so Steve McQueen did the stunts in the Great Escape,except the jump.who did it?

[cruzziguzzi]

Also Thanks guys for the reminder post....I was up until 2:30 last night because I couldn't tear myself away from "On any Given Sunday" I had forgotten how good that is!!

I wish that more filmmakers of the genre would take much harder looks at "On Any Sunday" and "Endless Summer". Bruce Brown built a hell of a mold there and nobody "broke" it but they sure do ignore the tone and "timbre" in their "homages".

Todd.

[oldbike54]

Does anyone know where those bikes are today? I saw a episode of pawn stars and there was a fellow selling a Indian motorcycle that belonged to Steve McQueen. I think it was a 1953 chief four-cyclender

 The last Indian four was built in 1942 , I think . The Chief , a twin did continue on until 1953 . Most of McQueen's cars and bikes have been sold off at different auctions . As for Bud Ekin's bikes , seems some have been sold , and some remain in the family .
 Still waiting on an answer to the non-competition question . Hint , the answer involves a TV show set in Milwaukee .

 Dusty

[Demar]

The last Indian four was built in 1942 , I think . The Chief , a twin did continue on until 1953 . Most of McQueen's cars and bikes have been sold off at different auctions . As for Bud Ekin's bikes , seems some have been sold , and some remain in the family .
 Still waiting on an answer to the non-competition question . Hint , the answer involves a TV show set in Milwaukee .

 Dusty

Laverne and Shirley?

[cruzziguzzi]

The last Indian four was built in 1942 , I think . The Chief , a twin did continue on until 1953 . Most of McQueen's cars and bikes have been sold off at different auctions . As for Bud Ekin's bikes , seems some have been sold , and some remain in the family .
 Still waiting on an answer to the non-competition question . Hint , the answer involves a TV show set in Milwaukee .

 Dusty

Joanie loves Chachi?

Todd.

[oldbike54]

I had read this as well in one interview or another but print is only marginally more reliable than the blathernet. Most of the information on the Capt America bike is in hard print and generated before the internet and is worth just about what the paper it's printed on is worth... after adjusting for inflation - of any kind.

Hell, I'd also seen that the jump was in fact performed by MCCool but he and Bud had colluded .
Todd.

 About the Capt America bike , although Dan Haggerty managed to convince a buyer that he possessed one of the many after rebuilding it , and sold it for a nice price , many "insiders" believe that claim to be bogus .

 

I wish that more filmmakers of the genre would take much harder looks at "On Any Sunday" and "Endless Summer". Bruce Brown built a hell of a mold there and nobody "broke" it but they sure do ignore the tone and "timbre" in their "homages".

Todd.

 OAS may have been a one time deal . Brown was unencumbered by Hollywood producers and directors . Getting McQueen to finance it was the "genius" move , allowing him to make the movie he wanted .

  Dusty

[oldbike54]

Joanie loves Chachi?

Todd.

 

Laverne and Shirley?

 You boys ain't right 

  Dusty

[cruzziguzzi]

 You boys ain't right 

  Dusty

OK, then it HAD to be Blansky's Beauties... He drove the hearse, right?

Todd.

[oldbike54]

http://www.thegreatescapelocations.com/jump_and_the_fence.htm

 Apparently someone who actually witnessed the jump isn't sure who performed it  As for the difficulty, considering that Bud (or Steve , or the unknown Ozzie) were all accomplished racers, I will bet it was more a matter of getting the dirt ramp just right .

 Dusty

[wymple]

Amazing Stories was set in Milwaukee, and Ekins coordinated stunts.

[oldbike54]

Amazing Stories was set in Milwaukee, and Ekins coordinated stunts.

 Interesting , but not the answer , at least to my question 

  Dusty

[Two Checks]

This thread has jumped the shark.

[oldbike54]

He jumped the shark.

 It's weird , my knowledge of non-motorcycle related pop culture is so limited that a couple of years ago I had to Google "Jumped the shark"  Right show , wrong answer .

 Dusty

[drums4money]

This thread has jumped the shark.

HAAAA!
that's exactly what I was thinking.  I'd read years ago that Henry Winkler didn't ride initially & couldn't do the opening roll-up scene.  Who jumped the shark?  That's the most important question in pop culture. . .

