Gary McLarty, a renowned American stunt performer and coordinator, was born on January 16, 1941. Throughout his illustrious career, spanning over four decades, he earned the nickname "Whiz Kid" in Hollywood, a testament to his exceptional skills.
McLarty's impressive resume boasts over 150 film credits between 1966 and 2004, including notable titles such as The Wild Bunch, Little Big Man, The Longest Yard, Blade Runner, The Terminator, Jurassic Park, Heat, and Collateral.
However, his career was not without its controversies. In 1982, McLarty was involved in a fatal accident on the set of a "Twilight Zone" movie, where actor Vic Morrow and two children tragically lost their lives. McLarty, as a stunt coordinator, was in the helicopter during the incident and later testified that he had warned director John Landis about the stunt's dangers.
In 1991, McLarty was involved in a shooting incident at his Lake View Terrace ranch, where he fatally shot his roommate. He was subsequently cleared of all charges, with the Deputy District Attorney ruling it a case of justifiable homicide.
Tragedy struck again on the same day, as another man was fatally shot by Sheriff's deputies at McLarty's ranch, and his house caught fire, burning down.
McLarty semi-retired from stunt work in 2004 and went on to testify in the murder trial of actor Robert Blake, who was accused of murdering his wife, Bonnie Lee Bakley. McLarty revealed that Blake had offered him $10,000 to kill Bakley, an offer McLarty declined.
Gary McLarty's life came to a tragic end on October 11, 2014, when a pickup truck driven by fellow stuntman Bob Orrison was broadsided by a Jeep Cherokee in Rancho Cordova, California. Both McLarty and Orrison were killed instantly, while the two occupants of the Jeep Cherokee sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
Throughout his life, McLarty's work as a stunt performer and coordinator was marked by a mix of triumph and tragedy, leaving behind a lasting legacy in the world of film and television.
