Uncredited actors

As the highest paid stuntman in the world, Hal Needham broke 56 bones, his back twice, punctured a lung and knocked out a few teeth. His career has included work on 4500 television episodes and 310 feature films as a stuntman, stunt coordinator, 2nd unit director and ultimately, director.

He wrote and directed some of the most financially successful action comedy films, making his directorial debut with the box office smash, Smokey and the Bandit (1977). The ten features he directed include Hooper (1978) and The Cannonball Run (1981)... A real outlaw race from coast-to-coast, where he drove a fake ambulance that could peg the speedometer at 150 mph, on which the movie, "Cannonball Run", was based. He also set trends in movies - the first director to show outtakes during end credits.

Needham wrecked hundreds of cars, fell from tall buildings, got blown up, was dragged by horses, rescued the cast and crew from a Russian invasion in Czechoslovakia, set a world record for a boat stunt on Gator (1976), jumped a rocket powered pick-up truck across a canal for a GM commercial and was the first human to test the car airbag.

He invented and introduced to the film industry, the air ram, air bag, the car cannon turnover, the nitrogen ratchet, the jerk-off ratchet, rocket power and The Shotmaker Camera Car to make stunts safer and yet more spectacular at the same time.

Needham revolutionized the art of the stuntman - from new devices and techniques, to conceptualizing the organization and execution of complicated action set pieces. To a large degree, he elevated the stuntman and his craft to become important and critical elements in contemporary American Film.

He mentored a new generation of stuntmen and fought for the respect and recognition that stuntmen and stuntwomen deserve for their contribution to moviemaking.

Life also got exciting outside of the movie business. Needham owned a NASCAR race team and was the first team owner to use telemetry technology. His Skoal-Bandit race team was one of the most popular NASCAR teams ever - second only to that of the King, Richard Petty. Needham set Guinness World Records and was the financier and owner of The Budweiser Rocket Car. The car is now on display in the Smithsonian's National Air & Space Museum.

His many awards include an Emmy and an Academy Award.

Starting out as a rodeo cowboy and then becoming a stuntman in silent westerns, Yakima Canutt later doubled for such stars as Clark Gable and John Wayne, among others, in such dangerous activities as jumping off the top of a cliff on horseback, leaping from a stagecoach onto its runaway team, being "shot" off a horse at full gallop and other such potentially life-threatening activities. He became expert at staging massive events involving livestock, such as cattle stampedes and covered-wagon races, as well as Indians-vs.-cavalry battles on a grand scale. Canutt's most noteworthy achievement as a second-unit director came in his staging and direction of the chariot-race sequence in William Wyler 's Ben-Hur (1959)--which, from initial planning to final execution, took two years.

Arguably Hollywood's greatest stunt driver ever, Carey Loftin's amazing driving and stunt skills were utilized in dozens of Hollywood productions over a period of nearly half a century.

Loftin was born on January 31st, 1914 in Blountstown, Florida and broke into movie stunt work in the late 1930s. Loftin's expertise with motor vehicles, including cars, trucks & motorcycles, saw him involved in contributing his skills to numerous cult films of the 1960s / 1970s that featured thrilling car chase sequences including The Love Bug (1968), Bullitt (1968), Vanishing Point (1971)Diamonds Are Forever (1971), The French Connection (1971), Duel (1971), Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) and White Line Fever (1975). The versatile Loftin also appeared in front of the camera as an actor in over seventy minor roles during his long career.

Loftin was still contributing stunt and driving work in feature films until his mid-seventies, and eventually retired from film in 1991. He died in March 1997, in Huntington Beach, California from natural causes.

Herman Hack was born on 15 June 1899 in Panola, Illinois, USA. He was an actor, known for The Tia Juana Kid (1935), Range Riders (1934) and Defying the Law (1935). He was married to Signe Hack. He died on 19 October 1967 in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Bob Harks came from a rather large family where his father was a salesman for oil rig companies and where his mother was a stay at home mother. Throughout his life he was very devoted to his family but like most people, he yearned to get out and see the world.

Harks eventually drifted to California where he eventually became a clothing model. Through his connections he established as a model, he was able to get into the Screen Extras Guild where he was actually taken onto location for the movie Bullet. This began what was going to be a very long career in the Screen Extras Guild.

