Pat E. Johnson

Pat E. Johnson

Johnson in The Little Dragons (circa 1979)
Born 1939 (age 76–77)
Niagara Falls, New York
Residence Los Angeles, California
United States
Nationality American
Style Tang Soo Do
Teacher(s) Chuck Norris, Kang Do Hee
Rank      9th degree black belt
Notable students Steve McQueen, Bob Barker, Osmond family

Pat E. Johnson (born 1939 in Niagara Falls, New York) is a 9th degree black belt in the art of American Tang Soo Do. He is the president of the National Tang Soo Do Congress, which was originally created by Chuck Norris in 1973. Johnson is famous for the martial arts choreography in the Karate Kid series in which he also starred as the All Valley Karate Tournament head referee, and has been involved in many films, as choreographer and actor including but not limited to Enter The Dragon, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,[1] Mortal Kombat, Green Street Hooligans and recently, Punisher: War Zone.[2] He is the 1995 Black Belt Magazine Instructor of the Year.

Biography

Johnson was born in 1939 in Niagara Falls. He began training in traditional Korean Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan in 1963, while stationed in South Korea as a chaplain in the U.S. Army. While under the tutelage of a Korean master named Kang Lo Hee, Johnson earned his black belt in just thirteen months.[3] After his army service ended, Johnson met and formed an association with Tang Soo Do instructor Chuck Norris. Johnson soon rose to the rank of chief instructor at Norris' school in Sherman Oaks, California in 1968. That same year, he formulated the penalty-point system still used by karate tournaments.[4]

From 1968 to 1973, Johnson was captain of the undefeated Chuck Norris black belt competition team, which won 33 consecutive national and international titles. In 1971, he became the National Tang Soo Do Champion. In both 1975 and 1976, Johnson was awarded the prestigious Golden Fist Award for best karate referee in the United States.[4]

In 1973, Norris founded the National Tang Soo Do Congress (NTC), and named Johnson as executive vice president and chief of instruction. In 1979, Norris disbanded the NTC and formed the United Fighting Arts Federation (UFAF), again naming Johnson as executive vice president.

In 1980, Johnson had a small supporting role in the feature film The Little Dragons (later known as The Karate Kids U.S.A.). In the film, Johnson played the karate instructor to a pair of young brothers (portrayed by Chris and Pat Petersen) who use their martial arts skills to foil a kidnapping plot.

In 1986, Johnson was promoted to ninth-degree black belt. That same year after a difference of opinion with Norris, he would leave the UFAF and reform the NTC.[5] He now lives with his wife Sue Johnson in North Ridge, with four kids and two granddaughters, Lilly and Jolina Felix.

Achievements

References

  1. ↑ Johnson, Pat E. "Paradise Lost: Can Arts Recapture the Tradition?" M. A. Training. November 1997. P. 37.
  2. ↑ Pat E. Johnson at the Internet Movie Database
  3. ↑ Ley, Rodney. "Evolution of Tang Soo Do" Black Belt Magazine. March 2000. P. 112.
  4. 1 2 Ley. P 117.
  5. ↑ Beaver, William K. "The Man Behind the Ninja Turtles." Black Belt Magazine. July 1991. P. 18.

External links

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