Hal Brett Needham (March 6, 1931 – October 25, 2013) was an American stuntman, film director, actor, writer, and

NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and ...

team owner. He is best known for his frequent collaborations with actor Burt Reynolds, usually in films involving fast cars, such as ''

Smokey and the Bandit ''Smokey and the Bandit'' is a 1977 American road action comedy film starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jackie Gleason, Jerry Reed, Pat McCormick, Paul Williams and Mike Henry. The directorial debut of stuntman Hal Needham, the film follows ...

'' (1977), '' Hooper'' (1978), ''

The Cannonball Run ''The Cannonball Run'' is a 1981 action comedy film. It was directed by Hal Needham, produced by Hong Kong's Golden Harvest films, and distributed by 20th Century Fox. Filmed in Panavision, it features an all-star ensemble cast, including B ...

'' (1981) and ''

Stroker Ace Alyson Mackenzie Stroker (born June 16, 1987) is an American actress, author and singer. She is the first wheelchair-using actor to appear on a Broadway stage, and also the first to be nominated for and win a Tony Award. Stroker was a finalist on ...

'' (1983). In his later years, Needham moved out of stunt work, and focused his energy on the world

land speed record The land speed record (or absolute land speed record) is the highest speed achieved by a person using a vehicle on land. There is no single body for validation and regulation; in practice the Category C ("Special Vehicles") flying start regula ...

project. In 2001, Needham received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the

Taurus World Stunt Awards The Taurus World Stunt Awards is a yearly award ceremony held midyear that honors stunt performers in movies. It is held each year in Los Angeles. The first awards were given out in 2001. The deciding committee has been around since the year 2000. ...

, and in 2012, he was awarded a Governors Award by the

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, often pronounced ; also known as simply the Academy or the Motion Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization with the stated goal of advancing the arts and sciences of motio ...

Early years

Needham was born in Memphis, Tennessee, the son of Edith May (née Robinson) and Howard Needham. He was the youngest of three children. Raised in Arkansas and Missouri, Needham served in the United States Army as a

paratrooper A paratrooper is a military parachutist—someone trained to parachute into a military operation, and usually functioning as part of an airborne force. Military parachutists (troops) and parachutes were first used on a large scale during Worl ...

during the Korean War, worked as a treetopper (an

arborist An arborist, tree surgeon, or (less commonly) arboriculturist, is a professional in the practice of arboriculture, which is the cultivation, management, and study of individual trees, shrubs, vines, and other perennial woody plants in dend ...

who performs

tree topping Tree topping is the practice of removing whole tops of trees or large branches and/or trunks from the tops of trees, leaving stubs or lateral branches that are too small to assume the role of a terminal leader. Other common names for the practice i ...

services), and was a billboard model for

Viceroy Cigarettes Viceroy is an American brand of cigarettes, currently owned and manufactured by R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company in the United States and British American Tobacco outside of the United States. History Viceroy was introduced by Brown & Williamson ...

while beginning a career in Hollywood as a motion picture stuntman.

Career

Needham's first break was as the stunt double for actor

Richard Boone Richard Allen Boone (June 18, 1917 – January 10, 1981) was an American actor who starred in over 50 films and was notable for his roles in Westerns, including his starring role in the television series '' Have Gun – Will Travel''. Early li ...

on the popular TV western '' Have Gun, Will Travel''. Needham trained under John Wayne's stunt double

Chuck Roberson Charles Hugh Roberson (May 10, 1919 – June 8, 1988) was an American actor and stuntman. Biography Roberson was born near Shannon, Texas, the son of farmer Ollie W. Roberson and Jannie Hamm Roberson. Raised on cattle ranches in Shannon, ...

and quickly became one of the top stuntmen of the 1960s on such films as '' How the West Was Won'', ''

The Bridge at Remagen ''The Bridge at Remagen'' is a 1969 DeLuxe Color war film in Panavision starring George Segal, Ben Gazzara and Robert Vaughn. The film, which was directed by John Guillermin, was shot in Czechoslovakia. It is based on the nonfiction book ''The ...

'', ''

McLintock! :''See also McClintock (disambiguation)'' ''McLintock!'' is a 1963 American Western comedy film, starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara, directed by Andrew V. McLaglen. The film co-stars Wayne's son Patrick Wayne, Stefanie Powers, Jack Kru ...

'', ''

The War Lord ''The War Lord'' is a 1965 American drama historical film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner and starring Charlton Heston. The film, which concerns medieval warfare and culture in 11th-century Normandy, is an adaptation of the play ''The Lovers ...

'', and ''

Little Big Man Little Big Man ( Lakota: Wičháša Tȟáŋkala), or Charging Bear, was an Oglala Lakota, or Oglala Sioux, who was a fearless and respected warrior who fought under, and was distant cousin to, Crazy Horse ("His-Horse-Is-Crazy"). He opposed the 186 ...

