Rocky Taylor
{{Short description|English stuntman and actor}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Rocky Taylor
| birth_name = Laurie Taylor
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1945|02|28}}[https://books.google.com/books?id=rBd4BAAAQBAJ&dq=rocky+taylor&pg=PT80 Guinness World Records 2015]
| birth_place = Bermondsey, England
| death_date =
| death_place =
| occupation = Stuntman, actor
| years_active = 1961–present
| relations = Larry Taylor (father)
}}
Rocky Taylor (born Laurie Taylor; 28 February 1945) is an English stuntman and actor.
Career
His first appearance as a stuntman was an uncredited role in Dr. No. He has since been a stuntman for many famous and successful films including multiple James Bond and Indiana Jones films, A Bridge Too Far, Titanic, The Da Vinci Code, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 and the HBO television series Game of Thrones. He has also had minor acting roles in 40 films, including doubling for Roger Moore and Sean Connery in James Bond films. He is also known for playing the original Honey Monster in a series of commercials for Sugar Puffs.{{cite web | title=Interview with legendary stuntman Rocky Taylor » The MALESTROM | website=The MALESTROM | date=2019-03-01 | url=https://themalestrom.com/film-tv/interview-legendary-stuntman-rocky-taylor/ | access-date=2021-12-31}}
Taylor currently holds the record for being the oldest stuntman in Britain, with 35 years as a stunt performer and 20 years as a stunt coordinator. He appeared on Russell Howard's Good News in 2011 to discuss his career.
=Accidents=
Taylor suffered a fractured spine in 1985 when a stunt on the film Death Wish 3 went wrong, but survived the fall from a burning building. He performed the stunt successfully 26 years later in 2011. {{cite web | last=Angelini | first=Francesca | title=Rocky Taylor: Death plunge 2 – and this time I get it dead right | website=The Sunday Times | date=2011-08-07 | url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/rocky-taylor-death-plunge-2-and-this-time-i-get-it-dead-right-q52l22bnrfr | access-date=2021-12-31}}
Personal life
Taylor was born in Bermondsey, southeast London, England. His father Larry was also a stuntman, appearing in several films, including Zulu and a 1958 Titanic film, A Night to Remember.
In April 2019, he released his official biography, Jump Rocky Jump, with Pegasus Elliot Mackenzie Publishers.
On 2 April 2020, Taylor was reported to be in "critical condition" after contracting COVID-19.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbr.com/superman-stuntman-rocky-taylor-critical-condition-covid-19/|title=Superman Stuntman Rocky Taylor in Critical Condition From COVID-19|publisher=CBR|date=2 April 2020}}
Selective filmography
| class="wikitable" | |||
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | Gorgo | Man in Crowd | Uncredited |
| 1967 | The Dirty Dozen | Airborne Soldier | Uncredited |
| 1974 | The Man with the Golden Gun | Beirut Thug | Uncredited |
| 1981 | Raiders of the Lost Ark | Staff Car Driver | Uncredited |
| 1983 | Never Say Never Again | Hostage Guard | Uncredited |
| 1989 | Batman | Napier Hood #5 | |
| 1997 | Titanic | Bert Cartmell | |
| 1997 | Tomorrow Never Dies | Carver's Thug | Uncredited |
| 1999 | The World Is Not Enough | Man in Restaurant | Uncredited |
| 2002 | Die Another Day | Man at Sword Club | Uncredited |
| 2018
|Lift Guard |Credited |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.actionstuntsrockytaylor.com/ Official website]
- {{IMDb name|0853092}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Taylor, Rocky}}
Category:Actors from the London Borough of Southwark
Category:English stunt performers
Category:English male film actors
Category:English male television actors