During World War I he served in the Tank Corps of the U.S. Army.
Earned the nickname "Hoot" as a messenger for the Owl Drug Co.
He was racing against fellow cowboy star Ken Maynard when he crashed the J-5 Swallow he was flying.
In 1933, Gibson, an avid pilot, entered the National Air Races. His plane crashed, and he was seriously injured, which kept him hospitalized and off the movie screen for several months.
In the 1950s, the out-of-work cowboy star was reduced to working as a Las Vegas casino greeter and performing in carnivals in order to handle the enormous debts that mounted after a series of cancer operations.
In the early 50s he found a new audience among young TV viewers as many of his western feature films were released to television.
Inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1979.
The CW3 Hoot Gibson helicopter is named after Hoot, who was as interested in flying as he was in riding.
Won the title "World's All Around Champion Cowboy" at age 20.