RIP David S. Cass Sr.

David S. Cass Sr. Dies: Veteran Stuntman & TV Director Was 78

Deadline

By Nellie Andrreva

August 27, 2020

                 

David S. Cass Sr., a top stunt coordinator in the 1980s and 1990s, who segued to a directing career, died August 27 in Woodland Hills of complications from cancer. He was 78.

Cass began his movie career as an extra. He transitioned to alternating between acting parts and stunt work, starting with the 1963 John Wayne film McLintock!, on which he performed stunts. He went on to become a sought-after stunt coordinator and second unit director with such credits as Smokey and the Bandit Part 3, Knight Rider 2000, Walker, Texas Ranger and the Desperado TV movie franchise.

Cass later focused on TV directing, becoming a go-to helmer for Hollywood Channel movies with dozens of credits. Additionally, he co-produced Miramax Films’ Texas Rangers (2001) and the Hard Time Burt Reynolds TV movie franchise, also writing one and directing another installment.

CASS, Sr. David S. (David Stanley Cass)

Born: 1942, U.S.A.

Died: 8/27/2020, Woodland Hills, California, U.S.A.

David Cass Sr.’ westerns – producer, director, actor, stunt coordinator, stuntman,

McLintock! – 1963 [stunts]

Gunsmoke (TV) – 1964, 1974 (brawler, minister)

Shenandoah – 1965 [stunts]

Wagon Train (TV) – 1965 (Billy Clanton)

Dundee and the Culhane (TV) – 1967 [stunts]

Hondo (TV) – 1967 (Harper)

The Good Guys and the Bad Guys – 1969 (Tuber) [stunts]

Heaven With a Gun – 1969 [stunts]

Young Billy Young – 1969 [stunts]

Here Come the Brides (TV) – 1969 (Ed) [stunts]

The High Chaparral (TV) – 1969, 1970 (corporal, Cass)

The Wild Wild West (TV) – 1969 (Olin)

Dirty Dingus Magee – 1970 (trooper)

Lancer (TV) – 1970 (Fisher)

Black Noon (TV) – 1971 (man)

Support Your Local Gunfighter – 1971 (gunman)

Enter the Devil – 1972 (Jase) [writer]

Bonanza (TV) – 1972 (Deputy Coghlan, deputy sheriff)

The Master Gunfighter – 1975 (McDonald)

Treasure of Matecumbe – 1976 (Spangler’s man)

Law of the Land (TV) – 1976 (first hand)

Royce (TV) - 1976 (Dent)

Trackdown – 1976 [stunts]

Hot Lead and Cold Feet – 1978 (Jack)

Centennial (TV) – 1978 (Frank Pettis) [stunts]

The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again – 1979 (henchman)

How The West Was Won (TV) – 1979 (Dave Nichols)

Young Maverick (TV) – 1979

Heaven’s Gate – 1980 (moustached Mercenary) [stunts]

The Gambler (TV) – 1980 (Winters) [stunts]

More Wild Wild West (TV) – 1980 (Juanita’s brother)

Father Murphy (TV) - 1982 (miner)

Rascals and Robbers: The Secret Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn (TV) – 1982 (overseer) [stunts]

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (TV) – 1982 (Jed)

Kenny Rogers as the Gambler: The Adventures Continues (TV) – 1983 [assistant director, stunts]

The Yellow Rose (TV) – 1983

Dream West – 1986 [assistant director]

Louis L’Amour Down the Long Hills (TV) – 1986 (Mr. Andy)

Uphill All the Way – 1986 [stunts]

The Alamo: Thirteen Days to Glory (TV) – 1987 [assistant director, stunts]

Desperado (TV) – 1987 [stunts]

Kenny Rogers as the Gambler, Part III: The Legend Continues (TV) – 1987 [assistant director, stunts]

Desperado: Avalanche at Devil’s Ridge (TV) – 1988 [stunts]

Longarm (TV) – 1988

Desperado: Badlands Justice (TV) – 1989 [stunts]

Desperado: The Outlaw Wars (TV) – 1989 [stunts]

Everything That Rises (TV) – 1989

Brotherhood of the Gun (TV) – 1991 [stunts]

The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw (TV) – 1991 [stunts]

Rio Diablo (TV) – 1993 (Winslow) [assistant director, writer, stunts]

Walker, Texas Ranger (TV) – 1993 [stunts]

Gambler V: Playing for Keeps (TV) – 1994 (Sheriff Boone) [writer, stunts]

North & South: Book 3, Heaven & Hell (TV) 1994 [stunts]

Buffalo Girls – 1995 [stunt coordinator]

Streets of Laredo (TV) – 1995 (Sheriff Doniphon) [assistant director, stunts]

Dead Man’s Walk – 1996 [assistant director]

Gambler VI: Playing for Keeps (TV) – 1997

True Women (TV) – 1997 (looter) [assistant director]

Everything That Rises (TV) – 1998 (gunfighter)

The Ransom of Red Chief (TV) – 1998 [stunts]

Texas Rangers – 2001 [producer]

Johnson County War (TV) – 2002 [director]

Hard Ground (TV) – 2003 (Pike) [writer]

The Trail to Hope Rose (TV) – 2004 [director]

Desolation Canyon (TV) – 2006 [director]

Avenging Angel (TV) – 2007 [director]

Lone Rider (TV) – 2008 [director]

Prairie Fever – 2008 [director]

Love Finds a Home (TV) – 2009 [director]

Love Begins (TV) – 2011 [director]

Love’s Christmas Journey (TV) – 2011 [director]

Shadow of the Mesa (TV) – 2013 [director]