Stuntman Bill Hickman appears in the film as the Charger driver. There were 2 of each car, plus a corvette used as the "camera" car. The Mustang with a VIN ending in 558 was the “stunt car” made for the jump scenes; the 559 Mustang was designated the “hero car” for McQueen’s close-ups. The smoking tires on the mustang was a smoke generator. Bud Ekins performed the most dangerous mustang stunts and McQueen did much of the driving. Ekins, you might remember, worked as a McQueen stunt double on the 1963 movie The Great Escape- he did the motorcycle jump. The 559 has been in private hands and is mostly in the shape that the movie left it in. The 558 was sold as junk to a Mexican junk yard where it sat for years. I do not know who owns it or its current condition. Blue Bloods had an episode concerning the illegal sale of the Bullitt Mustang by Anthony Edwards and at the end the Reagan men got to see the restored mustang. Might have been pure Hollywood or it could have been the restored 558. 559 is currently owned by Sean Kiernan and a 3D scan is in The Library of Congress.
The ACTUAL driver of the Dodge Charger in Bullitt was Bill Hickman. He played Phil.
Hickman spent some of these earlier days as driver and friend to James Dean, driving Dean's Ford station wagon towing Dean's famed 550 Spyder nicknamed “Little Bastard”, and often helping and advising him with his driving technique.
He was driving the Ford station wagon and trailer following Dean on the day of his fatal accident and was the first person on the scene.
The driving scenes in Bullitt secured him additional stunt work, which included the car chase for The French Connection (1971).
Forget about the history. I smiled the whole time. I know it is film, but the sound of a muscle car is awesome. Steve was throwing some double clutching on the Mustang. lol
Is the driver of the other car the warden from the Shawshank Redemption? I used IMDB for both movies, but came up with nothing.
ReplyDeleteI saw this in the theatre as a kid. It really made you want to go out and drive like a wild man.
ReplyDeleteThat was/is the best car chase scene ever filmed in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how long it will last?
ReplyDeletenot long, it's back to being slow
ReplyDeletedamnit
ReplyDeleteStuntman Bill Hickman appears in the film as the Charger driver. There were 2 of each car, plus a corvette used as the "camera" car. The Mustang with a VIN ending in 558 was the “stunt car” made for the jump scenes; the 559 Mustang was designated the “hero car” for McQueen’s close-ups. The smoking tires on the mustang was a smoke generator. Bud Ekins performed the most dangerous mustang stunts and McQueen did much of the driving. Ekins, you might remember, worked as a McQueen stunt double on the 1963 movie The Great Escape- he did the motorcycle jump.
ReplyDeleteThe 559 has been in private hands and is mostly in the shape that the movie left it in. The 558 was sold as junk to a Mexican junk yard where it sat for years. I do not know who owns it or its current condition. Blue Bloods had an episode concerning the illegal sale of the Bullitt Mustang by Anthony Edwards and at the end the Reagan men got to see the restored mustang. Might have been pure Hollywood or it could have been the restored 558.
559 is currently owned by Sean Kiernan and a 3D scan is in The Library of Congress.
The ACTUAL driver of the Dodge Charger in Bullitt was Bill Hickman. He played Phil.
ReplyDeleteHickman spent some of these earlier days as driver and friend to James Dean, driving Dean's Ford station wagon towing Dean's famed 550 Spyder nicknamed “Little Bastard”, and often helping and advising him with his driving technique.
He was driving the Ford station wagon and trailer following Dean on the day of his fatal accident and was the first person on the scene.
The driving scenes in Bullitt secured him additional stunt work, which included the car chase for The French Connection (1971).
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Shawshank Warden Norton was played by Bob Gunton.
8:39 and 9:01 - If you put that much energy and time into being successful, you might have escaped the slower lower.
ReplyDelete12:50- I like the eastern shore, so piss off, troll.
DeleteRobert Duvall was in this great movie as well. He played the cab driver that had taken the mob villain on a fare. Bullitt (McQueen) retraced the fare.
ReplyDeleteForget about the history. I smiled the whole time. I know it is film, but the sound of a muscle car is awesome. Steve was throwing some double clutching on the Mustang. lol
ReplyDeleteAwesome!!!!
ReplyDelete