Stuntman Inspired ‘Once Upon A Time In Hollywood’ – Deadline

Gary Kent, actor, director and, above all, stuntman whose career is believed to have been an inspiration for the Quentin Tarantino film. once upon a time in hollywood, died Thursday at an assisted living facility in Austin, Texas. He was 89.

Born June 7, 1933 in Walla Walla, Washington, Kent’s early film credits include 1959 battle flameand roles in other low-budget films of the 1960s, including The Black Klansman (1966) and biker film the seven savages (1968). In 1969, she starred as Bruce Dern’s double in the now cult classic directed by Richard Rush. Psych Out.

Among his other credits are favorite drive-in movies like Peter Bogdanovich’s first film. Goals (1968), with Boris Karloff, 1970 bloody devil from helland, the following year, The incredible transplant of 2 heads and The wild women of angels.

Though he had numerous small acting roles throughout the era, his most enduring contributions to Hollywood would come as a stuntman from the 1960s through the 1990s, with his work adding action to television shows (The Man from UNCLE, The Green Hornet, Daniel Boone) and feature films (Hells Angels On Wheels, The Return of Count Yorga, Freebie and the Bean, Color of Night and Bubba Ho Tep).

According to Joe O’Connell’s 2018 biographical documentary danger godTarantino drew on Kent’s life and career in creating the stuntman character Cliff Booth played by Brad Pitt in 2019. once upon a time in hollywood. While stuntman and director Hal Needham was also a major inspiration, there’s a particular overlap between Kent and Booth in their crossover with The green Hornet‘s Bruce Lee and, perhaps even more surprising, Kent’s encounters with the Charles Manson family during late 1960s movie shoots at Spahn Ranch.

In 1976, Kent wrote and directed The piramid, which was recently included in the book TCM Underground: 50 Must-See Movies From The World Of Cult Classic And Late Night Cinema. Kent’s own book, the memoirs. Shadows and Light: Journeys with Outlaws in Revolutionary HollywoodIt was published in 2009.

Kent is survived by six children and four grandchildren. According to the Austin Chronicle, her family will honor her wishes and scatter her ashes in the Pacific Ocean.