MovieChat Forums > Don't Make Waves (1967) Discussion > Dr. Zhivago 'killed' a skydiver/stunt ma...

Dr. Zhivago 'killed' a skydiver/stunt man...

posted 10 years ago by EveryDayFriend
3 replies | jump to latest

As noted in the "Did You Know," section… there's an unnamed "stunt man" who died on this shoot. See "Not Forgotten" thread, too. And you could say, "'Dr. Zhivago' killed him."

BOB BUQUOR is a pioneer in skydiving photography. He was contracted for the footage in this film. It sounds like as a "safety" the unit had him shoot more footage, because of the impossibility of watching dailies because MGM's screening rooms were all booked-up for dailies by David Lean's "Dr. Zhivago," which was also in production. It was during this "re-shooting" of footage that Bob plunged into the ocean and lost his life trying to save the footage. (His body was found with the "camera in his hands.") The footage he shot on his death jump was used in the film, too, according to Bob's memorial website.

So, if just ONE dailies screening room was open, it's possible… just possible... they may have determined new footage wasn't needed at all and Bob would be alive. It's called a "re-shoot" of footage, but IMO, it sounds like the footage was shot as a "back-up" or "safety" because they couldn't view the footage.

Regardless, those involved made their choices...

CONCLUSION: this is a fun, but largely forgettable film, except for some weird trivia -- it's Sharon Tate's first "real" film with big-name Hollywood talent…. the brilliant John Calley, who would go on to save studios and produce truly great films, produced this little Tony Curtis romp…. AND...the guy who gave us the first "8-man Star" formation in skydiving died contributing to the making of this film because...Dr. Zhivago got in the way.

BTW: Excuse me, might I add that Bob was a darn-fine looking guy when he died at 33 -- and he'd be 80 today. (All the daredevil guys are hotties.)

[–] Brimac98 10 years ago

Pretty sure that it wasn't "Dr. Zhivago" -- that movie was released in 1965 -- but it might have been any variety of epics that MGM was making at the time and released in 1967-1968.

And Sharon Tate was under contract to Filmways at the time, John Calley was one of the chief executives there and worked with her on her previous picture "Eye of the Devil" with David Niven, Deborah Kerr, who had replaced Kim Novak half way through filming.

[–] Synergetic11 9 years ago

"Forgettable" my ass. Just the performances of Tony Curtis, Robert Webber and Joanna Barnes alone and the location shots of So-Cal beaches and beach-pads in 1966 make this film unique. Add a funny and sensitive script with non-cliched characterizations plus Claudia Cardinale and Sharon Tate at the absolute most over-ripe stage of their youth and beauty and you have as UN-forgettable a film as you can get. The only complaint I have about this film is that Sharon Tate didn't have more dialogue. She had much more dialogue and was brilliant in her previous film "Eye of the Devil," which is now a cult horror favorite. "Don't Make Waves" is a screw-ball comedy masterpiece. Easily the equal of anything by Frank Tashlin or Howard Hawks.

[–] churchr-1 7 years ago

The account of Buquor's death that I've always heard was that he landed in the water but waved to say he was ok. He had his helmet off and in his hands because it weighed so much. Those old hard shell helmet and camera combos were huge and heavy. The next thing anyone knew it looked as though he'd stepped into a deep spot and drowned, though nobody actually saw. Between thirty pounds of helmet, jump suit and two parachutes, one open and soaking up water, it would be easy to slip and not be able to get back up.
I earned my Bob Boquor Memorial awards in the late 70s/early 80s. They're a little quaint now, but I still value them.