David L. Boushey
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David L Boushey is the founder of the United Stuntmen's Association, the International Stunt School, the Society of American Fight Directors, and is a member of The Hollywood Stuntmen's Hall of Fame. He is one of the foremost fight directors worldwide. Some of his films credits include Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks, Northern Exposure, Drugstore Cowboy.
Boushey has worked with 8 Academy Award Winning Actors including Denzel Washington, William Hurt, Tommy Lee Jones, Chris Cooper, Christopher Walken
Boushey's professional career spans forty years with over 400 theatre credits and 45 films. He has trained more than 1000 students, many of whom now work in the film and theatre industry. Boushey continues to work in the film industry as a stunt coordinator as well as administrating the International Stunt School, which is regarded as the foremost stunt training facility worldwide.
Early Years:
Boushey was born in 1942 in the city of Everett, Washington where he spent his first 15 years. At age 16 he moved with his family to Seattle where he graduated in the first graduating class from Ingraham High School in 1961. Boushey graduated from Central Washington University in 1967. After 2 years as an account executive with the Seattle Post Intelligencer he decided to fulfill his dream of becoming an actor. Boushey went to England where he trained at the prestigious East 15 Acting School founded by the legendary Joan Littlewood (A Taste of Honey, & Oh What a Lovely War). It was at EAST 15 where he met fight master Ian McKay who introduced him to the art of stage combat. After two and one half years working with the likes of William Hobbs (The Three/Four Musketeers...1974) he returned home to Seattle where he founded the Society of American Fight Directors.
Career:
Boushey's first professional production was at the Seattle Repertory Theatre in 1974 under Duncan Ross. The production was Hamlet starring Christopher Walken (Academy Award winner...Deer Hunter). Boushey soon joined the prestigious theatre complex..the Oregon Shakespeare Festival where he was both actor and Fight Director for two seasons. Boushey returned to Seattle to play Valvert in the production of Cyrano de Bergerac as well as choreograph the famous fight scene. Boushey's career from this point took him all over north America where he worked with such notables as George Abbott, Jon Jory, Milton Katsales, Daniel Sullivan, Duncan Ross, and Meg Booker. Some of the theatres he choreographed action for include: Actors Theatre Louisville, San Diego Globe, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Intiman Theatre, San Francisco ACT, Utah Shakespeare Festival, Pioneer Theatre, Mark Taper Forum, Cincinnati Playhouse, Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Dallas Theatre Center, and Seattle ACT.
In 1981 Boushey moved into film where he eventually became a stunt coordinator and stunt performer. He was a stunt double for Tom Skerrit, Harvey Keitel, Rutger Hauer, Timothy Busfield, and Meg Ryan! He was stunt coordinator for the TV series Northern Exposure, Under Suspicion, Under One Roof (James Earl Jones), and Medicine Ball. Some of the actors he worked with and coordinated are Drew Barrymore, Elijah Wood, Denzel Washington, Kyle MacLachlan, Brad Dourif, Dennis Hopper, Matt Dillon, Kiefer Sutherland, Annette Bening, William Hurt, Chris Cooper, Linda Evans, River Phoenix, Tommy Lee Jones, Jobeth Williams, Danny Glover, Mary Tyler Moore, Brendan Fraser, and Heather Graham.
Honors:
Inducted into the Hollywood Stuntmen's Hall of Fame (1992).
Los Angeles Critics Circe Award (Romeo & Juliet...dir, Milton Katsales 1985).
Drama-Logue Award for Best Fight Choreography (Los Angeles, 1985).
The Weekly Award for Best Fight Choreography (Los Angeles, 1981).
Fight Master Emeritus, Society of American Fight Directors.
Honorary Fight Master, Fight Directors Canada.
Distinguished Alumni Award 2009 (Central Washington University).
Producer of acclaimed educational series "Combat for the Stage & Screen".