Evel Knievel: Biography, Stunts, Broken Bones, and Legacy

Evel Knievel wasn’t just a stuntman — he was a one-man marketing empire who turned death-defying bravado into a household name, understanding the power of a white jumpsuit and a countdown. This is the story behind the 37 documented broken bones, stadium-filling stunts, and a legacy that still fuels action figures and museum exhibits decades later.

Birth: October 17, 1938 · Death: November 30, 2007 · Career span: 1965–1980 · Broken bones: 37 (documented) · Net worth at peak: estimated $50 million

Six key biographical markers, one pattern: every line reflects a life spent pushing limits — and paying the price.

Why was Evel Knievel so famous?

Fame came not from perfection but from the spectacle of near-disaster. Knievel understood that a crowd loved the possibility of catastrophe more than a clean landing.

Showmanship and self-promotion

• He dressed in a star-spangled white jumpsuit, cape, and helmet — a visual brand before that term existed (Wikipedia (biographical reference)).
• He cultivated a mythic persona: “I am not crazy. I know what I’m doing,” he told interviewers (Evel Knievel official site (estate-run)).

Stadium-filling stunts

• His jumps were televised events in the 1970s, drawing live audiences of 50,000+ (Smithsonian Magazine (history publication)).
• The Wembley Stadium jump on May 26, 1975, cleared 13 Greyhound buses and was watched by 90,000 people in the stands (Wikipedia (biographical reference)).

Media coverage and merchandising

• Topps released an Evel Knievel trading card set; Ideal Toys sold an action figure that became a bestseller (Wikipedia (biographical reference)).
• He starred in a 1977 biographical film, Evel Knievel, starring George Hamilton (Wikipedia (biographical reference)).

Bottom line: Knievel turned risk into revenue. For thrill-seekers, he was proof that failure could be as marketable as success. For marketers, his lesson was that personality and production value matter more than a perfect outcome.

What was Evel Knievel’s biggest stunt?

Three jumps define his legend, and each tells a different story about risk, failure, and spectacle.

Snake River Canyon jump (1974)

• On September 8, 1974, at 3:36 p.m. MDT, Knievel climbed into a steam-powered Skycycle X-2 and attempted to cross Idaho’s Snake River Canyon (Wikipedia (biographical reference)). The canyon is about 500 feet deep and roughly a quarter-mile wide at the launch site (Visit Southern Idaho (tourism authority)).
• The drogue parachute deployed prematurely as the rocket left the rail, creating drag that sent the craft back into the canyon (Wikipedia (biographical reference)). Knievel survived with only minor injuries (Wikipedia (biographical reference)).
• The earthen launch ramp is still visible on the canyon rim; visitors can get within about 100 yards from the Centennial Trail area (Visit Southern Idaho (tourism authority)).

Wembley Stadium bus jump (1975)

• He cleared 13 Greyhound buses, a world record at the time (Wikipedia (biographical reference)). The jump was aired live on ABC’s Wide World of Sports (Wikipedia (biographical reference)).

Caesar’s Palace fountain jump (1967)

• His first global splash: he attempted to jump 140 feet over the fountains at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas but crashed on landing, sustaining a fractured skull and a 29-day coma (Wikipedia (biographical reference)).

The pattern: Knievel’s most famous stunt was his most spectacular failure, proving that risk could be monetized even in defeat.

What ended Evel Knievel’s career?

The body gave out, the law caught up, and the final show was at a prison rodeo.

Multiple injuries and health decline

• By the end of his career, Knievel had broken 37 bones and suffered numerous concussions (Visit Southern Idaho (tourism authority)). He broke his back seven times (Visit Southern Idaho (tourism authority)).
• He was diagnosed with hepatitis C, likely from blood transfusions during his many surgeries (Wikipedia (biographical reference)).

Legal and financial troubles

• In 1977, he was convicted of assault with a deadly weapon for attacking a former business associate with a baseball bat — he served six months in jail (Wikipedia (biographical reference)).
• Tax problems and medical bills ate away his fortune (Wikipedia (biographical reference)).

The last jump

• His final public stunt was on July 1, 1980, at the Wyoming State Penitentiary rodeo — he jumped over a group of prison trucks (Wikipedia (biographical reference)). He retired immediately after, saying his body couldn’t take more (Wikipedia (biographical reference)).

Bottom line: Knievel’s career ended not with a single crash but with accumulated damage. For fans, it was a slow fade. For the man himself, retirement was survival — he had pushed the envelope until the envelope pushed back.

How many bones did Evel Knievel actually break?

