Kerry Darrell Rossall (born June 23, 1947) is an American stunt coordinator, stuntman, actor and film producer known for three Taurus World Stunt nominations for Apocalypse Now Redux (2001). He appeared in the films Apocalypse Now (1979), They Live (1988), The Crow: City of Angels (1996), Tomorrow You're Gone (2012) and produced the films Friend of the World (2020) and Movin' Too Fast (2006).
Early life Rossall was born in Burbank to Frederick J. Rossall of Sepulveda, California.Metlova, Maria (1969-01-26). June Date Set. Van Nuys Valley News And Green Sheet, 23. He grew up in the San Fernando Valley and was a Boy Scout recipient of the God and Country award.(1961-10-15). God, Country Medals Given 6 Boy Scouts. Van Nuys Valley News And Green Sheet, 50. Rossall attended James Monroe High School and was on the track team for pole vaulting(1963-07-15). Monroe High Slates One More Meet. Los Angeles Evening Citizen News, 16. and played American football.Carleton, Herb (1965-10-31). Hobbled Husky. Van Nuys Valley News And Green Sheet, 51. During his summer time in college, he surfed in Hawaii while studying as an economics major at California Western University.
After graduating, Rossall traveled to Europe and continued to surf. Upon his return, he had met stuntman Terry Leonard while working as a ski patrolman at Mammoth Mountain. Rossall was accepted to the Naval Aviation Program in Pensacola, Florida for Marine Corps boot camp and was learning to be a pilot when the Vietnam War ended. His aeronautics training helped prepare him for a career in the film industry. Despite being credited among stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone, he has remained out of the news for most of his career. Rossall resides in Carlsbad, California.
Career
1975–1979 After they met in Mammoth, Terry Leonard asked Rossall if he wanted to work on The Wind and the Lion in Spain. Rossall agreed and got along with the director John Milius after discovering he surfed in Malibu. The next project for Milius was writing a script for Francis Ford Coppola. Rossall got involved after Leonard was signed on as the stunt coordinator.
Apocalypse Now
Rossall said his career in stunts and acting took off on the set of Apocalypse Now when he and Steve Boyum were initially there to double as a pair of surfers. Coppola was amused enough by their talent that he fired the original actors after the four of them had a surf-off. Rossall described the helicopter explosion sequence as the most dangerous. He was the lookout for himself and three other stuntmen. It was an expensive shot in which Rossall injured his shoulder, hit is head and caught on fire. He claimed that working with Coppola was inviting and that each day after filming, he would play racquetball with Robert Duvall who he also tried to teach how to surf. On screen, Rossall played "Mike from San Diego" and advises Bill Kilgore about Charlie's point, in which the Duvall's character responds, "Charlie don't surf!" Rossall was on the film set for over 6 months, involved in 5 of the 6 crucial stunts and worked on every major action sequence.
Following a rerelease in 2001 called Apocalypse Now Redux, Rossall shared Taurus World Stunt Awards nominations alongside stunt performers Terry Leonard, Steve Boyum and Joe Finnegan for 3 stunts in the film: Best Fire Stunt, Best Water Work, and Best Work With a Vehicle.
1986–1998 While filming Cobra, Rossall was doubling as a bad guy driver. While doing a test run, he was supposed stop a van 30 feet away from actress Brigitte Nielsen. His foot got tangled in some cables that had fallen from the dashboard and he braked too late. When the van stopped, it was 25 feet over its mark, a near fatal stunt that almost killed Nielsen. During the actual take, Rossall hit cement at 20 miles per hour, cracking his sternum and breaking his passenger's back.
During the filming of Babylon 5, actress Claudia Christian recalled Rossall choreographing a fight scene for the episode "Eyes" when he intentionally hit his head on a piece of cloth thought to be padded. A metal object underneath caused Rossall's head to swell and bleed, resulting in a noticeable lump.
2006: Movin' Too Fast
Rossall produced the action film Movin' Too Fast written and directed by Eric Chambers. The film was completed in 2006 with Artist View Entertainment and starred Layla Alexander, Marquita Terry and Matthew Glave.
2008–2013 Rossall met actor Don Handfield at a gas station after noticing Handfield's car had a camera mounted to it. He was later brought into Handfield's directorial project Driver's Ed as Second Unit Director. It was then pitched to Broken Lizard as a web series, but was eventually released as a television deal.
