He traveled to Los Angeles for a rodeo, and decided to winter in Hollywood, where he met screen personalities. Tom Mix, who had also started in rodeos, invited him to be in two of his pictures. Mix added to his flashy wardrobe by borrowing two of Canutt's two-tone shirts and having his tailor make 40 copies. Canutt got his first taste of stunt work in a fight scene on a serial called "Lightning Bryce"; he left Hollywood to compete in the 1920 rodeo circuit.