Hal Needham

Hal Needham
Needham in 2011
Born	Hal Brett Needham (1931-03-06)March 6, 1931 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Died	October 25, 2013(2013-10-25) (aged 82) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupations	Stuntman film director actor writer NASCAR team owner
Years active	1956–1996
Spouses	Arlene R. Wheeler ​ ​ (m. 1960; div. 1977)​ Dani Crayne ​ ​ (m. 1981; div. 1996)​ Ellyn Wynne Williams ​ ​ (m. 1996)​

Hal Brett Needham (March 6, 1931 – October 25, 2013) was an American stuntman, film director, actor, writer, and NASCAR team owner. He is best known for his frequent collaborations with actor Burt Reynolds, usually in films involving fast cars, such as Smokey and the Bandit (1977), Hooper (1978), The Cannonball Run (1981) and Stroker Ace (1983).

In his later years, Needham moved out of stunt work, and focused his energy on the world land speed record project. In 2001, Needham received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Taurus World Stunt Awards, and in 2012, he was awarded a Governors Award by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.