Gene LeBell

Stuntman

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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

In his three-and-half-hour interview, Gene LeBell (1932-2022) talks about his childhood interest in judo and boxing that eventually led to his career as a stuntman in movies and television. He speaks about his early work in television on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Lassie (in which he fought a bear), and The Jack Benny Show. He also discusses his work on action series of the 1960s, '70s, and beyond, including The Green Hornet, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Baretta, The Six Million Dollar Man, and The Dukes of Hazzard. LeBell outlines the craft of stunt work including descriptions of falls, fire stunts, and stunt driving. Among the television series LeBell details are: The Adventures of Superman (in which he worked closely with George Reeves), Batman, and The Fall Guy. Karen Herman conducted the interview on September 10, 2003 in Sherman Oaks, CA.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"The person who enjoys the work never goes to work."

People Talking About ...

Highlights

Gene LeBell on a stunt he did on The Adventures and Ozzie and Harriet, and Ozzie Nelson's interest in safety

01:35

Gene LeBell on an incident during a Dukes of Hazzard shoot, in an episode where he played a villain

02:19

Gene LeBell on stunt work on The Green Hornet with Bruce Lee

02:44

Gene LeBell on stunts he won't do and stunts he'd like to do

04:29

Gene LeBell on essential qualities for a stuntperson

01:19

Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his childhood and early influences; on his mother being a boxing promoter; on boxing during his youth; on his autobiography "The Toughest Man In The World"

On boxing and wrestling matches at the Olympic Auditorium run by his mother; on his childhood aspirations and studying animal husbandry

On getting drafted during the Korean War and joining The Coast Guard; on competing in the 1954 Judo Nationals

Chapter 2

On being stationed in Long Beach and becoming a cook; on sneaking out of the Coast Guard to be Gorgeous George's second in a match

On toying with a professional wrestling career; on winning the 1955 Judo Nationals; on what drew him to judo

On his early memories of television; on early televised wrestling and boxing matches

On how he got into stunt work

Chapter 3

On enjoying his time at home; on a stunt he did on The Adventures and Ozzie and Harriet, and Ozzie Nelson's interest in safety

On fighting a bear on an episode of Lassie (in which he got hurt); on the lack of early safety regulations for stunt people

On his specialty in stunts; on still getting calls for work; on early stunts he was asked to do

On his stunt work on the television and film versions of Batman; on loving his work

On tips for stunt wotk; on teaching judo; on stunt bags and supplies

Chapter 4

On his stunt work for Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea

On how blue and green screens have changed the stunt profession; on stunt work on The Beverly Hillbillies and The Jack Benny Program; on contemplating being an actor

On an incident during a Dukes of Hazzard shoot, in an episode where he played a villain; on stunt work on Burke's Law, The Munsters, and The Wackiest Ship in the Army

On doubling for certain actors again and again; on his fellow stuntmen and their talents

On stuntwomen and men doubling for women

Chapter 5

On doing stunts for black actors; on stunt work on The Green Hornet with Bruce Lee

On his experiences doing public appearances with Adventures of Superman star George Reeves, and his doubt that Reeves committed suicide (as was officially determined)

On failing to win a bit part on Little House on the Prairie because it required "acting," yet having to train the actor who got the part to do the stuntwork

On coordinating stunts; on stunt work on I Spy, The Six Million Dollar Man, Starsky and Hutch, Baretta, Laverne & Shirley, and Fantasy Island

Chapter 6

On stunt work on Taxi, usually as a referee during one of Tony Danza's boxing matches

On working with stunt coordinator Mickey Gilbert on The Fall Guy

On stunt work on Magnum, P.I., Macgyver, and Married...With Children; on his success

On different types of stunts - high falls, stunt driving, pratfalls, stair falls and fistfights

Chapter 7

On how he prepares for fistfight stunts; on fire stunts

On stunts he won't do and stunts he'd like to do; on injuries from stunt work

On insurance issues for stuntmen; on films he's done stunt work for; on essential qualities for a stuntperson; on how he's credited

