Jerome P. Catching, better known as Bill Catching, was a multifaceted individual with a lifelong passion for the entertainment industry. Born on June 16, 1926, in Bexar County, Texas, he began his journey to stardom at a remarkably young age.
In 1942, at just sixteen years old, Bill hitchhiked from Bandera, Texas to the iconic city of Hollywood, California, driven by his unwavering determination to make a name for himself in the world of cinema. Upon arriving in California, he landed a job working in barns that supplied horses for movies, thus beginning his ascent in the industry.
Following his service in the U.S. Navy during World War II, Bill continued to hone his skills as a wrangler for renowned horse trainer and wrangler Ralph McCutcheon. This experience laid the foundation for his eventual career as a stuntman, which he embarked upon in the late 1940s, primarily working in Western films and television shows.
Bill's impressive career spanned over five decades, during which he signed up as a stuntman for the production company ZIV Television Programs in the early 1950s. He doubled for the legendary Leo Carrillo on the popular TV series The Cisco Kid (1950) and served as a stunt coordinator on the iconic TV shows The Wild Wild West (1965) and The Fall Guy (1981).
In the mid-1990s, Bill retired from the film and television industry and relocated to Arizona, where he dedicated himself to raising prize horses on his ranch just outside of Yuma. His remarkable contributions to the Western genre were recognized in August 1994, when he received a Golden Boot Award, presented to him by his dear friend Roy Rogers.
Tragically, Bill passed away at the age of 81 on August 24, 2007, at his home in Somerton, Arizona, succumbing to cancer. Despite his passing, Bill's legacy lives on, a testament to his unwavering dedication to his craft and his enduring impact on the world of entertainment.
