Gary Kent, the inspiration for Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” was an actor and stuntman in grindhouse and independent films.
- Died: May 25, 2023 (Who else died on May 23?)
- Details of death: Died in Austin, Texas, at the age of 89.
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Gary Kent’s legacy
Born in Walla Walla, Washington, Kent moved to Texas while serving in the U.S. Navy, where he handled publicity for the Blue Angels squadron. It was in Texas that he first began to dabble in the performing arts. He initially acted on stage before delving into writing and directing his own productions.
Kent moved to Los Angeles in 1958, where he quickly found himself appearing in a string of notable B movies, including “Legion of the Doomed,” “King of the Wild Stallions,” “The Thrill Killers,” and “The Black Klansman.” He began doing stunt work doubling for Jack Nicholson in “Ride in the Whirlwind” and “The Shooting.” Stunt work soon became his forte. He worked with directors like Peter Bogdanovich (1939–2022) and Brian De Palma, and he appeared in numerous films and television shows such as “The Green Hornet” and “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.”
Kent retired from stunts after an accident on the set of 2002’s “Bubba Ho-Tep,” though he continued to work as a stunt coordinator and actor until 2019. He would go on to become the basis for Cliff Booth, portrayed by Brad Pitt in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.”
Notable quote
“A lot of directors, especially on low budgets, are pushing you to hurry up and just do it, not realizing you can kill someone very quickly.”—Birth. Movies. Death. 2019
Tributes to Gary Kent
Full obituary: Los Angeles Times
