Evel Knievel was the definition of a daredevil.
The death-defying adventurer who was popular for his series of spectacular aerial stunts in the 60s and 70s that made him world famous was an American stuntman, painter and artist. Going through firewalls, jumping over rattlesnakes, flying over Greyhound buses and launching over fountains in front of Caesar’s Palace in Vegas are just a few of his most popular stunts.
Prior to his death in 2007, Knievel had broken a bunch of bones, but he never died as a result of his life-threatening stunts, or so it seems.
Evel Knievel’s biography, and facts
The stuntman was born on October 17, 1938 in Butte, Montana. His parents, Robert and Ann divorced in 1940 and decided to leave him behind. Subsequently, Knievel was raised by his grandparents. While attending Butte High School, Knievel dropped out of second grade and took jobs in the copper mines as a diamond drill operator. He also played hockey professionally and had a brief stint in the United States Army in the late 1950s.
While he had a lot going on around him, Knievel’s love for motorcycles just kept showing. He was even fired when he forced the navvy (he was supposed to work with) into a motorcycle-like convertible and drove it into the city’s main power line, causing a blackout for several hours. Apparently, he started doing motorcycle stunts when he was a teenager.
His passion for motorcycle stunts and the urgent need to support his family spawned a troupe called Evelyn Knievel’s Motorcycle Devils. When Knievel recalled the Joie Chitwood show he had watched as a child, he set his mind to doing something similar with a motorcycle. He single-handedly promoted the show, rented the venue, wrote the press releases, sold the tickets, and put on a good show with a few wheelies. During the show, he jumped over a crate of rattlesnakes and two mountain lions and made a safe landing, despite hitting the box containing the rattlesnakes with his rear wheel. .
fame at last
With his low-key debut being a success, Knievel decided to take things to the next level. So he went looking for a sponsor and found one in Bob Blair, owner of ZDS Motors Inc., West Coast distributor for Berliner Motor Corporation and distributor for Norton Motorcycles. While Blair offered to provide the necessary motorcycles for Knievel and his team’s performance, he had only one condition. He settled on the name – Evil Knievel and his motorcycle adventurers. Knievel nevertheless manages to convince him to exchange Evil with Evel so as not to give an evil image to the world.
The team debuted on January 3, 1966 at the National Date Festival in Indio, California. A huge success, the show paved the way for more popularity for Knievel and his daredevils. However, the show was put on hold because injuries kept Knievel out for a while. Injuries didn’t deter him for long, as he went solo after recovering. He also went from jumping animals to jumping cars.
His most famous act was on New Year’s Eve in 1967, when he nearly died after jumping from the fountains in front of Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. He crashed on his longest motorcycle jump attempt at 43m, supposedly putting him in hospital in a coma for 29 days.
Broken Bones, Milestones and Evel Knievel’s Net Worth
Throughout his famous daredevil biker career, Knievel suffered over 433 bone fractures, multiple traumas, and had to undergo numerous blood transfusions due to his crippling accidents. Knievel was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999. He was also added to the Guinness Book of World Records for tallying up the most broken bones of his life.
He had a net worth of $3 million after establishing himself as a true international icon with his motorcycle stunts, which he performs wearing his signature white, red and blue jumpsuit.
Evel Knievel’s Family – Son, Wife
Knievel was the first of two children born to Robert E. and Ann Marie Keough Knievel. Her father was from Germany while her mother was of Irish descent. He married Linda Joan Bork in 1959, but they separated in the early 90s after four children. Kelly, Robbie, Tracey and Alicia. After that, Knievel married longtime partner Krystal Kennedy in 1999. They divorced in 2001, but remained together.
His son Robbie followed in his footsteps and also made a name for himself as a daredevil, a career he started at a young age. Knievel managed Robbie’s stunt career after he retired.
Dead
With countless daredevil stunts under his belt, Knievel is thought to have died young from one of his most striking accidents. He nevertheless died on November 30, 2007 at the age of 69. He succumbed to years of battling diabetes and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The famous stuntman was buried in Mountain View Cemetery in Butte, Montana.
