Stunt
Chicken wasn't always the international phenom that he is now. Stunt Chicken's
modest beginnings began in Modesto, California where he was born/hatched. Stunt
Chicken was born to Lycra farmers Cecil and Miriam Cohen and their three
children, Maurice, Sundog and Liftingpowder.
Stunt
Chicken's egg was discovered only seconds before it was to be added to
a delicious quiche. The egg was much larger than normal and was tough, extremely
tough and it was that toughness that saved his life. An elderly neighbor,
Hildegard Curbfeeler had purchased a dozen eggs from the Cohens, but was unable
to break Stunt Chicken's egg and in fact hurt her wrist and neck trying to do
so.
Hildegard, complained to the Cohens and returned the unbreakable
egg. At one point, Hildegard threatened to sue the Cohens for her injuries,
medical bills and emotional distress, but instead settled out of court for
a new regular dozen eggs, a deep, cleansing back rub and a large wooden box
of rock candy mixed in with rocks.
Stunt
Chicken's first movie role came in the 1957 Western classic, West of the Pecos, South of Fresno.
The film was a box office flop, but Stunt Chicken didn't go unnoticed with an
awesome, 15 minute fist fight in a collapsing sequin mine.
In
1958, his stunt work in Dial K for
Killer received critical acclaim. Stunt Chicken was in the
movies. From then on, he starred in numerous movies, tv shows, commercials and
educational films, all the while perfecting his stunt work.
His most
famous films include, Cowboy, Cowman, Moon at
Midnight, Suddenly Dead, and a series of racing films
that started with Redline Road
Rash, followed by Redline
Road Rash II; Season of the Rookies, Sheriff of Firebaugh County, A River Runs
Around It, The Jawbreaker Rally, Billard Ball Run
and Billard Ball Run II,
and his final racing film, Interceptor, which was the
film where Stunt Chicken was nearly killed in a catering mishap. For a brief
time, because of his extensive injuries, Stunt Chicken had to limit his stunt
work to knuckle cracking and deep burps.
From
that point, while still recovering from his injuries, Stunt Chicken delved into
more straight acting roles in features like The
Sound of Musicians, Gone
with the Breeze, and the critically acclaimed,
If You Could Hear What I Smell.
In the seventies and eighties, Stunt Chicken took a break from feature movies and settled into a colorful career in television, where he appeared on many favorite TV shows like Pantyhose Junction, Trees Company, My Mother the Hovercraft, as well as many guest appearances on talk and game shows. For a time, Stunt Chicken hosted his own variety show, The Stunt Chicken Musical, Stunt and Comedy Hour on the Armed Forces Network. AFN.
The
turn of the millennia aimed the fickle spot-light of media back on Stunt
Chicken who revitalized his career by appearing in Waterslide the Movie, Frat House Fracas as well as the
steamy mini-series, Band of
Brothels.
Stunt
Chicken lives in Hornitos, California with his fourth wife Melinda and their two
sons, Epicure and Davenport. Stunt Chicken spends his spare time on his ranch,
where he and his wife raise prize winning Gila Monsters for meat and or
pets. He also volunteers at nearby Yosemite National Park, where
he cautions hikers on having too much fun in a National Park. He also
teaches a weekend class at the park on EST, as well as basket weaving and
Snipe hunting.
Stunt
Chicken, his eponymous movie, is his first starring role.
(Below) A publicity still from Stunt Chicken's variety show,
The Stunt Chicken Musical, Stunt and
Comedy Hour, seen here with two of the Stunt
Chicken dancers, Candy and Howard.