Gary Kent
Gary Kent | |
---|---|
stuntman | |
Years active | 1959–2023 |
Gary Kent (June 7, 1933 – May 25, 2023) was an American film director, actor, and
Kent and his experiences as a stuntman served as one of the inspirations for Cliff Booth, the character portrayed by Brad Pitt in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019).
Biography
Early life
Kent was born on June 7, 1933,
Career
In 1955 Kent moved to Hollywood with his wife, Joyce, and son, Greg, and worked as a parking lot attendant while looking for acting jobs. He eventually worked primarily in drive-in exploitation films.[3] He acted, worked stunts, and directed action for directors Richard Rush, Monte Hellman, Al Adamson, Don Jones, Ray Dennis Steckler, Peter Bogdanovich, and Brian De Palma. He performed television stunts and acted on Green Hornet, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and NBC's Daniel Boone starring Fess Parker.[2] Some of the films he directed were The Pyramid (1975)[4] and Rainy Day Friends (1983).[5] Kent doubled Jack Nicholson in stunts in the Richard Rush films Hells Angels on Wheels, The Savage Seven and Psych-Out, and also did his very first stunts in 1966 Nicholson films Ride in the Whirlwind and The Shooting, which shot back to back in Kanab, Utah, under the direction of Monte Hellman.[6]
In his 2009 memoir Shadows and Light,[7] Kent wrote of an "outlaw" cinema aimed at breaking film taboos and barriers.[8] In the book he talks of shooting at Spahn Ranch when Charles Manson and his followers were there.[9] He retired from stunts in 2003 after an accident on Don Coscarelli's film Bubba Ho-Tep, for which Kent served as stunt coordinator, but continued to act in independent films.[3]
Personal life
Kent was married four times, to Joyce Peacock, 1953-1964 (divorce); Rosemary Galleghly, 1961-1968 (divorce); Sherry Lee Tilley, 1973 (divorce); and Shirley Willeford, 1977-2005 (her death). He had six children: Greg, Colleen, and Andrew with Joyce, and Chris, Alex, and Mike with Rosemary.
Later years
As of 2018, Kent resided in
Kent died in Austin on May 25, 2023, at the age of 89.[1][13][14]
Filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1959 | Battle Flame | Gilcrist | [15] | |
1964 | The Thrill Killers | Barcroft | [16] | |
1966 | The Black Klansman | Wilkins | [13] | |
1966 | Ride in the Whirlwind | — | Stunts | [13] |
1966 | The Shooting | — | Stunts | [13] |
1967 | Hells Angels on Wheels | Bearded Hood | Uncredited; also stunts | [13] |
1968 | Psych-Out | Thug leader | Also stunts | [13] |
1968 | The Savage Seven | Lansford | [17] | |
1968 | Targets | Gas tank worker | [13] | |
1968 | A Man Called Dagger | — | Stunts | [18] |
1969 | One Million AC/DC | Olaf | [13] | |
1969 | The Mighty Gorga | Arnold | [19] | |
1969 | Satan's Sadists | Johnny | [13] | |
1969 | Body Fever | Frankie | [20] | |
1970 | Hell's Bloody Devils | Hit Man | [13] | |
1971 | The Incredible 2-Headed Transplant | Motorcyclist | Stunts | [13] |
1971 | The Return of Count Yorga | — | Stunts | [1] |
1971 | Dracula vs. Frankenstein | Bob | [21] | |
1972 | Angels' Wild Women | [13] | ||
1973 | Schoolgirls in Chains | Frank | [22] | |
1974 | Freebie and the Bean | Ambulance Attendant | Also stunts | [23] |
1982 | The Forest | John | [24] | |
1983 | Lost | Jack | [25] | |
1988 | Lethal Pursuit | Bud | [26] | |
1994 | Color of Night | [27] | ||
1996 | Street Corner Justice | Monsignor Rowan | [28] | |
2002 | Bubba Ho-Tep | — | Stunts | [13] |
References
- ^ a b c St Martin, Emily (May 27, 2023). "Gary Kent, stuntman who inspired Tarantino's 'Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood,' dies at 89". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
- ^ ISBN 978-0786476435. Retrieved February 17, 2006.
- ^ a b c Gross, Joe (June 2, 2018). "Austin stuntman Gary Kent has lived a life right out of the movies". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
- ^ Ratliff, Larry (June 7, 2011). "'Pyramid' power: A Gary Kent lovefest". Larry Ratliff. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
- ^ Thomas, Kevin (December 19, 1985). "'Rainy Day Friends' are Surrounded by Puddles". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
- ISBN 978-1476670942.
- ISBN 978-0981744377.
- ^ Rosenblatt, Josh (November 2, 2009). "Hollywood, Texas". The Texas Observer. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
- ^ Savlov, Marc (July 10, 2009). "The Fall Guy". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
- Austin360. Archivedfrom the original on April 11, 2020.
- ^ Niesel, Jeff (March 30, 2018). "Documentary About Stuntman Gary Kent to Screen at Cinema Wasteland". Cleveland Scene. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
- ^ "Danger God". imdb.com.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Barnes, Mike (May 26, 2023). "Gary Kent, Fabled B-Movie Stuntman, Actor and Director, Dies at 89". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
- ^ Whittaker, Richard (May 26, 2023). "Farewell to the Danger God: Gary Kent (1933–2023)". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
- ^ "Battle Flame (1959)". BFI. Archived from the original on March 10, 2023. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
- ^ "The Thrill Killers – Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. August 7, 1964. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
- ^ "The Savage Seven". prod-www.tcm.com. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
- ^ "A Man Called Dagger". www.tcm.com. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
- ^ The Mighty Gorga (1969), retrieved May 30, 2023
- ^ "Body Fever – Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
- ^ "Dracula vs. Frankenstein". www.tcm.com. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
- ^ "Schoolgirls in Chains – Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
- ^ "Freebie and the Bean". TVGuide.com. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
- ^ "The Forest – Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
- ^ "Lost". TVGuide.com. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
- ^ "Lethal Pursuit". TVGuide.com. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
- ^ "Color of Night". TVGuide.com. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
- ^ "Street Corner Justice". TVGuide.com. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
External links
- Gary Kent at IMDb