Great Escape stuntman Bud Ekins dies

Bud Ekins, the man who performed the infamous jump over barbed wire in the movie ‘The Great Escape’ died at the weekend.

77 year-old Ekins was stunt double for friend and movie star Steve McQueen in the film’s jump scene, leaping one barbed wire barrier before crashing into barbed wire for the second.

Ekins was also one of the first American riders to compete in the world motocross championship, and was a gold medal winner in the International Six Days Trial.

Steve McQueen met Ekins after walking into his motorcycle dealership, and Ekins then taught the star to ride off road.

The favour was repaid when McQueen invited Ekins to come to Germany in 1962 to ride as a stunt double in The Great Escape.

He went on to work on ‘Bullitt’ and Steven Spielberg’s ‘1941’. When he retired he continued to run his vintage motorcycle dealer in Hollywood.

Ekins passed away in Los Angeles on Saturday. He died of natural causes, and is survived two daughters, two granddaughters, his sister and a brother.