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In 2002 Julienne created a motor stunt show that ran for many years at Disney theme parks in Paris and Florida. Image caption: In 2002 Julienne created a motor stunt show that ran for many years at Disney theme parks in Paris and Florida.

Rémy Julienne, one of the world's best-known stuntmen, has died in France with coronavirus, aged 90.

Over a 50-year career, Julienne devised the crashes, crunches and collisions witnessed in more than 1,400 films.

He also starred in many of them, albeit anonymously.

The legendary cascadeur (stunt performer) appeared as a body double for a host of stars, including Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Charles Bronson and Jean-Paul Belmondo.

In wig and appropriate clothing, he also took on the form of Sophia Loren, Carole Bouquet and Gina Lollobrigida.

Among his most famous works are the chase scenes in 1969's The Italian Job, in which a fleet of Mini-Coopers in Turin cross a river, dive into the metro and jump from the roof of the Fiat factory.

He also worked on six Bond films, notably going behind the wheel of a battered yellow Citroën 2CV in For Your Eyes Only.

A life-long lover of motorbikes and anything driven at speed, Julienne specialised in spectacular destruction. But he was committed to the maximum elimination of risk and calculated his stunts with extreme precision.

"What is beautiful about the job is that you can never be 100% certain," he said. "If you could, then frankly it wouldn't be interesting.