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Gil Perkins
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Perkins in Teenage Thunder (1957)
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| Born | Gilbert Vincent Perkins August 24, 1907 (1907-08-24)
Melbourne, Australia
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| Died | March 28, 1999 (1999-03-29) (aged 91)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1929–1980 |
Gilbert Vincent Perkins (24 August 1907 – 28 March 1999) was an Australian film and television actor.
As a teenager, Perkins was a trackman and an athlete. He ran away from home at a young age and joined the crew of a Norwegian cargo ship as a deck hand.
In his early adult life, he left for Hollywood. He modified his Australian accent to be more British-sounding so that he could portray British characters. His first role was as an extra for The Divine Lady in 1929, while his first credited role was as Sgt. Cox in Journey's End the following year.
Eventually, Perkins became a regular stuntman for William Boyd. He also did stunt work for Bruce CabotinKing Kong and Spencer TracyinDr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He also worked for Universal Pictures in Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man. Throughout his career, he acted and did stunts in many feature films and television shows. In 1956 Perkins appeared as Mingo in the TV western Cheyenne in the episode titled "Johnny Bravo."
He also did some special effect work, normally for action sequences. He appeared as a Gladiator in Demetrius and the Gladiators, a sequel to 20th Century Fox's biblical epic, The Robe. He was already 50 years of age when he played the "teenaged" monster in the 1958 science fiction/horror film Teenage Monster.[1]
In 1960, Perkins co-founded the Stuntmen's Association of Motion Pictures. Four years later, he became the treasurer of the Screen Actors Guild, a position he held for fifteen years. His official retirement was in 1972, though he continued working for some years later. His last acting role was in Raging Bull in 1980, but his last credited role was as a fantasy lover in Odyssey, the Ultimate Trip. He died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, of natural causes, and was cremated with his ashes scattered at sea.[2]
