San Fernando Valley, California
By Virginia Watson
June 10, 1977
A Chatsworth family, John Epper, his wife Frances and their six adult children, have been foot- printed, hand printed and had their signatures inscribed in cement for the “Stunt Men’s Hall of Fame” scheduled to open in Hollywood in the near future.
Because of the family’s close ties and the similarity of their work, they were treated not as individuals but as a family for the museum.
And it couldn’t happen to a more uniquely talented family, for among them, they have done just about every difficult stunt that the movies or television have to offer, especially stunts that involve working with horses.
Patriarch John Epper, 71, jumped his horse over an over-turned Conestoga wagon with the wheels still spinning just before his 65th birthday and retirement. Other unique stunts involved
jumping his horse over a dice table and then through a plate glass window. The challenge there were people gambling at the dice table. He was doubling the late Andy Devine that time.
In reminiscing, John recalls working as a double for well known politicians as Ronald Reagan and George Murphy when they were actors.
His favorite actor to double for was Gary Cooper, for whom Epper doubled in “Springfield Rigfle,” He enjoyed it because “Coop was such a nice guy to be with.”
Another job Epper found enjoyable was driving the horsedrawn street car in “Hello Dolly” for Barbara Streisand. His longest continuous job was driving the stage coach in the TV series “Bonanza.”
His wife, Frances, was an accomplished horsewoman riding show horses for the Bel Air Stable when she and John met. He was riding master for the Glendale Riding Academy and they had a lot in common. They were married “during the Coronado Horse Show” in 1935 and settled in Chatsworth 20 years ago.
Their children all live nearby and the family remains closely-knit. They keep in touch more than an ordinary family, perhaps, because of the dangerous nature of their work - although danger is a word they don’t use often.
“Of course it is dangerous,” admits Epper, “but you must be careful. You should walk through the stunt several times before doing it. If it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it.”
All six of the Epper children are in the stunt business, doing the work of doubling for the stars of movie and TV in the scenes where it is just to risky to chance injuring a star and holding up production.
Even the married girls use the name Epper professionally. The Eppers are: Margo, Tony, Jeannie, twins Andy and Stephanie, and Gary. Now the third generation is beginning to carry on the family tradition.
Margo, who lives in Chatsworth and has turned her interests to raising champion pintos, has a a son and daughter. Her son Johnny Hock, 19, has worked in movies since he was young. He became a full-fledged guild member in “High School.”
Tony, who lives in Aqua Dulce, has four children, but none of them are involved in stunt work or the movies.
Jeannie of Canoga Park, former president of the Hollywood Stunt Girls Association, has three children, two of whom are working in the industry. Richard Epper, 19, who uses the family name, just returned from his first working trip to Rio Janiero. Her younger son, Curtis Sanders, 7, doesn’t use the family name and does television commercials regularly.
Andy Epper of Mission Hills has two children, but they’re not in the business. Stephanie of Newberry Park has one child who also is involved.
Gary, who recently moved into a new home in Chatsworth, has two children, both of them too small yet to work, according to their grandfather.
Since mamma and pappa were in interested in riding, there was always a horse around and the Epper children could ride almost before they could walk. They were working in the movies at an early age.
Tony stater out the youngest. He was 9 months old in the series “The Thin Man.” Jeannie’s daughter, Eurlene, was another one who started out very young. She was only a few weeks old when she appeared as the baby held up to Kirk Douglas by Jean Simmons in the movie “Spartacus.” Stephanie also doubled and did the riding for the movie. “My Friend Flicka,” and later doubled for Maureen O’Hara. Tony doubles for Burt Lancaster and Gary doubles in the “Starsky and Hutch” series. In a recent episode, he not only did the stunt work but also a good part.
Many of the stars do not want it known that they have doubles and so much of the work that the Epper family does must go unsung – but in the industry, it is known and that is why the unusually talented and daring Epper family was installed en masse for the Stunt Man’s Hall of Fame.
EPPER, John (aka Johnny Epperts) (Hans Emil Epper) [5/7/1906, Gossau, Switzerland – 12/3/1992, Friendly Valley, California, U.S.A. (prostate cancer)] – stuntman, film, TV actor, married to Frances J. Robertson [1906-1996] (1935-1992) father of actress Margo Epper [1936- ], stuntman, actor Tony Epper (John Anthony Epper) [1938-2012], stuntwoman Jeannie Epper [1941- ], twins stuntman Andrew William ‘Andy’ Epper [1943-2010], stuntwoman Stephanie Epper [1943- ], stuntman Gary Epper [1944-2007], grandfather of stuntman Johnny Hock [1958- ], member of the Stuntman’s Hall of Fame.
