Mark Brooks(V)

Mark Brooks, is a proud member of Outlaw Stunts. He is a Stunt Man, Wild Animal Trainer, Horse Wrangler and Voiceover Actor.He grew up in Tucson Arizona. The desert was a playground for him and his buddies. Wild and Free. When family and friends would come visit they would always go to "Old Tucson" and visit the movie location. That is where Mark took his first ride on a Stagecoach. He was 6 years old. Looking back he realizes now changed his life from then on. His father was a big fan of John Ford Westerns. He saw the excitement his dad would experience when he would talk about real Cowboys in the movies business. Mark talks about what a great feeling it was when he worked on his first western and remembering those times with his Dad. Mark also grew up riding motorcycles and racing around driving cars. By the time he was 16 the local police department had his motorcycle and 4 family cars on a watch list. In 1989 he moved to San Diego where he met a martial arts instructor Master Schumacher. He then moved into his the garage/dojo. He committed to the art of Kung Fu for two years. Then both of them earned their SAG card on the local show Renegade. Mark realized he needed to get to Los Angeles. When he first arrived his first job there was with the craft service department. But that lasted one day. The Production Manager saw his work ethic. The next thing he know he was a production assistant working on commercials. He was one of the highest paid PA's in LA at that time. Soon after that he started working as a background artist. That is when met a man in the Horse business. Jack Lilley along with his sons Clay and Clint are one of the reasons he is in the movie business today. Jack invited him to the his Ranch "Movin' on Livestock" and that's where his horse life began. He spent many hours with the Lilley brothers riding and driving horses. Clint "Berky" Lilley introduced him to Outlaw Stunts. Soon after that he met Tad Griffith. Tad had something like 50 head of Horses. He was riding every day. Tad taught him how to hit the ground from a horse. He is a world-class trick rider. He has been performing since the age of five years old. Mark will always be grateful for him and those lessons. Tad introduced me to Richard Bucher. Richard is one of the premier Stuntmen in Hollywood. Richard introduced him to the equestrian world and also the art of falling a horse to the ground while riding. Richard trained Mark's horse Thunder and during that process he trained Mark. That was another major, turning point in his career that gave him a specialty that most did not have. Richard took a chance on Mark and his Stunt career began to flourish. At that same time he was introduced to the wild animal world and became a wild animal trainer. This gave him even more diversity. He worked with a Kodiak Grizzly Bear his name was Barney Bear. He learned to do full contact staged attacks with him. The next thing he knew he was on the set of Anchorman with Barney Bear by his side. When I first got in with Barney Bear, I wasn't sure what was gonna happen. I felt good, I felt confident, but I can say it was the most amazing feeling of my life the excitement and fear at the same time it was a Rush !! Then Barney passed away. He was 14 way too young, Mark was devastated. He always will always cherish those moments and be grateful for that Bear and what he did for his life and movie career. Mark is still doing Stunts and working as a horse wrangler now driving teams. He has had his SAG card for 32 years now. He has also been a member of the Teamsters for 17 years. Once an Outlaw, always an Outlaw!! "May God Bless Jerry Wills" Rock n Roll....