Editing Hal Needham (section)

{{Short description|American stunt performer and film director (1931–2013)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name          = Hal Needham
| image         = Hal needham 2011.jpg
| caption       = Needham in 2011
| birth_name    = Hal Brett Needham
| birth_date    = {{birth date|1931|3|6}}
| birth_place   = [[Memphis, Tennessee]], U.S.
| death_date    = {{death date and age|2013|10|25|1931|3|6}}
| death_place   = [[Los Angeles]], California, U.S.
| occupation    = {{hlist|Stuntman|film director|actor|writer|[[NASCAR]] team owner}}
| years_active  = 1956–1996
| spouse        = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|Arlene R. Wheeler|1960|1977|reason=divorced}}
* {{marriage|Dani Crayne|1981|1987|reason=divorced}}<ref>{{cite news |last1=Finke |first1=Nikki |title=Carving Out a Career as a Hollywood Ex-Wife |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-08-23-vw-3154-story.html |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=August 23, 1987}}</ref>
* {{marriage|Ellyn Wynne Williams|1996}}
}}
}}

'''Hal Brett Needham''' (March 6, 1931 &ndash; October 25, 2013) was an American [[Stunt performer|stuntman]], film director, actor, writer, and [[NASCAR]] team owner. He is best known for his frequent collaborations with actor [[Burt Reynolds]], usually in films involving fast cars, such as ''[[Smokey and the Bandit]]'' (1977), ''[[Hooper (film)|Hooper]]'' (1978), ''[[The Cannonball Run]]'' (1981) and ''[[Stroker Ace]]'' (1983). 

In his later years, Needham moved out of stunt work, and focused his energy on the world [[land speed record]] project. In 2001, Needham received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the [[Taurus World Stunt Awards]], and in 2012, he was awarded a [[Governors Awards|Governors Award]] by the [[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]].