Orville Wright, Mrs. William Kepner, Major William E. Kepner, Captain Albert W. Stevens, and General Albert J. Bowley after a ceremony at Wright Field.
Image credit: Wright State University

Events and Anniversaries

The final appearances by the Wrights on film were made by Orville alone. Wilbur died in 1912, and there is little footage of him past 1909 in the United States. Orville was active in aviation for his remaining years, first with the Wright Company itself, and then as advisor and elder statesman to several organizations and institutions.

As aviation developed with astonishing speed, growing in sophistication beyond even what the Wrights had envisioned, Orville was often called upon to be present at a variety of ceremonies marking the origins of flight. Ironically, despite his integral role in inventing the airplane, and the use of film to spread the news of his invention, there could not have been a less suitable person to be placed in front of the cameras on these grand occasions.

Wilbur had been the writer, the speech-maker, the more public face of the brothers. In almost every film of Orville in his later years, he rarely even looks into the camera. He stands quietly and with great dignity, but he is clearly not going to say or do anything other than simply be present. Fortunately, there were many of his colleagues, students, and fellow pioneers who were willing to record their reminiscences on film.