Polly Burson

Born: 1919-12-24

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.


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as Slave (uncredited)
Released: 1956-10-05

Escaping death, a Hebrew infant is raised in a royal household to become a prince. Upon...

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as Slave (uncredited)
Released: 1960-10-13

The rebellious Thracian Spartacus, born and raised a slave, is sold to Gladiator trainer...

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How the West Was Won

as Stock Player (uncredited)
Released: 1962-11-02

The epic tale of the development of the American West from the 1830s through the Civil War to...

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Earthquake

as Earthquake Survivor (uncredited)
Released: 1974-11-15

Various interconnected people struggle to survive when an earthquake of unimaginable magnitude...

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Night Passage

as Rosa
Released: 1957-07-24

Grant MacLaine, a former railroad troubleshooter, lost his job after letting his outlaw brother,...

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Westward the Women

as Preacher (uncredited)
Released: 1951-12-16

There's a deficit of good, honest women in the West, and Roy Whitman wants to change that. His...

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The Man from the Alamo

as uncredited
Released: 1953-08-07

During the war for Texas independence, one man leaves the Alamo before the end (chosen by lot to...

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The Redhead and The Cowboy

as Saloon Girl (uncredited)
Released: 1951-03-15

Gil Kyle finds himself caught up in the politics and unrest of the American Civil War and soon...

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Last of the Great Survivors

as Resident
Released: 1984-01-03

A dedicated social worker joins forces with a group of senior citizens fighting City Hall to...

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