Scott Leva

Scott Leva
Leva in 2006
Born (1958-05-29) May 29, 1958 (age 65)
Occupation(s)Stuntman, stunt coordinator

Scott Leva (born May 29, 1958) is a Academy Award-winning stuntman and stunt coordinator who entered stuntwork in the 1970s.

Biography

Spider-Man

In 1985, Scott was tapped by Cannon Films & Joseph Zito (who was the 2nd director to replace Tobe Hooper as being the first director attached for Spider-Man) to play Spider-Man in their adaptation of the comics, He was also the actor on the first photographic cover of a Spider-Man comic book, appearing as Peter Parker, half-way in costume, on The Amazing Spider-Man, #262 (cover date March 1985). He can be seen in costume as Spider-Man, on the blooper reel for the 2000 film X-Men, on which he served as a stunt-coordinator.

Safety equipment designer

After a friend died doing a high fall, Scott started to tinker with the standard airbags used by stunt performers and eventually designed an airbag with a different structure. The older airbags had a tendency to throw a stunt performer if they didn't hit the bag perfectly, the new bag uses a different arrangements of air bladders and a less slippery top layer to help the performer to stay on the bag. He was awarded a Science and Technical Oscar for this design.

Awards

  • 2003 World Stunt Awards Nominated for Best High Work for a 125-foot fall onto the top of a car on Ballistic: Ecks VS. Sever
  • 2003 World Stunt Awards Nominated for Best Overall Stunt Performer as stunt coordinator on Ballistic: Ecks VS. Sever
  • 2006 Academy Awards Science and Technical Oscar for his design of a safer air bag for high fall stunt work

Filmography highlights

Stunts or Stunt Coordinator

  • Changeling (2008) (utility stunts)
  • Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (stunt rigger) (utility stunts)
  • Dexter (stunt rigger) (1 episode, 2007)
  • 2007 Taurus World Stunt Awards (2007) (TV) (utility stunts)
  • Hannah Montana (stunt rigger)
  • Letters from Iwo Jima (2006) (utility stunts)
  • Flags of Our Fathers (2006) (assistant stunt coordinator)
  • Crank (2006) (stunt safety)
  • Zoom (2006) (stunts)
  • World Trade Center (2006) (stunts)
  • Everybody Hates Chris (2005) TV series (stunt rigger)
  • Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004) (stunts)
  • Desperate Housewives (2004) TV series (stunt rigger)
  • Collateral (2004) (stunts)
  • World's Finest (2004) (aerial stunt effects coordinator) (stunt coordinator)
  • 2003 ABC World Stunt Awards (2003) (TV) (utility stunts)
  • Taken (2003) (stunts)
  • Ballistic: Ecks vs Sever (2002) (assistant stunt coordinator) (stunts: high fall)
  • Enterprise (2001) TV series (stunt double)
  • The Best Damn Sports Show Period (2001) TV series (utility stunts)
  • X-Men (2000) (stunt coordinator: second unit) (stunts)
  • Timecop (1997) TV series (stunts)
  • Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997) TV series (stunts)
  • Space Truckers (1996) (stunt double) (stunts)
  • Nash Bridges (1996) TV series (stunt performer)
  • Baywatch Nights (1995) TV series (stunts)
  • Sliders (1995) TV series (stunts)
  • OP Center (1995) (TV) (stunts)
  • Star Trek: Voyager (1995) TV series (stunts)
  • Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993) TV series (stunts)
  • Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers (1993) TV series (stunt double)
  • Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993) (stunts)
  • Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993) TV series (stunts)
  • Hook (1991) (stunts)
  • Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) (stunts)
  • The Rocketeer (1991) (stunts)
  • The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie (1989) (stunt coordinator) (stunts)
  • Police Academy 6: City Under Siege (1989) (stunts)
  • The Toxic Avenger Part II (1989) (stunt coordinator)
  • Troma's War (1988) (stunt coordinator)
  • Prime Evil (1988) (stunt double) (stunts)
  • The Big Giver (1988) (stunt coordinator)
  • Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) TV series (stunts)
  • Beauty and the Beast (1987) TV series (stunts)
  • Prizzi's Honor (1985) (stunts)
  • The Toxic Avenger (1985) (stunt coordinator)
  • Desperately Seeking Susan (1985) (stunt coordinator)
  • Turk 182! (1985) (stunts)
  • The Cotton Club (1984) (stunts)
  • Splash (1984) (stunts)
  • The World According to Garp (1982) (stunts)
  • Fort Apache the Bronx (1981) (stunts)
  • Superman (1978) (stunts)

Actor

Film

  • The Toxic Avenger (1984, as policeman, uncredited)
  • Invaders from Mars (1986, as Marine officer)
  • The Toxic Avenger Part II (1989, as the Dark Rider, uncredited)
  • Sweet Justice (1993, as River Goon)
  • Private Wars (1993, as Mrs. Dominick's Son)
  • Stranger by Night (1994, as Bobby's Father, (flashbacks), uncredited)
  • To the Limit (1995, as Carlo)
  • Back to Back (1996, as Officer Williams)
  • Monkey Business (1998, as Bankrobber 1
  • The Base (1999, as Front Gate MP #1)
  • X-Men, (2000, as Waterboy #2)
  • Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever, (2002, as Lone Sniper)
  • Red Eye, (2005, as Keefe's Bodyguard)
  • Changeling (2008, as Mountie)

Television

  • Dynasty (1983, 1 episode, as waiter)
  • Star Trek: The Next Generation (1989, Episode: Unnatural Selection, as Command Division Officer)
  • Santa Barbara (1991, 1 episode, as Thug No. 1)
  • Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1996, Episode: To the Death, as Ramirez, uncredited)
  • Star Trek: Voyager (1996, Episode: Remember, as Fredick, uncredited)
  • Diagnosis: Murder (1996, Episode: A Model Murder, as Ray Donovan)
  • Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1997, Episode: Sex, Lies and Videotape, as Thug)
  • Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1997, Episode: Soldiers of the Empire, as Ortakin)
  • Nash Bridges (1999, Episode: Power Play, as Mobster 2)
  • Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1999, Episode: What You Leave Behind, as Jem'Hadar Guard, uncredited)
  • Relic Hunter (1999, Episode: Transformation, as Tough Hombre #1)
  • The Sarah Silverman Program (2010, Episode: A Slip Slope, as Fireman #4)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

  • Ritual (2001/I) (second unit director)
  • Pilgrim (2000) (second unit director)
  • If Dog Rabbit (1999) (second unit director)
  • The Heist (1999) (second unit director)
  • Southern Cross (1999) (second unit director)
  • The Outsider (1998) (TV) (second unit director)
  • Mars (1998) (second unit director)
  • Acts of Betrayal (1997) (second unit director)
  • Mercenary (1997) (TV) (second unit director)
  • The Journey: Absolution (1997) (second unit director)
  • Mercenary II: Thick & Thin (1997) (TV) (second unit director)

Director

  • The Greatest Show Ever (2007) (TV)

References

  • NPR story about the Tech Oscars
  • Wired Magazine
  • Cinefantastique Magazine, September 1987, Volume 17, Issue 5 pgs 4, 5, 59
  • Stuntplayer Resume

External links

  • His company Precision Stunts
  • Scott Leva at IMDb
  • Complete resume in PDF Format