May Boss obit

Stuntwoman May Boss Dies: Doubled For Bette Davis, Rita Hayworth & Others

 

She was not on the list.

May Boss, a legendary stuntwoman who doubled for Bette Davis, Rita Hayworth, Doris Day and Dorothy Malone, has died. She was 90 and had been in declining health since suffering a stroke in 2008.

blazing-saddles-mainBoss, whose stunt career spanned over 50 years, appeared in over 100 films and TV shows, including Mary Poppins, The Blues Brothers, Blazing Saddles, Earthquake, It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, Soylent Green, True Lies and Total Recall.

Widely considered one of Hollywood’s best horsewomen, Boss rode the rodeo circuit before getting her start in show business in the heyday of Hollywood Westerns. “She trick rode in rodeos, and in those days they were making a lot of Westerns, so it was an easy transition for her,” said her son, stuntman Clay Boss.

Her first movie stunt was in 1952 on The Story Of Will Rogers, and many Westerns followed including Nevada Smith, The Hallelujah Trail, John Ford’s How The West Was Won and doubling for Hayworth in They Came to Cordura.

A natural athlete, Boss wasn’t confined to horseback, however. She doubled for Sandra Dee in Tammy Tell Me True and for Doris Day in Send Me No Flowers. In Mary Poppins, she was one of the flying nannies.

“She knew how to get the job done,” said veteran stuntman Jesse Wayne. “She could look at a stunt and know just what to do. I wish there were more stuntmen and women like her.

Said veteran stuntwoman Julie Johnson, “She was one of the best in the business and a mentor to me.”

In a dangerous business, she was also known for getting the job done safely, though she broke both arms twice, and could have been seriously injured or killed back in 1966 when a fire stunt went wrong while filming the pilot episode of the TV drama Ironside.

“The special effects guy had never set up a fire stunt before,” Wayne said, “and in those days they’d just swab rubber cement on you with a paint brush and throw a match on it. That’s what they did to May, but they put too much on her. The flames were shooting five to 10 feet above her head. There was a fire marshal standing by with a fire extinguisher, but when he saw the flames, he just went numb. So (stuntman) Chuck Courtney grabbed the extinguisher and put her out. If he hadn’t sprayed her when he did, she would have gotten badly burned.”

“Everybody said she was a living legend,” said her son, “but unfortunately, I guess, everything has to come to an end.”

Stunts

Hulk (2003)

Hulk

5.6

stunts (as Mary Boss)

2003

 

Poster

Town & Country

4.5

stunts

2001

 

Stephen Baldwin, Mel Blanc, Alan Cumming, Mark Addy, Kristen Johnston, and Jane Krakowski in The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas (2000)

The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas

3.7

stunts

2000

 

Hank Azaria, Janeane Garofalo, William H. Macy, Paul Reubens, Ben Stiller, Kel Mitchell, and Wes Studi in Mystery Men (1999)

Mystery Men

6.1

stunts (as Mary R. Boss)

1999

 

Matthew Broderick and Rupert Everett in Inspector Gadget (1999)

Inspector Gadget

4.2

stunts

1999

 

Kevin Kline and Will Smith in Wild Wild West (1999)

Wild Wild West

4.9

stunts

1999

 

Soldier (1998)

Soldier

6.0

stunts

1998

 

Steve Van Wormer and Paul Walker in Meet the Deedles (1998)

Meet the Deedles

4.1

stunts

1998

 

Pierce Brosnan and Linda Hamilton in Dante's Peak (1997)

Dante's Peak

6.0

stunts

1997

 

The Relic (1997)

The Relic

5.8

stunts (as Mary R. Boss)

1997

 

Danny DeVito, Embeth Davidtz, Kiami Davael, Pam Ferris, Rhea Perlman, Jacqueline Steiger, Michael Valentine, and Mara Wilson in Matilda (1996)

Matilda

7.0

stunts

1996

 

Leslie Nielsen and Nicollette Sheridan in Spy Hard (1996)

Spy Hard

5.3

stunts (as Mary Boss)

1996

 

Money Train (1995)

Money Train

5.7

stunts (as May R. Boss)

1995

 

Jean-Claude Van Damme in Sudden Death (1995)

Sudden Death

5.8

stunts

1995

 

Linda Hamilton and Jim Belushi in Separate Lives (1995)

