to our favourite action films. A highly sought after individual, his choices and creations have defined an entire industry and yet how it all started is not what you would expect. “I was brought up in the circus, bareback horse riding. We were called in to do a film in 1977 at Shepperton Studios called ‘The Thief of Bagdad’,” he explains, “I noticed that the food was free and that’s when I decided to make a career of it.” Since then he’s been the first choice stunt man for Mark Hamill in Star Wars Episode IV (New Hope) and amongst his movie credits are Sleepy Hollow, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones The
Last Crusade. He had a minor role in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith as Jedi Master Cin Drallig (“Nic Gillard” spelled backwards). Not bad, considering it was initially the canteen that attracted him to it all. “Free food. Yes please!”- Nick Gillard. Action films will always be highlighted by the fighting and stunt work. Little will keep an audience as stuck to their seats as a dangerous, visually spectacular fight sequence. As the years have progressed, our expectations have changed. In the seventies and eighties we looked for power and strength. Epitomised by Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris, the Americanization of films at this time had such a wide effect Endeavour Magazine • February 2013 • 11