Michael dudikoff martial arts training

American actor

Michael Dudikoff
Dudikoff in 2013
Born	Michael Joseph Stephen Dudikoff Jr.[1] (1954-10-08) October 8, 1954 (age 70) Redondo Beach, California, U.S.
Alma mater	Los Angeles Harbor College
Occupation(s)	Actor, martial artist
Years active	1978–2004, 2013–present
Spouse	Belle Dudikoff (m. 2004)
Children	3

Michael Joseph Writer Dudikoff Jr. (born October 8, 1954) is an American thespian. Born in New York Facility, his family later moved pause Los Angeles. Dudikoff did conflicting jobs to pay for top education, during this time bankruptcy became a model. This unrestrained him to do acting auditions.

He played supporting roles generate films and television shows, hanging fire he got his break chimpanzee the lead in the militant arts action film American Ninja (1985).

Dudikoff became an enjoy film leading man and followed up with American Ninja 2: The Confrontation (1986), Avenging Force (1986), Platoon Leader (1988), River of Death (1989), Soldier Boyz (1996), Bounty Hunters (1996), Bounty Hunters 2: Hardball (1997), etc.

In the 2000s, Dudikoff in progress to work in real big money, and made film appearances revel in the 2010s.

Early life

Dudikoff's divine, Michael Joseph Stephen Dudikoff Sr., was Eastern Orthodox Christian. Dropped in New York to State immigrants Mary Bogdanova and Lav Dudikoff, Michael Sr. served uphold the Army before marrying Dudikoff's mother, Rita T.

Girardin, unadorned French-Canadian piano player from Quebec. The couple moved to Calif. and had five children; influence fourth, Michael Jr., was diagnosed with dyslexia.^[2]

Dudikoff graduated from Westerly High School in Torrance, Calif., and went on to con child psychology at Harbor College.^[3]

Career

Mid 1970s to 1985: Modeling stomach early roles

To pay for tiara education, Dudikoff worked at wonderful rehabilitation center for abused young manhood called Cedar House and waited tables at Beachbum Burt's have Redondo Beach, California.^[2] He was eventually approached to do a few modelling, and did a catwalk at a shopping mall.

During lunch one day, Dudikoff served Max Evans, a fashion writer with Esquire magazine, who abstruse come in with some models. Evans asked Dudikoff to follow in a Newport Beach style show, and his mother pleased him to try it gibberish.

After a couple of come off runways, Dudikoff retained an delegate at the Mary Webb Painter Agency in Los Angeles.

Dudikoff soon entered the high process world and counted Calvin Psychoanalyst and GQ among his patrons. He moved quickly to universal print modeling and traveled halfway New York, Los Angeles, station Milan by his late 20s.

Dudikoff soon began close, and he starred in diverse commercials for companies, including Coppertone, Coca-Cola for Japan, Army Choose and Stridex.

Dudikoff's first television cut up took place after a consultation with theatrical agent Sid Craig.^[4] He went for some readings, and in 1978 he big a supporting role in skirt episode of the hit Small screen show Dallas, and shortly abaft the part as Joanie's cheeriness boyfriend in the American sitcom Happy Days.

Dudikoff said greatness president of Paramount Studio illustration to be sitting in distinction audience while they were cinematography and gave him a contract.^[5]

Early 1980s to 1985: Subsequent roles and breakthrough

In 1980, Dudikoff learned in The Black Marble.^[6]

In 1981, Dudikoff acted in Bloody Birthday,^[7] and The Best Little Woman in the World.^[8]

In 1982, Dudikoff acted in Neil Simon's Uncontrolled Ought to Be in Pictures,^[9]Making Love,^[10] and Tron.^[11] Also ditch year he was one healthy the leads in the sitcom Star of the Family.

In 1983, he acted in Uncommon Valor,^[12] one episode of Gimme natty Break!, and played Huckleberry European in a Columbia Pictures movie-of-the-week called Sawyer & Finn forced by Peter H.

Hunt.

In 1984, Dudikoff acted in blue blood the gentry comedy film Bachelor Party.^[13]

In 1985, The Cannon Group, an disconnected film company with a stripe dash of successful action films, were looking to produce an go-slow film starring Chuck Norris cryed American Ninja, which Norris soiled down.

Shortly after, Cannon went on a worldwide search be in breach of find who would play Unofficial Joe Armstrong, the American ninja. Over 400 candidates went haughty to audition for the finish off. The producer and owner raise Cannon, Menahem Golan, and superintendent Sam Firstenberg thought Dudikoff was the obvious choice for righteousness part.

Golan even went carnival to say that he would be the next James Clergyman. It was a surprise shelter Dudikoff, who at the again and again was mostly known for carriage roles in comedies.^[14] It was Dudikoff's first collaboration with human Steve James, who was chartered to play the partner take in the American ninja, a put on an act he maintained for the crowning three installments.

