As a die-hard fan of action cinema, Bob Yerkes‘ life story is nothing short of mesmerizing. From circus acrobat to Hollywood stuntman, he lived a life that was as thrilling as any blockbuster movie. His tales of sliding down clock towers and flying across rooftops are the stuff of legends, and his ability to double for giants like Arnold Schwarzenegger is a testament to his agility and bravery.
92-year-old Bob Yerkes, famed acrobatic stunt performer who daringly descended a clock tower cable for Christopher Lloyd in the film “Back to the Future” and suspended himself around the Statue of Liberty during repairs for Fred Ward in “Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins”, has passed away.
On Tuesday, Yerkes passed away at his residence in Northridge, as confirmed by Darlene Ava Williams, a stunt performer who was among his numerous apprentices.
Friendly Yerkes, who began his career in the circus as an expert trapeze artist and tightrope walker, also made a daring jump from a helicopter through a roof in the 1975 film ‘Breakout’, featuring Charles Bronson.
In a 2017 interview, he recounted an incident where he was preparing for a stunt when someone exclaimed, “Good luck!” but unfortunately, he ended up injuring both legs instead. He mentioned that during his work on films like ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ (1988) and ‘Her Alibi’ (1989), he also sustained leg injuries, although those were the only significant ones in a career that stretched over eight decades.
In addition to his roles, Jeremy Yerkes soared through the skies as Boba Fett in the 1983 film, Return of the Jedi. This brief scene was captured on camera right in his very own backyard, a place where he had been teaching circus and stunt techniques for many years. Among his students were well-known figures like Brooke Shields and Todd Bridges.
Despite standing at 5 feet 10 and weighing 170 pounds, Yerkes was selected to substitute for Arnold Schwarzenegger when his character performed the stunt of crossing the Sherman Oaks Galleria using a balloon in Commando (1985). Additionally, he took Eli Wallach’s place when his character was thrown off a train in Tough Guys (1986).
Born on February 11, 1932, in Los Angeles County, Brayton Walter Yerkes started his extraordinary journey at a young age. At just eleven years old, he showcased his acrobatic skills at the famous Muscle Beach. His life took an unexpected turn when his parents divorced, prompting him to leave home at fifteen to join the DeWayne Bros. Circus. Later, at the age of seventeen, he appeared in the films “Julia Misbehaves” and “The Three Musketeers,” which were released in 1948.
With proficiency on the teeterboard, he took to the stage with the Clyde Beatty Circus, captivating audiences from Las Vegas all the way to the Catskills.
Following his service in the Korean War, Yerkes found work as a stuntman in various films, including “The Silver Chalice” (1954), “Trapeze” directed by Carol Reed (1956), and “The Big Circus” (1959). In these productions, he stood in for David Nelson. Additionally, Yerkes performed with The Flying Artons troupe as a safety net artist in their trapeze act, and worked for the Ringling brothers.
In 1985, Yerkes, a man with a full schedule, performed death-defying stunts in at least six films. These included the movies “Remo Williams” and “Back to the Foot,” where he dangled dangerously from various poles and scaffolding in the former, and his actions in the latter were later utilized for sequels.
His filmography spans a wide range, including titles like “Airport” from 1970, “Earthquake” in 1974, “The Towering Inferno” the same year, “Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze” in 1975, “1941” in 1979, “Poltergeist” and “Ghostbusters” in 1982 and 1984 respectively, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” in 1986, “Big Top Pee-wee” in 1988, “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” in 1989, “Hook” in 1991, “The Sandlot” in 1993, “Batman Forever” in 1995, “Magnolia” and “Poseidon” in 1999 and 2006 respectively, “Water for Elephants” in 2011, and his last credit, “Killing Hasselhoff,” which was released in 2017.
Yerkes trained actors such as Shields, Bridges, and Willie Aames for the annual CBS specials titled “Circus of the Stars,” which were broadcast from 1977 to 1994. Additionally, he collaborated with athletes on the competition series “American Gladiators” that aired from 1989 to 1996.
His backyard was equipped with rigs for high falls, mats to practice flips and a springboard powered by compressed air that launched people end-over-end. He is said to have invented the airbag for stunt use.
Williams wrote, ‘No other backyard like Bob’s, where training was free and living was also an option if one required a temporary residence, will ever be found again.’
Since 1973, Yerkes has been part of the Stuntmen’s Association of Motion Pictures and was inducted into their Hall of Fame. He also received a lifetime achievement award from the World Acrobatic Society. In February, he was honored with a place in the Circus Ring of Fame in Florida.
He declared that the circus had been his deepest affection all along. He’d ventured into filmmaking and action sequences as well, but it was the circus that truly captured his heart.
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2024-10-03 22:25