Donald Lee Stroud (born September 1, 1943)[1][2] is an American actor, musician,[3] and surfer. Stroud has appeared in over 100 films and 200 television shows.[4] He portrayed Disabled Stunt Driver Carl in Dukes Of Hazzard Season 2, Ep. 24 and 25 "Carnival of Thrills." 1980.
Early years
Stroud is the son of vaudeville actor Clarence Stroud (of "The Stroud Twins" team) and singer Ann McCormack. He was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, by his mother and stepfather, Paul Livermore.[1][2][4]
At the age of 16, Stroud earned a black belt in the Hawaiian martial art of Kajukenbo.[2][5]
Stroud began surfing at the age of 3.[1]: 242 As a surfer, he taught surfing while he was still in high school. In 1960 at the age of 17, Stroud won the Mākaha Junior Championship, and placed fourth overall in the Duke Kahanamoku International event.[2][4]
While working at the Kahala Hilton beach as a lifeguard, producers hired Stroud to double for Troy Donahue's surfing sequences at Waikiki Beach for an episode of Hawaiian Eye. Afterwards, Donahue asked Stroud to move to Los Angeles to become an actor, while also serving as Donahue's fight double and bodyguard.[2] After jobs parking cars, bouncing, and eventually managing at the Whisky A Go-Go in Hollywood, he received advice on getting a start as an actor from Sidney Poitier, who frequented the club. Poitier set Stroud up with Dick Clayton, who was also an agent for such actors as James Dean, Michael Douglas, Al Pacino and Burt Reynolds, among others.[4]
Career
1970 saw Roger Corman film Richthofen & Brown at Lynn Garrison's aviation facility in Ireland. Don Stroud starred in the production
At 6'2", and around 200 pounds, Stroud often portrayed villains and tough guys.[2][4]
Stroud's Hollywood film debut was a role in Games (1967) as Norman. That same year, he appeared in The Ballad of Josie (1967) as Bratsch.
In The Buddy Holly Story (1978), he co-starred as the late musician's drummer, while actually playing the drums live in front of two or three thousand kids brought in by buses, recording the soundtrack directly using 24-track recording trucks at the venue.[1]
In 2011, he made a brief appearance in the new Hawaii Five-0. Stroud played a bartender in the second season's fourth episode, "Mea Makamae" (meaning "Treasure" in Hawaiian).
Personal life
Lynn Garrison, Don Stroud crash September 16, 1970 SV4.C Stampe
On September 16, 1970, during a low-level sequence flying a two-seat SV.4C Stampe biplane across Lake Weston, a duck flew through the propeller's arc, striking the pilot Garrison in the face, knocking him unconscious. The aircraft flew into five power lines, snap rolled and plunged inverted into Ireland's large Liffey River. Stroud rescued the unconscious Garrison, treading water until rescue crews found them almost an hour later. Stroud was unhurt, but Garrison required 60 stitches to close a head wound.[2][4]
Sometime in 1989 or 1990, on the street in Greenwich Village, New York City, Stroud tried to help a man who was being mugged. During the confrontation, Stroud was stabbed several times, suffering partial paralysis in the face, and losing the use of one eye. The mugging victim fled.[1]: 242