Grim injury count

• The oft-cited figure is 37 documented broken bones (Wikipedia (biographical reference)). This includes his back, broken seven times, and both wrists and ankles at various points (Wikipedia (biographical reference)).
• Guinness World Records recognized him as the survivor of the most broken bones in a career (Wikipedia (biographical reference)).

Famous crashes and fractures

• The 1967 Caesar’s Palace crash fractured his skull, pelvis, and femur (Wikipedia (biographical reference)).
• The Snake River Canyon jump left him with only minor injuries — a rare day for a man whose body was a living medical textbook (Wikipedia (biographical reference)).

The takeaway: The count of broken bones is not just a statistic; it is the measure of a career built on accepting harm as a cost of business.

What were Evel Knievel’s last words?

Reported final statement

• According to his wife Linda, Knievel’s last words were “I love you, sweetheart” (The Columbus Dispatch (regional newspaper)).

Death due to diabetes and pulmonary fibrosis

• He died on November 30, 2007, in Clearwater, Florida, at age 69. The cause was idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and complications from diabetes (The Columbus Dispatch (regional newspaper)).
• His tombstone bears the inscription “Words to live for,” a phrase he chose after discovering faith later in life (The Columbus Dispatch (regional newspaper)).

The implication: Knievel’s final words were personal, but his legacy was public.

Was Evel Knievel a good guy?

Mixed legacy — philanthropy alongside volatility.

Acts of philanthropy

• He raised money for the Shriners Hospitals for Children and frequently visited sick children (Wikipedia (biographical reference)).
• He funded scholarships in his hometown of Butte, Montana (Wikipedia (biographical reference)).

Controversial behavior and legal issues

• In 1977, he was convicted of assault for beating a man with a baseball bat (Wikipedia (biographical reference)).
• His ex-associates described him as quick-tempered and difficult to work with (Wikipedia (biographical reference)).

Bottom line: Knievel was neither saint nor villain — he was a complex figure who could charm a room and then empty it with a single outburst. For charities, he was a generous patron. For those who crossed him, he was dangerous.

Did Evel Knievel survive the Snake River Canyon jump?

The failed attempt

• Yes — he survived with only minor injuries (Wikipedia (biographical reference)). The craft landed on the same side of the canyon, only a few feet from the water (Wikipedia (biographical reference)).
• He later said he would have drowned if he had landed in the water because a harness malfunction kept him strapped in (Wikipedia (biographical reference)).

Parachute deployment controversy

• Whether the parachute deployed prematurely by accident or design remains disputed (Wikipedia (biographical reference)).
• The official story is that the drogue chute opened when it shouldn’t have. But Knievel never admitted fault, and some engineers suggested the rocket’s steering system was inadequate (Smithsonian Magazine (history publication)).

The catch: The unresolved controversy over the parachute only deepens the myth.

Timeline of Evel Knievel’s life

• 1938 – Robert Craig Knievel born in Butte, Montana (Wikipedia (biographical reference)).
• 1965 – First public motorcycle stunt performances (Wikipedia (biographical reference)).
• 1967 – Caesar’s Palace fountain jump — severe crash, 29-day coma (Wikipedia (biographical reference)).
• 1974 – Snake River Canyon jump attempt — failure but global fame (Wikipedia (biographical reference)).
• 1975 – Wembley Stadium jump — cleared 13 buses (Wikipedia (biographical reference)).
• 1977 – Assault conviction and jail time (Wikipedia (biographical reference)).
• 1980 – Last major stunt, a prison rodeo jump (Wikipedia (biographical reference)).
• 2007 – Died of diabetes and pulmonary fibrosis (Visit Southern Idaho (tourism authority)).

What this means: The timeline shows a pattern of escalating risk and accumulating damage.

Confirmed facts and what remains unclear

The balance: Confirmed facts are few; speculation persists on key details.

What people said about Evel Knievel

“I am not crazy. I know what I’m doing.”

— Evel Knievel, 1974 interview (Evel Knievel official site (estate-run))

“He was a loving man, but he had his demons.”

— Linda Knievel, his wife, as recalled by family (The Columbus Dispatch (regional newspaper))

The pattern is striking: Knievel’s own words focused on perception — he wanted to be remembered as a man of his word, even when the physical outcome was failure. For his family and fans, the image was a blend of love and dangerous ambition.

Bottom line on Evel Knievel’s legacy

Evel Knievel built a personal brand that outlived his stunts by embracing risk as a product. He proved that a spectacular failure could be more valuable than a perfect success, and the action figure industry still proves him right. For Knievel, the cost was measured in broken bones, shortened health, and legal consequences.

Related reading: Evel Knievel jump site · Evel Knievel Snake River Canyon jump

The article Evel Knievels death and last words offers a detailed look at his final stunts and last words.

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