Separate Lives

5.0

utility stunts (as Mary Boss)

1995

 

The Puppet Masters (1994)

The Puppet Masters

5.9

stunts

1994

 

Brain Donors (1992)

Brain Donors

6.9

stunts (as Mary R. Boss)

1992

 

Christian Slater in Kuffs (1992)

Kuffs

5.9

stunts

1992

 

Arnold Schwarzenegger in Total Recall (1990)

Total Recall

7.5

stunts

1990

 

Police Academy 6: City Under Siege (1989)

Police Academy 6: City Under Siege

4.4

stunts (as Mary Boss)

1989

 

Clint Eastwood in The Dead Pool (1988)

The Dead Pool

6.3

stunts

1988

 

Treat Williams and Joe Piscopo in Dead Heat (1988)

Dead Heat

6.1

stunts

1988

 

Jami Gertz, Corey Haim, Jason Patric, Kiefer Sutherland, Brooke McCarter, Alex Winter, and Billy Wirth in The Lost Boys (1987)

The Lost Boys

7.2

stunts

1987

 

Tanya Roberts, Dirk Benedict, and John Fujioka in Body Slam (1986)

Body Slam

5.2

stunts (as Mae Boss)

1986

 

Charles Bronson and Kathleen Wilhoite in Murphy's Law (1986)

Murphy's Law

5.9

stunt player

1986

 

Acceptable Risks (1986)

Acceptable Risks

5.8

TV Movie

stunts (uncredited)

1986

 

Arnold Schwarzenegger in Commando (1985)

Commando

6.7

stunts (as May R. Boss)

1985

 

Kevin Costner, Kevin Kline, Danny Glover, and Scott Glenn in Silverado (1985)

Silverado

7.2

stunts

1985

 

Sylvester (1985)

Sylvester

6.3

stunts

1985

 

Betsy Russell in Avenging Angel (1985)

Avenging Angel

4.8

stunts (as May R. Boss)

1985

 

Blue Thunder (1983)

Blue Thunder

6.4

stunts (uncredited)

1983

 

Lee Majors and Heather Thomas in The Fall Guy (1981)

The Fall Guy

7.1

TV Series

stunts

1981–1986

 

Sharon Stone in Deadly Blessing (1981)

Deadly Blessing

5.5

stunts (as Mary R. Boss)

1981

 

Under the Rainbow (1981)

Under the Rainbow

5.3

stunts

1981

 

John Travolta, Nancy Allen, Dennis Franz, John Lithgow, and Barbara Sigel in Blow Out (1981)

Blow Out

7.4

stunts (uncredited)

1981

 

Adrienne Barbeau, Farrah Fawcett, Roger Moore, Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. in The Cannonball Run (1981)

The Cannonball Run

6.2

stunts (uncredited)

1981

 

Falcon Crest (1981)

Falcon Crest

6.2

TV Series

stunt double: Jane Wyman (uncredited)

1981

1 episode

 

Lou Ferrigno and Bill Bixby in The Incredible Hulk (1977)

The Incredible Hulk

7.0

TV Series

utility stunts (uncredited)

1981

1 episode

 

John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd in The Blues Brothers (1980)

The Blues Brothers

7.9

stunts (as Mary Boss)

1980

 

Wholly Moses! (1980)

Wholly Moses!

4.8

stunts

1980

 

Charlton Heston and Brian Keith in The Mountain Men (1980)

The Mountain Men

6.3

stunt person

1980

 

The Hollywood Knights (1980)

The Hollywood Knights

6.2

stunts (as May Raymond Boss)

1980

 

Die Laughing (1980)

Die Laughing

4.7

stunts (as May R. Boss)

1980

 

1941 (1979)

1941

5.8

stunts (uncredited)

1979

 

The Concorde... Airport '79 (1979)

The Concorde... Airport '79

4.5

stunts (as Mary R. Boss)

1979

 

Jack Nicholson in Goin' South (1978)

Goin' South

6.2

stunts (as May R. Boss)

1978

 

Foul Play (1978)

Foul Play

6.8

stunts (uncredited)

1978

 

Bette Davis, Christopher Lee, Kim Richards, and Ike Eisenmann in Return from Witch Mountain (1978)

Return from Witch Mountain

5.7

stunt player

1978

 

Richard Burton, Linda Blair, James Earl Jones, Louise Fletcher, Max von Sydow, and Paul Henreid in Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)

Exorcist II: The Heretic

3.8

stunts (uncredited)

1977

 

Airport '77 (1977)

Airport '77

5.8

stunts (uncredited)

1977

 

Fun with Dick and Jane (1977)

Fun with Dick and Jane

6.4

stunts (uncredited)

1977

 

Dean Jones in The Shaggy D.A. (1976)

The Shaggy D.A.

