Rob Harris (skysurfer)
{{Short description|American skysurfer (1966–1995)}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2023}}
{{More citations needed|date=June 2008}}
{{Infobox person
|name=Rob Harris
|birth_name=Robert Belmares Harris
|birth_date=December 17, 1966
|birth_place=California, U.S.
|death_date= December 14, 1995 (aged 28)
|death_cause= Fall
|death_place= British Columbia, Canada
|nationality=American
|occupation= Actor
|known for= Skysurf Champion, Died during a TV commercial
}}
Robert Belmares Harris (December 17, 1966 – December 14, 1995) was an American skysurfing champion.{{Cite web | url=https://www.oocities.org/taxgirl_innercircle/ic-robharris.html |title=Rob Harris |website=www.oocities.org}} He was the skysurfing world champion of 1994 and 1995. In December 1995, while shooting the Mountain Dew "007" commercial, based on the titular fictional character, directed by David Kellogg and lensed by Janusz Kamiński, Harris was in descending flight when his parachute failed to open, causing him to plunge to his death toward the Vernon Regional Airport.{{Cite web | url=http://pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca/fedora/repository/pgc:1995-12-16-13 |page=13 |title=Prince George Citizen |date=16 Dec 1995 |website=pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca}}Pete Thomas {{cite news |title=The X Factor |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-06-19-sp-16424-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times}}{{cite web |title=Blast From The Past: Legendary Skysurfing By Rob Harris |date=21 November 2020|url=https://jointheteem.com/skydiving-videos/skydive-skysurfing-by-rob-harris-and-joe-jennings/}}
Memorialization
The song "Fall Free" from Alan Parsons's 1996 release On Air is dedicated to the vision of Harris, as is
Bobby-B's "99 Rips and Beyond"; the latter album includes a picture of him in the booklet.
After his death, the Rob Harris Foundation was set up in his memory.
Rob Harris was a roommate of Hip Hop artist Daddy X, producer of the Kottonmouth Kings, and they frequently refer to his memory in many of their songs. For example, in the song "Misunderstood", rapper Saint Dog is heard saying "we miss Rob Harris" more than once. Saint Dog also raps, "Like DJ Rob Harris, kid I'm soaring," in the song "Life Ain't What It Seems" off the Kottonmouth Kings debut album, Royal Highness.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/tv/harris.htm Rebuttal of the urban legend on snopes.com]
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