Harks came in at the tail end of the television western era, it was only natural for him to find work on the unpaved streets of several television westerns like Bonanza and Gunsmoke. With the downturn of popularity in westerns, Harks made the transition from a cowboy to a detective. Over the next 15 years, he would frequently be seen on shows like Kojak where he'd appear around the squad room and also on shows like Lou Grant where he'd make crosses.

In the early 1970s, Harks gained work as a utility stand-in on the Bill Bixby show The Magician and it would be his big break. Both he and fellow Magician stand-in Edna Ryan would later find themselves working on another show Bixby starred in called "The Incredible Hulk." Bixby was very fond of Bob and would frequently have him appear in roles that require Hark to be upgraded to a pay rate than you usual extra role. Harks would usually drive the car that would either pick up Bixby at the end of the episode or he would use his car to pass Bixby's character up as he was hitchhiking to his next destination.

After the closing of The Incredible Hulk, Harks got regular work as Bixby's stand-in on the short lived show Goodnight Beantown. As Bixby's career started to wind down, Harks found work as a stand-in on the show Alien Nation and he worked on it for the rest of his career not only appearing in the series but also most of the subsequent television movies. It was during this time that Harks decided to retire and move Wisconsin to be closer to his sister Sue and the rest of his family bringing a 30+ year career to a close.

Jack Tornek was born on 2 January 1887 in Minsk, Russian Empire [now Belarus]. He was an actor, known for A Five Foot Ruler (1917), Bombs and Banknotes (1917) and David Hartman: Counterspy (1955). He died on 18 February 1974 in Los Angeles County, California, USA.

George Bruggeman was born on 1 November 1904 in Antwerp, Belgium. He was an actor, known for The Living Christ Series (1951) and You Hit the Spot (1945). He was married to Emily Priscilla Mills. He died on 9 June 1967 in North Hollywood, California, USA.

Sam Harris was born on 11 January 1877 in Sydney, Australia. He was an actor, known for The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936), Safari (1940) and I Cover the War! (1937). He was married to Constance M.K. Harris . He died on 22 October 1969 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Don Anderson grew up near the MGM studios, and was a Jitterbug Dancer for the studios during WW2. He became a bit player, and worked as an actor/stand-in starting with Van Johnson. He did some stunts, and was one of the bikers, Shark, in The Wild One with Marlon Brando. Don enjoyed the business and was well known and liked. His last show was standing-in and working with Pierce Brosnan on Remington Steele. He was survived by his daughter, Misa Anderson and a brother.

Bess Flowers was born on 23 November 1898 in Sherman, Texas, USA. She was an actress, known for We Faw Down (1928), Hands Across the Border (1926) and Born to Be Bad (1950). She was married to William S. Holman and Cullen Tate. She died on 28 July 1984 in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Flower Parry was a native Californian who broke into show business as a dancer in Nils T. Granlund's Florentine Gardens Revue in 1941. Working as a cigarette girl she met then soon married Jackie Coogan that year and they had one son, Jackie Coogan Jr. (birth name: John Anthony Coogan), born on March 4, 1942. She and Coogan divorced in June of 1943. During the mid-forties, she was also employed at Republic Pictures as a secretary and picking up bit and extra work at various studios in Hollywood. In 1945 she married entrepreneur Hal Baker Cope; they divorced in 1950. The marriage produced two sons, Christopher and Milo (Matt). In December 1956 she married actor Eddie Hall, who had given up acting and was a car salesman, and the union lasted until his death in 1963. They had one son, Parry Alan Hall, born on November 25, 1957. She continued to do movie and television extra work until mid-1979. She died September 10, 1981 from a short bout with cancer. She is buried next to her husband Eddie Hall at Forest Lawn Hollywood, overlooking Warner Bros. Studios.

