Hal Needham

ActorDirectorCrewWriterProducer Mar 6 (died age 82) Memphis, Tennessee, USA 1955–2025 (70 year career)

5.9 avg rating

Biography

Hal Brett Needham (March 6, 1931 – October 25, 2013) was an American stuntman, film director, actor and writer. He is best known for his frequent collaborations with actor Burt Reynolds, usually in films involving fast cars, such as Smokey and the Bandit (1977), Hooper (1978), The Cannonball Run (1981) and Stroker Ace (1983). In his later years, Needham moved out of stunt work, and focused his energy on the World land speed record project. In 2001, Needham received a Lifetime Achievement Award …

Known For

Film

Chinatown

Stunt Coordinator

Film

The French Connection

Stunts

Film

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

Stunts

Film

Blazing Saddles

Outlaw (uncredited)

Film

Smokey and the Bandit

Director

Film

The Big Country

Stunts

Film

How the West Was Won

Stunts

Film

The Great Race

Saloon Brawler (uncredited)

Filmography

Acting (60)

Movies (37)

A RAD Documentary

2025

as Self

8.2

The Bandit

2016

as Self (archive footage)

7.6

Jackie Chan - From Stuntman to Superstar

1996

as Self

7.0

Charlie Sheen's Stunts Spectacular

1994

as Self

9.5

The World's Greatest Stunts: A Tribute to Hollywood Stuntmen

1988

as Self

Playboy Video Playmate Calendar 1988

1987

as Self

3.5

Cannonball Run II

1984

as Porsche 928 Driver with Cowboy Hat (uncredited)

5.4

Stroker Ace

1983

as Man Punching Stroker Into Ladies Room

4.9

MegaForce

1982

as Technician (uncredited)

4.0

The Cannonball Run

1981

as Ambulance EMT (uncredited)

6.2

Stunts Unlimited

1980

as H.N. (uncredited)

Death Car on the Freeway

1979

as Mr. Blanchard

5.1

The Greatest Stuntman Alive

1978

as Himself

Jackson County Jail

1976

as Chief of Fallsburg Police

5.5

French Connection II

1975

as Doyle Kidnapper (uncredited)

6.8

Take a Hard Ride

1975

as Garmes (uncredited)

5.2

W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings

1975

as Trooper Carson

5.9

Blazing Saddles

1974

as Outlaw (uncredited)

7.2

McQ

1974

as Santiago Henchman (uncredited)

6.1

Call to Danger

1973

as Connors

The Culpepper Cattle Co.

as Burgess

The Bounty Man

as Pike

Sometimes a Great Notion

1971

as Man at Racetrack

7.0

One More Train to Rob

1971

as Bert Gant

5.4

The Undefeated

1969

as Yankee Corporal at River Crossing (uncredited)

The Devil's Brigade

as The Sergeant

The War Wagon

as Hite

The Great Race

as Saloon Brawler (uncredited)

7.1

In Harm's Way

1965

as Airman in the Blue Lagoon (uncredited)

6.6

Advance to the Rear

1964

as Rebel Soldier (uncredited)

5.0

McLintock!

1963

as Carter (uncredited)

6.6

4 for Texas

1963

as Thomas Worker (uncredited)

5.1

Shootout at Big Sag

1962

as Saloon Brawler (uncredited)

Guns of the Timberland

1960

as Townsman (uncredited)

6.1

Paratroop Command

1959

as German (uncredited)

5.4

The Fiend Who Walked the West

1958

as Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)

6.0

Loaded up and Trucking: The Making of Smokey and the Bandit

as Self

Television (23)

Cybill

as Hal Needham

Charlie's Angels

as Julio

Dinah!

as Self

Alias Smith and Jones

Ironside

as Officer Connell

Mannix

Cimarron Strip

The Wild Wild West

as Henchman (uncredited)

Laredo

The Great Adventure

as Recruiting Officer

The Virginian

as The Man

Stoney Burke

The Mike Douglas Show

as Self

Coronado 9

Rawhide

as Corporal Williams

The Untouchables

as Club Patron (uncredited)

The Rebel

as Indian

Yancy Derringer

as Judge Randall's guard (uncredited)

6.0

Have Gun, Will Travel

1957

as Little Horse

7.3

Wagon Train

1957

as Saloon Tough (uncredited)

Zorro

as Don (uncredited)

Tales of Wells Fargo

as Outlaw

Gunsmoke

as Ed

Crew (117)

Movies (114)

