Lightning Bear Introduction: Working as a mechanic at a gas station in Hollywood in 1965, Lightning Bear, a native born north American Comanche from Texas, one night met the right people to get him into the industry of Hollywood. Starting with the western series " the Virginian" Lightning Bear went through over 24 years of successful work as stunt performer and stunt co-ordinator, working with almost every famous director of each decade, before he decided to take a break and started teaching about Indian culture and religion in many countries, finally coming to Germany in 1997. It didn’t take long until he was involved in national TV-series after he met H.P. Kind, a performer of the famous "Police Academy Stunt Show" at Warner Bros. Movie World Germany. Lightning Bears film credits include many of the most successful movies of all time, which made him a very important advisor for our project. Bio: In the beginning there was darkness as my life began to unfold. I have always had an interest in the entertainment Industry. It all started in my childhood in the first grade singing in a choir with a solo for Christmas. In Junior High School there was a talent show in which I did a comedy song with a friend and it was probably the beginning of or was the first lip sink to a song. It was great and in the end when I got shot and took the mike and stand to the floor with me (first stunt) the Vice-principal almost had a heart attack. I then went into theater in high school in acting, set making, and lighting. My first work in film was with a production company doing commercials and travel logs for the Mexican government. We spent 6 months traveling through Mexico, me working as an actor, precision driver, diver and boat handler. In 1965 after leaving the company, a Scottish friend and I decided to go to Hollywood to visit a friend we had met in Mexico. We decided to stay and I got my first job there, working at the Playboy Club parking cars. This was also during the time of the riots at Pandora’s Box on Sunset Blvd. and since I did not have a car, I had to hitchhike across Laurel Canyon Blvd., which was not easy, since I lived in studio city. I quit the club and got a job in a gas station working pumping gas and as a mechanic. It was here that I met the people who would give me my first break. When we got back to the station his friend that was with him asked if I could give him a ride home. Since it was time for me to get off I did. He lived in the hills over looking Universal Studios. This was, as I was going to find out, Spanky Mc Farland who was on the “Little Rascals”. He was producing and directing at Universal Studio’s at the time. We talked that night and he ask if I was interested in the film industry. I told him of my work in Mexico and that I love the industry and he offered to help me. His friend that owned the car was Carl Ambrosia who was a Casting Director. In those days it was not easy to get into SAG. You needed to be in SAG to work in a film and you had to have worked in a film to get into SAG. They got me into central casting and then used my credits in Mexico to get me into SAG. Spanky had the idea of making a star out of me, but I was there to actually go to school. Besides as all knows, you can go to a party 7 days a week in Hollywood, which I did for a time to meet the right people. But when you leave a party at 2 or 3 am and you have a 6 o’clock call and have to get straight, it has a tendency to be a bit hard. So I told him that I just wanted to work and go to school and being famous was not that important to me. He said that the best position for this was in stunts. In those days there were no schools for stunts and everything was OJT. I got my first show, which was the Virginian and met Dick Shane who was the Stunt Coordinator for the show who started to train me. Also during the filming met Hal Needham who Started the first Stunt Association in Hollywood called Stunts Unlimited. After returning from Viet Nam in the 70’s I had the chance to work with Richard Harris on the film “A Man Called Horse” which was later help get him on Star Wars. It was during preproduction and production of the “Return of a Man Called Horse” that I traveled to England and heard about Star Wars. My blood brother who is from England was working as a model maker at Elstree Studios and took me with him and getting work as a Stormtrooper. Later I was fortunate to work on the other films as both a Stormtrooper and Biker Scout. One of the highlites of my life was being able to meet and work with the late great Peter Diamond. I also had a company in film and television doing work as the Executive Production Co-ordinator. We had done shows for Home Box Office. I produced a show for the Tropicana hotel called “After Midnight” and my partner was responsible for the development of the colorization process use today. Since that time, I went more for the behind camera work as a Stunt Co-ordinator and 2nd Unit Director. I also did acting in summer stock, one of which was “West Side Story”, playing one of the Sharks. During the 70’s I also was able to work with Sean Connery on “Diamond are Forever” in Las Vegas. I had taken a break from the industry as I was also teaching and it got busy. I decide after doing “Black Rain”, to only teach for a while. After moving to Germany in 97, I started to meet people in the industry here and decide then to go back into it. In 2003, I got my first Chance at Directing an Independent Film called “Bad Blood”. It was not until this time that I was asked to attend my first Star Wars convention. The greatest honor and highlite in my life was being asked to speak at the Memorial Tribute that was done for Richard Harris in London. I have been very lucky in my life as the industry is and always has been my first love. I like the way it is always changing with new methods and technology, never having exactly the same circumstance or conditions and the ability to travel and see different countries, cultures, people and locations. This is especially true of the Star Wars Conventions as I love to meet the fans and talk with them. CHECK OUT A COOL NEW INTERVIEW AND LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR FAV BIKER SCOUT!!!! CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW: