Lightning Bear was born in Houston, Texas on October 7, 1947. A member of the Comanche Tribe he moved with his family to California and while attending junior high school he performed a comedy song at a talent show and then became active in theater while attending high school. After finishing his schooling Lightning Bear worked making commercials and travel logs for the Mexican government. One night while working as a parking attendant at the Hollywood Playboy Club he was offered a job on a picture by Spanky McFarland of ‘The Little Rascals’ fame was producing and directing at Universal Pictures. Because of his work in Mexico he was granted membership in the Screen Actors Guild and made his first appearance on a “Virginian” TV episode performing stunts. This led to his meeting with Dick Shane who started training Lighting Bear as a stuntman. He served with the U.S. Army in Vietnam and after his tour of duty ended he appeared with Richard Harris in “A Man Called Horse” (1970) followed by the sequel “Return of a Man Called Horse” (1976). Moving to England Lightning Bear was given a part as a Stromtrooper in “Star Wars” (1977). Working with legendary British stuntman Peter Diamond, Lighting Bear began teaching stunts on his own. He appeared in his only Euro-western “Triumphs of a Man Called Horse” (1983). In 1997 he moved to Germany where he was encouraged to return to the film industry and directed the independent film “Bad Blood”. Lightning Bear died in Hanau, Germany on June 11, 2011.
BEAR Lightning [10/7/1947, Houston, Texas, U.S.A. - 6/11/2011, Hanau, Hesse, Germany] – Comanche Indian, director, TV actor, stunt coordinator, stuntman, SFX.
Triumphs of a Man Called Horse – 1983 (Indian)
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