Gary Combs

Real world article
(written from a Production point of view)

Gary Combs
Birth name:	Gary Murdock Combs
Date of birth:	13 December 1935
Place of birth:	Los Angeles, California, USA
Roles:	Stunt actor; Stunt double
Character(s):	Gorn Captain; Klingon Soldier

Gary M. Combs (born 13 December 1935; age 88) (sometimes misspelled as Gary Coombs) is a stuntman, stunt actor, and stunt coordinator who performed stunts in several episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series and in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. He was one of the stunt doubles for William Shatner and was uncredited for all of his Star Trek television appearances.

Combs filmed his scenes for "Arena" on Wednesday 9 November 1966 and Thursday 10 November 1966 at Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park, his scenes for "The Alternative Factor" on Friday 25 November 1966 at Desilu Stage 10, and his scene for "Space Seed" on Wednesday 21 December 1966 at Stage 9. He filmed his scenes for "Errand of Mercy" on Friday 27 January 1967 at the "Arab Village" part of the 40 Acres backlot, and his scene for "Operation -- Annihilate!" on Friday 17 February 1967 at Stage 9.

Combs is the son of pioneer stuntman, wrangler, and trainer Delmer Combs, who was employed for forty years with several major motion picture studios. Combs son is fellow Star Trek stuntman Gilbert Combs.

Combs, himself, is a veteran Hollywood stuntman and has performed and coordinated in films such as Nevada Smith (1966, with Brian Keith), El Dorado (1966, with Paul Fix, Adam Roarke, Chuck Courtney, and stunts by George Wilbur), Hellfighters (1968), Little Big Man (1970, with Jeff Corey), Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973, with John Beck), Midway (1976, with Monte Markham, Clyde Kusatsu, Robert Ito, Lloyd Kino, John Schuck, Mitchell Ryan, and stunts by Erik Cord), Convoy (1978), History of the World, Part I (1981), Blade Runner (1982, with Joanna Cassidy), Scarface (1983), RoboCop (1987, with Peter Weller, Ronny Cox, Kurtwood Smith, Miguel Ferrer, Robert DoQui, Freddie Hice, and stunts by Doug Coleman, Gene LeBell, and Spiro Razatos), Road House (1989, with Patricia Tallman and Anthony De Longis), The Rocketeer (1991, with Billy Campbell and Max Grodénchik), Falling Down (1993), Speed (1994, with Alan Ruck and Carlos Carrasco), Showgirls (1995), Eddie (1996, starring Whoopi Goldberg and Frank Langella), The Horse Whisperer (1998, as stunt double for Robert Redford), The Runaway Bride (1999), America's Sweethearts (2001), Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003, with Dick Miller, Robert Picardo, Ron Perlman, Frank Welker, Glen Hambly, and stunts by Phil Culotta, Alex Daniels, Monica Staggs, and Ransom Gates), and A Lot Like Love (2005).

As a stuntman and stunt actor he has also performed in television series such as Gunsmoke (1969-1971, with John Schuck, Bill Erwin, Anthony Caruso, Clint Howard, and Original Series co-stunt performer Bobby Clark), Planet of the Apes (1974, with Mark Lenard and Joseph Ruskin), Mannix (1975, with Alan Oppenheimer), and Hunter (1990-1991).

On 10 May 2015, Combs received the Honorary Lifetime Achievement Award at the Taurus World Stunt Awards.

Star Trek appearances

Rees Vaughn's stunt double
TOS: "The Galileo Seven"
(uncredited)

Gorn Captain
TOS: "Arena"
(uncredited)

William Shatner's stunt double
TOS: "The Alternative Factor", "Space Seed", "Operation -- Annihilate!"
(uncredited)

Klingon Soldier
TOS: "Errand of Mercy"
(uncredited)

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stunts
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

External link

• Gary Combs at the Internet Movie Database