Valdez is Coming – 1970 [stunts]
EPPER, Stephanie [12/9/1943, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. - ] – stuntwoman, film, TV actress, daughter of stuntman, actor John Epper (Hans Emil Epper) [1906-1992], sister of of actress Margo Epper [1936- ], stuntman, actor Tony Epper (John Anthony Epper) [1938-2012], stuntwoman Jeannie Epper [1941- ], stuntman Andrew William ‘Andy’ Epper [1943-2010], stuntman Gary Alan Epper [1944-2007], aunt of stuntwoman, actress Eurlyne Epper [1960- ], cameraman, stuntman, actor Kurtis Sanders, stuntman, actor Richard Epper [1957- ], stuntman, actor Danny Epper [1962- ], actress Heidi Epper (Heidi Jean Epper) [1968–2005], stuntman, actor Johnny Hock [1958- ], great aunt of stuntman Christopher Epper [1984- ], married to member of the Stuntman’s Hall of Fame.
Valdez is Coming – 1970 [stunts]
EPPER, Tony (aka John Anthony Epper, Toni Eppers, Tony Eppers) (John Anthony Epper) [10/1/1938, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. – 7/20/2012, Salmon, Idaho, U.S.A. (throat cancer)] – assistant director, stunt coordinator, stuntman, film, TV actor, son of stuntman, actor John Epper (Hans Emil Epper) [1906-1992], married to Donna Lee Epper [1941- ] (19??-2012) father of Danny Epper (Daniel Anthony Epper Jr.) [1962- ], Roger Epper, Casey Epper, stepdaughter Traci Hogan, Rona Ippolito, brother of actress Margo Epper Story [1936- ], stuntwoman Jeannie Epper-Kimac [1941- ], stuntman Andrew William ‘Andy’ Epper [1943-2010], stuntman Gary Alan Epper [1944-2007], aunt of stuntwoman, actress Eurlyne Epper [1960- ], cameraman, stuntman, actor Kurtis Sanders, stuntman, actor Richard Epper [1957- ], stuntman, actor Danny Epper [1962- ], actress Heidi Epper (Heidi Jean Epper) [1968–2005], stuntman, actor Johnny Hock, uncle of stuntwoman, actress Eurlyne Epper [1960- ], cameraman, stuntman, actor Kurtis Sanders, stuntman, actor Richard Epper [1957- ], actress Heidi Epper (Heidi Jean Epper) [1968–2005], stuntman, actor Johnny Hock, great uncle of Christopher Epper [1984- ], uncle of stuntman Johnny Hock [1958- ], member of the Stuntman’s Hall of Fame.
Valdez is Coming – 1970 (bodyguard) [stunts]
HOCK, Johnny (aka John Hock Conrad, Johnny Hoch, John Hock, John Hocks) – stuntman, film, TV actor, grandson of stuntman, actor John Epper (Hans Emil Epper) [5/7/1906, Gossau, Switzerland – 12/3/1992, Friendly Valley, California, U.S.A.] son of stuntman Richard Hock [1928- ], stuntwoman, actress Margo Epper (Margo Marie Epper) [1936- ], nephew of assistant director, stuntman, actor Tony Epper (John Anthony Epper) [1938–2012], stuntwoman, actress Jeannie Epper (Jean Luann Epper) [1941- ], stuntman, actor Andy Epper (Andrew William Epper) [1943-2010], stuntwoman, actress Stephanie Epper [1943- ], stuntman, actor Gary Epper [1944–2007], cousin of stuntman, actor Richard Epper [1957- ], cousin of stuntwoman, actress Eurlyne Epper [1960- ], stuntman, actor Danny Epper [1962- ], stuntman, actor Kurtis Sanders [1968-2017], actress Heidi Epper (Heidi Jean Epper) [1968–2005], uncle of stuntman Christopher Epper [1984- ], married to Frances Robertson Epper (1935-1992), father of actress Margo Epper (Margo Marie Epper) [1936- ], assistant director, stunt coordinator, stuntman, actor Tony Epper (John Anthony Epper) [1938-2012], stuntwoman Jeannie Epper [1941- ], stuntwoman, actress Stephanie Epper [1943- ], stuntman, actor Andy Epper (Andrew William Epper) [1944-2010], stunt coordinator, stuntman, actor Gary Epper (Gary Alan Epper) [1944-2007], grandfather of actor Richard Epper [1957- ], actress Eurlyne Epper [1960- ], stuntman, actor Danny Epper [1962- ], stuntman, actor Johnny Hock, actress Heidi Epper [1968-2005], actor Kurtis Epper.
Blood Red – 1989 [stunts]
Posse – 1992 [stunts]
No comments:
Post a Comment