In 1971, he and fellow stuntmen Glenn Wilder and Ronnie Rondell formed Stunts Unlimited. Needham had written a screenplay titled "Smokey and the Bandit" and his friend Reynolds offered him the chance to direct. The film was a huge hit, and the two followed it with "Hooper", "The Cannonball Run", and "Stroker Ace". Needham also directed the TV pilots "Stunts Unlimited" (1980) and "Stockers" (1981), neither of which was picked up as a series. His final theatrical release as director was the 1986 BMX film "Rad".