Retired Hollywood stuntmen killed in car wreck
A pair of retired Hollywood stuntmen who were known for defying death for decades in daring movie stunts were killed in an automobile accident earlier this month in California.
The 86-year-old retired stuntman Bob Orrison, who was best known for being Dean Martin’s body double in 1968’s “5 Card Stud” and driving the General Lee in the TV series “The Dukes of Hazzard,” was said to have been driving the vehicle that the two men were traveling in when they were hit broadside by an SUV.
According to reports, Orrison was attempting a U-turn when the accident occurred on the afternoon of Saturday, October 11 in Rancho Cordova, California.
Also killed in the accident was 73-year-old retired stuntman Gary McLarty, who was close friends with Orrison and worked on numerous films including 1970’s “Beneath the Planet of the Apes” and 2000’s “Gone in Sixty Seconds.” The friends both belong to the Hollywood Stuntmen’s Hall of Fame.
A spokesperson for the Sacramento sheriff’s department said the retired stuntmen were killed in a “direct hit.” Both of the men were declared dead at the scene of the crash. It is likely that an investigation is underway to uncover exactly what caused the accident to occur.
The Hollywood community was undoubtedly shocked that a man who was known for his expert driving skills was involved in a fatal car wreck. However, no matter how good of a driver a person is there is always the possibility of getting into a serious car accident.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter, “Two Retired Hollywood Stuntmen Killed in Traffic Accident,” Mike Barnes, Oct. 14, 2014