Jeannie Epper found it difficult to get much stunt work as a woman early on but saw a major surge in opportunity as women got more action-oriented roles in the late 1970s
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Jeannie Epper, a pioneering stunt performer known for her work with leading women in action roles during the 1970s and ’80s, including legendary star Lynda Carter on TV’s “Wonder Woman,” has passed away at the age of 83.
Epper, who came from a family of stunt performers, died of natural causes at her home in Simi Valley, California, as confirmed by family spokesperson Amanda Micheli.
Known as one of the best stuntwomen in the industry, Epper started her remarkable 70-year career in stunts at the young age of 9. She was described as “the greatest stuntwoman who ever lived” by Entertainment Weekly in 2007.
Her journey in the stunt world began early, and she proudly stated in a documentary that it was all she knew aside from being a mother and grandmother.
Epper’s siblings were also involved in stunts, leading Steven Spielberg to refer to them as “The Flying Wallendas of Film.” Her children and grandson followed in her footsteps.
Although she initially struggled to find stunt work as a woman, Epper’s career took off in the late 1970s when women started getting more action roles.
Her most iconic role was doubling for Lynda Carter in “Wonder Woman,” where she performed daring stunts like crashing through windows and kicking down doors.
Throughout the ’80s, Epper worked on various projects, including “Bionic Woman,” “Charlie’s Angels,” “Dynasty,” and “Romancing the Stone.”
She also worked on Steven Spielberg’s projects and received accolades for her contributions to the stunt industry, including a lifetime achievement award at the Taurus World Stunt Awards in 2007.
Jeannie Epper was a trailblazer in the world of stunts and will be remembered for her extraordinary contributions to the industry.
