Confessions of the Adrenaline Junkies

by Kathleen McInnis | Published November 1, 1994

We’ve seen them for years in every action film or television episode ever aired, but most of us would be hard pressed to name any of the stunt people in Hollywood today. It wasn’t Harold Lloyd dangling off the arm of a clock hundreds of feet above the air in Safety First (1923), but rather a stunt double by the name of Harvey Perry—a circus aerialist who had worked in films as a Keystone Cop. And in 1925, before he became a star, Joel McCrea was always picking up work doubling for actors because he could ride a horse. Trick riders out of the rodeos found a ready market in Hollywood for their expertise, as expensive studio actors were too valuable to risk during the chase scenes. Of course, no one would admit that the great stars of the day couldn’t ride a horse or fall off a cliff, so stunt people weren’t even given a screen credit for their work. After all, Hollywood has nothing if not an image to maintain.

Seventy years later, not much has changed. Yet stunt people do receive screen credit for their work; in fact they are members of the Screen Actors Guild and protected by the same rules as any actor. These days it’s the trick motorcycle riders, hot race car drivers and world class athletes who find themselves in great demand on movie sets. Yet while most of us know that it isn’t our favorite actors up there risking life and limb, stunt people still have to live with stars who insist they did their own stunts with no help from the pros. “For thirty years Burt Reynolds claimed he did his own stunts but everyone who doubled him knew differently,” comments Michael Haynes, president of the International Stuntmen’s Association in Los Angeles. “We don’t care if you have to sell your image as an action star. That’s okay. But what good does it do for Jamie Lee Curtis to say she did her own stunts in True Lies?”

Valued on set, but devalued in the publicity department, stunt people personify thrill-seeking, risk-taking mavericks. In reality, they are the precision professionals whose craft it is to seamlessly create and execute action which won’t impede a film—while at the same time making it exciting, feasible and workable. Haynes defines stunt work this way: “You get into the business because it’s your job to perform the act for the stars, so they don’t have to risk themselves; that’s what we do for a living. It’s an anonymous position. The first thing you were taught in the old days of doing stunts was to cover your face; hit the ground with your hands coming out to make sure the camera doesn’t see it’s not the star. After Hooper and “The Fall Guy” people thought there was a glamour associated with stunt work. These guys suddenly came to town to be Hollywood stars… but that’s not what stunt people do. You do your work and go home.”

Steve Buckley, stunt coordinator for the new ABC television series, “McKenna"—filming in Bend, Oregon—believes audience appreciation would benefit from understanding the true nature of stunt work:  “People need to dismiss their own preconceived notions of who they think stunt people are…that we’re barbarian, animalistic, raw meat-eating type guys. They should realize stunt people try very, very hard to remain intact, to do their job. We’re not the daredevils or misfits of society, but rather highly trained, well educated, intelligent people doing a job that we know inside and out. It’s not a lark, it’s done with a very purposeful attitude. Before a gag happens there are weeks and weeks of preparation. So many lives depend on that; the pressure is tremendous. What I care about is sending my crew home to their families at the end of the day.”

As a psycho-physical intensive career, stunt work demands certain levels of ability along with a specialty expertise—be it skydiving or gymnastics or rock climbing—as well as a high level of trust. Ever cautionary coordinators tend to stick with hiring people whose work they know. For this reason, most stunt people either follow a relative into the business, or they get one of those rare lucky breaks. Luck, skill and determination remain the best tools to use to break into the business. “You break in by chance, because you look a certain way at the right time at the right spot,” cautions Haynes. “It’s very difficult to put people around you who you don’t know; you’re sure a certain guy can do the job, so you hire him. Why take a chance?”

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TAGS 2nd unit director bend oregon bob macdougall burt reynolds chuck picerni jr. david boushey do their own stunts ftw harold lloyd harvey perry hollywood stuntmen’s hall of fame hooper imaginary crimes international stuntmen’s association j. suzanne rampe jamie lee curtis joel mccrea just cause kathleen mcinnis keystone cop mckenna michael haynes mickey rourke northern exposure not on my land roadhouse ron sarchian safety first sean connery steve buckley stunt people stunt work stuntmen stunts stuntwomen the claiming the fall guy the hunt for red october the promised land true lies united stuntmens association

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Comment by myspace layouts on 12/25/09 at 5:35 am

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Comment by Facebook Layouts on 12/28/09 at 7:42 am

Most stunt people either follow a relative into the business,or they get one of those rare lucky breaks.Luck,skill and determination remain the best tools to use to break into the business.

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