Biografia
Born in England, Andy participated in various two- and four-wheeled motorsports before transitioning into the film industry. He started his film career in 1972 in England and France as a vehicle stunt performer, focusing primarily on vehicle stunts. In 1973, Andy leveraged his organizational skills to become an assistant film director.
This decision proved highly successful, leading to a rapid ascent through the ranks from third to first Assistant Director, making him one of the highest-paid ADs globally. His work took him worldwide, especially on large international productions featuring complex, dangerous, and logistically challenging stunts and action sequences, including three major James Bond films: The Man With The Golden Gun, The Spy Who Loved Me, and Moonraker. Between 1973 and 1987, Andy served as Assistant Director on over 70 international films. As First Assistant Director, his credits include Hope and Glory, The Last Place on Earth, Getting It Right, Party Party, Another Country, and The Dresser—both Hope and Glory and The Dresser received Best Picture Oscar nominations.
By 1987, with significant credits to his name, Andy shifted focus back to action, this time directing entire action sequences. This led him to design, coordinate, and direct some of the largest action sequences in many international productions, such as the 1,200-person Teamster battle in Hoffa, the 1,400-person charge and battles in Stargate, action scenes in Galaxy Quest, World War I battle scenes in Frank Pearson's Oscar-winning TV movie Truman starring Gary Sinise, the massive battles in Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes, car stunts in Highwaymen, and recent action sequences in Scooby Doo 2, Catwoman, I, Robot, and Eragon. In 1989, Andy relocated permanently from England to California.
Together with his brother Vic, Andy co-founded Armstrong Action, the largest privately owned and most comprehensive family-operated stunt and action facilities company worldwide. Through Armstrong Action, Andy has stunt coordinated, designed, and created action elements for films like The Green Hornet, Thor, Season of the Witch, as well as numerous TV commercials and live performances. For nearly two years, Andy has focused on developing a new style of movement and action for Sony’s reinvention of The Amazing Spider-Man.
Andy has worked across 38 countries on six continents, including England, USA, France, Italy, Ireland, Israel, Egypt, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Denmark, Norway, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Scotland, Malta, Majorca, Switzerland, Canary Islands, Cayman Islands, Hong Kong, Holland, Mexico, Lithuania, the Dominican Republic, Austria, China, Singapore, Borneo, Hungary, and Japan.
Andy wrote, produced, and directed the original movie Moonshine Highway for Showtime Networks, starring Kyle MacLachlan and Randy Quaid. The film received favorable reviews and, as a Paramount home video release, became a popular and profitable rental title. He also directed several episodes of The New Adventures of Robin Hood for Warner Brothers TV, Biff Henderson Travels Around America for Late Night with David Letterman, co-directed two Metallica music videos, the acclaimed Sheryl Crow "Steve McQueen" music video, and several commercials.
