3 REAL BLACK BELTS Who Appeared in “The Karate Kid”
When The Karate Kid hit theaters in 1984, audiences ate it up. They loved watching Daniel-san, a bullied kid with as much natural athletic talent as a bulldog at a gymnastics meet, study with a traditional master and then surpass all competitors at the All Valley Karate Championship.
Enter the smash hit Cobra Kai, which has soared to a level the Karate Kid movies never reached. It’s a mix of aging warriors and the next generation of high schoolers trying to find their own way in the world. It opened with Daniel-san as the owner of a car dealership, which was perfect because it showed that we really don’t have any clue where life will take us. No doubt the three actors profiled here had no idea where the Karate Kid films would take them.
WILLIAM CHRISTOPHER FORD, AKA “DENNIS”
In The Karate Kid Part III, Thomas Ian Griffith shined as Terry Silver, the lead villain. William Christopher Ford played one of Silver’s thugs. In person, Ford is a friendly and humble man who did not have an easy road in the martial arts but who excelled because of his passion and perseverance.
What got you interested in the martial arts?
Ford: My initial inspiration was actually the old Kung Fu series with David Carradine. I thought the character of Kwai Chang Caine was superhuman! I couldn’t wait to watch that show every week so I could see him fight the bad guys.
My second exposure to martial arts was a theme park in California called the Japanese Village and Deer Park. They had gardens with koi ponds and Japanese cultural demonstrations. What I remember most was they had a live karate show and it starred Fumio Demura and his students. It was like watching an exciting scene from an action movie.
I got my first taste karate, and I want you to join, too.” My mom agreed because I was a very uncoordinated child and very awkward, very shy. Her instinct told her that karate would be good for me and also give me a cultural connection to the Okinawan/Japanese side of my heritage.
