Hal Needham

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BIRTHDAY

March 06, 1937

Memphis, Tennessee, United States

RECENT CREDITS

World Stunt Awards (TV) Jun. 16, 2001

Hostage Hotel (TV) Nov. 14, 1999

Sunchaser (FILM) Oct. 25, 1996

Cybill (TV) Jan. 2, 1995

Bandit: Bandit's Silver Angel (TV) Apr. 4, 1994

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BIOGRAPHY

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This former stuntman-turned-director was raised in rural areas of Missouri and Arkansas. Hal Needham got his first taste of thrill-seeking while working as a tree topper and while serving in the US Army as a parachutist. After his military service, he settled in Southern California and began working as a stuntman in films and TV in the late 1950s. Needham first met long-time collaborator Burt Reynolds while working on the NBC series "Riverboat" in 1959. During the 1960s and first half of the 70s, Needham alternated between stunt work and the occasional acting role, frequently collaborating with film director Andrew V McLaglen. He began to work as a second unit director with the Reynolds vehicle "The Longest Yard" (1974) and parlayed his talent for organized mayhem into a career as an action-film director with the low-brow but highly popular "Smokey and the Bandit" (1977), which pitted Jackie Gleason against Reynolds. "Hooper" (1978), a semi-autobiographical study of a veteran stuntman (Reynolds, again), also proved to be a box-office hit. While some felt it was nothing more than a live-action cartoon, "The Villain" (1979) found several champions. Continuing his winning streak with Reynolds, Needham helmed the sequel "Smokey and the Bandit II" (1980) and the big grossing "The Cannonball Run" (1981). He stumbled somewhat with "Megaforce" (1982), which he also wrote, "Stroker Ace" (1983) and his last feature, to date, the wrestling-themed "Body Slam" (1987). More recently, Needham revisited his most popular character, the Bandit, executive producing and directing a series of syndicated TV-movies in 1994, featuring Brian Bloom as the character.

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Headlines

Woo receives Stunt awards

May. 22, 2001

Jumping off cliffs and hanging from high altitude might get you an award. Stunt people from such films as Gladiator and Charlie's Angels were big winners in the first World Stunt Awards, held Sunday. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Arnold Schwarzenegger was honored as best-action movie star. "You have made me shine on the screen," he said. "You made me look heroic." MI:2 d...

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