Fascinating Insights into Kitty O’Neil: Renowned American Stuntwoman and the Fastest Woman on Earth

Google Honors Kitty Linn O’Neil: Celebrating the 77th Birthday of an Extraordinary American Stuntwoman and Racer.

In a fitting tribute, search engine giant Google released a captivating Google Doodle to commemorate the 77th birthday of Kitty Linn O’Neil, an iconic American stuntwoman and renowned racer who earned the title “the fastest woman in the world.” Delve into the fascinating and awe-inspiring fun facts about Kitty O’Neil’s extraordinary life and career right here.

Here is a look at the life and work of Kitty O’Neil.

Who was Kitty O’Neil?

Personal facts about Kitty O’Neil

Birth date: March 24, 1946
Birthplace: Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S.
Died on: November 2, 2018 (aged 72)
Death place: Eureka, South Dakota, U.S.
Father name: John R. O’Neil
Mother name: Patsy Linn Compton
Famous as: Stuntwoman, race car driver

27 Interesting Facts about Kitty O’Neil

Kitty O’Neil: A Journey of Triumph and Record-Breaking Feats

1. Born on March 24, 1946, in Nueces, Texas, USA, Kitty O’Neil’s heritage comprised her Cherokee Native American mother, Patsy Linn Compton, and her Irish father, John R. O’Neil. Tragically, her father passed away in an airplane accident shortly after her birth.
2. Until the age of five months, Kitty’s development followed a normal trajectory. However, an unfortunate bout of measles, mumps, and smallpox resulted in the loss of her hearing.
3. Determined to provide her daughter with an education, Patsy pursued education courses at The University of Texas, enabling Kitty to learn to speak normally and master speech (lip) reading.
4. While raising her two young children, Patsy attended university classes. At the age of eight, Kitty was able to enroll in a regular third-grade program at a public school.
5. Patsy established The Listening Eyes School for the Deaf in Wichita Falls, Texas, USA, where she taught numerous deaf children. It was here that Kitty developed her skills in playing the cello, detecting minute shifts in frequency vibrations.
6. At the age of twelve, Kitty O’Neil discovered her passion for swimming, which eventually led her to diving. In her debut dive, she won the first-place medal as a replacement for an absent diver. Six months later, she triumphed at the AAU Southwest District Junior meet.
7. Kitty’s admiration for sports led to an encounter with Sammy Lee, a two-time Olympic diving champion, after her victory at the Junior Olympic Southwest District Diving competition.
8. In 1962, Kitty’s family relocated to Anaheim, California, USA, to train under the guidance of renowned diving coach Sammy Lee.
9. Training rigorously in Anaheim, California, Kitty earned over 30 blue ribbons, numerous first-place trophies, and gold medals, spending four hours each day in the water. She was recognized as the Youth Athlete of the Month by American Youth Magazine.
10. Notably, Kitty O’Neil secured a first-place finish in the women’s 10-meter diving championship and placed 12th in the U.S. team trials for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Her victory at the 10-meter diving competition during the 1964 AAU Nationals set her on the path to the Olympic Games qualifying heats.
11. Unfortunately, Kitty’s diving career came to an abrupt halt when she suffered a wrist injury and subsequent spinal meningitis. Despite concerns about potential leg impairment, she persevered and regained her mobility.
12. Driven by her love for speed and competition, Kitty transitioned to high-speed water skiing. In 1970, she set the official women’s water ski speed record, reaching an impressive speed of 104.85 miles per hour.
13. Embracing the thrill of automobile racing and cross-country motorcycle racing, Kitty formed a bond with fellow racer Duffy Hambleton following an accident at a motorcycle race. Duffy played a pivotal role in her medical treatment, enabling the reattachment of her two severed fingers through a four-hour surgery.
14. Living on a 10-acre citrus farm, Duffy and Kitty worked together daily, employing voice modulation techniques to improve her speech. Kitty would mimic his vocal vibrations by touching his throat, aiming to lower the high pitch characteristic of deaf speech.
15. Introduced to the world of film stunt work by Duffy, Kitty O’Neil joined Stunts Unlimited in 1976, becoming the first woman to receive such recognition among Hollywood’s elite stunt performers.
16. In December 1976, Kitty shattered the world land speed record for women, surpassing the previous record by over 200 miles per hour at Alford Lake in southeast Oregon, USA. She achieved this feat while driving The Motivator, a rocket-powered vehicle with 48,000 horsepower built by Ky Michaelson of Rocketman Enterprises in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
17. In 1977, Kitty O’Neil obtained a professional license from the Fédération Internationale Motorcycliste, making her the sole woman considered qualified for international motorcycle competitions.
18. Demonstrating her fearlessness, Kitty engaged in various daring stunts, including tipping over a burning van, running while her clothes were on fire, and performing a seven-story fall over a parking garage parapet, all featured in a 1977 NBC special highlighting the world’s best stuntmen and women.
19. Kitty’s commitment to her craft was evident when she remained inside the van while firefighters extinguished the flames, allowing for the filming of the fire sheets covering it. She was then freed from the overturned van by the stunt crew, who removed the windshield while she was still strapped in.
20. Kitty’s remarkable achievements were commemorated in the 1979 CBS made-for-TV film “Silent Victory: The Kitty O’Neil Story,” with Stockard Channing portraying her on screen. Kitty herself performed many of the stunts in the film.
21. Retiring from her adventurous pursuits in 1986, Kitty O’Neil moved to Eureka, South Dakota, USA, in 1993, accompanied by her longtime companion, Raymond Waid.
22. Demonstrating her philanthropic spirit, Kitty dedicated significant time to supporting the American Cancer Society’s efforts in combating breast cancer. Although not a breast cancer survivor herself, she generously contributed her time and image to the cause, urging women to undergo annual mammograms after the age of forty.
23. Notable for her record-breaking accomplishments, Kitty O’Neil set the official water skiing speed record in 1970, reaching 104.85 miles per hour. Six years later, she established the women’s world land speed record by traveling at 322 miles per hour in a 38-foot, three-wheeled rocket-powered land missile.
24. Until 1992, Kitty remained the only woman to have performed the “cannon car rollover,” a stunt involving an explosive device that flips a moving car.
25. On November 2, 2018, Kitty O’Neil passed away at the age of 72 in Eureka, South Dakota, due to pneumonia. In 2019, she was honored with the Oscars in Memoriam award.
26. Kitty’s illustrious career involved stunt work in notable films and TV shows, including The Bionic Woman, Airport 77, The Blues Brothers, and Smokey and the Bandit II.
27. To celebrate Kitty O’Neil’s 77th birthday on March 24, 2023, Google paid tribute to her with a special doodle, recognizing her extraordinary life and accomplishments.

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