Bob Yerkes was a legendary stuntman and circus performer known for his work in “Return of the Jedi,” “Back to the Future,” and dozens of other movies.
- Died: October 1, 2024 (Who else died on October 1?)
- Details of death: Died at a hospital in Northridge, California after fighting pneumonia at the age of 92.
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Bob Yerkes’ legacy
Yerkes discovered his aptitude for acrobatics when he was a kid growing up in Los Angeles. While visiting Muscle Beach with a plan to play ping-pong, he instead ran into a local gymnast performing acrobatic feats who taught him a few basic moves. Yerkes was instantly hooked, and he continued practicing until, at age 15, he ran away from home and joined the circus. He quickly found his way to stunt work during the circus’ off season, with his first stunt credit coming in the 1948 movie “Julia Misbehaves.”
As his stunt career progressed, Yerkes developed a reputation as a flyer. If a movie required someone to fly through the air, he was likely at the top of the casting director’s list. In “Return of the Jedi,” Yerkes doubled for Boba Fett actor Jeremy Bulloch (1945–2020) in a scene in which the bounty hunter flew with his jetpack. He stood in for Christopher Lloyd in “Back to the Future” when Doc Brown had to hang precariously from the clock tower. He dangled from the Statue of Liberty in place of Fred Ward (1942–2022) in “Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins.” More than 80 other Yerkes stunt credits included “The Towering Inferno,” “Poltergeist,” “Ghostbusters,” “Hook,” and “Batman Forever.” He was still doing stunts in his 80s, most recently in 2017’s “Killing Hasselhoff.”
Yerkes was also a mentor to aspiring stunt and circus performers, many of whom honed their craft on his extensive backyard course. It included a 65-foot tower for practicing falls, trapezes and swings, tightropes, mats and airbags for safe drops, and much more. The Boba Fett sequence from “Return of the Jedi” was filmed in Yerkes’ yard. In the days when “Circus of the Stars” was an annual TV special, many of the celebrities involved did their training with Yerkes on his home course.
Tributes to Bob Yerkes
Full obituary: The New York Times