Justified
On February 3, 2011, Rossall was the stunt coordinator while filming an episode of the TV show Justified. At approximately 1:30 a.m., stunt performer Lisa Hoyle was knocked unconscious when a parked car rolled over her ankle after being hit by another car. She and another stunt performer said they were never informed that the car they were near would be involved in the stunt. She claimed she was getting food during the meeting in which the stunt was being explained. On February 1, 2013, Hoyle filed a lawsuit against Sony Pictures in which she says the incident wrecked her body and ruined her marriage. Rossall and Hoyle's husband, now divorced, were among the defendants in the case. Rossall had also organized a phone meeting about the stunt, but both performers allegedly were not informed of that call.When I find that I'm afraid before performing any stunt, it tells me that further preparation is necessary.
2017–2020: Friend of the World
In 2017, Rossall was the executive producer for the independent film Friend of the World written and directed by Brian Patrick Butler and starring Nick Young and Alexandra Slade. It was made in San Diego, premiered at the Oceanside International Film Festival in 2020 and was nominated for two San Diego Film Awards before it was distributed by Troma Entertainment and Cineverse. It is listed as one of the 100 Best Zombie Movies, Ranked by Tomatometer.
Filmography +FilmYearTitleStuntsActorProducerNotes1975The Wind and the Lionuncredited1979Apocalypse Now Mike from San Diego19411980In God We Tru$tStand-in1982Turkey ShootOfficer arresting Chris1983Blue ThunderChristineStand-in1984Breakin'Stand-inRiptideRed DawnStand-inStarmanStand-in1986CobraStand-inNever Too Young to DieStand-in1987Death Before DishonorStand-inDragnetStand-inDudesStand-inBig ShotsStand-in1988ShakedownStand-inRambo IIIStand-inSpellbinderStand-inThey Live2nd Unit GuardMoonwalker1989The AbyssStand-inBreaking PointConquering SpaceShort filmCaptain Power: The Beginning1990Genuine RiskStand-inThe RookieStand-in1991Delta Force 3: The Killing Game2nd unit directorFlight of the IntruderStand-in1993Babylon 5: The Gathering1994The Hard Truth1995AutomaticDie Hard with a Vengeance1996The Crow: City of AngelsZeke1997The End of ViolenceFeatured PerformerShe's So LovelyAir Force One1998Running WomanBabylon 5: In the BeginningCity of AngelsSix Days Seven NightsYacht Owner (uncredited)Babylon 5: ThirdspaceBladeFinding GracelandRush HourBabylon 5: The River of SoulsWanted1999Babylon 5: A Call to ArmsThe LimeyCrusadeRide with the Devil2000The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle2001Ocean's ElevenFlashback Security Guard (uncredited)2002Local BoysRoad to PerditionRooney's Henchman (uncredited)2003The Life of David Gale2 Fast 2 FuriousAmerican WeddingBad SantaPolicemanTimelineThe Haunted Mansion2004The Last RideThe TerminalMeet the Fockers2005Movin' Too Fast2nd unit director2006Alpha Dog10th & WolfMission: Impossible IIIPoseidonThe Fast and the Furious: Tokyo DriftWorld Trade Center2007Blades of GloryFire ExtinguisherSlipstreamDoubleI Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry2008Semi-ProSpy SchoolGet SmartDoubleAdventures in Appletown2009Driver's Ed2nd unit directorWithout a Paddle: Nature's Calling2010Gulliver's Travels2011The Muppets2012This Means WarMusic HighTomorrow You're GoneChaney2013Gangster SquadInAPPropriate ComedyDeep Dark Canyon12 Years a Slave2014The JudgeDouble for Robert Duvall2015La MigraSafety consultant2016SullyMastermindsTrunk Hostage (uncredited)2018First TimersShort film2020Friend of the World
+TelevisionYearTitleStuntsActorNotes1983The A-TeamEpisode: "Mexican Slayride"1984Knight RiderVan Driver #1 (uncredited)1985HunterEddie Marx1988Captain Power and the Soldiers of the FutureJackBarr, Greg (1987-10-02). The show that can be zapped. The Ottawa Citizen, 61.Santa BarbaraBiker (2 episodes)1994–1998Babylon 5111 episodes1998–1999Walker, Texas RangerBad Guy, Mace, Joe Martin2000–2001The Fugitive14 episodes2001The Agency2010Hawthorne4 episodes2010–2011Justified10 episodes
+AccoladesFestivalYearTitleAwardResultNotesTaurus World Stunt Awards2002Apocalypse Now ReduxBest Fireshared with Steve Boyum, Joe Finnegan, Terry LeonardBest Work with a VehicleBest Water Workshared with Steve BoyumSan Diego Film Awards2020Friend of the WorldBest Narrative Feature Filmshared with Brian Patrick Butler and Luke Pensabene
References
External links
Kerry Rossall at the British Film Institute