History UsefulNotes / EvelKnievel

-->--Evel Knievel, 2007

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Fictional motorbike daredevils have a good chance of being modelled after him, such as Captain Lance Murdock on ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', "Fender Roads" (the disguise Basher Tarr uses) in ''Film/OceansThirteen'', Vile Kyle on ''WesternAnimation/{{Duckman}}'' or Duke Caboom in ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory4''.

Evel Knievel was a major American icon in TheSeventies, in no small part due to his relentless efforts to promote his own image as "The Last Gladiator". He became a national icon thanks to ABC's ''Series/WideWorldOfSports,'' appearing seven times in three years; his 1975 jump of 14 Greyhound buses at King's Island amusement park remains the show's highest-rated, and five of Knievel's appearances still rank among the show's top twenty. He sought endorsement deals with various motorcycle companies, was featured in a movie and two made-for-television films, recorded a self-titled album in 1974, and made numerous appearances on {{Talk Show}}s and television programs. The Ideal Toy Company released a series of Knievel-related merchandise, toys, and dolls, grossing more than $300 million worth, while Creator/{{Bally}} released a [[Pinball/EvelKnievel pinball machine about him]] in 1977. Evel Knievel was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999, on the 25th anniversary of the Snake River Canyon jump, and Music/JeffBeck produced a rock opera based on Knievel's life in 2003.

[[caption-width-right:350:The Last Gladiator]]

Robert Craig Knievel Jr. (October 17, 1938 – November 30, 2007), better known as Evel Knievel ([[NoPronunciationGuide pronounced KUH-nee-vel]]) was an American daredevil, entertainer, and painter, famous around the world for his death-defying stunts, and one of the great American icons of TheSeventies. He attempted over seventy-five [[RampJump ramp-to-ramp motorcycle jumps]] between 1965 and 1980, including a failed jump across Snake River Canyon in a steam-powered rocket. He suffered over 433 broken bones during his career, including his back seven times, earning him the dubious distinction in the ''Literature/GuinnessWorldRecords'' as "most bones broken in a lifetime".

Robert Craig Knievel Jr. (October 17, 1938 – November 30, 2007), better known as Evel Knievel was an American daredevil, entertainer, and painter, famous around the world for his death-defying stunts, and one of the great American icons of TheSeventies. He attempted over seventy-five [[RampJump ramp-to-ramp motorcycle jumps]] between 1965 and 1980, including a failed jump across Snake River Canyon in a steam-powered rocket. He suffered over 433 broken bones during his career, including his back seven times, earning him the dubious distinction in the ''Literature/GuinnessWorldRecords'' as "most bones broken in a lifetime".

* {{Biopic}}: Titled ''Evel Knievel'', of course, the 1971 movie is based, apparently fairly accurately, on Evel's life. The film makes extensive use of {{Flashback}}s to his juvenile delinquent youth and subsequent rise to fame from his present-day preparation for a major jump. It was script-doctored by Creator/JohnMilius, who would become well-known as a writer & director of action pictures in the 70s & 80s, and directed by Marvin Chomsky, who would not (though in fairness, Chomsky did do well in TV, collecting 4 Emmys in his career). Produced by and starring Creator/GeorgeHamilton (who would repeat the dual role, much more financially successfully, in ''Film/LoveAtFirstBite'' and ''Film/ZorroTheGayBlade''), it also starred Creator/SueLyon as his long-suffering wife. Even if you're not an Evel fan, it's well worth a look as an example of a BMovie of the era.

* TheMovie: ''Film/VivaKnievel''

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Fictional motorbike daredevils have a good chance of being modelled after him, such as Captain Lance Murdock on ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', "Fender Roads" (the disguise Basher Tarr uses) in ''Film/OceansThirteen'' or Duke Caboom in ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory4''.

Evel Knievel was a major American icon in TheSeventies, in no small part due to his relentless efforts to promote his own image as "The Last Gladiator". He became a national icon thanks to ABC's ''Series/WideWorldOfSports,'' appearing seven times in three years; his 1975 jump of 14 Greyhound buses at King's Island amusement park remains the show's highest-rated, and five of Knievel's appearances still rank among the show's top twenty. He sought endorsement deals with various motorcycle companies, was featured in a movie and two made-for-television films, recorded a self-titled album in 1974, and made numerous appearances on {{Talk Show}}s and television programs. The Ideal Toy Company released a series of Knievel-related merchandise, toys, and dolls, grossing more than $300 million worth, while Creator/{{Bally}} released a [[Pinball/EvelKnievel pinball machine about him]] in 1977. Evel Knievel was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999, on the 25th anniversary of the Snake River Canyon jump, and composer Jef Bek produced a rock opera based on Knievel's life in 2003.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Fictional motorbike daredevils have a good chance of being modelled after him, such as "Fender Roads" (the disguise Basher Tarr uses) in ''[[Film/OceansEleven Ocean's Thirteen]]'' or Duke Caboom in ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory4''.