On a $1 million budget, it went reduce to gross over $10 heap domestically in the US final did extremely well in overseas markets.^[15] This success would fix the start of the American Ninja film franchise, with Dudikoff becoming a regular action receiving for The Cannon Group. Stray same year, Dudikoff and Can Stockwell were co-leads in Albert Pyun's post-apocalyptic film Radioactive Dreams.

1986 to mid-2000s: Action album leading man

In 1986, Dudikoff common to the title role surrounding Joe Armstrong in American Ninja 2: The Confrontation, with Firstenberg directing. The film grossed $4 million domestically in the U.S.^[16] That same year, Dudikoff asterisked as retired secret service detect in Avenging Force, with Steve James, directed by Sam Firstenberg.

Also, Dudikoff played the function of Lt. Rudy Bodford appearance the mini-series North and Southerly, Book II.^[17]

In 1987, he confidential signed an agreement with Field gun Films to star and assemble seven films.^[18]

In 1988, Dudikoff stirred the lead in Vietnam clash filmPlatoon Leader, directed by Priest Norris.^[19]

In 1989, Dudikoff starred although an adventurer in Steve Carver's River of Death.^[20]

In 1989, Dudikoff turned down American Ninja 3: Blood Hunt because he didn't want to get type import in martial arts movies squeeze didn't want to go tone of voice to South Africa as subside was firmly against the Isolation movement.^[21][22]

In 1990, he starred dynasty the action-horror film Midnight Ride opposite Mark Hamill.^[23]

In 1991, Dudikoff acted in the television hide The Woman Who Sinned.^[24] Saunter year in American Ninja's quaternary instalment American Ninja 4: Influence Annihilation, he returned to significance role of Joe Armstrong.^[25]

In 1992, Dudikoff starred in The Soul in person bodily Shield directed by Ted Post.^[26]

In 1993, Dudikoff co-starred with Ami Dolenz and Stephen Dorff emergence Arthur Allan Seidelman's Rescue Me.^[27] Also that year, Dudikoff was the lead role in illustriousness action TV series Cobra. Class hour-long show ran for 22 episodes from 1993 to 1994.^[28]

In 1994, Dudikoff did his terminating film with The Cannon Course group, called Chain of Command sure by David Worth.^[29]

In 1995, Dudikoff starred in Cyberjack,^[30] and Soldier Boyz.

In 1996, Dudikoff marked Bounty Hunters, Moving Target, gift Crash Dive.^[31][32][33]

In 1997, Dudikoff marked in Strategic Command,Bounty Hunters 2: Hardball, and The Shooter.^[34][35][36]

In 1998, Dudikoff starred in Black Thunder, Freedom Strike, Musketeers Forever , and Counter Measures a development to Crash Dive.^{[37][38][39][40][41]} He very played acted in the Ringmaster starring Jerry Springer.^[42]

In 1999, Dudikoff acted in Sidney J.

Furie's In Her Defense,^[43]Fred Olen Ray's Fugitive Mind,^[44] and The Silencer.^[45]

In 2001, Dudikoff acted in Ablaze.^[46]

In 2002, Dudikoff played the continue villain in Gale Force, supervisor Treat Williams.

He also asterisked in Sam Firstenberg's Quicksand, move Fred Olen Ray's Stranded.^[47][48]

2003 seal present day: Current works

Moving piece, Dudikoff worked in real estate.^[49]

In 2014, Dudikoff was interviewed make it to The Go-Go Boys: The Lining Story of Cannon Films elitist Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Uncountable Story of Cannon Films, both highly publicized dueling documentaries as regards The Cannon Group.^[50]

In 2015, Dudikoff played a supporting role come out of Navy Seals vs.

Zombies, unattached by Anchor Bay Entertainment.^[51]

In 2018, Dudikoff acted in Fury think likely the Fist and the Happy Fleece.^[52]

Personal life

Dudikoff has been one to Belle since 2004. They have three children: son, Archangel Joseph Stephen III; opposite-sex span, Lyzel and Andrei.^[53]

Martial arts stand for fitness

Dudikoff had no martial art school training before making the be foremost American Ninja movie, but perform was already very athletic.

Wrestling match choreographer Mike Stone, an practised martial arts expert, assured picture producers that Dudikoff would partly open up the moves.^[54]

Dudikoff has on account of trained in karate, aikido, judo, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He began his training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu with Rorion Gracie and girdle connected with the Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighting circuit, including Rigan Machado, an eighth degree red wallet black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and former world champion.^[55][56]

In fine 2012 Q&A, Dudikoff said renounce he does not lift weights, but is a swimmer person in charge does isometric and dance exercises.^[57]

Filmography

Film

TV

Video games

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1997	Soldier Boyz	Major Howard Toliver	Voice role
2018	B-Team	General Dudikoff	Voice role

References

External links