Hollywood Stunt Performers Credit Chiropractic

Hollywood stunt performers who depend on their physical abilities are giving credit to chiropractic for their ability to be at their best. Recently in an article in the 06/20/2001 issue of USA Today Health, appeared a report from the World Stunt Awards, where many of Hollywood's top stunt people credited chiropractic with their ability to continue on. One stunt person, Jill Brown, the winner for best fall said, "I'd like to thank my chiropractor. I'm not joking. I couldn't do what I do without him."

Hal Needham, known as the "king of stuntmen", (pictured right) also chimed in by saying, " Just about everybody I know has been or regularly goes to the chiropractor. Nowadays, everybody takes care of their bodies better than we used to — they're in excellent physical shape." Needham has broken 56 bones in a career that has spanned 310 films and more than 4,500 TV episodes. Actor Burt Reynolds, also a chiropractic supporter, praised Needham's ability by saying, "Nothing stops him — there is only one Hal Needham. I'm just not sure how many pieces of him are left."

"Stunt work is incredibly taxing on the body," says Dr. Bruce Hall, a chiropractor who practices in North Hollywood. "And there's an unwritten rule that if you get hurt doing a stunt, you take care of it yourself — so I treat stunt men and women every day in my office."

"I go every week or at the very least twice a month," says Jeannie Epper-Kimack, who at 60 still performs stunts and can be seen in the upcoming films Spiderman and Rush Hour 2. After performing stunts for 51 years, Epper-Kimack, who was Lynda Carter's double on Wonder Woman, is in remarkable shape and partially credits chiropractic. "I've gotten some stitches, but I haven't broken a bone yet," Epper-Kimack says. "I'm not sure if it was luck, talent or God, but staying fit and aligned is certainly part of it."