Dave Lea Appreciation

[Slash Man]

If you're a fan of Burton's Bat, do yourself a favor and look up Dave Lea:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dave-Lea/1495820833966187?fref=ts
Be sure to give his page a 'like', there's a lot more rarities left to be shared.

Basically, Lea was Keaton's most common stunt double for the Burton films, performing most of the fight scenes. It's almost impossible to tell them apart in costume due to similar facial features. Anyways, Dave's still in great shape as a stunt instructor, and now, he's created his own social media page. He's great about answering fans' questions and sharing stories and pictures from the legacy he was a part of.

Here's one that I certainly didn't know:

Bat 2. Ok clowns, I have 25 moves and then the unexpected moves. 4 Camera's. We are going to shoot the MASTER SHOT (the whole fight) You guys are going to be coming at me from everywhere. If I am not where I should be in the Choreography, or you are not, don't matter, Just hit me or I hit you. Don't stop. If any one gets whacked, we give hugs and cheers after. Don't stop! keep fighting. Half way through the fight, I remembered to Duck! Last second!. The clown with the long pole with spike on the end just clipped my Bat ears. I spun round just in time, there is a clown in front of me, no time to think. I head butted him. not sure if that was in the routine or not?! Fight ended, claps and cheers from everyone, we did a great fight. The next day, am walking to lunch on the set WB. Tim is walking towards me with a rather curious look! Hi Tim, how was the Play back? Time went to the Theatre to watch the stuff we shot the day before. Great Dave, Really good. I walk on, Tim walks on. Then I heard 'Dave! I turn around, Yeah Tim. He walks towards me with this question look. Soft voice. Did you really head butt that guy, it looked really real! I replied. 'Tim, would I do such a thing?' He smiled the way only Tim Burton can. Shook his head, smiled, Muttered something Like ' I thought so' There you are fans...Inside scoop. Go watch the scene again. Photos on set of me and Tim will be shown soon.

Apparently, Dave is pretty great with improv

At 1:01, he ducks so close that the pole barely clips his bat ears. Even better, at 1:03, that head-butting wasn't a part of the routine. And that actor actually got head-butted. Tim Burton just kinda laughed it off.

[The Laughing Fish]

During the alley fight with the ninja in B89, there are many shots of Batman in action where you can tell it's NOT Michael Keaton in costume but Dave Lea, particularly the shot where he poses in the top left picture in these screenshots.



In any case, it doesn't bother me at all. I'm glad that Burton had a stunt actor and co-ordinator who performed, in my opinion, the best Batman fight sequences to date.

[Paul (ral)]

You hadn't heard the story of the Batman Returns head-butt? Haven't you read my interview?  (It's on page 6)

http://www.batman-online.com/features/2009/12/19/michael-keaton-stunt-double-dave-lea-interview

[Slash Man]

You'll have to forgive me, I think I last read that was in 2009. Though now that you brought that up, now sounds like a great time to re-read it.

Speaking of stunt men that got a little too close to the action, Philip Tan apparently had bruises from when Dave thrusted that metal glove extension into where the sun don't shine.

[Catwoman]

He is so freaking awesome.

[The Laughing Fish]

I found three videos worth sharing from Dave Lea's very own YouTube channel.

The first video is this amusing little skit of Lea reprising his Batman stunt role, and swapping with other actors in costume. 

The second video is this short little chat with B89 second unit director Peter MacDonald. I love the montage of these rare behind the scenes photos from B89 and Tango & Cash, which both MacDonald and Lea worked together on.

Finally, the third video is a stunt compilation from the Burton era, together with more rare BTS photos.

I never knew he made a cameo appearance as a bystander looking on as the Batmobile unlocks its shields, as you can see on the one minute mark.

You gotta love his Catwoman buckethead mask on the 7:17 mark. 

He's quite the character, that Dave Lea.

[Paul (ral)]

Absolutely shocked and saddened to hear of the death of Dave Lea.

He was a great friend of our site and I had the privilege to speak with him on the phone on several occasions over the years.

Our condolences to his family and friends. He died on August 6th.

You can read my extensive interview with Dave from Dec 2009

https://www.batman-online.com/features/2009/12/19/michael-keaton-stunt-double-dave-lea-interview


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[thecolorsblend]

RIP Dave.

[Silver Nemesis]

So sorry to hear this. Many of us on this site are connoisseurs of eighties and nineties action movies, and Lea was one of the great stunt performers of that era. He more than anyone was responsible for making the Burton Batman believably tough on screen, and his legacy extends to countless other action movies too. He trained Keaton and Pfeiffer for the Batman movies and he trained Ben Affleck for Daredevil. Here are some of his fight scenes.

Tango & Cash (1989). He doubles for Kurt Russell in the first fight scene in this clip, then plays the villain fighting Stallone in the second scene.

Versus Vam Damme in Double Impact (1991). From the 1:00 mark.

Versus Stallone again, this time in Demolition Man (1993). From the 1:22 mark.

Versus Will Smith in Wild Wild West (1999).

And versus Stallone once more in Get Carter (2000).

And here he is in a sketch with Tom Cruise and Ben Stiller.

Rest in peace, Dark Knight.

[thecolorsblend]

So sorry to hear this. Many of us on this site are connoisseurs of eighties and nineties action movies, and Lea was one of the great stunt performers of that era. He more than anyone was responsible for making the Burton Batman believably tough on screen

His contributions to Batman onscreen are sufficient that I unofficially number him among "actors who have played Batman".

It's a slippery slope, I realize. If you include Lea, how can you exclude other stunt performers? Notwithstanding, and as you say, Lea deserves a special place of recognition in big screen action cinema in general and with Batman in particular.

This is an exasperating loss.