Originating from Hilo, Hawaii, he started judo at thirteen, later served in the U.S. Army where exposure to taekwondo sparked a lifelong martial-arts pursuit; after discharge he moved to Los Angeles, trained at Jimmy H. Woo’s San Soo school and earned a fifth-degree black belt, while also studying kendo, aikido and designing various weapons. Entering the film world as a stunt performer in 1975, he…
