Brad Harris
Encyclopedia
Bradford Harris is an American actor
, stuntman
, and executive producer
. He appeared in a variety of roles in over 50 films, mostly in European productions. He is a member of the Stuntman's Hall of Fame.
, he received an athletic scholarship
to UCLA where he studied economics. When he injured his knee he was advised to take up weight lifting to strengthen the injury that developed his interest in bodybuilding.
Harris entered films as a stand-in
, stuntman
, and later an actor. His first roles were in André de Toth
's Monkey On My Back and Li'l Abner. With his athletic physique, Harris travelled to Rome to perform stunts in Stanley Kubrick's Spartacus
. He stayed in Europe for the boom in European sword and sandal
, Eurospy, and spaghetti western
genres. Harris discovered, when working in Germany, that stunt coordinator
s were nonexistent in that country and he often did extra duties as a stuntman, stunt coordinator, second unit director and actor.
Harris made his debut as a leading man in 1961 in the title role of Gianfranco Parolini
's Samson / Sansone. He would have a long, continuing relationship in several films written and directed by Parolini. Harris also began to be teamed with Tony Kendall
starting with the Western Black Eagle of Santa Fe
, and he later married his co-star in that film, a Czech actress Olga Schoberová
. They were married on November 16, 1967 and divorced in 1969. They had a daughter named Babrinka (Sabrina).
Harris teamed again with Kendall and Parolini in the Kommissar X
series, and The Three Fantastic Supermen/I Fantastici Tre Supermen (1967) series.
He also served as executive producer
on several of his films including King of Kong Island
(which he also starred in) and Jack Cardiff
's The Mutations. He later made seven appearances on the American soap opera
Falcon Crest
as "Deputy Duffy". His most recent film was the Andrea Zaccariello's comedy Boom, released in 1999,
Harris invented an exercise machines called "AB-OrigOnals." He owns a company called Modern Body Design.
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, stuntman
Stuntman
A stuntman or stunt performer is someone who performs dangerous stunts.Stuntman may also refer to:*The Stunt Man, a 1980 film starring Peter O'Toole*Stuntman , a 2002 video game**Stuntman: Ignition, its sequel...
, and executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
. He appeared in a variety of roles in over 50 films, mostly in European productions. He is a member of the Stuntman's Hall of Fame.
Life and career
Born in St. Anthony, IdahoSt. Anthony, Idaho
St. Anthony is a city in and the county seat of Fremont County, Idaho, United States. The population was 3,342 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Rexburg, Idaho Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:St...
, he received an athletic scholarship
Athletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
to UCLA where he studied economics. When he injured his knee he was advised to take up weight lifting to strengthen the injury that developed his interest in bodybuilding.
Harris entered films as a stand-in
Stand-in
A stand-in for film and television is a person who substitutes for the actor before filming, for technical purposes such as lighting.Stand-ins are helpful in the initial processes of production. Lighting setup can be a slow and tedious process; during this time the actor will often be somewhere else...
, stuntman
Stuntman
A stuntman or stunt performer is someone who performs dangerous stunts.Stuntman may also refer to:*The Stunt Man, a 1980 film starring Peter O'Toole*Stuntman , a 2002 video game**Stuntman: Ignition, its sequel...
, and later an actor. His first roles were in André de Toth
André De Toth
André de Toth was a Hungarian-American filmmaker, born and raised in Makó, Csongrád, Kingdom of Hungary Austro-Hungarian Empire. He directed the 3-D film House of Wax, despite being unable to see in 3-D himself, having lost an eye at an early age. He is known for his gritty B movies in the western...
's Monkey On My Back and Li'l Abner. With his athletic physique, Harris travelled to Rome to perform stunts in Stanley Kubrick's Spartacus
Spartacus (film)
Spartacus is a 1960 American epic historical drama film directed by Stanley Kubrick and based on the novel of the same name by Howard Fast...
. He stayed in Europe for the boom in European sword and sandal
Sword and sandal
The Peplum , also known as Sword-and-Sandal, is a genre of largely Italian-made Historical or Biblical Epics that dominated the Italian film industry from 1957 to 1965, eventually being replaced in 1965 by the "Spaghetti Western"...
, Eurospy, and spaghetti western
Spaghetti Western
Spaghetti Western, also known as Italo-Western, is a nickname for a broad sub-genre of Western films that emerged in the mid-1960s in the wake of Sergio Leone's unique and much copied film-making style and international box-office success, so named by American critics because most were produced and...
genres. Harris discovered, when working in Germany, that stunt coordinator
Stunt coordinator
A stunt coordinator, usually an experienced stunt performer, is hired by a TV, film or theatre director or production company to arrange the casting and performance of stunts for a film, television programme or a live audience...
s were nonexistent in that country and he often did extra duties as a stuntman, stunt coordinator, second unit director and actor.
Harris made his debut as a leading man in 1961 in the title role of Gianfranco Parolini
Gianfranco Parolini
Gianfranco Parolini is an Italian film director. He is often credited as Frank Kramer. Among his films are The Sabata Trilogy, several sword and sandal films, most of the Kommissar X films and a number of Spaghetti Westerns.He claimed to have written over 100 thriller novels before becoming an...
's Samson / Sansone. He would have a long, continuing relationship in several films written and directed by Parolini. Harris also began to be teamed with Tony Kendall
Tony Kendall (actor)
Tony Kendall was an Italian model turned film actor with over 50 film credits that reflect the trends of popular European cinema in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.-Biography and filmography:...
starting with the Western Black Eagle of Santa Fe
Black Eagle of Santa Fe
The Black Eagle of Santa Fe or Die Schwarzen Adler von Santa Fe is a 1965 West German and Italian western film directed by Alberto Cardone and Ernst Hofbauer.-Story:...
, and he later married his co-star in that film, a Czech actress Olga Schoberová
Olga Schoberová
Olga Schoberová or Olinka Bérová born March 15, 1943 in Prague, Czech Republic , Czech-American actress, was often compared with Brigitte Bardot and Ursula Andress. She acted in 22 Czech, German, Italian and American movies. Olga was married to Brad Harris on 16 November 1967 and divorced in 1969...
. They were married on November 16, 1967 and divorced in 1969. They had a daughter named Babrinka (Sabrina).
Harris teamed again with Kendall and Parolini in the Kommissar X
Kommissar X
Kommissar X or Commissioner X is a German crime fiction series of books from the Pabel Moewig publishing house. "Kommissar X" is a private detective named Joe Louis Walker who was a counterpart of the German crime fiction FBI Special Agent Jerry Cotton...
series, and The Three Fantastic Supermen/I Fantastici Tre Supermen (1967) series.
He also served as executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
on several of his films including King of Kong Island
Kong Island
Kong Island is a 1968 exploitation film directed by Roberto Mauri. The film was promoted in the U.S as King of Kong Island.-Plot:...
(which he also starred in) and Jack Cardiff
Jack Cardiff
Jack Cardiff, OBE, BSC was a British cinematographer, director and photographer.His career spanned the development of cinema, from silent film, through early experiments in Technicolor to filmmaking in the 21st century...
's The Mutations. He later made seven appearances on the American soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Falcon Crest
Falcon Crest
Falcon Crest is an American primetime television soap opera which aired on the CBS network for nine seasons, from December 4, 1981 to May 17, 1990. A total of 227 episodes were produced....
as "Deputy Duffy". His most recent film was the Andrea Zaccariello's comedy Boom, released in 1999,
Harris invented an exercise machines called "AB-OrigOnals." He owns a company called Modern Body Design.