Hal Needham
Biography
Hal Needham was an American stuntman, director, actor and writer who started in Hollywood as a motion picture stuntman, getting his first break as the stunt double for Richard Boone on a popular television western. He trained under Chuck Roberson, John Wayne's stunt double, became a leading stuntman of the 1960s on films including How the West Was Won and Little Big Man, and doubled regularly for Clint Walker and Burt Reynolds. Later he worked as a stunt coordinator and second unit director and helped bring air bags and other equipment to the business. Reynolds gave him the chance to direct Smokey and the Bandit (1977), a huge hit that led to Hooper (1978), The Cannonball Run (1981) and Stroker Ace (1983), and his last theatrical release as director was Rad (1986). He was given a lifetime achievement award by the Taurus World Stunt Awards in 2001 and an Academy Governors Award in 2012.
82years old at death
- Born Memphis
- Died Los Angeles
- Star sign: PiscesThe sign runs February 19 to March 20
- Also credited as Hal Brett Needham
Movie Career
- Films
- 7
- Career span
- 18 years1964 to 1982
First and latest
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First role
Needham's first break came when he worked as Richard Boone's stunt double on the TV western Have Gun - Will Travel. He trained under Chuck Roberson, who doubled for John Wayne.
Behind the camera
In 1971, Needham joined with fellow stuntmen Glenn Wilder and Ronnie Rondell Jr. to form Stunts Unlimited, a company they created together.
Behind the award
Needham shared a 1986 Scientific and Engineering Award with William L. Fredrick for helping develop the Shotmaker Elite camera car and crane.
A change of course
Needham left stunt work behind and put his energy into a World Land Speed Record project. That project later turned into the Budweiser Rocket, which stuntman Stan Barrett drove.
A change of course
During the 1980s, Needham and Reynolds were co-owners of Mach 1 Racing, a team that put the Skoal Bandit No. 33 Pontiac on the track in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, with Barrett at the wheel.
Behind the award
In 2012 the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences gave Needham a Governors Award, and Quentin Tarantino introduced him.
Hal Needham movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Worked with
Hal Needham shares two films with Harry Carey Jr., and one with each of the others. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Harry Carey Jr.'s page
Robert Donner's page
Tommy Lee Jones's page
Keenan Wynn's page
Glenn Ford's page
Tony Curtis's page
All films by Blake Edwards
Dick RichardsDirector, 1 film, 1972
All films by Dick Richards
Antonio MargheritiDirector, 1 film, 1975
All films by Antonio Margheriti
Awards
One award and honor, one of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Awards | |||
| 2013 | Honorary Award | Honorary | |
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.