Gil Perkins
Gil Perkins
Born in Northern Australia, Gil Perkins distinguished himself in his teen years as a champion athlete, trackman and swimmer. Perkins left his homeland at age 18 to go to sea; nearly a decade later he found himself in Hollywood, where he sought out acting roles, the first of which was in The Divine Lady (1928). Though a personable screen presence, he found that his true forte was stunt work. Over a period of thirty years, he doubled for dozens of male stars, from William Boyd ("Hopalong Cassidy") to Red Skelton (whom he closely resembled). While he was willing to tackle the riskiest of stunts, Perkins was far from reckless, always working out in advance the safest and least painful method of pulling off his "gags." He was especially in demand for slapstick comedies, eventually receiving so many pies in the face that the very sight of the pastry made him physically ill. Perkins did more acting than stunting in the latter stages of his career (he can be seen as Jacob of Bethlehem in 1965's The Greatest Story Ever Told), and also kept busy as a stunt coordinator. A most engaging and candid interview with Gil Perkins can be found in Bernard Rosenberg and Harry Silverstein's 1970 book of Hollywood reminiscences, The Real Tinsel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Filmography of Gil Perkins:
- Batman with Adam West , Cesar Romero , Burgess Meredith , Alan Napier , Neil Hamilton , Reginald Denny
- The Three Musketeers with Gene Kelly , Lana Turner , June Allyson , Van Heflin , Angela Lansbury , Frank Morgan , Vincent Price , Keenan Wynn , Gig Young , Reginald Owen , Patricia Medina , Robert Coote , Saul Gorss , Frank S. Hagney , John Holland , Norman Leavitt , Paul Maxey , Alberto Morin , William "Bill" Phillips , Ruth Robinson , Mickey Simpson , Tom Tyler , Marie Windsor , Robert Warwick
- Spartacus with Kirk Douglas , Laurence Olivier , Jean Simmons , Charles Laughton , Peter Ustinov , Tony Curtis , John Gavin , Nina Foch , Herbert Lom , John Ireland , Joanna Barnes , Harold J. Stone , Woody Strode , John Hoyt , Ted DeCorsia , Saul Gorss , Charles Frank Horvath , Cliff Lyons , Charles McGraw , Eddie Parker , Chuck Roberson , Dale vanSickel , Anthony Hopkins
- The Sea Chase with John Wayne , Lana Turner , David Farrar , Tab Hunter , James Arness , John Qualen , Paul Fix , Alan Jr. Hale , Peter Whitney , Claude Akins , John Doucette , John Indrisano , Joey Ray
- Mrs. Miniver with Greer Garson , Walter Pidgeon , Teresa Wright , May Whitty , Reginald Owen , Henry Travers , Henry Wilcoxon , Tom Conway , Billy Bevan , Helmut Dantine , Colin Kenny , Peter Lawford , Ottola Nesmith , Paul Scardon , David Thursby , Rhys Williams , Ian Wolfe , Mary Field , Henry King , Arthur Wimperis
- How the West Was Won with James Stewart , Henry Fonda , Gregory Peck , Debbie Reynolds , Richard Widmark , George Peppard , Karl Malden , John Wayne , Carolyn Jones , Robert Preston , Eli Wallach , Carroll Baker , Lee J. Cobb , Walter Brennan , David Brian , Andy Devine , Raymond Massey , Agnes Moorehead , Thelma Ritter , Mickey Shaughnessy , Russ Tamblyn , Lee VanCleef , Ken Curtis , Jay C. Flippen , Saul Gorss , Boyd "Red" Morgan , Walter Reed , Chuck Roberson , Gene Roth , Harry Dean Stanton , Karl Swenson , Spencer Tracy , Joseph Sawyer
- Father of the Bride with Spencer Tracy , Elizabeth Taylor , Joan Bennett , Don Taylor , Billie Burke , Russ Tamblyn , Leo G. Carroll , Melville Cooper , Carleton Carpenter , Sherry Hall , Paul Harvey , Paul Maxey , Ralph Peters , William "Bill" Phillips , Dewey Robinson , Harry Dean Stanton , John Welsh , Betty Farrington
- Captains Courageous with Spencer Tracy , Freddie Bartholomew , Lionel Barrymore , Melvyn Douglas , Charles Grapewin , John Carradine , Mickey Rooney , Oscar O'Shea , Sam McDaniel , Leo G. Carroll , Billy Gilbert , Sherry Hall , Mira McKinney , Edward Sr. Peil , William Stack , David Thursby , Bobby Watson , Gene Reynolds
Gil Perkins Trivia
