In the golden realm of glitz and glamour, behind the magic of thrilling action sequences and daring heroism, there existed a heroine in her own right, Jeannie Epper. With a formidable career spanning seven decades, Epper, renowned as one of the greatest stuntwomen of all time, serenely journeyed to her final frontier at the age of 83. Her trailblazing spirit found peace as she drew her last breath in the familiar comfort of her Simi Valley, California home enveloped by natural causes.
A daredevil extraordinaire who carried her family’s storied stunt performing legacy, Jeannie Epper didn’t merely stumble onto this path. Her dedication was as inherent as it was learned, a talent she nurtured from an age as precocious as nine. The craft, she embraced as more than a vocation, something next only to her roles as a mother and a grandmother. It was hardly surprising then, when she bequeathed this passion to her children Eurlyne, Richard, Kurtis, and grandson Christopher, ensuring the Epper name would continue to cascade through the annals of awe-inspiring cinematic feats.
Epper’s journey was as captivating and challenging as many of her stunts. As a stuntwoman in her early years, she grappled with the potent incursion of a male-dominated arena. Yet, undeterred, she leapt forth, with opportunities significantly amplifying as the doors for women in action-wide roles were flung wide open by the late 1970s.
Epper’s hallmark breakthrough was elucidated through her exemplified stunts for Lynda Carter on the beloved “Wonder Woman” series. Circa, 1976 to 1979, barreling through windows, shattering doors and repelling bullets, Epper’s magnificent displays of bravura, whilst doubling Carter, filled living rooms with awe and admiration.
Her exploits extended to time-honored classics such as mimicking Lindsay Wagner on “Bionic Woman”, mirroring Kate Jackson on the original “Charlie’s Angels”, and tumbling down a mudslide as Kathleen Turner in “Romancing the Stone”. She exhibited grit in orchestrating Linda Evans’ brawls with Joan Collins on TV’s “Dynasty”. Moreover, she broke into the realm of profound storytelling, driving stunts for Shirley MacLaine in the 1984 Oscar winner “Terms of Endearment”.
Fondly referred to as “The Flying Wallendas of Film,” Epper and her siblings ignited an enduring camaraderie with iconic director Steven Spielberg, gracing many of his masterpieces including “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “Poltergeist” and “Minority Report”.
Indomitably trailblazing her way through recent hits like “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift”, “Kill Bill: Vol. 2” and ”The Amazing Spider-Man 2″, Epper carved an enduring legacy that forever redefined the cinematic landscape.
Her unparalleled contribution was celebrated in 2007 when she encased the prestigious distinction of being the first woman ever to receive a lifetime achievement award at the Taurus World Stunt Awards.
Her illustrious lineage came to an unfortunate end marked by her departure, preceded by her son Kurtis, and the passing of her stunt-performer siblings. Left behind to bear the torch of their formidable legacy are her husband Tim, children Eurlyne and Richard, and a bustling brood of five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
