Unlimited Member David Barrett on Directing Series Finale of La Brea
New Legends Line featuring Buddy Joe Hooker
Introducing the Stunts Unlimited LEGENDS tee, part of the “Legends Signature Line”, paying homage to the badass legends of Stunts Unlimited.
To kick off the first edition tee, we are honoring legendary Stunts Unlimited member Buddy Joe Hooker. This limited edition tee features a vintage black and white signed print of Buddy Joe in action, with a soft hand, full chest hit, this tee represents a shout to this legend.
These will be limited runs of each edition, so get yours now!
In addition to honoring influential members of the stunt community, 15% of the proceeds will be donated to the Taurus World Stunt Awards Foundation to benefit injured stunt performers.
Buddy Joe Hooker
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 stunt performer and twin sons, Houston and Kanan, who began their entertainment careers at 6 years old on the film SPY KIDS.
PURCHASE YOUR LIMITED EDITION T-SHIRT HERE
All Star Stunt Panel at SCAD Savannah Film Festival
Stunts Unlimited members Regis Harrington and Mike Massa teamed up with Stunts Unlimited Directory members Rachel Gelfed and Dan Pera, as well with veteran stunt performer Adam Hart to give what Savannah College of Art and Design is calling the best film festival panel they have ever had! Go team go!!!
From MovieMaker.com, “SCAD Savannah Film Festival’s Artisans: Crafting The Stunt panel took place Wednesday [October 25th] on the newly opened film backlot. It featured a panel of acclaimed stunt actors and coordinators, including Rachel Gelfeld, Regis Harrington, Adam Hart, Mike Massa and Dan Pera. Gelfeld, a SCAD alum, received the SCAD45 award from SCAD President Paula Wallace before the panel. In her acceptance, Gelfeld thanked the hands-on training she received at SCAD for giving her the skills she needed to start her career right after graduation.”
“Stunt doubles, our job is to focus on our actor. Watch how they move, watch every little bit about them. I have certain actors, I mimic their hands, their fingers when they walk,” Massa said. “I’ve done stuff on movies where the actor is not available… you may just be called to come in and be them, walk through the scene or do some kind of movement — but you’re always them. As a stunt actor, you get to be your own character and create what you want.”
From SCADDistrict.com,“After the panel, the audience was treated to a live example of what stunt work looks like. It featured a pre-choreographed scene in which Gelfeld ran through one of the backlot interiors and was then attacked on the balcony before running down the stairs and tackling a fellow performer. All of this was simultaneously filmed by one of the Covert Camera Cars to show the audience the visual difference between what happens in person and what is seen on screen, impressing the audience and giving them a greater appreciation for an often-overlooked part of filmmaking.”
Honorary SU Member Debbie Evans Putting the Pedal to the Metal
View this post on Instagram
CLICK HERE TO SHOP NOW
SU Member Jalil Jay Lynch Breaking Barriers
From @makeituniversal
“Jalil Jay Lynch lives life in the fast lane! As an Action Specialist on films like @thefastsaga, he helps bring incredible stunts to life for audiences everywhere. Who knew there were jobs as cool as this?
Don’t miss Jalil’s incredible story and all his fantastic work in #FastX, in theaters now!”
View this post on Instagram
CLICK HERE TO SHOP NOW
Debbie Evans Named Honorary Member
Stunts Unlimited is extremely proud to announce Debbie Evans as an honorary member.
Debbie started riding motorcycles at age six and became a stuntwoman at nineteen. Since then she has performed car, motorcycle and all around stunts in over 400 movies, television shows and commercials. In her 40+ year career Debbie has earned a multitude of awards, achievements, honors and deep respect from her peers. In the moto world and entertainment industry, Debbie Evans is a pioneer and legend 💯
Debbie said of the news, “I’m overjoyed! The members of Stunts Unlimited are all my brothers – I have worked side by side with them from the very start. Becoming an honorary member of Stunts Unlimited is a dream come true for me. Thank you so much for the honor.”
Debbie, the honor is all ours. Thank you for being the kind trailblazer that our founders envisioned when they formed Stunts Unlimited.
DEBBIE EVANS STUNT REEL
DEBBIE EVANS BIOGRAPHY (courtesy of DebbieEvans.com)
Debbie Evans is considered one of Hollywood’s top stunt women. The writing was on the wall from the age of six when she started riding motorcycles in her hometown of Lakewood, California. By the age of nine she started competing in the sport of motorcycle trials.
By 1976, she became the first woman to reach the rank of expert, successfully competing against the men. She was considered the best female observed trials rider in the United States, earning factory-backed sponsorship from Yamaha.
Her entertainment roots began with halftime shows at various stadium events, which included her famous headstand on the seat of a balancing motorcycle. Not one to shy away from the challenge of a male-dominated field, she accepted the offer to do a motorcycle jump over a 30-foot ravine for the movie Deathsport. This job would be the beginning a stunt career that would span decades, and garner her accolades and awards for future work to come.
Shortly after her path started, things exploded for Debbie when she tied for second overall in the 1978 CBS Stunt Competition as the only female competitor, and won first place in the car race, beating out all of the top male stunt drivers. She has since been featured in Reader’s Digest, Glamour Magazine, Cycle World, Dirt Bike, and on ESPN, The Montel Williams Show, Women’s Entertainment Television, and Entertainment Tonight, just to name a few.
Debbie honed all aspects of her physical ability, performing just about every stunt there is, but never steering too far from her first love…motorcycles and cars! In 2002, Debbie won two Taurus World Stunt Awards for doubling Michelle Rodriguez in The Fast and the Furious, and has continued with the franchise, and actress, in the subsequent films. Debbie has won 7 Taurus World Stunts Awards, one of the highest acknowledgements in her industry. She has also been inducted into the American Motorcyclist (AMA) Hall of Fame, The Hollywood Stuntman’s Hall of Fame, along with many other awards and nominations. Debbie has been had an amazing career with many memorable pieces of work.
A few of her most notable sequences were for Carrie Anne Moss, in Matrix Reloaded where she drove a Cadillac CTS and rode a Ducati 996 in the famous freeway chase sequence. Also doubling for Michelle Rodriguez in the first Fast and Furious driving a car under a semi-truck, crashing and flipping it off the embankment into the field below. Debbie worked on many other Fast and Furious movies in all the female driving sequences Fast films 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 and 9. She has doubled for many of the leading ladies in Hollywood, Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2 (all stunts) and driving in Terminator: Dark Fate. Debbie performed as the stunt driving double for Angelina Jolie in Wanted, Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Taking Lives.
CLICK HERE TO SHOP NOW
In Loving Memory of Judo Gene LeBell, 1932-2022
We are incredibly sad to report that our hero, dear friend and Stunts Unlimited brother passed away yesterday, August 9th, 2022 at the age of 89. He will be missed by all who knew and loved him, especially us.
American Masters: Stunt Legend Kitty O’Neil
Hollywood stuntwoman Kitty O’Neil is the subject of the pilot episode for a new PBS digital series. (Photo courtesy of Ky Michaelson)
Interview with Stunts Unlimited Member Brian Keaulana
Brian Keaulana, stunt coordinator and legendary Waterman, talks about filming stunts, surfing and living in Makaha on the It’s A Hawaii Thing podcast
🎬💪🏾🏄🏽♂️😎👣🦈🌊🌈🌺🖤💛
Interview with Craig Hosking, Award Winning Hollywood Pilot
The first guest on ‘ForFunFlyer Live’ is Craig Hosking, a movie pilot from Southern California, who flies both planes and helicopters, for the biggest movie and TV productions in the world!