Polly Burson
Biography
Trick rider and stunt woman Polly Burson was born Pauline Shelton on December 24, 1919 in Ontario, Oregon. Born into a rodeo family, Polly spent her early years on her grandfather's ranch and started riding at the age of seven. Following an outstanding career on the rodeo circuit, Polly moved to California to break into the film business. Although it took Burson three years to break into said business, her career as a stunt woman was off and running from the mid-1940's and onward. Among the notable actresses that Polly doubled for throughout her five decade career as a stunt woman are Betty Hutton, Julie Adams, Sophia Loren, Shelley Winters, Yvonne De Carlo, Barbara Stanwyck, Dorothy Malone, Betty Grable, Lucille Ball, and Kim Darby. Burson was the recipient of a Golden Boot Award for her substantial and impressive contributions to the Western genre in 1991; said award was present to her by longtime friend and fellow stuntman Henry Wills. In addition, Polly was also inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame, the Hollywood Stuntmen's Hall of Fame, and the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas in November, 2002. Burson was married and divorced three times. She died at age 86 on April 4, 2006 in Ventura, California.
Personal Details
Also Known As
Movies (50)
Who's That Girl
Stunts (Crew)
1987
Black Moon Rising
Stunts (Crew)
1986
Last of the Great Survivors
as Resident
1984
Earthquake
as Earthquake Survivor (uncredited)
1974
True Grit
Stunts (Crew)
1969
The Shakiest Gun in the West
Stunt Double (Crew)
1968
El Dorado
Stunts (Crew)
1966
McLintock!
Stunts (Crew)
1963
How the West Was Won
as Stock Player (uncredited)
1962
Spartacus
as Slave (uncredited)
1960
Heller in Pink Tights
Stunt Double (Crew)
1960
Hell Bent for Leather
Stunts (Crew)
1960
The Jayhawkers!
Stunts (Crew)
1959
Last Train from Gun Hill
Stunt Double (Crew)
1959
The Buccaneer
Stunts (Crew)
1958
Night Passage
as Rosa
1957
The Ten Commandments
as Slave (uncredited)
1956
Pillars of the Sky
Stunt Double (Crew)
1956
Guys and Dolls
Stunts (Crew)
1955
The Rains of Ranchipur
Stunts (Crew)
1955
The Second Greatest Sex
Stunts (Crew)
1955
Escape to Burma
Stunts (Crew)
1955
Destry
Stunts (Crew)
1954
Creature from the Black Lagoon
Stunt Double (Crew)
1954
The Man from the Alamo
1953
Gunsmoke
Stunt Double (Crew)
1953
Niagara
Stunts (Crew)
1953
The Story of Will Rogers
Stunts (Crew)
1952
Scarlet Angel
Stunts (Crew)
1952
Rodeo
Stunts (Crew)
1952
The Greatest Show on Earth
Stunts (Crew)
1952
Rose of Cimarron
Stunt Double (Crew)
1952
Bend of the River
Stunts (Crew)
1952
Westward the Women
as Preacher (uncredited)
1951
A Place in the Sun
Stunt Double (Crew)
1951
The Redhead and the Cowboy
as Saloon Girl (uncredited)
1951
The Sword of Monte Cristo
Stunts (Crew)
1951
My Blue Heaven
Stunt Double (Crew)
1950
The Desert Hawk
Stunt Double (Crew)
1950
The Furies
Stunt Double (Crew)
1950
Fancy Pants
Stunt Double (Crew)
1950
Winchester '73
Stunts (Crew)
1950
A Ticket to Tomahawk
Stunt Double (Crew)
1950
Buccaneer's Girl
Stunt Double (Crew)
1950
Calamity Jane and Sam Bass
Stunts (Crew)
1949
Ma and Pa Kettle
Stunt Double (Crew)
1949
Northwest Stampede
Stunts (Crew)
1948
Relentless
Stunts (Crew)
1948
The Swordsman
Stunts (Crew)
1948
Unconquered
Stunts (Crew)
1947