The World of Stunt Illusions Part 2
“I know it's impossible. But I know I'll do it!” Philippe Petit
“For me, when I am on the wire, I do not have a problem of eliminating or blocking fear. I do not really feel fear, although it is a fearful activity to walk in thin air, as I do without any safety device, but I am not fearful.” Philippe Petit
Plato correlated dance to ethics and the music that make up our beings, contending that “rhythm and harmony permeate the inner part of the soul more than anything else, affecting it most strongly and bringing it grace.” He felt that dance, of all the arts, is the one that most affects the soul and that dancing is a divine art and its essence is a gift from God. Dance was so important to Plato that he felt it a necessary art for the Greek militia to perfect when he said, “To be a good soldier, it is necessary to know how to dance.” Socrates, being Plato‘s teacher, would have been a well-trained armed foot soldier who fought in the close phalanx formation. Socrates, a Greek elite soldier or hoplite as they were called, practiced maneuvers in his heavy armor and developed his agility and strength. Called the ancient pyrrhike war dance, going so far back in time it's said Achilles performed it around the burning pyre of Patroclus and is described by Plato in the Laws, and involved imitating militia exercises of attack and defense in a managed and ruggish style.
In fact, Socrates is the main character featured in Plato‘s dialogues as he investigates Socrates' philosophical ideas and focuses on the importance of critical thinking and the search for truth. It was reasoned dance was a habit in which human beings, whether performers or casual observers are confronted with the infinitesimal authenticity of their physical existence, which is in constant fluctuation of changes. All these Socratian themes greatly influenced Plato's philosophical outlook. They affected how he thought about human movement, resonating in more modern times in ballet, which was born from fencing, a combative form of fighting with swords.
Dance and battle have intertwined since ancient times, and we can see in our current times the influence of Plato, especially exemplified by dancer and actor David Carradine. In the magical dance world, everyone has a personal rhythm and style unique to them called “dancing aesthetic,” a mixture of intrinsic talent and understood techniques that dancers acquire over time. It is not just about executing a dance routine, but it's an expression of freedom of individuality through rhythmic grace. Through nonverbal expressions, we are speaking from the soul. No dancer illustrates aesthetic identity better than David Carradine, who was brought up in theater and was a trained dancer on Broadway. David Carradine was not formally trained in martial arts like he was in dance, where he had received much professional training during his younger years. This was an incredibly annoying reality for Bruce Lee after he was turned down for the part of Caine in the movie Dragon, prompting Carradine to defend himself by responding when asked about Lee, “I only know what I know. And what I know is that I was sent a script, and I said yes. What was I supposed to do, say no? I didn’t even know that Bruce Lee had been considered. At that point in his career, Bruce, as an actor, was a comedian. He had never shown any ability to do any dramatic acting. It was all fighting and jokes. What they needed for that part was somebody who could have a brooding, quiet power. And I had more of that than Bruce did.” When considering accepting the role for the Kung Fu franchise, Carradine said, “I figured I was enough of an acrobat and a gymnast and a dancer and everything else so that I could handle the kung fu because it's just choreography. I didn't realize that I was going to become addicted to the art and that it was never going to leave me.” It was then that Carradine became one of the soldiers Plato discussed in his writings. For him, human movement came full circle. He trained in dance, which came from the art of war, and then used his expertise in dance to learn the skill and ability of a master Kung Fu artist. And a little aside here, David was trained by my friend Michael Vendrell, who introduced both myself and Jonathan to Hollywood stunt work. Vendrell was also Bruce Lee’s trainer, and it was Bruce Lee who chose Michael to train his son Brandon when he was a little boy in the philosophy and kinetics of martial arts. Michael‘s last and final time with Brandon was on that fateful day when a gun tragically killed him, and much mystery surrounds the disastrous stage event.
In his book, The Spirit of Shaolin, David Carradine wrote about the first time he met and worked with Michael Vendrell on Fast Charlie, the Moonbeam Rider. At this time Mike was still working as a driver.
