Robert Craig Knievel Bio/Wiki, Net Worth, Married 2018
"Evel" redirects here. For the river in Morbihan (France), see Ével. This article is about the stunt performer. For other uses, see Evel Knievel (disambiguation)Robert Craig "Evel" Knievel (/?i?v?l k??ni?v?l/; October 17, 1938 – November 30, 2007), was an American daredevil, painter, entertainer, and international icon. In his career he attempted more than 75 ramp-to-ramp motorcycle jumps between 1965 and 1980, and in 1974, a failed jump across Snake River Canyon in the Skycycle X-2, a steam-powered rocket. He suffered more than 433 bone fractures in his career, thereby earning an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records as the survivor of "most bones broken in a lifetime". Knievel died of pulmonary disease in Clearwater, Florida, aged 69. According to the British paper The Times writing his obituary, Knievel was one of the greatest American icons of the 1970s. Knievel was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999.
Robert Edward Knievel, Robert Edward Knievel,, Ann Kehoe
Siblings
Nic Knievel
Awards
Guinness World Records
Movies
Being Evel, Evel Knievel: Spectacular Jumps
TV Shows
Richard Hammond Meets Evel Knievel
Star Sign
Libra
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Trademark
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His red, white, and blue suit with cape he wore when he performed his stunts.
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Famous for his spectacular motorcycle jumps in the 1970s and his equally spectacular accidents while doing them.
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Fact
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Some of his motorcycle crashes happened because, once his bike left the ramp, he did not try to maintain control and was simply "hanging on for the ride". Later stunt riders discovered that by continuing to throttle and steer (as though the bike were still on the ground), they could maintain control and avoid crashing.
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Inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio in 1999.
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Was a high school dropout.
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A delinquent in his early life and frequently in trouble with the law, he picked up the nickname "Evel".
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His fortunes reversed by the end of the 1970s, after news of his assault and battery conviction broke, and he fell into alcoholism and depression in the 1980s. He enjoyed a mini-comeback in the 1990s in TV commercials and promotional appearances, but expressed regret that he had set no money aside during his heyday, to take care of his family later.
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Contracted Hepatitis C in 1993 due to blood transfusions required from his many accidents. Underwent a 1999 liver transplant and numerous other surgeries that left him largely disabled.
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Caught in the moment, after a dangerous 1999 stunt on Fox Network, proudly proclaimed, "White men *CAN* jump!", in humorous defiance to the basketball movie, White Men Can't Jump (1992).
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Settled a lawsuit with singer Kanye West, who had used Knievel's image and motifs in a music video, a few weeks prior to his death. West's own mother passed away only weeks before the case was settled.
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Remained romantically involved with his second wife, Krystal Kennedy-Knievel-Knievel after their divorce, and they continued to live together.
Owned a Honda dealership in Moses Lake, Washington in the mid-1960s; any potential buyer who could beat Knievel at arm-wrestling got $500 off their car purchase. He formed a traveling stunt show called "Evel Knievel's Motorcycle Daredevils" with other cyclists, as publicity for the dealership.
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When first written about by the press, he insisted that his nickname not be spelled with an I; knowing his fans were mostly youngsters, he didn't want parents to perceive him as "evil", or as an evildoer. As a public figure, Knievel promoted a healthy, active lifestyle for young people.
Suffered 35 broken bones as a result of his motorcycle daredevil antics; a Guinness-certified world record.
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Born at 2:40pm-MST
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His son, Robbie Knievel, took over his father's mantle as stuntman and daredevil, even completing the jump over the fountains at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, which Evel failed in 1968.
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Bionic Woman
1977
TV Series
Evel Knievel
Freebie and the Bean
1974
Motorcyclist (uncredited)
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Richard Hammond Meets Evel Knievel
2007
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
2004
TV Series
Himself
E! True Hollywood Story
2004
TV Series documentary
Himself - Interviewee
Wide World of Sports 40th Anniversary Special
2001
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Touch of Evel
2000
TV Movie documentary
ESPN SportsCentury
2000
TV Series documentary
Himself
Biography
1998
TV Series documentary
Himself
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
1997
TV Series
Himself
ABC's Wide World of Sports 30th Anniversary Special
1991
TV Movie
Himself
Good Morning America
1978-1989
TV Series
Himself
Showtime Championship Boxing
1989
TV Series
Himself - Audience Member
The Pat Sajak Show
1989
TV Series
Himself
The Last of the Gladiators
1988
Documentary
Himself
The Devil at Your Heels
1981
Documentary
Himself
Death Defiers
1977
TV Special
Himself - Host
The Mike Douglas Show
1970-1977
TV Series
Himself - Stuntman / Himself - Co-Host / Himself - Motorcycle Daredevil
ABC's Wide World of Sports
1967-1977
TV Series
Himself
Viva Knievel!
1977
Himself
Donny and Marie
1976
TV Series
Himself
The Sonny and Cher Show
1976
TV Series
Himself
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast: Evel Knievel
1975
TV Special
Himself
Andy Williams Presents
1974
TV Movie
Himself
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1973-1974
TV Series
Himself
Not So Easy - A Motorcycle Safety Film
1973
Documentary short
Himself - Rider
The Joey Bishop Show
1968-1969
TV Series
Himself
New American Bandstand 1965
1968
TV Series
Himself
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
Aim for the Roses
2016
Documentary
Himself
Being Evel
2015
Documentary
Himself
The Sixties
2014
TV Mini-Series documentary
Himself - Stuntman
True Evel
2013
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The Great Ride
2011
TV Series
Himself
David Blaine: Beautiful Struggle
2010
TV Movie documentary
Himself
30 for 30
2010
TV Series documentary
Himself - Legendary Daredevil
The O'Reilly Factor
2008
TV Series
Himself (segment "American TV Icon")
Rome Is Burning
2007
TV Series
Himself
Cheap Seats: Without Ron Parker
2006
TV Series
Himself
Known for movies
Viva Knievel! (1977) as Himself
The Last of the Gladiators (1988) as Himself
Death Defiers (1977) as Himself - Host
Richard Hammond Meets Evel Knievel (2007) as Himself
$600,000
