Jeff Speakman
Encyclopedia
Jeff Speakman is an American
actor
and a martial artist in the art of American kenpo karate and Japanese Goju-Ryu, earning blackbelts in each.
n status. Jeff broke several school district and conference records while never having a coach. His grades while at John Hersey High School
did not allow him a scholarship, so he had to work for his tuition to go to college. He graduated from Missouri Southern State College with a bachelor's degree in psychology
and a minor in biology
six years after graduating high school.
He has said that the television show Kung Fu
got him interested in martial arts
, and spent years training in American Kenpo
under his principal instructor, Larry Tatum, as well as under Ed Parker
, the founder of the system.
Jeff received his 1st degree black belt
in American Kenpo in 1984. He has subsequently obtained an eighth-degree rank in kenpo karate with other instructors, and also currently holds a 7th-degree black belt in the Goju-Ryu Karate style which he began to study under Grandmaster Lou Angel starting in 1978.
Speakman is also founder and director of American Kenpo Karate Systems (AKKS), an international kenpo karate organization with more than 50 schools across the region.
, which still features the best-known application of kenpo techniques and principles in popular film. He followed this up with the feature film Street Knight
. In the United Kingdom, this movie was released straight to video in 1993. Other action films followed, including The Expert
and Deadly Outbreak
. ( see filmography below for full list ). The Perfect Weapon is now available on DVD From Amazon.co.uk.
Jeff holds successful training camps every year (Jeff Speakman International Kenpo Camp) for American kenpo and still acts in movies today. In 1993, Jeff was inducted into the Black Belt Hall of Fame for "Instructor of the Year". He was also recognized for excellence in martial arts and was inducted into the Masters Hall of Fame in 2009 where he received the "Silver Life Achievement Award".
Jeff has created American "Kenpo 5.0" which is the hybrid of the last generation version of American Kenpo taught directly from Senior Grand Master Ed Parker to Jeff Speakman. Kenpo 5.0 includes ground fighting which creates Kenpo answers to defending against an opponent with these skills in the street. It is modifying the existing 4.0 system while remaining completely within combat models and thinking of American Kenpo to address this increasing and prevalent void in the Kenpo world.
In June 2010 Jeff Speakman tested and earned his 8th degree in American Kenpo the same year he opened Jeff Speakmans Kenpo 5.0 World Training Center in Las Vegas.
In a very emotional ceremony, Mr. Speakman is promoted to 8th Dan, passing on to Mr. Parseghian the honor and responsibility of being his successor. Hanshi Lou Angel was Mr. Speakman's First Instructor who promoted him to 1st Black. Mr. Speakman's 1st Black Belt with its 30 years of history has been passed on to Mr. Parseghian.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and a martial artist in the art of American kenpo karate and Japanese Goju-Ryu, earning blackbelts in each.
Early life
Speakman was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, where he was a springboard diver in high school and achieved All-AmericaAll-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n status. Jeff broke several school district and conference records while never having a coach. His grades while at John Hersey High School
John Hersey High School
John Hersey High School, , is a four-year public high school located in Arlington Heights, Illinois, a northwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois in the United States, it has its students from Arlington Heights and also takes some students from Prospect Heights, Mount Prospect and a small part of Des...
did not allow him a scholarship, so he had to work for his tuition to go to college. He graduated from Missouri Southern State College with a bachelor's degree in psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
and a minor in biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
six years after graduating high school.
He has said that the television show Kung Fu
Kung Fu (TV series)
Kung Fu is an American television series that starred David Carradine. It was created by Ed Spielman, directed and produced by Jerry Thorpe, and developed by Herman Miller, who was also a writer for, and co-producer of, the series...
got him interested in martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
, and spent years training in American Kenpo
American Kenpo
American Kenpo or Kenpo Karate is a system of martial arts created by Ed Parker, characterized by the use of quick moves in rapid-fire succession intended to overwhelm an opponent...
under his principal instructor, Larry Tatum, as well as under Ed Parker
Ed Parker
Edmund Kealoha "Ed" Parker was an American martial artist, promoter, teacher, and author.-Life:Parker was born in Hawaii, and raised a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He began his training in the martial arts at a young age in judo and later boxing...
, the founder of the system.
Jeff received his 1st degree black belt
Black belt (martial arts)
In martial arts, the black belt is a way to describe a graduate of a field where a practitioner's level is often marked by the color of the belt. The black belt is commonly the highest belt color used and denotes a degree of competence. It is often associated with a teaching grade though...
in American Kenpo in 1984. He has subsequently obtained an eighth-degree rank in kenpo karate with other instructors, and also currently holds a 7th-degree black belt in the Goju-Ryu Karate style which he began to study under Grandmaster Lou Angel starting in 1978.
Speakman is also founder and director of American Kenpo Karate Systems (AKKS), an international kenpo karate organization with more than 50 schools across the region.
Career
Speakman started acting in 1988 and became an action movie star in 1991 with the release of The Perfect WeaponThe Perfect Weapon
The Perfect Weapon is an action 1991 film starring Jeff Speakman. It tells the story of a young man, Jeff, who is trained in the martial art of Kenpo, and his fight against the Korean mafia families....
, which still features the best-known application of kenpo techniques and principles in popular film. He followed this up with the feature film Street Knight
Street Knight
Street Knight is a 1993 American action film starring Jeff Speakman. It was last film released by Cannon Films.The film currently holds a 4.5/10 user rating on the Internet Movie Database.-Plot:...
