Biographie
Graf is a leading second unit director and stunt coordinator in Hollywood with a 35-year career, having staged stunts in over sixty films and directed second unit action on around thirty features. His recent work includes Todd Phillips' comedy "Due Date," "The Muppets" (2011), where he also coordinated stunts, and Phillips' indie film "Project X" (2012).
Originally from Southern California, Graf first gained recognition as a football player, captaining the 1967 San Fernando High School city championship team and earning All-American honors. He received a full athletic scholarship to USC, playing offensive guard for coach John McKay’s dominant Trojans. Graf was a starter on the undefeated 1972 NCAA National Championship team and was instrumental in USC’s 42-17 victory over Ohio State in the 1973 Rose Bowl. He also played in the 1973 college all-star game against the NFL’s undefeated Miami Dolphins at Soldier Field in Chicago.
After graduating, Graf signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Rams before joining the World Football League's Portland Storm during its inaugural 1974 season. When the league folded, Graf transitioned careers, landing a role as Dick Butkus’ stunt double in the 1976 Disney comedy "Gus," about a field goal-kicking mule.
Following his debut, Graf spent several years as a stunt performer on various films, including Walter Hill's "Southern Comfort," "The Driver," and "The Long Riders"; John Carpenter's "They Live"; Paul Verhoeven's "Total Recall"; "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan"; "Raising Arizona"; "Action Jackson"; "S.W.A.T."; "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl"; "Independence Day"; and most recently, "Captain America: The First Avenger."
He has also coordinated stunts on numerous projects such as "Punch Drunk Love," "Domestic Disturbance," "Broken Arrow," "Wayne’s World," "The Hangover Part II" (the highest-grossing R-rated comedy ever), and several Walter Hill films including "Supernova," "Geronimo: An American Legend," and "Wild Bill," where he also directed second unit. On Hill’s 1990 sequel "Another 48 Hrs.," Graf, as second unit director and stunt coordinator, became the first stuntman to cannon roll a bus at 60 mph. He later repeated this feat on the Jean-Claude Van Damme action film "Nowhere to Run," cannon rolling a 40-foot bus under a 60-foot freeway overpass.
A former college football standout, Graf is renowned as one of Hollywood’s top football coordinators and second unit directors. He has designed and staged football action for films such as Oliver Stone’s "Any Given Sunday," Howard Deutch’s "The Replacements," "The Program," "The Waterboy," "Necessary Roughness," "Man of the House," Gary Fleder’s biopic "The Express," Cameron Crowe’s Oscar-winning "Jerry Maguire," and Peter Berg’s acclaimed "Friday Night Lights." His work on "Friday Night Lights" and "The Express" earned ESPY Awards.
Graf has also taken on supporting acting roles, including Capt. Turner on HBO’s "Deadwood" (working again with Walter Hill), as well as parts in "L.A. Confidential" (as an abusive husband subdued by Russell Crowe), "The Replacements," "Magnolia," "Boogie Nights," "The Doors," "Red Heat," "Another 48 Hrs.," "Poltergeist," and "RoboCop," among many others.
He wrote an original screenplay titled "Turning the Tide," a football drama about the historic 1970 game between McKay’s USC Trojans and Bear Bryant’s Alabama Crimson Tide.
Most recently, Graf reunited with filmmaker Brian Helgeland on "42," having previously served as second unit director on Helgeland’s 2001 film "A Knight’s Tale," where he designed and directed all jousting sequences.
