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Witness History: The black stunt performers who took on Hollywood

Documentaries

black stuntmen.jpg

29/03/2022 GMT

The black stunt performers who took on Hollywood

BBC World Service - Witness History, The black stunt performers who took on Hollywood

The battle to fight prejudice behind-the-scenes in the American film industry.

How the Black Stuntmen's Association was founded in the 1960s to fight prejudice behind-the-scenes in the American film industry.

In the 1960s, a group of black stunt performers formed a pressure group to fight for the right to work in Hollywood. Their main battle was against the practice known as "Paint Down", under which white stuntmen would use black make-up and wigs to portray black actors in stunts. Vicky Farncombe talks to Alex Brown, one of the founder of the Black Stuntmen's Association, about his decades of campaigning work in Hollywood - and his appearance in the James Bond movie, Live and Let Die.

PHOTO: Veterans from the Black Stuntmen's Association recieving an award in 2012 (Getty Images)

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