Bob Yerkes Dies: ‘Star Wars’ & ‘Back to the Future’ Stuntman Was 92

Bob Yerkes, the Hollywood stunt performer known for his work in the Star Wars and Back to the Future franchises, has died. He was 92.

The former acrobat died Tuesday morning at his Northridge, California home, according to a statement shared by his fellow stunt performer Darlene Williams Bostock, who grew up training with Yerkes.

“I am horribly sad to hear that my mentor and stunt coach Bob Yerkes passed away this morning in Northridge, California,” announced Bostock in a Facebook post. “Bobby opened the door to his home and backyard to everyone that either needed a place to stay or to train for a job. … I would not have had a career in stunts without Bob Yerkes.”

She added in part, “There will never be another Bob Yerkes! My heart is broken. I am proud and honored to have known him. He was a true legend!”

Born Feb. 11, 1932 in Los Angeles County, Yerkes (né Brayton Walter Yerkes), began tumbling as a child before joining a circus as an acrobat when he was 15. Upon his return to Los Angeles, Yerkes made his onscreen stunt debut in Julia Misbehaves (1948).

Yerkes went on to double for such actors as Paul Newman, Robert Duval and Arnold Schwarzenegger, performing in movies like Airport (1970), Earthquake (1974), The Towering Inferno (1974), Return of the Jedi (1983), Ghostbusters (1984), Back to the Future (1985), Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986), Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989), Hook (1991), Batman Forever (1995) and Poseidon (2006).

Throughout his career, Yerkes trained a number of stunt performers in his backyard bootcamp in LA, which featured extensive stunt riggings.