
Bob Simmons
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1922-03-31
Day of Death
1987-10-21 (65 years old)
Place of Birth
Fulham, London, England
Bob Simmons
Biography
Bob Simmons (Fulham, London, England, 31 March 1923 – 21 October 1987) was an English actor and stunt man who worked in many British-made films, most notably the James Bond series.
Simmons was a former Army Physical Training Instructor at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst who had initially planned to be an actor but thought a career in performing stunts would be more lucrative and interesting. Simmons first worked for Albert R. Broccoli and Irving Allen's Warwick Films on the film The Red Beret, which included future Bond film regulars director Terence Young, screenwriter Richard Maibaum and cameraman, later director of photography Ted Moore. Simmons later worked in many other Warwick Films and worked for Allen in his The Long Ships and Genghis Khan, where he had his eye injured when kicked by a horse.
When Albert R. Broccoli began to produce the James Bond films, Simmons tested as an actor for the Bond role, but until his death in 1987, he became the stunt coordinator for every Bond film except From Russia with Love, which he joined later in the production, On Her Majesty's Secret Service and The Man with the Golden Gun. He appeared in the gun barrel sequence for Sean Connery in three James Bond films: Dr. No, From Russia with Love, and Goldfinger. Simmons is the only person to officially perform the scene, while not starring in the main role of James Bond. Simmons was also Connery's stunt double. Simmons also had a role as SPECTRE agent Jacques Bouvar in the pre-title sequence of the fourth film, Thunderball.
Simmons developed a stunt technique involving trampolines, first used in You Only Live Twice, whereby stuntmen would bounce off a trampoline in concert with a triggered explosion so as to simulate being blown into the air. This was used in many other films, including by Simmons again in The Wild Geese, where Simmons also doubled for Richard Burton.
Upon retirement, Simmons wrote an autobiography entitled Nobody Does It Better titled after the theme song for the 1977 Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me. He died on 21 October 1987.
Acting
(1983)
(1981)
For Your Eyes Only
as Henchman Lotus Explosion Victim (uncredited)
(1979)
Moonraker
as Ambulance Attendant (uncredited)
(1977)
The Spy Who Loved Me
as KGB Thug #2 (uncredited)
(1976)
The Next Man
as London Assassin
(1976)
(1971)
Murphy's War
as German Submarine Crewman (uncredited)
(1971)
(1965)
Thunderball
as Colonel Jacques Bouvar - SPECTRE #6
(1965)
Thunderball
as Jacques Bouvar - SPECTRE #6 (uncredited)
(1964)
Goldfinger
as James Bond in Gunbarrel Sequence (uncredited)
(1963)
From Russia with Love
as James Bond in Gunbarrel Sequence (uncredited)
(1962)
Dr. No
as James Bond in Gunbarrel Sequence (uncredited)
(1962)
The Road to Hong Kong
as Astronaut (uncredited)
(1961)
The Guns of Navarone
as German Soldier on Navarone (uncredited)
(1961)
Fury at Smugglers' Bay
as Carlos, a pirate
(1959)
The Great Van Robbery
as Peters
(1958)
A Night to Remember
as Stoker (uncredited)
(1958)
Tank Force!
as Mustapha
(1955)
Billete para Tánger
as Peter Valentine
(1953)
The Sword and the Rose
as French Champion
(1953)
The Flanagan Boy
as Booth Man
Crew
(1985)
A View to a Kill
Stunt Coordinator
(1983)
Octopussy
Stunts
(1982)
Who Dares Wins
Stunt Coordinator
(1982)
The Wall
Stunt Coordinator
(1981)
For Your Eyes Only
Stunts
(1979)
Moonraker
Stunts
(1978)
The Wild Geese
Stunts
(1977)
The Spy Who Loved Me
Stunt Double
(1974)
Caravan to Vaccarès
Stunts
(1973)
Live and Let Die
Stunts
(1971)
Diamonds Are Forever
Stunts
(1967)
You Only Live Twice
Stunt Double
(1965)
Thunderball
Stunt Double
(1964)
Goldfinger
Stunt Double
(1962)
Dr. No
Stunt Double
(1961)
The Secret Ways
Stunt Coordinator
(1961)
Fury at Smugglers' Bay
Stunt Coordinator
(1954)
The Black Knight
Stunt Double
(1939)
Jamaica Inn
Stunts