James Winburn, a stunt performer, died on November 19, 2022, at the age of 85. His management revealed to EW that he died from an unidentified ailment. Following his death, Monopoly Events paid homage to him on social media, writing that working with James was an “absolute joy.” They went on to say that the stuntman told wonderful tales to “everyone throughout the weekend.”
According to the Monster-Mania Convention, Winburn was meant to attend their event this month but had to cancel due to health issues. From 1970 to 2005, he was recognized for his work as a stunt artist and stunt supervisor in over 78 films and television series.
James Winburn was well-known for his role in Halloween.
Although his exact birth date is uncertain, James Winburn was 85 years old when he died. He rose to prominence with his performance in the 1978 horror picture Halloween. He donned Michael Myers’ mask in the last scene when Dr. Samuel Loomis arrested Myers and he vanished after being shot and falling from a balcony. Halloween, directed by John Carpenter, was released on October 25, 1978. It made $70 million at the box office and earned excellent critical reviews. Donald Pleasance, Jamie Lee Curtis, P.J. Soles, Nancy Kyes, Charles Cyphers, Kyle Richards, Brian Andrews, Nick Castle, and Tony Moran played key parts in the film.
Winburn worked as a stunt double in the 1981 sequel, Halloween II. Aside from Halloween, Winburn worked with John Carpenter on two more projects: Escape from New York in 1981 and Tron in 1982. After the sequel, Winburn did not return to the Halloween series, but his efforts helped to start one of the longest-running franchises. The Halloween series spawned 13 films, the most recent of which, Halloween Ends, was released on October 14, 2022. The film, directed by David Gordon Green, garnered poor reviews, with most critics considering it a disappointing end to the trilogy that began in 2018.
During the 1970s and 1980s, James Winburn was well-known for his roles in McLoud, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Bionic Woman, The Poseidon Adventure, The Fog, The Stunt Man, Escape From New York, and Tron. He worked as a stunt double for performers such as Peter O’Toole, Barry Bostwick, Stan Lee, Chevy Chase, George Hamilton, and David Hasselhoff. In addition to his career as a stunt performer, he directed films such as Miami Beach Cops, The Death Merchant, and Evil Altar.
Twitter users pay tribute
In recent years, James Winburn has become well-known for his work in cinema and television. When his death was announced, his followers expressed their sorrow on social media:
RIP James “Jim” Winburn 🕊️
Winburn was a stuntman and is perhaps best known for playing Michael Myers in Halloween (1978) in the scene where, Dr. Loomis shoots him 6 times and causes him to fall of the balcony.#jimwinburn #halloween #michaelmyers #theinstahorror pic.twitter.com/u1DbMlImz1
— Home of Horror (@theinstahorror) November 21, 2022
Rest In Peace to James Winburn. Mr. Winburn was a stunt man in the original 1978 Halloween and has been a wonderful person for fans to meet at conventions. He will be missed. pic.twitter.com/U6zVVv1CZn
— Dude…Horrifying! (@DudeHorrifying) November 21, 2022
