Legendary Hollywood Stuntman Passes Away – He Will Be Missed

Many films just wouldn’t be as memorable without their jaw-dropping stunts. Sadly, the entertainment world lost a very talented stuntman in August 2025. Ronnie Rondell Jr., known for his work in “Twister” and “The Matrix Reloaded,” passed away at the age of 88. He left behind friends, family, and an incredible Hollywood legacy.

He Helped Create a Piece of Pink Floyd History

Perhaps one of Rondell Jr.’s most memorable projects was the album cover for Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here.” The album took the music world by storm in 1975, and its iconic cover art remains captivating today. The image appears ho-hum at a quick glance, until you realize that one of the men shaking hands is on fire. That man was Rondell Jr. In a video interview years later, he described the experience of being set on fire to get that incredible shot.

“And it’s a still picture, shaking hands. Nothing to it,” Rondell Jr. joked. He also shared that you instinctually want to move when fire is near, so it was challenging to stay in one place for the photo. However, he was determined to do it justice. “You know, if they want something burning, and they’re going to pay me, I don’t care if they have an artist drawing the fire,” he laughed. As The Hollywood Reporter shared shortly after his death, the stuntman said goodbye to his mustache during the shoot, as it burned off in the blaze.

Rondell Jr. Received a Lifetime Achievement Award for His Work

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Rondell Jr. officially retired in 2001, but he treated audiences to one last impressive stunt a few years later. The stuntman appears in a car chase scene from “The Matrix Reloaded,” which hit theaters in 2003. He then adopted a quieter life away from the bright lights of Hollywood. In 2004, the industry honored his work in he stunt world with a lifetime achievement award, which Burt Reynolds presented to him at the Taurus World Stunt Awards.

Aside from the many fans of his work that will mourn his passing, Rondell Jr.’s family is also grieving this loss. He left behind his wife, Mary. As the New York Times reported, the two wed back in 1969 and have been together ever since. The couple have one surviving son, R.A. Rondell, who has carried on the family tradition by being part of the stunt world himself. Rondell Jr. also left behind a brother and several grandchildren.