Hard Time: Hostage Hotel

Director

The Sunchaser

Stunts

Bandit: Bandit's Silver Angel

1994

Characters

4.5

Bandit: Bandit's Silver Angel

1994

Director

4.5

Bandit: Bandit's Silver Angel

1994

Executive Producer

4.5

Bandit: Beauty and the Bandit

1994

Characters

4.2

Bandit: Beauty and the Bandit

1994

Director

4.2

Bandit: Beauty and the Bandit

1994

Executive Producer

4.2

Bandit: Bandit Goes Country

1994

Characters

3.7

Bandit: Bandit Goes Country

1994

Director

3.7

Bandit: Bandit Goes Country

1994

Executive Producer

3.7

Bandit: Bandit Goes Country

1994

Story

3.7

Bandit: Bandit, Bandit

1994

Characters

4.7

Bandit: Bandit, Bandit

1994

Director

4.7

Bandit: Bandit, Bandit

Executive Producer

Rad

Director

Body Slam

Director

Cannonball Run II

Director

Cannonball Run II

Screenplay

Stroker Ace

Director

Stroker Ace

Screenplay

Smokey and the Bandit Part 3

Characters

MegaForce

Director

MegaForce

Screenplay

The Cannonball Run

Director

Stunts Unlimited

Director

Smokey and the Bandit II

1980

Characters

5.6

Smokey and the Bandit II

Director

The Villain

Director

Death Car on the Freeway

Director

Hooper

Director

Foul Play

Stunts

The End

Stunt Coordinator

Smokey and the Bandit

1977

Director

7.0

Smokey and the Bandit

1977

Story

7.0

Smokey and the Bandit

1977

Stunts

7.0

Billy Jack Goes to Washington

Stunt Coordinator

Gator

Second Unit Director

Gator

Stunt Coordinator

Nickelodeon

Stunt Coordinator

A Star Is Born

Stunts

Gable and Lombard

Stunts

Lucky Lady

Stunts

Peeper

Stunt Coordinator

French Connection II

Stunt Coordinator

Take a Hard Ride

Second Unit Director

Take a Hard Ride

Stunt Coordinator

W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings

Stunt Coordinator

Chinatown

Stunt Coordinator

Blazing Saddles

Stunts

McQ

Stunt Driver

The Longest Yard

Second Unit Director

The Longest Yard

Stunt Coordinator

Busting

Stunts

Three the Hard Way

Stunt Coordinator

White Lightning

Second Unit Director

White Lightning

Stunt Coordinator

White Lightning

Stunt Double

White Lightning

Stunts

Call to Danger

Stunts

The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing

1973

Stunt Coordinator

5.7

The Culpepper Cattle Co.

Stunt Coordinator

Hardcase

Stunt Coordinator

The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean

Stunts

The Heist

Stunts

Goodnight, My Love

Stunt Coordinator

The French Connection

Stunts

The Organization

Stunts

Sometimes a Great Notion

1971

Stunts

7.0

Chrome and Hot Leather

Stunts

Something Big

Stunt Coordinator

One More Train to Rob

Stunt Coordinator

Rio Lobo

Stunts

Chisum

Stunt Coordinator

C.C. and Company

Stunts

The Animals

Stunts

Angel Unchained

Stunt Coordinator

Dirty Dingus Magee

Stunts

The Bridge at Remagen

Stunt Coordinator

The Undefeated

Stunt Coordinator

The Great Bank Robbery

Stunts

Bandolero!

Stunt Coordinator

Hellfighters

Stunt Coordinator

The Devil's Brigade

Stunt Coordinator

The Ballad of Josie

Stunts

The War Wagon

Stunt Coordinator

The War Wagon

Stunt Double

The War Wagon

Stunts

The Way West

Stunts

Tobruk

Stunts

Camelot

Stunts

Hells Angels on Wheels

Stunts

Alvarez Kelly

Stunts

The Rare Breed

Stunt Coordinator

Beau Geste

Stunt Coordinator

Our Man Flint

Stunts

In Harm's Way

Stunts

Shenandoah

Stunts

The War Lord

Stunts

Major Dundee

Stunts

Mail Order Bride

Stunts

McLintock!

Stunts

4 for Texas

Stunts

Donovan's Reef

Stunts

Kings of the Sun

Stunts

The Raiders

Stunts

Wall of Noise

Stunts

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

Stunts

How the West Was Won

Stunts

A Thunder of Drums

Stunt Double

Thunder in the Sun

Stunts

Paratroop Command

Stunts

The Big Country

Stunts

The Spirit of St. Louis

1957

Stunts

6.7

Television (3)

B.L. Stryker

Director

The Wild Wild West

Stunts

Have Gun, Will Travel

1957

Stunt Double

7.3