Black Stuntmen's Association

The Black Stuntmen's Association was an organization that was formed in 1967 by CEO and Cofounder Eddie Smith as a result of policies that kept black stuntmen and stuntwomen from getting studio work. Members of the association include CoFounder Eddie smith, Ernie Robinson and its members Alex Brown, Willie Harris, Henry Kingi, Joe Tilque and William Upton.

Black Stuntmen's Association
Founded1967
TypeFilm organization
Location
Key people
President: Willie Harris
Websitewww.blackstuntmensassociation.com

Background

The group was formed in 1967 as a way to give black men and women an opportunity to do the stunts that had previously only been available to whites and have some of the obvious benefits that came with doing the work.[1] The founding members include Willie Harris, Edward Smith, Alex Brown, and Henry Kingi.[2] Ernie Robinson was the group's first president. It was successful in casting some of its members in television shows like Mission Impossible and The Mod Squad, and in films such as Halls of Anger, Dirty Harry, Across 110th Street and Live and Let Die.[3]

Getting started

For years, the stunts for black actors were performed by white stuntmen who were painted to look dark. The term for this practice is called "painting down".[4] According to Willie Harris, nobody would train them because they thought they weren't good enough and the white men didn't want to be bothered with them.[5] The group would train in a neighborhood near Compton, California, practicing their stunts until they were ready to display their skills and apply for film and television work.[6] In an article published in the 13 March 2016 issue of The Daily Telegraph, BSA member Henry Kingi recalled weekend training with other members of the association, and being watched by police in unmarked cars. He said that he and his fellow BSA stuntmen figured that the watching police were thinking they were another group of the Black Panthers.[7] Bill Cosby refused to have "painted down" stunt doubles on the set of I Spy. Cosby instead used an African-American: Calvin Brown, who was also a founding member of the Black Stuntmen's Association.[4]

By 1973 Black Stuntmen's Association had 15 members — 12 men and three women. A large boost to the success of the organization was the filming of the Warner Brothers Blaxploitation action thriller Cleopatra Jones, which had (at that time) a record $75,000 budgeted for stuntwork and hired Ernie Robinson, founding president of the BSA, as stunt coordinator for the film. Other members of the Association in 1973 included Peaches Jones, Louise Johnson, Evelyn Coffey, Ernie Robinson, Henry Kingi, Len Glascow, Wayne King, Melvin Jones, Bob Minner, John Mitchell and Alex Brown.[8]

Later years

In 2012, founding members were honored with the NAACP President's Award.[9]

In 2014, members of the organisation became angry when Warner Bros studio cast a white stuntwoman for its Fox show Gotham, to be a double for a black guest actress. The stunt woman had already been made up and had her hair and skin done to pass as the black actress. After Warner Bros were approached by a reporter from Deadline Hollywood, they didn't progress any further with using the white stunt woman.[10]

Along with Lance Burton and Matthew Gray Gubler who are from other industries, Willie Harris honored at the College of Fine Arts Hall of Fame for his work in the film industry.[11]

References
  1. Bates, Karen Grigsby. "Black Stuntmen: Behind The Scenes, But Not Invisible At New Smithsonian Museum." NPR.org, September 24, 2016. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  2. Chandler, D.L. "Little Known Black History Fact: Black Stuntmen’s Association." www.blackamericaweb.com, March 29, 2017. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  3. Mjagkij, Nina (May 13, 2013). Organizing Black America. Routledge. p. 97. ISBN 978-1135581237. Retrieved September 5, 2017 – via Google Books.
  4. Saunders, Cherie. "A People’s History. A Nation’s Story. A Battle Station." Los Angeles Review of Books, February 12, 2017. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
  5. Lusby, Kayla. June 24, 2017 - "Mississippi men recall Civil Rights fight for black stuntmen in Hollywood." wmcactionnews5.com, June 23, 2017. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  6. Organizing Black America, edited by Nina Mjagkij - Page 97 FURTHER READINGS, Black Stuntmen's Association
  7. The Daily Telegraph, 13 March 2016 - Black stunt performers: Hollywood's other race scandal - Horatia Harrod
  8. Warner Brothers. Cleopatra Jones Press Release and Photo Captions. 1973.
  9. Staff, AFRO (February 16, 2012). "NAACP Honors Black Stuntmen's Association at 43rd Annual Image Awards - Afro". Afro.com. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
  10. "Black Stuntmen's Association Frustrated with Hollywood's Dirty Little Secret of 'Painting Down' - EURweb". Eurweb.com. December 19, 2014. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
  11. UNLV Graduate College, News Center, Feb 21, 2017 - Arts & Culture, College of Fine Arts Hall of Fame Honors Lance Burton, Matthew Gray Gubler, and Willie Harris By Jennifer Vaughan
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