"Never took a stunt that I wasn't able to do. And, being on Board of Directors of Screen Actors Guild and AFTRA, I made a difference in young performers' lives."

    About This Interview

    In her three-hour interview, Leslie Hoffman speaks about her training at Paul Stader's gym in the 1970s, which launched her into her first job as a stuntwoman on the feature film Two-Minute Warning. Hoffman describes her work on various television series of the 1970s, including Police Story, Emergency, Laverne & Shirley, M*A*S*H, Charlie's Angels, Columbo, and The Love Boat. She recalls in detail one of her most spectacular stunts, making a 78-foot jump off the "Love Boat" in the series' second episode. She discusses being the first stuntwoman elected to the Board of Directors of SAG, the AFTRA Los Angeles Local Board, and AFTRA National Boards in the 1980s. In addition to describing her stunt work on such 1980's series as Fantasy Island, Private Benjamin, and Falcon Crest, she talks about her extensive work as Doris Roberts' stunt double during the run of Remington Steele. Hoffman then describes her work as a stunt coordinator on the television after-school special Me and My Hormones, which was Melissa Gilbert's directorial debut. Finally, Hoffman discusses her work as a stuntwoman and assistant stunt coordinator on the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager. Hoffman also recounts her work in several feature films including I Wanna Hold Your Hand, 1941, Airplane!, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!. Throughout the interview, Hoffman defines and describes the tools of the trade and other stunt terminology. Gary Rutkowski conducted the interview on March 10, 2003 in Los Angeles, CA.

    All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.
    People Talking About ...
    Thumbnail of Leslie Hoffman

    Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for M*A*S*H

    01:02
    Thumbnail of Leslie Hoffman

    Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Star Trek: Voyager

    07:08
    Thumbnail of Leslie Hoffman

    Leslie Hoffman on a stunt she performed on Columbo involving a spiral staircase

    02:47
    Thumbnail of Leslie Hoffman

    Leslie Hoffman on performing stunts for Centennial 

    03:37
    Thumbnail of Leslie Hoffman

    Leslie Hoffman on the risks of a high jump stunt and precautions she takes

    02:49
    Play Full Interview

    Chapter 1

    On her early life and influences; on her training as an actress; on deciding she wanted to be a stunt person

    13:32

    On training to be a stunt woman; on stunt people she trained with; on marketing herself as a stuntwoman; on doing stunt work for Police Story

    14:53

    Chapter 2

    On how doing stunts for television compares to doing stunts for movies; on being assigned stunts and what constitutes a stunt; on rehearsing stunts and the pay scale for stunts

    09:05

    On doing stunts for Emergency; on doing stunts for Love Boat; on dealing with life or death situations as a stunt person; on doing stunts for M*A*S*H

    21:41

    Chapter 3

    On performing stunts for M*A*S*H, Columbo, and The Chuck Barris Rah Rah Show; on performing stunts for Centennial, The Hardy Boys Mysteries and Charlie's Angels

    12:14

    On the risks of a stunt person and precautions she takes; on performing various kinds of stunts; on doing stunt work for the feature film "I Wanna Hold Your Hand"

    16:05

    Chapter 4

    On doing stunts for the feature film "I Wanna Hold Your Hand"; on doing stunts for the feature film "1941"; on being on the board of the Screen Actors Guild

    16:10

    On serving on the SAG Safety Committee in 1982; on safety conditions for stunt people; on doing stunt work for various feature films

    11:33

    Chapter 5

    On doing stunts for various feature films; on doing stunts for Fantasy Island; on doing stunts for Getting There, The Gangster Chronicles, and The M unsters Revenge

    09:14

    On doing stunts for Private Benjamin, CHiPs, and Falcon Crest; on doing stunts for Melrose Place, Remington Steele and ABC Afterschool Specials

    14:31

    Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

    07:05

    Chapter 6

    On stunts she performed on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine;  on doing stunts for Star Trek: Voyager;  on her favorite memories of working on the Star Trek shows

    15:15

    On advice to aspiring stunt people; on insurance issues that face stunt people; on keeping physically fit as a stunt person

    04:31

    On technical advances in digital effects since she started as a stunt person; on her proudest professional achievement; on how she'd like to be remembered

    03:20

    On B-roll pictures from her career: on the set of M*A*S*H; with Nancy Allen on the set of "I Wanna Hold Your Hand"; doing a stunt for The Love Boat; on the set of Remington Steele; with Doris Roberts on the set of Remington Steele; with Rose Marie on the set of Remington Steele; with Pierce Brosnan on the set of Remington Steele; on the set of "The Naked Gun"; on the set of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine; on the set of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine; on the set of Star Trek: Voyager; various pictures from Star Trek; SAG Certificate of Appreciation; Board of Directors of SAG circa 1982; in her fire suit on fire

    07:19

    ABC Afterschool Specials

    Leslie Hoffman on being stunt coordinator for the ABC Afterschool Special  "Me and My Hormones"

    01:14

    Centennial

    Leslie Hoffman on performing stunts for Centennial 

    03:37

    Charlie's Angels

    Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Charlie's Angels

    01:04

    CHiPs

    Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for CHiPs

    00:46

    Chuck Barris Rah Rah Show, The

    Leslie Hoffman on performing stunts for The Chuck Barris Rah Rah Show

    00:51

    Columbo

    Leslie Hoffman on a stunt she performed on Columbo involving a spiral staircase

    02:47

    Emergency!

    Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Emergency

    04:01

    Falcon Crest

    Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Falcon Crest

    01:27

    Fantasy Island

    Leslie Hoffman on the stunts she performed on Fantasy Island and her reflections on the cast

    03:46

    Hardy Boys Mysteries, The

    Leslie Hoffman on performing stunts for The Hardy Boys Mysteries

    01:14

    Love Boat, The

    Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Love Boat

    09:55

    Leslie Hoffman on how she felt after a Love Boat stunt

    01:35

    M*A*S*H

    Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for M*A*S*H

    01:02

    Leslie Hoffman on performing stunts for M*A*S*H  and the atmosphere on set

    02:40

    Melrose Place

    Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Melrose Place

    01:59

    Munsters' Revenge, The

    Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for The Munsters' Revenge 

    00:44

    Police Story

    Leslie Hoffman on doing stunt work for Police Story

    02:08

    Private Benjamin

    Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Private Benjamin 

    00:28

    Remington Steele

    Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Remington Steele

    08:37

    Star Trek

    Leslie Hoffman on Star Trek conventions

    01:39

    Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

    Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine  (Part 1)

    07:05

    Leslie Hoffman on stunts she performed on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

    05:04

    Leslie Hoffman on her favorite memories of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager

    01:24

    Star Trek: Voyager

    Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Star Trek: Voyager

    07:08

    Leslie Hoffman on her favorite memories of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager

    01:24

    Advice

    Leslie Hoffman on advice to aspiring stunt people

    01:44

    Technological Innovation

    Leslie Hoffman on technical advances in digital effects since she started as a stunt person

    01:35

    Television Industry

    Leslie Hoffman on advice to aspiring stunt people

    01:44

    Performers

    Leslie Hoffman on training to be a stuntwoman

    04:29

    Leslie Hoffman on rehearsing stunts

    02:01

    Leslie Hoffman on dealing with life or death situations as a stunt person

    03:18

    Leslie Hoffman on doing pratfalls

    03:38

    Leslie Hoffman on doing staircase falls

    02:38

    Leslie Hoffman on performing fire stunts

    06:20

    Leslie Hoffman on the risks of a high jump stunt and precautions she takes

    02:49

    Leslie Hoffman on advice to aspiring stunt people

    01:44

    Stunt Performer/Stunt Supervisor/Stunt Coordinator

    Leslie Hoffman on training to be a stuntwoman

    04:29

    Leslie Hoffman on rehearsing stunts

    02:01

    Leslie Hoffman on dealing with life or death situations as a stunt person

    03:18

    Leslie Hoffman on doing pratfalls

    03:38

    Leslie Hoffman on doing staircase falls

    02:38

    Leslie Hoffman on performing fire stunts

    06:20

    Leslie Hoffman on the risks of a high jump stunt and precautions she takes

    02:49

    Leslie Hoffman on advice to aspiring stunt people

    01:44

    Children's Programming

    Leslie Hoffman on being stunt coordinator for the ABC Afterschool Special  "Me and My Hormones"

    01:14

    Comedy Series

    Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Love Boat

    14:45

    Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for M*A*S*H

    01:03

    Leslie Hoffman on performing stunts for M*A*S*H  and the atmosphere on set

    02:40

    Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Private Benjamin 

    00:28

    Cop/Detective/Mystery Series

    Leslie Hoffman on doing stunt work for Police Story

    02:08

    Leslie Hoffman on a stunt she performed on Columbo  involving a spiral staircase

    02:47

    Leslie Hoffman on performing stunts for The Hardy Boys Mysteries

    01:14

    Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Charlie's Angels

    01:05

    Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for CHiPs

    00:46

    Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Remington Steele

    08:37

    Daytime/Primetime Serials

    Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Falcon Crest

    01:27

    Drama Series

    Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Melrose Place

    01:59

    Medical Dramas

    Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Emergency

    04:01

    Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials

    Leslie Hoffman on performing stunts for The Chuck Barris Rah Rah Show

    00:51

    Sci-Fi/Supernatural Series

    Leslie Hoffman on the stunts she performed on Fantasy Island  and reflections on the cast 

    03:46

    Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

    07:05

    Leslie Hoffman on stunts she performed on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Part 2)

    05:04

    Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for Star Trek: Voyager

    10:11

    TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

    Leslie Hoffman on performing stunts for Centennial 

    03:37

    Leslie Hoffman on doing stunts for The Munsters Revenge 

    00:44

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