In a horrific accident, 27 actors, including the film's director and a dog named Cabot, died in a devastating explosion on a movie set in 1931. The Hollywood production crew had traveled to Canada to create The Viking, a film chronicling the tale of Luke, a young Newfoundland fisherman who hesitantly joins a sealing expedition, believing himself to be cursed.
Background of the Film
Director Varick Frissell attended a lecture at Yale by Sir Wilfred Grenfell, a British medical missionary working in Newfoundland, discussing his Labrador mission. This inspired Frissell to capture Grenfell's work on film. He produced two documentaries: The Great Arctic Seal Hunt (1928) and The Lure of Labrador (1928), according to Product of Newfoundland, as reported by the Irish Mirror.
Frissell believed there was potential for a feature film and approached Paramount Pictures to create an epic-style documentary about the Newfoundland seal hunt. Determined to capture genuine authenticity, the production employed local performers and crew members, with sound and dialogue recorded on location—unprecedented for a Hollywood production at the time.
Production and Casting
Working from a screenplay titled White Thunder, the majority of filming took place in Quidi Vidi before the team boarded an actual ship to capture footage at sea. The distressing scenes clearly demonstrated the harsh reality of a sealer's existence. To inject adventure into the production, Frissell employed daring casting choices, including Brigus-native Captain Bob Bartlett, who featured in the film as Captain Barker of The Viking. Bartlett had completed several expeditions to the Arctic and had received the National Geographic Society's Hubbard Medal.
The Tragic Explosion
The tragic turning point occurred in March 1931 when Varick Frissell returned to Newfoundland to premiere the initial edit of White Thunder. Dissatisfied with what he witnessed, he concluded he required more dramatic footage. He embarked with a modest crew aboard the SS Viking, commanded by Abram Kean Jr. and crewed by local fishermen. The SS Viking had reached White Bay on the northern coastline of Newfoundland, where it encountered thick ice. Eight miles from Horse Island, the Viking appeared secure.
Then catastrophe struck—the Viking detonated. The blast was so thunderous it could be heard for miles. The stern was destroyed, and the remainder of the ship was consumed by fire. Twenty-seven people died, including Frissell. Any wounded survivors were forced to battle through the ice to Horse Island. It was believed the detonation was triggered by blasting powder, which was standard practice for sealing vessels to transport explosives for controlled blasts to fracture ice. The Viking's stockpile of explosives had ignited, potentially due to negligent handling; there were accounts of pipe smoking in proximity to the blasting powder.
Aftermath and Release
Despite the tragedy, the film was released the following summer and renamed in tribute to the vessel. The final version featured a prologue narrated by Sir Wilfred Grenfell, outlining the circumstances that had brought Frissell to Newfoundland and his untimely death. The accident remains one of the deadliest in Hollywood history, claiming the lives of 27 actors, the director, and a dog named Cabot.
