Celebrity Martial Artists

[Reprobate]

Somebody posted that Jason Alexander [Seinfeld] studied JKD, but I know [from a Playboy Interview] that Alexander studies TKD and is supposed to pack a mean punch and kick for someone of his posture. According to Playboy [who mostly have their facts straight], Alexander is a black belt.

One of the people I wouldn't want to mess with is Danny Trejo, the scarred and tattooed bartender in From Dusk till Dawn.
Danny Trejo is a former convict [11 years in total] and excelled in [prison] boxing. He trained actors in boxing and fighting. Some nice quotes, courtesy of imdb:

Personal quotes
"It was the funniest thing I'd ever heard. I'd been in Soledad, San Quentin, Folson, Vacaville, Susanville, Sierra - and here's a guy asking 'Can you act like a convict?' I remember I said 'I'll give it a shot'"

[of on-set competition between actors] "I've watched so many of those kinds of things turn bad, and the last thing you want to do is compete with somebody, 'cause he might be a sore loser."

[On being promoted from a $50/day extra to a $350/day boxing coach:] "How bad do you want this kid beat up?"

[After being told the actor might hit back:] "For $350 a day, give him a bat. I used to get beat up for free."

 

[Cthulhu]

I like Danny Trejo. Pretty much everything I've seen him in, I've liked his performance.

Cthulhu

 

[arnisador]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2003/09/23/entertainment1636EDT0699.DTL

Singer David Lee Roth has canceled the rest of his tour because of a martial arts accident during a recent performance.

 

[cali_tkdbruin]

I guess accidents sometimes happen when one plays with sharp knives. :shrug:

 

[arnisador]

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000183/bio

Penthouse Pet of the Month - September 1984

Is a brown belt in Ninjitsu.

 

[Datu Tim Hartman]

Originally posted by arnisador
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000183/bio

How did you know this Jeff?

 

[arnisador]

Originally posted by Renegade
How did you know this Jeff?

Honestly, I'm innocent! A (non-porn) movie with her came on and I looked it up on IMDb to see how long it actually ran. I then tried to figure out who one of the (male) actors was and checked some of their pages for pictures. Then I checked her bio and saw this!

Innocent, I tell you! Innocent!

For her and ninjitsu (sic), see also the bottom of this page:
http://www.tracilords.com/bio/index.html

 

[Datu Tim Hartman]

Sure you are.

 

[donald]

William Shatner:kenpo
Def Leperd guitarist:kempo
Bill Cosby's side kick from I-Spy:kenpo
Mark Farner of Grand Funk Railroad: Chinese martial arts
James Coburn:Jun Fan Gung Fu
David Lee Roth formerly of Van Halen:kenpo
James Cagney:judo
President Theodore Roosevelt:judo
This is all I can think of right now, but I know there are tons more!




:asian:

 

[Touch Of Death]

Former speaker of the house Tom Foley does Kenpo.

 

[arnisador]

More on Traci Lords (from flipping through her bio.): She studied under Donald Munro, who was working as crew on a TV show she was filming in Vancouver, BC (First Wave?) and became a brown belt after one season of the show.

 

[theletch1]

Innocent, I tell you! Innocent!

Not guilty, perhaps, but most assuredly not innocent.

 

[arnisador]

Originally posted by theletch1
Not guilty, perhaps, but most assuredly not innocent.

Heh. Got me!

 

[marshallbd]

Originally posted by tarabos
he was also on FOX's celebrity boxing. i think he beat up Screech from Saved By The Bell and then ran around the ring celebrating like he just beat Frank Shamrock...

Nope....it was Barry Williams "Greg Brady" that Bonnaducci beat up...

 

[marshallbd]

Originally posted by tarabos
hmm...yeah...i think you're right. come to think of it, screech won his fight. he fought a celebrity that was real old though. can't remember who it was though. i think screech is a black belt in something himself.

Screech fought Horschack from welcome Back Kotter!!!!

 

[cali_tkdbruin]

Originally posted by tarabos
...i think screech is a black belt in something himself.

Screech is a BLACK belt in Karate...

 

[cali_tkdbruin]

Originally posted by OULobo
Lucy Lui does Kali/Silat :inlove:

Yes sir, she is one hot martial artist... :ultracool

 

[DanRyunAndrew]

Lynn Russel from the CNN Network was written up in BB Magazine during the 80's. She's a 2nd or 3rd degree Black. I'll have to look for more info...

Regards,

Andy

OK, here's a quote from www.infoplease.com bio on Lynn Russell

"A licensed private investigator and bodyguard, a Fulton County deputy sheriff, and a holder of two black belts in Choi Kwang Do, Russell is the author of How to Win Friends, Kick *** & Influence People."

Rock on, Lynn!

 

[arnisador]

http://www.e-budo.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=23007

Bobby Fischer did Judo? Also, a related note.

 

[arnisador]

http://www.martialway.com/celebrities/