Biography
Jesse Wayne appeared in over 500 TV productions and feature films, in addition to hundreds of live stunt shows. If this seems like a lot, it's because his career began in the early days of Los Angeles' live television, when he was eight years old.
In 1959, his diminutive 5' 4" stature enabled him to become Mickey Rooney's stunt double at MGM. Continuing, he doubled small men, women, and virtually every child actor in Tinseltown. Jesse performed Fights, Car Work, Stair Falls, Bicycles, High Work, High Falls and Horse Work. Fire Gags became one of his prime specialties. He quit Water stunts after the "Julia Belle Swain" riverboat ran over him in Tom Sawyer (1973) while doubling Jeff East.
Jesse also stunt-doubled The Three Stooges (Moe Howard and Larry Fine), Robert Morse, Kurt Russell, Red Buttons, John Mills, Frankie Avalon, Kay Lenz, David Wayne, Leslie Caron, Barbara Stanwyck, Helen Hayes, Harry Morgan, Arte Johnson, José Feliciano, Johnny Crawford, George Gobel, Robin Williams, Gary Burghoff, Strother Martin, John Hillerman, Donald Pleasence, Mel Brooks, Don Johnson, Billie Hayes (aka "WitcheePoo"), Brenda Vaccaro, Barbara Rhoades, Pamela Austin, Lurene Tuttle, Eddie Hodges, Michael Burns, Buck Kartalian, William 'Billy' Benedict, Richard Bakalyan, Michael J. Pollard, and Mel Tormé.
Jesse has also performed behind the camera as a first assistant director, cinematographer, videographer, director and gun coach, to name a few.
Jesse's autobiography, "Confessions of a Hollywood Stunt Man (or It Seemed Like a Good Idea at The Time!") is now available for all Ebook readers.
Jesse's saga reveals many of Hollywood's unknown comedy and tragic stories in front and behind the cameras, plus the Stuntmen's Association of Motion Pictures 1961 formation.
Veteran stunt man Fred "Krunch" Krone, SAMP's first secretary and treasurer, said, "Jesse has written what no one has ever said or would dare say! It's a must-read."
In 1961, at 19, Jesse was SAMP's youngest charter member, and in 1992 was presented a Lifetime Membership for his tenure and contributions as the group's secretary, treasurer and board member for 14 years.
