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STUNTS, STARS & LEGENDS - March 2016

Behind the Scene Story:Duke Green
Duke Green

Duke’s stunt career dates back to the Silent Film Era, where he worked a lot with other stunt legend Harvey Parry.
He doubled for famous Cowboy Star, Buck Jones... though he didn’t do much stunt work with horses... he did a tremendous dive off a cliff some 80 ft. into a lake, doubling for Buck.
During the exciting Cliffhanger Serials, mostly at Republic Studios, Duke was one of the Republic Seven, which included Dave Sharpe, Tom Steele, Dale Van Sickel, Fred Graham, Eddie Parker, and Ken Terrell.
Duke did some of the most fantastic leaps and jumps in fight routines and could throw the most effective punches and take them with realism.
In the movie, “Flame and the Arrow”, starring Burt Lancaster, Duke Green was doubling for an actor who was portraying a Monk. The stunt called for Duke to be walking through the forest, and he steps into a noose which was concealed on the ground ... then, the rope was tied to a tree branch that was bent over, and as he stepped into the noose, it tightened up and sprung him off the ground, upside down.
To accomplish this stunt, the special effects people attached the rope to a huge spring and when it tightened on his ankle, it swung him upward... Unfortunately, the spring broke ... causing Duke to be pounded, upside down, causing him to land on the back of his neck. As a result of this, he broke his neck... which ended his career as a top stuntman. However, from then on, Duke and other fellas like Stubby and George DeNormand became regular extras and made a decent living at it.

 

If interested in learning more about the Hall of Fame, please contact John Hagner (Founder) at 435 260-2160.
email: johnhagner@hotmail.com
Hall of Fame website: www.stuntmen.org

John Hagner (Founder) is also the Artist of the Stars.
His Celebrity Portrait Drawings are available at telephone 435-259-7000,
Mailing address: 50 W. 400 N, Moab, Utah 84532.
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