Celebrity Biographies
Buddy Van Horn
A whole life dedicated to the Seventh Art, although always in little-recognized work. He served as Clint Eastwood’s double, who was a year older than him, was his lifelong friend and directed him in three titles, “The Big Fight”, “The Blacklist” and “The Pink Cadillac”. Buddy Van Horn has passed away on May 11, 2021.
Born on August 20, 1928, in Los Angeles (California), Buddy Van Horn was the son of a veterinarian who took care of animals used in Universal filming. He started out in the movie world as a horse handler before being drafted into the army as a pilot. Upon graduating, he became a specialist, on titles such as the Disney series El Zorro , from 1957.
As an expert in fencing and fighting, Buddy Van Horn worked as a stunt double on titles such as Spartacus and Lord of War , and stood in for stunts for stars such as Gregory Peck in Mackenna’s Gold , James Stewart in The Wicked of Firecreek , and Henry Fonda , in The Cheyenne Social Club . He began collaborating with Clint Eastwood on The Human Jungle , and after titles like Legend of the Nameless City and Two Mules and a Woman, followed his orders as specialist coordinator until Gran Torino , in 2008, and J. Edgar , in 2011, which was his last job as he decided to retire.
“He’s very physically fit and likes to do as many stunts as the producers allow him to,” Buddy Van Horn stated of Clint Eastwood . “I’ve tried to talk him out of doing a few things, but almost never succeed. He goes and does it anyway, so he’s been injured several times.” The continuous collaborations with him were due “to the fact that we have the same tastes, when it comes to telling the story in front of the cameras. Taste is an abstract concept that cannot be explained to anyone. It is simply there or it is not.”
On the other hand, Buddy Van Horn occasionally played small roles, as he was a miner in The Legend of the Nameless City , and a stagecoach driver in The Pale Rider , both opposite Clint Eastwood . His most prominent screen appearance was as Marshal Jim Duncan, who planned to inform the government that the locals of Lago, a remote town, wanted their gold for themselves, so they murdered him. The film suggests that the avenging character played by Clint Eastwood could be the same person. With him, he served as second unit director on Strong Harry , The Beginner and Absolute Power., and directed him in three titles, The Big Fight , The Black List and The Pink Cadillac .
Buddy Van Horn is survived by his wife Konne, two daughters and five grandchildren .