Hal-Needham-Obituary

Hal Needham

1931 - 2013

Obituary

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Hal Needham, a top Hollywood stuntman who turned to directing rousing action films including "Smokey and the Bandit" and "The Cannonball Run," has died. He was 82.

His business managers tell the Los Angeles Times that Needham died Friday in Los Angeles.

A former paratrooper, Needham appeared in thousands of TV episodes and hundreds of movies, performing and designing stunts and new equipment to execute them.

Needham jumped from planes, was dragged by horses and wrecked cars - breaking 56 bones in the process.

His best-known directing efforts involved 1970s Burt Reynolds action comedies, including "Smokey," "Cannonball Run" and "Stroker Ace." He also directed Arnold Schwarzenegger in "The Villain."

In a Twitter posting, Schwarzenegger calls Needham an icon.

Needham received an honorary Oscar last year.


Copyright © 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Guest Book

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Though we never got to meet you we have always felt like you were a good friend. We watched you for quite a while before we realized how many movies you were in. We learned to recognize you in everything you were in. We were very much saddened when we found out you had passed away. We still look for you when we are watching movies and old shows. We have seen one movie several times called Devils Brigade but we have never been able to see you. We know you were in there somewhere. We...

Smart man

Hal set the bar. His films were classics. He made things a lot safer for those following in his footsteps. Time for rest now Hal. We'll all see you on the other side. Give 'em a good run!

Thank you for sharing a part of your life with us.

Rest Hal, until you hear at dawn,
the low, clear reveille of God.

Thank you for your service to this nation.

I loved Hal as a friend, and I miss him. We had some fun times on the golf course in Gunnison and enjoyed the occasional phone call until just a few weeks before his passing. Hal was a great inspiration to me, and I treasure the memories.

always wanted to meet him. His great work will live on forever!

To the Needham family my heartfelt condolences are with you in your time of grief. May your strength and happy memories of Mr.Needham get you thru each day. May you find comfort at Ecclesiastes 3:11 were our creator has put eternity in our heart,and that's why death effects us so hard.

What a nice man.