''. He doubled regularly for

Clint Walker Norman Eugene "Clint" Walker (May 30, 1927 – May 21, 2018) was an American actor. He played cowboy Cheyenne Bodie in the ABC/ Warner Bros. western series ''Cheyenne'' from 1955 to 1963. Early life Clint Walker was born Norman Eugene W ...

and Burt Reynolds. Needham moved into stunt coordinating and directing second unit action, while designing and introducing air bags and other innovative equipment to the industry. Needham at one time lived in Reynolds' guesthouse for the better part of 12 years. In 1971, he and fellow stuntmen Glenn Wilder and Ronnie Rondell formed Stunts Unlimited. Needham had written a screenplay titled ''

'' and his friend Reynolds offered him the chance to direct. The film was a huge hit, and the two followed it with '' Hooper'', ''

'', and ''

''. Needham also directed the TV pilots '' Stunts Unlimited'' (1980) and ''Stockers'' (1981), neither of which was picked up as a series. His final theatrical release as director was the 1986 BMX film ''

Rad RAD or Rad may refer to: People * Robert Anthony Rad Dougall (born 1951), South African former racing driver * Rad Hourani, Canadian fashion designer and artist * Nickname of Leonardus Rad Kortenhorst (1886–1963), Dutch politician * Radley R ...

''. In 1977, Gabriel Toys introduced the "Hal Needham Western Movie Stunt Set" complete with a cardboard old west saloon movie set, lights and props, a toy movie camera and a spring-launched Hal Needham action figure that would break through a balcony railing, land on breakaway table and chairs and crash through a window. They were only manufactured for a short time and have since become highly collectible. Needham moved out of stunt work, focusing his energy on the World

Land Speed Record The land speed record (or absolute land speed record) is the highest speed achieved by a person using a vehicle on land. There is no single body for validation and regulation; in practice the Category C ("Special Vehicles") flying start regula ...

project that eventually became the

Budweiser Rocket The Budweiser Rocket is an American 3-wheeled land vehicle, generally resembling the 1970-era ''Blue Flame'' land speed record holding vehicle in appearance, powered by a hybrid liquid and solid-fuel rocket engine with an extra booster from a Side ...

, driven by stuntman

Stan Barrett Stan Barrett (born June 26, 1943) is a Hollywood stuntman, stunt coordinator actor, and former stock car racing driver. His biggest act was however outside the movie world. On December 17, 1979, he attempted to break the land speed record, and t ...

. The team failed to set an officially sanctioned World

with the vehicle, and their claims to have broken the sound barrier in 1979 have been heavily disputed. In the 1980s, he and Reynolds co-owned the

Mach 1 Racing Mach 1 Racing was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series team. It was owned by Hollywood stuntman Hal Needham and actor Burt Reynolds. The team made its debut in 1981, fielding the No. 22 Skoal Pontiac driven by Stan Barrett. Barrett ran ten races for t ...

team, which fielded the Skoal Bandit No. 33 car in the

Winston Cup Series The NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). The series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Division, and from 1950 to 1970 it was known as the Grand National Division. In 1971 ...

for Harry Gant. In 2001, Needham received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the

. In 2012, he was awarded a Governors Award by the

Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, often pronounced ; also known as simply the Academy or the Motion Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization with the stated goal of advancing the arts and sciences of motion ...

, where he was introduced by

Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American film director, writer, producer, and actor. His films are characterized by stylized violence, extended dialogue, profanity, dark humor, non-linear storylines, cameos, ensembl ...

. Needham and his relationship with Reynolds inspired the Cliff Booth/

Rick Dalton Rick may refer to: People *Rick (given name), a list of people with the given name *Alan Rick (born 1976), Brazilian politician, journalist, pastor and television personality *Johannes Rick (1869–1946), Austrian-born Brazilian priest and mycol ...

friendship in Tarantino's 2019 film '' Once Upon a Time in Hollywood''.

Death

Needham died on October 25, 2013 in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

, aged 82, shortly after being diagnosed with cancer.

Bibliography

Filmography as actor

*'' The Fiend Who Walked the West'' (1958) – Courtroom Spectator (uncredited) *'' Shoot Out at Big Sag'' (1962) – Saloon Brawler (uncredited) *''

'' (1963) – Carter (uncredited) *'' Advance to the Rear'' (1964) – Rebel Soldier (uncredited) *''

In Harm's Way ''In Harm's Way'' is a 1965 American epic war film produced and directed by Otto Preminger and starring John Wayne, Kirk Douglas and Patricia Neal, with a supporting cast featuring Henry Fonda in a lengthy cameo, Tom Tryon, Paula Prentiss, Stanle ...

'' (1965) – Airman in the Blue Lagoon (uncredited) *''

The Great Race ''The Great Race'' is a 1965 American Technicolor slapstick comedy film starring Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, and Natalie Wood, directed by Blake Edwards, written by Arthur A. Ross (from a story by Edwards and Ross), and with music by Henry Manci ...

