Hollywood stuntman Ronnie Rondell Jr, whose iconic appearance on Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here album cover made him globally recognizable beyond the film industry, has died at the age of 88. The legendary performer passed away at a care home in Missouri after a career spanning more than 50 years.
Rondell was involved in some of Hollywood's biggest blockbusters, including Lethal Weapon, Star Trek: First Contact, Thelma and Louise, Charlie's Angels, Dynasty, Baywatch, Spartacus, Diamonds are Forever, Blazing Saddles, The Towering Inferno and The Karate Kid. He began his career in the 1950s with early roles including the TV series Soldiers of Fortune.
Pink Floyd album cover fame
The stuntman achieved global recognition when he was photographed being set alight for the cover of Pink Floyd's 1975 album Wish You Were Here. According to the BBC, during the shoot a wind direction change blew fire into his face, causing him to lose his eyebrow and moustache despite wearing a suit and wig covered in flame-retardant gel.
Born in California in 1937, Rondell progressed from performing stunts to coordinating them, working on major productions including Batman and Robin. The BBC reports his first acting role was as a teenager in Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair in the early 1950s.
Industry pioneer and mentor
Rondell was one of the founders of Stunts Unlimited in California in 1970, helping to establish professional standards in the stunt industry. The company became a major force in Hollywood stunt coordination over the following decades.
In a tribute on social media, Stunts Unlimited wrote: "In a class all his own, Ronnie was a generous mentor whose talents set the bar for every aspiring stunt person. He was deeply respected, admired and loved. Ronnie was not just a legend, he was legendary and will be deeply missed."
Career and personal tragedy
Rondell officially retired in 2001 but completed one final scene for The Matrix Reloaded in 2003, performing a car chase sequence. He received a lifetime achievement award at the Taurus World Stunt Awards in 2004 in recognition of his contributions to the industry.
Tragedy struck the family when Rondell's son Reid died in 1985 while performing a helicopter stunt for the television series Airwolf. According to the BBC, Rondell's father Ronald R Rondell was also in the entertainment industry as an actor and assistant director.
Sources used: "WalesOnline", "BBC" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
