Stunt performer

A stunt performer, also called a stuntman or stuntwoman, is a person who performs dangerous acts usually within the television or movie production industry. In this line of work the stuntman (or woman) is paid to do those actions that are deemed too dangerous for the regular actor to perform, these include jumping from a height, falling down, being in a car crash, or pretending to fight with weapons such as swords or knives. These stunts are usually presented as a small feature within a larger production. The stunts are done with safety equipment, but also without them.

Action movies, adventure movies, war movies, martial arts movies, thriller movies and crime movies and television series use many stunt performers to do the dangerous actions depicted in the movies or series. Some actors such as Jackie Chan are also stunt performers who perform this kind of work.

There are, however, other stunt performers that present dangerous stunts to a live audience in shows rather than as part of a larger story in movies or television series. Sometimes these are as standalone effects and sometimes as a feature within a larger stunt show. Escape artists, sword swallowers and other circus and sideshow acts are an example of this. These types of stunt performers can be found scattered throughout history with one of the most famous from the last Century being escape artist Harry Houdini.