Stars and their Styles

[TLH3rdDan]

ok is it just me or does anyone else find mr norris' claim that he was the first person in the western hemisphere to be promoted to 8th dan grand master of tae kwon do and that it is the first such promotion in 4500 years of tradition... to be ummm how should i put this... ummm a bit full of it??? im sorry but does he really expect that no one in the western hemisphere had reached 8th dan in tae kwon do before him? and where did 4500 years of tradition come from... im sure someone will correct me on this... but wasnt tae kwon do created in 1955??? personally i respect mr norris and all that he has done to promote the arts and especially for his kick drugs out of america program... but that claim thats made on the ufaf website is a bit much

 

[vincefuess]

It is not reputed, it is fact that Chuck Norris studied Tang Soo Do (different only in name and a few foot positions from TKD- splitting hairs) while stationed in Korea. I knew the name Chuck Norris about the same time I became cognizant of my own name- my brother trained with "the early Texas Karate crew" (Skipper Mullins, Allen Steen, Demetrius Havanas, Pat Burleson, etc), and in those days the martial arts community was small and tight-knit. I saw many of these guys on a regular basis, but being so young there was no significance attached to it- but they all knew and spoke of "Chuck". Many of these guys trained regularly in our back yard. Texas was a hotpot of Karate activity in the late 60's through early 80's, producing many of the statesides heavy hitters.

Chuck Norris was promoted to 8th degree in TSD, but is more recognised by his 10th degree grandmaster rank in his own martial art of Chun Kuk Do, which is an eclectic art with it's foundation in TSD. There was a good article on Chun Kuk Do last month in Black Belt Magazine, which describes its philosophy of ever-changing, ever-growing and not getting "tradition locked".

Fun subject!

Vince

 

[TLH3rdDan]

i agree with rob broad on this one pat johnson is a very overlooked person... you can find his name some where in the credits of almost every hollywood martial arts movie out as either a trainer, a choreographer, a stunt double, an extra, or all of the above

 

[Kirk]

Originally posted by vincefuess

I knew the name Chuck Norris about the same time I became cognizant of my own name- my brother trained with "the early Texas Karate crew" (Skipper Mullins, Allen Steen, Demetrius Havanas, Pat Burleson, etc

Now that's just too damned cool!

 

[vincefuess]

Pat Johnson was one of those guys who excelled, but never did it for the limelight (and I'm not saying any of the aforementioned did)- he just avoided it cuz he didn't want or need it. Mr. Johnson exemplifies the martial spirit in at least as many ways as the "biggies", perhaps bigger. The humble master who is willing to lend his experience to help another, asking nothing in return.

Vince

 

[islandtime]

Originally posted by Cthulhu

Chuck Norris bio info:

Birth Date: March 10, 1940 in Ryan, Oklahoma, USA
Birth Name: Carlos Ray Norris

Seems I was wrong about TSD. I could have sworn he was a TSD guy. Whooooops.

Cthulhu

......................................
I will agree with you TSD not TKD. Even if the site states TKD there are many reasons for this..(see paragraph below)
TKD is something everyone recognizes not TSD.
I remember him from back in the day and I think it was TSD.
Doing a little research and I think I am kind of right

MooDukKwan/Tang Soo do and other Korean arts were all bundled into "The KoreanTae Kwon Do Association"in 1965 and the arts were then called "TaeKwonDo".

This is according to Kim's Karate Tang Soo Do Academy website..


Gene Gabel

 

[islandtime]

Originally posted by vincefuess

the same time I became cognizant of my own name- my brother trained with "the early Texas Karate crew" (Skipper Mullins, Allen Steen, Demetrius Havanas, Pat Burleson, etc), and in those days the martial arts community was small and tight-knit. I saw many of these guys on a regular basis, but being so young there was no significance attached to it- but they all knew and spoke of "Chuck". Many of these guys trained regularly in our back yard. Texas was a hotpot of Karate activity in the late 60's through early 80's, producing many of the statesides heavy hitters.

Fun subject!

Vince

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Vince,
You got that right. Skipper Mullins was on the panel when I took my TKD Black Belt test in New Orleans. My instructors Jim and Jenice Miller both trained under Allen Steen's "Blood and Guts Texas TKD Karate" I had contact with all the guys you mentioned and they were a great bunch. Check out www.akbba.com for some cool stuff on the old days.. Also a fine book is "The Official History of Karate in America" The golden age:1968-1986...by AL and David Weiss.. Anyone who was anyone is in it


Gene Gabel

 

[islandtime]

Originally posted by vincefuess

Pat Johnson was one of those guys who excelled, but never did it for the limelight (and I'm not saying any of the aforementioned did)- he just avoided it cuz he didn't want or need it. Mr. Johnson exemplifies the martial spirit in at least as many ways as the "biggies", perhaps bigger. The humble master who is willing to lend his experience to help another, asking nothing in return.

