Little Known Spaghetti Western Actors ~ Mick Dillon

[These daily posts will cover little known actors or people that have appeared in more recent films and TV series. Various degrees of information that I was able to find will be given and anything that you can add would be appreciated.]

Michael Patrick “Mick” Dillon was born in Epsom, Surrey, England on June 15, 1926. Mick was a British stuntman, actor, and former jockey known for his horse-riding expertise and daring stunt performances in British films and television during the 1960s and 1970s, including doubling for Buster Keaton and Ringo Starr. Born into a prominent horse-racing family with Irish roots, his grandfather was a noted trainer in County Kerry and his father and uncles were jockeys, Dillon began riding professionally as a teenager and competed in both flat and jump racing before serving briefly in the RAF. He transitioned into stunt work in the late 1950s after being recruited for horse-related scenes, eventually becoming a registered stunt performer with the British stunt register.

Dillon's film career featured notable stunt doubling and physical roles that leveraged his riding background, such as standing in for Buster Keaton in “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” (1966), for Ringo Starr in “Help!” (1965), and for David Hemmings in “The Charge of the Light Brigade” (1968). He also performed inside creature suits, including as Gorgo in “Gorgo” (1961) and as a Dalek operator in ‘Dr. Who and the Daleks’ (1965), and contributed stunts to major productions like “You Only Live Twice” (1967) and “Casino Royale” (1967). On television, he appeared in series such as ‘Jockey School’ (1982), where he played a racehorse trainer, and various dramas that drew on his authentic racing experience.

Married to Brenda Freeman from 1948 until her death in 2001, Dillon had three children and continued working in racing-related roles, including as a starting stalls handler until his retirement in 1986. Dillon died on July 23, 2006, at the age of 80, remembered for his versatile and often hazardous career bridging horse racing and the film industry.

Mick Dillon appeared in on Euro-western, “Carry on Cowboy” as a rider in 1965.

DILLON, Mick (aka Mickey Dillon) (Michael Patrick Dillon) [6/15/1926, Epsom, Surrey, England, U.K. – 7/23/2006, England, U.K.] – stuntman, film, TV actor brother of jockey Dennis Dillon [1929-1991], nephew of jockey Bernard Dillon [1887-1941], jockey Joseph Patrick Dillon, [1888-1967], married to Brenda Freeman [19??-2001] (1948-2001) father of two daughters, one son.

Carry on Cowboy – 1965 (rider)