. In the United Kingdom, this movie was released straight to video in 1993. Other action films followed, including The Expert
The Expert (1995 film)
The Expert is a 1995 action film about an ex-special forces trainer who decides to exact revenge on the murderer of his sister after his death sentence is commuted...
and Deadly Outbreak
Deadly Outbreak
Deadly Outbreak is an action movie released by US-Israeli company Nu Image in 1996, and directed by former stuntman Rick Avery....
. ( see filmography below for full list ). The Perfect Weapon is now available on DVD From Amazon.co.uk.
Jeff holds successful training camps every year (Jeff Speakman International Kenpo Camp) for American kenpo and still acts in movies today. In 1993, Jeff was inducted into the Black Belt Hall of Fame for "Instructor of the Year". He was also recognized for excellence in martial arts and was inducted into the Masters Hall of Fame in 2009 where he received the "Silver Life Achievement Award".
Jeff has created American "Kenpo 5.0" which is the hybrid of the last generation version of American Kenpo taught directly from Senior Grand Master Ed Parker to Jeff Speakman. Kenpo 5.0 includes ground fighting which creates Kenpo answers to defending against an opponent with these skills in the street. It is modifying the existing 4.0 system while remaining completely within combat models and thinking of American Kenpo to address this increasing and prevalent void in the Kenpo world.
In June 2010 Jeff Speakman tested and earned his 8th degree in American Kenpo the same year he opened Jeff Speakmans Kenpo 5.0 World Training Center in Las Vegas.
In a very emotional ceremony, Mr. Speakman is promoted to 8th Dan, passing on to Mr. Parseghian the honor and responsibility of being his successor. Hanshi Lou Angel was Mr. Speakman's First Instructor who promoted him to 1st Black. Mr. Speakman's 1st Black Belt with its 30 years of history has been passed on to Mr. Parseghian.
Film and television credits
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Side Roads | Joseph Velasco | Film |
| 1988 | Slaughterhouse Rock Slaughterhouse Rock Slaughterhouse Rock is a 1987 B-movie horror film, starring pop star Toni Basil, and featuring songs by New Wave group Devo. The plot concerns a group of teens, attempting to release a curse over their friend, who has been having dreams of the victims of a murderer who lived on the island of... |
Cafe Patron | Film |
| 1989 | Hunter Hunter (TV series) Hunter is a police drama television series starring Fred Dryer as Sgt. Rick Hunter and Stepfanie Kramer as Sgt. Dee Dee McCall, which ran on NBC from 1984 to 1991. However, Kramer left after the sixth season to pursue other acting and musical opportunities. The seventh season saw Hunter partnered... |
Officer | TV Episode: "The Pit" |
| 1990 | Lionheart | Mansion Security Man | Film |
| 1991 | The Perfect Weapon The Perfect Weapon The Perfect Weapon is an action 1991 film starring Jeff Speakman. It tells the story of a young man, Jeff, who is trained in the martial art of Kenpo, and his fight against the Korean mafia families.... |
Jeff Sanders | Film |
| 1993 | Street Knight Street Knight Street Knight is a 1993 American action film starring Jeff Speakman. It was last film released by Cannon Films.The film currently holds a 4.5/10 user rating on the Internet Movie Database.-Plot:... |
Jake Barrett | Film |
| 1994 | The Expert The Expert (1995 film) The Expert is a 1995 action film about an ex-special forces trainer who decides to exact revenge on the murderer of his sister after his death sentence is commuted... |
John Lomax | Film |
| 1995 | Timelock | McMasters | Film |
| 1995 | Deadly Outbreak Deadly Outbreak Deadly Outbreak is an action movie released by US-Israeli company Nu Image in 1996, and directed by former stuntman Rick Avery.... |
Sgt. Dutton Hatfield | Film |
| 1996 | Escape From Atlantis Escape from Atlantis Escape from Atlantis is a board game that portrays the sinking of Atlantis and the attempts by the population to escape the sinking island. It was originally released in the USA under the title of Survive! and first published in the English language by Parker Brothers in 1982... |
Matt Spencer | TV Movie |
| 1997 | Plato's Run | Dominick | Film |
| 1997 | Memorial Day | Edward Downey | Film |
| 1998 | Scorpio One | Jared Stone | Film |
| 1998 | Land of the Free Land of the Free (film) This article is about the film 'Land of the Free'. For other uses, see Land of the Free .Land of the Free is a film released in 1998, directed by Jerry Jameson and starring Jeff Speakman and William Shatner.- Plot summary :... |
Frank Jennings | Film |
| 1999 | Running Red | Greg/Gregori | Film (also Executive Producer) |
| 2000 | Hot Boyz Hot Boyz (film) Hot Boyz is a 1999 film written and directed by Master P. It stars Silkk the Shocker, Snoop Dogg, C-Murder and Mystikal. This film started a brief rivalry between No Limit Records and Cash Money Records as the name "Hot Boyz" was already the name of the popular Trill Fam rap group, which consisted... |
Master Keaton | Video |
| 2002 | Night Terror | Professor Eric Lang | Film |
| 2004 | The Gunman | Scott Sherwin | Film |
| 2006 | Striking Range (aka: (Bloodlines) | Kilmer | Film |
External links
- Jeff Speakman website: Jeff Speakman website