Stuntman Seeks Academy Award Recognition for Stunt Coordinators

A veteran stuntman from Agoura Hills is on a crusade to persuade the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' board of governors to recognize the men and women who coordinate action scenes in movies, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times.

For two decades, Jack Gill, who began his stunt career jumping cars in The Dukes of Hazzard, has jumped from exploding boats and leaped off a 12-story building, surviving two broken backs and a broken neck, said the report.

According to the report, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Screen Actors Guild already honor stunt performers, and for years, Gill and others have said it's time for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' board of governors to do the same, at least for stunt coordinators.

They argue that stunts are a major part of the commercial success of movies and that the stunt coordinators are responsible for the safety of the cast and crew, said the report.

Yet despite support from such noted filmmakers as Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and James Cameron, Gill and his peers have been unable to persuade the academy's board of governors to add a separate award category for stunt coordinators, said the Times.

"It's ridiculous that we're not honored," Gill, 56, told the Los Angeles Times from his 11-acre ranch in Agoura Hills. "These films can't get made without stunt coordinators."

A spokeswoman for the Academy Awards declined to comment, said the report; however, in previous years, academy officials have praised the contributions of stunt coordinators but have cited concerns that adding another category would lengthen the show.

Currently, the award show recognizes 24 categories for actors, writers, directors, visual effects practitioners and makeup artists, among other specialties. In addition, a separate pre-Oscar ceremony presents "technical" awards.

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