack Avenue, Detroit, Michigan....
and last in a Fiat S74. - Photo of Teddy Tetzlaff at devianart
- Photo of Teddy Tetzlaff at oldracingcars
- Teddy Tetzlaff at IMDB