The bicycle scene in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) is one of the most famous examples of an actor doing their own stunts, but the behind-the-scenes story is as playful and chaotic as the sequence itself.
Filmed in late 1968, primarily in the ghost town of Grafton, Utah, the scene was a late addition by director George Roy Hill. He felt the film needed a romantic break and a way to emphasize the “bohemian” bond between the trio.
Though a stunt double was hired, the double couldn’t manage the tricks on the rickety, antique bicycle. Newman, an avid athlete, eventually took over. He performed nearly all the stunts, including riding with his feet on the handlebars, except for the final crash through the fence.
Interestingly, the one stunt Newman didn’t do was the backward tumble into the corral. That was performed by the film’s cinematographer, Conrad L. Hall, who stepped in to get the shot. To get the bull (named Bill) to chase Newman for the finale, the crew reportedly had to apply a mild irritant to the animal to make it move, as it was naturally quite placid.
The chemistry you see on screen between Paul Newman and Katharine Ross was mirrored by a bit of set drama. Ross, who was dating cinematographer Conrad Hall at the time, was an aspiring photographer. Hall allowed her to operate a camera for a small “extra” shot, which infuriated director George Roy Hill. He famously banned her from the set unless she was actively filming a scene.
The use of the pop song “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” was highly controversial at the time. Studio executives hated it, thinking a contemporary song had no place in a Western, but it went on to win an Oscar.
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