Leslie Hoffman

Career

Her early education and training included gymnastics, ballet camps, the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and Herbert Berkoff Studios in New York. She was inspired to pursue stunt acting upon seeing a Universal Studios Tour stunt show. She traveled to California to study at stuntman Paul Stader's stunt gym.

Hoffman began stunt work in the 1970s with the film Two-Minute Warning (1976), and several television series, including Police Story, M*A*S*H. She performed a 78-foot high fall into water for The Love Boat, and did some work on Fantasy Island and Charlie's Angels, and doubling for the six-foot tall Lainie Kazan in a circular stair fall for Columbo. She also stunt doubled for Doris Roberts in the TV series Remington Steele. Film acting work included Avalanche (1978), Deadly Friend (1986), Trust Me (1989) and Naked Gun (1998).

Hoffman played the Hall Guard (Krueger) in Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), and performed stunt work in I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978), Motel Hell (1980), Resurrection (1980), Clue (1985), Alien Nation (1988), Mars (1997), Mystery Men (1999). She served as stunt coordinator for, and acted in, the ABC After School Special Me and My Hormones (1996). She performed as the stunt-double for Laurie Metcalf in Scream 2 (1997).

Hoffman was the first stuntwoman elected to the Screen Actors Guild Board of Directors, where she served from 1981 to 1985. As a director, she advocated for stuntwomen and stuntpersons of color, advocating for equal work and representation in the union. She lost her bid for re-election in 1985.

From 1990s onward, she worked as a stunt coordinator and rigger on several films, as well as continuing to double for several actresses in feature films and television. Her work includes stunt acting roles in multiple episodes of the Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine television series. Hoffman provided stunt coordination for student film productions for USC, Loyola Marymount University and UCLA.

Leslie became disabled in 2002, ending her career as a stuntwoman and stunt coordinator. Now on Social Security Disability due to trauma to her body doing stunt work, Hoffman advocates for fair treatment for disabled stuntpeople.

Although the Occupational Disability Pension and Health Plans by the Screen Actors Guild Health Plan provides payment to members injured in the course of performing, they have denied her any benefits. She has been in a legal battle with SAG to pursue payments. Her ailments involve physical injuries and well as a traumatic brain injury, similar to the injuries that the NFL Players and members of the military.

A Los Angeles Judge Gary Feess has ruled in favor of the health plan, citing that SAG P&H had not even followed their own rules. This judgement was later overturned by a higher California court (9th District Court) and sent back to the L.A. lower court. Where upon the Judge wondered if she was ever disabled and then retired from the Bench. The case was transferred to Judge Manuel Real, who is known for creating his own rules.

SAG Pension stripped her of her disability pension in August 2015, with the reason that Leslie was never disabled. She was declared disabled by the Social Security Administration and has been receiving disability since 2002. Even with a legal appeal, SAG Health refused to reconsider their decision, therefore a second lawsuit was filed based on the Health Plan violating ERISA Law. When Judge Manuel Real stated that the case would be heard and then before the case even went before him, he threw out both cases. Her ERISA Attorney has filed, for the second time that the case go before the 9th District Court yet again.

In 2016, a Group has created a petition on Change.org demanding that the SAG Health Plan reinstate her disability pension payments and to give her the SAG Health Occupational Disability Pension and Health Plan. The petition can be found on Facebook on their page SAG Members for Members

Hoffman was forced to sell almost all of her possessions and her home in order to wait out the two year wait.

Due to her Traumatic Brain Injury, her health is declining to the point that she is in a Senior Residence, where housekeeping and meals are provided to her.

In 2017 the Department of Labor fought the Producer-SAG Pension and Health Plan misappropriating over $750,000.00