McLoughlin was a prolific stunt actor from for decades. His first role was in 1967's The Viking Queen, while his last was in a 2014 episode of Vikings. He was also famous for his appearance in the 1986 film The Mission, where he was bound to a wooden cross floating on rapids.
McLoughlin doubled for Edward Woodward in the iconic opening scene of 1973's The Wicker Man and worked extensively with Harrison Ford on the set of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), training Ford on how to utilize his character's famous bullwhip. Other appearances include two James Bond films, Superman (1978), Rambo III (1988) and Troy (2004).