James Winburn: Michael Myers and Halloween 1978 stuntman dead at 85, cause of death explained - and net worth

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James Winburn, the stuntman who portrayed iconic horror villain Michael Myers in certain scenes of John Carpenter's original 1978 film Halloween, has died.

According to Entertainment Weekly, Winburn's manager Peter DeLorme confirmed the stuntman died in hospital on 19 November from an unidentified illness. He was 85 years old at the time.

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While Nick Castle famously donned the slasher's mask in the first film, Winburn assisted in some of the more risky scenes, such as when Dr. Samuel Loomis (Donald Pleasence) shoots Myers several times, leading him to fall from a balcony and vanish.

Here is everything you need to know about him.

Who was James Winburn?

Though Halloween was his most well-known part, Winburn worked as a stunt performer on other films and TV shows throughout his career, including roles in which he doubled for Stan Lee, David Hasselhoff, Peter O'Toole, Barry Bostwick, and others.

Winburn's stunt work also included other John Carpenter films like Escape From New York, as well as films like Tron and The Night Stalker, and episodes of shows like The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman. He also appeared in a number of television shows and films, and directed three films himself: Evil Altar in 1988, The Death Merchant in 1991 and Miami Beach Cops in 1993.

Winburn was also involved in the fan community, and regularly attended fan conventions all over the world, and recently visited the For the Love of Horror fan conference in Manchester last month. The event's organiser, Monopoly Events, stated in a tweet that Winburn was "an absolute pleasure" to work with.

How did he die?

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Winburn's manager, Peter DeLorme, revealed the stuntman died in hospital on 19 November from an undisclosed illness. He was 85 years old.

What is James Winburn’s net worth?

According to NetWorthPost.org, Winburn commanded a net worth of around $950,000 (£800,468).

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