Allan Graf

Biography

Graf is one of Hollywood's premier 2nd unit directors and stunt coordinators whose 35 year career behind the cameras includes the staging of stunts in over five dozen films while directing second unit action on three dozen features, including such recent films as Todd Phillips' comedy "Due Date, "Walt Disney's "The Muppets" (2011, on which he also cordinated stunts) and Phillips' independent feature, "Project X" (2012). A native of Southern California, Graf first made his mark on the gridiron, where he captained the 1967 San Fernando High School city championship team, winning All-American honors. He won a full athletic scholarship to the University of Southern California, and played offensive guard for John McKay's powerhouse Trojans. Graf started on McKay's legendary, undefeated (12-0) 1972 NCAA National Championship team, and was one of the heroes at the 1973 Rose Bowl, when USC defeated Ohio State 42-17. He next played in the 1973 college all-star game against the NFL's undefeated Miami Dolphins at Chicago's Soldier Field. Following graduation, Graf became a free agent with the Los Angeles Rams before joining the World Football League's Portland Storm during their inaugural 1974 season. When the league abruptly folded, Graf tackled a career change when he fatefully won a role as former Chicago Bears player Dick Butkus' stunt double in the 1976 Disney film, "Gus," a comic opus about a field-goal kicking mule. Following his debut, Graf worked as a stunt player for several years on a variety of projects, notably Walter Hill's "Southern Comfort," "The Driver" and "The Long Riders," John Carpenter's "They Live," Paul Verhoeven's "Total Recall," "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," "Raising Arizona," "Action Jackson," "S.W.A.T.," "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of…