Those who face the danger to get accolades from those who get the glory

By Michelle Foody

HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 4/12/07 — The Screen Actor’s Guild Awards are about to get a little bit longer—and a lot more death-dying. A new category has been announced to honor those brave men and women risking their lives to bring violence, tragedy, or just plain risky business to the big screen. The Guild (SAG) will honor “outstanding performances by film and television stunt ensembles” along with the more traditional categories, come December when the roster of nominees is released.

The SAG Awards have traditionally limited themselves to categories featuring their own, eschewing any other incidentals, like the director, wardrobe, or sound. However, stunt people do perform on-screen, and often play instrumental, if solely physical, roles in film and television.

Hardly any actors do their own stunts like Jackie Chan and many headliners are not allowed to as an injury can shut down a major production. Stuntwork isn’t the safest career path, either. The history of the stunt person, stretching back to old Hollywood, has left more than a few tragedies in its wake. Notably, Indian actor Jayan died attempting a helicopter stunt in 1980. Three years later, Day Robinson was killed during a motorcycle sequence for a film.

But this is not the first time Hollywood has honored those fighting in the fray, their name often a blip on a hundred-person list. In 1967, the Academy gave legendary stuntman, and coordinator, the late Yakima Canutt an Honorary Academy Award and he also got a star on the Walk of Fame. Canutt oversaw the unforgettable chariot race in “Ben-Hur” and came up with some innovative safety devices that are still used today.

While SAG will limit its category to “an ensemble” performance, the Stuntmen’s Associates holds their own extensive awards, featuring in-depth categories ranging from Best High Work to Best Specialty Stunt. On a global scale, the stuntpeople of the world duke it out for top prize from the World Stunt Awards. Past honorees include Phil Cullota, “The Hollow Man” for Best Fire Stunt, and Gil Combs, nominated for Best Driving in “Swordfish.”