In the 1970's, when Wonder Woman, the Bionic Woman or one of Charlie's Angels outran villains, crashed through windows, and leaped over obstacles, viewers were really watching Jeannie Epper, dressed up as a superhero. The groundbreaking Hollywood stuntwoman's career lasted more 70 years, across more than 150 films and TV shows. Epper passed away of natural causes at her home in Simi Valley, California on Sunday. She was 83 years old.
"As stuntwomen, we all descend from this lineage of stuntwomen such as Jeannie," says Katie Rowe, president of the Stuntwomen's Association of Motion Pictures, which Epper co-founded in 1967. "Back in the day, men used to do all the stunts — and they'd throw wigs on them, and dresses. But of course...they don't move like women. So the women decided to get in on this whole racket. And here we are today."
