Billy Blanks
- Actor
- Stunts
- Additional Crew
Muscular African American sports star, actor, media identity and
inventor of the phenomenally popular "Tae Bo" fitness system, derived
from his extensive martial arts training. Blanks was born in Erie,
Pennsylvania in 1955 amongst humble backgrounds and grew up as one of
15 children, battling dyslexia and tendon problems. However that didn't
stop him from starting his martial arts training at age 14 and
eventually achieving black belts in tae kwon do & several other arts,
and winning numerous US martial arts tournaments.
Blanks first popped up on movie screens in the mid 1980s in tough guy parts utilizing his athletic background and grim faced looks. Films roles included Tango & Cash (1989), Poursuite sans pitié (1989) and Full Contact (1990). Things looked up in 1991, when Blanks scored the minor role of drug addicted running back "Billy Cole" in the explosive Le Dernier Samaritain (1991)....and further work followed often sharing lead billing in low budget - high action fare such as Dans les Griffes de l'aigle (1992), Commanders (1993) and Sans pitié, ni pardon (1995).
In the late 1990s, Billy's innovative and exciting "Tae Bo" workout routine swept around the world like wildfire, and propelled him into the position of one of the world's most recognizable and biggest selling fitness trainers. The remarkable Blanks continues to refine and promote his unique "Tae Bo" fitness system, and he operates the Billy Blanks World Training Center in Sherman Oaks, California.
Blanks first popped up on movie screens in the mid 1980s in tough guy parts utilizing his athletic background and grim faced looks. Films roles included Tango & Cash (1989), Poursuite sans pitié (1989) and Full Contact (1990). Things looked up in 1991, when Blanks scored the minor role of drug addicted running back "Billy Cole" in the explosive Le Dernier Samaritain (1991)....and further work followed often sharing lead billing in low budget - high action fare such as Dans les Griffes de l'aigle (1992), Commanders (1993) and Sans pitié, ni pardon (1995).
In the late 1990s, Billy's innovative and exciting "Tae Bo" workout routine swept around the world like wildfire, and propelled him into the position of one of the world's most recognizable and biggest selling fitness trainers. The remarkable Blanks continues to refine and promote his unique "Tae Bo" fitness system, and he operates the Billy Blanks World Training Center in Sherman Oaks, California.
