Ronnie Rondell Jr., a veteran Hollywood stunt performer renowned for immersing himself in flames on the cover of Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here, has died at the age of 88.
His family announced via Hedges Scott Millard that he passed away on Tuesday, August 12, at a senior living community in Osage Beach, Missouri. No cause of death was disclosed, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Throughout his illustrious career, Rondell Jr. contributed to films such as How the West Was Won (1962), Lethal Weapon (1987) and The Matrix Reloaded (2003). Yet, he remains best remembered by music aficionados as the man aflame on Pink Floyd’s 1975 album cover.
The striking photograph, shot on Warner Bros.’ Burbank lot, shows Rondell Jr. engulfed in fire as he shakes hands with fellow stuntman Danny Rogers, both clad in business suits.
“In those days I specialized in full-body fire stunts with custom protective gear,” Rondell Jr. recalled in the documentary Pink Floyd: The Story of Wish You Were Here, via Rolling Stone. “It was demanding work but safe when done correctly, and the compensation was excellent.”
Crafted by Hipgnosis designers Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey Powell, the image required 15 takes due to shifting winds and ultimately burned part of Rondell Jr.’s eyebrow and mustache. “On the fifteenth take a gust wrapped the flames around my face,” Powell told The Guardian. “I hit the ground and my team smothered me with blankets. But the final shot was worth every singe.”
Rondell Jr.’s expansive filmography also includes Kings of the Sun (1963), Shenandoah (1965), Grand Prix (1966), Diamonds Are Forever (1971), Blazing Saddles (1974), To Live and Die in L.A. (1985), They Live (1988), The Hunt for Red October (1990), Thelma & Louise (1991), Last Action Hero (1993), Speed (1994) and The Crow (1994).
On television, he coordinated stunts for Aaron Spelling productions including The Rookies, S.W.A.T., Charlie’s Angels, Fantasy Island, Dynasty, Vegas, Hart to Hart and T.J. Hooker, per THR.
Although he initially retired in 2000, Rondell Jr. returned for a high-octane chase sequence in The Matrix Reloaded (2003), collaborating with his son, supervising stunt coordinator R.A. Rondell.
