- Born
- Died
- Birth nameHarper Anthony Flaherty
- Harper Anthony Flaherty was an actor and stunt man best known for his work as Doug McClure's double on The Virginian. He was born April 10, 1920 and was raised in Los Angeles, California, USA, the son of John Harrison Flaherty and Mildred O. Willis Flaherty. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served during World War II. Harper was listed on U.S. Navy Muster Rolls on December 31, 1940 (Salt Lake City) and February 28, 1941 (Salt Lake City) before the United States entered the war. He was a professional ice skater with the Hollywood Ice Revue and performed at New York City's Madison Square Garden and Stars on Ice at New York City's Radio City Center Theater in the 1940's. Harper Flaherty died at the age of 73 on August 4, 1993 in Calabasa, Los Angeles, California, USA.
- IMDb mini biography by: SAGE STEPS
- SpousesRenee L. Monteith(March 22, 1974 - July 1974) (divorced)Bonnie J. Miller Gray(December 7, 1964 - December 1968) (divorced)Susann L. Patrick(August 18, 1954 - ?) (divorced)Dorothia Littlefield(1946 - August 24, 1953) (her death, 1 child)Renee L. Monteirh(? - May 1976) (divorced)
- Harper Flaherty was often depicted as one of Shiloh's ranch hands, but when he was serving as Doug McClure's stunt double he would be part of a small crew taken by the episode second director to film action scenes generally without the stars. This proved to be a cost efficient way to get the action scenes done. At times stuntmen were credited as Action Coordinators when they staged a fist fight or other close quarters battle.
- Doug McClure was knocked out and badly injured once by Harper Flaherty. Hal Needham came off a stagecoach and Harper Flaherty fell off a horse. McClure was sitting in a chair, just observing the action, when Flaherty's horse fell and landed on him. McClure's back was fractured.
- Behind the Scenes in Hollywood by Harrison Carroll wrote that a "wild brawl" in Universal's "The Winning Position" resulted in actor David Hartman being knocked out by stuntman Harper Flaherty who in turn broke his hand.
- Harper and Dorothia Flaherty had one child, Catherine Flaherty, in 1951. Dorothia was only forty years old in 1953 when during her fifth month of pregnancy she unexpectedly died of a heart attack at her mother's home in Evanston, Illinois, USA.
- The Hollywood TV Ticker by Rob Hull reported that Harper Flaherty suffered three broken ribs while riding his motorbike in a race.
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