Infamous On-Set Injuries and the Actors Who Handled Them With Grace

Accidents can happen anywhere, even in a controlled environment like on a film/TV set. Although scary, what matters is how the actors and crew members respond to the incident, quickly seeking help and preventing it from happening again.

Some accidents, though, are truly devastating and preventable. One example is when Alec Baldwin, while filming for "Rust," was practicing with a prop gun that was unknowingly loaded when it went off. It hit and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza. The same thing happened to Brandon Lee, who was accidentally shot while filming "The Crow."

Negligence and simply not double-checking dangerous props and weapons can lead to horrendous results. Thankfully, this isn't all the time. Usually, when an accident occurs on set, cast and crew are quick to react, resulting in a happier ending. Here we have some infamous on-set injuries and how they were handled. For this slideshow, 24/7 Tempo consulted various online sources, including IMDb and local/major news sources.

Old and vintage movie fans, have you ever watched "The Cruel Sea?" Well, during the filming of this war drama, Donald Sinden nearly drowned. While filming a water scene, he jumped into the open-air water tank at what he believed was the shallowest part. However, it was deeper than expected, and he struggled to swim up. His co-star, Jack Hawkins, noticed and jumped in fast, saving Sinden's life.

So many actors hid their injuries until the scene was over. This includes Laurence Harvey, who broke his foot in an on-set accident while filming "The Alamo." In the scene, he fired a cannon, which had a recoil, falling onto his foot. He only yelled in pain after the director yelled, "Cut!"

Fight scenes are the hardest. Even though they are staged and are supposed to be pain-free, things happen. Well, during a scene in "The Godfather," James Caan threw Gianni Russo over a dumpster, causing Russo two broken ribs and a crack in his elbow. The fight was mostly improvised, which may be why the injuries were real. Although he's told this story before, there isn't a lot to back it up, as he didn't say anything after the scene.

"The Exorcist" isn't just a frightening movie because of its scariness. Oh no. Quite a few people were injured and even died during the duration of filming. For instance, Linda Blair suffered a small spinal injury and intense back pain after a mechanical failure on the levitating bed. The take that hurt her back is in the movie! She isn't the only one left with a back injury. Ellen Burstyn also hurt her back during a scene where she is thrown backwards. She was left using crutches for about two weeks.

Even water can hurt you, and we aren't talking about drowning. P.J. Soles was injured during a scene in "Carrie," which made it to the big screen! During the prom scene, pressured water hit her ears, resulting in a burst eardrum (which was what made it to the movie).

Is becoming a film star worth burning your face? To some. While filming "Dune," Jürgen Prochnow suffered first- and second-degree burns because of a terrible malfunction. While filming a scene where green gas/smoke comes out of his cheek, the device and prosthetics used overheated. When the 'green gas' erupted, it came out as scorching molten goop.

While filming for "City Heat" in 1984, a stuntman accidentally hit Burt Reynolds in the face with a metal chair instead of the prop, breaking his jaw and causing severe pain for years. After this, he was put on an all-liquid diet and lost an alarming 30 pounds. To bear with the pain, Reynolds was prescribed pain medication, which led to an addiction. While the crew and director tried to push Reynolds to go to the hospital, he finished the film.

"The Princess Bride" is an iconic film with some of the funniest actors and scenes (and moments behind the scenes). During filming, Cary Elwes was knocked out after telling Christopher Guest to hit him harder. Christopher Guest was reluctant to do so, but finally caved in. That one punch, though, knocked Elwes off his feet and gave him a laceration on his head. He remained in the hospital for about a day, pausing filming until he was cleared. They kept the scene in the movie, so when Westley faints, now you know why.

Bob Hoskins, who played Mario in "Super Mario Bros," had no luck during filming. According to his accounts, while filming this fun movie, he was stabbed four times, electrocuted, and broke his fingers. Hoskins is vocal about his experience with the film, citing it as one of the worst experiences ever because of the safety issues and tension. There was tension between him, a few actors, and even the directors. Who knew?

Jackie Chan isn't just a great actor, but also an amazing martial artist. Still, even the most athletic and dedicated people got hurt, which is what happened when he landed on his right foot at a bad angle while shooting a scene for "Rumble in the Bronx." The scene was kept in the film. After getting treatment, which included a cast, he went back to filming, although with a cast on his right leg.

One small scratch is nothing to ignore. Tom Hanks got a scratch while filming a scene for "Cast Away" that could have gotten worse without the right attention. The cut became infected with a staphylococcal infection, which, if it had gotten worse, would have led to blood poisoning. He was treated for three weeks in a hospital.

When you think of comedy films featuring Adam Sandler, you don't usually assume that there were many injuries. If you do, then you were right in this case. Winona Ryder, while filming for "Mr. Deeds," broke her arm while riding down the stairs on a bike alongside Adam Sandler.

Head injuries are nothing to laugh about. Even hitting your head lightly can lead to injury since your skull is what protects your fragile brain. While shooting a torture scene for "Syriana," George Clooney fell back in a chair and hit his head against the ground. Not only did he suffer from a head injury, but a spine injury too. He also suffered from memory loss, as when he fell, the impact ruptured his dura mater, leading to a loss of cerebrospinal fluid.

Some injuries can change your life forever, even if you don't know it at the time. Sylvester Stallone, while filming "The Expendables," injured his neck and dislocated his shoulders in a fighting scene. Over the years, he's undergone extensive surgeries to heal, but has never been the same. Shortly after the injury, a metal plate was inserted into his neck.

Thank goodness Lorenza Izzo wasn't alone while filming the escape sequence in the water. While filming the escape, she started drowning and yelling for help as the current tried to drag her away. Some people thought it was part of the film and ignored her until the stunt supervisor noticed she wasn't acting.

Filming for "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" was paused for a little while after Letitia Wright sustained injuries in an accident on the stunt rig. She had both a concussion and a fractured shoulder that required attention and rest. As she recovered, the crew filmed all the scenes not involving Shuri, her character.