Richard Graydon (12 May 1922 – 22 December 2014) was a British stunt performer and stunt coordinator best known for his work in the James Bond film series.
Early life He was educated at Stowe School in Buckinghamshire and was an amateur jockey and a dancer. He was rejected for service in the RAF in World War II due to a childhood eye injury.
Career His acting, dancing and horse-riding skills were used to good effect in the 1952 film The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men, and he then developed a career as a stunt performer. His stunts for James Bond films included tobogganing down the Cresta Run in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, doubling for George Lazenby, and later for Roger Moore in a cable car fight scene 1,000 ft above ground on Sugarloaf Mountain, Brazil, in Moonraker. At in height, Graydon was shorter than Moore, but it was necessary to maintain the height difference with the stuntman doubling for the Richard Kiel, who played Jaws. In the scene, he had to fall and then hold on to the roof of the cable car with his hands and did not have his safety harness on. His left hand slipped off the roof but he held on one-handed until he could regain his grip. He became known for his ability to hang onto things high above the ground and was selected for stunts that required that skill.
He married in 1970 and died in December 2014, aged 92.
Selective stunt filmography Year Title Role1968The Charge of the Light Brigadestunt coordinator1973Don't Look Nowstunt coordinator1976The Man Who Fell to Earthstunt coordinator1985Ladyhawkestunt coordinator1989Batmanstunts1998Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrelsstunts
Selective actor filmography Year Title Role Notes1952The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men Merrie Man #101953Grand National NightChandler1965ThunderballLargo henchmanUncredited1967You Only Live TwiceRussian Cosmonaut #21968The Charge of the Light BrigadeLord Bingham1969On Her Majesty's Secret ServiceDraco's DriverUncredited1971The Last ValleyYuriUncredited1974Dead CertJockeyUncredited1977The DuellistsCossack / Hussar1979Love and BulletsAntonio1979MoonrakerSpace FighterUncredited1980North Sea HijackRasmussen1981Eye of the NeedleHome Guard Private1983OctopussyFrancisco the Fearless1985Déjà VuCaptain Wilson1990Wings of Fame1990The Fool 1997Shooting FishRacehorse Trainer(final film role)
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