Bill Hickman
William "Bill" Hickman (born January 25, 1921 in Los Angeles County , California , † February 24, 1986 in Indio , California) was an American actor and stunt driver who was involved in two of the most important car chases in film history.
Life
Hickman began his film career as a stuntman and extra in the 1940s . In 1955 he was a driving trainer for James Dean , with whom he became friends. Hickman was one of the first at the scene of Dean's fatal road traffic accident and recovered the dying Dean from the wrecked car . In the following years, Hickman worked as a minor actor and stuntman in numerous film and television productions. In 1968 he worked with Steve McQueen on the film Bullitt , in which he not only drove a Dodge Charger through the streets of San Francisco in a never-before-seen, ten-minute chase , but also starred as driver Phil.
Bullitt was produced by Philip D'Antoni , who hired Hickman again as a stunt driver for his action film Focal Point Brooklyn . Also in focus Brooklyn , there was directed by William Friedkin to a further legendary chase, this time under the elevated train from Brooklyn . The recordings were made in normal traffic, without barriers and without permission. In addition, Hickman was seen in the role of FBI agent Bill Mulderig. This portrayal would remain his most famous film roles. Hickman worked one last time with D'Antoni in 1973 in his only directorial work, The Seven-Ups .
Hickman's other notable stunt works include Vanishing Point San Francisco , James Bond 007 - Diamond Fever, and Is' What, Doc? . He played other small acting roles in films as diverse as Point Blank , Ein toller Käfer and Zabriskie Point . In the late 1970s he worked as a stunt coordinator, his last film was Capricorn in 1977, after which he retired from the film business.
In 1986 he died of complications from cancer.
Filmography (selection)
play
- 1952: A stranger calls (Phone Call from a Stranger)
- 1953: Blondinen preferably (Gentlemen Prefer Blonde)
- 1954: The likable impostor (Living It Up)
- 1957: Jailhouse Rock - rhythm behind bars (Jailhouse Rock)
- 1957: Melody of Destiny (The Joker Is Wild)
- 1958: Houseboat (Houseboat)
- 1963: Dolls under the roof (Toys in the Attic)
- 1967: Point Blank
- 1968: Bullitt
- 1968: A great beetle (The Love Bug)
- 1970: Patton - rebel in uniform (Patton)
- 1970: Zabriskie Point
- 1971: Brooklyn Focal Point (French Connection)
- 1972: Magnum Heat (Hickey & Boggs)
Stunts
- 1955: ... because they don't know what they're doing (Rebel Without a Cause)
- 1967: The great Mr. Flim-Flam (The Flim-Flam Man)
- 1968: Bullitt
- 1971: Vanishing Point (Vanishing Point)
- 1971: James Bond 007 - Diamonds Are Forever
- 1971: Brooklyn Focal Point (French Connection)
- 1972: Is' what, Doc? (What's Up, Doc?)
- 1973: The Seven-Ups (The Seven-Ups)
- 1975: The Hindenburg (The Hindenburg)
- 1977: Capricorn Company (Capricorn One)
Web links
- Bill Hickman in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Bill Hickman in the All Movie Guide (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Film review on Brennpunkt Brooklyn , Roger Ebert (English)
- ↑ Bill Hickman - Supporting Actor, Lead Driver on Drivetribe.com (English)
- ↑ a b Bill Hickman: Hollywood's Wheelman , Huffington Post (English)
personal data | |
---|---|
SURNAME | Hickman, Bill |
ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Hickman, William |
BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American actor and stunt driver |
DATE OF BIRTH | January 25, 1921 |
PLACE OF BIRTH | Los Angeles County , California |
DATE OF DEATH | February 24, 1986 |
Place of death | Indio , California |