Sharon M. Schaffer (born 31 May 1958; age 66) is a stuntwoman, actress and stunt coordinator who performed stunts as a Mercy Hospital nurse along with Eddie Hice in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, coordinated by R.A. Rondell. One year later, Schaffer doubled guest actress Karole Selmon in the Star Trek: The Next Generation first season episode "Code of Honor" in a fight scene with fellow stuntwoman Cheryl Wheeler-Dixon, coordinated by Glenn R. Wilder.
Personal[]
Schaffer was born in Playa del Rey, Los Angeles, California and trained singing with the Johnson Gospel Ensemble and vocal coaches Marge Rivingston and Seth Riggs. She studied acting at the Playhouse West Acting Studio and with coaches such as Steve Nave, Carroll Day Kimble, Julie Ariola, Carolyne Barry, and Chance Pierce. In the late 1970s, Schaffer started to work in the stunt industry and trained at Paul Stader's Gym in Santa Monica and Precision Driving at the BMW Motorcycle Team and at Rick Seaman's Stunt Driving School.
Schaffer is also a professional surfer and a member of the Black Surfing Team where she is nicknamed "Black Mermaid". In 2010 she was featured at the "How We Roll" exhibit at the California African American Museum honoring her cultural influences in surfing, skateboarding and rollerskating as first African American female professional surfer. In 2012 she received the President's Award at the NAACP Image Awards.
Career[]
1980s[]
Schaffer started to work in film and television in the early 1980s when she performed stunts in episodes of The Powers of Matthew Star (coordinated by Alan Oliney), V (coordinated by David Richard Ellis), Riptide (coordinated by Chris Doyle), Voyagers! (coordinated by Ron Stein), Spenser: For Hire, Palmerstown USA, The Fall Guy, Hill Street Blues, Matlock, Tucker's Witch (coordinated by Eddy Donno), Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Cagney & Lacey (coordinated by Donna Garrett), Fantasy Island, Matt Houston, The Bad News Bears, Sheriff Lobo, Hunter (coordinated by Robert Bralver), The Dukes of Hazzard (coordinated by Paul Baxley), Moonlighting, Mike Hammer (coordinated by Richard E. Butler), CHiPs, and Knots Landing and Max Headroom (both coordinated by Buck McDancer).
She worked as stunt double for Shari Belafonte on Hotel, as double for Diahann Carroll on Dynasty (coordinated by John Moio), performed an 85 ft. (26 meters) high fall for Rooster (1982, coordinated by Frank James Sparks), and doubled actress Sherly Lee Ralph on the television series Code Name: Foxfire (1985, coordinated by Erik Cord). Schaffer was the stunt double for actress Cicely Tyson on Bustin' Loose (1981), doubled Penny Johnson in The Hills Have Eyes Part II (1984, coordinated by Tony Cecere), Vanessa Williams in Under the Gun (1988, coordinated by Harry Wowchuck), Irene Cara in City Heat (1984), Lonette McKee in Brewster's Millions (1985), and Whoopi Goldberg in The Color Purple (1985), Jumpin' Jack Flash (1986) and The Burglar (1987).
Other films she worked on in the 1980s include The Blues Brothers (1980), Motel Hell (1980), Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen (1981, working with Faith Minton, Tom Morga, Bob Minor, Diamond Farnsworth, Tony Brubaker, and Gary Baxley), The Star Chamber (1983, coordinated by Glenn R. Wilder), Scarface (1983, coordinated by Jophery C. Brown), Weird Science (1985), Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise (1987), Beverly Hills Cop II (1987), Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach (1988), Alien Nation (1988), Colors (1988), the action film Captive Rage (1988, coordinated by B.J. Davis), Pink Cadillac (1989), and A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989, coordinated by Mike Cassidy).
1990s[]
In 1991, Schaffer worked as stunt coordinator on Talkin' Dirty After Dark, featuring Renée Jones and Tommy "Tiny" Lister, Jr. She was one of the vampires in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992), played the frightened token clerk in Money Train (1995), and doubled actress Rebecca Washington in The Practice (1998, with stunts by Spike Silver, Noon Orsatti, and Alan Oliney).
