John Milius's account of the production presents Evel Knievel as far more volatile than the heroic daredevil image marketed to children. After reading the script, Milius said he recognized Knievel as a deeply troubled, almost sociopathic figure who nevertheless possessed a powerful sense of himself as a warrior and cultural gladiator. Knievel was reportedly jealous that George Hamilton, rather than Knievel himself, would portray him and wanted to control the image being created on screen. Milius connected that possessiveness to an incident in which Knievel used a baseball bat to break a man's arm, an act that effectively ended his career in the toy business. The source does not provide the victim's name or an exact date, but the episode illustrates the dangerous split between Knievel's public role as a family-friendly action hero and the aggressive behavior attributed to him away from the ramp. Knievel later made his own film, reinforcing the impression that he regarded no actor as capable of fully embodying the legend he had built around himself.
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AI concept artworkArchive Record · 1970s
Evel Knievel’s Real Violence and Jealousy Haunted the Film’s Attempt to Recreate His Persona
Evel Knievel / 1970s
John Milius's account of the production presents Evel Knievel as far more volatile than the heroic daredevil image marketed to children. After reading the script, Milius said he recognized Knievel as a deeply troubled, almost sociopathic figure who nevertheless possessed a powerful sense of himself as a warrior and cultural gladiator. Knievel was reportedly jealous that George Hamilton, rather than Knievel himself, would portray him and wanted to control the image being created on screen. Milius connected that possessiveness to an incident in which Knievel used a baseball bat to break a man's arm, an act that effectively ended his career in the toy business. The source does not provide the victim's name or an exact date, but the episode illustrates the dangerous split between Knievel's public role as a family-friendly action hero and the aggressive behavior attributed to him away from the ramp. Knievel later made his own film, reinforcing the impression that he regarded no actor as capable of fully embodying the legend he had built around himself.
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