Western actor and stuntman Bobby Hoy dies

Bobby Hoy, star of the The High Chaparral has died aged 82. Hoy, who started acting in 1949, is best known in the UK for his role as ranch hand Joe Butler in the popular early 1970s western TV series.

A former cowboy, Hoy started his film career as a stuntman, specialising with horses in the 1949 film Ambush. He later went on to act as a double for Tony Curtis, Lee Marvin and Tyrone Power.

Hoy was born in New York City in 1928 and learned to ride, aged seven, on a ranch in the Catskill Mountains, New York State. He enlisted in the marines during World War II and returned in 1946 to work as a cowboy in Nevada.

Performing alongside greats such as Cary Grant, Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman and Goldie Hawn, Hoy featured in 150 films and TV series during his 56-year career.

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