Buddy Van Horn, Clint Eastwood stunt double & director dies at 92

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Director and veteran stunt double Wayne "Buddy" Van Horn had died at the age of 92. Van Horn died on May 11, according to an obituary notice in the "Los Angeles Times."

Van Horn started working with Clint Eastwood as his stunt double in 1967 and worked with the actor-director and his team at his production company Malposo as a stunt coordinator on more than 30 films over 44 years, including films like High Plains Drifter and In the Line of Fire. In 2011, Van Horn spoke about his time working with Eastwood by saying, "He's a pretty physical guy and likes to do his own stunts. Some of the things he does were pretty easy to get banged up. I've tried to talk him out of it sometimes, but not very successfully most of the time. He went and did 'em anyway, several of 'em. He's been banged up a few times."

The veteran stuntman also directed three films starring Eastwood during his career: Any Which Way You Can which served as the sequel to James Fargo's Every Which Way but Loose, the last film in the Dirty Harry series titled The Dead Pool, and Pink Cadillac. According to the obituary, Van Horn was "born on the back lot of Universal Studios in Universal City, California," where his father worked as a veterinarian for the studio's horses and large animals.

Van Horn is survived by his wife Konne, his daughters Erika and Jennifer, and grandchildren Morgan, Cade, Hayden, Cole, and Landon. R.I.P. Van Horn. You'll be greatly missed.