Loren Janes obit

Loren Janes, acclaimed Hollywood stuntman, dies at 85

 He was not on the list.

(CNN) -- Legendary stuntman and stunt coordinator Loren Janes, who doubled for Steve McQueen for the actor's entire career, as well as for Paul Newman, Jack Nicholson, and even Debbie Reynolds, died Saturday at the age of 85, according to his family.

Janes made his Hollywood debut in 1954 with an eighty-foot cliff dive for an Esther Williams movie. He went on to perform stunt work in such classic films as "The Ten Commandments," "Spartacus," "The Magnificent Seven," "Planet of the Apes," and "The Towering Inferno."

When the late Debbie Reynolds jumped off a train onto a cactus in "How The West Was Won," that was Janes.

In more than 500 films and thousands of television shows, Janes did stunt work for nearly every major star of his era, including Kirk Douglas, Michael Douglas, Charles Bronson, Robert Wagner, Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, Yul Brunner, and Frank Sinatra.

Off-screen, Janes co-founded the Stuntmen's Association of Motion Pictures and Television in 1961 and served as the National Chair of the Screen Actors Guild Stunt and Safety Committee.

In 2001, Janes received the Stuntmen Association's lifetime achievement award for work in Westerns, the Golden Boot.

More recently, Janes suffered from Alzheimer's Disease.

"As a family, we will always remember his astonishing life force, his compelling honesty, his outrageous sense of humor, and surprising gentleness," a statement from the Janes family read. "He was fiercely loyal and loving. And we loved him in return. We were proud to be his family."

Filmography

Year     Title            Role            Notes

1956    Hold Back the Night            Lt. Bishop            Uncredited

1958    High School Confidential            Bert            Uncredited

1958    The Buccaneer            Tumbler            Uncredited

1959            Thunder in the Sun            Minor Role            Uncredited

1959    The Mating Game            Sherm            Uncredited

1960            Spartacus         Salt Mine Slave / Gladiator / Slave General            Uncredited

1963    A Ticklish Affair            Hayward            Uncredited

1965    The Sons of Katie Elder    Ned Reese            Uncredited

1966    Wild Wild Winter            The Bear    

1966    Nevada Smith            Cowboy in Abilene Hotel / Convict in Prison Camp            Uncredited

1966    The Sand Pebbles            Coleman         

1967    The King's Pirate            Zucco's Troop  

1978    The Lord of the Rings                Voice

1979            Americathon    Stage Hand   

1981    Force: Five      Hank   

1985            Runaway Train            Engineer Eastbound 12

1988    Dead Heat     Man In Room            Uncredited

1988    Lovers, Partners & Spies    Ian      

1989    Prancer            Mr. Soot    

1993    Hot Shots! Part Deux    Man hit by board            Uncredited

1994    True Lies      Man in Elevator            Uncredited

2002    Spider-Man     Board of Directors Member            Uncredited, (final film role)