On the 77th birthday of Kitty O’Neil, an American stuntwoman who has been deaf since she was very young, Google featured a doodle of her in a yellow jumpsuit. The doodle was done by a deaf artist, based in Washington DC, Meeya Tijang.
Who is Kitty O’Neil?
Kitty O’Neil is an American stuntwoman and actress who suffered from a childhood illness that affected her hearing to the point that she became deaf. Despite the countless challenges she faced from an early age, she went on to become one of the most recognized stunt performers in Hollywood. Her exceptional talent helped her get work as a stunt double in several films such as ‘The Bionic Woman’, ‘The Blues Brothers’ and ‘Wonder Woman’.
Kitty O’Neil: Childhood
Kitty O’Neil was born on March 24 in Corpus Christi, Texas. Her father was an officer in the United States Army Air Forces. He died during Kitty’s childhood in a plane crash. Her mother’s name is Patsy Compton O’Neil. She is the reason Kitty learned to read lips after losing her hearing. Her mother eventually became a speech therapist and co-founded a school for blind students.
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Birthday |
March 24, 1946 |
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Place of birth |
Corpus Christi, Texas, USA |
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Dead day |
November 2, 2018 |
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Place of death |
Eureka, South Dakota, USA |
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Job |
stuntman |
Kitty O’Neil: Career
Kitty began her career as a stuntwoman for films in the 1970s such as The Bionic Woman and Wonder Woman. Additionally, she became the first woman to join Stunts Unlimited, an organization for top stunt performers in Hollywood.
How did Neil become a stuntman?
Neil joined a swim team when she was 12 years old and she eventually developed an interest in diving. She also won the gold medal in place of the reserve driver who was not present. Six months after this event, she won the AAU Southwest District Junior meet. In 1962, her family moved to Anaheim, California, USA so Neil could be trained by nationally renowned driving instructor, Sammy Lee.
Overcome challenges
All the hardships Neil faced from an early age did not stop her from achieving greatness. In 1976, she received the prestigious title of ‘fastest woman alive’ for breaking the previous record for driving a rocket-powered car. Additionally, she set a female fall record of 127 feet during his performance as a stuntwoman in an episode of the Wonder Woman Series. Her story is an inspiration to many people. In 1979, her biopic Silent Victory: The Kitty O’Neil Story was released.
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: pagasa.edu.vn