Behind the Loop: My Hazardous History with Action Park

What do you get when you mix teenage bravado, zero engineering oversight, and a loop-de-loop built like a backyard dare? The Cannonball Loop—one of the most infamous stunts in American amusement park history.

I had the chance to unpack this piece of high-octane chaos on the new History Channel series Hazardous History with Henry Winkler. In Season 1’s “Perilous Play” episode, I sat down to talk about Action Park—dubbed by many as “Class Action Park”—and its legacy of trial-and-error thrills, including the notorious waterslide that seemed to defy physics, logic, and basic human safety.

In the clip below, I discuss how the Cannonball Loop went from concept to catastrophe, what it tells us about the evolution of risk in the amusement industry, and why we keep repeating mistakes that seem obvious in hindsight.

Working on this show wasn’t just about nostalgia or shock value, but also connecting the dots. Whether it’s a 1980s waterslide or a modern-day event setup, the truth remains: safety doesn’t just happen. It’s designed—or ignored.

Thanks to the History Channel team for spotlighting these moments in all their chaotic glory and to Henry Winkler for being the icon we didn’t know we needed in the world of dangerous fun.

Stay tuned for more insights, stories, and behind-the-scenes from my appearances throughout the season.

Until then—keep your helmets on, and your hindsight sharp.

Brian D. Avery

Featured Contributor, Hazardous History with Henry Winkler