5.8

stunts (uncredited)

1976

 

Two-Minute Warning (1976)

Two-Minute Warning

6.2

stunts (uncredited)

1976

 

Edward Asner, Tim Conway, Gary Grimes, Don Knotts, Ronnie Schell, Dick Van Patten, and Louise Williams in Gus (1976)

Gus

5.7

stunts (uncredited)

1976

 

The Return of a Man Called Horse (1976)

The Return of a Man Called Horse

6.1

stunts (uncredited)

1976

 

Jenny Agutter, Farrah Fawcett, Michael York, Roscoe Lee Browne, and Richard Jordan in Logan's Run (1976)

Logan's Run

6.8

stunts (uncredited)

1976

 

The Bionic Woman (1976)

The Bionic Woman

6.7

TV Series

stunts

1976–1978

 

Tom Laughlin in The Master Gunfighter (1975)

The Master Gunfighter

4.5

stunts

1975

 

Starsky and Hutch (1975)

Starsky and Hutch

7.0

TV Series

stunts

1975–1979

 

Charlton Heston, Victoria Principal, Geneviève Bujold, Ava Gardner, Lorne Greene, George Kennedy, Marjoe Gortner, Lloyd Nolan, Richard Roundtree, and Barry Sullivan in Earthquake (1974)

Earthquake

5.9

stunts (uncredited)

1974

 

Angie Dickinson in Police Woman (1974)

Police Woman

6.6

TV Series

stunts

1974–1978

 

Mel Brooks and Cleavon Little in Blazing Saddles (1974)

Blazing Saddles

7.7

stunts (uncredited)

1974

 

Shelley Winters and Tamara Dobson in Cleopatra Jones (1973)

Cleopatra Jones

5.9

stunts (uncredited)

1973

 

Soylent Green (1973)

Soylent Green

7.0

stunts (uncredited)

1973

 

Cannon (1971)

Cannon

6.8

TV Series

stunts

1971–1976

 

Madron (1970)

Madron

5.3

stunts (uncredited)

1970

 

Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward in WUSA (1970)

WUSA

5.5

stunts (uncredited)

1970

 

The Good Guys and the Bad Guys (1969)

The Good Guys and the Bad Guys

6.1

stunts (uncredited)

1969

 

Gregory Peck, Telly Savalas, Omar Sharif, Ted Cassidy, Julie Newmar, Camilla Sparv, and Keenan Wynn in Mackenna's Gold (1969)

Mackenna's Gold

6.7

stunts (uncredited)

1969

 

Mike Connors in Mannix (1967)

Mannix

7.4

TV Series

stunts

1967–1975

 

The Way West (1967)

The Way West

6.2

stunts (uncredited)

1967

 

Code Name: Heraclitus

7.4

TV Movie

stunt double

1967

 

The Road West (1966)

The Road West

7.0

TV Series

stunt double: Anne Meacham (uncredited)

1966

1 episode

 

Barbara Hershey, Michael Anderson Jr., Tammy Locke, Keith Schultz, and Kevin Schultz in The Monroes (1966)

The Monroes

7.7

TV Series

stunts

1966–1967

 

Steve McQueen in Nevada Smith (1966)

Nevada Smith

6.9

stunts (uncredited)

1966

 

Burt Lancaster and Lee Remick in The Hallelujah Trail (1965)

The Hallelujah Trail

6.4

stunts (uncredited)

1965

 

Elvis Presley in Roustabout (1964)

Roustabout

6.0

stunts (uncredited)

1964

 

Doris Day, Rock Hudson, and Tony Randall in Send Me No Flowers (1964)

Send Me No Flowers

6.9

stunt double: Doris Day (uncredited)

1964

 

Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins (1964)

Mary Poppins

7.8

stunt double: Julie Andrews

stunts (uncredited)

