A stuntman and stunt coordinator for over 20 years, Needham worked on hundreds of films and television episodes, becoming Hollywood’s best-known and reputedly highest-paid stuntman. He made his directorial debut with Smokey and the Bandit (1977), and continued to collaborate with Burt Reynolds (who he had previously doubled for) on films including Hooper (1978) and The Cannonball Run (1981).