Evel Knievel: Daredevil Motorcycle Stuntman Dies at 69

Evel Knievel was an American stunt performer known for motorcycle jumps over rows of cars and buses. Born Robert Craig Knievel on October 17, 1938, in Butte, Montana, he took his stage name from a jail nickname.

Knievel became a household name in the 1960s and 1970s. His 1967 jump over the fountains at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas ended in a horrific crash that left him in a coma. In 1974 he attempted to jump the Snake River Canyon in a rocket-powered Skycycle and failed, landing safely by parachute.

He suffered dozens of fractures and a case of hepatitis C that led to a liver transplant. Knievel died of pulmonary fibrosis in Clearwater, Florida, on November 30, 2007, at age 69.

Achievements: Over 75 ramp-to-ramp jumps, Snake River Canyon attempt (1974).

Birth: October 17, 1938 - Butte, Montana.

Profession: Stunt performer.

Interesting Facts: Ideal Toy's Evel Knievel stunt cycle was a top-selling toy in the 1970s.