Bio: Mahoney is of French and Irish extraction, with some Cherokee. At the University of Iowa, he was outstanding in swimming, basketball and football. When World War II broke out, he enlisted as a Marine fighter pilot and instructor. In Hollywood, he was a noted stunt man, doubling for Errol Flynn, John Wayne, and Gregory Peck. Gene Autry signed him for the lead in his 78-episode The Range Rider (1951) TV series. He tested to replace Johnny Weissmuller, as Tarzan but lost out to Lex Barker. In 1960, he played the heavy in Gordon Scott's Tarzan the Magnificent (1960), and his part there led Sy Weintraub to hire him as Scott's replacement. In his two Tarzan movies, he did all his own stunts. In Tarzan's Three Challenges (1963), he continued working in spite of dysentery, dengue fever and pneumonia. By this time, Weintraub was looking for a younger Tarzan, envisioning a future TV series. By mutual agreement, his contract with Mahoney was dissolved. After a couple of years regaining his strength and weight, Jock returned to making action films.
Mahoney's career was interrupted in 1973 when he suffered a stroke while filming an episode of the television program Kung Fu (1972). He later appeared in the film Their Only Chance (1975). His final picture (ironically entitled The End (1978)) was with his stepdaughter, Sally Field. Burt Reynolds, Ms. Field's then-boyfriend, was co-star and director. Mahoney was stunt coordinator on the 1981 film Tarzan the Ape Man (1981). He later guest starred in episodes of the TV programs B.J. and the Bear (1978) and The Fall Guy (1981). Mahoney died in Bremerton, Washington of an apparent stroke. He had been hospitalized after an auto accident two days earlier. He was survived by his wife Autumn Russell; 2 daughters, Kathleen and Princess O'Mahoney, a son, Jim and 5 step-children, Sally, Ricky, Carl, Angela and Andrea.
Tivia: His stepdaughter is Sally Field. In her autobiography, "In Pieces" (2018), she accused him of sexually abusing her when she was a child until the age of 14.Doubled for Errol Flynn, Gregory Peck and Randolph Scott.Served in the US Marine Corps during World War II as a flight instructor.Was briefly engaged to Yvonne De Carlo in 1949, but she broke off the engagement following a miscarriage.The movies' oldest Tarzan (he was 44 when he filmed Tarzan's Three Challenges (1963)).He was famous among stuntmen for his concern for safety and preparation. If he was offered a stunt he carefully assessed the surroundings and props, and if he agreed, other stuntmen often tried to undercut his price. Hower, if he refused, no other stuntman would attempt it--if he said "No", everyone knew it wasn't safe.His remains were cremated and his ashes scattered into the sea.He had a daughter, Princess O'Mahoney, and two stepchildren, Richard and Sally Field, with Margaret Field and later, three more stepchildren, Carl Botefuhr, Angela Botefuhr and Andrea Botefuhr by his marriage to Autumn Russell.Early in his acting career he was featured in several shorts by The Three Stooges. Because of his excellence as a stuntman, he was able to take all the falls and bumps required of a Stooges co-star and usually played an awkward but well-meaning bumbler.He starred in a Durango Kid movie that was never released.He had two children with Lorraine O'Donnell: Kathleen and Jim.