Crew

46

Woman

11 Mar 1916

Douglas, Arizona, USA

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Evelyn Finley

Evelyn Ruth Finley was known as the most accomplished stunt rider in the western genre. Famous director William A. Wellman was one of many who regarded her as the best in the business. She worked with horses from early childhood and grew up a tomboy on her father's ranch. Her dad had promised 'to put her into pictures', but how she eventually arrived in Hollywood is unclear. Winning a beauty contest as 'Miss Albuquerque' might have helped. The year was 1936 and her first picture was as stunt double to Jean Parker. By 1940, Evelyn was under contract at Monogram where her skills in the saddle quickly promoted her to leading lady opposite the likes of Tex Ritter, Tom Keene, Johnny Mack Brown and Buster Crabbe. As blonde Eve Anderson, she got to star in one of the last serials made at Columbia, Perils of the Wilderness (1956). However, Evelyn preferred the stunt work to acting, often doubling on horseback for glamorous stars like Elizabeth Taylor and Loretta Young. She remained involved in her area of expertise, either actively or as technical adviser, well into the 1980's. When not working in the film industry, she toured as an equestrian performer at different circuses. Evelyn was inducted into the Stuntmen's Hall of Fame.

Westward the Women

16 December 1951

Freebie and the Bean

25 December 1974

The Guns of Fort Petticoat

1 April 1957

Valley Of Vengeance

5 May 1944

Ghost Guns

17 November 1944

Prairie Rustlers

7 November 1945

Perils of the Wilderness

6 January 1956

Arizona Frontier

19 August 1940

Dynamite Canyon

7 August 1941

Take It Big

9 June 1944