Hollywood stunt performer Corey Eubanks shared stories behind some of television and film’s recognizable vehicles during an interview with Bob Connell on the ArkansasRadio.com Radio Stations’ Open Mic program.
Here the full Open Mic Program interview below
The conversation highlighted Eubanks’ work on The Dukes of Hazzard, the Transformers movies and Fast Five, along with his connection to the Museum of Automobiles on Petit Jean Mountain near Morrilton, Arkansas.
Eubanks said seeing the General Lee and Bumblebee together at the museum brought back memories of different chapters in his career.
“My dream came true, jumping the General Lee,” Eubanks said, recalling his early work on The Dukes of Hazzard.
FROM BOB EUBANKS’ SON TO HOLLYWOOD STUNT PERFORMER
Eubanks, the son of The Newlywed Game host Bob Eubanks, said his interest in stunt work grew from spending time around actors and stunt performers during his father’s weekend rodeo activities.
He recalled hearing stories from people around James Caan and Steve McQueen and eventually realizing that performing stunts could become a career.
After attending stunt school, Eubanks told his father he wanted to jump the General Lee. He said his father’s connection to producer Paul Picard helped open the door to work on The Dukes of Hazzard when he was 18.
Eubanks said arriving on the production was an eye-opening experience. Like many viewers, he had imagined there was only 1 General Lee. Instead, he recalled seeing approximately 30 versions of the orange Dodge Charger parked at a filming location.
His career later included driving Bumblebee for Michael Bay’s Transformers films, along with stunt work on other major productions.
A GENERAL LEE WITH ARKANSAS CONNECTIONS
Another guest, identified as Scott during the interview, discussed the General Lee replica he and his father built in 2003.
Scott said his childhood fascination with the car included memories of a replica used by Little Rock’s Channel 11 and driven by Arkansas television personality Chuck Dovish in parades.
He recalled trying unsuccessfully to locate that vehicle before building his own. According to Scott, a man later brought the former television station’s car to a Dukes event in 2004 after purchasing it at a sale associated with the Petit Jean museum.
Scott said the car he and his father built holds special meaning because of its family history and Arkansas roots.
The museum’s official exhibit list includes a 1969 Dodge Charger identified as the General Lee, along with a DeLorean and other historic vehicles.
A MIDNIGHT GENERAL LEE STORY
Eubanks also shared a story about taking a General Lee for an unauthorized midnight ride before he worked on the television series.
According to his account, a security guard began pursuing him and a friend. Eubanks said they jumped out before the car went over a hill and crashed.
He said he kept his involvement secret for approximately 25 years before the story eventually reached someone associated with the production.
“I borrowed it and I didn’t put it back where I found it,” Eubanks recalled joking about the incident, while acknowledging that the car had been totaled.
FAST FIVE BUS STUNT STANDS OUT
Asked about a standout stunt from his career, Eubanks pointed to the prison bus rollover in Fast Five.
He described rolling a 42,000-pound bus 3½ times at approximately 60 miles per hour. His stunt training website also documents those details, and his official biography identifies him as a 3-time Taurus World Stunt Award winner.
During the interview, Eubanks called the bus rollover the scariest and biggest stunt he had performed.
“And no, I would never do it again,” he said.
Eubanks told Connell that his career has spanned approximately 45 years, with work on more than 160 feature films and more than 1,200 television episodes.
He also discussed his Stunt Stories podcast and a book featuring photographs and accounts from his career.
PETIT JEAN MUSEUM HIGHLIGHTED
The interview concluded with encouragement for listeners to visit the Museum of Automobiles and explore its collection.
Scott said exhibits at the entrance change and described efforts to modernize and update the museum.
Connnell highlighted the connection between the vehicles, childhood memories and the stories behind them.
Leave a Reply