Vince

......................................................
So I guess that means his opposite number would be "Joe,, Battle of Atlanta Corley"

Gene Gabel

 

[islandtime]

Originally posted by TLH3rdDan

i agree with rob broad on this one pat johnson is a very overlooked person... you can find his name some where in the credits of almost every hollywood martial arts movie out as either a trainer, a choreographer, a stunt double, an extra, or all of the above

.........................................................
He was one of the hoods on the golf course taking on John Saxon in "Enter the Dragon"

a cool guy

Gene Gabel

 

[fist of fury]

Originally posted by islandtime



.........................................................
He was one of the hoods on the golf course taking on John Saxon in "Enter the Dragon"

a cool guy

Gene Gabel

Cool I'll have to watch it again to see which one he is

 

[arnisador]

This site claims that Lorenzo Lamas has three black belts, including karate and TKD. Does anyone know more?

 

[Cthulhu]

Originally posted by arnisador

This site claims that Lorenzo Lamas has three black belts, including karate and TKD. Does anyone know more?

I could have sworn a magazine reported that he had a black belt in American Kenpo.

Cthulhu

 

[tigerstorm]

Ok Ive read through the comments made and thought as Ive gone just out of my own curioustuy to ask about a few people.
Adrian Paul, from Highlander?
Sean Connery who always seems to know something in his movies?
Ranks for Mark Dacascos and in what styles has he studied?
Who was Darth Maul in Star Wars and what style/rank?

 

[TLH3rdDan]

adrian paul had never studied martial arts before the highlander series began and im not sure exactly what style they have him using...i think to fit with the role they combined several different styles for him to work with... i think with sean connery again its just hollywood martial arts i dont think he has any formal training...there is a link in this thread that has mark dacascos on it and lists some of the styles he has studied and i believe his rank as well

 

[Cthulhu]

Mark Dacoscos I believe holds high rank in his father's (Al) style, Won Hop Kuen Do, which could be considered an offshoot of Kajukembo.

I believe Ray Park competed in wushu.

Cthulhu

 

[tigerstorm]

I hope I dont go in the wrong direction here but i think that Mark Dacascos also is very highly regarded in the style of Capoiriea. Im not sure if they actually use rank, I dont think they do but I believe he is high in whatever form they do use. Alsoi I remeber once hearing that Adrian Paul held a brown rank in whatever style it was that he was studying for Highlander, and it was during the shooting of the show so I would assume by theend he held black rank, anyone who has watched the show may have seen one where he was actually doing a kata, again I forget what it was, I was just wondering if anyone had any newer info than that.
Tigerstorm

 

[Cthulhu]

Last I heard, Adrian Paul was studying some form of kung fu. However, since I conciously stay as far away from anything 'Highlander' as possible, I didn't really try to remember what style it was.

Cthulhu

 

[TLH3rdDan]

highlander rocks the movies and the series are great except for highlander 2 that was the big bomb... they should have been shot for making that one... :shrug:

 

[islandtime]

Originally posted by Cthulhu

Mark Dacoscos I believe holds high rank in his father's (Al) style, Won Hop Kuen Do, which could be considered an offshoot of Kajukembo.

I believe Ray Park competed in wushu.

Cthulhu

......................................................................
You are right. Mark holds Sifu rank in WHKD. His dad Al (my Sigung) started WHQD . It is a type of KJKB that utilizes more Chuan'Fa and is more of a Gung Fu style than the other ones.

I studied under Sigung and Sifu Leonard Endrizzi in Colorado



Gene GAbel

 

[Cthulhu]

Originally posted by islandtime


......................................................................
You are right. Mark holds Sifu rank in WHKD. His dad Al (my Sigung) started WHQD . It is a type of KJKB that utilizes more Chuan'Fa and is more of a Gung Fu style than the other ones.

I studied under Sigung and Sifu Leonard Endrizzi in Colorado



Gene GAbel

Very cool! I didn't know we had a kajukembo/won hop kuen do practitioner on board!

The only reason I met my instructor is because I went to the base gym to sign up for the advertised kajukembo class. As it turns out, the advertisement was old and that instructor had been stationed somewhere else. I met my Okinawa-te instructor instead. Once in a while, I wonder what would have happened if the kajukembo guy was there instead.

Do you happen to have links with video clips or stills of kajukembo/won hop kuen do forms?

Cthulhu