Gary Alan Epper (December 31, 1944 - December 1, 2007 in Los Angeles, California) was an American stunt performer, coordinator and occasional actor. Part of a major stunt family dynasty in Hollywood, he was the son of John Epper, the brother of fellow Star Trek stuntmen Tony Epper and Andy Epper and stuntwoman Jeannie Epper. His family traces its lineage back to "a colonel in Napoleon's army" and his great-grandson, a multi-lingual Swiss who eventually lived in California where he began the family tradition in stunt work and the tradition has passed down from each generation.[1]
Gary Epper | |
|---|---|
| Born | Gary Alan Epper December 31, 1944 |
| Died | December 1, 2007 (aged 62) |
| Occupation(s) | Stuntman, coordinator, actor |
| Years active | 1952–1999 |
| Children | 5 |
| Parent(s) | John Epper (father) Frances Epper (mother) |
| Relatives | Jeannie Epper (sister) Tony Epper (brother) Stephanie Epper (sister) Andy Epper (brother) Margo Epper (sister) |
| Family | 5 grandchildren |
Epper worked on some of the most successful Hollywood blockbuster films and television series of all time, including Lassie (1954), Hawaii Five-O (1968), Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970), Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972), Magnum Force (1973), Starsky and Hutch (1975-1979), Charlie's Angels (1980-1981), Blade Runner (1982), Scarface (1983), Top Gun (1986), The Untouchables (1987), Rambo III (1988), Lethal Weapon 2 (1989), The Hunt for Red October (1990), Days of Thunder (1990), Die Hard 2 (1990), Basic Instinct (1992), Jurassic Park (1993), Demolition Man (1993), Speed (1994), L.A. Confidential (1997), The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997), Armageddon (1998) and Wild Wild West (1999).[2]
As an actor, he is probably best known for playing the assimilated borg Ensign Lynch in Star Trek: First Contact.[3]
Epper died on December 1, 2007, at age 62. Epper is survived by five children, Lisa, Danielle, Gary, Madison and Nicole, and five grandchildren, Brie, Skyler, Emma, Maggie and Kate.
Filmography edit
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Westbound | Boy at Stagecoach Accident | Uncredited |
| 1965 | Shenandoah | Church Member | Uncredited |
| 1972 | The Cowboys | Rustler | |
| 1975 | Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze | Hood | Uncredited |
| 1988 | The Seventh Sign | Jimmy's Guard | |
| 1990 | Captain America | Mr. Erlich | |
| 1991 | V.I. Warshawski | Thug #2 | |
| 1991 | Hook | Growling Pirate | |
| 1993 | Father Hood | Trucker | |
| 1995 | 3 Ninjas Knuckle Up | Biker #1 | |
| 1996 | Broken Arrow | Miller | (final film role) |
References edit
- ^ Chris Nashawaty, "Danger Is Their Middle Name: Don't let the tranquil smiles fool you. You're looking at some of the world's most fearless daredevils. Meet the Eppers, Hollywood's reigning dynasty of stuntpeople. Thrill-seeking is in their genes," Entertainment Weekly (October 19, 2007): 94.
- ^ "Gary Epper filmography". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2012. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
- ^ "We are the Borg. 18:Gary Epper". Listal. Archived from the original on September 18, 2010. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
External links edit
- Gary Epper at IMDb
- Gary Epper at Memory Alpha
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