Ronnie Rondell Jr., Pink Floyd cover stuntman, dies at 88

Ronnie Rondell Jr., a Hollywood stuntman whose fire-drenched role on the cover of Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here made him a lasting icon in rock and film, has died at age 88. His family announced that Rondell died on Tuesday, August 12, at a Missouri care facility. The news closes a career that stretched from the early days of television to major action films and culminated in a celebrated, if perilous, moment that became one of the most enduring images in rock history.

Rondell was born in Hollywood in 1937 to a father who worked as a film extra and later as an assistant director, a lineage that helped shape his path into the stunt world. A Navy veteran and a former diver, he parlayed his athleticism into a long career that began on television and expanded into feature films. He built a reputation as a versatile professional, taking on roles as a stunt performer, coordinator and director. In 1970 he helped establish Stunts Unlimited, a company that would become a hub for stunt professionals, including motorcycle riders, drivers, horsemen and fight coordinators. The outfit fostered a collaborative culture that supported both film productions and the development of stunt safety...