“Human Torch” from Tricity dies after over 20 years of a risky career as a stuntman in Hollywood

If you have been living in the Tricity for some time, you may remember the stuntman who, after his roles in many Hollywood productions and TV shows, performed daring feats all over the West.

If you’re new here, Gary Edelen turned his fearlessness into a 20-year career as a movie stuntman and once held the world record for the longest full-body burn.

He called himself the “Human Torch”.

Edelen, who was featured in the Tri-City Herald many times over the years, died this month in Richland. He was 78 years old.

Gary Edelen, Hollywood stuntman

After growing up in the Tri-Cities, the Kennewick High graduate went to California to work on film set construction.

After some time, he began working as a stuntman on popular TV shows such as The Greatest American Hero, Twin Peaks, Northern Exposure and many films.

You can see his work IN “Disappearance“, with Jeff Bridges, Keifer Sutherland and Sandra Bullock, “Edge of Honor” and “Chuck Norris”An eye for an eye”, where he “died” seven times as different characters.

“I’ll probably do stunts until I die,” Edelen told a Herald reporter in 1997.

He estimated that he had been blown up 500 times in his career. He said at the time that he never felt like his life was in danger while doing the stunt – “but this would be a nice way to do it.”

In the 1990s, he returned to Washington state and worked in construction, but continued to perform stunts from time to time, including in the Stephen King television miniseries “Red Rose“

According to previous Herald stories, Edelen’s jobs included jumping from 100-foot cliffs and skyscrapers, destroying cars at high speeds and being dragged by horses.

But what stunt did he perform most often?

Easily his “human torch”. He performed this signature act hundreds of times throughout his life.

The feat of the “Human Torch”.

After leaving Hollywood, he began burning his entire body as part of a show for a live audience.

He toured the region for years into his 50s, performing in concert halls in Washington, California and Nevada.

He often started the route from his Tri-Cities home and performed stunts several times at Tri-City Raceway in West Richland.

Edelen covered himself in layers of fireproof clothing and gel and entered a steel chamber surrounded by gallons of gasoline.

On his orders, someone lit the fuse, causing an explosion that set him on fire.

He ran out of the chamber, completely engulfed, burning for at least 30 seconds, sometimes over a minute, depending on the program.

‘NoiseTorch world record

In 2000, Edelen broke the world record for the longest full-body burn during a scheduled rehearsal with MTV.

After years of perfecting the process, he found a way to keep the flame burning for two minutes and 14 seconds.

In Hollywood at the time, full-body fire stunts rarely lasted longer than 20 seconds.

Edelen used safety rules and stunt standards from movie sets as the basis for his thrilling show and continued to build on the formula until he broke the world record.

His son Darren Edelen told the Herald this week that despite a close call in the 1970s, his father enjoyed the thrill of performing his stunts.

“That’s the way it has to work,” Gary Edelen told the Herald in 1998. “You’re damn right, I’m pushing the boundaries. It’s all part of the show. The audience loves it, but for me it’s a rush. But every time I do it, I get scared. If I wasn’t, I would have quit. Fear keeps me from making mistakes. I always ask God to take care of me.”

His stunts have been featured on the shows “Guinness Book of Records”, “World’s Most Dangerous Stunts”, “I Dare You” and more.

He previously held and attempted to break other world records, including: the longest parasailing flightachieved during an 18-hour flight over the Columbia River. This feat prompted him to move to Hollywood in the first place.

Ultimately, his fiery record was broken and is currently held Josef Tödtling from Austria which burned for 5 minutes and 41 seconds.

But his brush with fame and fame didn’t seem to change the eastern Washington native.

“I think my first year my head was swollen. “I think it probably happens to everyone,” he once told the Herald.

“Most stuntmen you meet are boring and mundane people,” he said at the time.

After a long and successful stunt career that involved only a few injuries, Edelen died of natural causes on October 19.

He is survived by his wife Carol, two children, Darren and Deanna, and two grandchildren, Kevin and Taylor.

Arrangements are being handled by CODA Alternative Cremation & Funeral, Kennewick.