Talk:Bob Simmons (stunt man)

Date of Birth and Death
In his autobiography 'Nobody Does It Better' (1987), he states that he was born in Fulham on 31st March 1933. The year is 'artistic licence', he was older than this. His full name was Robert Lionel Simmons and the General Register Office Birth Index Ref. 1a/439 states the birth in 1923. The General Register Office Death Index Ref. 12/790 states his birth as 31st March 1923 and date of death as Oct. 1987. The Death Certificate / Fulham / Entry No. 141 states the date of birth as 31st March 1923 and the date of death as 21st October 1987. I knew where he lived as it was only a few doors away from my grandparents in Devonshire Road, Ealing. The Death Certificate gives the same address. The Registration gives his occupation as Film Director. The year of his birth and death has been altered four times on Wikipedia, 1933-1988, 1922-1988, 1922-1987. It is now correct 1923-1987. Congratulations to the person who visited his grave at Greenford Park Cemetery and stated on Wikipedia that the gravestone states the date of his death as 21st October 1987. The brass plate does indeed state - Died 21st Oct 1987. During his career Bob Simmons was involved with the stunts in over 50 films, including 12 'Bond' films. He is a major figure in 'Bond' film history. 86.182.216.130 (talk) 14:41, 12 February 2012 (UTC)

Sub-Title of Autobiography 'Nobody Does It Better'
Wikipedia states that the sub-title is, 'My 25 Years With James Bond and Other Stories'. This is incorrect. It is actually, 'My 25 years of stunts with James Bond and other stars'. (Source: My copy of the paperback book. Javelin Books, 144 pages, Sterling Publishing, 1987). Paperback copy originally cost £2.95. Book now out of print. 86.166.74.37 (talk) 22:23, 13 February 2012 (UTC)

Further films that Bob Simmons worked on
IMDb list 45 films in their Filmography for Bob Simmons. Here are a further eight that weren't included. 'The Naked Edge' 1961, fight arranger. 'Captain Clegg' 1962, fight sequences. 'The Long Ships' 1964, action sequences. 'Catlow' 1971, action sequence coordinator. 'The Man Called Noon' 1973, action supervisor. His speciality in stunt work was training horses to fall safely. He was Horse Master/Trainer in 'Pirates of Blood River' 1962, 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum' 1966, and 'The Charge of the Light Brigade' 1968. (Source: Films - Cast and Crew, and autobiography 'Nobody Does It Better'). A good discussion point would be to name more films, where he was involved with the stunts, not mentioned in the IMDb list. 86.173.96.245 (talk) 23:49, 14 February 2012 (UTC)

Bob Simmons - Quote
" I have 'died' many times on screen in order to live." (Bob Simmons, page 142, autobiography).86.173.96.245 (talk) 21:52, 15 February 2012 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.173.96.245 (talk) 21:45, 15 February 2012 (UTC)

Won Award
Bob Simmons received a Hollywood Motion Picture Hall of Fame award for Best Stunt Co-ordinator 1980-1981, for the 'Bond' film 'For Your Eyes Only'. (Source: Hollywood Stuntmens' Hall of Fame Members). 86.173.96.245 (talk) 09:24, 20 February 2012 (UTC)

HEIGHT
IMDb wrongly states Bob Simmons' height as 5' 9". Depending on the source, Sean Connery is between 6' 2" and 6' 3". In his book, Bob Simmons states his height as 5' 11". "Now, at 5ft 11in, I'm two inches shorter than Sean." 86.173.96.245 (talk) 11:23, 21 February 2012 (UTC)

1982 MEDIA
He appeared on the talk show 'The Michael Parkinson Show' after receiving his Hollywood Hall of Fame Award for Best Stunt Co-ordinator 1980-1981. Being an Ealing resident, an article appeared in the Ealing Gazette. It mentioned that he had won a Hollywood Hall of Fame Award for stunts, that he had completed filming 'Who Dares Wins', and that he was starting his autobiography (at the time) titled 'I Die To Live'. The article photograph was as in the 'For Your Eyes Only' poster, ie. Legs of a woman in a bikini bottom in the foreground and Bob Simmons pointing a gun 'through her legs' in the background. 86.185.142.222 (talk) 12:26, 15 April 2012 (UTC)

'Bond' films where you can see it's actually him
'Thunderball' - Colonel Jacques Bouvar - pre title sequence - which means you see Sean Connery fighting against his own stunt double! 'The Spy Who Loved Me' - KGB thug - approx 33 mins into film. 'For Your Eyes Only' - Henchman, Lotus explosion victim - approx 22 mins into film.86.159.193.218 (talk) 12:51, 11 February 2014 (UTC)

Signed Photo
Being a stunt man, not an actor, he didn't have publicity photographs. He said to me, "I don't have many photos of myself." So, (after searching through his personal album) the autographed photo he gave to me is very rare. NOT for sale! 86.185.142.222 (talk) 13:13, 15 April 2012 (UTC)

Quiz question
Who was the first person to play James Bond in films? Answer - Bob Simmons. It was Bob Simmons and not Sean Connery that appeared in the opening gun barrel sequence featured in the film 'Dr. No' (1962). Therefore, it is fair to say that he is the first person to appear on the big screen as James Bond.86.130.42.199 (talk) —Preceding undated comment added 09:51, 9 May 2012 (UTC).

