BookHounds

Books, Gardens & Dogs

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Giveaways
  • Disclosure Policy
  • Giveaway Hops!
  • Privacy Policy
  • Review Policy
  • Wish List
  • Reviews by Title

BOOK TRAILER TUESDAY Stuntman! by Hal Needham

January 18, 2011 By Mary 2 Comments

Description

Yep that’s me, Hal Needham, on the cover doing a fire stunt. When you’re on fire you don’t dare breathe because if you do, you’ll suck those flames right down your throat. I was Hollywood’s highest paid stuntman so I should know.

I wrecked hundreds of cars, fell from tall buildings, got blown up, was dragged by horses, and along the way broke 56 bones, my back twice, punctured a lung and knocked out a few teeth…I hung upside down by my ankles under a bi-plane in The Spirit of St. Louis, jumped between galloping horses in Little Big Man, set a world record for a boat stunt on Gator, jumped a rocket powered pick-up truck across a canal for a GM commercial, was the first human to test the car airbag-and taught John Wayne how to really throw a movie punch.

Life also got exciting outside of the movie business. I had my Ferrari stolen right from under my nose, flew in a twin-engine Cessna with a passed out pilot, rescued the cast and crew from a Russian invasion in Czechoslovakia, and once took six flight attendants on a date. I owned the Skoal-Bandit NASCAR race team, the sound-barrier breaking Budweiser Rocket Car and drove a souped-up, fake ambulance in a “little” cross-country race called The Cannonball Run, which became the movie I directed by the same name. Oh yeah, I also directed Smokey and the Bandit, Hooper and several other action/comedy movies that I liked a bunch.

I was a sharecropper’s son from the hills of Arkansas who became a Hollywood stuntman. That journey was a tough row to hoe. I continually risked my life but that was the career I chose. I was never late to the set and did whatever I had to do to get the job done.

Hollywood’s not all sunglasses and autographs. Let me tell you a few stories…

About the Author

Hal Needham’s career has included work on 4,500 television episodes and 310 feature films. He directed 10 features, including the classics Smokey and the Bandit, Hooper, and The Cannonball Run. He set trends in movies (the first director to show outtakes during end credits) and NASCAR (the first team owner to use telemetry technology). His Skoal-Bandit race team was one of the most popular NASCAR teams ever – second only to that of The King, Richard Petty. Hal set Guinness World Records and was the financier and owner of the Budweiser Rocket Car (now on display in the Smithsonian Museum), the first land vehicle to break the sound barrier – travelling at 739.666 mph. The highest paid stuntman in the world, he has broken fifty-six bones and his back (twice), was the first human to test the car airbag, and has fought for the respect and recognition that stuntmen and stuntwomen deserve for their contribution to the world of moviemaking. His many awards include an Emmy and an Academy Award.

Details

  • Hardcover: 320 pages
  • Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (February 9, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0316078999
  • ISBN-13: 978-0316078993

This one looks super exciting and interesting.  I love memoirs, so this is right up my alley!

    Share this:

    • Tweet
    • Share on Tumblr

    Related Posts

    • Related Posts
    $25 #Giveaway LARK’S LABYRINTH by Cathy Cash
    $10 #Giveaway Book Trailer Reveal BENEATH THE BLOO
    #Giveaway TRAILER & COVER REVEAL: A MIDNIGHT
    $20 #Giveaway CHILDREN OF THE FIFTH SUN by Gareth
    $20 #Giveaway Trailer Reveal: REALM by Alexandrea

    Comments

    1. holdenj says

      January 18, 2011 at 10:07 pm

      It does look like an fascinating memoir. Anything related to the movies always has a good story or two!

      Reply
    2. Erin says

      January 26, 2011 at 2:05 am

      This book sounds so good and I’m super excited to read it. Hal Needham is a Hollywood icon and I can’t wait to hear the stories he has to share! I’ve already pre-ordered it on Amazon!

      Reply

    Leave a Reply to holdenj Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
    To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

    Follow Us

    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Email
    • Goodreads

    Subscribe to Blog via Email

    Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

    Join 31,165 other subscribers

    Current Giveaways

    $50 Amazon Gift Card & a Digital Copy of Brooke Burroughs’ THE MARRIAGE CODE

    $50 Amazon Gift Card & a Digital Copy of Brooke Burroughs’ THE MARRIAGE CODE — Ends Jan 24th, 2021

    BALLET ORPHANS, a $25 gift card & swag

    BALLET ORPHANS, a $25 gift card & swag — Ends Feb 1st, 2021

    POWER DIVIDED & swag packs that include magnets,& tote bags, US Only.

    POWER DIVIDED & swag packs that include magnets,& tote bags, US Only. — Ends Feb 1st, 2021

    $100 Amazon gift card

    $100 Amazon gift card — Ends Jan 21st, 2021

    $25 Amazon gift card

    $25 Amazon gift card — Ends Jan 22nd, 2021

    $20 Amazon gift card

    $20 Amazon gift card — Ends Jan 22nd, 2021

    $25 Amazon gift card

    $25 Amazon gift card — Ends Jan 22nd, 2021

    $25 g.c. (Amazon/Nook/iTunes, your choice)

    $25 g.c. (Amazon/Nook/iTunes, your choice) — Ends Jan 21st, 2021

    $25 Amazon gift card

    $25 Amazon gift card — Ends Jan 22nd, 2021

    $25 Amazon gift card

    $25 Amazon gift card — Ends Jan 22nd, 2021

    $15 Amazon gift card

    $15 Amazon gift card — Ends Jan 22nd, 2021

    $20 Amazon gift card

    $20 Amazon gift card — Ends Jan 22nd, 2021

    $50 Amazon gift card

    $50 Amazon gift card — Ends Jan 22nd, 2021

    Signed copies of all Kaylene's books

    Signed copies of all Kaylene's books — Ends Jan 22nd, 2021

    2 x $5 Amazon gift cards + an ebook copy of The Lost Princess

    2 x $5 Amazon gift cards + an ebook copy of The Lost Princess — Ends Jan 21st, 2021

    $15 Amazon gift card

    $15 Amazon gift card — Ends Jan 29th, 2021

    $25 Amazon gift card

    $25 Amazon gift card — Ends Jan 29th, 2021

    $10 Amazon gift card

    $10 Amazon gift card — Ends Jan 29th, 2021

    giveaway

    Upcoming Giveaways

    1 lucky winner will receive a swag pack with a $20 Amazon Gift Card, International.

    1 lucky winner will receive a swag pack with a $20 Amazon Gift Card, International. — Begins 08 Dec

    [footer_backtotop]

    Copyright © 2021 ·Modern Blogger Pro · Genesis Framework by StudioPress · Design Update by Imagination Designs WordPress · Log in