Lethal Weapon, Star Trek and Matrix icon dies, aged 88

Hollywood stuntman Ronnie Rondell Jr – who was photographed for the front cover of Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here album cover after being set alight – has died at the age of 88.

Ronnie died at a care home in the US state of Missouri. The stuntman had been involved in some of the biggest films and TV series of the last 70 years – including Lethal Weapon, Thelma and Louise, Star Trek: First Contact, Charlie’s Angels, Dynasty, Baywatch, Spartacus, Diamonds are Forever, Blazing Saddles, Towering Inferno and The Karate Kid

Ronnie was born in California in 1937 and started acting in the 1950s, he was a stuntman in the 50s TV show Soldiers of Fortune. He went on to become a stunt co-ordinator, working on films such as Batman and Robin.

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A picture of the front cover of the album ‘Wish You Were Here’

Many will recognise Ronnie as the stuntman who was set alight for the cover of Pink Floyd’s 1975 album Wish You Were Here. He worse a wuit and wig covered in flame-retardant gel but still suffered minor burns – losing some facial hair.

Ronnie was one of the founders of stunts company Stunts Unlimited in California in 1970. In a post on social media, Stunts Unlimited wrote: “In a class all his own, Ronnie was a generous mentor whose talents set the bar for every aspiring stunt person.

“He was deeply respected, admired and loved. Ronnie was not just a legend, he was legendary and will be deeply missed.”

Ronnie retired in 2001 but completed one final scene, a car chase in The Matric Reloaded in 2003 and was given a lifetime achievement award at the Taurus World Stunt Awards in 2004.

Ronnie’s son Reid died while performing a helicopter stunt for the TV series Airwolf in 1985.