Keith, back in 1982 Earl appeared in a movie called The Sword and the Sorceror and my best USMC friend was a major stuntman for Universal and the other major Hollywood studios. He also did some highly classified work for the major studios when one or more of the major stars were having classified problems that would possibly affect the bottom line of that star's next big production.
On a couple of occasions I was invited to go along as 'back up" and would usually end up just sitting inside the front door of some ultra huge Beverly Hills mansion while Jack went futher into the home to solve the situation. One evening while I was sitting by the front door, Jack came over with an Academy Award (Oscar) and told me to hold it so that the "star" would not be able to use it as a weapon while he took the appropriate action to solve the problem.
My 15 minutes of Oscar fame lasted about ten minutes (I invented about three acceptance speaches while holding that thing in my hands) and then I had to return that statuette to Jack who replaced it on the mantle while the star apologized and said it wouldn't happen again and that there would be no further need for him to come back as he would change his ways.
Back then the stunt guys only truely respected the other stunt folk and were only thankful for the stars because without them, they wouldn't work and get those great residuals. Earl was one of the Hollywood personalities that he held in great respect.
I do recall Jack speaking very highly back then of Goldie Hawn (they both attended some acting school together and he was in a couple of her films), Burt Rynolds (who was just strting to make it big), Anthony Quinn (one of his good friends who got Jack lots of work in his movies), Shelly Winters (a great lady who spoke her mind), Jim Drurey (The Virginian), and one of the major studio Owners who had some major problems with his kids which Jack was ready, willing and able to resolve or keep under control.
I never did get the opportunity to meet Earl on the set, but if Jack held him highly; then you can be assured that he was a great individual.
Jack passed away while filming a cliff jumping stunt for The Sword and the Sorceror.
Many months later I was walking by a theater and something forced me to buy a ticker and go inside. The movies was The Sword and the Sorceror but I did not realize that it was the very same film in which Jack performed his final stunt for Hollywood.
In fact he was so heavily made up as the Sorceror, I didn't relize it was him until I heard our old and reliable "Recon Yell" which he gave while jumping off that cliff and which the producers left on the soundtrack in Jack's memory.
As soon as I saw him take that jump and give that yell, I realized I was seening Jack jump to his death.
At the very end of the credits the studio dedicated that movie to Jack Tyree "who gave his life in the making of" that film.
I have been trying to find that movie but have so far been unsuccessful.
