Ronnie Rondell Jr, the Hollywood stuntman who was famously set on fire for Pink Floyd‘s ‘Wish You Were Here’ album cover, has died, aged 88.
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Rondell Jr, who was also an actor, died on August 12 at a care home in the US state of Missouri, according to an online obituary, via BBC News.
He was involved in the production of a number of films and TV shows during his career, including Lethal Weapon, Thelma And Louise and Star Trek: First Contact.
While many might not recognise Rondell Jr’s name, he was most famous for being set alight for the iconic cover of Pink Floyd’s 1975 album ‘Wish You Were’ Here, while shaking hands with fellow stuntman Danny Rogers.
Aubrey Powell, who took the photograph for the album cover, previously told The Guardian that Rondell Jr had been reluctant to do the stunt and said it was more dangerous than an action scene.
He said at the time: “I explained to Ronnie what I needed and he said: ‘It’s dangerous for a man to stand still on fire. Normally, you’re running and the fire’s spreading behind you, or you’re falling and the fire is above you, or you can always make out with camera angles that the stunt person is closer to the fire than they really are, but to stand still …?’ He was very reluctant, but eventually agreed.”
Powell said Rondell Jr had a suit and wig covered in flame retardant, and was covered in a gel to protect him. This was successful 14 times but on the 15th attempt, the wind changed direction and blew the fire into his face, causing him to lose an eyebrow and part of his signature moustache.
“Ronnie was very gracious about it considering… but as far as he was concerned as a professional in the movie industry it was all in a day’s work,” added Powell.
Storm Thorgerson, who worked closely with Pink Floyd on their album covers over the years, came up with the idea.
He said: “’Have A Cigar’ [the album’s third track], is about insincerity in the music business. What about an image of two businessmen, and one of them is getting burned in a deal?”
Powell added: “We all thought the image was a good idea, and I remember saying to Storm: ‘How are we going to do that?’ He replied: ‘Set a man on fire.’”
Thorgerson also spoke about shooting the album cover in the 2023 Netflix documentary Squaring The Circle (The Story Of Hipgnosis).
Rondell Jr’s first role as a stuntman was for the TV series Soldiers Of Fortune, which ran from 1955 to 1957. Between the 1960s and 1990s he worked on several US TV series, including Charlie’s Angels, Dynasty and Baywatch, as well as movies such as Spartacus, Diamonds Are Forever and The Karate Kid .
Rondell Jr retired in 2001, but earned his final stunt credit in the car chase scene for The Matrix Reloaded in 2003. He was awarded a lifetime achievement honour at the Taurus World Stunt Awards a year later.
He is survived by his wife Mary and his son, who is also called Ronald.
