On this lazy Sunday afternoon let us allow our frazzled minds to wander back and reminisce about a 1970s childhood hero, Evel Knievel. Motorcycle daredevil and showman, Knievel made many death-defying jumps in the 1960s and 70s and became such a celebrity that, eventually, his image (with white jumpsuit and star-spangled accents) could be found on toys, puzzles, comics and a wealth of other merchandise. At the plateau of his career, Evel even starred as himself in the 1977 movie Viva Knievel!.

Take a look at some Evel images and a video from his official site. While the Knievel Web Site is light on information there are plenty of outstanding photos on show in the archives and you’ll want to leap over a canyon and explore them.

Evel by Al Satterwhite, 1976

Evel leaps 13 Mack Trucks at The Canadian National Exposition, August 20, 1974

Quote: 'Saturday, December 12, 1970 Los Angeles, CA - Lions Drag Strip. Evel successfully jumps 13 cars on his Harley XR-750.'

Evel trains his son, Kelly, early 1970s

Death Defiers TV special January, 1977. Evel makes the jump but crashes on the landing ramp. Sadly, a cameraman loses an eye and Evel is devastated.

Lastly, a video of Evel doing his thing – jumping 17 buses and trucks – in Portland, 1973.