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STUNTS, STARS & LEGENDS - July 2016

Behind the Scene Story:
BUD EKINS:
Born James Sherwin Ekins in Hollywood, California, he is known to most as the actor who jumped the fence on a disguised Triumph TR6 Trophy 650cc motorcycle in “The Great Escape,” and one of the stuntmen who drove the Ford Mustang 390 GT in “Bullitt”. He also coordinated the stunts for the popular 1970s motorcycle cop show “Chips”.
For years, movie fans believed that the star Steve McQueen made the big barbed-wire fence jump at the finale of “The Great Escape” but the stunt was actually performed by Ekins. Although McQueen undertook the rest of the bike work in the film, the film’s producers were too nervous to allow him to make the iconic jump himself. Five years later, McQueen was given a late call to the “Bullitt” set one day, and found Ekins with his hair sprayed blond performing the most dangerous stunts around the streets of San Francisco. McQueen then shouted “you did it to me again!” referring to the earlier scene-stealing from “The Great Escape”. Ekins regularly contributed to documentaries and biographies on Steve McQueen with some authority, given their close friendship until the actor’s death in 1980.

John Hagner Gallery of Art:
The Pruessen
The Pruessen was a German steel-hulled ‘five-masted ship-rigged windjammer built in 1902 for the F. Laeisz shipping company and named after the German state and kingdom of Prussia. It was the world’s only ship of this class with five masts carrying six square sails on each mast.
Until the 2000 launch of the Royal Clipper, a sail cruise liner, she was the only five-masted full-rigged ship ever built.
The mighty, as she was named by many seamen, had only two skippers in her career.
On November 5, 1910, on her 14th outbound voyage, the Pruessen was rammed by the small British cross-channel steamer Brighton. Contrary to regulations, the Brighton had tried to cross before her bows, underestimating her high speed of 16 knots. The Pruessen was seriously damaged and lost much of her forward rigging, making it impossible to steer the ship to safety.
A November gale thwarted attempts to sail or tub her to safety in Dover Harbour. It was intended to anchor her off Dover but both anchor chains broke and Pruessen was driven onto rocks at Crab Bay where she sank as a result of the damage inflicted on her.

The Colorado River near Moab
This is first in a series of illustrations by John Hagner featuring some of his color work.
This one is done in water-color pencils.

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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