Bob Perry was born on 26 December 1878 in New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for The Long Voyage Home (1940), The Light of Western Stars (1925) and The Thundering Herd (1925). He was married to Nita Primrose. He died on 8 January 1962 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Charles Perry was born on 26 December 1900 in New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for Smashing the Money Ring (1939), The Wagons Roll at Night (1941) and The Man Who Talked Too Much (1940). He died on 26 February 1967 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Jack Perry was born on 7 March 1895 in Nicastro, Catanzaro, Calabria, Italy. He was an actor, known for Steady Company (1932), Celebrity (1928) and A Woman's Man (1934). He died on 7 October 1971 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Jack Chefe was born on 1 April 1894 in Kyiv, Kyiv Governorate, Russian Empire [now Kyiv, Ukraine]. He was an actor, known for I Love Lucy (1951), Spy Hunt (1950) and The Mad Martindales (1942). He died on 1 December 1975 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

William H. O'Brien was born on 19 July 1891 in Peak Hill, New South Wales, Australia. He was an actor, known for I've Been Around (1935), Once a Gentleman (1930) and The Sky Raiders (1931). He died on 18 April 1981 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

William J. O'Brien was born on 31 January 1884 in Massachusetts, USA. He was an actor, known for Hell Bound (1931), Mister Smarty (1936) and Honky Donkey (1934). He died on 14 February 1953 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Furiously prolific and ubiquitous extra Kenner G. Kemp was born on January 3, 1908 in Concho, Arizona. Kemp first started appearing in films in uncredited minor roles in the early 1930's and began popping up in numerous TV shows in the early 1950's. Moreover, Kenner not only also worked as both a stuntman and an occasional stand-in for Walter Pidgeon, but also was a longtime officer in the Screen Extras Guild which included treasurer and vice president. His sister Donna Kempe also worked as an extra. Kemp died at age 77 on May 13, 1985 in Los Angeles, California.

Steve Carruthers was born on 15 August 1900 in Reading, Pennsylvania, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for Angela (1954), Burke's Law (1963) and A House Is Not a Home (1964). He died on 1 March 1983 in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Joe Ploski was born on 16 April 1904 in New Jersey, USA. He was an actor, known for Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine (1965), M Squad (1957) and Li'l Abner (1959). He died on 17 May 1993 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Philo McCullough was born on 16 June 1893 in San Bernardino, California, USA. He was an actor and director, known for The Girl Who Wouldn't Quit (1918), The Gay Lord Quex (1919) and Trilby (1923). He was married to Valeri Gratton and Laura Anson. He died on 5 June 1981 in Burbank, California, USA.

Leon Alton enjoyed a fine career on stage, screen, and television starting in the 1920s and lasting until the late 1970s.

In the 1930s he started out on the Broadway stage appearing in various musicals which lasted until the early 1940s. Then like many Broadway actors and dancers, he seemingly drifted his way to Hollywood where he was able to use his talents as a dancer to appear in many party scenes in a suit dancing in some of the most well known films.

Like many dancers though, that was only part of their work as they could not survive on musicals alone and by the mid 1950s musicals started to lose their popularity so he had to find work elsewhere, although he was never unemployed long.

Alton's appearance was ideal for bankers, or distinguished townsman, or whatever was needed. By the late 1950s, he was able to secure some roles in which he received screen credit in shows like Bat Masterson (1958), Tombstone Territory (1957), and Lock Up (1959) all while still appearing at the usual party scenes or the social gatherings.

By the 1960s his career was still going strong as he still found work in the usual places and managed to appear in several well known movies like True Grit (1969), The Cheyenne Social Club (1970), and Airport (1970) and appearing in most of the well known television shows of the time.

His career wound down by the 1970s and while his name will not garner the attention or recognition to film audiences of today, most casting directors could tell you it was a name which should be respected and could be depended upon.

Ralph Brooks was born on 22 April 1904 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. He was an actor, known for A Shot in the Dark (1935), Strange Wives (1934) and The 3rd Voice (1960). He died on 15 April 1991 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Bert Stevens was born on 26 February 1905 in Chelsea, Massachusetts, USA. He was an actor, known for Perry Mason (1957), Trackdown (1957) and Drachenlanze (2011). He was married to Caryl Lincoln and Elizabeth Zilker. He died on 14 December 1964 in Hollywood, California, USA.

Child actor and bit player Monty O'Grady was born John Montgomery O'Grady on March 6, 1916 in Los Angeles, California. O'Grady began his film career in the silent movie era of the mid-1920s as a child actor who's probably best known as a member of the early Our Gang group. Upon reaching adulthood O'Grady went on to become an extremely prolific and ubiquitous extra who can be spotted in a slew of films and TV shows alike in often uncredited minors roles such as reporters, waiters, party guests, passengers on ocean liners, or patrons in bars, nightclubs, or restaurants. His career as an actor spanned seven decades altogether. O'Grady died at age 84 on March 8, 2000 in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California.