Ronnie Rondell Jr., the Stuntman Known as the Human Torch From the Iconic Pink Floyd Album Cover, Passed Away at 88
via Psychedelic Tracks / YouTube
The Man Behind an Iconic Image
Ronnie Rondell Jr., the stuntman forever linked to Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here album cover, passed away at the age of 88. His family confirmed that he died on Tuesday, Aug. 10, at a senior living center in Missouri.
Rondell became part of rock history as the “human torch” on the cover of the 1975 album. The image showed two businessmen shaking hands, with one of them engulfed in flames. Photographer Aubrey Powell recalled in a 2020 interview with The Guardian that Rondell was hesitant about the dangerous task. “He said, ‘It’s dangerous for a man to stand still on fire. Normally, you’re running and the fire’s spreading behind you, or you’re falling and the fire is above you, or you can always make out with camera angles that the stunt person is closer to the fire than they really are, but to stand still…?’”
View this post on Instagram
The Famous Shoot
To capture the cover, Rondell wore a flame-retardant suit and wig before being set on fire. The stunt had to be repeated 15 times to get the right shot. Powell explained, “On the 15th a gust of wind blew up and wrapped the fire around his face and burnt him. He said: ‘That’s it! I’m done.’”
That final attempt produced the unforgettable image. Powell added, “I knew I had got a special picture. It took a long time to persuade Ronnie to stand exactly as I wanted but in the end he was very brave and it was a perfect composition.” The result became one of the most recognizable album covers in rock music history.
View this post on Instagram
A Career in Film
Outside of his connection to Pink Floyd, Rondell had an accomplished career in Hollywood. He performed stunts in dozens of films, including How the West Was Won (1962), Blazing Saddles, Diamonds Are Forever, Lethal Weapon, and John Carpenter’s They Live. His last credited work came in 2003 with The Matrix Reloaded.
Through his daring work, Rondell left a mark both in film and music, remembered equally for his contributions on screen and his role in creating one of rock’s most iconic images.
