George P. Wilbur
George Wilbur | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | George Peter Wilbur March 6, 1941 Kent, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Died | February 1, 2023 (aged 81) |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1966–2023 |
George Peter Wilbur (March 6, 1941 – February 1, 2023) was an American stuntman and actor, best known for playing Michael Myers in both Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers and Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers.
Early life
Wilbur was born in Connecticut and served in the U.S. Navy. He worked as a wrangler on a ranch in Tucson, Arizona, where he worked as an extra in the 1966 film El Dorado and was recruited as a stand-in performer for John Wayne. Wilbur later moved to California, where he worked as an extra and stunt double.[1]
Career
Wilbur's career as a stuntman lasted for 40 years and involved over 100 television and film projects. He notably doubled for Peter Graves on Mission: Impossible, Joe Don Baker in Framed (1975), Jack Palance in Cops & Robbersons (1994), Craig T. Nelson on The District, and James Garner in The Notebook (2004). He was the stunt coordinator of Murphy's Romance (1985), Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986), and Me and the Kid (1993), among others.
Wilbur's played Michael Myers in Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers and Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers.[2][3] Wilbur was credited as a stunt performer in Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers, another Halloween sequel, although not in the role of Michael Myers as actor and stuntman Don Shanks played the role.
Wilbur was a member of the Hollywood Stuntmen's Hall of Fame.[4]
Death
George P. Wilbur died on February 1, 2023, at the age of 81.[5][6]
In popular culture
Wilbur was notably referenced in Season 10, Episode 13 of the animated television series Family Guy ("Tom Tucker: The Man and His Dream"), fictionalized as the stage name of character Tom Tucker earlier in his career. In the same episode, archive footage of Halloween 4 featuring Wilbur as the titular character is played, with Seth MacFarlane voicing over the scene as Tucker.
Filmography
Acting roles
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Escape from the Planet of the Apes | Boxer | Uncredited |
| 1972 | Hammer | Brady | |
| 1976 | Death Journey | Thug | |
| 1978 | Movie Movie | Tony Norton | |
| Every Which Way but Loose | Church | ||
| 1979 | Parts: The Clonus Horror | Walker Man | |
| 1980 | Coast to Coast | Billy Ray | |
| 1981 | Pennies from Heaven | Motorcycle Police Officer | |
| 1983 | Max Dugan Returns | Man in Car | |
| 1984 | Firestarter | DSI Orderly | |
| 1986 | Raw Deal | Killer #1 | |
| 1987 | The Running Man | Lieutenant Saunders | |
| 1988 | Split Decisions | Referee at Patty Flood | |
| Remote Control | Dockman | ||
| Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers | Michael Myers | ||
| 1989 | Ghostbusters II | Bailiff | |
| Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers | Michael Myers | Archive footage | |
| 1990 | Loose Cannons | Grimmer's Man | |
| 1990 | Come See the Paradise | Theatre Man #1 | |
| 1991 | Eve of Destruction | Trooper | |
| Defenseless | Sherman Bodeck | ||
| 1994 | Cobb | Casino Security Man | |
| 1995 | Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers | Michael Myers | |
| 2014 | American Muscle | Prison Clerk |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970–73 | Mission: Impossible | Various roles | 4 episodes |
| 1973 | Search | Mull | Episode: "Ends of the Earth" |
| 1975 | Dead Man on the Run | Benet | Television film |
| 1977 | Switch | Mullins | Episode: "Two on the Run" |
| 1978 | The Six Million Dollar Man | 2nd Man | Episode: "Dead Ringer" |
| Pearl | Marine Sergeant | 3 episodes | |
| 1979 | Silent Victory: The Kitty O'Neil Story | Bank Clerk | Television film |
| Goldie and the Boxer | Wilson | ||
| 1981 | Hardcase | Wolfgang | |
| 1983 | The Fighter | Fighter | |
| 1983, 1985 | Simon & Simon | Kaydon's Hood, Thug | 2 episodes |
| 1984 | The Master | Thug | 2 episodes |
| Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer | Thug | 2 episodes | |
| 1985 | Hardcastle and McCormick | Thug #2 | Episode: "Angie's Choice" |
| 1986 | Magnum, P.I. | Henchman #1 | Episode: "Straight and Narrow" |
| 1989 | Dynasty | Security Guard | Episode: "Virginia Reels" |
| 1991 | Fatal Exposure | Fisherman | Television film |
| Cast a Deadly Spell | Owl Wagon Cook | ||
| 1992 | Days of Our Lives | Ike | Episode #1.6926 |
| 1993 | Renegade | Gunman #1 | Episode: "Headcase" |
| 2012 | Family Guy | Michael Myers | Episode: "Tom Tucker: The Man and His Dream" Archive footage from Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers |
Video games
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Ground Zero: Texas | Border Patrolman |
| 2021 | Ground Zero Texas: Nuclear Edition |
References
- ↑ Freese, Gene Scott (2014-04-04). Hollywood Stunt Performers, 1910s-1970s: A Biographical Dictionary, 2d ed. McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-1470-0.
- ↑ "Creation's Weekend of Horrors Bringing on The Men Behind the Mask". DreadCentral. 24 July 2012.
- ↑ Horn, Shawn Van (2022-09-17). "'Halloween': The Portrayals of Michael Myers, Ranked". Collider. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
- ↑ JimmyO (2014-10-24). "Where in the Horror are they Now? George P. Wilbur aka "Michael Myers"". JoBlo. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
- ↑ "R.I.P.: George P. Wilbur, the Michael Myers of Halloween 4 and 6, has passed away". HetFlix. 2 February 2023. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
- ↑ 'Halloween' Stuntman & Michael Myers Actor George P. Wilbur Dead at 81