Scott Leva

Scott Leva (born May 29, 1958) is a stuntman and stunt coordinator who began his career as a gymnast and entered stuntwork in the 1970s.

Biography

Spider-Man

In 1985, Scott was tapped by Cannon Films & Joseph Zito (who was the 2nd director to replace Tobe Hooper as being the first director attached for Spider-Man) to play Spider-Man in their adaptation of the comics, He was also the actor on the first photographic cover of a ''Spider-Man'' comic book, appearing as Peter Parker, half-way in costume, on ''The Amazing Spider-Man'', #262 (cover date March 1985). He can be seen in costume as Spider-Man, on the blooper reel for the 2000 film ''X-Men'', on which he served as a stunt-coordinator.

Safety equipment designer

After a friend died doing a high fall, Scott started to tinker with the standard airbags used by stunt performers and eventually designed an airbag with a different structure. The older airbags had a tendency to throw a stunt performer if they didn't hit the bag perfectly, the new bag uses a different arrangements of air bladders and a less slippery top layer to help the performer to stay on the bag. He was awarded a Science and Technical Oscar for this design.

Awards

* 2003 World Stunt Awards Nominated for Best High Work for a 125-foot fall onto the top of a car on Ballistic: Ecks VS. Sever
* 2003 World Stunt Awards Nominated for Best Overall Stunt Performer as stunt coordinator on Ballistic: Ecks VS. Sever
* 2006 Academy Awards Science and Technical Oscar for his design of a safer air bag for high fall stunt work

Filmography highlights

Stunts or Stunt Coordinator

* Changeling (2008) (utility stunts)
* Terminator: ''The Sarah Connor Chronicles'' (stunt rigger) (utility stunts)
* Dexter (stunt rigger) (1 episode, 2007)
* 2007 Taurus World Stunt Awards (2007) (TV) (utility stunts)
* ''Hannah Montana'' (stunt rigger)
* ''Letters from Iwo Jima'' (2006) (utility stunts)
* ''Flags of Our Fathers'' (2006) (assistant stunt coordinator)
* Crank (2006) (stunt safety)
* Zoom (2006) (stunts)
* World Trade Center (2006) (stunts)
* '' Everybody Hates Chris'' (2005) TV series (stunt rigger)
* Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004) (stunts)
* ''Desperate Housewives'' (2004) TV series (stunt rigger)
* ''Collateral'' (2004) (stunts)
* World's Finest (2004) (aerial stunt effects coordinator) (stunt coordinator)
* 2003 ABC World Stunt Awards (2003) (TV) (utility stunts)
* ''Taken'' (2003) (stunts)
* Ballistic: Ecks vs Sever (2002) (assistant stunt coordinator) (stunts: high fall)
* ''Enterprise'' (2001) TV series ( stunt double)
* The Best Damn Sports Show Period (2001) TV series (utility stunts)
* X-Men (2000) (stunt coordinator: second unit) (stunts)
* ''Timecop'' (1997) TV series (stunts)
* ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' (1997) TV series (stunts)
* ''Space Truckers'' (1996) (stunt double) (stunts)
* ''Nash Bridges'' (1996) TV series (stunt performer)
* '' Baywatch Nights'' (1995) TV series (stunts)
* ''Sliders'' (1995) TV series (stunts)
* OP Center (1995) (TV) (stunts)
* '' Star Trek: Voyager'' (1995) TV series (stunts)
* '' Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman'' (1993) TV series (stunts)
* ''Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers'' (1993) TV series (stunt double)
* '' Robin Hood: Men in Tights'' (1993) (stunts)
* ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' (1993) TV series (stunts)
* ''Hook'' (1991) (stunts)
* '' Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country'' (1991) (stunts)
* ''The Rocketeer'' (1991) (stunts)
* '' The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie'' (1989) (stunt coordinator) (stunts)
* '' Police Academy 6: City Under Siege'' (1989) (stunts)
* '' The Toxic Avenger Part II'' (1989) (stunt coordinator)
* Troma's War (1988) (stunt coordinator)
* Prime Evil (1988) (stunt double) (stunts)
* The Big Giver (1988) (stunt coordinator)
* Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) TV series (stunts)
* Beauty and the Beast (1987) TV series (stunts)
* Prizzi's Honor (1985) (stunts)
* The Toxic Avenger (1985) (stunt coordinator)
* Desperately Seeking Susan (1985) (stunt coordinator)
* Turk 182! (1985) (stunts)
* The Cotton Club (1984) (stunts)
* Splash (1984) (stunts)
* The World According to Garp (1982) (stunts)
* Fort Apache the Bronx (1981) (stunts)
* Superman (1978) (stunts)

Actor

Film

*'' The Toxic Avenger'' (1984, as policeman, uncredited)
*'' Invaders from Mars'' (1986, as Marine officer)
*'' The Toxic Avenger Part II'' (1989, as the Dark Rider, uncredited)
*''Sweet Justice'' (1993, as River Goon)
*''Private Wars'' (1993, as Mrs. Dominick's Son)
*''Stranger by Night'' (1994, as Bobby's Father, (flashbacks), uncredited)
*'' To the Limit'' (1995, as Carlo)
*'' Back to Back'' (1996, as Officer Williams)
*''Monkey Business'' (1998, as Bankrobber 1
*''The Base'' (1999, as Front Gate MP #1)
*''X-Men'', (2000, as Waterboy #2)
*'' Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever'', (2002, as Lone Sniper)
*'' Red Eye'', (2005, as Keefe's Bodyguard)
*'' Changeling'' (2008, as Mountie)

Television

*''Dynasty'' (1983, 1 episode, as waiter)
*'' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' (1989, Episode: '' Unnatural Selection'', as Command Division Officer)
*'' Santa Barbara'' (1991, 1 episode, as Thug No. 1)
*''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' (1996, Episode: '' To the Death'', as Ramirez, uncredited)
*'' Star Trek: Voyager'' (1996, Episode: ''Remember'', as Fredick, uncredited)
*'' Diagnosis: Murder'' (1996, Episode: ''A Model Murder'', as Ray Donovan)
*'' Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman'' (1997, Episode: ''Sex, Lies and Videotape'', as Thug)
*''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' (1997, Episode: '' Soldiers of the Empire'', as Ortakin)
*''Nash Bridges'' (1999, Episode: ''Power Play'', as Mobster 2)
*''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' (1999, Episode: ''What You Leave Behind'', as Jem'Hadar Guard, uncredited)
*'' Relic Hunter'' (1999, Episode: ''Transformation'', as Tough Hombre #1)
*'' The Sarah Silverman Program'' (2010, Episode: ''A Slip Slope'', as Fireman #4)
*

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

* Ritual (2001/I) (second unit director)
* Pilgrim (2000) (second unit director)
* If Dog Rabbit (1999) (second unit director)
* The Heist (1999) (second unit director)
* Southern Cross (1999) (second unit director)
* The Outsider (1998) (TV) (second unit director)
* Mars (1998) (second unit director)
* Acts of Betrayal (1997) (second unit director)
* Mercenary (1997) (TV) (second unit director)
* The Journey: Absolution (1997) (second unit director)
* Mercenary II: Thick & Thin (1997) (TV) (second unit director)

Director

* The Greatest Show Ever (2007) (TV)

References

NPR story about the Tech OscarsWired Magazine
*Cinefantastique Magazine, September 1987, Volume 17, Issue 5 pgs 4, 5, 59
Stuntplayer Resume

External links

His company Precision Stunts
*
Complete resume in PDF Format

{{DEFAULTSORT:Leva, Scott
1958 births
American gymnasts
American stunt performers
Living people