Dar Robinson

One of the modern US cinema's greatest stuntmen and stunt innovators, Dar Robinson only appeared in a relatively small number of films compared to other stuntmen (before losing his life in an off-set motorcycle accident); however, he set new benchmarks in stunt performances. Robinson first appeared onscreen doubling for Steve McQueen jumping into the sea off a clifftop in Papillon (1973), and the following year leapt into the sea again on a motorbike doubling for crooked cop David Soul in Magnum Force (1973).

According to The Guinness Book of Records, Robinson was the highest-paid stuntman who received $100,000 for a single stunt. This he performed when he leaped from the top of the world's tallest free-standing structure, the CN Tower in Toronto, Canada. The stunt was captured in the 1980 film Highpoint (1982) with Robinson free-falling an incredible 700' before deploying a concealed parachute, which he activated a mere 300' from the ground.

Robinson also doubled for Henry Silva in the dramatic conclusion to Sharky's Machine (1981) where Silva's hitman character is blasted by cop Burt Reynolds through a plate glass window and falls to his death from an Atlanta, Georgia, skyscraper.

In reality, Robinson took the dive out the window and landed an on an airbag many floors below to break his fall!Dar was a high-fall specialist and one of his most amazing stunts was doubling for Christopher Plummer at the conclusion of Highpoint (1982) where the villain falls from the 1,170-foot-high CN Tower in Toronto, Canada. Once again, Dar took the plunge with a concealed parachute, which he opened at the absolute last moment, and he earned $150,000 for his work.

Robinson also appeared in several minor acting roles onscreen; however, in 1987, Burt Reynolds backed his faith in Dar by casting him as the sadistic albino villain "Moke" in the crime thriller Stick (1985). Not only did Dar act in front of the camera but he also designed and performed the incredible stunt where "Moke" falls to his death from a very high balcony, seemingly straight onto the pavement below. In actual fact, Dar was rigged to a complex wire rig that "deccelerated" his fall, and made the use of an airbag unnecessary. Dar Robinson was much loved by many people in Hollywood and his tragic passing meant the movie business lost a stunt genius and many people lost a sincere friend.

He was honored posthumously in 1995 by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (the "Oscar people) with an honorary "Oscar" for his many contributions to the art of film.