Evel Knievel was born on October 17, 1938, in Butte, Montana, in the United States. He was an American stunt motorcycle performer who entertained audiences with his epic and death-defying motorcycle stunts. As a teenager, he was often arrested for stealing motorcycles and hubcaps. He stole a Harley Davidson at the age of 13. His regular brushes with enforcement officers led people to believe that officers gave him the nickname “Evil Knievel,” which he later modified to “Evel Knievel.” Evel dropped out of school and took several odd jobs, including one at the mines of Butte, where he caused an accident by crashing an earth mover into the city’s main power as he was attempting to do a wheelie.
Fast Facts
Full Name:
Robert Craig Knievel
Nickname:
Evel Knievel
Birth date:
October 17, 1938
Death date:
November 30, 2007 (age 69)
Zodiac Sign:
Libra
Height:
6' 0"
Net Worth:
$3 million
Background
Evel Knievel’s original name was Robert Craig Knievel. This legend was born in the United States, where he entertained his fans with his deadly stunts on his motorcycle. Knievel used to get a lot of trouble for stealing motorbikes and hubcaps when he was just a teenager. He was so fond of bikes that one day he stole a Harley Davidson. Because of these crimes, it was rumored that a police officer gave him the nickname “Evil Knievel,” which was later turned into “Evel Knievel.” He was a school dropout, so he never had a proper job to do. His early years went by doing all sorts of odd jobs.
Knievel did his first performance on a motorcycle in his late twenties so that he could advertise a motorcycle shop that he co-owned. He jumped over a caged cougar, a row of motorcycles, and a box of rattlesnakes. He performed with a troupe called Evel Knievel’s Motorcycle Daredevils from 1965 to 1968, after which he decided to pursue a solo career. In 1968, Knievel performs his most famous motorcycle stunt, jumping over the fountains of Caesars Palace Hotel, where he misses the landing and hits his head. He was in a coma for a month after that stunt.
Other recorded stunts include one in the Los Angeles Coliseum where he jumped over fifty cars in 1973. Another stunt is where he tries to fly over the Snake River Canyon using a rocket-powered motorcycle in 1974, which he fails.
Career timeline
Knievel drops out of school and gets arrested regularly for stealing motorcycles and hubcaps.
Knievel gets his first odd job in the copper mines of Butte, where he crashes an earthmover into the city’s power supply and causes an outage.
Knievel begins his career as a motorcycle stunt performer when he jumps over a caged cougar, rows of parked cars, and a box of rattlesnakes to promote a bike shop he co-owns.
Throughout his career, he performs over 300 stunts on a motorcycle, including one at Wembley Stadium in London, where he jumps over 13 buses in 1975.
Why We Love Evel Knievel
He was a daredevil
He jumped over a caged cougar, a row of motorcycles, and a box of rattlesnakes. He performed with a troupe called Evel Knievel’s Motorcycle Daredevils from 1965 to 1968, after which he decided to pursue a solo career.
He was a marketing genius
Knievel did his first performance on a motorcycle in his late twenties so that he could advertise a motorcycle shop that he co-owned. He jumped over a caged cougar, a row of motorcycles, and a box of rattlesnakes.
He was persistent
Knievel tried to fly over the Snake River Canyon using a rocket-powered motorcycle in 1974, but he failed. Despite this, he went ahead and attempted other stunts.
5 Surprising Facts
He was arrested several times
He got arrested regularly for stealing motorcycles and hubcaps as a kid.
He dropped out of school
Knievel dropped out of school and got his first odd job in the copper mines of Butte.
He caused a power outage
He caused an accident by crashing an earth mover into the city’s main power as he was attempting to do a wheelie.
The Snake River Canyon
Knievel tried to fly over the Snake River Canyon using a rocket-powered motorcycle in 1974, but he failed.
He stole a Harley Davidson
He was arrested for stealing a Harley-Davidson at age 13.
Evel Knievel FAQs
When did Evel Knievel die?
He died at the age of 69 on November 30, 2007.
Did Knievel die while performing a stunt?
No, he died of pulmonary disease.
What was Evel’s longest successful jump?
His longest jump was 133 feet or 1,596 inches.
Evel Knievel’s birthday dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | October 17 | Thursday |
| 2025 | October 17 | Friday |
| 2026 | October 17 | Saturday |
| 2027 | October 17 | Sunday |
| 2028 | October 17 | Tuesday |
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