'' (1965) – Saloon Brawler (uncredited) *'' The War Wagon'' (1967) – Hite *'' The Devil's Brigade'' (1968) – The Sergeant *'' The Undefeated'' (1969) – Yankee Corporal at River Crossing (uncredited) *'' One More Train to Rob'' (1971) – Bert Gant *''

Sometimes a Great Notion ''Sometimes a Great Notion'' is the second novel by American author Ken Kesey, published in 1964. While ''One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'' (1962) is more famous, many critics consider ''Sometimes a Great Notion'' Kesey's magnum opus. The story i ...

'' (1971) – Man at Racetrack *''

The Culpepper Cattle Co. ''The Culpepper Cattle Co.'' or ''Dust, Sweat and Gunpowder'' (Australian title) is a 1972 Revisionist Western film produced by Twentieth Century Fox. It was directed by Dick Richards and starred Billy Green Bush as Frank Culpepper and Gary ...

'' (1972) – Burgess *''

McQ ''McQ'' is a 1974 American Panavision neo-noir crime action film directed by John Sturges and starring John Wayne. It costars Eddie Albert, Diana Muldaur, and Al Lettieri, and features Colleen Dewhurst, Clu Gulager, David Huddleston, Julian Chri ...

'' (1974) – Santiago Henchman (uncredited) *'' Blazing Saddles'' (1974) – Outlaw (uncredited) *'' French Connection II'' (1975) – Doyle Kidnapper (uncredited) *''

W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings ''W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings'' is a 1975 American comedy film directed by John G. Avildsen, starring Burt Reynolds, and written by Thomas Rickman. The 20th Century Fox film features the acting debut of Jerry Reed. Plot In 1957, W.W. Bright (B ...

'' (1975) – Trooper Carson *''

Take a Hard Ride ''Take a Hard Ride'' is a 1975 Italian-American Spaghetti Western film directed by Anthony Dawson and starring Jim Brown, Lee Van Cleef, Fred Williamson and Jim Kelly. This was the second of three films Brown, Williamson, and Kelly would star i ...

'' (1975) – Garmes (uncredited) *'' Jackson County Jail'' (1976) – Chief of Fallsburg Police *''

Death Car on the Freeway ''Death Car on the Freeway'' is a 1979 American made-for-television crime thriller film starring Shelley Hack. In a plot similar to Steven Spielberg's '' Duel'', this tells the story of an unseen driver who is dubbed "The Freeway Fiddler". The c ...

'' (1979) – Mr. Blanchard *'' Stunts Unlimited'' (1980) – H.N. *''

'' (1981) – Ambulance EMT (uncredited) *'' Megaforce'' (1982) – Technician (uncredited) *''

'' (1983) – Man Punching Stroker Into Ladies Room (uncredited) *''

Cannonball Run II ''Cannonball Run II'' is a 1984 action comedy film starring Burt Reynolds and an all-star cast, released by Warner Bros. and Golden Harvest. Like the original '' Cannonball Run'', it is set around an illegal cross-country race. This was the l ...

'' (1984) – Porsche 928 Driver with Cowboy Hat (uncredited)

Filmography as director

*'' The Longest Yard'' (1974) (2nd unit director, car chase) *''

'' (1977) *'' Hooper'' (1978) *'' The Villain'' (1979) *''

'' (1979, TV) *'' Stunts Unlimited'' (1980, TV) *''

Smokey and the Bandit II ''Smokey and the Bandit II'' is a 1980 American action comedy film directed by Hal Needham, and starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jerry Reed, Jackie Gleason and Dom DeLuise. The film is the sequel to the 1977 film ''Smokey and the Bandit''. ...

'' (1980) *'' Stockers'' (1981) *''

'' (1981) *'' Megaforce'' (1982) *''

'' (1983) *''

'' (1984) *''

'' (1986) *''

Body Slam Professional wrestling throws are the application of professional wrestling techniques that involve lifting the opponent up and throwing or slamming them down. They are sometimes also called "power" maneuvers, as they are meant to emphasize a wrest ...

'' (1987) *'' Bandit Goes Country'' (1994, TV) *'' Bandit Bandit'' (1994, TV) *'' Beauty and the Bandit'' (1994, TV) *'' Bandit's Silver Angel'' (1994, TV) *''

Street Luge Street luge is an extreme gravity-powered activity that involves riding a street luge board (sometimes referred to as a sled) down a paved road or course. Street luge is also known as land luge or road luge. Like skateboarding, street luge is o ...

'' (1996) *'' Hard Time: Hostage Hotel'' (1999)

References

External links

*
Hollywood 'Stuntman!' Reveals Tricks Of Trade - NPR Interview
* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Needham, Hal 1931 births 2013 deaths American male film actors American male screenwriters American stunt performers Stunt doubles Academy Honorary Award recipients Film directors from Tennessee Screenwriters from Tennessee NASCAR team owners Deaths from cancer in California People from Arkansas People from Memphis, Tennessee