A stunt double is a type of body double, specifically a skilled replacement used for dangerous film or video sequences, in movies and television (such as jumping out of a building, jumping from vehicle to vehicle, or other similar actions), and for other sophisticated stunts (especially fight scenes). Stunt doubles may even be used in cases where an actor's age precludes a great amount of physical activity. Stunt doubles are also sometimes referred to as "stunties." A body double is a general term for someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character in any recorded visual medium, whether videotape or film. ... In film parlance, a sequence is a series of scenes which comprise a distinct narrative unit, usually connected either by unity of location or unity of time. ... For other uses see film (disambiguation) Film refers to the celluliod media on which movies are printed Film — also called movies, the cinema, the silver screen, moving pictures, photoplays, picture shows, flicks, or motion pictures, — is a field that encompasses motion pictures as an art form or as part of...

Some well-known actors choose to perform their own stunts, such as Tom Cruise (his audacity was especially noted by the media after he voluntarily performed a battle scene during the production of "The Last Samurai" involving himself and another man charging at each other on horseback, both men wielding swords. Cruise nearly got his head taken off as his head came within merely inches of the blade. He was praised in the media for his tremendously authentic performance (note: a similar event occured involving Viggo Mortentson during the production of Peter Jackson's "The Lord of The Rings." Viggo got his tooth chipped during a swordfight, and had it quickly glued back on so that they could finish filming the scene.))

The terms stunt double and body double can be used interchangeably for cases where special skills are needed, such as dancing, playing the piano, or competitive skiing.

Stunt doubles are so commonly used in the visual entertainment media, that actors such as Jackie Chan become famous when they do most of their own stunts, often moving from character actor to lead. Many stunt doubles have happy and long production careers by becoming part of a lead star actor's contractual "support crew" along with the star's cooks, trainers, dressers, assistants. Famous stunt doubles for Eddie Murphy, John Wayne, Harrison Ford, Steve Martin and Michael Landon have been associated with their lead actors for decades. Jackie Chan (born April 7, 1954 in Hong Kong) is a Chinese martial artist, actor, director, stuntman and singer. ... A character actor is an actor who predominantly performs supporting parts, often in similar roles throughout the course of a career. ... A leading actor, leading actress, or simply lead, plays the role of the protagonist in a film or play. ...

Stunt doubles should be distinguished from stunt performers, who perform stunts for the sake of the stunt alone, often as a career. A stunt performer is someone who performs dangerous stunts. ...

"Stunt double" is not the exclusive province of humans; several dog actors are used as doubles, for example Enzo was the stunt double for his aging sire Moose on the sitcom Frasier. Soccer, the dog who portrayed Wishbone, reportedly hated swimming and therefore had stunt doubles. Trinomial name Canis lupus familiaris (Linnaeus, 1758) This article is about the domestic dog. ... Enzo is a canine actor. ... Moose is a veteran canine actor. ... A sitcom or situation comedy is a genre of comedy performance originally devised for radio but today typically found on television. ... Frasier was a critically acclaimed American TV situation comedy. ... Soccer (May 17, 1988 - June 26, 2001), was a dog actor, the veteran of many television commercials. ... The Jack Russell Terrier is a type of small terrier that has its origins in fox hunting. ... Wishbone was a television show that aired from 1995 to 1998, featuring a Jack Russell terrier of that name. ...