Television work includes episodes of Alien Nation, Quantum Leap (coordinated by Diamond Farnsworth), Port Charles, Cop Rock, L.A. Law, Picket Fences, Dangerous Minds, and Miracle Landing (1990), Heat Wave (1990, coordinated by Dick Butler), and Prison Stories: Women on the Inside (1991, coordinated by Al Jones).
Schaffer performed stunts in Lambada (1990, coordinated by Warren A. Stevens and Charles Croughwell and working with George Colucci, Maria Kelly, Dan Koko, Dennis Madalone, Michael J. Sarna, and Tim Trella), Ghost Dad (1990, coordinated by Alan Oliney), Kindergarten Cop (1990, coordinated by Joel Kramer), In the Line of Fire (1993, with Gary Cole, Clyde Kusatsu, Carl Ciarfalio, Michael Zurich, Lena Banks, Robert Buckingham, Elizabeth Pengson, Robin Morselli, and Denise Lynne Roberts), Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994, coordinated by Julius LeFlore), Vampire in Brooklyn (1995), Showgirls (1995), Amistad (1997), Metro (1997), and the independent film The Set Effect (1999).
2000s[]
In the 2000s, Schaffer performed stunts in Hollow Man (2000, coordinated by Gary Combs and working with Phil Culotta, Lincoln Simonds, and April Weeden), The One (2001), Rat Race (2001), Blood Work (2002) and Mystic River (2003), National Security (2003), The Italian Job (2003), and doubled actress Dolores Sheen in Friday After Next (2002, working with Austin Priester, Brian Bennett, Manny Perry, and Denney Pierce).
She was the Deli waitress in Spider-Man 2 (2004), performed stunts in Déjà Vu (2006, coordinated by Charles Picerni, Jr.), Gridiron Gang (2006, starring Dwayne Johnson and stunt coordination by Allan Graf), Freedom Writers (2007, with Boni Yanagisawa, Chrissy Weathersby, and Lin Oeding), Pineapple Express (2008, with Sonny Surowiec, Bridgett Riley, Chien Funan, Hiro Koda, and Ted Barba), and as stunt double in Hancock (2008).
Schaffer was a regular stunt performer on Next Action Star (2004, with Brian Christensen and Shauna Duggins) as well as on Entourage (coordinated by Spike Silver), Standoff (coordinated by Carrick O'Quinn), Big Time Rush and Unfabulous (both coordinated by Vince Deadrick, Jr.), FreakyLinks, Shark (coordinated by Ron Stein), Everybody Hates Chris, as stunt double for Raven-Symoné in That's So Raven (coordinated by Chris Doyle), Crossing Jordan, Snoops, Scrubs, Lincoln Heights, and Charmed (coordinated by Noon Orsatti). She also doubled Halle Berry in her Revlon commercials, coordinated commercials for McDonals and Lincoln Mercury, and worked in spots for Chevy, Toyota, Bud Lite, and Suzuki as well as double for Mary J. Blige in her music videos.
In 2006, Schaffer was part of the documentary Hollywood at Its Best which depicts the professional and personal life of Hollywood's five top African American stuntwomen. The documentary was written, produced, and directed by LaFaye Baker who worked on the final Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "All Good Things...". It also features Star Trek Into Darkness stuntwoman April Weeden, Nichelle Nichols' stunt double Kim Washington, and Jada Pinkett's stunt double Kelsee King-Devoreaux.
Later work includes doubling actress Regina King in Southland (coordinated by Peewee Piemonte), stunt acting for Rick Avery in Charlie Wilson's War (2007), working as stunt driver, stunt double and producer on Eric Chambers' Movin' Too Fast (2007, with Marjean Holden, Rich Minga, and Shawn McConnell), stunt acting on Insanitarium (2008, with Rosine "Ace" Hatem and stunt coordination by Bobby C. King), and working as stunt driving double for Zoe Saldana on Colombiana (2011).