“Throughout the movie I studied with Mike informally. His coaching was almost always in sparring. He would match his style with mine, work at my level of proficiency, then gradually lift me to higher levels, changing styles rapidly and talking all the while –coaxing, teasing, threatening, praising, probing, story telling, philosophizing,”
“Mike gave me two very strong lessons: one in inventing my own animal forms and the other a powerful focusing exercise for specific development of chi strength,”
It was Michael, who was Carradine’s martial arts instructor and was close to Bruce Lee and worked with him, who introduced me to martial law arts one day on the set of Charlie’s Angels, where I doubled Farrah Fawcett in a karate scene between Farrah Fawcett and future James Bond star Timothy Dalton played by Michael. Mike considered me because of my background training in dance, having worked with George Ballantine as a college student at the University of California, Irvine - Trevor School of Performing Arts. During that time, my last stunt had been playing a zombie in Death Sport a year or so earlier. Michael, one of these people who could sell ice to Eskimos, convinced me I was perfect for the role because I danced, and like David, who had begun as a dancer, I too was a dancer, and he was sure I was perfect for the part. I was a little reluctant, but because of the story about Carradine’s humble beginning in martial arts as a dancer, I embraced the role. Vendrell was Timothy Dalton‘s stunt double, so we worked out a little routine together, and I thought it was pretty easy. Martial arts was all choreography, just like David claimed. I can easily attribute my stunt work start to Michael, David Carradine, and, of course, Jonathan, who paved my path and encouraged me to excel in stunts. It’s intriguing how the universe works. I don't think serendipity is a coincidence. Michael Vendrell became mine and David Carradine’s martial arts master, and Carradine and I, having no training except in dance, became instant martial artists. My advent mirrored his beginning. Both of us were born from the same source - Mike.
Michael had to sell me to the producers and director of Charlie’s Angels, which was fast and easy considering I did not have my Screen Actors Guild card then. Obtaining a SAG card was coveted by hundreds of actors who yearly moved to Hollywood from all over the United States. It's a Catch-22: an aspiring actor must join the Screen Actors Guild to act in the hundreds of films produced yearly. AFTRA (American Federation of Television and Radio Artists), her sister, governed the television union. Today, SAG-AFTRA represents both film and television. In the late 70’s, it was just as tricky as it is today to obtain a card. It's like winning a golden ticket. Once you have a SAG card, Hollywood doors are wide open for your access. So it's a vital union to join if you want a Hollywood film or TV career. Doubling Farrah Fawcett in a segment of Charlie's Angels was my portal to a future in film and TV, although eventually, magic took over our entertainment careers.
In 1979, Jonathan and I moved from Orange County, California, to Studio City, closer to the Hollywood entertainment industry. It turned out to be a fortuitous decision because we were 50-plus minutes closer to the heartbeat of Hollywood, that magical place where what you watch and hear is decided in the boardrooms of the iconic studios. We were living in the epicenter of “what was happening.” It was an exciting time, but the move was necessary for the progress and expansion of our careers. For instance, when living in Studio City, I was introduced to bodybuilding, which I discuss in another Substack.
One of the first phone calls I answered in my new home was from Michael, convincing me to take the role of doubling Farrah. After Michael and I sparred a little and put together a set of movements, I was committed to making this happen. With the best in mind, Mike and I had choreographed our routine on the ground with no obstacles. The day I arrived at the set, I was horrified to discover the fight scene would occur about 29 stories up on a high building at the edge to increase the perception of danger. Being terrified of heights, I was tempted to turn back, but it was too late to back out, so I forged ahead, using the stunt to conquer my acrophobia. On the set, I met stunt coordinator Julie Johnson, whom I bonded with because of our similar interests; she had been raised in Fullerton, where I had just moved from Studio City. Julie directed our action that day but stayed out of our way, allowing Michael and I to choreograph the fight scene. Then I met Timothy Dalton, who I'd be fighting in a few scenes for continuity, and Farrah, who was ecstatic and confident I would represent her well on screen. Off to makeup, hair, and wardrobe I went as the behind-the-scenes makeup artists and hairdressers transformed me from Charlotte Pendragon to Farrah Fawcett. When finished, you could barely tell us apart because we were similar in size and body structure and wearing our khaki jumpsuits for the scene, except for our faces; you couldn't tell us apart unless you looked closely at our faces. It was uncanny. But body-wise and wearing the wig, I made an excellent double.
