About
"The person who enjoys the work never goes to work."
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.
Highlights
Gene LeBell on a stunt he did on The Adventures and Ozzie and Harriet, and Ozzie Nelson's interest in safety
Gene LeBell on an incident during a Dukes of Hazzard shoot, in an episode where he played a villain
Gene LeBell on stunt work on The Green Hornet with Bruce Lee
Gene LeBell on stunts he won't do and stunts he'd like to do
Gene LeBell on essential qualities for a stuntperson
Full Interview
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
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)
Baretta
Gene LeBell on stunt work on Baretta and working with Robert Blake
Batman
Gene LeBell on his stunt work on the television and film versions of Batman
Gene LeBell on working with guest stars like Frank Gorshin ("The Riddler") on Batman
Beverly Hillbillies, The
Gene LeBell on his stunt work for The Beverly Hillbillies
Burke's Law
Gene LeBell on stunt work with Gene Barry on Burke's Law
Charlie's Angels
Gene LeBell on stunt work on Charlie's Angels
Dukes of Hazzard, The
Gene LeBell on an incident during a Dukes of Hazzard shoot, in an episode where he played a villain
Fall Guy, The
Gene LeBell on working with stunt coordinator Mickey Gilbert on The Fall Guy
Fantasy Island
Gene LeBell on stunt work on Fantasy Island
Green Hornet, The
Gene LeBell on stunt work on The Green Hornet with Bruce Lee
I Spy
Gene LeBell on stunt work on I Spy and working with Robert Culp
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
Lassie
Gene LeBell on fighting a bear on an episode of Lassie (in which he got hurt)
Laverne & Shirley
Gene LeBell on stunt work on Laverne & Shirley
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
MacGyver
Gene LeBell on stunt work on MacGyver
Magnum, P.I.
Gene LeBell on stunt work with Magnum P.I. lead Tom Selleck
Married… With Children
Gene LeBell on stunt work on Married... With Children
Munsters, The
Gene LeBell on stunt work with Fred Gwynne on The Munsters
Six Million Dollar Man, The
Gene LeBell on stunt work on The Six Million Dollar Man and working with Lee Majors
Starsky and Hutch
Gene LeBell on stunt work on Starsky and Hutch
Taxi
Gene LeBell on stunt work on Taxi, usually as a referee during one of Tony Danza's boxing matches
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
Gene LeBell on the stunt work done for Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
Wackiest Ship in the Army, The
Gene LeBell on stunt work doubling Jack Warden on The Wackiest Ship in the Army
Wagon Train
Gene LeBell on how he and George Reeves would have been cast on Wagon Train had Reeves lived
Topics
Historic Events and Social Change
Gene LeBell on getting drafted during the Korean War and joining The Coast Guard
Gene LeBell on doing stunts for black actors
Korean War
Gene LeBell on getting drafted during the Korean War and joining The Coast Guard
Representation on Television
Gene LeBell on doing stunts for black actors
Technological Innovation
Gene LeBell on how blue and green screens have changed the stunt profession
Underrepresented Voices
Gene LeBell on doing stunts for black actors
War
Gene LeBell on getting drafted during the Korean War and joining The Coast Guard
Professions
Performers
Gene LeBell on how he got into stunt work
Gene LeBell on the lack of early safety regulations for stunt people
Gene LeBell on his specialty in stunts and the background necessary for the profession
Gene LeBell on coordinating stunts
Gene LeBell on different types of stunts - high falls, stunt driving, pratfalls, stair falls and fistfights
Gene LeBell on preparations for stunt fistfights and fire stunts
Gene LeBell on stunts he won't do and stunts he'd like to do
Gene LeBell on essential qualities for a stuntperson
Gene LeBell on how he's credited a stuntperson
Gene LeBell on early stuntwomen and men doubling for women
Stunt Performer/Stunt Supervisor/Stunt Coordinator
Gene LeBell on how he got into stunt work
Gene LeBell on the lack of early safety regulations for stunt people
Gene LeBell on his specialty in stunts and the background necessary for the profession
Gene LeBell on coordinating stunts
Gene LeBell on different types of stunts - high falls, stunt driving, pratfalls, stair falls and fistfights
Gene LeBell on preparations for stunt fistfights and fire stunts
Gene LeBell on stunts he won't do and stunts he'd like to do
Gene LeBell on essential qualities for a stuntperson
Gene LeBell on how he's credited a stuntperson
Gene LeBell on early stuntwomen and men doubling for women
Genres
Adventure/Espionage Series
Gene LeBell on his stunt work on the television and film versions of Batman
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)
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
Sports
Gene LeBell on early televised wrestling and boxing matches
People
Muhammad Ali
Gene LeBell on refereeing one of Muhammad Ali's fights
Gene Barry
Gene LeBell on stunt work with Gene Barry on Burke's Law
Jack Benny
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
Robert Blake
Gene LeBell on stunt work on Baretta and working with Robert Blake
Robert Culp
Gene LeBell on stunt work on I Spy and working with Robert Culp
James Garner
Gene LeBell on working as James Garner's stunt-double
Gorgeous George
Gene LeBell on his mother inventing the stage name "Gorgeous George"
Gene LeBell on sneaking out of the Coast Guard to be Gorgeous George's second in a match
Mickey Gilbert
Gene LeBell on working with stunt coordinator Mickey Gilbert on The Fall Guy
Frank Gorshin
Gene LeBell on working with guest stars like Frank Gorshin ("The Riddler") on Batman
Fred Gwynne
Gene LeBell on stunt work with Fred Gwynne on The Munsters
Ronnie Rondell, Jr.
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
Bruce Lee
Gene LeBell on stunt work on The Green Hornet with Bruce Lee
Lee Majors
Gene LeBell on stunt work on The Six Million Dollar Man and working with Lee Majors
Ozzie Nelson
Gene LeBell on a stunt he did on The Adventures and Ozzie and Harriet, and Ozzie Nelson's interest in safety
George Reeves
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)
Tom Selleck
Gene LeBell on working with Magnum P.I. lead Tom Selleck
O. J. Simpson
Gene LeBell on working with O.J. Simpson
Herve Villechaize
Gene LeBell on stunt work on Fantasy Island
Jack Warden
Gene LeBell on stunt work doubling Jack Warden on The Wackiest Ship in the Army