Biography for
Jock Mahoney More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

7 February 1919, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Date of Death

14 December 1989, Bremerton, Washington, USA (stroke)

Birth Name

Jacques O'Mahoney

Nickname

Jocko

Height

6' 4" (1.93 m)

Mini Biography

Mahoney is of French and Irish extraction, with some Cherokee. At the University of Iowa, he was outstanding in swimming, basketball and football. When World War II broke out, he enlisted as a Marine fighter pilot and instructor. In Hollywood, he was a noted stunt man, doubling for Errol Flynn, John Wayne, and Gregory Peck. Gene Autry signed him for the lead in his 78-episode "The Range Rider" (1951) TV series. He tested to replace Johnny Weissmuller, as Tarzan but lost out to Lex Barker. In 1960, he played the heavy in Gordon Scott's Tarzan the Magnificent (1960), and his part there led Sy Weintraub to hire him as Scott's replacement. In his two Tarzan movies, he did all his own stunts. In Tarzan's Three Challenges (1963), he continued working in spite of dysentery, dengue fever and pneumonia. By this time, Weintraub was looking for a younger Tarzan, envisioning a future TV series. By mutual agreement, his contract with Mahoney was dissolved. After a couple of years regaining his strength and weight, Jock returned to making action films.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Ed Stephan <stephan@cc.wwu.edu>

Mini Biography

Mahoney's career was interrupted in 1973 when he suffered a stroke while filming an episode of the television program "Kung Fu" (1972). He later appeared in the film Their Only Chance (1975). His final picture (ironically entitled The End (1978/I)) was with his stepdaughter, Sally Field. Burt Reynolds, Ms. Field's then-boyfriend, was co-star and director. Mahoney was stunt coordinator on the 1981 film Tarzan, the Ape Man (1981). He later guest starred in episodes of the TV programs "B.J. and the Bear" (1978) and "The Fall Guy" (1981). Mahoney died in Bremerton, Washington of an apparent stroke. He had been hospitalized after an auto accident two days earlier. He was survived by his wife Autumn Russell; a daughter, Princess O'Mahoney, and a son, Jim.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Bob Boughton

Spouse

Autumn Russell	(1967 - 14 December 1989) (his death)
Margaret Field	(1952 - June 1968) (divorced) 1 child
Lorraine O Donnell'	(? - ?) 2 children

Trivia

His step-daughter is actress Sally Field

The movies' oldest Tarzan. (He was 44 when he filmed Tarzan's Three Challenges (1963)).

He had a daughter, Princess O'Mahoney, with Margaret Field and 2 stepchildren, Richard and Sally Field.

He had two children with Lorraine O'Donnell: Kathleen & Jim.

Doubled for Errol Flynn, Gregory Peck and Randolph Scott.

Personal Quotes

Neglect, carelessness and not clearing the stunt area are usually what causes accidents. Preparation is absolutely essential to any successful stunt. You have to go through a stunt in your mind -- over and over again as if you've already done it. The stuntman must keep his mental separation from all that's going around him. If it's a nervous set and people are aggravating you, it's best to not perform the stunt. If you take the attitude of it's a piece of cake and I've done it a hundred times before, you're going to get hurt. Preparation, good physical condition and a healthy state of mind are the ingredients for successful stunt work.

I loved the role of Tarzan because it was such a distinct challenge. I remember being 40 feet up in a tree, sunburned as hell. And I thought to myself, 'What is a 42-year-old man doing 40 feet up in a tree, getting ready to swing out over a bunch of thorn bushes that if you ever fell into you would be cut to ribbons and damned near killing myself to get up there?' So I laughed and thought, 'Well now, who wouldn't want to play Tarzan??!'