A. J. Bakunas

(Redirected from A.J. Bakunas)

Albert John Bakunas, Jr, a.k.a. A.J. Bakunas (October 23, 1950 – September 22, 1978) was a stunt performer who died doubling for George Kennedy in a fall from the Kincaid Towers in Lexington, Kentucky, for the film Steel (1979).

A.J. Bakunas
Born
Albert John Bakunas

(1950-10-23)October 23, 1950
DiedSeptember 22, 1978(1978-09-22) (aged 27)
Cause of deathFalling
OccupationStunt performer

Born in Fort Lee, New Jersey, Bakunas quit his job as a gym teacher at Tenafly (N.J.) High School in 1974 and set out to break into the film industry.[citation needed] He did his first stuntwork for the 1975 film Dog Day Afternoon. Bakunas became known for expertly performing falls from great heights.[1]

In 1978, Bakunas set a world record with a 70.1 metres (230 ft) fall from a helicopter for the film Hooper,[2] which was broken that same year by Dar Robinson's 87.2 metres (286 ft) fall for a non-movie-related publicity stunt.[3]

Bakunas, determined to retake the record, returned to Lexington to perform a 96 metres (315 ft) jump from the 22nd floor of a construction site, where he had previously successfully fallen nine stories. On September 21, 1978, as his father and a crowd of about 1,000 watched, Bakunas performed the fall, reaching an estimated speed of 115 miles per hour (185 km/h). However, the airbag split on impact, and Bakunas died of his injuries the next day.[4]

Filmography

edit
Year Title Role Notes
1979 The Warriors Punk #2
1979 The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again Henchman #1
1979 Steel 2nd Goon
1980 The Stunt Man Eli's Script Clerk (final film role)

References

edit
  1. ^ "A.J. Bakunas". IMDB. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  2. ^ Guinness World Records 2014. Guinness World Records. 12 September 2013. p. 916. ISBN 9781908843562.
  3. ^ Guinness World Records 2016. Guinness World Records. 10 September 2015. p. 96. ISBN 9781910561034.
  4. ^ "323-Foot Leap Kills Stuntman". Kentucky New Era. September 22, 1978. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  • Lexington Leader, September 21, 1978
edit