Evel Knievel - Evel Knievel was a stunt legend who dropped out of school to pursue his passion for entertaining the crowd through daring motorcycle stunts.

Evel Knievel's Birthday 2024 – October 17, 2024

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 years, 1 month

Zodiac Sign:

Libra

Height:

6' 0"

Net Worth:

$3.0 million

Evel Knievel's Social Media:

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

1950s
He Gets His First Job

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.

1960s
He Turns into a Motorcycle Stunt Performer

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.

1970s
Peak of His Stunting and Entertainment Career

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.

1940s
Early Days of Evel Knievel’s Life

Knievel drops out of school and gets arrested regularly for stealing motorcycles and hubcaps.

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.

5 Surprising Facts

  1. He was arrested several times

    He got arrested regularly for stealing motorcycles and hubcaps as a kid.

  2. He dropped out of school

    Knievel dropped out of school and got his first odd job in the copper mines of Butte.

  3. 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.

  4. The Snake River Canyon

    Knievel tried to fly over the Snake River Canyon using a rocket-powered motorcycle in 1974, but he failed.

  5. He stole a Harley Davidson

    He was arrested for stealing a Harley-Davidson at age 13.

Why We Love Evel Knievel

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

Evel Knievel’s birthday dates

Year Date Day
2022 October 17 Monday
2023 October 17 Tuesday
2024 October 17 Thursday
2025 October 17 Friday
2026 October 17 Saturday