[oldbike54]

HAAAA!
that's exactly what I was thinking.  I'd read years ago that Henry Winkler didn't ride initially & couldn't do the opening roll-up scene.  Who jumped the shark?  That's the most important question in pop culture. . .

 Maybe it was the Australian MXer that really did the fence jump ...

  Dusty

[Rough Edge racing]

This article points out one of the main reasons I don't trust internet articles . Where did Bud find a 1940 Triumph in America , not impossible , but improbable , and what race track were they on when Bud pulled his famous trick running Eddie into a a hole ?

 Dusty

 It's AMA information from their website..While that in itself doesn't make it totally accurate, you offer nothing to support your opinion that it's suspect other than the 1940 Triumph comment...

[Jim Rich]

There are probably members of our group here who have jumped motorcycles over fences, or least rode through them.

[oldbike54]

It's AMA information from their website..While that in itself doesn't make it totally accurate, you offer nothing to support your opinion that it's suspect other than the 1940 Triumph comment...

 True , except that 1940 model Triumphs in the US are extremely rare , would almost have to be a WM model flathead ,  and once again , what track did the hole event occur at . All I am saying is that often times certain facts get confused . Maybe it was a 1940 model , but it would seem the author might make notice of how rare that is .

 Dusty

[Penderic]

Pfft.

Bikes jumping over stuff. 


Now we're talking!


 

[voncrump]

Years ago I heard that some of the stunts in the great escape were done by Tim Gibbes who was a Moto Cross rider from New Zealand.
Cheers, voncrump

[wymple]

There are probably members of our group here who have jumped motorcycles over fences, or least rode through them.

Yes, but not on purpose and not getting paid to do it.

[kirby1923]

I saw this so I have a Steve story.

Long time ago Santa Paula airport in SoCal was there to bid on A Waco UPF7 up for auction. Steve was there although I did not recognize him..(he won) had a hangar there. 
Someone ask him who did the Bullet mustang bit..he answered Bud..then someone asked about the Great Escape jump and he paused and said I could have done that but it was Bud.

Then the cool of the cool said that Bud was the coolest of them all.

:-)

[oldbike54]

Years ago I heard that some of the stunts in the great escape were done by Tim Gibbes who was a Moto Cross rider from New Zealand.
Cheers, voncrump

 Could this be the "Australian" mentioned earlier ? Apparently he was born in OZ and made his escape, ISDT rider , MXer , stuntman , promoter .

 So now we have 3 possible guys that could have made the jump . Ahh Hollywood , maybe Brando really was in charge of Apocalypse Now like he claimed 
 Actually it probably was Bud Ekins who performed the official jump , but they practiced it for a day at least , maybe all 3 riders did it in practice . Or maybe it was some unknown German rider that didn't have a SAG card .

  Dusty

[sturgeon]

There are probably members of our group here who have jumped motorcycles over fences, or least rode through them.

My 15-year old nephew has jumped fences while doing a backflip. He's a decent MX racer, but by no means a pro. Modern MX bikes are a tad more capable than old Triumphs et.al.

[Aaron D.]

It's on TCM now...

[Sasquatch Jim]

  Just got done watching The Great Escape on TV this morning & afternoon.
 Enjoyed it just as much as any other time I have watched it.  Not many of those actors still alive now.
 McCallum and maybe a few of the youngsters that played German troops.

[giusto]

You

I have the movie on dvd....Watched it last night. What a great movie...one of my all time favorites. James Garner and Donald Pleasance both passed in 2014.
McQueen was going to walk from the movie several times....Coburn and Garner talked him back into it.
The motorcycle screen was not in the book or the screen play...that was all McCool and put together with Bud.

Notice the SS officer who relieved...the commandant...???? He played in another favorite...drove a tank.....Dusty? anyone? woof woof

[giusto]

I can see the "Kelly's Heroes DVD from where I am sitting.

That was quick :)

Woof woof woof "That's my other dog imitation"

[Demar]

Those WWII movies are great. I have to watch Where Eagles Dare again; it's been decades since I've watched it.

[giusto]

:)

[giusto]

Its lunch time and SWMBO said to stay put.
Funny how things can come full circle.

yeah right...too funny, nice walls....had to look past the bike though