Considered one of the entertainment industry’s busiest stuntmen and 2nd Unit Directors for over 60 years, Buddy Joe Hooker is a 2nd generation stuntman who first began performing as a child actor on successful television shows including RIN TIN TIN, LEAVE IT TO BEAVER and TWILIGHT ZONE.

A cowboy and gymnast since childhood, Buddy Joe quickly added motorcycles, cars, high falls and fire stunts to his resume skills. In the 1970’s, Buddy Joe’s designation as the premier stunt coordinator for Disney Pictures established his reputation as the go-to stunt coordinator throughout the industry. With innovative car stunts and chases in movies such as TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A., TUCKER and JADE, Buddy Joe continued to work with his Academy Award winning mentors Francis Ford Coppola, William Friedkin, Steven Spielberg and Hal Ashby for decades. His extensive resume as a stunt coordinator and second unit director spans all film genres and includes numerous classics: HAROLD AND MAUDE, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, GARDENS OF STONE, THE OUTSIDERS, RAMBO, GODFATHER III, MEET JOE BLACK and 40 YEAR-OLD VIRGIN.

In the 1977 Burt Reynolds renowned action film, HOOPER, Buddy Joe broke industry records with the first ever rocket powered car jump while doubling Jan Michael Vincent in the film’s innovative and extreme chase sequence at the end of the movie. He made movie history once again stunt doubling Sylvester Stallone for the iconic 90 foot high fall through the trees off the cliff in FIRST BLOOD.

Regarded as a leading “wheel man” for his abilities in both designing thrilling car sequences and performing them, Buddy Joe broke world records with the first motorcycle jump over a landing helicopter and then rolling a truck 17 times down an embankment — a record that still stands. With 8 different car “cannonrolls” in a short span of 4 years on numerous features that include Quentin Tarantino’s DEATHPROOF, Buddy Joe was a pioneer in the advent of the extreme vehicle stunt that continues to set the bar in action features today.

In addition to stunt coordinating multiple series including Pierce Brosnan’s THE SON, Buddy Joe has recently worked on FREE GUY, the FAST AND FURIOUS franchise, EUPHORIA, QUANTUM LEAP and the Netflix/Jamie Foxx feature, DAY SHIFT. This past year, he stunt coordinated his 6th feature with Francis Ford Coppola called MEGALOPOLIS.

In recognition of his contribution to the film industry, the prestigious Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences inducted Buddy Joe into its exclusive membership back in the 1990s. An original member of the elite organization, STUNTS UNLIMITED, Buddy Joe has served 5 terms as President. In 2019, Jackie Chan invited Buddy Joe to be honored at his Film Festival in China representing the United States’ stunt community amidst an international gathering of action filmmakers.

The internationally renowned energy drink corporation, Red Bull, recognized Buddy Joe’s contribution to the entertainment industry with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 at the World Taurus Awards honoring stunts in film.

A devoted family man, Buddy Joe Hooker enjoys working alongside his wife, Gayle, a fellow stuntperformer and twin sons, Houston and Kanan, who began their entertainment careers at 6 years old on the film SPY KIDS.