Once on the set, ready for action, Mike and I went through our choreography a few times, then camera and action. We performed our rooftop karate dance several times until the director and Julie were satisfied. We broke for lunch, after which we performed a few pickup shots before I performed the fight scene with Timothy for a few close-ups of his face. Then we switched off so Farrah’s face could be filmed in the scene. I instructed her on a few moves for the camera for continuity, and my second stunt in my short stunt career was finished. The day ended well, and I was on cloud nine; it was over. The release of an adrenaline rush is extraordinary. Once you accomplish a feat, you feel exhilarated as if the adrenaline’s drained from you and replaced with an endorphin-like natural drug is pumped through your veins, causing the feeling of complete blissful ecstasy.
Once the show was completed, I had a chance to join the Screen Actors Guild, which, at that time, initiation fees were about $800.00 compared to today, where the fee is $3,000.00 to join. I wasn't in a hurry, so a month or so passed when I was called back to the set to redo the stunt scene. Still, this time, the director wanted more dangerous action, so instead of just fighting on the rooftop, I was also asked to fall partway off the edge of the building and perform a roll to get back on my feet. To do so required a safety harness and complete trust in my safety operator, Ronnie Rondell, a legendary stuntman who rigged my stunt. Michael had other obligations that day, so Gregory Barnett, whom Jonathan and I knew very well, took Michael’s place, which was a significant relief for me to have a familiar friend to replace Mike. It had been a month since I had performed the karate routine, but I remembered its entirety, which I recall impressed Ronnie and Julie, but that's what dancers do: commit movement to memory. It made it much easier to line up shots. I taught Greg the routine, and we shot it again, but this time with the added danger of me rolling partially off the roof of the building. Greg knew I was anxious and took my hand and prayed with me. I felt an incredible calm and peace come over me as we talked to God. I knew the tranquility I felt was from a force beyond, in the place where God dwells. I will forever be thankful to Greg for taking time as a friend to spirituality console me. Sometimes, it takes a little help from your friends to uplift you, giving you the boost you need to succeed. This is the lesson I learned that day. When I have fear, I pray.
Because I was called back to the same show and I hadn't gotten my SAG card, Aaron Spelling Productions paid my initiation fee, which allowed me to participate in future film and TV roles where in the future, I would most often play myself as a magician on TV and film. Fallen Angel, the Charlie's Angels segment, aired on October 10, 1979. Up until then, I had not seen myself in the fight scene, so watching it on primetime TV was my first time viewing it. It's funny because I always wouldn't say I liked watching myself, but because I was playing as another character, I watched myself, and it was hard to believe that was me. It still blows my mind the illusion created for the camera. As it turned out, my stunt was one of the more famous scenes from any of the Charlie Angel segments. Timothy Dalton was not test James Bond, but once that deal was solidified, the stunt scene became even more popular. Interestingly enough, I've worked with all the James Bond characters except Roger Moore, but I met him briefly in London once as he was a friend of my friends. In future Substscks, I plan to write about each encounter.
About the same time I was doubling Farrah Fawcett in a memorable stunt, Jonathan was working on the Blues Brothers doubling John Belushi, performing the backhand springs as John down the middle of the church aisle, which I will discuss next week in my Substack. Through luck, coincidence, or fluke, Jonathan and I managed to perform two well-talked-about famous Hollywood stunts done the same year. For us, 1979 was the year of the stunts.
What I mostly received from accomplishing this feat was a chance to face and conquer my fears. Sometimes, you must immerse yourself in the very thing that frightens you or gives you anxiety to overcome it from ruling your life. When you beat fear, it's an exhilarating feeling, and a rush of emotion comes over you, and you feel astonishment that you overcame this paralyzing feeling. Fear will hold you back if you allow it to overwhelm your life and consume you. It permeates our lives, so no area is free from its trap. When I overpowered my fear, I felt great potential as a human being, and I felt a boost of confidence as I realized I was capable like everyone else and could do great things. So, whatever your struggles, know that you can turn your power on and face your challenges and succeed.
What an interesting life you’ve led Charlotte. Thank you for sharing your wonderful memories and insights x
Great story (and interesting connections between dance and war).
I got my SAG card by being an extra on Babylon 5 and then two episodes of Chicago Hope. Stunt-doubling for Farrah Fawcett and fighting Timothy Dalton is way more exciting!