Evel Knievel's Son, Robbie Knievel, Dead at 60
Robbie Knievel, the son of daredevil motorcycle stunt rider Evel Knievel who carried on his father’s famous exploits, died Friday after a long illness.
He was 60 years old.
The younger Knievel’s brother, Kelly, said he lost his battle with pancreatic cancer after being in hospice care in Nevada for three days, CBS News reported.
“It was expected,” Kelly Knievel told the outlet. “He was in Reno with his three daughters by his side.”
Performing under the name “Kaptain Robbie Knievel,” he launched his career early. He jumped his bike at age 4 and started performing with his famous father at 8 during Evel’s show at New York’s Madison Square Garden, TMZ reported.
The Hollywood Reporter said the younger Knievel started touring with his dad at 12 and dropped out of high school to further his career.
He made more than 350 famous stunt jumps, including one of a record 228 feet over a sliver of the Grand Canyon.
A Great Daredevil has Died Robbie Knievel May 7, 1962 – January 13, 2023. pic.twitter.com/tOlJ67AtFL
— Evel Knievel (@evelknievel) January 13, 2023
Another famous jump was over the fountains at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, a feat his legendary father had tried and failed.
Robbie and Evel Knievel on Larry King live 1989 before Robbie’s jump at Caesar’s Palace Las Vegas – Watch full interview on Evel Knievel’s Official YouTube 👉🏼 https://t.co/on5FzifQFj #sendit #daredevil #history #evelknievel #robbieknievel #vegas#caesarspalace #legendary pic.twitter.com/6PCtQHOb7z
— Evel Knievel (@evelknievel) January 11, 2023
“Twenty-two years after his father crashed spectacularly in a stunt at the newly opened Caesars Palace on New Year’s Eve, Knievel successfully cleared the hotel fountains in Las Vegas in April 1989 and exclaimed, ‘That was for you, Dad,'” The Hollywood Reporter said.
Despite many harrowing motorcycle crashes during his career, Evel Knievel died of pulmonary disease in November 2007 at age 69.
“He was played in films and TV shows by the likes of George Hamilton and Sam Elliott,” The Hollywood Reporter noted.
Other notable jumps by Robbie Knievel included 30 limousines in 1998 and five military airplanes on the USS Intrepid in 2004, according to the outlet.
Robbie Knievel made three jumps at the IndyCar race at Texas, including the time in 2001 when he jumped his bike over the entire field 😳 pic.twitter.com/gvTiTsb8nQ
— nascarman (@nascarman_rr) January 13, 2023
Robbie Knievel’s final stunt was jumping a line of tractor-trailers at a casino in Coachella in 2011, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
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