Shows

Adventures Of Ozzie and Harriet, The

Gene LeBell on a stunt he did on The Adventures and Ozzie and Harriet, and Ozzie Nelson's interest in safety

01:35

Adventures of Superman

Gene LeBell on his experiences doing public appearances with Adventures of Superman star George Reeves, and his doubt that Reeves committed suicide (as was officially determined)

10:14

Baretta

Gene LeBell on stunt work on Baretta and working with Robert Blake

01:02

Batman

Gene LeBell on his stunt work on the television and film versions of Batman

02:36

Gene LeBell on working with guest stars like Frank Gorshin ("The Riddler") on Batman

00:54

Beverly Hillbillies, The

Gene LeBell on his stunt work for The Beverly Hillbillies

01:14

Burke's Law

Gene LeBell on stunt work with Gene Barry on Burke's Law

00:43

Charlie's Angels

Gene LeBell on stunt work on Charlie's Angels

00:15

Dukes of Hazzard, The

Gene LeBell on an incident during a Dukes of Hazzard shoot, in an episode where he played a villain

02:19

Fall Guy, The

Gene LeBell on working with stunt coordinator Mickey Gilbert on The Fall Guy

04:19

Fantasy Island

Gene LeBell on stunt work on Fantasy Island

01:22

Green Hornet, The

Gene LeBell on stunt work on The Green Hornet with Bruce Lee

02:44

I Spy

Gene LeBell on stunt work on I Spy and working with Robert Culp

02:00

Jack Benny Program, The

Gene LeBell on a stunt/dialogue scene he did on The Jack Benny Program with Count Billy Varga in 1962, and his experience working with Benny

02:45

Lassie

Gene LeBell on fighting a bear on an episode of Lassie (in which he got hurt)

04:16

Laverne & Shirley

Gene LeBell on stunt work on Laverne & Shirley

00:37

Little House on the Prairie

Gene LeBell on failing to win a bit part on Little House on the Prairie because it required "acting," yet having to train the actor who got the part to do the stuntwork

02:48

MacGyver

Gene LeBell on stunt work on MacGyver

00:42

Magnum, P. I.

Gene LeBell on stunt work with Magnum P.I. lead Tom Selleck

01:05

Married… With Children

Gene LeBell on stunt work on Married... With Children

36:48

Munsters, The

Gene LeBell on stunt work with Fred Gwynne on The Munsters

01:23

Six Million Dollar Man, The

Gene LeBell on stunt work on The Six Million Dollar Man and working with Lee Majors

02:05

Starsky and Hutch

Gene LeBell on stunt work on Starsky and Hutch

02:05

Taxi

Gene LeBell on stunt work on Taxi, usually as a referee during one of Tony Danza's boxing matches

05:14

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea

Gene LeBell on the stunt work done for Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea

02:04

Wackiest Ship in the Army, The

Gene LeBell on stunt work doubling Jack Warden on The Wackiest Ship in the Army

01:46

Wagon Train

Gene LeBell on how he and George Reeves would have been cast on Wagon Train had Reeves lived

06:28

Topics

Historic Events and Social Change

Gene LeBell on getting drafted during the Korean War and joining The Coast Guard

06:38

Gene LeBell on doing stunts for black actors

01:32

Korean War

Gene LeBell on getting drafted during the Korean War and joining The Coast Guard

06:38

Representation on Television

Gene LeBell on doing stunts for black actors

01:32

Technological Innovation

Gene LeBell on how blue and green screens have changed the stunt profession

02:16

Underrepresented Voices

Gene LeBell on doing stunts for black actors

01:32

War

Gene LeBell on getting drafted during the Korean War and joining The Coast Guard

06:38

Professions

Performers

View Profession

Gene LeBell on how he got into stunt work

02:06

Gene LeBell on the lack of early safety regulations for stunt people

01:40

Gene LeBell on his specialty in stunts and the background necessary for the profession

01:48

Gene LeBell on early stuntwomen and men doubling for women

03:07

Gene LeBell on coordinating stunts

01:58

Gene LeBell on different types of stunts - high falls, stunt driving, pratfalls, stair falls and fistfights