Bob Simmons - Film Stunts
1950's - Ivanhoe, The Red Beret, The Black Knight, Zarak, Fire Down Below, Action of the Tiger, Tom Thumb. 1960's - Holiday in Spain, The Naked Edge, Fury at Smuggler's Bay, The Secret Ways, The Hellions, The Guns of Navarone, Captain Clegg, Pirates of Blood River (Horse Master), Dr. No, From Russia With Love, The Long Ships, Goldfinger, Genghis Khan, Thunderball, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Horse Master), You Only Live Twice, The Charge of the Light Brigade (Horse Master), Shalako, The Adventurers. 1970's - Murphy's War, When Eight Bells Toll, Catlow, Diamonds Are Forever, The Offence, Lady Caroline Lamb, A Touch of Class, The Man Called Noon, Live and Let Die, Caravan to Vaccares, The Man Who Would Be King, Paper Tiger, Happy Days Are Here Again, The Wilby Conspiracy, De dwaze Lotgevallen van Sherlock Jones, The Spy Who Loved Me, The Wild Geese, All Quiet on the Western Front (TV Film), Zulu Dawn, Moonraker. 1980's - The Sea Wolves, For Your Eyes Only, Who Dares Wins, The Wall (TV Film), Octopussy, A View to a Kill. (52 films listed, 12 of which are 'Bond' films). (Source: IMDb and autobiography 'Nobody Does It Better'). 86.173.97.49 (talk) 10:40, 11 June 2013 (UTC)

From Russia With Love
Peter Perkins, so folk law would have us believe, took over from Bob Simmons when he was unavailable to take charge of the action on From Russia With Love. Simmons was very much available and did work on the picture as an advisor to Perkins, but was never credited. The train fight scene between Sean Connery and Robert Shaw was rehearsed for two days. The stuntmen were Peter Perkins, who doubled Connery, and Jackie Cooper, who doubled Shaw. However, the actors themselves did the fight scene, the stuntmen were only used for one shot. In his autobiography, Bob Simmons states he was also on the set during this time and also doubled Sean Connery. (Sources: Every stuntman who has played James Bond on film. From Russia With Love Documentary. IMDb).86.173.97.255 (talk) 17:00, 5 February 2014 (UTC)

To see Bob Simmons
To see back stage with Bond veteran stuntman Bob Simmons, watch The Making of The Spy Who Loved Me, Part 8, first five minutes.86.159.193.218 (talk) 12:34, 11 February 2014 (UTC)

Bob Simmons - Job Titles on the 'Bond' films
Dr. No - uncredited. From Russia With Love - stunt arranger was Peter Perkins but Bob Simmons was an advisor - uncredited. Goldfinger - action sequences. Thunderball - action sequences. You Only Live Twice - action sequences. Diamonds Are Forever - stunt arranger. Live And Let Die - stunt coordinator. The Spy Who Loved Me - action arranger. Moonraker - action sequences arranger. For Your Eyes Only - action sequences arranger. Octopussy - action sequences arranger. A View To A Kill - action sequence arranger was Martin Grace but Bob Simmons was stunt team supervisor and credited in the end credits. This film had a stunt team of over 80 people. (Source: Opening Title Sequences and IMDb).86.159.193.218 (talk) 13:59, 11 February 2014 (UTC)

Total 'Bond' films he worked on
In 'Best Bond Moments - Spectacular Stunts - YouTube' it states, "Special Mention to: Bob Simmons - stuntman/coordinator on nine films, and being the first cinematic 007". This is incorrect, he worked on TWELVE 'Bond' films, ie. twelve of the first fourteen. Up to 1985 the only ones he wasn't involved with were 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' and 'The Man With The Golden Gun'. (Source: IMDb). 86.159.193.218 (talk) 11:20, 13 February 2014 (UTC)

Bob Simmons - Further Film Stunts
A further six films in which he was involved with the stunts - A Night to Remember (1958), Exodus (1960), Rufus (1975), Rosebud (1975), Mister Deathman (1977), Going Bananas (1987). (Source: IMDb and Films - Cast and Crew). 86.147.158.163 (talk) 11:04, 31 October 2021 (UTC)

Born in 1923
In 2016 someone has reverted his birth year of 1923 back to 1922 in Wikipedia. Bob Simmons was born on 31st March 1923. Even IMDb has the year of birth incorrectly down as 1922. See 'Talk' - Date of Birth and Death. (Source: General Register Office Birth Index Ref. 1a/439. G.R.O. Death Index Ref. 12/790. Death Cert. - Fulham / Oct 1987 / Entry No. 141 also states date of birth). 86.147.158.163 (talk) 14:42, 2 November 2021 (UTC)

Done.Thanks for the heads-up .Lobo151 (talk) 15:21, 2 November 2021 (UTC)