Eddie Matthews(II)
- Stunts
- Actor
- Producer
Eddie Matthews was born in Des Moines Iowa, where he grew up hunting, fishing, and playing baseball right where "Field of Dreams" was made! He later went to Arizona State University for college, hoping eventually to be a professional baseball player, but found out quickly he was lacking in only a one area: talent.
While in Arizona, Eddie was an extra on a movie filming in "Used Cars" in 1980, where he met some of the top veteran stunt people in the business whom said, "if you want to be in the stunt biz, you must move to LA." In this first moment of mentor ship, Eddie realized a career as a stuntman was an opportunity to be a professional athlete while getting to play a wide variety of sports.
Inspired, Eddie moved to La La Land, and quickly realized, like the thousands before him, it takes many years to get one job, let alone make a living. Eddie made use of his trampoline background and started working with a professional high diving company doing high diving shows in theme parks around the country. During this time, Eddie also attained a masters degree in family counseling. Eddie's favorite movie include "Rain Man"and "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and Eddie found and additional vocation working as a counselor in various Psychiatric hospitals. Eddie worked and lived in a home for autistic adults with high support needs. These patients were now his roommates and Eddie lived the movie "Rain Man" on steroids every day for five years.
This additional education and experience prepared Eddie for any craziness that Hollyweird might throw at him..
Eddie then got a good job at Universal studios Hollywood playing the Don Johnson character in the Miami Vice stunt show for the next 6 yrs, where he started meeting more people in the industry and started to get solid footing in the industry. After a lot of hard work and even more hard falls, he was honored to be voted into the prestigious Stuntmen's Association by some of the prestigious stuntmen he had met on his first day as an extra on set.
Another rewarding full circle moment in Eddie's career includes when one of his dear friends and mentors for 20 plus years was a real movie cowboy and stunt double for John Wayne. He taught Eddie far more about Gods plan & purpose for his life then the movie industry could offer. And before his cowboy friends career ended, Eddie was blessed with the opportunity to stunt double Kenny Rogers on one of his western "Gambler" movies where got to ride in buckboards and stage coaches with his old buddy.
Now a thirty year veteran of the entertainment industry, Eddie has had the opportunity to stunt coordinate movies and double for great actors such as; Matthew Broderick in "Ferris Bueller's Day off", Dennis Hopper in "Speed", Robert De Niro in "Casino" as well as other Hollywood greats including: Sylvestor Stallone, Chris Farley, Richard Gere, Charlie, Sheen, Anthony Hopkins, Jean-Claude Van Dam, Johnny Depp, and many others.
Having the opportunity to work on some of the biggest movies, Eddie has witnessed the highs and the lows of the entertainment business. It quickly became obvious no matter how successful at the box office, no one can avoid the storms and trials of life. No amount of fame, fortune or awards can bring any lastly peace or fulfillment without the peace of God.
As a Producer, Eddie is guided by his experience in entertainment, vocational work as a family counselor, and profound faith in God... Eddie's vision and mission is to produce and work on uplifting family friendly stories like where unlikely people overcome great odds. As part of this mission, Eddie is passionate about hiring actors and artists of all ages, abilities, and historically underrepresented groups. He's had the immense pleasure of befriending two different Academy award winning actors both in their late 80s who still love to work but Hollywood had kick them both to the curb in their old age.
While in Arizona, Eddie was an extra on a movie filming in "Used Cars" in 1980, where he met some of the top veteran stunt people in the business whom said, "if you want to be in the stunt biz, you must move to LA." In this first moment of mentor ship, Eddie realized a career as a stuntman was an opportunity to be a professional athlete while getting to play a wide variety of sports.
Inspired, Eddie moved to La La Land, and quickly realized, like the thousands before him, it takes many years to get one job, let alone make a living. Eddie made use of his trampoline background and started working with a professional high diving company doing high diving shows in theme parks around the country. During this time, Eddie also attained a masters degree in family counseling. Eddie's favorite movie include "Rain Man"and "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and Eddie found and additional vocation working as a counselor in various Psychiatric hospitals. Eddie worked and lived in a home for autistic adults with high support needs. These patients were now his roommates and Eddie lived the movie "Rain Man" on steroids every day for five years.
This additional education and experience prepared Eddie for any craziness that Hollyweird might throw at him..
Eddie then got a good job at Universal studios Hollywood playing the Don Johnson character in the Miami Vice stunt show for the next 6 yrs, where he started meeting more people in the industry and started to get solid footing in the industry. After a lot of hard work and even more hard falls, he was honored to be voted into the prestigious Stuntmen's Association by some of the prestigious stuntmen he had met on his first day as an extra on set.
Another rewarding full circle moment in Eddie's career includes when one of his dear friends and mentors for 20 plus years was a real movie cowboy and stunt double for John Wayne. He taught Eddie far more about Gods plan & purpose for his life then the movie industry could offer. And before his cowboy friends career ended, Eddie was blessed with the opportunity to stunt double Kenny Rogers on one of his western "Gambler" movies where got to ride in buckboards and stage coaches with his old buddy.
Now a thirty year veteran of the entertainment industry, Eddie has had the opportunity to stunt coordinate movies and double for great actors such as; Matthew Broderick in "Ferris Bueller's Day off", Dennis Hopper in "Speed", Robert De Niro in "Casino" as well as other Hollywood greats including: Sylvestor Stallone, Chris Farley, Richard Gere, Charlie, Sheen, Anthony Hopkins, Jean-Claude Van Dam, Johnny Depp, and many others.
Having the opportunity to work on some of the biggest movies, Eddie has witnessed the highs and the lows of the entertainment business. It quickly became obvious no matter how successful at the box office, no one can avoid the storms and trials of life. No amount of fame, fortune or awards can bring any lastly peace or fulfillment without the peace of God.
As a Producer, Eddie is guided by his experience in entertainment, vocational work as a family counselor, and profound faith in God... Eddie's vision and mission is to produce and work on uplifting family friendly stories like where unlikely people overcome great odds. As part of this mission, Eddie is passionate about hiring actors and artists of all ages, abilities, and historically underrepresented groups. He's had the immense pleasure of befriending two different Academy award winning actors both in their late 80s who still love to work but Hollywood had kick them both to the curb in their old age.