Legendary Stunt Man and Director Hal Needham Passes Away at Age 82

Stunt man, director, and all-around car guy Hal Needham passed away Saturday at age 82.

Needham put his stamp on the racing industry—in real life and on the silver screen. Needham directed 19 Hollywood films, including Smokey and the Bandit and The Cannonball Run, and appeared as a stunt man in more than 4,500 television shows and 300 movies. He was also a NASCAR team owner and even made a run at a land speed world record in the Budweiser rocket car.

There’s not much more we can say that hasn’t already been said by the guys at BangShift. Brian Lohnes put together a great article memorializing Needham and covering his 82 years worth of great accomplishments. Check it out.