1964

 

Sean Connery and Tippi Hedren in Marnie (1964)

Marnie

7.1

stunts (uncredited)

1964

 

It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)

It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World

7.5

stunt double

stunts (uncredited)

1963

 

Savage Sam (1963)

Savage Sam

6.0

stunts (uncredited)

1963

 

How the West Was Won (1962)

How the West Was Won

7.1

stunts (uncredited)

1962

 

Susan Slade (1961)

Susan Slade

6.3

stunts (uncredited)

1961

 

Sandra Dee and John Gavin in Tammy Tell Me True (1961)

Tammy Tell Me True

6.4

stunt double: Sandra Dee (uncredited)

1961

 

Kirk Douglas, Rock Hudson, and Dorothy Malone in The Last Sunset (1961)

The Last Sunset

6.7

stunt double: Dorothy Malone & Carol Lynley (uncredited)

1961

 

Gary Cooper, Rita Hayworth, Van Heflin, Richard Conte, Tab Hunter, Michael Callan, and Dick York in They Came to Cordura (1959)

They Came to Cordura

6.4

stunt double: Rita Hayworth (uncredited)

1959

 

Clint Walker in Fort Dobbs (1958)

Fort Dobbs

6.8

stunts (uncredited)

1958

 

Will Rogers Jr. and Jane Wyman in The Story of Will Rogers (1952)

The Story of Will Rogers

6.6

stunts (uncredited)

1952

 

Actress

Harrison Ford and Josh Hartnett in Hollywood Homicide (2003)

Hollywood Homicide

5.3

Taxi Lady (as May R. Boss)

2003

 

David Caruso, Eva LaRue, Rex Linn, Omar Benson Miller, Emily Procter, Adam Rodriguez, and Jonathan Togo in CSI: Miami (2002)

CSI: Miami

6.5

TV Series

Betty Rosen (as Mary Boss)

2003

1 episode

 

Leila Arcieri, Jaime Bergman, Roland Kickinger, Kimberly Oja, and Timothy Stack in Son of the Beach (2000)

Son of the Beach

6.9

TV Series

Old Lady

2002

1 episode

 

Michelle Lintel in Black Scorpion (2001)

Black Scorpion

5.8

TV Series

Old Woman

2001

1 episode

 

Titus (2000)

Titus

7.6

TV Series

Old Lady (as May Raymond Boss)

2001

1 episode

 

Stephen Baldwin, Mel Blanc, Alan Cumming, Mark Addy, Kristen Johnston, and Jane Krakowski in The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas (2000)

The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas

3.7

Party Guest (uncredited)

2000

 

Sandra Bullock and Jason Patric in Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997)

Speed 2: Cruise Control

3.9

Passenger #8 (as May R. Boss)

1997

 

Arnold Schwarzenegger in True Lies (1994)

True Lies

7.3

Woman in Elevator (uncredited)

1994

 

Steve Martin in L.A. Story (1991)

L.A. Story

6.7

Old Woman (as Mary R. Boss)

1991

 

Brainstorm (1983)

Brainstorm

6.4

Tape Library Woman (as May Raymond Boss)

1983

 

Americathon (1979)

Americathon

4.5

Adele Miller

1979

 

Billy Crystal and Joan Rivers in Rabbit Test (1978)

Rabbit Test

3.1

Frail Old Lady

1978

 

Kay Lenz and Stephen McHattie in Moving Violation (1976)

Moving Violation

5.4

Housewife (as May R. Boss)

1976

 

Pam Grier, Ken Norton, and Warren Oates in Drum (1976)

Drum

5.5

Mrs. Redfield (as May R. Boss)

1976

 

Switchblade Sisters (1975)

Switchblade Sisters

6.5

Matron #2

1975

 

Stand Up and Be Counted (1972)

Stand Up and Be Counted

4.6

Demonstator (uncredited)

1972

 

Temple Houston (1963)

Temple Houston

8.1

TV Series

1963

3 episodes

 

Susan Hayward and Jeff Chandler in Thunder in the Sun (1959)

Thunder in the Sun

5.5

Undetermined Secondary Role (uncredited)

1959

 

Randolph Scott, Virginia Mayo, and Karen Steele in Westbound (1958)

Westbound

6.5

Stage Passenger (uncredited)

1958