Boenish repeated his jumps, not as a publicity exercise or as a movie stunt, but as part of the development and popularization of BASE jumping as recreational activity, distinct from other disciplines of
parachuting. This approach defined the modern sport of BASE jumping. Boenish helped popularize this sport by filming and presenting the footage. Boenish also published
BASE Magazine to promote safety in this new sport. Boenish's cinematography work included the 1969
John Frankenheimer parachuting film classic
The Gypsy Moths, starring
Burt Lancaster and
Gene Hackman, and a
National Geographic Explorer segment on jumps from El Capitan. His life and death is the subject of the 2015 documentary film by Marah Strauch,
Sunshine Superman. Boenish was a
Christian Scientist and had an improperly-set broken leg that hampered his walk. . Boenish died in a BASE jump off the Stabben pinnacle in
Trolltindane range (not
Troll Wall proper) in
Rauma Municipality,
Møre og Romsdal,
Norway, the day after completing a successful double BASE jump with his wife, Jean Boenish, for a
Guinness World Records television special hosted by
David Frost and young Kathie Lee Johnson, now
Kathie Lee Gifford. Jean Boenish did another jump two days after the fatal jump. ==References==