Bob Yerkes, a famous stuntman known for his amazing work in Hollywood has passed away at the age of 92. Fellow stunt performer Darlene Ava Williams confirmed that Yerkes died of natural causes in Northridge, California, on October 1, 2024.
Yerkes was more than just a stuntman; he was a true legend in the film industry, who began his career in the circus as a trapeze artist and tightrope walker which gave him special skills for the big screen. Some of his most memorable stunts include sliding down a clock tower cable in Back to the Future, where he doubled for Christopher Lloyd’s character, Dr. Emmett Brown. He also hung from the Statue of Liberty in Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins and performed daring falls from helicopters in films like Breakout.
Throughout his long career, which lasted over eight decades, Yerkes became known as a skilled and dependable stunt performer. Even though he was only 5-foot-10, he often doubled for bigger actors like Arnold Schwarzenegger in Commando. Yerkes was known for his sense of humour; he once joked about breaking both legs during a stunt, saying, “I was getting ready for the stunt and the guy said, ‘Break a leg!’—and I broke them both.”
Beyond his work in movies, Yerkes was a mentor to many young stunt performers. He taught them the skills they needed in his backyard, which was specially set up for training. His legacy as a stunt legend will live on through the many films he worked on and the countless lives he touched in the stunt community. Bob Yerkes will be greatly missed but fondly remembered for his adventurous spirit and contributions to cinema.
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