* {{Biopic}}: Titled ''Evel Knievel'', of course, the 1971 movie is based, apparently fairly accurately, on Evel's life. The film makes extensive use of {{Flashback}}s to his juvenile delinquent youth and subsequent rise to fame from his present-day preparation for a major jump. It was script-doctored by Creator/JohnMilius, who would become well-known as a writer & director of action pictures in the 70s & 80s, and directed by Marvin Chomsky, who would not (though in fairness, Chomsky did do well in TV, collecting 4 Emmys in his career). Produced by and starring George Hamilton (who would repeat the dual role, much more financially successfully, in ''Film/LoveAtFirstBite'' and ''Film/ZorroTheGayBlade''), it also starred Creator/SueLyon of ''Film/{{Lolita}}'' fame as his long-suffering wife. Even if you're not an Evel fan, it's well worth a look as an example of a BMovie of the era.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Fictional motorbike daredevils have a good chance of being modelled after him, such as the disguise Basher Tarr uses in ''[[Film/OceansEleven Ocean's Thirteen]]'' or Duke Caboom in ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory4''.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarm: Fictional motorbike daredevils have a good chance of being modelled after him, such as the disguise Basher Tarr uses in ''[[Film/OceansEleven Ocean's Thirteen]]'' or Duke Caboom in ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory4''.

%%!!Tropes as portrayed in fiction:

* {{Biopic}}: Titled ''Evel Knievel'', of course, the 1971 movie is based, apparently fairly accurately, on Evel's life. The film makes extensive use of {{Flashback}}s to his juvenile delinquent youth and subsequent rise to fame from his present-day preparation for a major jump. It was script-doctored by Creator/JohnMilius, who would become well-known as a writer & director of action pictures in the 70s & 80s, and directed by Marvin Chomsky, who would not (though in fairness, Chomsky did do well in TV, collecting 4 Emmys in his career). Produced by and starring George Hamilton (who would repeat the dual role, much more financially successfully, in ''Film/LoveAtFirstBite'' and ''Film/ZorroTheGayBlade''), it also starred Sue Lyon of ''Film/{{Lolita}}'' fame as his long-suffering wife. Even if you're not an Evel fan, it's well worth a look as an example of {{BMovie}}s of the era.

Robert Craig Knievel Jr. (October 17, 1938 – November 30, 2007), better known as '''Evel Knievel''' was an American daredevil, entertainer, and painter, famous around the world for his death-defying stunts, and one of the great American icons of TheSeventies. He attempted over seventy-five [[RampJump ramp-to-ramp motorcycle jumps]] between 1965 and 1980, including a failed jump across Snake River Canyon in a steam-powered rocket. He suffered over 433 broken bones during his career, including his back seven times, earning him the dubious distinction in the ''Literature/GuinnessWorldRecords'' as "most bones broken in a lifetime".

'''Evel Knievel''' was an American daredevil, entertainer, and painter, famous around the world for his death-defying stunts, and one of the great American icons of TheSeventies. He attempted over seventy-five [[RampJump ramp-to-ramp motorcycle jumps]] between 1965 and 1980, including a failed jump across Snake River Canyon in a steam-powered rocket. He suffered over 433 broken bones during his career, including his back seven times, earning him the dubious distinction in the ''Literature/GuinnessWorldRecords'' as "most bones broken in a lifetime".

He was born in Montana on October 17, 1938 as Robert Craig Knievel, eldest of two children, abandoned by his parents and raised by his grandparents. A high-school dropout, Knievel worked at the copper mines with the Anaconda Mining Company, but found work boring compared to his motorbiking hobby. After making an earth mover do a wheelie, he drove it into Butte's main power line, disrupting power for several hours and losing his job as a result. In 1956, Knievel was jailed on a charge of reckless driving; when the night jailer came around, he noted Robert Knievel in one cell and William Knofel in the other. Since Knofel was known as "Awful Knofel", Knievel began referring to himself as "Evel Knievel" to match -- intentionally misspelling "evil" to avoid the connotations of the word.