Clint Eastwood’s stunt double, Buddy Van Horn, died May 11, his family announced in an obituary published Sunday.
Van Horn was 92 years old at the time of his death, according to the obituary in the Los Angeles Times. Van Horn worked as the stunt double for actors including Gregory Peck, Jimmy Stewart and Lee Marvin before he landed the role of Eastwood’s stunt double.
#RIP Buddy Van Horn, 92; he directed Clint Eastwood in three films after serving as his stunt double in lots of movies. “I’ve tried to talk him out of [doing his own stunts] sometimes, but not very successfully most of the time,” he once said. https://t.co/VgYqI4RTDQ
— Mike Barnes (@MikeBarnes4) May 31, 2021
Van Horn would go on to work on more than 30 movies with Eastwood over the span of 44 years, according to the obituary. Van Horn began his stunt work with Eastwood on “Coogan’s Bluff.”
Other movies he worked on included “Dirty Harry,” “Sudden Impact,” “In The Line Of Fire,” “Mystic River,” “Million Dollar Baby” and “J. Edgar.” (RELATED: Variety Thinks ‘Indiana Jones’ And ‘Dirty Harry’ Are Problematic Films)
“He really enjoyed being a part of the Malpaso family where he worked as a stuntman, stunt coordinator and director,” the obituary said. “Buddy was thankful for all the opportunities & memories made at Malpaso Productions.”
Van Horn previously said he wasn’t always successful at talking Eastwood out of performing his own stunts.
“He’s a pretty physical guy and likes to do his own stunts. Some of the things he does were pretty easy to get banged up,” Van Horn told the Independent in an interview back in 2011. “I’ve tried to talk him out of it sometimes, but not very successfully most of the time. He went and did ’em anyway, several of ’em. He’s been banged up a few times.”