While there are many dangerous stunts performed in the movies, they are usually executed in a way that protects the safety of the stars, despite how real they might look. From the nerve-tingling stunts performed by Tom Cruise in the Mission: Impossible series to the groundbreaking work of Jackie Chan, we often go to action movies to watch people do things that we could never do in real life, and things that most of us would never want to attempt.
From James Bond to Cliff Booth, there are countless movie characters who are inseparable from their hair-raising action sequences, whether it be dangling from cliff faces or running over the top of a skyscraper. But while John Wayne might be the leading star of the western, this doesn’t make him any less immune to failure, with one scene from his career in which a fellow co-star was nearly gravely injured.
With roles in classic westerns like The Searchers and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Wayne is no stranger to the trials and tribulations of starring in an action-packed genre, with years of playing characters that get into showdowns with enemies as they pace in circles on their horses and dramatically walk into saloons. With plenty of award-winning performances, such as his Academy Award-winning role in True Grit, the actor has been through the motions, starring in over 200 films throughout the course of his career.
However, while this might give him a certain degree of experience, there was one production of his that was nearly fatal towards another co-star after a stunt went wrong, leaving a dangerous stain on the project.
The 1974 film McQ, which had a lead role originally intended for Steve McQueen, follows police lieutenant Lon McQ as he investigates the killing of his best friend, uncovering corruption within the police department that deals in confiscated drugs. It was a very different role for Wayne, given that he had previously turned down the lead role in Dirty Harry, something that he tried to make up for through his involvement in McQ.
However, while it was a do-over for Wayne, it was nearly life-destroying for someone else, with one stunt involving Wayne’s character and his car that went vert wrong, leading the stunt driver to flip the car without a ramp.
Hal Needham, the stunt driver, performed the first car stunt with a black powder cannon charge. However during the second practice of the stunt in Los Angeles, the vehicle was accidentally overcharged and the stuntman was almost killed. The infamous stunt on the beach was later performed by someone else, with Gary McLarty taking over for the scene.
Despite the success of the film, it still stands out as one of the more terrifying productions from Wayne’s career, given the near-death experience that plagued the set. While these accidents are less common now, there are still many productions in which something goes wrong and a stunt double is seriously harmed, leading many to question the ethics around filming these scenes and the toll it takes on those who perform them.