13:36

Gene LeBell on preparations for stunt fistfights and fire stunts

06:55

Gene LeBell on stunts he won't do and stunts he'd like to do

04:29

Gene LeBell on essential qualities for a stuntperson

01:19

Gene LeBell on how he's credited a stuntperson

04:53

Stunt Performer/Stunt Supervisor/Stunt Coordinator

View Profession

Gene LeBell on how he got into stunt work

02:06

Gene LeBell on the lack of early safety regulations for stunt people

01:40

Gene LeBell on his specialty in stunts and the background necessary for the profession

01:48

Gene LeBell on early stuntwomen and men doubling for women

03:07

Gene LeBell on coordinating stunts

01:58

Gene LeBell on different types of stunts - high falls, stunt driving, pratfalls, stair falls and fistfights

13:36

Gene LeBell on preparations for stunt fistfights and fire stunts

06:55

Gene LeBell on stunts he won't do and stunts he'd like to do

04:29

Gene LeBell on essential qualities for a stuntperson

01:19

Gene LeBell on how he's credited a stuntperson

04:53

Genres

Adventure/Espionage Series

Gene LeBell on his stunt work on the television and film versions of Batman

03:30

Gene LeBell on his experiences doing public appearances with Adventures of Superman star George Reeves, and his doubt that Reeves committed suicide (as was officially determined)

10:14

Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials

Gene LeBell on a stunt/dialogue scene he did on The Jack Benny Program with Count Billy Varga in 1962, and his experience working with Benny

02:45

Sports

Gene LeBell on early televised wrestling and boxing matches

03:02

People

Bruce Lee

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Gene LeBell on stunt work on The Green Hornet with Bruce Lee

02:44

Frank Gorshin

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Gene LeBell on working with guest stars like Frank Gorshin ("The Riddler") on Batman

00:54

Fred Gwynne

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Gene LeBell on stunt work with Fred Gwynne on The Munsters

01:23

Gene Barry

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Gene LeBell on stunt work with Gene Barry on Burke's Law

00:43

George Reeves

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Gene LeBell on his experiences doing public appearances with Adventures of Superman star George Reeves, and his doubt that Reeves committed suicide (as was officially determined)

10:14

Gorgeous George

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Gene LeBell on his mother inventing the stage name "Gorgeous George"

01:07

Gene LeBell on sneaking out of the Coast Guard to be Gorgeous George's second in a match

03:53

Herve Villechaize

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Gene LeBell on stunt work on Fantasy Island

01:22

Jack Benny

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Gene LeBell on a stunt/dialogue scene he did on The Jack Benny Program with Count Billy Varga in 1962, and his experience working with Benny

02:45

Jack Warden

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Gene LeBell on stunt work doubling Jack Warden on The Wackiest Ship in the Army

01:46

James Garner

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Gene LeBell on working as James Garner's stunt-double

02:32

Lee Majors

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Gene LeBell on stunt work on The Six Million Dollar Man and working with Lee Majors

02:55

Mickey Gilbert

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Gene LeBell on working with stunt coordinator Mickey Gilbert on The Fall Guy

04:19

Muhammad Ali

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Gene LeBell on refereeing one of Muhammad Ali's fights

01:24

O. J. Simpson

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Gene LeBell on working with O.J. Simpson

00:52

Ozzie Nelson

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Gene LeBell on a stunt he did on The Adventures and Ozzie and Harriet, and Ozzie Nelson's interest in safety

01:35

Robert Blake

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Gene LeBell on stunt work on Baretta and working with Robert Blake

01:02

Robert Culp

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Gene LeBell on stunt work on I Spy and working with Robert Culp

02:00

Ronnie Rondell, Jr.

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Gene LeBell on a stunt/dialogue scene he did on The Jack Benny Program with Count Billy Varga in 1962, and his experience working with Benny

02:45

Tom Selleck

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Gene LeBell on working with Magnum P.I. lead Tom Selleck

01:05